Chapter Text
Lu Guang sat on the sofa, sipping tea from his favourite mug to calm his nerves and get his brain working. Xia Fei had gone missing. This meant one of two things. One, Xia Fei had actually been kidnapped for some reason or other, or was dead. Two, Xia Fei had gone into hiding and was lying low in order to facilitate his search for his boss’ killer. Three, Xia Fei had found some notoriously… sketchy individuals and had to dive under in order to work with them. Or, in that case, what if he hadn’t met said individuals, but had regrouped with them instead? Say, if Vein were alive, there’s no way Xia Fei could ever be the same after Lu Guang-
Lu Guang sighed. This was getting nowhere. He supposed he would have to wait for more evidence to show up before he could get anywhere with his reasoning, but it frustrated him to no end, not knowing what could happen, how Cheng Xiaoshi could die this time.
Said Cheng Xiaoshi could be heard snoring from the reception desk at the front of the store. Carefully setting his mug on the coaster and wandering to the front of the shop, Lu Guang silently wondered, if Cheng Xiaoshi owned a store with more than a few customers a week, would he actually stay focused or still slack off on the job?
There was a clear answer to that. Cheng Xiaoshi, being fuelled by human interaction as he was, would naturally be great at customer service at a place which actually got customers. Maybe not becoming a ball of boredom and laziness whenever nobody showed up would also help him sleep better at night.
Cheng Xiaoshi needed more friends in this place than just him, Lu Guang thought. It’s too bad most people he got to know merely stayed acquaintances. And when they did become friends with Cheng Xiaoshi, they just had to be affiliated with his future murderer.
Lu Guang clenched and relaxed his fist. Oh well. At least it made his job of protecting Cheng Xiaoshi easier, despite the fact everything still resulted in failure in the end anyhow.
This is the loop, Lu Guang reassured himself. It has to be.
Just as Lu Guang was about to wake Cheng Xiaoshi up by tapping on his shoulder, the door suddenly opened. The ringing bell and “Welcome in, boss!” chime was accompanied by a start and Cheng Xiaoshi’s head subsequently banging into Lu Guang’s chin.
“Ow, Cheng-”
“Welcome to the Time Photo Studio! How can I help you today?” Cheng Xiaoshi greeted, smiling widely at the customer as if he had never been asleep at all.
Lu Guang decided to leave it and retreat to his sofa.
“Ah, I was looking for… Ah, such luck! Cheng Xiaoshi, it’s you, isn’t it?” A girl of approximately the same age as Cheng Xiaoshi entered the store, her bouncy bob cut and cute, fluffy keychains on her bag bringing out her smile and sparkling eyes. “Do you remember me? From uni?”
Cheng Xiaoshi’s eyes lit up. “Zhang Meili! What… what are you doing here? I thought you were doing big business in Shanghai and stuff!”
Zhang Meili waved her hand, “Oh, you flatter me, there were so many talents in Shanghai that all I amounted to was a low-wage worker. That’s why I quit my job, and I’m starting afresh here!”
“What a coincidence! But uh… if you don’t mind, what exactly are you doing here?” Cheng Xiaoshi’s grin morphed into a nervous smile, his tone dropping. “It’s not as if there’s much to do here when you compare it with Shanghai. Work-wise, ya know.”
Zhang Meili, Lu Guang thought. A friend of Cheng Xiaoshi’s and Qiao Ling’s in university whom he never interacted much with. Cheng Xiaoshi and Zhang Meili had had supplementary English classes together in the late afternoon, when Lu Guang didn’t have any courses. Qiao Ling, finishing a different subject at the same time as the two of them, often talked with them after the lectures.
Well, not that the supplementary English classes helped much, Lu Guang thought fondly.
“… and my family’s still here, and you know how the inner provinces are developing more now, so the job prospects aren’t bad! Xiaomi just launched a new store not too far from here, if you were wondering, so I’m going to be helping improve machines for phones and stuff.”
Cheng Xiaoshi’s face was the picture of surprise. “Oh, wow, I had no idea. I guess we really do need to get around more, eh, Lu Guang?”
Zhang Meili was about to say something to Lu Guang, introduce herself, probably, when sudden laughter emanated from the counter.
“Oh, I’m sorry, it’s just… it’s stupid, you’re working in the high-end new tech stuff and we’re working in a photo booth. I guess that kind of makes us rivals.” Cheng Xiaoshi grinned. “It’s kinda ironic, right?”
“Hey, that’s true!” Zhang Meili giggled. “Though I…” a giggle, “…I swear I didn’t come here to take your jobs, guys.”
Cheng Xiaoshi looked at her with false scepticism. “Hmmm… whatever you say…”
“No, I…” More laughter, though she was doing her best to calm down, “I only have the purest of motives, I swear.” However, her words were countered by her smirking cheekily right afterwards.
“This girl- Lu Guang, I think she’s here to scare the opposition. Don’t give in!”
Lu Guang huffed, and said, preventing the affection from bleeding into his voice, “Idiot, you have a phone yourself. If anything, you’re your own opposition.”
Shock and realisation seemed to hit Cheng Xiaoshi instantly. “Oh my god. I’m putting myself out of business.”
Lu Guang couldn’t fight a smile this time, so he hid it. Even though Zhang Meili was chortling right across from him, Cheng Xiaoshi’s eyes instantly caught his own. The smile he returned was too tender and too fond, it made him short of breath and nauseous from feelings following him through seasons and years and lifetimes.
Cheng Xiaoshi turned back to the customer and blew the hair out of his face. “So, Zhang Meili, what brings you here? Do you care about old cameras even though you’re about to work in the new stuff? What a double life.”
She rolled her eyes playfully. “I was looking for you, actually! I met Qiao Ling at a café a few blocks up and she sent me here.”
“Woah, Qiao Ling is at a café right now? It’s like…” Cheng Xiaoshi checked his watch, “Eleven am. She should be at the office! Oh ho ho, is she slacking on the job~”
Lu Guang gave him a pointed look. Cheng Xiaoshi pointedly looked away, chuckling nervously.
“No, Qiao Ling was actually-”
“My favourite tenantssss~” The door crashed open.
“Ah, well, speak of the devil.”
“Guess who reserved hotpot at Auntie Yang’s to celebrate the occasion!”
Qiao Ling’s eyes were literal stars. Probably because she found an excuse to eat hotpot again, but this time with more company.
“Eh, Qiao Ling, you slacker! I know you’re not done until 5pm!” Cheng Xiaoshi accused, pointing at her. He was subsequently whacked in the face with a bag.
“Aiyo, I would forget how stupid you were if you didn’t remind me of it every day. I’m on a case, that’s why I was outside, you dum-dum!”
Cheng Xiaoshi's eyes widened with recollection. He didn’t seem to want to give in, though. “Okay, but why are you here? We’re not sketchy at all so we can’t be part of your case. The police love us!”
“I’m. On. Breaaaaaak,” Qiao Ling sighed. “Lu Guang, tell me. Just now, was Cheng Xiaoshi sleeping?”
“HEY, how did you-”
“He’s been sleeping for 47 minutes, to be exact.”
“What the- how-”
“HA! I knew it! Don’t ever reprimand your jiejie for being irresponsible again…” Qiao Ling brandished her bag, “Or face the consequences!”
“Ehh… Qiao Ling? If you don’t mind, what were you working on, actually?” Zhang Meili held up her hand like she were asking a question in class.
“Hm? Oh, Zhang Meili, you want to get police intel, eh?” Qiao Ling crossed her arms, a look of pride overcoming her. “But what I’m doing right now is classified.”
“Ah, okay, I get-”
“I can tell you about my work in general though. Very important work, if I may.” She tossed her hair back proudly, eyes closed and smiling in self-satisfaction.
Behind Qiao Ling, Cheng Xiaoshi recreated Qiao Ling’s hair toss and stood in the same pose as her. Zhang Meili doubled over in laughter.
Qiao Ling turned around. Slowly.
“Cheng Xiaoshi…” Qiao Ling rounded the corner of the counter, a dark aura enveloping her. Cheng Xiaoshi’s eyes grew wide and he turned to Lu Guang, who looked at him as if saying: good luck.
Cheng Xiaoshi immediately held up his hands in surrender and started stepping away, “Ah- Qiao Ling-jie, I wasn’t mocking your work, of course - of course you do only the most important of work, the entirety of Guidu appreciates and highly values your valiant efforts…”
He then discreetly went to hide behind Lu Guang, who backed away towards the doorframe leading to the sunroom. Not willing to become another victim of her wrath, Lu Guang added, “Of course your work is important, Qiao Ling-jie.”
She nodded in approval. “Exactly,” she agreed, turning back to Zhang Meili. “So, my work includes comforting and/or questioning witnesses or victims, especially children, and when I’m not doing that it’s either paperwork or solving less important crimes.” She huffed, “You’d be surprised how disorganised it all is. Those cops couldn’t communicate if their life depended on it.”
“Aaaa! OMG, that’s so cool!” Zhang Meili squealed. “How did you even get that job? I never knew you were interested in joining the police!”
“Ah, well, you see…”
As Qiao Ling was about to weave some tale about her saving the world and the police hiring her for it (mostly as a cover, because nobody liked to talk about what happened with Li Tianchen and Li Tianxi), Lu Guang decided to move back to the living room. His tea was probably cold by now.
“And where do you think you’re going, young man?” Qiao Ling demanded, pointing her finger at him. “Don’t think you’re getting out of eating hotpot with us!”
Lu Guang blinked as Zhang Meili seemed to notice him dawdling.
“Ah, I’m so sorry, I never got to introduce myself! I’m Zhang Meili! Though I’m awful with names, I’m really, really sorry, what… what’s your name again?” She said sheepishly, scratching the back of her head in embarrassment.
“Zhang Meili! This is Lu Guang, I told you about him, remember! He’s my partner!”
Lu Guang was going to combust. Did Cheng Xiaoshi really just-
“Ah, your business partner, of course! Sorry again, you know I’ve always been terrible with names, it even took me a month to remember yours…”
Lu Guang deadpanned. Never mind, they were both stupid.
*
In the evening Cheng Xiaoshi, Qiao Ling, Zhang Meili and Lu Guang were sat around a round table, three of them ravenously eating up the dishes while Lu Guang preoccupied himself with preventing himself from getting splashes of broth on his white overshirt. He silently lamented why he didn’t remember what happened to his white clothes the last time he went for hotpot with Cheng Xiaoshi and Qiao Ling.
“So Haidilao is cheaper, you know, but Auntie Yang makes the best broth in the province and her chili sauce is to die for, not to mention that all of her products are fresh and the vegetables come from the farm her son owns…” Qiao Ling recounted enthusiastically.
“Nobody can resist this.” Cheng Xiaoshi nodded solemnly, and sighed. “She’s too powerful. Little by little the whole town just… loses their free will and their money and become her subjects.”
Lu Guang stared at the wagyu beef that was just served to their table and sincerely hoped that Qiao Ling was going to cover this one.
Meanwhile, Zhang Meili exploded in laughter, which sent said bowl of sliced wagyu beef right into the super spicy side of the hotpot cooker. Lu Guang’s expression must have betrayed him because the whole table lost it.
“It’s okay, L-Lu Guang, we have hot-hotpot at home.”
“I’m sorry-” Incessant laughter, “no wait, I’m actually so sorry-”
“Lu Guang, hang in there!”
The restaurant was so lively that the other tables didn’t even look at them weirdly. A welcome blessing.
When they caught their breath, Cheng Xiaoshi added, “You know, if it weren’t for Lu Guang, I think both me and Qiao Ling would be broke by now. I’m pretty sure we would have come here every week.” He nudged Lu Guang, looking at him with a sparkle in his eye.
Lu Guang checked his shirt for any splashes. “You think? I know at least you would be in… financial difficulty,” He quipped, grabbing his chopsticks to fish cooked beef out of the broth. If the expensive beef was all cooked anyways, he might as well eat it.
He stared at the beef covered in chili pepper flakes, wondering once again why Qiao Ling insisted on level 3 spicy. Oh well, he had enough sauce in his bowl, and the Wang Laoji drink. It would work.
Said cooked beef was expertly swiped by Cheng Xiaoshi’s chopsticks and eaten immediately.
“Cheng Xiaoshi- you…”
“Payback.” His face radiated smugness but immediately turned red and morphed into a contorted expression as the spiciness hit him. He gulped down his drink.
Lu Guang huffed and reached for the pot again. “You’re such a child sometimes.”
Once again, his meat was stolen from his chopsticks. “What- you can’t even eat food this spicy!”
He simply grinned in return. “Watch out Lu Guang, before I eat all the beef. We can’t afford more, remember?” Shortly after, Cheng Xiaoshi began breathing through his mouth and chugging more Wang Laoji.
Meanwhile, Zhang Meili, happily eating everything from the spicy side, looked up to see the two men squabbling with each other.
Qiao Ling sighed and whispered to Zhang Meili, “Oh, don’t mind them. They’re always like this.”
*
The next time Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang met up with Zhang Meili was four days later, at Doudou’s bubble tea shop.
“…It’s why Kung Fu Master 5 is better than Kung Fu Master 7. If you spam Li Xing’s special attack in Kung Fu Master 5 you can even beat Qiao Ling. Easily. But they nerfed her so badly in Kung Fu Master 7, her special attack only does 10 damage now-”
“Yeah, and it lost the stun effect,” Zhang Meili added.
“Right? She was so overpowered in Kung Fu Master 5 but now she’s one of the worst characters. I think her dodge got slower, too. I have no idea what they were thinking, like, I see why they would nerf the attack but at least keep the rest the same.”
“I mean, I guess they were fed up of people only playing as her in the tournaments? The other characters didn’t even stand a chance. I think it’s good that classic characters like Cheng Long got their buffs back.”
“Yeah, sure, but why did they have to make her the worst character now? Even Lu Guang stood a chance when he played against Qiao Ling. Even Lu Guang!” Cheng Xiaoshi exclaimed, sighing dramatically. “Just imagine the deception he must have felt when the only way he could beat that tyrant was taken from him.”
“I don’t really care either way, Cheng Xiaoshi.”
Pfft. Lu Guang could act tough all he wanted but Cheng Xiaoshi knew the truth. “No, Zhang Meili, you see… he was heartbroken, he didn’t want to go out for boba for the entire week and continued working when he should have been napping on the sofa. There was no hope left in those soulless eyes.”
“Really? Ouch. Have you guys ever beaten Qiao Ling since?”
“Nah, not once. We suck.”
Zhang Meili looked at them sympathetically, saying, “Hey, I’d say that I’m pretty good at the game. I actually got third place once in a tournament; I mean… I could help you if you want?”
Cheng Xiaoshi thanked the high heavens that Zhang Meili decided to return to Guidu, like a revolutionary signalling the end of Qiao Ling’s reign of terror.
“I appreciate it, but I’m okay. I’m not too much a fan of the game.”
“Yeah, we’d love-” Wait a minute. Lu Guang- “You’re quitting now? When we’re so close to beating Qiao Ling? If you don’t join this training you’ll suck forever!”
“But we have work. Who’s going to take care of that if we’re playing games all the time?”
Oh my god, this guy. “We have time to meet up with Zhang Meili three or four times a week, Lu Guang.” Cheng Xiaoshi emphasized, running a hand down his face. “Half of the time you’re not even working and napping in the sunroom like an old man instead.”
Lu Guang resumed drinking his bubble tea, meaning he was embarrassed and Cheng Xiaoshi was winning. He was just playing for time because Cheng Xiaoshi’s point was so good he had no idea what to say. Yes, Cheng Xiaoshi knew how this worked.
“…”
“…”
“…Sleep is important.”
“Okay, Zhang Meili, should we meet up at yours or at the studio? What time works best for you?”
“No, what-”
“We have work from 9 to 5 but we often do overtime to process photos or do administration.” Well, more like overtime to do business diving into photos and carrying the entire police force on their backs.
Zhang Meili looked up to see Lu Guang with his face in his hand, looking utterly defeated. “Um, are you sure Lu Guang is coming-”
“This is a battle of honour. I’m dragging Lu Guang along if it means we can finally beat Qiao Ling.”
“You only need one person to defeat her though?”
“Oh ho, you overestimate us. Nah, we need to gang up on her.”
“What? You’re ganging up on a poor, defenceless woman! Have you no morals?” Zhang Meili snickered.
“Who is poor and defenceless here, huh? If anything, it’s Lu Guang.”
“I concede,” Lu Guang sighed.
“See, even Lu Guang agrees! Teach us your ways, master.”
“Fine, I…” Zhang Meili paused to laugh. “I’ll teach you both. But I won’t go easy on you!”
“Yes, thank you! We’ll be your best students ever, I promise!”
“Hm, I’m sure, I’m sure.”
*
On an inconspicuous Tuesday evening Zhang Meili arrived at the photo studio, console in hand and determination in the other. Once Cheng Xiaoshi saw her, he knew that this training was not going to be easy, to say the least.
“Good evening, master.” he bowed, then, pointing towards the sunroom, announced, “The gaming room is this way.”
Lu Guang was on the sofa, looking tired. Unluckily for him, there was no way he was escaping this, considering that Cheng Xiaoshi knew that Lu Guang also burned to defeat Qiao Ling. Secretly.
Zhang Meili sat on the table opposite the two on the sofa, despite Cheng Xiaoshi’s protests of her not being comfortable and Lu Guang’s remarks of how the table wasn’t completely clean.
“I need to instruct the both of you for this. Full concentration,” she had said.
Zhang Meili logged onto the game and joined an arena with Lu Guang and Cheng Xiaoshi. She asked them to attack her like they normally do, without her resisting, so she could assess their current level, and Cheng Xiaoshi felt quite proud when he and Lu Guang K.O.’d her in under a minute.
Then Zhang Meili started fighting back. And, well, all that self-confidence left the window. Cheng Xiaoshi didn’t think they even landed a single hit because she kept countering the attacks, or dodging, or shielding and then grabbing them. And Cheng Xiaoshi tried dodging too, but Zhang Meili somehow anticipated everything.
Oh well. At least he did better than Lu Guang, who just shielded everything.
When Lu Guang got obliterated before Cheng Xiaoshi did, it was with great amusement that Cheng Xiaoshi teased, “Ah, Lu Guang, you should stay back and watch the pros at work, then maybe you’ll be as good as us someday.”
Cheng Xiaoshi was subsequently thrown offscreen. Lu Guang gave him the look.
“Woo, okay, we’re all going back to basics,” Zhang Meili declared, like her work had been cut out for her. She started a new game.
“Cheng Xiaoshi, if you want to try a combo with that character you can’t just rely on special moves. Use kicks and punches to lead into it. See, like this. After you kick them try to continue on the attack, but don’t let them predict your moves.”
“Huh, so just like in real life! Okay.” Yes, Cheng Xiaoshi was proud of his real-world martial arts. And yes, he was allowed to be cocky sometimes.
In total confusion, Zhang Meili’s head tilted sideways, looking at him with a puzzled expression. “Real life? You do martial arts?”
“Oh yeah, you know, I fought an actual Kung Fu master every day for the hand in marriage of this girl once.” He couldn’t stop himself from smiling smugly.
Zhang Meili’s jaw dropped open. “What? Huh?” She opened and closed her mouth like a fish out of water. “Why- How- Who was it? Do I know her?”
“He’s joking. Stop confusing our guest, Cheng Xiaoshi.” Lu Guang kicked him in the game.
Cheng Xiaoshi sighed. “You never let me have any fun. Yeah, no, there’s no special girl in my life I fought a Kung Fu master for.”
“Oh, okay,” Zhang Meili breathed out, her face clearing. “Anyways, Lu Guang, stop shielding everything. Do you know how to dodge?”
“…The buttons are complicated.”
“No, but – hahaha – it’s important, okay! If you shield everything, you’re really vulnerable to grabs and attacks that break the shield. Look, it’s just these buttons here.” Zhang Meili pressed two buttons at the edges and moved her console so Lu Guang could see.
Lu Guang copied the movements multiple times to remember it, causing Cheng Xiaoshi to join him and lastly Zhang Meili, until all three characters were dodging each other on screen. Zhang Meili and Cheng Xiaoshi laughed loudly.
Zhang Meili’s face became pensive again after a moment of silence, interrupted only by the occasional sounds from the game. “Hey, Cheng Xiaoshi, you said there wasn’t a special girl in your life. Have you dated anyone after university?”
“Haha, do I seem like I dated anyone? I’m too busy taking care of this place and making Lu Guang do sports so he doesn’t get fat from all the noodles he eats,” Cheng Xiaoshi said cheekily. “His butt is so big I can hardly sit on this sofa.”
Cheng Xiaoshi wasn’t sure why, but gaining any sort of reaction out of Lu Guang was his favourite pastime. Especially when he got embarrassed. It made Cheng Xiaoshi’s heart squeeze.
“What the- Cheng Xiaoshi!”
Cheng Xiaoshi put a hand in front of his mouth, face teasing. “Ey, there’s no need to be embarrassed~”
Lu Guang stood up, his face aflame. “You-ugh! When will you ever learn common decency?”
“Hmmm…the day I can sit on this sofa with you no problem?” Cheng Xiaoshi burst out into laughter.
“There is literally… like, like thirty centimetres between us on the sofa! What is your problem? Idiot! Moron!”
“Hahaha, there’s… there’s no need to be so offended, Lu Guang.” Lord help him, his partner was just too cute. “Come on, go back…. haha… go back to the game or you’ll get pushed offscreen by Zhang Meili’s special attack.” Yes, Zhang Meili was currently charging up a special attack. Out of spite, probably.
“You’re… You’re awfully sure you won’t get pushed offscreen by my special attack.”
“Woah, getting violent there? Chill out, bro.”
“You literally just said my-”
Lu Guang’s ensuing rage was cut short by the harsh K.O. emanating from the three game consoles.
“Guys, you will never beat Qiao Ling if you squabble between teammates. Lu Guang. Come back to the game.” Zhang Meili said, her tone calm but eyes threatening.
Okay, Cheng Xiaoshi thought. They would never anger Zhang Meili again. He didn’t want to know what would happen if she really got pissed.
“Good. Now that everyone’s ready again, let’s get gaming, yay!”
Lu Guang and Cheng Xiaoshi gulped simultaneously. Scary.
*
Cheng Xiaoshi had to admit to himself, they were improving pretty darn quickly. Even Lu Guang. Lu Guang really thought he had been slick with it, but Cheng Xiaoshi knew that Lu Guang was still bitter from Qiao Ling beating them over and over.
It was two weeks after their first training session, and things were looking very bright for the two of them.
“Very good, synchronise your attacks like that, yes, while Cheng Xiaoshi fights me you should shoot a projectile from above, yes, like that! And if I try this… yes, good dodge! If you shield there, I can grapple you, so it’s good you avoided that. Lu Guang, good attack, but try aiming for the ground right next to me next time so Cheng Xiaoshi can throw me off stage.”
The session ended with Lu Guang and Cheng Xiaoshi defeating Zhang Meili, although she did still go easier on them. She was a professional, after all; it would take at least months of hard training for them to get on that level, and all Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang wanted to do was defeat Qiao Ling.
“So, do you think we’re ready?”
“From what you’ve told me about Qiao Ling, she has a tendency to dodge instead of shield, meaning projectiles are a good idea. You guys worked on that. Plus, she mains Li Xiaolong who I played every time you fought me. You’ve beaten me five times now. So I think,” she wiped a fake tear from her eye, “you’re ready.”
“Yes! Okay, we need to schedule our revenge session. I’m calling her right now.”
Beeeeeep. Beeeeeeep. Beeeeeep.
“Wei, Cheng Xiaoshi? Are you okay?”
“Hello there, my bestest sister, do you wanna come over tonight to play Kung Fu Master 7?”
“Is that…” A burst of laughter emanated from the phone speaker. “Is that why you called me? I’m on duty, you know!”
“Ah, sorry…” Cheng Xiaoshi said sheepishly, but he didn’t seem to regret anything.
“I thought it was urgent or something, but you just want to get absolutely destroyed in game, I see. Okay, I’ll stop by after work. See you then… And don’t cry when I crush you!”
“Hah, you won’t this time. See you!”
“Okay guys, Qiao Ling is coming over at bit after eight. I uh, I forgot she sometimes had shifts on Saturdays.”
Cheng Xiaoshi checked the time. They still had had two hours to go.
“Um, Zhang Meili, you’re staying, right?”
“Is that even a question? Of course! You think I would dip on you guys right when it’s the moment I’ve been training you for? For my own honour I need you guys to win as well.” She pumped her fist into the air, her many bracelets dangling with the movement.
“Oh god, the pressure is on- Hey, where did Lu Guang go? Lu Guang?”
A voice echoed from the kitchen. “I’m in the kitchen. I’m hungry.”
Cheng Xiaoshi yelled back, his hands cupped next to his mouth and his voice much louder than the speaking voice Lu Guang had used. “You’re eating already? Aren’t we going to make a bet with Qiao Ling that she buys us takeout if we win, huh?”
“I’m only eating an apple.”
“Okay! It’s all good then!” Cheng Xiaoshi relaxed his hands and shook his head fondly. “He was a cat in his past life, I swear. He naps all the time, disappears when I’m not looking, stays at home…”
“You guys seem really close.”
“Haha, I guess we are. Lu Guang acts like he only just tolerates me, but… but he’s always stayed.” He subconsciously lowered his voice at that last part, a sharp pain blooming in his chest. He could only picture his parents in his mind now, one of them leaving for Bridon, caring for random children because he didn’t care about his own son, and the other doing who knows what in a time loop; it was like he was only born so he could be left behind. They probably didn’t even want him in the first place.
“Heh. I can be a bit… too much, I know.” He rubbed his neck self-consciously.
“That’s not true! You’re really funny, and kind, and I think you’re really, really cool. Why would he not want to stay with you?”
What?
He didn’t expect that answer. As much as he thought he was over it, he felt a vine wrap around his heart. Like a hug, but too tight. It was uncomfortable. To feel like he was wrong, about something he had been so sure of his entire life. How could she just say that?
He was left staring at Zhang Meili’s expression, composed of puffed-up cheeks, a frown on her face and utter sincerity in her eyes. He really needed to stop mentioning them, his stupid, childish insecurities. He thought she would have laughed it off. It was embarrassing, to feel his eyes prick due to something he didn’t know he was so desperate to hear but was sure had to be wrong.
She really, truly, thought Cheng Xiaoshi was worth staying for.
“I…” He tried to play it cool, looking anywhere else but at her face hurting his eyes with their honesty. “Pfft. You need to stop that, you’re gonna inflate my ego and then I’ll really be unbearable.”
“Eh. I think you could do with a bit more self-worth.”
She once again shot a bullseye right in his heart. Goddammit. This was uncomfortable.
“Haha, Lu Guang would never survive.”
She tilted her head to the side. “And why not?”
No! Just accept the joke and move on! “I just told you, I-”
“Cheng Xiaoshi, you wanted to make cookies somewhere this week, right? I stocked up on flour this morning.”
Cheng Xiaoshi was going to melt from relief, all hail Lu Guang. “Ah, yeah! Zhang Meili, you wanna make cookies with us? It’ll only take like an hour or so, we can wait for Qiao Ling in the meantime.”
He didn’t wait for her reply before grabbing her hand and dragging her to the kitchen.
*
Qiao Ling arrived when the cookies were just out the oven and the three were doing their last rounds of game practice.
“I’m here, Xiaoshi... ey? Zhang Meili, what are you doing here? Not that you can’t be here, of course! All guests are welcome!”
“Um Qiao Ling, last time I checked, Lu Guang and I were living here? Isn’t it up to us to decide if guests are welcome or not?”
“I’m the landlady!”
That’s not how it works, Cheng Xiaoshi thought, a smile plastered on his face as he decided (very maturely, might he add) that this would be a pointless argument in front of a guest.
“I’m here to witness the battle!” Zhang Meili responded cheerfully.
“Woah, is it that big of an event? Why- OMG, are those cookies! Did you guys make cookies!” Qiao Ling exclaimed, the last sentence more of an expression of joy than a question as she immediately went to the kitchen. “Why didn’t you tell me on the phone? I could have brought ice cream to eat with them!”
That is when Cheng Xiaoshi very smoothly, very nonchalantly blocked the doorway to the kitchen. “No, no, no,” He emphasized, wagging around his finger. “You only get cookies if you win.”
“Ha, I’m going to win anyways, lemme at ‘em!” She tried to force her way in but Cheng Xiaoshi kept blocking her.
“Oh? You would win even if Lu Guang and I teamed up to fight you?” He asked innocently.
“Tsk, of course! Just let me through already!”
“Okay then. How about we make a deal. If you win, you get to eat all the cookies. But if we win, you buy us all takeout. What do you think?”
Qiao Ling stopped trying to push her way through. “Ah, so that’s how we’re playing, huh?” She smirked, a sparkle appearing in her eyes. “You’re so on!”
“Haha, okay then,” Cheng Xiaoshi repeated, feeling a smile growing on his face. “Let’s get to it then. Don’t be too sure of victory.”
Cheng Xiaoshi, Lu Guang and Qiao Ling logged onto their game consoles, an air of smugness and competition filling the air. However, Cheng Xiaoshi’s smugness disappeared when Qiao Ling chose to play as a different character than usual.
“What? Why’re you playing as Li Xing? Don’t you main Li Xiaolong?”
“Eh, I figured I might as well switch it up. I got bored of him. I want to be a cool girlboss now.”
It’s okay. Qiao Ling’s moves will stay the same. We can still do it. He looked over at Lu Guang to reassure him, but he was met with a blank expression. Stop acting like you don’t care, Lu Guang! It’s our honour and takeout on the line! He tried to convey. Lu Guang appeared to get some motivation from that.
The game started with two girlbosses and one big cat on the screen, the countdown in sync with Cheng Xiaoshi’s heartbeats. He was nervous, okay?
Start!
Qiao Ling immediately attacked with a punch, which Cheng Xiaoshi shielded. He kicked back and Qiao Ling, as expected, dodged. Yes!
As planned, Lu Guang started shooting a bunch of balls of yarn in her direction. As she was busy dodging, Cheng Xiaoshi took the opportunity to attack directly.
But Qiao Ling shielded and grabbed him as he was attacking his shield. She proceeded to combo him into oblivion.
“Qiao Ling! Not fair!” He protested as she cackled away.
Unexpectedly, Lu Guang came in clutch when Cheng Xiaoshi was at 20% health and adopted the strategy of just attacking her randomly.
“Go, Cheng Xiaoshi!”
Wow, the promise of fried chicken must have motivated Lu Guang more than he thought.
Cheng Xiaoshi zipped behind Qiao Ling’s character and pressed the button for Li Xing’s special attack. Whose charge time was way longer since Kung Fu Master 5. Ugh.
Right as Lu Guang started to get pummelled, Cheng Xiaoshi’s attack finally landed, earning Qiao Ling a -30% on health. Ha!
“What the- foul play!”
“Uh, it’s called teamwork!”
Qiao Ling’s character did a split in the air, hitting Lu Guang, but Cheng Xiaoshi managed to duck and landed a clean hit. Right afterwards, Lu Guang attacked as well, but Qiao Ling dodged and started attacking Cheng Xiaoshi again.
Darn, he was down to 10%. One more attack and he was finished.
At this moment, Lu Guang’s weird cat character launched more balls of yarn in her direction, stopping her attack and giving Cheng Xiaoshi the opportunity to strike back.
Qiao Ling was only at 10% now! They could-
Qiao Ling kicked Cheng Xiaoshi up into the air and he was K.O.
“Noooooo! Lu Guang! Continue our legacy! It’s all up to you now! Carry out our will!”
Sadly enough, without Cheng Xiaoshi on screen now, Lu Guang was getting pummelled until he was at 20%. That was when started dodging Qiao Ling and hiding in the corners.
“Hahaha, Lu Guang, try as you might, you can’t delay your inevitable defeat! Come back here!”
Qiao Ling had cornered Lu Guang. He was at the edge of the screen, and he was getting pushed off by a relentless stream of attacks.
“No, Lu Guang!” Ah, this was it. All their training and they still couldn’t defeat her. Ah, Qiao Ling truly had bested them.
“Huh, what… are you carrying me offscreen?”
Cheng Xiaoshi heard the tell-tale “K.O.!” of the game consoles and shed a tear internally.
“Did you just… how? When did you learn that!”
“OMG, you did it! You guys really did it! I didn’t even know you knew that move, Lu Guang!”
“I was just pressing buttons, honestly.”
“Ugh, you can open your eyes, Cheng Xiaoshi. I lost.”
Ah, the moment he had to face defeat had come- huh? “Wait… you lost? Qiao Ling lost? To Lu Guang?”
“She did! Lu Guang used a pro gamer move known as the ‘yeeting to avoid a beating’!”
“…Apparently I carried her offscreen.”
“Can’t believe I lost to somebody who doesn’t even know what the buttons mean,” Qiao Ling lamented, her face streaming fake tears.
“Lu Guang! Lu Guang! I always knew I loved you!” Cheng Xiaoshi shouted, launching himself at Lu Guang whose look of terror was promptly succeeded by him toppling over.
Cheng Xiaoshi lifted himself up, laughing freely, oblivious of Lu Guang’s internal crisis right under him.
“Get… get off me, you idiot!” Lu Guang started pushing at Cheng Xiaoshi’s chest.
Cheng Xiaoshi looked down. Huh, was Lu Guang embarrassed? There was nothing embarrassing about winning against Qiao Ling, though. Was he self-conscious because Cheng Xiaoshi jumped on him while there were guests?
“Nooooo, lemme hug you more~” He made grabby hands at Lu Guang, whose arms were currently holding him up and away.
“Get off!”
“But you won the game!”
“You already jumped me for that, idiot-”
“But you’re cute when you’re embarrassed! It makes me wanna hug you more!”
Lu Guang’s arms immediately lost their strength and Cheng Xiaoshi fell on him with an “oomph”.
“Come on, Cheng Xiaoshi, leave Lu Guang alone. He’s going to implode at this rate.”
Cheng Xiaoshi scrambled off of Lu Guang and saw Qiao Ling dragging Zhang Meili away. Hah, she was definitely mourning her loss so she couldn’t face them, the sore loser.
Thirty minutes later, the promised takeout arrived. Ah, the taste of victory was so sweet, especially when they didn’t have to pay for it. Naturally, they shared all of the cookies between each other afterwards; it’s not like Cheng Xiaoshi was ever planning on denying Qiao Ling the right of eating them when they made like fifty of them.
At ten pm, Qiao Ling and Zhang Meili left, leaving the two men alone in the studio once again. Cheng Xiaoshi could hear the sound of the kettle boiling as he lounged around on the sofa, staring up at the sky and thinking of nothing in particular.
“Hey, Cheng Xiaoshi.” Cheng Xiaoshi could see Lu Guang’s silhouette in the doorway coming closer.
“Hey. What’s up?”
He felt a dip in the sofa as Lu Guang took a seat next to him. He didn’t say anything, he just sat down and occupied the same space as Cheng Xiaoshi for a while. It was comfortable.
Cheng Xiaoshi turned his head from the windows to Lu Guang. His hair looked ethereal in the dim light of the night above. Would he let Cheng Xiaoshi touch it? Did he like fingers running through his hair? He had known Lu Guang for so long, and yet, at times like these he felt like he knew nothing.
A soft exhale from beside him broke the silence. “Xiaoshi?”
“Mm. I’m listening.”
“Just so you know. I will stay with you as long as I’m able to. As long as you need me, I’m not leaving. You can count on that.”
The peaceful feeling flooding Xiaoshi just moments before wavered just slightly, like a drop of water creating ripples on the surface of still water.
“You’ve said that before.”
“I have.”
A short pause. “But I’ve never understood. You’ve always known how much I needed somebody to stay. But the first time you told me this, we barely knew each other. Why would you say that, already, back then? Why did you leave everything behind to stay in this studio with me? Don’t you feel trapped?”
“I didn’t leave anything behind. My parents are dead.”
“But you don’t… you don’t have to think only about me, you know. You need to live life as you want as well.”
“This is the life I want.”
There was no hesitation in that sentence. Cheng Xiaoshi almost laughed from the absurdity of it all. “What, you want a life where you’re stuck in one place, stuck in a small photo studio because your friend’s in debt and is waiting pointlessly for parents he’s not even sure will come back?”
“You keep on saying I’m “stuck” here. I’m not stuck here at all. In fact, I seem to be unwilling to leave even though I could have, and should have, probably, on so, so many occasions,” Lu Guang said softly, carefully, swallowing as if he were thinking his next words through very carefully.
He looked up to the sky, his hands clenched tightly on his lap, whispering, “I need you, Xiaoshi.”
Lu Guang seemed likely to disintegrate into starlight and fly out through the windows while the room drowned in the continuous ticking of the clock. The moment seemed eternal and fickle at the same time.
“Can I hug you?”
A small nod. Cheng Xiaoshi shifted closer to Lu Guang on the sofa and slowly, gently wrapped his arms around him like he were trying not to spook a small animal.
He felt arms wrap around him in return, and with it, a deep sense of endearment flooded his heart.
He couldn’t help but glide a hand to the back of Lu Guang’s head to card his fingers through his hair. He felt a soft sigh brush his ear. He felt like crying.
Instead, he only buried his nose further into Lu Guang’s shoulder.