Short stories revolving around Zhao Yulan trying to ensure WeiLan lasts forever. ;)
These are short stories bigger than drabbles I think? Each one will be from Zhao's perspective as he learns to navigate loving and living with the man of his dreams.
Professor Shen Wei; the Black Cloak Envoy and Lord of Dixing, kept his tone even and warm, meeting Da Qing's gaze easily.
"I will fix this and Zhao Yunlan will never know."
The ten thousand year old cat, agitated enough by his troubles, stared at him across the desk, his eyes annoyed and anxious as only Da Qing could be. Zhao Yunlan was in Beijing for a police conference, he had to attend for the benefit of his career. He was performing for his superiors and delivering a lecture on what Shen Wei, wasn't sure but judging by the wording in the last phone call, he resented it deeply.
Now, when his beloved had only been gone from the city for three days, Zhao Yunlan's father was in trouble and Da Qing had been forced to ask him for help. This was Yunlan's father, so he was more than happy to assist SID in any way he could, but the price Da Qing had set was silence. He couldn't tell Yunlan what had happened and why his father was now in hospital.
That chafed, but he realized that Yunlan would probably find out anyway and this was an opportunity he wasn't going to experience again, any time soon. So, he had set a price in return, of his own.
"Fine. I'll deliver it tomorrow. In return for your silence." Da Qing said eventually, his shoulders slumping.
He understood. Da Qing was only trying to protect Yunlan from getting hurt again by his father. "I accept and I will say nothing."
Da Qing rose with a firm nod and left the office with a small smile, thinking no doubt that if he could just sort this out, he would be able to keep Yunlan out of it, before his Boss, owner and brother came home. His temper over what had happened would put Yunlan in great danger, when he has the Envoy could simply end the problem and save his cherished, the heartache.
He smiled back softly, both at Da Qing's relieved expression and the thought of gaining the package tomorrow.
It all started earlier that month. He had consulted on an SID case that was baffling, a woman who had disappeared in a red mist, in the middle of a public bathroom. He had met Yunlan at the front door of the victim's apartment building and had inadvertently overheard the conversation, between Yunlan and Xiao Guo, as they made their way down the stairs.
"Find out more about the boyfriend. What did he do that made her think of dumping him?" Yunlan had asked as thy descended the steps, three flights above his head.
"He said they were happy?" Guo had stammered, clearly confused, as he followed Yunlan.
"When you are in love, you'll understand. But, the point is, when you are dating someone for over a month, you keep things. Pictures for example, maybe on your phone, on your desk or on the damn wall, somewhere where you and a select few can see it. She uploaded no new pictures of him online, she had no pictures of him on her desk and she is not wearing the necklace he gave her for her birthday. They were on the rocks. Find out why."
"Do you have pictures of Professor Shen?" Guo had asked making his ears burn.
"Of course I do! Were you not listening? Is there not a picture of him and Da Qing on my desk? Do I not have his picture on my phone? Look!" Yunlan had demanded, equal parts offended and needling, turning around so fast on the stairs that Guo had nearly had fallen in shock.
The conversation had ended with Yunlan saying, "When there are no pictures or keepsakes Guo, there is no relationship. If you don't want to see his face every day, you don't want to see him full stop."
It had the unintentional side-effect of blindsiding Shen Wei. There were so many aspects of Haxing relations that he did not know or understand and trying to work what Yunlan expected of him, was surprisingly difficult. His cherished never demanded anything more than what Shen Wei already gave, those choices to go out together or hold hands entirely Shen Wei's decision. It left him slightly confused and worried he was failing in some way, compared to a Haxing lover that would understand these things.
Yunlan had bought him a stylish coat that he wore often, thinking of Yunlan every time he put on, his smile when he accepted the gift, confusingly surprised, before it had slowly bloomed into that breathtaking grin that made his knees weak. Was that a gift like the necklace, this unknown boyfriend had given their victim, the week before she had died?
He had gone to Yunlan's office and checked, shocked to see that there was a picture of him holding Da Qing in the form of a black cat, in the kitchen of Yunlan's apartment. When it had been taken, he didn't know, but it was there, framed and clean on his spartan desk, right between his pencils and the lamp.
It caused warmth to spread from his heart, at the very thought of Yunlan blatantly displaying a picture like this, of his cat and of him. Where anyone could see it and where Yunlan could admire it from his position in the chair. His remembered his words and flushed with shame. What did Yunlan think of him for not having a similar framed photo?
Did he assume it was not Dixing custom, which was true or did he doubt Shen Wei?
Gaining a picture of his beloved was not that difficult. He was highly photogenic and with a smartphone it would easy. If he had one and knew how to take a picture in the first place. He could ask someone to help him, a student or a member of SID, but that would be admitting what he wanted one for and Yunlan, was capable of great vanity, but disliked pictures of himself, claiming it was 'disturbing'.
If he asked Yunlan he would be handed a bad snapshot of his beloved in poor lighting, taken no doubt by Guo in the middle of an investigation. There was no way he was placing a framed photo of Yunlan, dominated by the background of a crime scene or the potted plant in his office, in the spot he had chosen on his desk, angled away from the door and the sunlight, so that he would be able to admire Yunlan, even in the midday sun.
No, now that he had begun to think of it, he wanted something special. Something that spoke of his true, inner beauty, his strength, his stunning face, toned body and that smile...
Rất tiếc! Hình ảnh này không tuân theo hướng dẫn nội dung. Để tiếp tục đăng tải, vui lòng xóa hoặc tải lên một hình ảnh khác.
He wanted a photo where Yunlan looked happy or least his devilish self, a photo he would be able stare at for long minutes in between his work, a photo he would hold, before he left his office for the night, looking forward to seeing the real Yunlan.
For weeks he had struggled, but now with this deal between him and Da Qing, he might finally be able to add a photo, tasteful and vibrant of Yunlan to his desk, both in his home office, and here in the University. He smiled as he became the Black Cloaked Envoy, tidying his robes and considering that small area of polished wood and the frame he would choose. Something in wood perhaps, lacquered and simple, so as not to draw the eye away from the beauty it held.
It would be worth the difficulties of Zhao Xin Ci.
