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Hua Cheng hates Saturdays.
Some might say that he is just a hateful person who doesn’t enjoy sunshine and rainbows, but truly, there is just something in the air on Saturdays that makes him want to burn the world down.
Kids off school that run in the streets without a care in the world, parents too busy in the little bubble they've built with their cellphones. Loud teenagers with no civic sense disrupting calm and quiet atmospheres. Old people and their slow motion walks as if time itself will wait for them and their shaky knees.
And the traffic.
The traffic is what he hates the most. He doesn’t take his motorbike out on days like this. One tiny accident and he could be done for. He already is missing an eye, he doesn’t want to risk an amputation. So he resorts to walking.
If it were up to him, he really would have just stayed home to finish his portrait, but he has kinda hit a wall. He has no idea what to paint. Every time he picks up a brush, the canvas just ends up looking like a mess- and then eventually, it's blank again. Just like that he wasted so many supplies, and now has to go out for more.
Thus, his predicament of being stuck on a busy sidewalk, waiting for the lights to turn green. And when they finally do after what felt like an eternity, he had to let the couple with baby strollers pass by first because somehow having children makes you superior to the ones who don’t. And when that finally clears, Hua Cheng is almost ready to take a huge step when a frail hand grabs his forearm.
“If this strong young man could help this old grandma cross the road, God would be very happy with you.” An old lady with a head full of grey hair and a hunched back smiled at him.
Hua Cheng sighed, grabbing the tote bag from her hand, one accidental peek inside that bag and it seems she’s carrying… notebook and pens? Anyways, it’s none of Hua Cheng’s business to pry, so he just rolls his eye, “God must be a real generous one– making an old lady like you cross the road all alone.”
The old woman chuckled, taking slow steps, “God works in unique ways, boy. Me crossing this road alone is just my own fate.”
“Yeah right,” Hua Cheng huffed, “hurry it up grandma, God won’t keep the lights green any longer.”
The old woman laughed, “what a funny young man.”
It would take Hua Cheng maybe fifteen seconds to cross the road with his long legs and big steps, but with an old lady, it takes him seventy five seconds. Yes, he counted the seconds, what about it?
Once they cross, the old lady hands him a sour candy she fished out of her wrinkled pocket with a crooked smile.
It makes Hua Cheng feel… defeated.
He sighs, “where are you headed? I’ll drop you off.”
“Oh, just the library over there,” she points, luckily it’s the same direction as the art store he wanted to go to.
“I’m headed the same way, come on, I’ll drop you off.”
The old lady smiled, “aren’t you curious as to why I’m headed to a library?"
“None of my business.”
“Aiyah,” the old lady chided, “Young men these days, I am trying to make a conversation.”
Hua Cheng sighed again, “fine. Why are you going to the library, grandma?”
“I go there for my reading and writing lessons!” The twinkle in the old lady’s sunken eyes almost made Hua Cheng snort, “there is a kind young man who offers old people like us reading and writing lessons every saturday! Xie-Laoshi is so beautiful and gentle, you could learn some manners from him!”
Hua Cheng laughed, “Maybe if this Xie-Laoshi of yours has an open slot, I might as well take discipline classes from him.”
The pair soon reach a small library, it is named ‘Puqi library’. The calligraphy on the board is… exquisite. Whoever wrote it must be some kind of professional, but the tiny drawings of chestnuts on the border could definitely use some more work– maybe some shading? The library is empty inside save for maybe one or two students probably studying for some sort of exam, but other than that, everything else remains clear because who on their right minds would waste their lovely Saturday afternoon reading books? Hua Cheng knows he for sure wouldn’t.
The old lady rushes past Hua Cheng, hurrying to open the door. So now she can run, huh?
“Xie-Laoshi! I am here for my lessons!” She exclaimed at the empty front of the store, earning glares from the students.
A gentle voice quietly shouts back, “you are right on time, grandma fu! Just go take a seat with the others at the back, I’ll be right with you!”
Grandma fu turned to look at him, “Boy, you helped me walk all this way but still haven’t told me your name.”
“Hua Cheng.”
“What a lovely name.”
Hua Cheng gave her a wolfish grin, “thanks. I gave it to myself.”
Grandma fu made a puzzled face but then just shook her head, “off you go now. I’m sure you have plenty to do.”
And Hua Cheng should be on his way, but the gentle voice that emerged from in between the shelves has already piqued his curiosity.
As soon as the grandma is out of sight, he decides to venture in between the long shelves of books. In between one of the big shelves, filled with binders, he sees a man standing on a ladder built together with hopes and prayers.
He can’t really see his face, just his back. Long, voluminous brown hair reaching down to a slim waist connected to soft hips and… a nice round ass.
Hua Cheng gulped, mentally smacking himself.
Just then, the man loses his balance, the binder he was holding scattering papers, he makes a soft 'ah!' sound as the ladder beneath runs him out of the said hopes and prayers.
“Watch out-!” Hua Cheng hurries, extending his arm to catch the man.
And my oh my.
The man is beautiful. He looks like someone straight out of a fantasy novel. A prince whom generals would go to war for. The kind of beauty that would make the heavens itself bow down in defeat. Thick eyebrows, long lashes, hazel colored doe eyes, a button nose, rosy cheeks, and pump peachy lips.
The scene is something out of a movie, papers fall around them in slow motion as Hua Cheng’s breath catches in his throat. The beautiful man is clearly as shocked, turning redder by the second, staring back into Hua Cheng’s eye as he gulped.
“Ah! I am so sorry!” The man spoke first, voice as beautiful as his face, “I just lost my balance all of a sudden. Are you hurt anywhere?”
Hua Cheng straightened both of them, “I am okay. You should get a better ladder.”
The man smiled, and Hua Cheng almost melted on the spot, “yeah, I definitely should, haha.” He bends down to pick up the scattered papers, so does Hua Cheng.
They reach for the same paper at the same time, fingers brushing– it’s electric. The beautiful man quickly retracts his finger, a soft blush on his face. He mumbles an apology and continues picking up the other papers.
Really, why does this feel straight out of a cheesy rom-com?
With two pairs of hands, the scattered papers are quickly collected and put back inside the binder. It seemed to be some sort of handwriting practicing worksheets.
“Thank you for the help. My name is Xie Lian,” Beautiful person named Xie Lian spoke, “you?”
“Hua Cheng– but you can call me San Lang.” He hasn’t used that alias in years, but for some reason, it just felt fitting in this situation.
“San Lang.” Xie Lian smiled, “welcome to puqi library. How can I help you?”
“I was just…” Hua Cheng wanted to make up a lie, something that would make himself seem cool or mysterious, but under those gentle eyes? “I just helped this old lady walk here, I didn’t really mean to come in.” He found himself speaking the truth anyways.
Xie Lian's shoulders sag and Hua Cheng quickly adds, “although, I would love to look around!”
As soon as he says that, Xie Lian visibly brightens, it's blinding, “Great! What kind of books are you looking for?”
“Uh, something about art, maybe?”
“Oh that section is in the back, follow me– Are you an artist?”
“An art student.”
“How amazing! I can’t seem to draw for the life of me.” Xie Lian chuckled.
“It just takes a little practice and guidance.”
Xie Lian hummed, “well, here we are. If you need anything else, please let me know, I’ll be just over there.” He points at the tiny backyard (since when do libraries have a backyard?) where maybe six or seven old people are seated comfortably on a big table. And there is a blackboard in front of them.
Xie Lian quickly makes his way over to them, he can vaguely hear the old people pulling out their notebooks, showing him their homeworks, asking doubts, and what not. It makes Hua Cheng huff in amusement, watching a bunch of grey headed people act like elementary schoolers.
He picks out a few random books, taking a seat a little further away from the people outside, but it gives him a nice view to see what is going on. He doesn’t really focus on the books, he leans on his palm leisurely– absentmindedly flipping through the pages. Most of the time, his gaze just drifts back to the beautiful man just fifteen feet away from him.
The way he moves, the soft muffles of his voice, the gentle way he guides old grandmas who struggle with writing, the way he smiles– soft and understanding. Just Xie Lian himself overall emits this tenderness… Hua Cheng hasn’t felt this drawn to someone in his twenty two years of life.
The class lasts approximately an hour and a half, the grandmas all pack up and some even give Xie Lian hugs before they leave. Hua Cheng quickly covers his face with a book as to avoid grandma fu, she’ll be fine walking with her ‘classmates’.
When Xie Lian walks out, he looks a bit surprised to see Hua Cheng still there.
“You’re still here?”
Hua Cheng shrugged, “I have time to spare.”
Xie Lian looks at him– a little dazed. Then he just shook his head lightly, “Puqi is open for everyone at all times, I’m glad San Lang is enjoying himself.”
Hua Cheng hummed, deciding to at least pretend to read whatever book he is holding. The comfortable silence he falls with a stranger he met not more than two hours ago feels a little baffling. Xie Lian may be gentle and kind, but the way he moves is swift and elegant.
In no time, the table outside is cleared off their papers and even wiped down. Hua Cheng decides to give up on his book and just watch Xie Lian work.
Xie Lian probably felt Hua Cheng's watchful gaze and decided to strike up a conversation, “Grandma fu told me about how you were so kind to her.”
“Did she?” Hua Cheng scoffed, “I thought she was busy trying to make me believe in fate and God.”
Xie Lian laughed– gentle and quiet, “she does that, but once you get to know her, you’ll find her to be quite a sweetheart.”
“I don’t think anyone is a bigger sweetheart than you.”
Xie Lian almost dropped the book he was holding, turning to look at Hua Cheng- a little taken aback.
“I-I meant,” Hua Cheng cleared his throat, “you offer them reading and writing classes on a Saturday when you could just enjoy the day off or something.”
“Well, I like being of help.” Xie Lian said, “they never learned how to read or write and sometimes can’t talk with their grandchildren or children abroad.” He sighed lightly, “teaching them simple words and how to read them will get them far in what little life they have left.”
Hua Cheng’s heart swoons, “Gege is a kind person.”
“Hardly,” Xie Lian shook his head, “I’m doing this for my own benefit. I like teaching, and I rarely have anything to do on Saturdays, so it’s kind of like a good use of time for me.”
They fall into a comfortable conversation after that. Turns out, they have many things to talk about. From history, to art, to animals, to mundane things about life. Hua Cheng learns many things about his beautiful man. He is twenty five, is a highschool english teacher who also works in the library due to his interest in books and literature, is born in the heat of July, a white albino snake living in a big tank in his tiny studio apartment, and has a heart of gold. In exchange, Hua Cheng tells him about himself, twenty two, born in June, does art, a singular eyed pomeranian who barks unnecessarily, and hates people.
Xie Lian laughed at that, telling him hate is a very strong emotion, and for one to hate, there is an undertone of love in it.
Time flew by faster than the words could get out of their mouths. At some point, Xie Lian found himself sitting next to Hua Cheng, their voices flowing together in hushed tones. It is only after a student approaches Xie Lian does he realize it’s closing time.
“Uhm, Mr. Xie?” The students said, “it's six PM… I was hoping I could borrow this book?”
Xie Lian quickly stood up, “Oh my! It’s time to close already?” he turned to look at Hua Cheng, “I am sorry, San Lang, I need to–”
“No worries.” Hua Cheng interrupted, “I’ll wait.”
Xie Lian and the student make their way to the front desk as Xie Lian does whatever procedure is there that needs to be done in order to borrow a book.
Once he was done, the student bowed and left, soon it was just him and Hua Cheng.
“Sorry, San Lang. I’ve kept you here for a long time.”
Hua Cheng walked towards him, “you have a bad habit of apologizing when you don’t need to.”
Xie Lian blushed a little, “U-Uhm, sorry– I mean!”
Hua Cheng burst out laughing, wiping tears from his eye. When his laugh turned into tiny chuckles he looked at his beautiful man’s head bowed, face flushed. He tilted his chin with his index finger to look up at him, “don’t be shy.”
“I’m not.” Xie Lian huffed, standing up to grab his keys.
Hua Cheng followed behind, “headed home? Can I walk you?”
They stepped out as Xie Lian locked the library, “I’m just going to walk to the bus stop, there is no need to walk me home.”
Hua Cheng intertwined his fingers with Xie Lian’s without thinking, “let me walk you there then.”
Xie Lian looked at him skeptically, “don’t you have things to do?”
Hua Cheng tilted his head, “things like?”
Xie Lian tilted his head too, “whatever a student needs to do?”
Hua Cheng grinned, “It’s a Saturday.”
Xie Lian smiled, intertwining his finger with Hua Cheng’s properly this time.
God, does Hua Cheng love Saturdays.
They come across a little bakery from which the aroma of freshly baked cookies wafted, making the both of them drool. Laughing, they each bought one (Hua Cheng paid despite Xie Lian’s resistance) and by the time their cookies were long eaten, they had already reached the bus stop.
Xie Lian turned to look at Hua Cheng, craning his head a little to properly see the taller man, “this is me. Where are you gonna go?”
“Go home. That way.” Hua Cheng pointed his thumb to the opposite direction behind him.
Their intertwined hands still hadn’t let go, now swaying a little as Xie Lian smiled.
“Thank you for accompanying me today, San Lang. I had so much fun.”
Hua Cheng raised his free hand to wipe the little cookie crumbs in the corner of Xie Lian’s lips, then promptly licked the finger, all while maintaining eye contact, “me too.”
Xie Lian turned impossibly red as he let go of Hua Cheng’s hand, fishing out his phone, “i-if you don’t mind, maybe we could stay in touch?”
Hua Cheng beamed, “I thought you’d never ask!” He quickly grabbed the shorter man’s phone, typing his number as the bus finally approached.
As people started walking into the bus, Xie Lian exclaimed, “I work in the library, afternoon shift on the weekends! It was really fun meeting you!” Then, he hopped onto his feet to reach the taller man’s face, gave Hua Cheng a kiss on the cheek, and practically ran inside the bus.
Hua Cheng just simply stood there for a while, his own hand coming up to touch the place where those soft lips had just kissed. He stood there until the bus was out of his sight, then he turned and walked straight back home.
Upon coming home, his stupid pomeranian started barking as always, jumping at his feet. He quickly shrugged him off, “get off me, E-Ming! Go play elsewhere.”
The ferocious dog just bit his thigh and rushed off to wherever it wanted to. Hua Cheng kicked his shoes off and jogged to the room where he paints. He calls it Qiandeng studio to be a little dramatic.
It’s been a long day. Hua Cheng has been awake since 9am yesterday. He has an early morning class tomorrow, he needs to sleep. He knows that.
But his hand is almost vibrating with the urge to draw– the urge to create. The wall he was facing turned into a puddle right infront of him. All because of soft brown hair and a gentle smile. He hadn’t felt this inspired ever since he was six years old and found out a pencil can do more than just write.
It is only after he stood in front of his empty canvas does he remember that he forgot to go to the art store.