Hualian AU ~ 3. A Trip to Ghost City

Part 4

Hua Cheng took his jacket off. He looked different dressed all in black; it suited him. He got beer from the fridge, the yakisoba boxes, and chopsticks. Xie Lian sat in the middle of the sofa, while Hua Cheng sat at the corner of the "L". They ate hungrily, not talking much.

After eating, Hua Cheng laid down and stretched, looking exhausted, combing his hair up with his hands, his eyes closed. It was the first time Xie Lian saw his whole face; it was handsome, with high cheekbones, almond-shaped eyes and long, well-defined eyebrows. A thin line from an old scar crossed his right eye.

Xie Lian kept looking; Hua Cheng tilted his head slightly and fluttered his lashes, as if it was hard to open his eyes.

"How did you get this scar?", Xie Lian asked.

Hua Cheng covered his eye as if he had forgotten it was exposed. "Hum, it's just a silly old scar..."

Seeing Hua Cheng was being vague, Xie Lian immediately felt uncomfortable, and lowering his voice, he asked, "Did you... do it yourself?"

"What? No", he got up and went to sit leg-crossed beside Xie Lian. "I was 11 or 12, and had a bad cold. I felt dizzy, and hit my face on an iron fence at this shitty building I lived at. No big deal. I only have this scar because I wasn't taken to hospital for stitching or something."

Xie Lian nodded. It was bad, and he could understand why Hua Cheng was being vague, but he had imagined much worse. Hua Cheng then asked softly, "Do you know of... self-harming stuff then?"

Xie Lian replied, "I never did it", and he added, "Another thing I never did, not even when I had bad anxiety: bite my nails."

He showed off his hands, smiling proudly; he immediately felt silly, but Hua Cheng actually held them and looked. Then he said, smiling "You have such soft and smooth hands!"

Xie Lian laughed, "Everyone says that. They ask if I don't do the washing-up!", he paused, "Your hands are nice too! Hands of an artist...", he said turning Hua Cheng's hands around.

Hua Cheng chuckled, "Nah, I just sketch things, nothing much."

Xie Lian realised how they were there, feeling each other's hands, and felt a bit awkward. He quickly removed his, and reached out for his phone. "I wonder where Shi Qingxuan is..."

Hua Cheng just reclined back on the sofa, closing his eyes, and said, lazily, "We'll go back soon".

Back at the market, Xie Lian found Shi Qingxuan surrounded by lively girls; he befriended a hen party group, and who knows what kind of drinking games they were playing. Shi Qingxuan was wearing a veil and the 'Bride to be' sash, looking well-pleased at himself.

These ladies were a bit overly familiar, hugging and lightly squeezing Xie Lian on the chest or abs and getting too close. He couldn't help but wonder what Feng Xin would do in that situation.

"Where have you been? I thought you had gotten lucky, hehehehe", Shi Qingxuan managed.

"I was with San Lang, having a drink. I mean Hua Cheng", he said. Better not to say he was at Hua Cheng's place.

"Oh I see. You rekindled your friendship?", Shi Qingxuan winked. "So pretending not to know you was 'treat 'em mean, keep 'em keen' right?"

Xie Lian felt his face burning madly, and he was sure it wasn't because of the gin he was drinking.

"Anyway. Where's Lang Qianqiu? Gone home?", Xie Lian asked.

"Oh right. I shouldn't think so", he checked his phone, trying to focus his eyes, and suddenly said in a serious tone, "We better find him". He excused himself and dragged Xie Lian out.

Xie Lian was puzzled; Shi Qingxuan seemed to have suddenly sobered up, and kept looking around nervously. The market also seemed different; a strange atmosphere, a tension in the air.

"I have to tell you something", Shi Qingxuan said. "Lang Qianqiu is a good guy, but he has issues. His brother... died very young, I don't know details, but it seems he was in a gang or something."

"Shit", Xie Lian said, quite bluntly.

"So", Shi Qingxuan continued, "He's got this obsession with finding out about his brother's death. Remember the rumours about a gang clash here? He's probably on it", he said, pursing his lips.

"Why do you say that?", Xie Lian asked. He wondered if he should text Hua Cheng, but what if Hua Cheng was in fact involved in the gang clash?

Shi Qingxuan showed the last text Lang Qianqiu sent. It said: THE GREEN GHOST GANG IS HERE.

Xie Lian and Shi Qingxuan started to walk around the market, desperately seeking Lang Qianqiu. They noticed several rough-looking guys, walking around suspiciously; people didn't seem relaxed anymore. Most were drunk and laughing like maniacs.

Calling Lang Qianqiu was no use, the calls didn't even get completed. After almost one hour scouring that warehouse, Xie Lian had the idea of checking outside. He dragged Shi Qingxuan down that emergency exit he used before, and the two of them started to walk around the building.

They got to a side entrance with an outside space, with a few trailers selling beer, surrounded by a chain link fencing. On one of the corners, a part of the chain link was bent up, making an exit to the canal path. Xie Lian went to have a look down there just in case.

Shi Qingxuan waited by the fence, wringing his hands nervously, while Xie Lian went through; the canal path was pitch dark at that time. After a minute, Xie Lian shouted,

"Found him!"

Thanks for reading! The next parts are coming TOMORROW! 😃