Hualian AU ~ 8. At Black Water Island

Part 1

CW: bullying and harassing, mental health issues, sex references, rude language

That week, Xie Lian tried to contact Shi Qingxuan, but he didn't get a new phone, nor was accessing his social media accounts. Not even e-mail. He must have been taken to his family's place, or a spa, or wherever rich people went when they needed a break.

On the following Saturday, Xie Lian went to DJ at this bar, Gamblers' Den, as he had agreed with Hua Cheng before the Amsterdam trip. It was quite a classy but edgy place, with glossy red panels for walls and funky exposed lightbulbs; Hua Cheng himself kept bringing him beer, and stayed for a chat, so it didn't feel like work at all.

At some point when Hua Cheng wasn't around, some guys he knew from uni stopped by, and asked, "Hey Xie Lian, are you and Hua Cheng dating?"

Xie Lian almost choked in his beer. "What? No, we're just... working on some projects together", he replied. Saying they were friends would definitely sound bad.

"Ah ok. I knew Hua Cheng wasn't gay, to start with!" A petite blond girl said.

Another guy, who was obviously gay, replied, "You think all gay guys need to be camp?"

"Hum, it's not that. Remember Xuan Ji?" a third girl asked. She was skinny with black short hair.

They all said "Oh yes", "Oh my God I was forgetting it" and such excited expressions. Xie Lian didn't know anything about Xuan Ji regarding Hua Cheng so he just watched their reactions, fascinated. They volunteered,

"It was last year or the year before? Xuan Ji wanted to make Pei Ming jealous, so in some party she stuck to Hua Cheng. Did she get what she wanted, and some!"

They all laughed hysterically. Xie Lian could only guess what they were getting at.

"Hua Cheng fucked her all night long, think marathon sex. And he hadn't taken anything!"

"Taken what?", Xie Lian asked.

"Pfff performance enhancing drugs. Where have you been?" they laughed.

"You can see he'd fuck all night long. He's so sexy" someone sighed.

The guy said, "I may have reports of Hua Cheng being sighted in the nude at the gym changing rooms!", and he paused for dramatic effect.

"Whaaaaaaat?" they gasped.

"Fucking hot bod and a huge coc..."

"Too much information!" Xie Lian laughed, trying to play it cool.

He though they were going too far, talking like that. He was feeling uncomfortable too: Hua Cheng was his friend, and they were pretending that kiss never happened, but well, it DID happen... Plus, he himself knew that guy's "report" to be true! He blushed.

The blond girl said, "Remember on our first term, everybody went crazy about Hua Cheng. And he sure did the 'treat'em mean, keep'em keen kind of stuff'..."

"What you mean, mean?", Xie Lian asked.

She replied, "Well not mean mean. He didn't mistreat anyone, he just didn't seem interested."

He finished his beer nervously, and kept holding his glass with both hands, when Hua Cheng joined them. The guy and the girls weren't embarrassed by the conversation at all, and the guy said,

"Oi Hua Cheng, so, who's going home with you tonight, got anyone in sight?"

Hua Cheng gave him a fake smile, "Don't you worry about my love life, it's all sorted thank you."

"Sorted? If you got someone, where are they?", the guy asked, teasingly.

"You think I'd bring them to meet useless trash like you guys?", and he snickered.

Xie Lian was speechless; Hua Cheng seemed like a different person, joining these guys on their vicious banter, and totally at ease at that. He could easily put them in their place.

"Alright, you do have a lover, then who is it?", they were dying to find out!

Hua Cheng took a long sip, finishing his beer, and said, "I've always seen this person from afar, and had a crush. When I got to know them I fell madly in love. Now we're together, what else do you want to know?"

"Wow, how hot this person must be?" the blond girl said, shocked.

"Hum ok. No game for us anymore I guess." The guy said, and they gave some excuse and left.

Hua Cheng chuckled, "Don't mind them Gege, they just like to gossip 24/7."

Xie Lian was surprised at what Hua Cheng had just said about having someone; he sounded dead serious, so Xie Lian didn't think he was just teasing. He couldn't help asking, "San Lang, how come you got someone, you never told me..."

Hua Cheng ignored him on purpose, and Xie Lian laughed, "You're worse than them!"

He replied, "Everything is true, except that we're not together. Yet", he paused, "Another beer?"

He could only nod, and Hua Cheng disappeared into the crowd again.

Xie Lian felt left out. He realised there was a lot about Hua Cheng he didn't know, and Hua Cheng wasn't sharing. 'To be fair I never told him about my love life, but that's because I don't have one', he thought, sinking even deeper in self-pity. 'I would definitely tell him if I liked someone', he thought.

On the other hand, that explained why Hua Cheng run away after they kissed the other day. He didn't want to "cheat" on this person he fancied.

'One of these days, they'll be together, so no more hanging out...' He thought, and immediately scolded himself mentally for being selfish, telling himself he wished with all his heart San Lang would get together with the person he was madly in love with, and be happy. He deserved it.

He saw Hua Cheng coming back with two beers, and forced a smile, looking around, looking like he was greatly enjoying the party. After, they crashed down at Puqi Shrine, as it was closer; Xie Lian thought it was good, in spite of everything, to have Hua Cheng at his place just like before.

Wow look at these guys going, gossiping about sexy Hua Cheng! 😜

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