Chapter Text
The morning light veiled the kitchen in a honeyed glow. Crisp autumn air lingered within the small two bedroom apartment, cool enough to brush against bare skin and seep through the lingering warmth of sleep.
It was nearly seven in the morning when Xie Lian stepped into the room, already mostly dressed for the day. A collared shirt sat neatly beneath a soft wool sweater, tan slacks falling cleanly against his frame. His hair cascaded loosely over his shoulders, the dark strands spilling to the middle of his back.
He opened the refrigerator and pulled out a small carton of orange juice before moving toward the cabinet for a glass. Leaning back against the counter, he let out a slow breath, lashes lowering as the pale gold sunlight washed gently across his features.
Hurried footsteps approached from down the hall before Shi Qingxuan appeared at the kitchen entrance, peeking around the corner with unmistakable excitement written across her face.
“Wow! You look great!” she said brightly, stepping into the room. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this dressed up.”
She wandered further inside wearing a loose silk nightshirt and matching shorts, her hair still slightly tousled from sleep.
Xie Lian smiled sheepishly. “Thanks, it’s new.” His fingers brushed lightly against the sleeve of the sweater before he let out a small breath. “I’m trying to ‘dress to impress’ or… something like that.” The confidence in the statement faded by the end, his voice growing quieter with each word.
“Are you excited? You must be.” Shi Qingxuan’s grin was infectious, bright enough to ease some of the tension gathered in his shoulders.
“Yeah… I suppose.” Xie Lian raised a hand to the back of his neck, rubbing absently at the skin there. “I’m more worried than anything. What if I make a fool of myself in front of the class?” A soft sigh slipped past his lips. “I’ve never done anything like this before.”
Shi Qingxuan leaned against the doorway, arms crossing as she clicked her tongue in disapproval. “Nonsense. You’re going to be amazing. I can already tell, and you know I’m never wrong.”
Still smiling, she stepped closer and reached up to straighten the collar beneath his sweater, smoothing the fabric with quick, practiced movements. “Aren’t you going to eat actual food before you leave?”
“There’s nothing here,” Xie Lian admitted with another sigh.
Shi Qingxuan scrunched up her face. “Dammit… it was my brother and his friends again. They’re like three tumors. Impossible to get rid of.”
Her expression softened as she looked back at him, catching the brief silence that followed. “I hope they didn’t bother you too much last time they were over.”
Xie Lian flicked his wrist dismissively. “Not at all. The muscular one was… a little forward.” His gaze drifted away. “I don’t even think he was romantically interested in me. He just kept asking very personal questions.”
Shi Qingxuan hummed knowingly. “Pei Ming. Yeah… he’s a handful.”
She tilted her head toward him, eyes narrowing with playful suspicion. “You’re not actually into him, right? He’s definitely not the relationship type.”
Xie Lian immediately went on the defensive, waving both hands in front of himself. “Oh, no. Not at all.” A faint flush rose to his face. “I hope I didn’t give him that impression. He’s really not my type.”
“Your type?” Shi Qingxuan leaned forward against the counter, fiddling absentmindedly with the coffee maker as a grin spread across her face. “I didn’t even know you had a type. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you talk to someone romantically in the entire three years we’ve known each other.”
Xie Lian lowered his head slightly, considering the question. “I’ve just never met anyone who caught my interest.” He spoke softly, fingers curling loosely around his glass. “I’m usually too busy anyway.” He looked back up at her with a small, reassuring smile. “I have plenty of time for things like that in the future.”
“You know,” Shi Qingxuan began, “I’ve been saying for years that college is the perfect place to find eligible men. Maybe you should get your head out of those books and come to the bar with me sometime.”
Her smile widened mischievously. “One of these days, I’ll reel my prince charming in. I need a big, strong man in my bed to keep me warm at night.”
Xie Lian nearly choked on his orange juice. “Qingxuan!”
“What?” she laughed. “I’m just being honest.”
His ears burned crimson as he looked anywhere but at her, completely unsure how to respond while Shi Qingxuan dissolved into unapologetic laughter at his expense.
“Oh, lighten up,” Shi Qingxuan laughed. “Come out with me this weekend. Let’s see if Feng Xin and Mu Qing want to come too. They’re apparently back together again this week.”
She rolled her eyes dramatically, clearly entertained by the situation. “The sex must be incredible, otherwise there’s no way they’d keep putting up with each other.”
Xie Lian nearly buried his face in his hands. “On that note,” he said quickly, trying and failing to hide his embarrassment, “I’m going to get going.”
A shy smile tugged at his lips as he gathered his things from the counter and slipped his bag over his shoulder. “Do you have class later today?”
Shi Qingxuan wandered over to the refrigerator, pulling out a small container of flavored coffee creamer before shutting the door with her hip.
“Yeah, but not until later.” She twisted the cap open absentmindedly. “Don’t wait up for me. I’ve got a lab at six tonight.” She huffed a sigh, “My new schedule seriously sucks.”
She looked back at Xie Lian with more sincerity, “You’re going to do great today, Xie Lian. This is a huge first step.” She pointed at him with the creamer bottle for emphasis. “Stop overthinking everything and just take it in stride, okay?”
With his bag resting over one shoulder, Xie Lian gave a small nod, the tension in his expression easing just slightly. “Okay,” he said softly. “Thank you, Qingxuan.”
She flashed him a grin. “Now go impress everyone.”
Xie Lian laughed quietly under his breath before turning toward the door. A cool draft brushed past him as he stepped out of the apartment.
…
The small café sat on campus grounds, a modern building lined with warm brown interiors and wide glass windows. It was only a short walk from the classroom he’d be assisting in later that morning.
After receiving exceptionally high marks in his ancient literature courses, his professor, Mei Nianqing, had personally offered him a position as a peer tutor, noting that the experience would strengthen his résumé and potentially place him on the path toward becoming a teaching assistant after undergrad.
Although Xie Lian was already occupied with his own undergraduate studies, he viewed the opportunity as a worthwhile step forward for his future and a good way to keep his mind engaged. It meant giving up his Monday mornings, but he was certain the experience would prove valuable in the long run.
When he walked through the entrance of the café, Xie Lian huffed a sigh of relief, pleased to see that the line wasn’t exceptionally long. He stepped to the counter, eyeing the fresh steamed buns that just made their way to the glass casing. With a small, polite exchange, he purchased his food and hurried toward the exit.
He was only a pace away from the threshold when the strap of his bag tore loose, dropping from his arm, books scattering in all directions on the floor.
Xie Lian stilled for a moment in irritated disbelief before slipping the bun between his teeth, freeing his hands to gather the scattered papers. He had only just crouched to the floor when another hand entered his field of view.
The hand was large with long, nibble fingers, adorned with several silver rings, the fingernails painted a muted matte black. A second hand moved in beside it, helping gather the fallen books into a neat stack while Xie Lian stared for a moment in speechless surprise.
He lifted his gaze, meeting the dark obsidian eye staring back at him. The man before him was striking, handsome in a way that caught Xie Lian off guard. Long inky black hair fell around his face in a slightly messy wolfcut, the uneven layers softening the sharpness of his features. A single red coral pearl earring hung from his right ear, vivid against the dark strands, while a white bandage eyepatch rested over his right eye.
The man flashed a devilish grin, catching Xie Lian completely off guard. His gaze lingered before he could stop it, tracing over the sharp lines of the man’s face, the flash of perfect teeth behind that grin, and the sliver of bare skin visible where his shirt had fallen open while bent over.
Xie Lian moved to speak, only to realize the steamed bun was still caught between his lips. He quickly pulled it away, face flushing with embarrassment as he scrambled to recover his composure enough to answer.
“Thank you so much!” Xie Lian blurted out. “I really do have the worst luck.”
The young man tilted his head, still smiling as he rose, books still firmly in hand. Xie Lian followed, standing to collect his belongings when he noticed just how tall the man was standing before him. Xie Lian looked up, knees buckling slightly as he tried to regain his composure.
The young man was built broad through the shoulders, the black T-shirt stretched taut across his chest before tapering neatly at his lean waist. A red flannel hung open over it, doing little to conceal the strength in his arms or the impressive build beneath.
Several necklaces rested against his collarbones, silver chains of differing lengths. Dark blue jeans sat low against his waist, fitted enough that Xie Lian found himself averting his gaze a moment later, quietly willing himself not to notice.
“What class are you rushing off to? I can help you carry your things.” The stranger’s voice was low and smooth, carrying easily over the quiet noise of the café.
The flush already lingering on Xie Lian’s face deepened instantly, spreading all the way down his neck and ears. “Oh goodness, no, that’s alright,” he stammered softly. “Thank you, though. I couldn’t possibly ask you to do that.”
The young man kept the books firmly settled in his hands. “Gege, let me help you.” His tone bordered on amused. “Why don’t you focus on eating first?”
The nickname sent Xie Lian spiraling. For a brief, horrifying moment, he genuinely felt as though he might collapse dead on the spot. His breath caught as he stared at the young man, completely blindsided by the effortless forwardness of it.
“I’m…” He scrambled to collect himself, fingers tightening slightly around his steamed bun. “I’m heading to the Literature Building, 4th floor, room 01.”
The young man tilted his head with a small smile before turning toward the café exit.
Xie Lian stared for half a second too long before hurriedly following after him. “Are you sure you don’t mind helping me?” he asked as they stepped outside together. “I don’t want to impose. Won’t you be late for your own class?”
“Mm, I’m not worried.” The young man glanced sideways at him then, one dark eye fixed steadily on Xie Lian as a playful smile tugged at his lips. “Coincidentally, you and I are heading to the same place, gege.”
He couldn't explain it, but his heart felt as though it was pounding straight out of his chest. “I never caught your name…” Xie Lian said softly. “My name is Xie Lian.”
The young man adjusted the stack of books in his arms before reaching out to pull open the building door, holding it wide enough for Xie Lian to slip beneath his arm first. “My name is Hua Cheng,” he replied easily. “But you can call me San Lang.”
Heat rushed across Xie Lian’s face so quickly it nearly made him dizzy. He nodded once before hurrying ahead to press the elevator button, trying desperately to regain some semblance of composure.
“San Lang…” he repeated under his breath, the name quieter this time as he glanced back up at him.
Hua Cheng hummed in acknowledgment, stepping beside him just as the elevator doors slid shut around them.
The enclosed silence only made everything worse.
Xie Lian found himself sneaking small glances toward the striking figure at his side despite every effort not to stare. Up close, Hua Cheng was almost unfairly beautiful. Tall and broad shouldered, dressed casually and yet somehow impossibly refined, with an ease to his movements that made Xie Lian acutely aware of every nervous breath he took.
A low chuckle slipped from Hua Cheng, warm and amused, and the sound alone nearly made Xie Lian’s knees give out beneath him.
“Gege,” Hua Cheng said lazily, tilting his head toward the steamed bun still sitting untouched in Xie Lian’s hand, “are you going to eat that or let it go cold?”
Xie Lian’s stomach twisted strangely, tingling and flipping each time Hua Cheng looked at him for too long. He shook his head lightly, offering a small, helpless smile. “I’m not really hungry anymore.” A quiet sigh followed. “I hate wasting food, though.”
Hua Cheng shifted the books against one arm, freeing the other as he glanced toward the steamed bun still resting in Xie Lian’s hand.
“Gege, if you don’t mind, I didn’t get a chance to eat this morning.” His mouth curved faintly. “I can take this one, and I’ll owe you a meal. How’s that?”
Xie Lian passed it over almost absentmindedly, still distracted by the warmth curling low in his chest. “San Lang doesn’t owe me anything.”
They stepped out of the elevator together and into the corridor, the low hum of distant student chatter echoing through the building as realization struck Xie Lian like lightning.
Xie Lian’s head snapped sharply to the side, eyes widening as he caught sight of Hua Cheng already taking a bite from the bun. His teeth sank directly into the very spot that had been pressed between Xie Lian’s lips only moments earlier.
Xie Lian made a strangled noise of horror. “San Lang!” His hands lifted uselessly in front of himself as Hua Cheng raised a brow, completely calm as he swallowed.
“I’m so sorry,” Xie Lian rushed out, mortified. “I had that bun in my mouth when you-” His face burned so fiercely he thought he might actually combust on the spot.
“Gege… don’t get so worked up.” The words rolled smoothly off Hua Cheng’s tongue. “This one doesn’t mind sharing food with you.” He tilted his head slightly, amusement flickering in his eye before taking another bite of the bun without the slightest hesitation.
Xie Lian stood there utterly stunned, his thoughts dissolving into incoherent noise as Hua Cheng calmly pushed open the classroom door for him.
The young man stepped aside to let him enter first before carrying the books toward a desk near the front of the lecture hall.
“Gege, we should sit next to each other.” Hua Cheng glanced back at him with a playful smile sharp enough to make Xie Lian’s pulse stutter. “You can keep your San Lang on track.”
“Actually, San Lang…” Xie Lian lowered his gaze, fingers absentmindedly toying with the ends of his hair. “I’m a peer tutor for this course, so I’ll be seated behind the podium.” He gestured quietly toward the front of the room.
Hua Cheng regarded him for a brief moment before his smile widened. “That’s even better, gege.” He lifted the stack of books again and carried them toward the reserved seating area without complaint. “I could use all the help I can get.”
His gaze lingered meaningfully on Xie Lian as he added, “I’ll sit in the front so you and I can see each other.”
Xie Lian nodded faintly, still too flustered to form a proper response as he thanked Hua Cheng and hurried behind the podium before he embarrassed himself further.
Once there, he immediately busied himself arranging the course materials into careful, meticulous stacks, trying desperately to settle his nerves through repetition and order.
Every few moments, almost against his own will, his attention drifted upward, and every single time, he found Hua Cheng seated in the very front row, leaning lazily back in his chair with his eye fixed solely on him.
…
The lecture went off without a hitch.
By the end of it, Xie Lian felt far more settled into the role, the nervous tension from earlier slowly easing away as he moved between rows answering smaller questions from students. The rhythm of it came naturally once he stopped overthinking every word that left his mouth.
When the class was finally dismissed, the room dissolved into the scrape of chairs and low conversation as students filtered out into the hallway. Xie Lian caught sight of Hua Cheng lingering near the front row for a moment longer than everyone else before Mei Nianqing’s voice called him back toward the podium.
“Xie Lian.”
He startled lightly before turning around. “Professor Mei?”
“Great work today.” Mei Nianqing adjusted the papers in front of him with an approving nod. “It certainly helps to have someone knowledgeable assisting with all the smaller questions. It keeps the lecture flowing without constant interruptions.”
Xie Lian smiled politely. “You have a wonderful class here. Everyone seemed genuinely interested in the material.”
Mei Nianqing glanced around the now nearly empty lecture hall before lowering his voice slightly. “I’ll admit, I was pleasantly surprised.” His expression turned thoughtful. “I was a little nervous when I began the discussion about the course materials. It seemed I couldn’t quite capture the attention of the young man in the front. Hua Cheng, I believe his name was.”
Xie Lian’s brows drew together. “Professor Mei, I don’t understand. He seemed very knowledgeable on the subject matter.”
“The young man may be intelligent, but he has absolutely no manners.” Mei Nianqing turned his head. “He barely paid attention throughout the lecture, yet every time I called on him, he answered immediately without a trace of hesitation. Quite impressive, really, if only he learned how to show a bit more respect.”
Xie Lian nodded slowly, though he could not stop himself from recalling the constant weight of Hua Cheng’s gaze lingering on him throughout the entire lecture.
“I won’t hold you any longer.” Mei Nianqing offered him a gentle smile. “I simply wanted you to know that I appreciated your work today.”
The two exchanged a few final pleasantries before Xie Lian gathered his things and stepped out of the lecture hall.
The hallway beyond had grown quieter now, washed in pale afternoon light as he made his way toward the elevator. Despite the calm around him, an odd flutter still lingered stubbornly in his chest, refusing to settle no matter how much he tried to ignore it.