Hualian AU ~ 3. A Trip to Ghost City

Part 3

At 8pm, Xie Lian made his way to the main bar to meet Hua Cheng. Suddenly someone grabbed him; he looked, startled, at a girl he didn't know. She had a revealing lime green dress, no tights, heels; makeup with heavy eyebrows, fake lashes and plumped up pink lips, and long blond hair.

"Hiii what's up?", she smiled. Xie Lian smiled back. Maybe she was taking him by someone else.

"I haven't seen you around before. You're hot", she said, approaching him and touching his chest in a lingering way, with long shellac nails. Xie Lian could only say, "Er, thanks".

"Let's have a drink shall we?", she said, winking and licking her lips, in a very provocative way.

"I can't, I... I'm meeting someone actually", he replied. "But thanks", and he smiled, looking around for the rescue. Where was San Lang?

She was about to push him further, but some guy he didn't know showed up,

"Hey hey come with me please."

He could only say to the girl, "Er, bye", and followed the guy. They got through an emergency exit beside the main bar, to a kind of small parking lot just behind the building; there, leaned against a car, tapping on his phone while waiting for him, was Hua Cheng.

He looked up and smiled, saying, "Gege."

Xie Lian smiled back, "San Lang."

Hua Cheng said, "I'm taking a break now. I thought of going home for some peace and quiet. Do you wanna come?"

"Home? Do you live nearby?"

"It's not far."

"Alright", Xie Lian agreed; he'd like some peace and quiet too. Then the same guy from before showed up again from the emergency exit, giving Hua Cheng a big paper bag, saying,

"Boss! All good", showing a thumbs-up.

Turning to Xie Lian, Hua Cheng asked, showing the paper bag, "Do you like yakisoba? I got some".

"Oh I love it!", Xie Lian smiled, realising that he was in fact a little hungry.

"Let's go", Hua Cheng said. He looked tired, and walked slowly; he asked, "Are you having fun at the market? Do you like it?"

"Yes, it's quite cool! You never said you were organising this stuff!"

Hua Cheng shrugged, "I didn't think you'd like to be seen with me."

"Oh? That's why you pretended you didn't know me back there?"

Hua Cheng just nodded. After 10-15 minutes, they reached a tall modern-looking building, named Paradise Manor; Hua Cheng opened the main door with a fob, and they got the lift to his flat. He was on the 4th floor.

"Apparently there was a Paradise Manor on this site before. Heritage, they say". He opened the door, gesturing for Xie Lian to enter, and said, "Welcome home."

Xie Lian thought this sounded weird, but sweet.

He walked in. The flat looked spacious, probably because it hardly had any furniture. Its most striking feature was a red wall on the living room. There was a black sofa, L-shaped, and a flat screen tv on the opposite wall. On another corner, a round glass table and four chairs.

"Nice flat San Lang!", Xie Lian said, "How come you spent days in that dump of mine, having this place!", he laughed. Hua Cheng smiled; naturally the answer was because of Xie Lian himself.

"Come, I'll give you a tour", he chuckled. Xie Lian took his shoes off and followed him around. There was a room with a long table; on top of it, a computer and two big screens; a set of drawers, chair, and a pile of books at the end of the table.

The kitchen was modern, with white tiles, light grey cupboards and a metallic fridge; the toilet also had white tiles and a square sink; they both looked squeaky clean, minimalist, and unused.

Hua Cheng's bedroom had a wall painted red too, a king-size bed, and the wardrobe doors all covered in mirrors. The bed cover was black with white kanjis, and there was a tall metallic lamp beside the bed, with three of four books at its foot.

Xie Lian was well impressed by that flat; how could Hua Cheng afford it? To Xie Lian he was well-mannered and educated, but he surely he didn't come from a rich family; in fact it was most likely the opposite. 'Is it as the others say, he's got some dodgy businesses on the side?', he wondered.

"It's so beautiful!", Xie Lian said, and they started walking back to the living room. "When did you move in here?"

"About two years ago I think", Hua Cheng said. Xie Lian burst out laughing.

"What?", Hua Cheng asked, smiling too.

"Two years ago! I would have thought it was two days ago!" Xie Lian kept laughing. "How come you don't have posters, or stuff, or even clothes around?"

Hua Cheng shrugged again, and said, "Well you know, doing this and that..."

This reminded Xie Lian of Hua Cheng shrugging earlier that evening, and he asked, "San Lang, do you really think I don't want to be seen with you?"

"Hum, It's not you yourself", he explained, "I know you don't care. But other people might choose not to hang out with you. I just wanna make things easier for you, that's all."

"If they choose not to hang out with me because of you then that's fine by me", Xie Lian replied. "I don't need this kind of people in my life".

Ha gave a little laugh, "I thought YOU didn't want to be seen with me", and added, "If I have to choose, I prefer hanging out with you anyway."

Hua Cheng flashed a happy smile, and said, "Alright.Let's eat."