《Love 020: Beyond a Beautiful Smile》 1 Chapter One- The Trouble With Fantasies Leaning against the wall on the top bunk, Hao Mei logged in to his Galaxy Fantasies account. His dorm mates, sitting at the table and gaming together, jeered at him. "When will you play a proper game?" Yu Ban Shan didn''t bother looking up from his own keyboard, typing furiously away and obviously running afoul of some sort of monster in the game he, Qui Yong Hou, and Xiao Nai were playing. Qui Yong Hou placed the newly refilled fish bowl in the center of the table before flicking wet fingers in Hao Mei''s direction. "Come down from your mountain. Play with us." "Hey!" Hao Mei wiped fish-water off the back of his laptop and glared at the offender. Sticking his headphones in his ears he settled back, watching his avatar turn side to side on the screen while waiting for his in-game friend to log in. His avatar, a Heavenly Healer, was a slim female in an almost translucent pale blue dress. The dress itself was fairly modest, as much as he appreciated the female form, Mei hadn''t been interested in the more revealing options. Instead, he had chosen to clothe his avatar in a flowing, sleeveless dress and white cape; both of which covered his avatar to his toes but also had a tendency to wrap tightly around her body when she moved. Like now. Toggling his mouse, Mei made his avatar turn on the spot, killing time in a pleasant manner. A gong sounded in his headphones and he grinned before quickly wiping it from his face. The last thing he needed was his dorm mates to notice his good mood and give him a hard time. Opening the message, Mei was hard put not to cheer aloud. For over a month now he had been playing with Shou Ke Zhai Xing Chen, a Flower Archer avatar often used by female gamers. Even the name, ''the hand that picked the stars'' sounded feminine to Mei and he''d deliberately approached the player in an attempt to find a yaoren (A/N: yaoren= female playing as a male. Renyao is the opposite and is what Hao Mei is currently doing). To his surprise, they had got along very well, very quickly. Their avatars looked good together, which was extremely important for Mei as he had chosen his female avatar purely for aesthetic reasons, but to his surprise their style of play synced neatly. In-game conversations progressed to private chats that had nothing to do with the game itself. Before long, Mei had found himself eagerly anticipating their next game date and he''d been trying to find the right way to broach the possibility of chatting over the microphones when Shou Ke Zhai Xing Chen had beaten him to it. They''d planned to chat yesterday, when Hao Mei had a study period and his dorm mates had class, but the campus internet had proven temperamental, so they''d postponed it one more day. Now, reading the message one more time, Mei wiped suddenly sweaty hands on his blanket. Shou Ke Zhai Xing Chen had logged in but needed five more minutes before she was free to talk. Mei imagined a girl, similar in appearance to his own Heavenly Healer Avatar, delicately blushing as she shooed her room mate out the door for privacy. Breathing deeply, trying to calm his heartbeat, Mei clicked the button to connect to a private chat. His laptop screen was blurry and he frowned at it. Had he picked up a bug somewhere that would make his screen jump? As he lifted the laptop to take a closer look, the screen stopped jumping... and his knee kept jiggling. Turning red, he put the laptop down and willed his knee to stop moving. He was moderately successful. At least he could read the screen now. The small speaker symbol appeared next to Shou Ke Zhai Xing Chen''s gamertag in the conversation and Mei froze. "Hello E-Mei." The voice was deep, smooth as honey and very definitely masculine. Mei''s voice stuck in his throat. "E-Mei? Can you hear me?" Hao Mei slammed his laptop shut. She was a He? Heart racing as though he''d actually run for credits (A/N: series reference), Hao Mei scrambled down from his bunk and joined his dorm mates at the table. "What game are you guys actually playing? I''ll play too." Yu Ban Shan turned his laptop to the side so Hao Mei could see the screen. "Dreams of Jianghu. You''ll like it." Hao Mei smiled tightly. He''d liked Galaxy Fantasies as well... No, he wouldn''t dwell on that. His chest hurt and he rubbed it absentmindedly as he scrolled through avatar options before settling on a male avatar. Definitely male. No more playing the renyao for this gamer! 2 Chapter 2- Food for though Someone made of light was sitting on his head. Hao Mei groaned and tried to push them away but his hand simply passed through air. Cracking one eye open, he winced as light from the open window burned a hole into his brain. With a whimper he closed his eyes tightly, not before establishing that no, there was no one sitting on his head; but then why the hell did it feel so heavy? Groaning, he rolled over and barely managed to slither and slide his way down the ladder of his bunk bed, landing on the floor in an ungainly pile of smelly clothes and beer breath. "Ah..." The pungent smell of his own breath brought his memory rushing back. Well, parts of it. End of year basket ball game, Xiao Nai and Lu Wei Wei Wei, no... Bei Wei Wei... no... Hao Meo shook his head then groaned again when the sudden movement made his stomach roll. Lu Wei Wei Wei and Bei Wei Wei were the same person. He remembered celebrating the game, celebrating Laosan and Saosan meeting in person, celebrating... what else was he celebrating? He remembered the rest of the guys celebrating because they''d seen the downfall of the campus'' most eligible bachelor but he''d arrived at the gym too late too see Xiao Nai and Bei Wei Wei together so he wouldn''t have been celebrating that... Crawling in to the bathroom, he pulled himself relatively upright in front of the sink and frowned at his reflection. His skin was pale, and not the beautiful ''I''m so gorgeous'' pale, but a clammy, queasy pale. Shadows under his eyes were so dark he looked like he''d been in a fight. Well, Hao Mei shrugged, he''d lost a fight with alcohol so that counted, right? Splashing cold water on his face he gasped at the chill which unfortunately meant he also took a whiff of his own body odour. Gagging he slammed the bathroom door shut and stepped, fully clothed, under the water. "Hao Mei! Hurry up in there!" Yu Ban Shan pounded on the bathroom door. "Hurry up! I need to pee!" "Go ask Da Zhong if you can use his toilet. I''m not moving." "Can''t make it..." The bathroom door opened and Ban Shan stumbled in, looking back at the door in surprise. "You didn''t lock it....?" Hao Mei groaned and stuck his face under the water. Fumbling with his zipper, Ban Shan sighed with relief then looked over at the fully clothed, half drowned Mei. "Aw... Mr Beauty... Did you forget something?" "Yes. I think I did; I can''t remember what I''ve forgotten but I think it was something important." Ban Shan nodded sagely, washing his hands and drying them with Hao Mei''s towel. "I know what you forgot." Mei turned around, eyes wide. "You do? What?" Ban Shan backed slowly towards the door. "You forgot to take your clothes off." He was gone before Mei''s fuddled brain could make sense of what he''d said. Mei sighed and set to righting the situation, dumping shower gel on the pile of wet cloth; he may as well wash them as he washed himself. Maybe the shower gel would be fragrant enough to overpower the yeasty smell of stale beer. Water sluiced over his shoulders and he let it wash both soap and worries away. If it was really important, he''d remember at some stage. * * * The cafeteria was crowded, a myriad of conversations and voices echoing in a gigantic mixing bowl of migraine inducing proportions. Hao Mei held his head, rubbing his temples in an attempt to alleviate the throbbing in his skull. The feet in front of him slowly shuffled forward until, eventually, they disappeared and all he could see was the white bench. "Ah..." The smell of the food made his stomach roll and he wasn''t sure he wanted to see what looking at it would do. A tray appeared in front of him, already filled with white rice, stirfried greens and a bowl of clear broth with an egg. Since when did the cafeteria serve broth with egg? Confused, he looked up and into a pair of familiar eyes. "KO!" "Drink the broth first. Then eat. You need food in your stomach so you can take your medicine." Hao Mei looked back down at the tray and noticed a small, foil packet tucked under the edge of a plate. "Ah... thank you..." He cleared his throat and shifted slightly on his feet. Blood rushed to his cheeks and to cover his embarrassment he grinned. "It was a big night, huh. I don''t always drink like that." The other man simply looked at him and Hao Mei chuckled nervously. "So... yeah... I''ll let you keep working. And thank you. Again. For the food. And the medicine. And... yeah..." Taking his tray to a clear space in a corner, he thunked his head on the table. "Hao Mei, did your beautiful words disappear with your beautiful face last night? Or did they wash away in the shower this morning? Argh." A vibration in his pocket made him jump before realising it was just his phone. He opened the text from a number he didn''t recognise. -- Eat. Take medicine. Don''t sleep on the table.-- Startled, Hao Mei lifted his head and looked around like a meerkat on the African Savannah. His eyes locked with KO''s over the sea of students and he lifted the hand with the phone in it. KO ducked his head, yes, before turning his attention back to the students still waiting to be served. Smiling to himself, Mei saved the number under Number One Chef, then turned his attention towards the food, forgetting his hangover in the process. 3 Chapter 3- Common Ground It was a very despondent Hao Mei who dragged himself down to the small restaurant; in search of food, and company other than his dorm mates. His hangover had cleared, thanks to KO''s food and medicine, but his mood had only sunk lower. It felt like everyone was pairing off and leaving him struggling to catch up. It wasn''t that he begrudged Xiao Nai finding Bei Wei Wei- everyone was glad that someone from their own department had managed to snag the department beauty, and Hao Mei had never been a contender for Wei Wei''s affections- but watching his usually aloof and slightly detached Laosan defrost? Hiding smiles at the corner of his mouth and displaying a degree of possessiveness that, despite being his dorm mate for years, had still taken Hao Mei by surprise... It wasn''t the individual that he was envious of; it was the couple. He wanted the warm fuzzies that came with being part of a relationship. It hadn''t been too bad when they were all single. The four of them had each other, and had naturally paired off within the quartet. Yu Ban Shan and Qui Yong Hou, as the two eldest, had fallen into a natural rapport, while Hao Mei and Xiao Nai had bonded over their programming. It helped that Xiao Nai had always seen, and appreciated, his abilities, whereas the other two frequently failed to see past his youthful vanity. As a result, he had never mentioned either his part time job or his hobby to any of his dorm mates. He hadn''t wanted to face the teasing of the Terrible Twosome, and hadn''t wanted to disappoint Xiao Nai. After all, his part time job was essentially exploiting a talent he had little control over. Still, the money that he made by selling his face, paid for his hobby and that was something he didn''t think he''d ever be comfortable sharing with the others. If he thought they''d be merciless about his modelling, if they found out about his hobby then their teasing about having a pretty face would be like nine cows and one strand of cow hair. (A/N: a drop in the bucket). Hao Mei groaned at the thought. If that future came about then Ban Shan and Yong Hou wouldn''t be satisfied with humiliating him at basketball; war would be declared. It was a future that didn''t bear thinking of. It hadn''t been a conscious decision to head to the restaurant, but after leaving the dorm in a huff he was in no hurry to return, and his mood was too stormy to inflict on the cafeteria. His feet tugged him along the familiar path, instinctively heading towards comfort food and cold drinks, with the rest of his body simply along for the ride. It wasn''t until his first mouthful of overly salty, meat deficient stirfry, that Hao Mei''s mind caught up to the rest of him. "Urgh... What...?" Tentatively taking another mouthful he grimaced as he swallowed. "Hey, KO..." Turning in his seat, he looked for the familiar back of his friend, surprise making his eyes widen when he couldn''t find him. "Eh?" Text to: Number One Chef [Not working?] Text from: Number One Chef [Working.] Text to: Number One Chef [Where? The food tastes terrible.] Text from: Number One Chef [Cafeteria. Forgot already?] Text to: Number One Chef [Oh. Yeah. Forgot. I need to remember to only come here when you''re working. Only a camel can drink enough water to offset the salt.] Text from: Number One Chef [You have the lashes of a camel.] Text to: Number One Chef [Don''t you start. I hear enough from the others. You''re supposed to be my friend.] Text from: Number One Chef [Are they not friends?] Hao Mei frowned at his phone. Of course they were friends... but they also, weren''t. He knew other guys called each other ''brothers'', but he felt it was different with him and his dorm mates. Text to: Number One Chef [Brothers.] Would that be enough to explain it? He finished the beer while waiting for a reply that never came. Had he offended KO? Had he accidentally insulted him by calling him ''friend'' and the others ''brothers''? Text to: Number One Chef [We are friends, right? Unless you want me to call you KO-ge?] Text from: Number One Chef [No. Don''t call me ge. I don''t want to be your brother.] Text to: Number One Chef [Oh?] Hao Mei''s head started to hurt, echoes of the morning''s hangover recalled with worry. Text from: Number One Chef [Friends has more potential.] Text to: Number One Chef [Thankyou for being my friend. This might sound pathetic, but I don''t have many friends other than my brothers.] Text from: Number One Chef [That surprises me.] Text to: Number One Chef [You''d think this honey face would attract the bees, right?] Text from: Number One Chef [Flowers attract bees. Bees make honey.] Text to: Number One Chef [Don''t be so literal. Don''t you know that girls like a bit of romance; you should practice. See if using pretty words attracts a bee?] Text from: Number One Chef [First build the hive. Then plant flowers. ] Text to: Number One Chef [Ah! So there is a bee you''re interested in?] Text from: Number One Chef [Hmm.] Text to: Number One Chef [Everyone has company but me. I want a bee to make honey with.] Text from: Number One Chef [You sound lonely?] Text to: Number One Chef [Little bit. Little bit jealous too. It''s a mood. It will pass. Just sometimes I wish I had someone special. What''s your bee like?] Text from Number One Chef [Special. I need to Jiao ta shi di and be patient.] (A/N: "Jiao ta shi di" = work hard, focus on the fundamentals, and proceed in a steady and stable fashion. How I wish we had an English equivalent.) Text to: Number One Chef [Fighting! Tell me if I can help.] Text from: Number One Chef [Just be my friend.] Hao Mei grinned at the text even as his heart clenched. Even KO was headed towards pairing up with someone. He was happy for him, even as he felt a bit sorry for himself. Text from: Number One Chef [Stop worrying. You won''t be left alone.] 4 Chapter 4- Dreaming of a Galaxy Relating to Episode 12 of Love O2O (A/N: The dialogue/in-game chat from this chapter is taken directly from the series; it''s not attempting to change the events that happened in the series, just give a bit more insight into Hao Mei''s mind at that time.) It was a very ruffled Hao Mei who eased himself back into his chair as Yu Ban Shan and Qui Yong Hou smirked at, secure in their combined might. I just finished a real life battle. With Old Man Yu and Drunk Monkey Hou? I beat them so badly they were begging me to stop. A laugh from the maniacs opposite made him grimace. Wei Wei never needed to know how it really went down Don''t worry. I didn''t say it was you. Senior, I actually think you''re very lucky. Since your name originated from E-Mei Mountain, if you weren''t name Hao Mei you could have been named Hao E instead... Hao E... that would sound so weird. Hao Mei shook his head sadly. Even Saosan was giving himhard time about his name. In truth, the suggestion that she''d made was one he''d thought about for years... He''d even created a gamertag paying tribute to his namesake and no one online had given him a hard time about it. Although, that may have had something to do with his character''s appearance... Would you really rather be called Hao Mei than Hao E? After thinking about it for twenty years I''d rather be called Hao Mountain. As much as he wished his mother had never gone to E-Mei Mountain, Hao Mei had to admit he was lucky. To be given such a name without the face to match would be unimaginable. As it was, Mei felt rather like he was qi hu nan xia (A/N: "qi hu nan xia" = when one is riding a tiger it is hard to dismount. Essentially, when you''re stuck in a difficult situation the only thing you can do is go forward doing your best.). Mr Beauty, quick! I found a rare guardian beast. Sansao, how did you know this guardian beast suited my occupation? I''ve always wanted it, but was never able to get it? Back in the dorm, Hao Mei hid his scowl from the others. Was Saosan picking up Laosan''s ability to read minds now? How did she know he''d just thought about tigers? He was accustomed to Xiao Nai''s uncanny ability to know what he was thinking but if Bei Wei Wei was going to pick up the same habit then Hao Mei was in big trouble. Sansao, where did you get this? You''re absolutely amazing! The company that bought my game story gave it to me. Every one of the characters in our story gets one. They can''t possibly be so generous that they give everyone a guardian beast. You must have asked for it, right? Just keep it to yourself and thank me in your heart. I''m so touched. Well done Laosan! Well done Laosan! He married you and we all benefit from it. Even as he whole heartedly congratulated Xiao Nai and Bei Wei Wei, Hao Mei could feel his spirits sinking. An uncomfortable lump settled in his stomach and pressure built behind his eyes. To distract himself, and to prevent Wei Wei''s emerging psychic talents from picking up on anything, Mei turned his attention to mischief. Teasing the absent Xiao Nai was fun... until he walked behind him. Then it became a hazardous venture. Keeping his head down, Hao Mei tried to fly under the radar while Bei Wei Wei and Xiao Nai turned their wit towards each other. When Bei Wei Wei abruptly disappeared from Dreams of Jiangshu and Xiao Nai went out to the balcony to ring her, Hao Mei took the opportunity to log off as well. There was only so much pink air a single man could breath before feeling sick. Without conscious thought, Hao Mei found himself logging in to an account that had lain dormant for nearly a year. As his female avatar turned in lazy circles on the home screen, Hao Mei sighed, burying his face in his hands. As useless as it was, he couldn''t help wonder what it would have been like had his plan worked. Or if he hadn''t been a renyao and had indeed been the girl his avatar suggested. Which was a pointless train of thought. He couldn''t turn back time and he couldn''t change who he was. * * * Not too far away, an alert dinged on a mobile screen and the phone''s owner ran for his laptop. Ignoring his irate boss, he logged into Galaxy Fantasies, followed the trace he''d previously put in place and felt his breath catch as the camera of the distant laptop showed him his E-Mei, head in hands and shoulders slumped. Text to: E-Mei [You free? Food?] A phone next to the distant laptop pinged and he watched Hao Mei''s face light up as he read the incoming text. * * * Text from: Number One Chef [You free? Food?] Hao Mei smiled at his phone and abruptly closed his laptop. Grabbing a hoodie, he struggled to put it one and get it zipped while simultaneously replying to the message. He didn''t know how KO always managed to cheer him up when he needed it but could already feel his spirits lifting. "I''m headed out guys. If I miss curfew I''ll just see you in the morning." Text to: Number One Chef [See you soon.] 5 Chapter 5- Love Chanel Related to Episodes 13 and 14 of Love O2O A/N: Most of the dialogue between characters in this chapter is taken from the series. The more Hao Mei had to do with Bei Wei Wei, the more he became convinced that she and Xiao Nai were two halves of the one whole. Never mind Wei Wei''s ability to think on her feet and make sure he never shared the conversation he overheard with any of his dorm mates, but Laosan''s response when he tried to stir up trouble? He shivered. Definitely a well co-ordinated couple. Listening to the praise that Yu Ban Shan and Qui Yong Hou were heaping on Lu Wei Wei Wei as they played with their new guardian beasts in Dreams of Jiangshu, Hao Mei had the horrible feeling that he was the only one feeling perturbed by how in-sync the couple were. Shaking it off, he turned his attention back to his phone. Text to: Number One Chef [When are you going to get an account? You can play with us- I''ll help you past Newbie Village.] Text from: Number One Chef [No. I don''t game anymore.] Text to: Number One Chef [Anymore? So you used to?] Text from: Number One Chef [Yes.] Text to: Number One Chef [Why don''t you play anymore? Bad experience?] Text from: Number One Chef [No time.] Hao Mei shook his head at his own folly. How could he forget that KO had multiple jobs. Of course gaming would be low the list of priorities. Wouldn''t stop Mei from annoying him about it though. He needed a friend to pair up with so he could level the playing field with the other two. "Hey! Look at this!" Yu Ban Shan stared at his laptop in horror. "School forums... Da Zhong just sent me the link. Someone is badmouthing our Saosan!" < Our school''s talented beauty versus the rumoured beauty! I accidentally came across our school''s talented beauty''s blog and discovered a new post.I was just browsing randomly. But something caught my interest and made me so excited to share it with all of you. [Ms A: Ms C is too pure-minded. I laughed and said: You''re not 34C!] >> Ban Shan read the post aloud and Hao Mei dragged his attention away from his phone. Both he and Qui Yong Hou crowded behind Ban Shan, reading over his shoulder. The post rendered all three temporarily speechless until Mei rolled his shoulders and marched back to his own laptop. "It is time, my friends. To go to war." Taking the time to send a quick text to KO, with a brief explanation of the situation and a note that he''d text when he was done avenging Saosan''s honour, Hao Mei settled in for the long haul. An hour later, the blog was down and replaced with the Bei Wei Wei''s academic transcript and scholarship records. Hao Mei leaned back in his seat, sore from his fingers to the small of his back. "My arms are so sore!" "Sir." Yu Ban Shan grabbed a hand and started massaging. "Here, here. Is this okay, sir?" Rubbing Hao Mei''s shoulders, Qui Yong Hou bent his head obsequiously. "Gently, gently..." Mei closed his eyes, basking in the afterglow of a job well done. "I''m thirsty. Thirsty." "Yes! Here you go." Yong Hou grabbed a juice bottle, offering it to Mei before returning to his station at his shoulders. "Do you feel comfortable, sir?" Hao Mei groaned as Ban Shan and Yong Hou worked out the tension in his arms. "It''s alright. When Laosan gets back I''ll make him buy me a big meal. Since Laosan isn''t around, I had to step in. How dare she bully our department''s young lady? "Exactly! How dare she say our sister-in-law is dumb? Just her scholarships alone are worth more than mine." Ban Shan''s massage became a big more vigorous in his indignation. "I think that we don''t have to tell Laosan about this matter." Yong Hou thought about it a bit more before continuing. "I reckon he''s quite busy in Shanghai. We tackled it. Besides, judging by updates in our school news, everyone will forget about that in a day or two." He made sense. Ban Shan and Mei both nodded their agreement as Mei winced under his friend''s rough hands. It was hard being a cyber hero... and it wasn''t the hacking that was hard! * * * Stretched out in bed, later that night, Hao Mei pondered the situation again. His offhand thought about the hacking not being difficult had stuck with him. He knew he was smart, he was the one who used his brain afterall so he knew what it could do, but Bei Wei Wei''s scholarship report and her academic transcript had been stored in different parts of the school''s network. Hacking into each section and then hacking the forum to delete the blog and upload the proof of Wei Wei''s brilliance? No matter which way he thought about it, Mei felt it should have taken longer. He wasn''t sure why he''d confided in KO via text; maybe it was because his friend wasn''t part of the computer department and could look at it from a removed vantage point? Text from: Number One Chef [Does it matter if it was easier than you thought?] Text to: Number One Chef [It depends on why it was easier. If it was just that our school''s firewalls are that flimsy, then aren''t I obligated to tell the school? So they can fix it? And if it really was someone else hacking at the same time then I may have bumped them out but they may come back.] Text from: Number One Chef [Are you employed as part of the IT department? Then security is not your problem.] Hao Mei grudgingly admitted that his friend had a point. It also wasn''t like he could give IT a heads up without also causing trouble for himself. Text to: Number One Chef [How did you get so smart?] Text from: Number One Chef [Life.] Text from: Number One Chef [And hive building. Almost time to plant flowers.] Text to: Number One Chef [Fighting!] 6 Chapter 6- Some Secrets are Hard to Keep The week following the hacking incident seemed to fly past; with the confirmation of the contract with Feng Teng for their mobile game, as well as the announcement of a date for their presentation for Dreams of Jiangshu 2, Hao Mei felt as though he had code burned into the back of his eyelids. Every time he closed his eyes lately, a parade of zeros and ones waltzed past his cornea, drumming themselves into his brain. He didn''t want to think what it was going to be like as they got closer to the date of the presentation. Even after begging Laosan to recruit more programmers, Hao Mei knew that he had a greater chance of winning the lottery than of getting reliable help in time for a new comer to make a difference. He paused as thoughts of a lottery win reminded him that he had won big with his last gamble. Which meant... Text to: Number One Chef [Wangfujing?] Text from: Number One Chef [For?] Text to: Number One Chef [Shopping. Food. Duh.] Text from: Number One Chef [Meet you there.] Smiling serenely as his co-workers teased him about leaving the office early for a date, Hao Mei didn''t bother correcting them. After his outburst during the meeting early that day, he knew they''d be more sympathetic about him leaving early if they thought he was headed out for a date. Technically, he guessed he was. What was a date after all? Two people who liked each other, spending time in each other''s company? What did you do on a date? Go shopping, share a meal, tak about your day, work, and interests? The only difference that Hao Mei saw between a ''date'' date and his date with KO was that generally dates were between members of the opposite sex. But what his co-workers didn''t know, wouldn''t hurt them. His stomach was rumbling by the time he arrived at the end of Wangfujing Street and saw KO sitting on a bench outside a bookshop. The older man looked up as Hao Mei drew nearer and their eyes locked. Feeling strangely sheepish- maybe it was all his thoughts of dating earlier- Mei felt his cheeks heat and looked quickly away, dropping his gaze from KO''s and landing it upon a paper bag in the other man''s hand. As Mei neared, eyes still locked to the paper bag, which he was now close to enough to know smelled divine, KO held the bag out to him. "You''ve been working all day. Eat first." KO looked Hao Mei over, seeming to note the slight shadows under his eyes and the crumpled shirt that he''d napped in during the day. Taking a deep breath, Mei inhaled the scent of the freshly steamed buns and groaned theatrically. "KO... you are a lifesaver. If you were a woman I''d make this an actual date." "Date?" "Oh..." Rubbing the back of his neck, Mei could feel his cheeks heating again. Explaining what he meant to KO between bites of the steamed buns, the pair meandered up the street. "What shopping do you need to do?" KO didn''t seem to be much of a window shopper, keeping his eyes on Mei as they walked, rather than the displays in the windows they were passing. "Eh? Oh. I recently moved so I need new bedding, towels, and house slippers. I think I also need washing detergent; guess I should do my washing soon... I''m running out of clean clothes. Maybe I could buy some more clothes while we''re here?" Licking the residue from the buns off his fingers, Mei didn''t think too much about his actions until, while eying a display, he caught a glimpse of their reflection and caught KO looking at him oddly. "Do you need anything?" "Ah..." For a moment, KO''s normally implacable face looked stunned, as though Mei had said something outlandish. "Eh? Do you? Need anything while we''re here?" Mei looked his friend up and down. "Maybe some new clothes? With colour?" "I don''t need colour. I mean, clothes." Eyebrows furrowed, KO tried to climb out of the hole he''d just dug for himself. "Lets get what you need first.... ah... Mei...?" "Hmm?" "Face cream?" "No, I''m good for creams. Can''t you tell? Skin this smooth has to be looked after." "No." KO turned the younger man to look in the direction of the beauty shop they were standing in front of. Raising Mei''s arm, he used it as a pointer to draw his attention to a large poster in the shop''s window. In front of the poster was a display of various beauty products, but it wasn''t the products themselves that had caught KO''s attention; rather, it was the smiling beauty gracing the poster. "Oh." Mei''s face felt as though it would burst in to flames- was he coming down with something due to over work? Shifting his weight from side to side, he decided that discretion was the better part of valour and headed off, ignoring both the poster and the question on KO''s face. He didn''t get very far before a large hand grabbed his wrist and pulled him into a small alley, out of the crowds and the lights. "It was you." In the dark of the alley, KO seemed to double in size and Mei took a step back even as he told his imagination to calm down. This is what happens when you step into the dark with someone wearing all black; it feels like they''re suddenly so much bigger than you, and too close, and was KO actually coming closer? Mei took another step back and felt the cool rasp of brickwork press against his shirt. Putting his hands up in an instinctive gesture, he checked himself and dropped them back to his side; cursing himself for acting girly. If in doubt, go with bravado, he told himself. "Yeah. It was. If you''re born with a talent then it would be stupid to let it go to waste." Light from the busy shopping street shone faintly enough that he could see the confusion in KO''s eyes. "Why?" "Why not?" KO reached a hand up but froze with his fingers barely hovering over Mei''s jaw line. "You don''t like this face. It frustrates you when people can''t see past it. Why would you put it forward like that?" Breath catching in his throat, Mei froze even as his heart raced. He hadn''t thought KO would see through it so quickly. "Money." "Why?" "I needed it." "Why?" "I just..." Looking up at the implacable face so close to his own, Mei sighed. "I needed it to fuel my hobby. I like to....well, my father calls it gambling." "You don''t gamble. You''re not that careless." Mei smiled. "Thank you. And you''re right. I don''t gamble but my father doesn''t see much difference between horse racing and playing the stock market. He refused to let me access my savings, moved it to his account ''for my own good'' and only releases enough for me to buy food each week. You know you need a decent amount to invest if you ever want to make a profit." He was shocked when KO''s lips actually twitched in the hint of a smile. "So you, what? Signed a modelling contract for the start up funds?" Was that... admiration Mei could hear in KO''s voice? "Uhuh. I was approached on my first day on campus and worked my way through my degree. Invested as I went along. The place I just moved into? I sold all my stock when I graduated; I''d already proved I could do it and going to work at Zhi Yi Technologies was going to take up all my time and mental capacity. So I bought a place." Confessing was nerve-wracking and Mei wasn''t entirely sure why. It wasn''t like he''d done anything wrong... he just had kept quiet about some things. With a sigh, KO pivoted to lean against the wall next to Mei. It sounded like he muttered under his breath something about needing to get used to eating soft rice, but that didn''t make sense to Mei so he shrugged it off. At least he wasn''t mad. (A/N: eating soft rice= financially relying on your wife... Mei really should have paid attention. But that''s okay; KO will remind him later.) After what felt like hours, but was really only a minute or two, KO pushed off from the wall and held a hand out to Mei. "We still have shopping to do." Automatically putting his hand in KO''s, Mei let him lead the way back out on to the busy street, where they both felt a sudden desire to put their hands in their pockets and look anywhere but at each other. The lights of a clothing shop caught Mei''s attention and he grabbed at the distraction they offered, pushing KO inside and calling for the shop assistant to find "Bright shirts for the gentleman! The brighter the better!" A glowering KO held out until the girl had passed from hearing before muttering "You buy anything in neon and I can''t promise my lips will stay sealed." Mei checked his face, saw the truth etched across his features and abruptly changed his mind about tormenting his friend. Trying to coax KO into colour was obviously as productive as playing a lute to a cow. Better to save his breath and remain friends for another day. 7 Chapter 7- The Start of Something New Relating to Episode 16 of Love O2O A/N: The dialogue from this chapter is taken from the series. As it turned out, Hao Mei didn''t end up needing the laundry powder he''d bought that night with KO. Life as a programmer for a start-up business was hectic and without realising it, Mei discovered that a week had passed since he''d slept in his own bed. Not that he''d done all that much sleeping in it anyway; for some reason, alone in his unit, sleep eluded him. Yawning, and stretching a hand out of his blue sleeping bag, Mei thought about the fact that he got better sleep on the bumpy, keyboard couch, than on his brand new mattress at home. What was the point of having a home to go to at night, if you weren''t going to sleep when you were there? A yawn stretched his jaw and made his ears pop and he chuckled to himself as he took a sip of apple juice, letting the sweet juice wash the furry-feeling from his mouth. How long had it been since he brushed his teeth? He stretched and surreptitiously sniffed an armpit. Or showered? That was it... he was going home tonight and showering, changing, and sleeping. No deviations! No staying behind to ''just finish one last detail.'' Nope. This beauty needed his sleep. If he could get any at home... No. That was self-defeating. He would get some sleep and it would be the best sleep. He stuck his nose in the air at his own pessimism. The alarm on his phone vibrated in his pocket and he fumbled to pull it out and turn it off. A message from KO flashed on the screen and Hao Mei groaned. He hadn''t managed to meet up with his friend since that night at Wangfujing and even their text-conversations had started getting shorter and shorter. It wasn''t because Mei felt slightly awkward after his reaction in the alley, or because he''d started to wonder what would have happened if KO had actually touched his face, instead of stopping before making contact. No, he told himself. It wasn''t because of either of those things. Purely and simply, it was just because he was so busy with work that didn''t have the time to chat. That was it. Just that. Text from: Number One Chef [Tonight. Food. Restaurant.] Text to: Number One Chef [Okay.] Hao Mei looked at the message one last time before pressing send. Yup... totally looked like he felt awkward. The message was still on his mind as he turned his computer back on, so it took him a few heartbeats to notice the change in wallpaper. Assuming it was one of the guys pranking him- who else would find it funny to replace the picture of his goddess with a photo of a monastery- he flicked keys... then flicked again... Frowning, he sat up and leaned towards the screen, fingers flying over the keyboard as he tried to change the wallpaper. "Beauty... did you get drowsy from your nap?" Yu Ban Shan noticed Hao Mei''s confusion and wandered over to tease him. "It''s not that," Hao Mei shook his head. "I can''t help thinking there''s a problem with my computer these days. But when I check my system log there''s nothing fishy about it. But now even my desktop wallpaper is changed." Ban Shan''s eyebrows disappeared into his fringe. "Ah?" Leaning over Hao Mei''s shoulder, the two men stared at the monastery roofline in silence for a moment, each letting the gravity of the situation sink in. "What was your desktop wallpaper?" Hao Mei looked at his friend with pitying eyes. "What else could it be? It''s the photo of my goddess." The two exchanged meaningful looks; this was serious. Choosing a monastery over his goddess? "Oh no." Ban Shan addressed the elephant in the room, or should that be the monastery in the computer. "Your computer has been hacked." Really? Mei refrained from saying what immediately came to mind. "But this hacker is interesting. He changed the photo of a beauty to a shrine. He''s trying to cleanse you of desire." Once more, Mei held himself back. Obviously he and Ban Shan had different priorities... Ban Shan was obviously collecting fuel for future torment, whereas Hao Mei found something else more important. "The biggest problem is that I can''t change it back..." Night had fallen before Hao Mei had been able to leave the office and he dragged himself home, mind full of his bed. And pillow. And blanket. He sighed, eyes drooping as he turned the key and stumbled through the doorway. His passage from doorway to bedroom was marked with discarded items of clothing before he collapsed, facedown, on the bed, clad in pale blue boxers and a single navy sock. In the pocket of his pants, dropped somewhere in the hallway, his phone vibrated with an incoming call. Light shone through the thin fabric then flickered off as the call ended. A minute later it shone again as the phone vibrated with a single text. 8 Chapter 8- Hacking the Hacker Relating to Episodes 16 and 17 of Love O2O A/N: The dialogue in this section comes from the series. Also; my technological abilities are severely limited (seriously. You''re lucky I can manage this much!) so if I describe any of the computer stuff incorrectly then please bear with me. Or Tell me what should have been and I''ll change it. I''m basing everything off the info in the series and what it looks like they''re doing. You know that saying "fake it till you make it?" I''m adept at the first half. <> <> <> <> < <> Hao Mei stared at the conversation on his screen before realising what had happened. Grabbing his laptop, he ran into Xiao Nai''s office, his haste drawing the attention of Yu Ban Shan and Qui Yong Hou who followed behind. "What''s going on? Is that guy here again?" Frazzled, he handed his laptop over to Xiao Nai and ran to read the screen that Xiao Nai had been typing on. Taking Mei''s laptop, Xiao Nai instructed him to buy them some time to run a trace via the hacker''s link with Hao Mei''s account. Furious, Hao Mei took control of the keyboard. <> Behind him, Yu Ban Shan sighed. "Mei, that''s not the point." Oh. Mei paused for a moment before continuing. No self respecting hacker would reveal their motive at the first moment; this wasn''t a Korean drama, and Laosan had told him to buy them some time... wasting time was one thing Mei was extremely good at. <> The eye rolling in the room was almost audible and Mei determined not to look at either Qui Yong Hou or Yu Ban Shan. For the rest of the year, if he could help it. <> <> Qui Yong Hou leaned over Xiao Nai''s shoulder. "Did you track the hacker?" "He''s near our school." All three gathered behind Xiao Nai in time to watch his trace connect to the camera of the hacker''s computer. Only the hacker''s torso, in a uniformed black and white, was visible as he stood and closed the laptop he had been working at. Hao Mei looked back at the computer he''d been talking to the hacker on. "I just asked him if he knows me. He logged off right away. Could he really be someone I know?" "I didn''t get to see his face." Xiao Nai stared at the laptop a moment longer, his eyebrows drawn down in contemplation. Hao Mei eyed him suspiciously. Laosan never said what he didn''t mean... but he also had a tendency to speak in layers. Just because he hadn''t seen the hacker''s face didn''t mean he was completely stumped as to his identity. "This hacker even has a part-time job." Yu Ban Shan seemed appalled that a hacker would need some form of income but Hao Mei wondered if that was what Xiao Nai had alluded to. He sighed. All he''d seen in the background was hints of the type of restaurant that could be found all over Beijing. Just like the one that KO worked at. Which reminded him; he forgot to text KO that he wasn''t going to be able to meet him last night! "This is so creepy. Too creepy! No... I have to eat a big dinner to comfort my wounded heart. Laosan, I''m going to take off." He collected his laptop and headed back to his desk. Tonight. He would definitely make it there tonight. He didn''t bother to text KO before leaving the office; he''d see him soon enough. 9 Chapter 9- Drinking for Inspiration Related to Episode 17 of Love O2O A/N: The dialogue in this chapter comes from the series... the internal monologue of our protagonist is all me. It was late by the time Hao Mei made it to the restaurant; the dinner rush was over and all that was left were the few stragglers, like himself, coming in for a meal after work. Rather than trying to decide what he wanted to eat, Mei ordered everything that took his fancy. He could always take the rest home if he couldn''t finish it. Which, now that he thought about it, wasn''t too shabby an idea. Left overs would be a more nutritious breakfast than his current diet of coffee and... well, coffee. He looked up as KO put the last plate on his table and all his previous thoughts of taking food home, disappeared. Why save it when he could share it? "Hey, there''s so much food. Eat with me!" KO paused, flicked his eyes around the empty tables, then sat. Hao Mei gave him an unopened bottle of Rio. "Drink too." The pair clinked their bottles together before a long swig. Hao Mei shivered as the sweet cold slide down his throat; he wasn''t a huge fan of the sweet drink but it was cheap, which made it the drink of choice for broke students; and now he was stuck with a habit he couldn''t be bothered to break. "By the way, thank you." "For what?" "I used to come to this place pretty often. I''m guessing you weren''t working here at that time. Take this meat dish for example..." Hao Mei gestured to the plate with his chopsticks. "You gave me at least three times as much as what I would have gotten before." "You''re too skinny." Ai! This man! Hao Mei felt his cheeks heat; how could he say something like that to a man? And keep a straight face? "I''m skinny from working too much." KO shifted slightly in his seat and took a sudden interest in something over Mei''s shoulder. "In a bad mood?" Mei sighed. He couldn''t really explain the situation to his friend, especially given its relation to Zhi Yi Technologies'' security. "Not really. I''m just tired. I''ve been stuck on a problem lately." Deflecting the conversation from the cause of his problem, he aimed for a light hearted tone. "Li Bai drank for inspiration. I''ll give that a try too. I hope this bottle of green super energy can turn me in to the Hulk!" Taking a drink from the bottle he flexed theatrically, growling then giving his best ''evil genius'' laugh. Looking over, he noticed KO hid a slight smile as he reached for his own bottle of drink and felt his heart skip. A smile? He really got the taciturn KO to smile? "Let''s drink!" And hopefully he could coax another smile out of his friend. * * * A cool hand cupped his over-heated cheek, and Hao Mei rolled his head to the side, looking up at KO with a drunk smile. The skin beneath his friend''s fingers was tingling and for a moment, which KO standing over him with concern in his eyes, Mei got the fuzzies. "Where do you live?" His thumb stroked along Mei''s cheekbone before he abruptly withdrew it. "I live..." He knew the answer to this question! "I live in the male dorms." Ching ching! Bonus points to Hao Mei! "Which building of the male dorms?" Hey... that wasn''t right. He was adulting now. "Who told you I live in the male dorms?" He narrowed his eyes suspiciously at his friend. "I''ve graduated. I live in my own house." KO sighed softly. "Where''s your house?" "My house..." Oh. This was a tricky question. Why did he have to ask tricky questions? Why couldn''t he just go back to touching his face? "You mean my new house? My new house is..." He burped and tasted beer and black bean sauce. "Live in new house." Questions were hard. His head was heavy. As his eyes closed he felt a cool hand on his cheek once more and smiled. The fuzzies were back. 10 Chapter 10- Be Careful of Your Choice in Reading Materials Related to Episode 17 of Love O2O A/N: The dialogue in this chapter comes from the series... the internal monologue of our protagonist is all me. Something smelled nice. Hao Mei smiled in his half-asleep state and rubbed his cheek against the blanket under his head. The bed beneath him was firmer than his new one at home- in fact, he could swear he felt the slats of the base- but for all that he was surprisingly comfortable and actually felt ready to wake. He stretched, yawning as he asked "Where is this?" Something pushed his leg back over and he bolted upright; the last traces of sleep dissipating as he realised that he really wasn''t at home. "The restaurant." In a chair at his feet, KO had obviously been napping and Mei wondered why he hadn''t just put him in a taxi home. "How come I''m sleeping here?" He looked around, noted the set up of the bed and the supply of bedding. "You live here?" KO looked straight ahead, refusing to make eye contact. "When I don''t have to open up shop, I live here." "I''m sorry for sleeping on your bed." "It''s alright." Tugging at the blanket he''d been sleeping in, Hao Mei suddenly pulled it up for a closer look. "Isn''t this my blanket?" "The last time you ate here, you said you were going to throw it away. I thought it was still okay, so I saved it." Nothing in KO''s impersonation of a stone statue gave hint to any underlying meaning but Mei felt warmth spread throughout his body. For some reason, he liked the idea that KO was using the blanket he''d slept under for years. He fiddled with the blanket, tracing one of the stars to try and distract himself. "It is still quite nice." Argh Hao Mei! What are you saying? He berated himself for resorting to inanities, blaming his fatigue for his lack of conversational ability. Rather, he wanted to blame his fatigue but it had mysteriously disappeared after such a short nap. "Did you put some drugs in my food?" Eyebrows raised, KO finally looked directly at Mei, who felt the need to elaborate. "I''ve been feeling really tired lately. But now, I feel full of energy. Just like returning to the city and replenishing my health. tell me, did you add some medicine?" When KO just glared at him, Mei laughed. "Forget it. I''m just joking with you. Don''t take it seriously." He hid a smile from his friend. KO was too upright to hide something in his food; if he wanted him to take medicine he''d have given it to him and then stared menacingly until it was taken. It was just fun to tease him and with every small smile that he managed to finagle out of his friend, the more Mei decided to make that his mission; getting KO to smile openly at him. "Is work tiring?" "Do you get tired from cooking all day?" Mei gave himself a mental smack; again with the inane comments. "Let me put it this way. Sitting in front of a computer and coding all day is definitely twice as tiring as cooking all day. My brain is so tired, it''s almost numb. My shoulders are sore all day. My spine is going to develop problems soon." As he moaned, Hao Mei was forced to acknowledge that he wasn''t completely exaggerating. At the very least he wouldn''t say no to a massage... but that thought led to a thought KO''s hands on his shoulders and he almost touched his cheek with the hint of a memory... Thank goodness for KO paying attention to their conversation and not Mei''s internal monologue. "You can quit?" Okay, maybe he hadn''t made that much attention to Mei if he thought he could just quit over something as insignificant as tiredness. "No way. This is the career my buddies and I have joined together in. If I leave now, that would be disloyal." "They''re making you do everything?" Mei was shocked. Was that really how it seemed? He knew he liked to whine but the thought that his whining could have been taken in such away made the alcohol in his stomach start fizzing. "That''s not true! The work our Laosan does is two times as much as mine. Actually, if I think about it that way, mine is considered more balanced." "Your... Laosan?" "Yes. The one who came to eat last time. He''s quite good-looking. The one on my right was his girlfriend." "I didn''t notice." Didn''t notice? How could he not notice Xiao Nai and the department beauty? On their own they were beautiful but together they should have rendered him speechless. It was why Mei never told Xiao Nai about his modelling job- it felt too much like playing with one''s axe out the front of the house of Lu Ban. (A/N: showing off one''s slight skill in front of an expert) "Of course." Mei laughed. "He must have been hidden by my brilliance." "Hmm." A heavy silence filled the air as Hao Mei''s mouth went dry and his heart thrummed in his ears. "Did you just say ''Hmm''?" The ever implacable KO simply nodded. "Hmm." Mei''s chest felt tight and he could swear that his face was flushing like a teenage girl. What kind of a script was this that a grown man could feel giddy over what was essentially a sound; not even a word! Nothing in KO''s demeanour suggested any deeper meaning and Mei felt his heart clench. Maybe he was no better than a teenage girl with a one-sided crush. So quick to search for hidden meaning. "A faithful friend is hard to find. Thank you, KO. The Hulk is now full of energy. I''m going to go back to slave away at the codes. Thank you for letting me sleep here. Bye bye." He didn''t wait for a reply, darting away before the situation became any more awkward. In the taxi on his way home, he continued berating his overactive imagination. Imagine if KO had been able to discern his thoughts? What would he do then? No, better to stop reacting and start thinking. Or just stop thinking altogether. His mind went to the half finished novel, by Yun Guo Shi Fei, waiting beside his bed. Definitely time to change his choice of reading material. A good night''s sleep, in his own bed, and then he could drown himself in code tomorrow and stop overthinking a good friendship. 11 Chapter 11- A New Team Member It seemed the green drink did have hulk-like abilities. Rather than being able to go home and sleep until his alarm woke him, Hao Mei found himself reliving his late night- or should that be early morning?- conversation with KO; mulling over every word, or grunt, like a cow chewing the cud. Did KO really think so little of him that he believe Mei would turn his back on his brothers and their business? But then why would he look after him when he got drunk and what was with that ''hmm''; did he really not notice the shining pair because... because what? He needed glasses... or because he was looking at Mei? But why would he look at Mei if he thought he was the type of person to just quit? Burying his face in the pillow, Mei pummelled the mattress. Each punch released a waft of powder scented air and he groaned. It smelled wrong. The smell of the powder was making his nose itch and his eyes sore. It was definitely the fault of the powder, and not because he was lying in bed agonising over an imagined hidden meaning. Tomorrow... he rolled over and checked his phone... not tomorrow... later today, he was turning over a new leaf. Starting from a decent hour and not, he peered at the phone again, at 3:27am, he was going to remember that he was a grown man and not a teenage girl. For some reason, upon arriving at work and entering the elevator with Qui Yong Hou and Yu Ban Shan, his mental reminder to act like an adult had been forgotten. Playing with his tie, he entered the work place laughing and joking with his two friends. His good mood lasted as long as his reminder did; Xiao Nai''s announcement that a hacker would be joining their team was shocking enough but his assertion that it was the hacker who had accessed Hao Mei''s computer was too much. Mei spiralled back in to his thoughts again, spending more time through the day chewing on his thumbnail and pacing the hallway, than he did on any productive form of work. Waiting for midnight to come around was torture for Hao Mei. The mind that he''d tried to rein in just that morning was now in over drive and he found himself stooping to the level of a high school bully as he came up with plans to drive the hacker away. Or at least severely scare him so he regretted ever stepping one cyber foorprint on Mei''s computer. "Will the person who hacked Hao Mei''s computer really dare to come? Isn''t he afraid of being beaten up?" Yu Ban Shan''s pacing was making Hao Mei dizzy. Unable to bring himself to join the others just yet, Hao Mei leaned against the far corner of the office, weapon at his feet, watching his eldest bro burn nervous energy. In comparison, Laosan and Qui Yong Hou looked surprisingly calm and self-contained. Okay, maybe it wasn''t surprising for Xiao Nai to nonchalantly wait for an impending disaster but generally Qui Yong Hou reacted in much the same manner as Ban Shan so Mei was surprised that he looked so calm. "Don''t most of these experts like being free and not tied down? Why would he want to work for us?"Eh, Yong Hou had a good point. Mei was impressed. "Laosan, what did you do to him?" Ban Shan brandished a rolled magazine in the air. "I didn''t do something to him." Xiao Nai looked past Ban Shan, making eye contact with Hao Mei as he said, "It''s what he wants to do." Mei froze. Heart pounding. Skin prickling. What was that? Why would Laosan look at him like that? It''s not like Hao Mei knew who the hacker was to ask him to join. And all the people he knew with the skills to do it were already part of the team... It''s not my fault! His internal wail went unheeded by the other three. "Bro, can you speak human words? I don''t understand." Ban Shan paused in his pacing as a thought occurred to him. "But he''s quite weird. He''s showing up in the middle of the night... We''re not in any danger are we?" Hao Mei picked up his weapon, wrapping his fingers around the handle, comforting himself, even as Yong Hou laughed. "Bro, are you afraid? You think the four of us can''t even beat up one person? What danger can there be?" "That''s true." "Eh, where''s Mei?" All three looked in his direction and Mei stiffened his back and marched over, weapon in hand. Ban Shan stared at him in disbelief and even Xiao Nai had a twinkle in his eye. "What''s that for?" Mei scoffed at Ban Shan''s ignorance. "Do you know what this is? This is the mop we use specifically for the restroom. When he comes, I''m going to use this to poke him to death." Yong Hou hid a laugh behind his hand and Mei glared at his doubting peer. "If it doesn''t work, I''ll stink him to death!" He waved the mop at his friends'' faces and they recoiled with disgust. Ha. Served them right for laughing at him all day; saying he was being ''courted'' by a hacker, asking if he would choose marriage or the monastery. He sniffed in insult and immediately regretted it as the aroma of the mop made his eyes water. Whoever was last on the rotation to clean the bathrooms needed to do a better job cleaning the equipment afterwards! Urgh! A footstep scuffed on the stairwell, and the quartet turned as one to look at the doorway. A figure peeled away from the shadows, slowly striding into the light. Mei raised an eyebrow and mentally scoffed. Such a poser; walking in slow motion just to look awesome. Despite himself, he had to admit that it was an effective techni... "How come it''s you?" Bewildered, Mei could only stare at KO before turning to his friends. "Which one of you ordered delivery?" Breath trapped in his throat, Mei pleaded with his eyes, desperate for someone to make a joke and laugh it off as a really tasteless prank. Instead, Xiao Nai and KO seemed to have entered into some sort of alpha male staring contest, neither giving anything away and both filling the air around them with testosterone. "So it''s you." Xiao Nai broke the silence. KO gave the barest tilt of his head. "It''s me." The silence grew heavy until KO continued. "Per our agreement, I lost so I''ll work for your company for free for a year. Wait? What?! KO? Work here? Lost... agreement? Mei felt like his brain was a broken record skipping tracks and missing the best parts of a song. He was definitely missing the complete song but was trying to follow along as best he could despite his mind still rejecting the idea that his friend, the chef, was actually a hacker. "Waiving your salary isn''t necessary." Xiao Nai took a step towards KO. "Welcome to Zhi Yi. I have yet to know your name." "You know it. KO." The two men gripped hands and to a dazed Hao Mei it seemed as though they''d positioned themselves precisely so their manly agreement could be backlit by an office light. Posers. Both of them. Not that he''d say it out loud where either could hear. "KO... why does that sound familiar?" Ban Shan tapped a finger against his forehead as he thought. "I remember!'' Yong Hou turned to KO, excitement lighting up his dark features. "You''re not that super incredible, super famous hacker are you?" Super incredible, super famous? Mei wondered how long it would take before Yong Hou was starting a fan club and looking for a club name. It finally felt like the implications of the night were starting to sink in. "Laosan... could he be...?" Xiao Nai nodded in response, his face turned away from Hao Mei, hiding the smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth. "You..." Mei stared at KO. "You..." "It''s me." KO flicked his eyes to Hao Mei before returning his attention once more to his new boss. "And also, I said for free, so it''ll be for free. I don''t go back on my word." Only KO saw the smile flitter across Xiao Nai''s face as the younger man nodded. "Then I''ll let Hao Mei handle it. Hao Mei, you''re the one who brought KO here. You''ll be responsible for him." Stunned, Mei could only point at himself in disbelief. "Me?" This isn''t fair! It isn''t my fault! It didn''t take long to show KO around the empty office. The others had left, heading home for their beds and some sleep, and with no one else around Mei found himself feeling nervous. Sitting on KO''s new desk, he now understood why Xiao Nai had insisted that Mei be the one to set it up. And why he had decided it needed to be next to his own work space. Mei''s responsibility indeed. Huh. "You''re not angry any more?" KO kept his hands in his pockets, refusing to make eye contact. Mei took his question seriously. "I was until just now. You actually dared lie to me and even hacked my computer. But later on, I felt a bit of excitement." Oh. What did he just say? Man, why did he have to just blurt that out? He couldn''t very well say that he was excited to know he would be seeing KO at work every day, so why... "Think about it; I went to a late night food stall and met a chef. He turns out to be the famous hacker KO! Isn''t that like seeing the Sweeper Monk?" "What''s the sweeper monk?" Great. Good cover up. Now he doesn''t think you''re an idiot... he knows it. "You don''t know Sweeper Monk?" Mei sighed. Nope. There was no salvaging this. "I''ll explain to you next time." Quick... distraction! "However, I do have one question." "What is it?" What was it? Ah, yes... "Why did you change my wallpaper from my goddess to a monastery?" "She doesn''t look good." "Let me tell you, you can insult me, but if you insult my goddess I''m going to take this up with you! No, I''ve thought of an even more serious problem. You''ll be my colleague from now on. Then, the question of where I''ll eat..." Mei ran his fingers through his hair, digging them in to his scalp as though trying to pull an answer out of his frazzled brain. "How will I solve that?" KO shifted his weight from foot to foot and cleared his throat. "Ah... I can still cook for you." "What?" Mei looked up at him, uncertain if he''d heard properly. He might have something in his ear that was making him hallucinate answers. It was more feasible than the idea he might be hearing KO correctly. "I can still cook for you." Suddenly ashamed of making more work, even in thought, for his friend, Mei slid off the desk to stand in front of KO, and waved his hands in the air. "No, no. It''s okay. I''ll work it out. You don''t have to do that." KO caught one of Mei''s hands and the jolt that ran through Mei''s body when their fingers touched made him realise just how close they were standing. "I like cooking for you." Their eyes met. Mei''s throat went dry and his ability to breathe took a vacation. All he could think about was the sensation of falling in to KO''s dark gaze, the feel of KO''s fingers still holding his, and the shiver that ran along his spine when KO lifted his other hand and lightly stroked down his cheek to trail along his jaw. Without another word, KO left and a shell shocked Mei found himself holding on to the edge of the desk as his knees suddenly decided to join his breath. "That... wha..." Maybe, at heart,he really was just like a teenage girl with her first crush. Stumbling over to the keyboard lounge, he collapsed against it, eyes closing as a grin lit up his face. He had to admit... he kind of liked the feeling. 12 Chapter 12- A Preview Hao Mei groaned and rubbed his eyes. The couch beneath his back was lumpy and felt stiff and sore. Fabric slid across his face and he frowned. He distinctly remembered going to sleep on the keyboard couch without a blanket... so why would he be waking up with one covering him? Slowly drawing it down his face, he peered over the edge of what he could now tell was the sleeping bag he stowed under his desk for emergency naps. The office was lit up and enough people were bustling about that he could tell he''d slept past the start of work. Before he could dwell on that unfortunate fact, and wonder why no one had woken him, an enticing aroma filled his nostrils. "Coffee...." He breathed in, absorbing the smell through every fibre of his being. "Elixir of life... health boost for tired programmers..." Sitting up, he discovered a hot cup of coffee on the table next to the couch. His caffeine fix was not alone; someone had left a covered plate of steamed buns and a note. Food before notes. No, coffee before all else. Coffee, food, then note. Hao Mei took his first, warming sip and sighed as he imagined the caffeine coursing through his vein, waking him up fully. Someone flopped onto the couch beside him. "Those smell good." Ban Shan eyed off the plate of buns, shamelessly begging for one. Automatically reaching for the plate to offer him one, Mei found himself trapped in a pair of dark brown eyes. There was an imperceptible shake of the head, just the slightest movement but enough that Mei grabbed the note instead of the plate. << Drink. Eat. Sleep on a proper bed. Food tonight?>> Looking up, Hao Mei caught KO''s eye again and grinned his reply. The other man ducked his head then returned his iron gaze to the computer screen in front of him. Taking advantage of Mei''s distraction, Ban Shan tried to reach past him and sneak a bun. Catching the movement from the corner of his eye, Mei whacked his friend on the bag of the head and grabbed the plate. "Hands off." "Eh? You always share?" "Always share, my ass. Go away." "Just one." A small tussle broke out with Hao Mei sheltering the plate of buns with his body, and Ban Shan trying to reach through him. They only broke apart when a computer started blaring a siren. "Eh?" Everyone in the office looked up, trying to work out which computer it was. Qui Yong Hou suddenly burst in to laughter, pointing at Ban Shan''s monitor. The siren blared from his speakers and a "do not touch" symbol flashed red on the screen. Mei took the advantage, and the buns, and ran for his desk. Flopping in to his chair, he grinned at KO. "Thanks for breakfast." "Hmm." "Say, I thought Laosan was letting you work from home; why did you still come in?" "Don''t keep sleeping on the couch. It''s bad for your back." "Eh? What does that have to do.... oh..." Mei grinned and waved a finger at KO. "Don''t tell me you''re coming in to the office so you can keep an eye on me? Wow... such concern for my health, I''m touched." "No." "You''re not? Then why aren''t you working from home?" "You said don''t tell you." Hao Mei blinked. "Was that a... joke?" "I don''t joke." Their conversation was interrupted by a whine from Ban Shan. He''d managed to turn the siren off but the symbol was still flashing on the screen. A crowd gathered behind his chair, jostling and jeering the hapless Yu. "Laosan! Help me! I don''t know what happened." Xiao Nai took one look at the screen and smothered a smile. "You obviously touched something you shouldn''t have." He placed a hand on Ban Shan''s shoulder and leaned down to whisper something in his ear. Eyes wide, Ban Shan shook his head. "I didn''t!" On cue, the symbol in his screen disappeared and text slowly took its place. <> Xiao Nai pat Ban Shan''s shoulder one last time before heading back to his office. "He''s not defenceless anymore," drifted over his shoulder and left everyone confused. Who wasn''t? Ban Shan glowered in Mei''s direction and Mei abruptly ducked his head behind his monitor. He''d obviously missed something while he was sleeping. The picture on his monitor wasn''t right. Mei stared at his screen then turned to glare at the man sitting next to him. "Change it back." KO ignored him. "Hey!" Mei slapped his shoulder. "Change it back, right now." "I told you last night." "Like I care. I''m the one looking and I want to look at my goddess. Bring her back to me." "No." "Thick skulled donkey. What gives you the right to play with my wallpaper? And get your cyber-fingers out of my computer." Mei shot daggers from his eyes, wishing he was in the game and could send his friend flying across the map. Fingers racing across the keyboard, KO kept his attention on his screen, frustrating Hao Mei even further. Fine. He''d beat fire with fire. Or rather, silence with silence. For the first hour, Hao Mei simply ignored the man sitting next to him.For the second hour, he talked to A Shuang and Yong Hou. Admittedly, their conversations were all work related but it was still interaction and something he was blatantly with holding from someone else who''s name he wasn''t even going to think. During his lunch break, Mei accepted an offer to join some of the members of the art department and spent that third hour laughing and joking before finally agreeing to allow them to use him as a prototype for one of the main characters. Returning to the office as part of the bubbly group, Mei joined them for his fifth and sixth hours of silent warfare. It was halfway through his seventh hour of ignoring that certain person, that his wallpaper changed. "No. This is not my goddess." Mei turned his screen off, hiding the picture of a traditional Chinese banquet. "I don''t want any other pictures. Return my goddess to me." His screen turned back on and this time there was a picture of a bowl of steamed buns and a cup of coffee. It looked very similar to the breakfast he had woken up to that morning. Relenting slightly, he finally looked at KO. "Breakfast, AND dinner, every day that my goddess is not on my wallpaper." The satisfied Mei stalked off to the printer just as Xiao Nai leaned over KO''s shoulder and murmured, "Would you like to reconsider your salary?" "Eh?" KO raised an eyebrow at his boss. "Take the money and use it to stay in your furen''s good graces... at least until he realises what he is to you." Xiao Nai gave his shoulder a squeeze and left KO to mull over his comment. Sometimes an insightful boss is a scary creature, decided KO. The hacker sighed then sent Mei a text confirming their dinner plans that night. He watched the younger man check his phone, and watched his grin light up that handsome face before Mei remembered he was mad at him, and hid his smile. His heart clenched and he groaned softly. Maybe listening to Laoda was a good idea. 13 Chapter 13- Cooking a Frog in Warm Water During Episode 18 of Love O2O A very replete Hao Mai put his chopsticks down with a sigh. "You make the best food, KO. Why would a culinary genius like you, want to hide in the shadows and live the hacker life? A talent like this should be shared!" "I like the shadows." KO leaned back in his chair, arms folded over his chest as he watched Hao Mei. His hotel room didn''t have a kitchen so he''d set up a gas camping stove on the coffee table and had made hotpot for the two of them. The lack of equipment hadn''t appeared to mar Hao Mei''s enjoyment of the meal, and KO felt a sense of calm contentment settle over him. "You know, it doesn''t surprise me; you liking the shadows. You even dress like a shadow." Hao Mei waved a hand, gesturing at KO''s all black outfit, then swooping in to pick up the last piece of meat on the side of the wok. Popping it in his mouth, he grinned at KO before licking his fingers clean. KO froze, eyes fixed on the fingers Mei was licking clean; his skin tensed and flushed hot. A smear of sauce lingered in the corner of Mei''s mouth, and before he''d thought about it his body was already moving, already leaning across to wipe it away with his thumb, their faces close and breath mingling. The other man''s eyes widened and he froze; an imperceptible tremor the only reaction to KO''s touch. With a jolt, his mind caught up with his body and he backed away, busying himself with cleaning away their dishes. There was a plastic tub, under the coffee table, that he was using as a makeshift sink; dumping dishes and detergent in it before putting it in the shower to fill with hot water. The bowls clinked together, breaking the silence that had fallen over the pair. Mouth dry, KO refused to look at Mei, hesitant to see fear, or disgust, on that charming face. Instead, the act of clearing away received his unwavering attention. Mei cleared his throat. "If that happens every time you cook for someone, then I''m glad you''re not sharing your talent around." Shocked, KO raised his eyes to meet Mei''s twinkling ones. The laughter creasing the corners of Mei''s eyes, and making his dimple dance, brought a smile to KO''s face. This time it was Mei who leaned forward, tracing a finger over KO''s lips. "Especially this... don''t share this smile with anyone else. You don''t know what a difference it makes when you smile; and there''s only room for one beauty at Zhi Yi." "This is called handsome." Relief made KO''s voice light. "So is this!" Mei framed his face with his hands. "No." "You saying I''m not handsome?" "Mr Beauty." With a gently chiding tone to his voice, KO felt his face soften. Mei frowned at him. "Don''t call me that." Leaning back, he crossed his arms and pouted. "See if I help with the washing now." KO grunted. It wasn''t like there were a lot of dishes to do. Or the room in his pokey little bathroom for Mei to help. As he scrubbed the dishes, he looked around the bathroom. The toilet was the yellow that cream turns due to decade long neglect, the tiles were cracked with mould in the grout, and the window was swollen shut. It wasn''t the worst place he''d lived, but it was the first time he''d felt shame knowing someone was seeing his living conditions... the first time he''d cared about someone else''s opinion. Draining the dirty water from the tub and putting the clean dishes back in it, he reluctantly made his way back to the lounge area. Had Hao Mei taken a good look at the rest of his living area while he''d been washing plates? What would he think? It wasn''t like he couldn''t afford somewhere nicer but he was so used to bouncing from job to job, scrimping from pay check to pay check, that he couldn''t bring himself to spend more money on a roof over his head. At least, not until he built his savings back up. Which reminded him, Xiao Nai had given him his first payslip today, and he''d folded it into his wallet without looking at it further. He wiped wet hands on his pants before fishing his wallet out and looking inside. "Laoda isn''t likely to make a mistake, is he?" Hao Mei scoffed, not looking up from the game he was playing on his phone. "Do you really need to ask?" "Hmm." He looked at the amount on his payslip once more, running through numbers in his head; once, twice, three times with the same outcome. His heart danced behind his ribs and he cleared his throat- it was the fault of the mould in the bathroom, nothing else- as he put his payslip back into his wallet. "You busy tomorrow?" "It''s Sunday. No work." "Eh, stupid." Hao Mei looked up at that and KO held up a hand to forestall his complaint. "Plans?" Mei was starting to look intrigued. "No plans. Why? Do you have something in mind?" "House hunting." "It''s about time." Mei bounced up and slapped KO playfully on the shoulder. "I wondered how long you''d live in a place like this. Then I can hang out without remembering what it smelled like in the dorm when we''d all run out of clean socks and underwear." "Eh?" "We used to have to go without while we tried to get everything washed. I think we really over did the washing when we''d reached that stage. What am I saying," Mei chuckled and his dimple cut KO off at the knees. "I still only do the washing when it gets that bad." KO couldn''t help the way his eyes travelled up and down Mei''s body. After all, his friend had complained during dinner, about needing to go home and do washing... did that mean...? His skin grew tight and he contemplated investing in a mini air conditioning unit for the room, something to cool him down. Mei laughed at the carefully blank look on KO''s face. "I''m not that bad anymore. Have more money now, after all, so I just buy new underwear when I need to." His stomach dropped, and KO wasn''t completely sure if it was from relief, or disappointment. Dragging his attention back to what Hao Mei was saying, rather than his clothing situation. Thank goodness he had the excuse of going house hunting, to make plans with Mei... all his previous ideas sounded a bit too obviously date-like, and he wanted Mei to get used to spending time with him before realising his intentions. Maybe if he found somewhere with a laundry, Mei could bring his clothes over and that would be another handy excuse to see more of him. He hid his smile and happily let Mei ramble on with their plans for the morning. 14 Chapter 14- House Hunting The first place they looked at was just around the corner from the hotel KO was already staying in. They walked in to the lobby and Hao Mei promptly turned around and walked back out. "No." "We didn''t even look at the room." "The lobby smelled of piss and dirty fish water." Hao Mei wrinkled his nose in disgust. "They didn''t even have fish tanks in the lobby, so I have no idea where the smell was coming from." "That''s the lobby. The room might be different." KO didn''t think he should tell Mei that in the past, he''d lived in rooms with a similar smell. "I''m not walking through eau de incontinence every time I come to visit." And with that, it was decided. The second place was very similar to KO''s current situation, however the bathroom mould had decided to branch out and see what life was like as living room mould. Both men took one look at the black dots growing over the wall and ceiling, and refused to step through the doorway. There was nothing outstandingly bad about the third and fourth places, but they were also no better than where he was staying and KO didn''t see the point in moving to somewhere that was basically no different. There had to be an advantage to moving. It was at the fifth place, a tiny one bedroom studio room with a kitchenette, that Hao Mei noticed the manager making assumptions about their situation. He hadn''t thought anything of the fact that two friends were house hunting; he was just helping KO find a new place to stay after all, but two adults going house hunting for a one bedroom place? It was when the manager made a comment about the room being big enough for a king size bed, with a stomach-churning leer, that Mei realised the appearance was different to the reality. While he knew they were just friends- he wondered why he felt the need to emphasise that during a conversation with himself- the managers and landlords they were meeting, were assuming there was something more going on. He''d barely come to this epiphany, standing in the middle of the empty bedroom, when he heard the manager talking to KO about the kitchenette. "It''s not big, but there''s all he''ll need to have dinner ready for you when you get home." What? Does he think... Why has he assumed I''d be the wife in this relationship? Mei''s mind spun, settling when he heard KO''s soft grunt. "He doesn''t cook. That''s my job." "You? But... Ah..." Leaning against the bedroom door, Hao Mei shamelessly eavesdropped, waiting for KO to set the manager straight. He will set him straight, right? "I was a chef." Mei frowned. That wasn''t what I meant. Now set him straight properly. "Oh." Understanding coloured the manager''s voice. "So he must do the housework, and look; there''s a double sink so he can do the dishes after you''ve cooked." KO grunted, and Mei felt his knees buckle. Where was the objection? Why wasn''t he clarifying their friendship with the manager instead of letting him continue making assumptions? And why are they both so happy for me to be the wife? As if able to hear Hao Mei''s inner whining, KO looked over his shoulder at that moment, surprising Mei, who felt like he''d been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. The barest hint of a smile twitched at the corner of KO''s mouth and, for him, his eyes were positively dancing. Hao Mei glared at his friend, smoothing his features into a practised smile as the manager noticed KO''s attention had shifted and turned look in the same direction. The speed with which Mei went from glaring to smiling, had KO drawing his eyebrows together in concern. Mei hid a smirk. Make fun of me, will you? Let''s see how you like it. "Babe..." Mei pushed away from the door frame and added an exaggerated sway to his hips. "This place is no good. Let''s keep looking." Both KO and the manager watched, wide eyed, as Mei slid an arm around KO''s waist and tucked himself against the other man''s side. He could feel the tension in KO''s body, and could just detect the faintest tremor in his breath. Reaching up, he stage-whispered in KO''s ear, "The bedroom floor bounces in the middle... will make too much noise." The manager choked, turning bright red, and while KO didn''t so much as grunt, Hao Mei could feel his breath seize in his lungs. Turning an innocent face to the manager, Hao Mei used the truth as the sharpest sword. "He likes to get his, uh, exercise, in the morning before going to work. It might be too early for the people living underneath him. He''s an early bird. Not like me, I like to sleep in, but sometimes he wakes me up to exercise with him." The body under his arm shivered and the faint movement took Mei by surprise. Looking up, he expected to see anger- at a joke taken too far- hiding behind KO''s usual mask, however he couldn''t see it. Instead, for the briefest moment, and gone so quick Mei thought he might have imagined it if not for the faint trembling he could still feel, there was the kind of look that was usually found on his own face when he was thinking about food. Hungry... and anticipatory. Mei''s mouth went dry and he wondered if, once again, he''d acted a bit too rashly. When he tried to put some space between them, KO''s arm snaked up his back, hand settling at the nape of his neck and fingers digging in warningly. For once, prudence won out and Mei stayed put. He wasn''t sure how KO managed to extract them, or why he was so obediently following him down the hallway... and he definitely wasn''t sure how many other places they looked at while he was still preoccupied with his own thoughts, but as his mind started to clear, a physical awareness crept in. He started noticing how often KO touched him; fingers brushing against the back of his hand as they walked side by side, stroking his cheek to get his attention, lightly resting laying his hand on his shoulder to turn him and, in the process, letting his fingertips softly slide over his collar and linger on his skin. It took him until the final place, a dingy studio room that was no better than KO''s current rooms and may even be in worse condition, for him to notice a similarity between KO''s behaviour and the way that Xiao Nai was around Bei Wei Wei. The landlord left them to look at the empty studio on their own, directing them to his own rooms down the hall if they had any questions. In the silence, Hao Mei snuck quick looks at KO''s carefully blank face. Clearing his throat, he tugged on KO''s sleeve. "KO... About earlier..." "Hmm?" "Why didn''t you correct that man''s wrong impression?" "Was it wrong?" "Eh?" "You don''t cook. I do. You hate housework. I don''t." Covering his mouth with his hand, KO still couldn''t completely hide his grin. "I do like exercising in the morning. You like sleeping in. Nothing you said was wrong." "Hmm. But he thought that... that we..." "Did that bother you?" Against his will, Hao Mei could feel his face start to burn. "Not that..." He muttered. KO raised an eyebrow. "What?" "It was his assumption that I''d be the docile little housewife." He pulled a face at the very thought. "You wouldn''t be the wife?" KO stepped towards him and Hao Mei unconsciously took a step back. "Me? Why me?" Another step forward, and another step back. "Not me." Another step forward, another step back. "Why not?" Mei jutted his chin up and his head hit the wall behind him. "Eh?" He could feel the wall behind his shoulders and KO loomed in front of him. Clearing his throat, he shifted his weight to the side and an arm blocked his way. He turned the other way and KO simply put his other arm up, caging the younger man against the wall. Hands against the wall, on either side of Hao Mei''s shoulders, KO leaned forward, bringing their faces close together. Their gazes locked and Mei watched KO''s eyes darken. "Why not? Because of this..." KO bent his head and breathed along Mei''s jawline, raising goose-bumps on his arms and making his legs weaken. The older man slowly pulled away, looking down at Mei''s flushed face and half-closed eyes. It was only when Mei felt him start to move away completely that the final dot connected and he recalled a conversation he''d overheard between Wei Wei and her friends. The realisation that KO was doing the same to him made his heart race and rose his ire; he wasn''t a blushing rose to be treated with silk gloves. When KO took a step back, Mei''s hand reached out of its own accord; grabbing his wrist and then swinging the unsuspecting man around, slamming his back against the wall that Mei had been pressed against. Surprise widened KO''s eyes and his hands automatically came up to rest on Hao Mei''s shoulders; whether to push him away or to pull him close, it didn''t matter, as Mei ignored the movement and leaned against his chest. With a hand on the side of KO''s face and his fingers sliding over the man''s short hair, Mei raised his mouth to hover over KO''s, flicking his tongue out to moisten his own lips before murmuring, "I''m not a bloody frog." KO''s fingers tightened on Mei''s shoulders and Mei could see the tension in his jaw. He opened his mouth to speak... and a knock at the door had them springing them apart just as the landlord entered, wondering what they thought of the place. Deeming retreat to be his most prudent course of action, Mei left KO discussing the studio with the landlord and slipped out. Taking the stairs two at a time, he blamed his race down the stairs for his lack of breath. Text to: Number One Chef [You can find a better room than that one. See you at work tomorrow.] Mei smiled the whole way home. 15 Chapter 15- Of Mice and Men His strategic retreat backfired; Hao Mei spent the night tossing and turning, and was sporting international lugage under his eyes when he dragged himself to work the next morning. His bed was too hard- or was it too soft- and his blankets smelled like washing detergent and dry cleaner and his brain kept replaying the events of the day. Over and over he felt every slight touch; had they been deliberate or accidental? Over and over he heard KO''s deep voice in his ear, felt his breath on his skin and saw the surprise in his eyes when he had reversed their positions. All night, his brain turned over at hundred miles an hour and finally, when dawn knocked on his heavy eyelids, he admitted defeat and got up to face the day. Mei was so preoccupied with his thoughts that he almost strangled himself tightening his tie, and in the end he left it loose and crumpled. Leaning against the elevator wall, Hao Mei closed his eyes as he wondered just how long a day it was going to be. A hand stopped the elevator doors from closing and he peered through narrowed eyes as Wang Wei, from the Art Department, stepped in. "Morning Hao Mei." "Hmm." Wang Wei laughed. "You''ve been spending too much time with KO. You''re even starting to sound like him." Hao Mei rubbed his eyes. "Rough night." "It shows." Something cold pressed against his forehead and Mei jerked his head up, opening eyes to see a juice bottle hovering in front of his nose. He looked over at Wang Wei. "Take it... You need something to get you through the morning. And did you forget you''re with us this afternoon? We need to get some scans and sketches of your face for the prototypes." Wang Wei gestured to his own face as he spoke. "Need to get rid of those shadows before then." Smiling weakly, Mei accepted the juice, just as the elevator doors opened. He and Wang Wei chatted about the new prototypes the Art Department were developing on their way in to the office. Parting ways, Mei put the still unopened juice next to his keyboard and sank in to his chair. Leaning back, he stared at the downlights on the ceiling. They made his eyes burn, so he closed them. Hmm... maybe he could claim a headache from the lights, find a pair of sunglasses, and then sleep for the morning and no one would be able to tell behind the dark lenses? A hand rested on his shoulder, fingers kneading the tightness where his neck and shoulder met. With a low groan, Mei rotated his head, giving those fingers greater access to the side of his neck. "Don''t stop. Feels good." Warm breath against his ear made him shiver and goosebumps prickle his skin. "Remember those words." "Eh? KO?" He opened his eyes and the hand moved off his shoulder, picking up the juice. "Orange juice?" "Hmm. Wang Wei gave it to me. It would have been rude to say no." "You don''t like orange juice." "I know." Maybe if he spoke slowly, KO would actually hear him. "It. would. have. been. rude. to. say. no." "Hmm." Mei left the juice sitting on his desk, condensation slowly rolling down its side and forming a pool next to the keyboard. He managed to limp his way through his work for the morning; it wasn''t his best work but it was simply rewriting code to a standardised format and he could do that in his sleep. Half asleep was a breeze. His stomach eventually growled and he was contemplating the juice when Xiao Nai called a meeting. Throughout the meeting, Mei''s stomach kept grumbling and he jiggled his knee in embarrassment. Under the table, a hand gripped his thigh, holding his leg still. Startled, he looked up at KO''s impassive face. The man continued concentrating on the conversation around the table, giving no hint that he was instigating skinship at the conference table. Mei''s mind went blank. At one point, Yu Ban Shan kicked him under the table and Mei jumped. "Eh?" "Coding. Standardised. You?" KO gave him the bullet point version of the question he''d been asked, while around the table the other guys grinned and hid their laughter. "Big night last night Mei-ge?" Li Qiang, from Administration, teased him, clearing the way for others to jump in as well. "With a face like that..." "Not having a big night would be more surprising." "Ah, but was it with a girl you could introduce to your mother?" At that comment, the hand on Mei''s thigh tightened, fingers painfully digging into the muscle. He winced under KO''s grip. "Ah.. coding. I''ve completed the first three sections. Will finish another two before I go home tonight. There''s no rush, right?" He looked at Xiao Nai for confirmation, catching his laosan hiding a smile as he looked at the table as though he could see KO''s hand through the wood. Mei fidgeted, blushing bright red when Xiao Nai looked up, his eyes twinkling at him. S*#t... does he know? No. No way. Does he? "No rush. Everyone has worked hard. We finalised the contract with Feng Teng and will need to concentrate our energies on Dreams of Jiangshu 2... but that can wait. Two weeks holiday for all staff." Xiao Nai held up a hand to forestall the inevitable question. "Paid." A cheer went up around the table and was picked up by those still working in the office. As the men exited the conference room, talk centered around where to go to celebrate the start of a paid vacation. "We should go whereever Hao Mei usually goes... I want a big night too!" Li Qiang''s suggestion roused another loud cheer and Mei wondered what his odds were of escaping work unseen by his colleagues. His juice was missing when he reached his desk, and in its place was a large coffee and a foam container which smelled like fried rice and ginger chicken. He smiled as he sat down, taking a mouthful of coffee just as a curse echoed around the office. "Damn you KO." Li Qiang stormed over, laptop in hand. "What do you think this is?" KO put his juice down, put the lid back on it, and saved his work before finally condescending to look at the screen. "Mice." "I can see it''s mice. I''m not stupid. Why did you put mice on my laptop and how can I get rid of them?" "Cat." Laughter erupted as more of their peers gathered around. "Does he need a cat to chase the mice... or is it because he was being catty?" Wang Wei clapped Li Qiang on the shoulder. "Silly man. Didn''t you learn from Old Man Yu''s mistake? Keep your claws out of Mei-ge. He''s got a guard dog. Woof woof." The last was said in a stage whisper that, of course, everyone heard and found absolutely hilarious. Mei hid his face in his hands. He hadn''t gotten enough sleep to deal with this. "It''s good to see everyone has already finished their work in time for a holiday. I''d hate to see people staying overtime tonight just to get work finished." Xiao Nai''s voice sent everyone scurrying back to their desks, leaving just him and Yu Ban Shan standing behind KO and Hao Mei. Li Qiang cleared his throat and held his laptop out to Xiao Nai. "Laoda, he gave my computer mice. How do I fix it? I''m not a hacker!" When neither Xiao Nai or KO looked compelled to fix it for him, Mei groaned and waved a hand to bring him over. Barely looking at the keyboard he typed in before putting his head back in to his hands. The others watched as, with a meow, the screen flashed black before returning to Li Qiang''s homescreen. Li Qiang retreated, bowing his thanks, as Ban Shan scratched his chin. "How did you know that would work?" "It was obvious." "Not to me." "Bet it was obvious to Laosan." Xiao Nai inclined his head, and he exchanged glances with KO. Mei rolled his eyes at the pair. "Seperated at birth, were you?" Shaking his head, Mei went back to reworking the code. "Just think about it as though it was Xiao Nai who was doing things... but with not as cold a sense of humour." (A/N: my understanding of a cold sense of humour, from reading transations of Chinese novels, is that it''s a pretty poor sense of humour. Kind of like dad jokes but even less funny. I could be way off the mark but that''s what I''ve taken away from translations etc.) "Ah!" Ban Shan nodded, his face lighting up with comprehension before falling as he thought about it further. "That''s kind of scary." He gave a theatrical shiver as he headed to his own desk, leaving Mei to concentrate on clearing his own workload before the end of the day. Focussed so intently on his computer, Mei missed seeing Xiao Nai slip a very full, white envelope, to KO... missed the whispered exchange... missed the consoling pat on the back that KO received and the eyebrows that both raised in his direction. Text from: Number One Chef [Dinner?] Text to: Number One Chef [Where?] Text from: Number One Chef [My place.] Text to: Number One Chef [You''re cooking? I''m in!] When he thought about it, Hao Mei seemed to be finishing more and more of his work days with a smile. 16 Chapter 16- Surprise The envelope that Xiao Nai passed to KO contained train tickets and hotel booking information, as well as what Xiao Nai referred to as ''spending money''... and KO called "a month''s wages". While the rest of the office would take the two weeks break, Xiao Nai had already organised with KO that he and Hao Mei would have four days off before coming back in to work. After the foul play on behalf of Zhen Yi, Xiao Nai had been keeping an eye on any possible interference; when KO came to Zhi Yi Technologies, Xiao Nai tasked him with finding their most vulnerable areas in an attempt to prevent leaving a weak spot that their competitor could exploit in the future. As a further security measure, now that KO and Xiao Nai had run several scenarios, they''d planned a counterattack which would be kept secret from the other staff. Even Qui Yong Hou and Yu Ban Shan were to be kept in the dark; Xiao Nai trusted them implicitly, however neither would be able to hide their distrust around the others, which wouldn''t help create an environment conducive to productivity. He was especially concerned with Hao Mei''s tendency to wear his feelings on his face; he also had no desire to disillusion the older but extremely na?ve man. Discussing his concerns with KO, the hacker had reassured him that he''d manage Hao Mei. A look had passed between them; one of complete understanding with a hint of humour. The type of look that, had Hao Mei and Wei Wei been present, would have earned them the cold shoulder for a significant duration. When Hao Mei knocked on KO''s door later that night, the sweet and sour pork was cooked and steaming on the table. As soon as the door opened, Hao Mei sniffed the fragrant air and smiled happily. "Yum! You spoil me." He pushed past his friend and automatically made his way into the small bathroom, washing his hands before joining KO at the makeshift dinner table. The pair ate in a silence broken only occasionally by Hao Mei''s contented moans. When neither could eat any more, KO placed the leftovers in a container in the fridge while Hao Mei took his turn cleaning dishes in the shower alcove. Bringing the clean plates back into the main room, he finally noticed the packed bags next to the front door. "Eh? You''re going somewhere for the break?" His face fell. "Why didn''t you say? I''d have gone home if I knew you were going away." "No." "No what? You''re not going away?" "No." "Then why the bags?" "We''re going away." Hao Mei blinked. "Say again?" "We; as in, Plural. Away. Together." Comprehension cleared the shadows from Hao Mei''s face. "Eh?! Really? Where? When?" "Chengde. Tomorrow." "Why?" As happy as he was to go on a trip with KO, Hao Mei couldn''t help feeling like he was being left out of a fairly significant loop. "Laoda." While Hao Mei promptly rang Xiao Nai, his eyes narrowing as he listened to the situation, KO brought bedding out for him. As Hao Mei finished the call, slipping his phone into his pocket, KO waited for the expected explosion. The younger man didn''t disappoint. "There are snakes in the grass everywhere. This sort of thing is not honourable. How can they look at themselves in the mirror; so worried about the mice nibbling at their crumbs. They''d be better off putting that energy into developing their own ideas and creativity. Try to steal other people''s work.. Pah..." Gesticulating wildly, Hao Mei paced across the small loungeroom, making KO wonder how many laps he would do before wearing a path in the already thin carpet. "Just as well laosan is the type to attend every thread." "Hmm." Pausing mid spin, with a finger raised in the air, Mei gave KO a suspicious look. "All of which doesn''t explain why we," he waved the finger between the two of them, "are going away for a trip. Together." "Compensation." Staring over Hao Mei''s shoulder, KO''s face was carefully blank. "Compensation?" Suspicion coloured Mei''s voice and he raised an eyebrow at his friend. When the other man refused to make eye contact, he decided that patience would serve him best. They had three days away. Two nights sharing a room. At some point over that time, he''d successfully weasel the truth out of KO. "Fine. Compensation. We''ll pretend I believe you. What time tomorrow are we going? Do I need to meet you here?" KO pointed at the pillow and familiar star blanket, folded on the couch. "Sleep here tonight. We''ll leave first thing in the morning." "I need to go home and pack." "No need." "I need clothes. I''m not wearing the same clothes for the whole time. I have an image to maintain." KO looked at the bags next to the front door and Mei followed his gaze. "One is for me? How?" Bending over, he opened one, saw only black and closed it again. The second contained various shades of blue, which he safely assumed was his. A quick check of the tags showed that the shirts and jeans were in his size and he raised an eyebrow. How does he know my size?Looking under his arm, he surprised KO looking in his direction and was shocked when the older man flushed slightly and left the room. Shaking his head at KO''s foibles, Mei stretched himself out on the couch, staring at the roof while he waited for his friend to come back in to the loungeroom. He had questions to ask, interrogating to begin... When KO returned after his shower, Hao Mei was fast asleep with his head on the end of the couch and his feet dangling on to the floor. With a wry smile, KO gently lifted his head, sliding the pillow beneath him, then covered him with the blanket. Squatting beside him, KO studied his face, and ran a hand through his soft hair. "Sleep well." With one last look at the sleeping beauty, KO left him to his sleep. He''d need it; they had a big day planned for tomorrow. A/N: Although I would like to travel a lot more, and China is on my ''to visit'' list, I haven''t actually been there before. All chapters relating to Chengde are entirely reliant on my ability to Google. I''m down with the google machine. Really. After tonight''s efforts, I owe google a drink. Or 20. But I still don''t think that will be enough drinks to make it forget my search history. Anyway... that''s beside the point. The point is; I''m going to be quite a bit sparser in my description of Chengde than I would like to be, but I would rather keep it basic than represent it incorrectly. 17 Chapter 17- Chengde Day 1 The trip to Chengde the next morning flew by. Mainly because KO''s definition of "first thing in the morning" was very different to Hao Mei''s definition of the same. While Hao Mei had expected an early morning, possibly waking up just after dawn and catching the train at 7:56, when KO shook him awake it was pitch black. Luckily, he''d fallen asleep without changing so KO simply had to haul him to his feet and prod him in the right direction. One taxi ride later and the bright lights of the station had burned Mei''s tired eyes; he decided to keep them shut and blindly trust KO not to let him run into anything. Or onto the tracks. That would be a horrible way to wake up. Having been directed, with KO''s hands on his shoulders, into a sleeping berth with fourbunks, Mei flopped onto the narrow mattress and promptly returned to slumber. As a result, it was not until he rolled off the bunk, landing on his face with a painful thud, that Hao Mei realised exactly what KO''s definition of "first thing in the morning" was... it really was first thing in the morning. Light infiltrated the room from underneath the shutter and he used it to read his watch. 6am? What happened last night? The bunks opposite were empty; two black bags, that he recognised from KO''s room, were tossed on the bottom bunk. He rubbed his eyes. It was inconceivable that he''d slept through boarding a train. Remaining on the floor but wriggling to lean his back against the opposite bunk, Hao Mei reached his arms over his head, arcing his back and feeling his spine stretch. Despite what the evidence was showing had been an eventful night, he felt well rested and calm; something he hadn''t felt upon waking up since the last time he''d stayed over at KO''s. Come to think of it, he''d used his old blanket then, too... maybe he should take it back? Get some good sleep at home with his comfortable blanket from his dorm days? An arm flopped over the top bunk, giving Mei a heart attack. Nothing else was visible but the burn scar on the wrist- from hot oil- and the thin white scars on the fingers- signs of daily duelling with knives- told Hao Mei whose body part it was. He stood, looking at KO''s sleeping face. A wave of affection rolled over him. He''d never seen his friend sleep before, and in sleep his face relaxed; softening to look sweet... the sleeping man stirred and Hao Mei hastily added ''in a very masculine way'' to his inner thoughts. He''d never proven that KO could read minds but the evidence was stacking up that way. Better to be safe than sorry. Rather than remain in the compartment and risk being caught staring, Hao Mei went in search of food; returning to the sleeper with porridge and steamed buns, the smell of which woke KO with just enough time for them both to eat before reaching their destination. The remainder of their journey was completed with a shorter than expected taxi ride, with a driver who was way too cheerful for such an early hour. No one, thought Hao Mei, should be able to make jokes about something as inane as the weather, before 8am in the morning. It was when the taxi stopped at Bishu Shanzshuang (Mountain Resort of Chengde), that Hao Mei felt a slight weight in the bottom of his stomach. He shooed that thought away, deliberately concentrating on the intricate carvings that covered the woodwork within the resort, and ignoring the conversation between KO and the concierge. Even when they were shown to their rooms- yes, a suite with bedroom (singular and he thought he''d have issues with that later but he reminded himself that he was ignoring reality right now so staying mute was the best plan), lounge and kitchenette- Hao Mei paid attention to the beauty of the old palace, rather than listen to the apologies of the staff for only having a single room and KO''s reassurance that the friend who booked must have forgotten to clarify further. He took a huge breath when they were finally left alone and his mental voice came to a juddering halt. "Do you want to wash before we go out?" KO carried the bags into the bedroom and Hao Mei followed. "Washing sounds good. I feel sticky after the train trip." Mei rummaged through the nearest bag until KO cleared his throat, holding out a pile of clean clothes from the other bag. He looked back the bag he was holding, noted the amount of black, and rolled his eyes. "One of these days I''ll get you wearing colour and then where will we be?" "The end of the world." "Pah! And A Shuang says you have no sense of humour." "He is right." "Whatever you say. Your secret is safe with me." Hao Mei quickly freshened up, but as quick as he was, KO still had fresh coffee waiting for him when he came out of the bathroom. He closed his eyes and groaned as he inhaled the fragrant steam rising from the cup. "You are amazing. Even in a hotel kitchenette, you can make coffee that smells this good? Talented. So talented." KO grunted then quickly left to wash. Mei stared after his retreating back. What bug bit him? Shrugging it off, he settled down on the couch with his coffee. When KO returned, his coffee was finished and Hao Mei was stretched out on the cream couch. "This is very comfortable. More comfortable than the couch at work. I could sleep here tonight." "Childish." "Eh?" "When there is a perfectly good bed and you want to sleep on a couch? Childish. We will share the bed." Hao Mei stared at KO. "Are you okay?" "Hmm?" "No... seriously. You''re not coming down with a fever?" "Why?" "That was like..." Hao Mei made a show of counting on his fingers, "a lot of words. Are you sure you''re okay? You didn''t pull a muscle?" It was a slightly rumpled Hao Mei who decided that, due to his physical oppression by KO, he was choosing the first item on their itinerary. He had originally thought to torment KO with a visit to Kuixing Pavilion, assuming that KO, like many of his peers during university, would be uninterested in the structure. His plan was foiled when KO proved not only interested in the architecture of the pavilion, but also informed of its history, and the history of the original pavilion upon whose remains Kuixing Pavilion had been rebuilt. As they''d walked from the palace to the garden, Hao Mei had been surprised with the appreciation KO showed for the abundant colour and delicate carvings. "So you do like colour?" "Hmm." "That surprises me." It was KO''s turn to be surprised. "Why?" "You always wear black. Sometimes you wear black with white, or with brown, but it''s always black. I thought you might have an allergy to colour." The dimple winking from Mei''s cheek gave away his good humour. "I like black." "Is it your favourite colour?" The pair paused under a brightly painted arch and Hao Mei traced the path of a trailing gold vine painted on the wooden beams. "No." "What is?" KO looked at him silently until Hao Mei turned from the painted carving, humour making his eyes dance. His laugh was swallowed before it could surface when his eyes met KO''s; held in place for several long breaths. Reaching out, KO ran a finger over the collar of Mei''s shirt, the side of his finger lightly grazing the skin of Mei''s neck. "I like blue." Mei gulped. "I like blue too. Most of my clothes are some shade of blue." "I know." After that, the tension seemed to rise as the sun set. They spent the afternoon exploring, and grass sliding, at Mulan Imperial Hunting park before agreeing to return to the Mountain Resort for dinner. If Hao Mei had expected outdoor activities to act as a buffer, then he was wrong. Never before had he realised that a simple activity like grass sliding could be used to shower a person with so much innocent skinship he barely recognised when a stroke of fingers at an elbow meant something more... or when knuckles grazing along the nape of a neck would send shivers down his spine. There was nothing overt. Nothing he could pinpoint. Just constant. Light. Teasing. Constant. You already said that. Find a new word. Or better yet, stop thinking about it. Hao Mei was starting to get frustrated with his own preoccupation for over thinking KO''s actions. Because that was all there could be too it, right? It didn''t stop during dinner either. Their knees bumped under the table, feet tangled when they tried to move them, hands brushed as they reached for the water jug at the same time. And throughout it all, KO kept looking at Mei with those deep brown eyes and unfathomable gaze. How Mei managed to make it through the meal without his face setting off a smoke alarm, he would never know. The walk to their room dragged on; their hands brushed against each other as they walked but Mei couldn''t bring himself to put his hands in his pockets. His heart rate picked up, breathing shallowed and when he finally saw the door to their suite he visibly relaxed; obviously seeing it as a safe haven... and just as obviously not quite thinking things though. 18 Chapter 18- Silent Nigh The door closed behind KO with a very clear, definite, absolute, unequivocal (and all other synonyms that he could think of) click... and Hao Mei felt that single sound shiver along his spine. He swallowed. Throughout the day, he''d managed to forget their sleeping arrangements and he did not, for even a second, believe that Xiao Nai had accidentally booked a single room. Laosan didn''t even accidentally use pepper instead of salt, or wear mismatched socks, or forget his bank card pin. Accidentally forgetting that he was booking accomodation for two single men? Hao Mei scoffed aloud. There was a great chance of the Yangtze drying up over night. Which meant his friend had "forgotten" quite deliberately. Movement behind him made him jump and he spun around, heart racing, to stare wide eyed at KO, toeing his shoes off at the door. Would it hurt him to make some noise, sometimes? I should put a bell on him. As though hearing Hao Mei''s thoughts, KO looked up at him and raised an eyebrow. The younger man blushed and three black lines were drawn down his face. (A/N: I''m borrowing this from translations of Gu Man''s writing- the three black lines on the face is from anime and manga where the character is drawn with lines on their face. It generally depicts an emotional/mental discomfort with the situation.) Feeling his cheeks heat, he almost squeaked out "I''m going to shower" before racing into the bathroom. It wasn''t until he was already under the water, steam clouding the room, that he realised he hadn''t grabbed his clothes. Or a towel. Standing outside the bathroom door, hand raised and poised to knock, KO paused as he heard a loud thud, followed by a groan. "Mei?" "I''m fine." Dim witted, but fine. "Sure?" "Yes." To both. Now go away and let me wash my mortification down the drain. Hao Mei stuck his face under the water. If he couldn''t breath, then surely he couldn''t embarrass himself any further? "I have a towel." The door opened slightly and an arm squeezed through, leaving the towel on the floor before retreating. Hao Mei looked down at himself, turning bright red with the realisation that as soon as the door opened he had leaned over and covered himself like some hapless female lead in a romantic comedy. His head thunked against the tiles once more. How many years had he shared a dorm with three other males? Admittedly, Xiao Nai had spent less and less time there, but still... bathroom privacy had been violated on a semi-regular occasion. So why the virginal, protect the goods at all costs, act? Thunk. Thunk. Thunk. His head was starting to hurt before he figured he''d knocked enough sense into himself. Flipping the shower off, he towelled himself dry before another epiphany hit. Why the hell did he give me a towel... but no clothes? Fiddling with his laptop, KO heard the water stop and, for a brief moment, let his smile stretch his cheek muscles. When the door opened he had carefully schooled his face to its usual blankness and had his own towel, and change of clothes, ready to go. What he wasn''t ready for, was Mr Beauty stepping from the bathroom with a white towel slung around his hips; crystal beads dropped from his hair and rolled over smooth skin, lovingly following the dip and curve of lean muscle. Now, it was KO''s turn to swallow. His turn to feel his mouth run dry, and chest constrict. His turn to curse Xiao Nai and his great ideas. "You''re up." KO blinked at Hao Mei. "For the shower? Your turn for the bathroom." By not even a twitch of his lips did Hao Mei show any awareness of the impact of his words. Instead, with doe-like eyes, he reached up and ran a hand slowly through his hair, pausing for the barest breath with his torso stretched and towel threatening to slip. Then, with a cheery, guileless smile, he secured the towel with a hand and waved KO past him in to the bathroom. "I''ll be dressed once you''re done." He disappeared into the bedroom, leaving KO like a bronze statue hit with heavy rainfall. Left to his own devices while KO took a surprisingly long shower, Hao Mei felt the butterflies start beating at his stomach again. His earlier bravado deserted him and anxiety took its place.They''d done this before. This is no different to crashing at his place after a long day. Except it was. This wasn''t KO''s dingy room. He wasn''t sleeping on the couch- he couldn''t after KO''s earlier dismissal of the suggestion- and even though he''d shared a bed with male friends before, he''d never shared a bed with one he''d been so physically aware of. He grumbled to himself as he stewed on the issue some more. It was all KO''s fault, really. He was the one to instigate the initial flirty touches, and who knew the stone-wall hacker was such a pervert? He sat on the bed. Then moved to look out the window. Then looked at the bed. Out the window. Bed. Window. Beer? With relief, he remembered the bar fridge tucked away inside the living area and, with glee at the thought of Xiao Nai''s face when he received the bill, decided to get some help with unwinding. The bottles were small, the quality good, and the alcohol content much stronger than Hao Mei''s nervous stomach could take. He didn''t notice the passing of time. Didn''t notice KO standing in the bathroom doorway; watching him, watching the view. Didn''t notice the empty bottle slip from his hand, only to be caught before it hit the floor. Didn''t notice the arms that lifted him from his position curled up in the chair by the window, carried him to the bedroom and placed him gently on the bed. He didn''t notice the blankets tucked over him, but even in a drunken stupor he noticed the warm, spicy smell that wrapped around him. He rolled towards it, burrowing his nose into the smooth source of that smell and slept well all night. 19 Chapter 19- Chengde Day 2 His pillow was hard. Normally, upon waking enough to register that yes, he had a hangover and yes, he was not in his own bed, Hao Mei would panic. Not a full blown panic, but the helpful type of panic that wakes a person up immediately. This morning was different. His head felt fuzzy, the light in the room was making his eyelid refuse to open, and his pillow was much harder than any bedding should be... but it smelled so familiar. Warm and spicy; like chilli and cinnamon in hot chocolate. He rolled towards the source of heat and burrowed his nose into it, making his pillow flinch. "Eh?" A flinching pillow? Time for that moment of panic. His eyes flew open and he would have bolted backwards except that his pillow had two arms wrapped around him. Wide awake, Hao Mei found himself staring KO''s collarbone, head on his shoulder and arms tucked up against his side- trapped between their bodies. He wriggled and the arms around him tightened. "Stay." KO''s voice was gravelly with sleep, and the rasp sent shivers down Hao Mei''s spine. When the older man kept his eyes closed, he carefully relaxed. A distant part of him wondered if he should take unction at being commanded like a dog, but that part was being chased out by a comfortable contentedness. Closing his eyes again, he blamed the hangover fogging his brain, for his willingness to stay in such a novel position. Reality slowly intruded; his arm went numb and his bladder protested. When he tried to peel the cage of flesh from around his body, the bars tightened even further. "Hey. Let go." The arms tightened even further and Hao Mei wheezed. "Let. Go." Getting no response, he narrowed his eyes. "Last chance..." A dig in to the rib cage secured his freedom and woke KO completely. The grumbles of the reluctant waker followed Hao Mei to the bathroom. "You should have let me go when I first said. It''s not like I left a bruise." "There are nicer ways to wake up." "Like what?" Hao Mei stepped out of the bathroom as he spoke, wiping his hands on his shorts. KO cleared his throat and just looked at him. "Forget I asked." Pervert. After a breakfast that Hao Mei decided to never tell KO was not as delicious as his cooking, the pair headed back out. A taxi took them to Sledge Hammer Peak National Forest Park and they wandered for nearly an hour before taking the cable car to Sledge Hammer Peak. As they approached the halfway point of the cable car, feet dangling over blossoming peach trees and firs, Hao Mei turned to KO with a dirty comment at the ready- he knew he should treat the site with respect but seriously, the rock was just begging to be hammered with large, hard jokes- and discovered something strange. KO''s knuckles were turning white as he gripped the rail of the cable car, and a drop of sweat rolled along his taut jawline. Mei looked down at their dangling legs and kicked his feet around, bumping against KO. The man froze even further and Mei watched his adam''s apple bob as he swallowed. "Eh? Are you scared of heights?" KO closed his eyes. "Don''t like." "Then why didn''t you say anything? We didn''t have to come up here." "You were excited." Mei had to admit that the prospect of riding in the cable cars had sent him a teensy bit hyper, but then he''d been the type of child to climb the tallest tree... and jump out to see if this time, he would fly. "Just because I was excited, doesn''t mean we have to do it. You can say no... I don''t want to force you in to anything." KO forced his eyes open to look at Mei''s concerned face. "Mei Ren... you were smiling." And now I''m blushing. You pervert. How can you say such things with a straight face? Hao Mei cleared his throat and looked away. Squirming with embarrassment, he noticed that the movement made KO grip tighter to the bar. "Eh! How about this? We just need to distract you." A very brief, dirty look, was all he received before KO closed his eyes once more. Biting his lip, Mei struggled to think of games to play to distract his friend. It wasn''t like they had long to go; they were over halfway. On cue, the cable car stopped. KO shivered. Mei wasn''t too concerned; there were plenty of reasons for the cars to stop, and very few of them involved imminent falling. He looked down and relaxed further. They''d stopped above a small grove of firs that clumped together- worst case scenario, they fell and the firs would break their fall. Broken limbs were easier to recuperate from than broken necks. But then, he''d never worried too much about falling. Wind rocked the cable car and while Mei laughed at the rattling, KO''s face blanched. "Hey... KO... Look at me." Receiving no response, Mei placed a hand gently on KO''s cheek and turned his face toward him. "Open your eyes. Just look at me. Only at me." His eyes slowly opened, and Mei smiled; no qualms about wielding his dimple as a heavy weight weapon. "Good. That''s right. Just keep looking at me." KO licked his lips as his eyes darted towards the ground and Mei frowned at him. Looking at the ground wouldn''t help. He grabbed KO''s face with both hands, fingers digging in to the back of the other man''s head as he brought their lips together. To begin with, it was just a press of mouth to mouth. KO''s fright made his reaction time even slower than his shock did, and when Hao Mei slowly pulled back, all KO could do was stare at him. The infamous dimple flashed as Mei relished the fact that he''d surprised KO enough that his eyes were no longer either closed or looking ground-ward. His fingers flexed, and his thumbs stroked the sides of KO''s jaw. He looked at the man''s lips, and leaned forward to taste them once more. This time, shock and fear melted away as KO gripped his shoulders, pulling Mei''s chest flush to his and deepening the kiss. It was a hard, wet kiss- teeth pressing against the back of lips and breath catching in their throats. The cable car jolted them apart as it began moving again, and they stared wordlessly at each other; panting as they regained their senses. Mei was the first to moved, loosening his grip on KO''s head and sliding his hands down the other man''s neck to push lightly against his chest. At the silent hint, KO slowly shifted away, giving them both room to breath and regain their composure before the cable car arrived at its destination. Maybe the silence should have felt awkward- they were two men. Two friends. Who had kissed. A very dim part of Mei''s brain was trying to tell him that wasn''t normal, but with his body still tingling and with his lips retaining the taste of KO''s kiss, it was easy to ignore that voice. The silence continued throughout the walk from the cable cars to the base of the rock. The pair took pictures of each other, Hao Mei posing dramatically at various points and enthusiastically urging KO in to a multitude of positions just so he could get the perfect angle to make it look like Mei was holding the rock up, kicking it, and even leaning against it. When Hao Mei commandeered the camera, KO simply stood in front of the towering rock until Mei physically posed him until the photo revealed the rock balancing on the palm of KO''s hand. A pair of tourists, two men dressed for hiking with backpacks and boots, offered to take their photo for them. Mei had already managed to snap a few selcas but the opportunity for a proper photo was too good to miss. The two pairs swapped cameras, Mei taking photos of the tourists before the taller of the two tried in vain to make KO smile for the camera. As a group, the four ventured off the pathway, searching for a mulberry tree that the tourists need to take a photo of so they could claim the site for something they called geocaching. As it turned out, the taller man, with wavy brown hair and suntanned skin, had lived in China for a few years as a teen, and was still fluent enough to converse easily with KO. In contrast, his friend was the same height as Hao Mei, but had blonde hair tied into a bun at the nape of his neck, and had exhausted his supply of Chinese phrases after the initial greetings. "I''m glad you can speak English." Tom said to Hao Mei as the two trailed behind their friends. "I''ve spent the last week listening to Will talk and laugh with the locals, while I don''t understand a word. Who knows what he''s saying about me?" The man laughed, obviously not worried about any possible comments. "I studied it at school and it is necessary for programmers to know. If we want our work to be used overseas. We do much business with other country." Not for the first time, Mei was glad he''d dormed with laosan; he''d studied harder because something about Xiao Nai made him not want to disappoint him. "How much longer are you here?" "We go back to Beijing tomorrow, then fly back to Australia the day after. We''ve been here two weeks already but it''s time for the honeymoon to end. Have to go back to work to earn the money to pay for this holiday!" Tom laughed, and when he wiped his forehead the back of his hand Mei noticed, for the first time, the plain silver ring on his left ring finger. "Eh? Honeymoon?" The Australian froze. "I''m sorry... Will told me to keep low-key about it because it''s not all that accepted here but I just assumed that it was okay to say something because... well.. you two..." He looked from Mei, then ahead to where KO and Will were still pushing through branches. "We two?" "Wait, aren''t you two together?" Mei grimaced. "No. Well." His honest nature asserted itself. "It''s..." "Complicated?" Tom grinned. "Yeah, mate. I get that. Will and I, though? It''s pretty basic." "Eh?" "He''s my... what''s the word you would use? Oh yeah, he''s my furen." 20 Chapter 20- A Whole New World After leaving Sledge Hammer Peak, the group of four stuck together, with KO and Hao Mei joining them on their geocaching adventure before taking them to a local caf¨¦ for lunch. It was the first time the Chinese pair had heard of geocaching and, not surprisingly, Hao Mei was enthralled. Searching for items based on coordinates and obscure clues was like a MMROPG come to life. The cache the Australians had been looking for on Sledge Hammer Peak had included several criteria: not only did they have to visit, they had to find the location of a specific mulberry tree, and had to take a photo of their GPS showing their exact coordinates at the site. Tom and Will explained that sometimes you got to a site and the "items" (as Mei insisted on calling them) were fixed in place, like tourists information signs, while other times they could search an entire area just to unearth a gaudily painted garden gnome. Some caches, like the Sledge Hammer Peak cache, had tasks for the adventurers to fulfill, and the Aussies had Hao Mei in stitches recounting some of the more extreme tasks they had needed to fulfil... including getting a photo of Will proposing, on bended knee, to a kangaroo at the zoo. Even KO cracked a smile as Tom regaled them with how the Kangaroo had leaned against Will... leaned and leaned and leaned until Will toppled over and into a muddy puddle, at which point the kangaroo decided it was done being sociable and bounded off. Will had spent the rest of the day with a drying brown patch on the rear of his jeans and Mei was almost in tears as Tom copied Will''s expression of discomfort. "Can we make one?" KO''s question took the other three by surprise. Even though Tom and Will had only met him that morning, they already knew how reticent he was. "You want to create a cache?" Mei was stunned. "Hmm." "It''s easy enough to do and Chengde only has the two caches already set up; Sledge Hammer Peak and Frog Crag." Will thought about it a bit more then turned to Tom to discuss it in English. While he filled Tom in on KO''s suggestion, Hao Mei put a hand on KO''s arm. "I didn''t think you''d get in to something like this? But you enjoy it enough to want to create some?" "No." KO lightly touched the hand resting on his arm. "But I enjoy your smile." Suddenly self-conscious, Mei felt his cheeks heat and quickly removed his hand, folding his arms and leaning back in his chair. When he looked up, Tom and Will were watching them, knowing half smiles on their faces. He shifted in his seat and the pair took pity on him, leaving their comments unsaid. "Why don''t we do a tourist trail of caches?" Tom leaned forward and smoothed a tourist brochure over the table. "We can find the best place to sample street food, or local delicacies. Find the best entertainment, night life, place to stay... set it up so that people can only claim the cache if they go to those coordinates and actually experience something new." "Donkey Rolls, here. You Noodle and Pubang deer meat clusters, here." KO drew a star on two different streets that weren''t too far apart. Mei chuckled. "I should have known that you''d know where the good food is." He filled the others in; "he''s a chef. Super talented chef but unfortunately for the food world, he''s an even better programmer so laosan hired him to work in the office." "So you work together?" Will reached a hand behind Tom''s chair, subtly stroking his back, hidden from the rest of the caf¨¦. "We met at the office too. Technically." "Technically?" Hao Mei looked between the two. "I''m an electrician. He''s a paper pusher." Will gestured at Tom with a jerk of his chin. "The job title is Accountant." Tom fake glowered at his partner before shrugging it off with a smile. The feeling was that of a long standing joke that only the couple really understood. "He came in to get his taxes done but his receipts were a mess and it was going to take hours to sort out his non-existent filing system." "He was reading me the lecture on ''the economic importance of organised filing'' when his power went out. We ended up trading services: I replaced the faulty wiring in his office and he sorted my taxes without bitching at me about it." Despite the rolling of Will''s eyes as he explained, it was clear in the way they maintained eye contact throughout the story that both men treasured their initial meeting. "That was seven years ago now and as soon as New Zealand legalised same-sex marriage, Tom proposed. He said that it wouldn''t take too much longer before Australia followed suit given the constant rivalry between the two countries. We married on the first day it was legal, then we headed here for the honeymoon. I wanted to show Tom the country I fell in love with when I lived here." A comfortable silence settled over the two couples and Mei felt a slight pang at the love in the eyes of the other pair as they looked at each other. Seven years together, and still looking as though they were in that first flush of love. It was enviable. "Well, let''s take you exploring! End your honeymoon with an adventure?" Hao Mei looked up just in time to see KO give a small incline of his head in approval. With their course agreed on, the four set off; stopping first to sample the local street food that KO had recommended, before heading to the Museum of Summer Resort and culminating in the Kangxi Ceremony in the Shuangluan District. The screens at the side of the stage provided English subtitles so even Tom could follow along and enjoy the full experience. They''d prebooked their taxi''s for the end of the night, with the Australian''s heading off to their own hotel while Hao Mei and KO returned to the Mountain Resort. Before going their separate ways, the group rearranged travel arrangements for the following day; organising to share a sleeping compartment back to Beijing where Hao Mei and KO would see them off at the airport. Mei was excited from the day, bubbling away about the geocaching- he couldn''t wait to introduce Yu Ban Shan and Qui Hong You to real life questing- and how well they got along with two foreigners. In direct contrast, KO was as silent as ever, maybe even more so as he didn''t even interject with his usual, wordless agreements. Unperturbed by KO''s silence, Mei talked enough for both of them, missing the silent laughter making the taxi driver''s shoulders shake, and not stopping until they reached their room. Toeing his shoes off, he turned to KO with yet another observation about the day on the tip of his tongue only to find his words stolen from the source. Without touching him in any other way, KO leaned forward and kissed him softly. Mei''s eyes widened at the unexpectedness of the kiss. KO nibbled at his lower lip and Mei gasped, opening his mouth and making them both pause momentarily. Their eyes met, and then bodies clashed. It wasn''t clear who moved first; Mei wound his arms around KO''s neck while the older man pushed him back against the wall, leaning over him as he devoured his mouth. This kiss was like the one on the cable car- hot, hard and left both hungry for more. Mei groaned into KO''s mouth as their tongues tangled, and he slid his hands up from his neck and pulled KO''s head tighter towards his own, feeling like he wanted to sink completely in the kiss. Not breaking the kiss, KO slid his hands down Mei''s body before gripping his thighs and lifting him, wrapping the younger man''s legs around his waist holding him up with hands on his arse. Mei responded by gripping KO tightly, pressing his body as close to the other man''s as he could. His skin felt hot, and too tight for his body. Pulling his head back, he leaned it against the wall behind him, panting for breath. KO swooped in, kissing and biting the line of his neck, leaving a trail of pink marks. Mei shivered, his legs tightened around KO''s waist in response to the surge of sensation that seemed to travel directly from his neck to his groin. The other man chuckled, the sound vibrating against Mei''s skin, before he slowly lowered Mei''s legs. With soft, gentle kisses to his lips, cheeks, then forehead, KO slowly calmed them both down; bringing them back from their passionate session until their breathing became deeper and their hearts stopped racing. As his desire cleared and rational thought returned, Mei wasn''t sure whether he was grateful or not for KO''s cool head. On one hand, he was glad that he''d slowed them down before heading somewhere that Mei had barely even considered as a possibility, on the other he was left feeling antsy with a dissatisfied throb in his groin. He sighed, leaning his head against KO''s chest. The older man pressed his lips to the top of his head before gently turning him around and giving him a push in the direction of the bathroom. Mei looked back over his shoulder and a thousand words passed between them with that one look. KO smiled warmly at him, making his heart flutter. "There is no need to rush. We have time." 21 Chapter 21- Bring to the Boil, Then Simmer There needed to be a rule against office romances. With the presence of A Shuang on the Zhi Yi team, no one had seen a reason to raise the subject; no women in the office meant no romance. Except for when it didn''t. Nearly a week after returning from Chengde, laosan''s backup plan was complete and Hao Mei was exhausted. Not from the programming, although he did enough complaining about cramped fingers and a sore back to fool even laosan (he hoped), but from dealing with KO on a daily basis. With only the three of them in the office, KO had progressed from guerrilla tactics to a full scale, trench warfare. Every time Xiao Nai left the offices, Hao Mei found himself dragged on to KO''s lap and kissed until steam whistled from his ears. With precision timing, he would be picked up and placed back on his own computer chair just as the elevator dinged with Xiao Nai''s return. Face red and jeans uncomfortably tight, Mei would struggle his way through more coding before he and KO left together. Always leaving together, always stopping for food together, and always heading back to Hao Mei''s... together. Each night, KO would take him home, brushing his knuckles against the back of Mei''s hand as they walked, and taking advantage of every darkened corner he could find. Before their trip to Chengde, Mei had no idea how many alleys, streets with broken lights, recessed store fronts, and thick shrubbery, could be found between the office and his house. He had now obtained an intimate knowledge of all areas in which one could be brought to the edge of passion, in public yet completely invisible to the passing cars. War hadn''t just been declared on the streets. Each night, KO would take his hand as they stepped into the elevator of Mei''s apartment block, tangling their fingers together in a fluid dance that sent tingles along Mei''s already sensitised skin. They would walk, together, down the hallway, and each night Mei found himself torn between cursing or praising his decision to take the last apartment on the corridor; the only door tucked around a corner. Out of sight should any of his neighbours decide to take a midnight stroll, Mei would inevitably find himself pressed against his door with KO''s lips driving him wild. He''d discovered, over the course of the past week, that the man had equal talents for cooking, coding, and kissing. He could also read Mei as easily as any recipe; knowing just when to turn his light, almost chaste kisses into a deep, passionate, tango of tongues. When he traced a finger alongMei''s jaw as they kissed, and heard a soft whimper, KO would pull back teasingly, nibbling at Mei''s lower lip then licking the soft bites better. When Mei flushed, staining his cheeks a delicate pink, KO''s hands would tighten on his shoulders and pull him closer- devouring him against the door until his mind was filled with the wet heat and he''d forgotten how to breath. Unlike that time in Chengde, KO''s hands never wandered lower than Mei''s shoulders. He would hold Mei in place, pressing him against the wooden door with nothing more than a hand on the shoulder and sheer presence. When Mei set his hands on KO''s chest, they were ignored. When he set them on KO''s hips, they were removed and pinned above his head with one hand while the other tilted his chin up for a bruising, sanity-stealing kiss. Desperate for more contact with KO''s body, Mei would try leaning towards him, lifting a leg to rub against KO''s... last night he''d even attempted to climb the man; jumping and wrapping his legs around his waist! His attempt was foiled and KO had simply peeled him off, opened the door with the spare key that he''d commandeered the night they returned from their trip, and pushed Mei inside the apartment. Alone. Skin flushed and tingling, lips swollen and bruised, and so aroused that he had started a night time tradition of icy showers before bed. The showers helped cool him down enough to sleep but he would wake, in the early hours of the morning, hard and aching and cursing KO''siron-clad self control. Which was why, the Friday before the rest of the office returned from their leave, Mei was seriously considering begging his laosan to... what the hell am I going to ask him? What would I tell him?Hao Mei groaned and thumped his head against folded arms on the desk. It wasn''t like he wanted KO to keep his distance- a bit less distance would be good- and it wasn''t as though he objected to the attention- a bit more attention would be good and oh... he sounded like a pervert. A very horny pervert. "I''m worse than A Shuang!" Mei''s wail was muffled by his arms. "What did you say?" KO''s gruff query sent ice down Mei''s spine. Had he heard? Did he know Yu Ban Shan''s theory on why A Shuang wouldn''t work with women around? Was he reading his mind again? "Nothing... eh... nothing. I''m going now. I have some errands to run." Face the colour of a traffic light and certain he was about to start stammering if he kept talking, Hao Mei raced from the office without a backward glance. Tonight, at least, he would go home by himself would be able to fall asleep without a cold shower. From his office, Xiao Nai watched him go, a slight smile on his face as he then headed out to consult KO. "He''s completely flustered. "Hmm." Self-satisfaction made KO''s eyes gleam. "No one will think he''s worried about anything other than your relationship." "Ah..." KO rubbed the back of his neck. "Hmm?" "I might have over done it." "Over done it? Do I want to know?" Xiao Nai was openly laughing at the chagrin on KO''s face. "I don''t think he is worried about anything else." KO cleared his throat. "I think he''s forgotten what we''ve been working on... and why... he''s just been blindly coding what we tell him to." "Peh!" Xiao Nai coughed. "He''s that distracted? What have you done to him?" When KO raised an eyebrow at him, Xiao Nai lifted his hands to forestall an explanation. "I don''t think I want to know. The tension in this office for the past days has been difficult enough to withstand with Wei Wei at home. It''s been making me wish she was here." "I haven''t done anything. Much." His laoda abruptly changed tune. "Why not?" "He''s not ready for too much more." "He may not ever be. He''s only ever been attracted to girls before." "What a horrible curse. May Wei Wei test your self-control as Mei does mine." The two men glowered at each other, each painfully aware of the difficulties involved with dating their own beauties. At a nearby restaurant, Hao Mei sneezed while waiting for the food he''d ordered to go. 22 Chapter 22- The Little Intern Relating to Episode 18 of Love O2O (I have commandeered some dialogue from the episode but not all of it; there will be original dialogue in and around the borrowed dialogue. If I do my job right, it shouldn''t be easy to tell... unless you''ve watched it over and over. *fingers crossed and whispers* please let me do my job right!) The Monday that working hours returned to normal, with all staff returning from their time off, Hao Mei discovered something... concerning. During the time with just him, KO, and Xiao Nai in the office, Mei had become accustomed to certain behaviours on KO''s behalf. As frustrating as the man had been, in less than a fortnight Mei had come to accept the skinship in the office, and elsewhere. Which wouldn''t have been a problem except that with everyone returning, the skinship had stopped... but his reaction to it hadn''t. Walking in to the office that morning, cheerfully talking at KO, Mei had been bombarded with questions about what he and KO had done with their time off. His mind had immediately flown to dark alleys and thick shrubbery and he flushed. His reaction had been duly noticed. "Eh! Blushing like a bride on her wedding night!" "Something you need to tell us?" "Ah! Maybe they went on a honeymoon?" "Where did you go?" About to open his mouth and defend himself with the information that he''d worked, thank you very much, Mei was dumbfounded when KO beat him to it. "Chengde." The gaggle of office workers froze, stunned into silence when KO voluntarily offered information. it was short lived silence. "Chengde? Wow." "Did you get a suite at the Mountain Resort?" "Look at that blush! They did!" Pink crept from Mei''s cheeks and spread down his neck. Mumbling, he fled to his desk, glaring at KO, who was sitting calmly and undisturbed. "Why did you say that? Now they think we..." "Was it wrong?" "Yes. I mean, no. But yes. You know what they''re thinking." It was hard to get his thoughts into order. "Again." KO raised an eyebrow at him. "Was it wrong?" The heat that flashed through KO''s eyes sent an echoing heat sliding down Mei''s spine and he closed his eyes to block it out. "Yes. And no. Don''t look at me like that." Making a concerted effort to focus on his computer screen, Mei missed the humour that tweaked at the corner of KO''s mouth. The joking and laughter had finally settled down when an out-of-breath A Shuang barrelled through the doors. "Boss bought our future Lady Boss to work." "Seriously?" "No way!" "Laoda is taken already? I was planning on marrying my sister off to him though." "You can marry your sister off to me! I''m still single!" "Get lost. Not finding my sister a good husband is one thing. I can''t send her to hell though, right?" "Have you seen a hell this handsome?" "Handsome, my ass." "Eh!" "Boss is here! They''re walking in now!" Everyone scattered; willing to gossip about their Boss but not willing to risk being caught gossiping. Especially by their Boss. Hao Mei, Qui Yong Hou, and Yu Ban Shan exchanged high fives. They''d all been waiting for the day that Saosan would join the Zhi Yi team, and when Ban Shan messaged them on Saturday to tell them about Wei Wei''s grand elopement, Yong Hou and Mei had immediately started betting as to when she would come to the office. And how. Standing next to Mei''s desk, the pair watched as Yu Ban Shan showed Wei Wei around the office. "I said she would start Monday." Yong Hou held his hand out and Mei sighed as he put 200 yuan on it. "But I said that she''d arrive with laosan." Yong Hou gave the money back. "She''s not working under his supervision though." "I thought Xiao Nai would want to keep his nightingale next to him." Mei started to hand the money back, then stopped. "Ah. I told you he''d put a sign out for everyone to see." "Sign?" Yong Hou narrowed his eyes at Wei Wei. "Look at what she''s wearing. Now look at what laosan is wearing. Couple power outfits. He may as well have hung a sign around her neck saying ''property of Xiao Nai''." "Doesn''t he usually wear black and white?" Mei gave him a withering look. "It''s Monday. He has no meetings. He wears blue." All Yong Hou could do was shake his head. "You''re definitely Mr Beauty. No one else would pay any attention to that." "Its called being observant. Haven''t you learned after living with him for these last years; laosan is a man of habit and if you learn those habits, life is infinitely easier?" As Yong Hou returned to his own desk, Mei settled himself into his computer chair. A shoe tapped his foot. "Eh?" "You pay that much attention to laoda?" "Of course. He''s laosan." Mei smiled up at KO, then felt the smile drain away at the tautness of the other man''s jaw. What had put that look on KO''s face? "It is the job of the apprentice to observe his shifu, and cultivate the habits and behaviours that are beneficial." KO grunted, looking away, but Mei somehow felt he''d managed to clear the air. Although why it had needed clearing, he wasn''t sure! His thoughts were interrupted by Ban Shan''s overly cheerful voice. "A Shuang! A Shuang! I''ll leave the newbie to you." A Shuang''s head was shaking like a cat getting water off a paw. "Get along well. Wei Wei, I have faith in you." "Hold on! Hold on!" A Shuang stammered, and Yu Ban Shan put his fingers in his ears as he walked away. "Hold on! Don''t leave me here! Don''t leave me!" Hao Mei grinned as he leaned against a beam. When Wei Wei looked in his direction he gave her a sign of encouragement. It served A Shuang right to have a girl put under his charge. If it wasn''t for him, they''d have a pretty female secretary for him to look at each morning. His thought stuttered to a halt. If I was looking at a pretty female secretary every morning, would I still... with KO? That would be less confusing. And less frustrating. But...He sighed. Oh well, he could still enjoy the view, right? "They actually sent a woman here... what do women know anyway? In IT, they''ll just mess it all up." A Shuang''s muttering interrupted Hao Mei''s train of thought and he bristled at the implication that saosan was useless in the office. His saosan had a spine of tempered steal, and she turned back at A Shuang''s words. "You haven''t even assigned me any work yet. How do you know that I''ll mess things up?" "That''s right!" Mei couldn''t keep quiet. "You haven''t even assigned her a task. How do you know she''s going to botch it up?" "You think that I won''t beat you up just because KO has your back?" A Shuang scowled at the grinning Mei. He scoffed. "Here, here. Bring it. So what if KO has my back? Right, KO?" KO grunted affirmation and Mei''s grin widened as he mimicked the other man''s sound, arms crossed and chin jutting. A Shuang admitted defeat, turning his back on Mei to toss a file at Wei Wei. Hao Mei sauntered back to his desk. "He thinks I need your help to take him. Please," Mei scoffed again. "As if I couldn''t take him, with fists, or with code, on my own." KO looked up. "I don''t mind." "Nah. He''s not worth your time. Save your energies for when I''m being picked on by someone too dumb to see the danger." Their eyes met, Mei''s breath took a mini-vacation, and he shifted in his seat. Looked like they were back to normal. For them. 23 Chapter 23- The Little Intern, cont. Hao Mei was ropeable. The task that A Shuang had set Bei Wei Wei was calculated to make her fail. It wasn''t even an important job, but A Shuang was going to become even more intractable about women if saosan didn''t succeed. The numbers on his screen blurred as he scowled at them; it was impossible to get any work done in this mood. He swung his chair out from the desk, gliding over to bump against KO. "Don''t you think A Shuang is unreasonable? If he needed that report so urgently then he''d have done it himself by now. He doesn''t need it but will make saosan slave over the impossible. Unfair." "Is she stupid?" "What? Saosan? Of course not. Her beauty is only surpassed by her brains. Laosan wouldn''t give his heart to anyone who was just beautiful. Why, even the school beauty was after him, but all he could see was our department beauty. Out of first best and second best, why choose second best? Unless there is a hidden diamond." KO''s eyes widened, making Hao Mei shift self-consciously. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?" "You are a romantic." "What? I am not. Sheesh. I was talking about laosan and saosan. Don''t think too much. Just code." Frustrated at KO''s lack of empathy with his anger, Mei determined to take his rant to Xiao Nai. Surely he would care about the abuse piled on to his wife! "Laosan, you''ve finished the phone conference?" It was too bad if he hadn''t- Hao Mei was already in the office with the door closed behind him before getting a response. "First things first, I''m not here to tell on anyone." What was he saying? Of course he was! "Ban Shan is either brain-dead, or he got up in the wrong side of the bed. He actually assigned our saosan to A Shuang! Who doesn''t know what A Shuang is like? Now that she''s in his hands...." "Did you finish the optimisation task that I assigned you?" "Can we not discuss work right now?" How could Xiao Nai stay so calm? "I''m all fired up right now, reporting to you of fear of your wife''s safety! Look at you!" Caught up in his rant, Hao Mei banged a hand on the desk. Maybe that was a bit much... He swallowed as Xiao Nai levelled a stare at him. Time to change tack. "By the way, did you hear the latest news about our mobile app?" Leaning forward, Mei tried to convey how serious the situation was. "Aren''t there a few cell phones that aren''t compatible with our game? A Shuang actually assigned your wife to single out all of those incompatible ones so that we can test further. Is that even necessary? In my opinion, it''s a waste of manpower and resources! I would say that A Shuang is picking on saosan on purpose." That was it. He''d played his trump. "Oh." Mei blinked. "That''s it?" Xiao Nai sorted files on the desk. "If there are no other issues, get back to work." Stunned at his abject failure to move Xiao Nai into protecting Bei Wei Wei from A Shuang''s misogynistic clutches, Mei made one last attempt. Maybe guilt would move Xiao Nai? "Even a vicious tiger wouldn''t eat its cubs. Are you really okay with your wife being bullied?" "Just see it as a Newbie Village task. If I guide her myself it will be more difficult." Hao Mei threw his hands in the air in defeat. "Hat''s off. Hat''s off. Ruthlessness is the mask of a true husband indeed." Disheartened, he left Xiao Nai enthroned behind the desk. Leaving laosan''s office didn''t calm him down, and he didn''t think he could sit near A Shuang without deliberately picking a fight, and then Xiao Nai would be disappointed in him. Rather than inflict his mood on the entire office- which is what would happen if he picked a fight- Mei took himself off into the bridge between buildings. Maybe watching the grey clouds, pregnant with rain, rolling across the sky, would cool his temper. Text to: KO [Ruthlessness is the mark of a true husband?] Text from: KO [Sounds like I need to up my game.] Text to: KO [Ruthlessness?] Text from: KO [Should I be insulted? Or is he just that na?ve?] Text to: KO [The monastery was a more appropriate picture than you could have guessed.] Text from: KO [¡­] Text to: KO [He looked flushed, over heated, when he was in my office. Must be unwell. Take him home after lunch. Look after your furen.] 24 Chapter 24- The Mark of a True Husband In the office, Xiao Nai watched as his staff were drawn to the windows overlooking the car park. He wouldn''t have thought much of it, but even Wei Wei was standing next to Yu Ban Shan, open mouthed and looking like she was watching her favourite drama. Coming up behind her, he leaned against her back with his hands carefully placed in his pockets. In the car park below, KO and Hao Mei were providing enough entertainment for his staff- he didn''t need to add to that by getting caught playing with his furen. "Did you see what happened?" "Nothing! KO was just sitting at his computer..." ".... then all of a sudden he stood up...." "... his face was even colder than usual...." "... carried Hao Mei over his shoulder..." "... we heard Hao Mei cursing at him when they went in the elevator so ran here to watch the fun. Wish I had popcorn." Xiao Nai rested his head on Wei Wei''s shoulder and his breath tickled her ear. "Why do you look worried?" Bei Wei Wei flinched at the hot air on her skin and bit her lip. "KO-shixiong looked so angry. Will Meiren be okay? Maybe you should stop them? Call KO back to the office?" Xiao Nai looked down at the arguing couple. KO had placed Hao Mei on the ground as soon as they left the building, and now the younger man was gesticulating wildly as he stormed after the stone-faced hacker. His words were inaudible, and his back was to the windows so no one could attempt to read his lips. Xiao Nai shook his head. "Coming events cast their shadows before them." "Oh." Wei Wei wasn''t entirely sure what he was alluding to, but she''d understood enough to know that he wasn''t going to interfere. A stunned hush washed over the gathered crowd, as they watched KO step into Hao Mei; backing him up without a single word. KO stepped forward, and Hao Mei retreated; a well choreographed dance that led the couple underneath the overhang of the building... and out of sight. "He won''t kill him... will he?" The whispered question made everyone look at each other; doubt rising as soon as the worst case scenario had been voiced. Qui Yong Hou snorted. "Not likely. Mei-ge on the other hand, looked fit to do murder, but he won''t succeed against KO." "And after all the effort KO went to, to corner him in his own office..." Yu Ban Shan struggled to keep a straight face. "He won''t kill him now." Comprehension cleared the faces around them and laughter returned only to die away as the pair emerged from the shadows of the overhang. KO led the way over to his motorbike, while Hao Mei trailed along behind; one hand rubbing the nape of his neck and the other in the vicinity of his mouth. With his back to the window, no one could see what he was doing but the general consensus was that he was covering his mouth so he didn''t say anything and get into even more trouble. Yu Ban Shan choked when Mei docilely let KO place a helmet on his head. ''Was that a.... oof..." Qui Yong Hou jabbed an elbow into the loud mouth''s stomach, cutting his words off and preventing him from questioning the red mark that had been revealed when Hao Mei removed his hand from his neck. As the pair rode off, the crowd at the window dispersed and work returned to normal. Lips tingling from the force of KO''s kisses, and mind full of cotton wool, Hao Mei stayed silent as KO took them back to Mei''s apartment. Mei didn''t have a car, so KO was in the habit of pulling in to the underground car park and using the space for his motorbike. Caught in his thoughts, Mei didn''t notice KO swing around on the bike, facing him and lifting Mei''s legs to cross over his own. The older man gently lifted the helmet off Hao Mei and with the lifting of the weight, returned coherent thought. Mei blinked to find himself almost straddling KO, only his butt retaining a connection to the bike. "We''re home?" He looked around the underground car park, brows furrowed. Why had KO carried him off like some sort of technologically adept Neanderthal? "We have to go back to work. We can''t just leave in the middle of the day." KO''s gaze softened when Mei inadvertently referred to his apartment, and KO''s implicit presence there, as ''home''. "Sick day." "You''re sick? Well then why didn''t you say so? You didn''t need to cart me off like a sack of potatoes. If you''d said you were unwell then I''d come home with you... you can''t stay by yourself if you''re sick." "Not sick. Sick day." KO corrected Mei''s assumption. "You can''t take a sick day if you''re not sick." Mei''s voice was slow and gentle, as though explaining a basic concept to a child. "Hmm... then I think you have a fever." "What are you talking about? I don''t have a fev...." Mei''s rebuttal was swallowed by KO. The soft, gentle press of lips was slow; sweetly drugging. Mei flicked his tongue out, lightly tracing KO''s lips before the other man opened his mouth and deepened their kiss. Their tongues tangled, breath melded and hearts raced in synch. It was a slow burn of a kiss, gradually building in heat as Mei edged closer and closer, hands behind KO''s head to pull him further into the kiss. They pulled away, panting, when the sound of the gate opening heralded the end of a precarious privacy. Cheeks pink, Mei bit his lower lip as he realised that he was no longer sitting on the bike in anyway; he''d moved to completely straddle KO''s lap and the other man was holding him close with two hands inside the back pockets of his pants. KO''s chuckle was deep, and richly coloured with self-satisfaction. "See... feverish." He sprinkled soft kisses over Mei''s nose and heated cheeks. "And whose fault is that? Pervert." Muttering under his breath, Mei climbed off KO''s lap and took off towards the elevator. How am I supposed to explain this to Laosan? Unknown to Mei, his internal wail may as well have been written on his face. The doors to the elevator opened as KO reached him, and Mei breathed a sigh of relief when another tenant rushed to enter the same elevator. Normally one for small talk, Mei was too flustered to deal with social niceties and KO wasn''t helping- sliding a hand up the back of his shirt and lightly dancing his finger tips over his skin at the small of his back. He didn''t think he''d ever been so glad to see his own floor and once more tried to rush away, only to be foiled when KO grabbed his hand; twining their fingers together and anchoring him by his side. The moment they turned the corner, KO picked Hao Mei up- hands on his butt holding him up, back pressed against the wall and legs wrapped around his waist. When KO tightened his grip, digging fingers in to his arse, Hao Mei groaned and leaned his head back. The long, smooth line of his throat was too delicious for KO to ignore; with lips, tongue, and teeth, he devoured the younger man. Mei whimpered as teeth grazed down his neck. The wet heat, the sucking, the nibbling... every touch sent shivers along his skin and made his pants tighten. Why his neck had a direct line to his groin, Hao Mei would never know, but his last rational thought was that he was glad it did. Desperate for more of the tingles that were zipping along his skin, Mei grabbed KO''s shoulders, fingers digging in as he clenched the legs wrapped around the other man''s waist. Doing so pressed his erection against KO''s belly and the man froze, dropping his head to Mei''s shoulder and panting heavily. Mei whined. "Don''t stop." His usual calm in shatters, KO fumbled with the key at the door, cursing under his breath until it finally opened. This time, however, when he tried to put Mei inside, the younger man wasn''t having a bar of it. Mei wrapped his arms around KO''s neck and rolled his hips; pressing his erection into his stomach once more. Bending his head, Mei nibbled at KO''s ear. "If you leave me to have another cold shower, I''m going to make you a eunuch." White teeth bit into the fleshy lobe of KO''s ear before his tongue lightly flicked over it. "Inside. And lock the door behind you." KO''s eyes had closed when Mei rolled against him but now they flew open. Shock made them wide and he studied Mei''s flushed face, ascertaining whether it was just the lust talking or the man himself. Lust was obviously a factor- Mei''s cheeks were flushed, he was breathing heavily and his erection was hot even through the layers of clothes between them- but it wasn''t in control. Mei met his gaze directly then smiled at him as he saw KO''s capitulation. "Fuck." KO closed his eyes again. "That dimple is a deadly weapon." He closed- and locked- the door behind him. Sliding his hands along KO''s shoulders and up his neck, Mei couldn''t help smiling again. "I''ll have to remember that. For now though, look at me." When KO opened his eyes, Mei''s nose was lightly touching his own, and their gazes connected a heartbeat before their mouths collided. Mei was drowning in the kiss. His skin flushed, heat racing through his veins and his head grew light- dizzy. He could feel KO''s warmth pressed against his body but rather than grounding him, it sent him soaring once more. His legs slowly slid down KO''s as the other man moved his hands from Mei''s butt to his back; slipping them under his shirt to smooth over bare skin. Mei''s brain short circuited. "So soft." KO groaned into their kiss. His hands ran up Mei''s spine and the younger man whimpered as he curved into the touch; inadvertently rubbing his hip against KO''s crotch. "Fuck, Meiren." Desire made his voice low and rough, and Mei shivered as if his words had made physical contact. Somehow, between kisses and increasingly desperate touches, their shirts disappeared and at the sight of Mei''s bare chest, KO sank to the floor. Kneeling, he grabbed Mei''s hips and pressed his face to the smooth, pale skin of his stomach. His tongue flicked over the muscles that twitched at his touch. "No one at the office would think you look like this..." He gently bit into the smooth skin of Mei''s side, sucking at it when he heard the man groan and felt hands settle on his head. "Model, remember? Had to... argh..." KO''s fingers reached up and rubbed his nipples, stealing Mei''s speech. "... ah... it was..." Mei panted as KO continued rolling his nipples between his fingers. The mouth on his side paused in its torment. "Mei." Mei''s fingers tightened in KO''s hair and he panted, but with KO still flicking and playing with his nipples, words were beyond him. "Mei." KO reluctantly pulled his hands from Mei''s body. "Look at me, Meiren." Mei''s eyes slowly opened, chest heaving as he looked down at the man kneeling before him. "I want you." His heart clenched at the hacker''s words and he sank down to kneel in front of KO, reaching a hand up to stroke his face. To his surprise, KO caught it before he could touch him. "Do you want me?" "Huh?" Mei was confused; wasn''t it obvious that he wanted him? He was half naked, covered in kiss marks, and had a raging boner... shouldn''t it be clear that he wanted KO? KO hid a smile as Mei''s thoughts played over his face. He cupped his cheeks and softly kissed Mei''s nose. "I know your body wants me. You... Mei... do you want this?" Comprehension dawned... as did an icy realisation. "No. We can''t..." KO''s face fell and his hands dropped away from Mei''s cheeks. Horrified, the younger man wound his arms around Ko''s neck, pressing their bare chests together and bringing them as close as he could. "I don''t mean No, no... I mean..." Mei took a deep breath and resisted the urge to hide his face. "Yes. I want you. S-so bad. But... we can''t..." Confused, KO studied Mei''s burning face "Can''t?" "Idon''thaveanythingweneedandwe''renothavingsexwithoutprotectionorpreparationsowecan''t...." Mei blurted it out, biting his lip as he waited for KO to understand. Relief made KO''s heart light and he chuckled- a very short chuckle but Mei decided that it still counted. "Understood. Mei, you almost stopped my heart. But I agree. No sex without protection or preparation." His hands settled on Mei''s hips and he pulled him tight, grinding his groin into Mei''s and making the younger man''s eyes flutter closed. "But Mei... I can still make you feel good..." "... please... oomph..." Mei didn''t get a chance to finish but that was okay because with KO''s kiss, the heat that should have died away during their conversation, roared back to life and all he could do was hold on to KO''s shoulders and blindly follow. It tasted different, this kiss; not as frantic. The urgency was still there but had instead been given a purpose- an end goal that was driving both of them even wilder. His world tilted, and Mei blinked as he realised that KO had picked him up, bridal style, to carry him over to the couch. In the process, both lost their pants- Mei was too busy self-combusting to notice how or when it happened- but there was no time to ponder it, or appreciate the view, before KO knelt between his knees and swallowed him. "Fuck!" Mei raised off the couch and looked down his body. His hands gripped KO''s tight shoulders, nails digging in as his world narrowed to the hot... wet... hot... fuck that feels good of KO''s mouth. Turning his head into the ack of the couch, he smothered a groan. KO stopped, pulling away to stare at him. "Don''t do that. Let me hear you." "Perver... ah!" KO''s tongue flicking across his tip made him writhe and try to pull him closer. When he swallowed him down again, teeth lightly grazing his length, Mei shuddered. "Clo... clo..." KO tilted his head to look up at him and when their eyes met, Mei fell apart. Chest heaving as he struggled to catch his breath, Mei''s eyes blurred. Still between his legs, KO gazed at his replete partner, quiet satisfaction on his face. "You... I should..." "You should stay there." When KO stood, turning towards the bathroom, Mei panicked. "No! I can... you didn''t... " KO''s soft snort stopped him. "I didn''t?" He turned around and Mei''s throat went dry as he realised that KO was holding himself, hand covered in white. "You have no idea how long I have wanted to see you like this. Too long for me not to come when you did." He leaned over and pressed a chaste kiss to Mei''s forehead. "I need to wash..." When he reached the bathroom door, he turned to catch the look on Mei''s face as he added, "...and brush my teeth." Mei''s cheeks burned and KO''s laugh filled the apartment. 25 Chapter 25- When Peter Pan Grows Up To Hao Mei''s surprise, there was no lingering awkwardness. While KO showered, Mei picked up the clothes scattered around the room and put them on to wash. Then, after he had taken a turn in the bathroom, he''d emerged to the smell of spicy poached fish. "Hmm... yum..." He inhaled, licking his lips and groaning. "You really do make the best food." KO turned around and pointed a wooden spoon at him. "Sit. Stop being so tempting." Mei pouted as he sat. KO was wearing the pair of sweatpants Mei slept in. They were originally the hacker''s, but had somehow made their way over to Mei''s where he''d hidden them from their owner. Something about their loose, comfy fit- and the lingering scent he''d come to associate with KO- helped him sleep better at night. Although, when he thought about it, he''d had to wash them the day before and he hadn''t slept well that night. Looking at KO wearing them, Mei finally admitted to himself that it had less to do with the feel of the pants, and everything to do with the scent of their owner. KO hissed as oil spat from the pan, stinging his bare stomach. In the time that it took him to turn the hotplate off, Mei was already out of his seat and turning him to inspect the burn. "Why aren''t you waring a shirt? Who cooks without a shirt? Essssh..." Mei smoothed his finger along the unmarred skin of KO''s stomach; running it parallel to the quickly pinking burn. "What were you thinking? Stay put..." So preoccupied with his mission to find the first aid kit that his mother had sent him as a housewarming (he knew it was a comment on his lack of skill in the kitchen but hadn''t seen fit to inform her that he wasn''t the one cooking in it), Hao Mei missed the softening of KO''s features. The hacker leaned against the bench, hissing as the movement stretched the burn on his stomach. It was silly of him to not wear a shirt; even just wearing one of Mei''s as protection while cooking, but he''d wanted to see the look on Mei''s face- he owed him one after the towel display in Chengde. He rubbed his chin and the hint of a wry smile could just be seen behind his hand. KO definitely hadn''t expected Mei to be lusting over the food he was cooking... rather than the one doing the cooking! Maybe a less confident man would worry, but KO had never seen Mei lust over food that he thought someone else had cooked. His smile was hidden as Mei hurried back into the kitchen. "Found it. In the laundry. Don''t know why I thought that was a good place to keep it... stay still..." The skin under his fingers was warm and smooth but Mei pushed those thoughts away to concentrate on the job at hand. Dabbing burn cream on the wound, he worried at his lip. "Sorry if it hurts. I''m trying not to..." KO stilled Mei''s hand, and tilted his head up. "You could never hurt me." He pressed a gentle kiss to Mei''s forehead and watched the younger man''s cheeks flush. "Idiot." He scowled as he returned to his first aid. "We''re not the main lead in a romantic drama... didn''t need the obligatory first aid scene. Besides, isn''t that supposed to happen before the leads fall in love? Having it happen afterwards is superfluous. Stupid man." "Say that again." "Stupid man." "No. Before that." "Say it yourself." Mei''s eyebrows furrowed as he smoothed a patch over the burn. "And put some clothes on." Packing the first aid kit back into its container, Mei turned away only to find his wrist caught by KO. Their eyes met, and a thousand words passed, unsaid, between them... all saying the same thing. "Stupid man." Mei smiled; so gently the words became a caress. "Finish cooking. I''ll get you a shirt." Their love language wasn''t flowery, but it was theirs. KO dished up the food; setting the table while Mei put the first aid kit away and rummaged through his drawers for a shirt that would fit the bigger man. Eventually he unearthed an old hoodie that zipped up the front. He''d bought it during college, going through a phase of wearing clothes that were too big for him in the hopes he''d look smaller. It had worked, but he''d discovered that he preferred practicality to looking waifish. With the zipper half closed, the hoodie fit KO well and before the man had realised what was happening, Mei had snuck a picture of him on his phone. "What?" "I finally got you in colour!" KO grimaced. The size of the hoodie fit well but the colours... The front was white with orange edging, the back was navy with white edging and the inside of the hood was a hideous lime green. "If anyone at the office ever sees that picture, I''m not cooking for you for a month." Mei paused, fingers hovering over his phone screen. With a sigh, he hit delete. "I don''t trust myself to not show someone. So... there... it''s gone." "You didn''t have to." "Better safe than sorry." Pride warmed KO. "Are you growing up, Xiao Mei?" Mei wrinkled his nose and flopped onto the couch, patting the spot next to him for KO to sit. "Will said I had to." "Will?" KO sat next to Mei, who picked KO''s legs up and swung them onto his lap. The younger man smoothed the fabric over KO''s legs, absently worrying at a loose thread. "You kept in touch?" "Hmm. Originally with Tom but when I started asking questions..." he coughed and shifted in his seat. "Well, he thought Will would be able to help." "Ah." "You don''t mind?" "No." "I didn''t think you would, but listening to how jealous some of the guys at work get if their girl talks to another guy... I didn''t know if it would be different because we''re two men." "Being two men has nothing to do with it." KO placed a hand on Mei''s where it rested on his knee. "I trust you. You trust me." Mei''s face lit up. "See, that''s how I felt too." "And... it''s good you had someone to ask questions. I didn''t think of that." "You don''t have questions?" "Hmm... I wouldn''t know. I had no plan for once we reached this stage." "Good thing I had questions then." Mei smiled to take the sting from his words. "It stemmed from that day we went house hunting and the landlord made the assumption I would be ''the wife''... why am I the wife? You cook. You''re better at housework. Why aren''t you the wife?" KO stayed silent and let Mei get it all out. As he talked, the younger man petted KO''s legs: unknowingly soothing himself with the touch. "Then we went to Chengde and met Tom and Will. They looked like us but Tom said Will was his furen. So I started wondering." "And asking questions." "And asking questions. Well, I couldn''t ask Ban Shan or Yong Hou! And when Tom realised we hadn''t... hadn''t... well, he told me to talk to Will." "Do you think you have to...?" "Not now. Will explained that most couples they know, switch it around. But they made a mistake their first time and he hurt Tom... so Tom doesn''t like bottoming anymore and Will won''t ask him to." KO blanched. How badly could someone be hurt? "You could..." "No. I couldn''t." Mei blushed, but looked KO straight in the eye. "Will said that whoever has the best self control, controls the sex. At least until we''re both used to it. Then, if you want, we can change. But when it comes to self control, which one of us was able to use desire as a distraction? And which one couldn''t see through that and relied on cold showers when jumping you didn''t work?" "You knew?" KO cleared his throat. "I know now. Don''t tell me you didn''t sneak a look at my records when you helped me champion saosan? I''m smart... it just took me a while to connect all the dots." "You knew that too?" "Once I knew you were the hacker KO... it slowly fell in to place." Dimples flashed at the bashful hacker. "You never told me... but you always look after me. Even when I don''t know. Which is why... I would be afraid of hurting you. But I trust you to look after me." With a bark of laughter, KO grabbed Mei and hauled him off the couch, laying him along his body. Hands on either side of his face, thumbs slowly caressing Mei''s cheeks. "You say the sweetest things." Mei smiled. "And you say... I mean... who knew you would talk so much during sex... or in conversations about sex. You''re a real chatterbox when you''re naked." KO growled at him. "I speak when it''s important. You''re important. This..." he waved his hand as though gesturing to everything that had happened in the room, "is important." Mei stared at him. "How can you say that with a straight face? You really are a pervert." His impudence was soundly kissed out of him, and when KO finally let him breathe again, Mei cursed him. "Ah... stupid... how am I supposed to hide that at work tomorrow? Work tomorrow! Oh no... Do you think everyone saw you carry me? How am I supposed to face everyone? You owe me something delicious for dinner tomorrow night, to soothe my heart. Oh... I''ll be tormented mercilessly." He leaned back to slap KO''s chest. "Stupid pervert." A/N: I''m using Xiao as seen in other translations to be an affectionate address (think it means "little" so Xiao Mei is little Mei and/or little beauty, in an affectionate manner). And yes... lots of conversation in here and while it may slow it down, it''s included in response to a lot of BL writing I''ve seen that has distinct seme/uke dynamics and in which the poor uke ends up almost crippled. Even Gu Man tortured Mei for his first time in the side story. So... count this chapter as a "welcome to the world of mature relationships rather than just going at it and hoping for the best". 26 Chapter 26- A Meeting of Minds Relating to Episode 20 of Love O2O The dialogue from the meeting has been pulled directly from the series. To Mei''s surprise, not much was said when they returned to work the next day. Well, at least, not much was said about KO carting him off in the middle of the day. A lot was said, however, about KO''s ''chivalry''. "Hey! Mei-ge! You''re back today?" "We thought KO would keep you home for at least one more day." "Hmm... especially considering how worried he was about you yesterday." "Worried? About me?" Mei felt like someone had stopped the earth from turning and he was left trying to adjust while everyone else had already found their feet. "That''s right, Meiren." Yu Ban Shan came up behind him and slung an arm over his shoulder. "He told laosan he was taking you home because you had a fever." Mei pointed at himself. I had a fever before that pervert got a hold of me? "Hmm. He emailed the office to explain yesterday afternoon and made sure we all knew that you''d gone home against your wishes." Wang Wei joined the teasing. "We never knew you were so dedicated. Staying to work when you were sick." Was this feeling in his stomach the same instinct that makes ants climb higher before a heavy rain? "Yeah, Mei-ge. So industrious. A workplace paragon." "Eh... you look red. Do you still have your fever? Are you sure you should have come to work?" Ban Shan, under the guise of testing Mei''s temperature, pinched his cheeks. "Maybe KO should take you home again and put you back to bed?" His cheeks felt hot enough to spontaneously combust, and Mei stammered a denial. Denial of what? He wasn''t sure. But somehow he extricated himself and reached the illusion of safety at his desk. Dropping his head on his arms he sighed. It wasn''t my fault! That afternoon, Xiao Nai called a meeting between himself and the programming team. Bei Wei Wei had successfully completed Newbie Village Task One, and a copy of her report was handed to each programmer. "We''ve adjusted our game to make it compatible to all phone models." Hao Mei scowled as A Shuang reported on the issue, not acknowledging Wei Wei''s involvement in the report. KO saw the fury building in Mei''s eyes and, when the younger man opened his mouth, kicked him under the table. Mei jumped and turned his glare on KO. The hacker returned it calmly, and Mei made a visible effort to bite his tongue. Unaware of the byplay next to him, A Shuang continued. "But due to a display card problem on two phone models, the screen will black out occasionally. These two models aren''t very common, so perhaps we can leave it for now." You knew it wasn''t a very common problem when you set the task to Saosan. You made her waste two days, confirming what we already knew just because you''re a misogynist! Silently railing at A Shuang, Mei was careful not to look in KO''s direction until his inner rant was over. One of these days he would work out how he always knew what Mei was thinking, but until that day came, he would have to take preventative measures. "Hmm. I spoke to Feng Teng this morning and we''ve brought forward our product launch to the end of September. So we must try and solve all the problems quickly." Xiao Nai looked past Hao Mei to address A Shuang directly. "Ah." A Shuang nodded. "After a month of hard work we''ve already finished the first stage of our demo. But there''s still room for improvement. For example, the smoothness of fighting actions, as well as other connections." The insane perfectionist at the top of the table looked at the programmers, and Hao Mei felt moved to object; he knew which one at the table would be given that job. "I don''t think it''s necessary to rush it. Our game''s operation smoothness is already much better than many other games. Also, not everyone has an eye for flaws, like you do laosan." He pulled a little on his tie and caught KO looking at him strangely. The hacker abruptly focussed his attention on the wall behind Mei''s shoulder. "Who would notice such a slight lag when they''re playing? I''m very confident that we''ll win the bid. Perhaps we can adjust it after we''ve enhanced the game?" Xiao Nai raised an eyebrow at Hao Mei''s confidence, and he got the feeling that laosan had seen through the fa?ade to the real reason he was so confident; he just didn''t want to get stuck doing fiddly codes and miss out on the real fun of designing the meat of the game. "I''ll do it." And with that, Hao Mei''s objections melted away. No one, apart from Xiao Nai, knew better than Hao Mei just how much work KO was doing after hours once the office was empty. No on else knew that the reason he never stayed over at Mei''s, was because he would go home and work for a few more hours before going to bed. Whatever demons were driving the hacker, throwing himself into work seemed to placate them. But there was throwing oneself into work... and drowning in it. "Alright, I''ll do it. You''ve got your job to do, right?" Mei sighed and shook his head at KO. "Laosan, but if our games are designed for everyone, would low-grade display cards be able to support it?" "That''s why I''d like to enhance its resolution and try to produce the same graphic quality by compressing its model surfaces and dynamic resolution." (A/N: I have NO clue what I just wrote. I pulled it straight from the series and my husband says it makes sense so... I''ll be running all the IT stuff past him. He knows just enough to tell me if it sounds legit. So if you''re in to IT and something sounds legit but isn''t... please feel free to pm me with what it should say. Ta.) The table fell silent as the other three considered Xiao Nai''s suggestion. Mei clapped, slowly. "Laosan, why are you torturing yourself like this? Are you going to work on it alone?" Xiao Nai nodded, however KO spoke up. "Theoretically, it''s not that hard. But it''ll be very difficult to execute. We don''t have a lot of time. I''ll work on it at home." What? Mei stared at KO from across the table. Work on it at home? But then when would they see each other? The time was already being eaten away with work as they got closer to the launch date. "One month is actually quite a lot of time." Xiao Nai dismissed them. "That''s all for today." The three programmers relaxed before Xiao Nai appeared to remember something. "A Shuang, I''d like your opinion on something." Stuck like a hare before a hungry tiger, A Shuang froze. "I''m running a bit short of staff lately. I''d like to borrow some people from your team." Hao Mei choked on his apple juice. As Mei and KO left the meeting room, the hacker thumped the coughing Mei on the back. "Laosan is a sneaky man. Never turn your back on him." "Laoda and I understand each other. Do not worry." "Pah. Who''s worried?" Mei pushed KO away as they reached their desks. "You''ll never be at loggerheads." "Why?" "Because laosan and you are the same; neither will do anything to hurt me. So you can''t oppose each other because that would hurt me and neither of you would allow it." "We are not the same." "Yes you are." Mei looked at KO pityingly. Had he not realised it yet? "You just love me in different ways." KO smiled. "So, you do know." "Know what? Don''t look at me like that. We''re at work." "My beauty." "Shut up." And so, Mei''s flushed cheeks once more raised the concerned teasing of his friends. 27 Chapter 27- The Rockiest Paths are Lined with Good Intentions Relating to Episodes 20-21 of Love O2O (behind the scenes) Hanging up from a conversation with his mother, Hao Mei leaned against the wall next to his door. It was the first time- in what felt like forever- that Mei had come straight home from work... and by himself. When he''d left the offices, Xiao Nai and KO had been squirrelled away in laosan''s office. He''d managed a wave at the pair before his phone rang. Anyone else and he''d have ignored the call so he could say goodbye properly. If he ignored his mother''s call though... he shuddered at the thought. As it was, the conversation had left him drained. He thumped his head back on the wall. It was his first year out of college. He was only just establishing his career. Why was she so desperate to marry him off? Ever since his parents had come to visit after graduation- when he, and his three brothers, were all working around the clock to get the game developed enough that they could relax a title and concentrate on the bid for Dreams of Jiangshu 2- his mother had been determined to mind him a wife. And not just any wife... a proper wife. Which, when he read between the lines, was a meek female who would obey her mother in law, with the added benefit of family money. So they knew she wasn''t a gold-digger. Every phone call with his mother was like a list of attributes for whatever candidate she currently had in mind. Groaning, Mei put his keys in the lock and froze. His door was unlocked. There was the possibility that he had accidentally left it unlocked, but he was sure he remembered thinking KO would be proud of him for getting a bit more conscientious with locking the door. Slowly pushing the door open, he slid his laptop bag onto the hallway table and slowly crept into the apartment. "Finally. You''re home. I made dinner." The scene was so familiar that the differences were immediately jarring. He''d come home several times to KO cooking dinner, the smell of scrumptious food permeating the air and drawing him in. In contrast, while he wouldn''t say it smelled bad, there was a distinct lack of spice in the scent currently filling the air. Where the stone faced hacker should have been; standing in the kitchen and caught in the middle of plating up the food, was an overly cheerful person of the female persuasion. She was wearing a pink apron with white cherry blossoms, and her hair was pinned up in an artfully messy style. Mei internally scoffed. She''d spent more time looking ''careless'' than she had on the food. "Who are you?" "I''m Wang Fang." Mei waited for further explanation, and when it wasn''t forthcoming, decided to take a page from laosan''s book. "Who?" The girl''s eyes widened dramatically and she brought a manicured hand to her mouth. "Oh my... I thought your mother would have told you already." "My mother?" A hard lump started to form in his stomach. "Hmm. She''s been telling me all about you and when you said you were willing to meet, she suggested cooking you dinner." "I was willing to meet?" He rubbed his forehead and felt the lump in his stomach grow bigger. "I was surprised too: it was so quick." The girl- he couldn''t think of someone so naive as a woman- smiled at him, completely oblivious to his lack of enthusiasm. "How did you get in?" She held up a key. "Your mother made me a copy. She said to just let myself in and surprise you with a home cooked meal. Oh, and I did your washing. There wasn''t as much as I expected. Your mother made it sound like I''d find a pile of dirty clothes but all I really needed to do was fold the clothes already dry on the balcony." "You folded my clothes?" "And put them away." "What?" Hao Mei''s horror grew. Put them away? In drawers? Don''t say she went through all the drawers in bedroom? "Just the shirts and pants that needed hanging. The rest are folded on the end of your bed." "I need that key back." He held out his hand and the girl''s face fell. "Oh... but your mum..." "My mother doesn''t live here. My spare key was given to her while she visited,; not so she could make copies of it without my knowledge." Maybe it was wrong of him to speak that way about his mother but the lump in his stomach seemed to have turned his filter off. The girl, Wang Fang, stared at him blankly. "But... it was supposed to be..." Her voice trailed off at the look on Hao Mei''s face. Had she really thought breaking into a stranger''s house, and cooking him dinner, folding his clothes, invading his personal space, was romantic? What sort of idiot was his mother trying to marry him off to? He looked at the food she''d cooked and blanched. Is there anything left in my fridge? There was good for a week in there! "You know what... you can stay." Her face brightened but Mei cut her off before she could speak. "I''m sure you have friends. Invite them over. You''ve made enough for an army- don''t let the food go to waste." "Really? You''re so sweet!" Without thinking any further, Wang Fang pulled out her phone. She was busy buzzing at her friend as Hao Mei stormed into his bedroom. Grabbing his backpack, he shoved the folded underwear inside before reconsidering- he would swear he could smell her perfume... did she spray his underwear with something? He sniffed the cloth. Yup. They raced through the air into the dirty clothes basket. He sniffed again. The sickly sweet smell in his room was stronger than the smells coming from the kitchen and he could only suppose she''d liberally doused the room in her perfume. He''d overheard a conversation between two staff at one of his shoots, when he was still modelling, about spraying perfume in the bedroom as a feminine scent marker. The male in question would either have to completely strip the bedding and wash all clothes and sheets, or go out with a feminine fragrance still lingering; effectively advertising that he was taken. The lump in his stomach started to heat. When he''d overheard the conversation, he''d laughed at the poor shmuck who''d shown interest in such a predator... being on the receiving end was making him regret his laughter. Screw the clothes. I''ll buy what I need. Wang Fang was leaning against the kitchen counter, still bubbling away and suggesting that whoever was on the other end of the phone needed to stop for drinks on their way. She didn''t seem to notice when he grabbed his laptop and keys and let himself out. He stopped briefly in the foyer to request that security make sure his apartment was empty in the morning. And to get a locksmith in. Tired, frustrated, and with the hard lump burning away at his centre, Hao Mei wondered where to go. Obvious escape route was KO''s place... but he wouldn''t be there and Mei didn''t have a key. The office? No, KO and Xiao Nai would be there working; he didn''t want to disturb them with his minor domestic disturbance. Which left a hotel. Fortunately, there was one near the office and if he remembered correctly it was within walking distance of a department store: he could buy a change of clothes after he checked in. Satisfied with his plan, Hao Mei headed off. He''d deal with his mother in the morning. 28 Chapter 28- Blood is Thicker than Water For the second day in a row, Hao Mei found himself leaving the office by himself. It was strange how quickly he had grown accustomed to having KO''s company after work, and he wasn''t sure he liked how lonely he was now feeling. It''s been two days... it''s not like it''s been weeks or months. He couldn''t even get mad about KO spending his weekend at the office- even though they had a month before the demonstration, what KO and Xiao Nai were trying to do was extremely complicated and it made sense to get started sooner rather than later. It made sense... but Hao Mei was feeling rather resentful about giving both men a wave, through the office window, when it was his turn to leave for the weekend. Dragging his feet through the foyer of his apartment building, he almost missed the wave of the security guard. Ah! That''s right. The locksmith. "Do you have my new keys?" "No Sir." The security guard bowed his head. "Your mother was here when he arrived so he left them with her. I believe she''s waiting for you." "My mother?" The lump in his stomach- the one that had taken all night and all day to disperse- quickly reformed. "Why was my mother allowed to collect the keys?" "She is on the registration of the apartment, Sir. As one of the owners, she is allowed to authorise tradesmen." Mei felt a migraine forming to offset his churning stomach. "My mother isn''t on the registration." "Sir? It was updated recently; we were informed so we knew who to allow in..." Sighing, Mei waved a hand at the now visibly concerned man. "I''m sure it''s just a misunderstanding. Don''t worry." It wasn''t. He''d spent the elevator ride trying to conjure a scenario where his mother appearing on the house registration, was entirely accidental. However, in no way did it make sense. There was no way this was just a "misunderstanding." This was called "machinations." And he really should have expected it from his parents. "Ma." The door was unlocked and Hao Mei had a brief moment of relief that he hadn''t been forced to knock on the door of his own home. His mother was waiting for him in the lounge room; perched on the edge of the couch, ramrod back and hands neatly folded on her lap. Mei hid a smile. That couch had been chosen precisely for how soft it was- swallowing you as soon as you sat on it, giving you no choice but to sink backwards and relax. Watching his mother balance on the edge, determinedly keeping her composure, was a small revenge for the lump in his stomach. He still needed an explanation though. The words were too hard to find, and to buy himself time he looked into the kitchen. Pots and pans from last night''s fiasco were piled in the sink. Dirty plates, glasses and cutlery, dropped sauce and stained the cream bench. A petty revenge for leaving that girl- what was her name again- here last night and encouraging her to ring her friends. A subtle cough from the couch told Hao Mei that he couldn''t ignore his other any longer. Smiling politely, he dutifully greeted her before pulling a dining chair over to sit on the other side of the coffee table. The two stared t each other, each waiting for the other to speak and neither willing to break the silence. Mei was confident in his patience. He already had a fair idea what had happened- he was his father''s son after all and had no illusions where his parents were concerned- but he wanted to hear the words. As expected, his mother spoke first. "We will arrange a meeting between the Wangs to organise the details of the engagement. You will, of course, return to your father''s company and learn the ropes so that after your first wedding anniversary you can take your rightful place. Your father is ready to step down and enjoy his golden years." Silent, Mei raised an eyebrow at her, which his mother took as acceptance. "Of course, between two such prominent families, these things need to be done carefully, with planning... Mrs Wang and I were thinking that a spring wedding would be romantic. You''ll need to apply yourself through this next six months so that when you marry, you are already established within the company. Your father will expect you in his office on Monday." She sniffed and looked around the apartment, taking in the sparseness of its decoration and the simplicity of its style. "You can stay here until it sells. We''ve already listed it." "Until it sells?" Mei struggled not to give his mother a visible reaction, channelling KO at his most impregnable. The thought of his friend warmed him, giving him strength. "Ah... that reminds me. How did you and Father end up on the house registration of my property?" His mother looked confused for a moment before her face cleared and she waved a hand at him. "That was so long ago- your father organised it as soon as you bought the place. He just kept quiet about it until now. Don''t worry; he "bought" it off you. One of his friends helped him with the paperwork side of things. The money is sitting in your company account." "He bought it off me? Why?" "As a wedding present, of course. He''s already bought the house you''ll move in to after your marriage. It''s much more suitable for a family." "So why are you selling this one?" He almost rubbed his forehead but restrained himself. It''s just like sitting opposite a tiger: do not show fear. "Market value in this area skyrocketed! It would be silly to hold on to it when the value had almost doubled." Mei sighed, his weariness with the conversation evident. "Do what you want with this place. It was bought as an investment so I suggest holding off for at least two more years when the new precinct is finished being developed. Value should be triple." He stood up, tugging his tie loose as he looked down at the woman sitting tidily on his couch. "As for the rest, I will not be going in to the company on Monday. I will not be learning the ropes. And I will not be getting married in the spring." "Hao Mei! What kind of son are you? Of course there will be a wedding in the spring. What kind of son have I raised that he would treat a girl so carelessly?" "Me? Who have I ever treated carelessly?" "Wang Fang. She was here this morning when I arrived. She told me all about how you let her invite her friends over and how she didn''t have time to do the dishes before going to bed... I''m not an idiot. She was coming out of your bedroom when I came in." As her voice rose, his mother stood, anger clenching her fists at her side. "Of course there will be a wedding." "Did she tell you I was here last night?" His mother froze. "Huh?" Mei strode over to his bedroom door and flung it open. The destruction of the room didn''t really surprise him. He''d expected something of the sort when he''d encouraged her to ring her friends and then left: someone unstable enough to think last night was a good idea, would be the type of person to want revenge for the humiliation. He took in the stripped bed, the emptied drawers and the overturned dresser. Lipstick on the mirror and windows proclaimed him to be a "bastard", in a variety of spelling. "This was the woman you chose for me?" Mei moved back to let his mother fully into the room. Her eyes were wide and her painted lips formed a burgundy moue. "You appear to have questionable taste in daughters-in-law." "She is high spirited..." "No. She is a spoiled brat with enough dreams of romance that you successfully orchestrated last night. What was your plan, mother? Coincidentally drop in to visit your favourite son and accidentally catch us over breakfast at the kitchen table?" The answer was written over his mother''s face before she wiped it clean. "I don''t know what you''re talking about. But even if there is no wedding, you will return to the company and you will be a filial son." "I will be a filial son. I will visit you for birthdays, anniversaries, religious holidays. I will accompany you and Father where a son should. And I will respect you, with the respect I am given." The mauve shade creeping over his mother''s face would have been amusing under different circumstances. As it was, the lump in Mei''s stomach grew harder and harder, heating at his core. All night, he had lain awake in the hotel room, staring at an unfamiliar ceiling... thinking. Thinking about his Father''s constant, disparaging remarks about his interest in computers. Thinking about how abruptly he was cut off from all family support when he dared apply for a University, and a course, his parents hadn''t approved off. Thinking about the friendship his three brothers and shown him... and finally, thinking of the love that KO was showing him... and teaching him what a home could feel like, full of warmth. So very different to the mausoleum of his youth. Hao Mei bowed deeply to his mother and once more left his apartment with only his laptop and the office keys. . 29 Chapter 29- Living Alone For the second night in a row, Hao Mei made himself comfortable in a hotel room. This time, he''d booked the room for a week- planning to take the time to find a more permanent solution to his accommodation dilemma. At least I have internet. Booting up his laptop, Hao Mei settled in to distract himself for the remainder of the night. A chime sounded as a notification popped up showing a new email. He smiled as it opened, and a photo of a beaming couple filled his screen. It was late winter for Tom and Will, however the pair had differing opinions on "cold"... Tom was rugged up with a fleecy hoodie and Dr Who inspired scarf, while Will was wearing a short sleeved, white tee that showed off his tan. Mei checked the send time, juggled the math in his head and worked out the email had been sent just as he logged in. Figuring his luck was due for a change, he tried video calling them- maybe they''d still be at the computer. "Hey!" Will answered the call almost before the first ring sounded. "Just wait!" He turned from the screen to shout at Tom. "Don''t just wander in... video call." "Who?" "What do you mean, ''who?'' Just put some bloody clothes on. Bloody hell." Will shook his head at Mei. "Sorry mate... we''ve just got home and Elsa over there jumped straight in the shower to ''warm up''." Mei laughed at the eye roll that accompanied the comment. "You guys were out? It''s only 9pm over there... that''s a bit early to be home from a night out." "Not when it''s a family night out." Tom settled himself on Will''s lap, cocooned in a thick doona. "It''s mum''s birthday the same day as Father''s Day this year, so we went out to celebrate a few weeks early- make sure neither day gets jumbled with the other." "Father''s Day? Ah... you have Father''s Day near our Chinese Valentine''s Day." Which raised a new question for Mei; was he going to do something with KO? Were they in that sort of a relationship? Something of his thoughts must have shown on his face as the two Australians both leaned closer to their computer screen. "Where did your mind just go?" Tom covered his mouth, hiding his smirk as a pale pink blush spread over Mei''s cheeks. Will barked a laugh. "Straight to the gutter by the look of it." "Gutter my arse. I''m not as perverted as you two." "Still? What''s taking you so long?" Tom grimaced as Will smacked his shoulder. "What? It''s a legitimate question. They''ve even talked about it... so....?" "Does it not occur to you and your thick head, that maybe it''s different for them?" "Different how? Thing A still goes in Thing B.... mmmph..." Will sighed as he covered his partner''s mouth with his hand. "I apologise for dunderhead. I assure you, his mother is a lovely woman who raised him right. I have no idea what happened to him." Biting the hand to remove his gag, Tom glared at the man behind him. "You only think she''s lovely because she claims you''re her favourite son." "That''s because I am her favourite son. I look after her biological son so well that she can''t help but love me." "True." It was easy to ignore the display of affection that followed, as Mei thought about what their banter had revealed. "Your mother is okay with you not marrying a nice girl and starting a family?" The pair broke apart, and Tom blinked several times as his mind struggled to catch up to the conversation. "Ah... yeah. Both our families are. I mean, neither of us ever had to hide who we are, so marriage and babies was never an issue. It sounds like it might be different for you though?" Will slipped out from underneath Tom, leaving the man, and his doona, on the chair. "I''ll leave you to it. Tom''s better at decoding human nature than I am- I''d rather have the option to just smack some sense in to people. Don''t go before I come back though." Mei waved him off but his mind was still on his own family predicament. He filled Tom in on his parent''s machinations, the girl in the apartment, and his final words to his mother that afternoon. Tom listened carefully, nodding and making encouraging sounds whenever Mei started to falter. When the Chinese man finally stopped talking, throat dry and feeling as though a gust of wind would shatter him like a cracked window, Tom sighed with sympathy. "Sounds like you''ve become the female lead in a bad romance drama." Mei raised an eyebrow at him and Tom smiled sheepishly. "I may have brought more than souvenirs home from our honeymoon- I''ve been binge watching dramas and using the sayings on a day to day basis. Will keeps threatening to divorce me but he''s a marshmallow. Any way," Tom waved a hand to clear the air. "It sounds like you''ve already thought every angle out. What you''re talking about as an option is definitely sound but I''d talk to your laosan before going any further. Also, use an accountant from the company. You''ll be able to trust them to give you their loyalty rather than giving it to your father''s wallet." Mei nodded. He''d started to think the same way, but putting his plan in action through the office, meant more chance of his situation coming to light. And he didn''t want that to happen. Regardless, he needed to talk to Xiao Nai before taking any action. "As for the marriage and babies thing... you need to establish with KO exactly what you both want. Where you''re headed. And don''t give me that look; grow a pair and talk about it outright. You had the sex talk, didn''t you? Then have this one too." "Talking about sex is easier than talking about a possible future together." The words were muttered and the connection didn''t help, but Mei''s expression helped Tom fill in the gaps. "Just show KO that pouty face of yours! He''ll agree to any relationship you want." "That''s cheating." The pout turned to a scowl, just as a knock sounded on the hotel door. "I''ll be back." When Hao Mei went to answer the door, leaving his web cam facing an empty couch, Will came back in to their study. "Did his parcel arrive yet? They said it would take about half an hour and it''s nearly that now." "His parcel? What did you do?" "I''m giving him a kick up the arse." "Will..." "He''ll thank me for it later. And KO will thank me for it even sooner than Mei will." "William Benjamin... what did you do?" "Ooooh... serious voice. I''m in trouble now. Once we''ve given Mei his instructions, you can take me to bed and use that voice again..." "Ah... guys... that''s more information about Will''s kinks than I needed to know." Red stained Mei''s face on the other side of the computer screen. A large cardboard box sat on the couch next to him. "Oh, it arrived!" Will grinned and rubbed his hands together. "Okay... Mei, go to the mini bar and bring out all the drinks. All of them. And dim the lights." Confused, Mei obeyed while Tom hung his head and pretended he was not connected to the other Australian in anyway. "Now... have a drink." At Mei''s puzzled look, Will gestured with his hand as if downing a drink himself. "Drink. All of one. Get nice and fuzzy before I tell you more." Figuring he had nothing left to lose, Mei followed Will''s instructions. He grimaced at the bitter taste and wished the mini bar was less high-brow and more poor-student-sweet-drinks. By the time he had managed to find a pair of scissors in the kitchenette, and discovered that they were too blunt to be of much use opening the mysterious package, he was feeling comfortably unselfconscious. Which was a nice change. He finally hacked his way through the tape keeping the package shut and was just about to pull it open when Will stopped him. "Time for another drink, mate." "Huh? Why do I need another drink?" "Trust me... you''re going to want another drink before you go exploring in that treasure chest." "Will, I swear... if you mentally scar our friend then I will never forgive you." "Lies." Will turned his partner around on his lap, ignoring Mei in the computer. His hand cupped Tom''s cheek and he gently stroked the soft skin. "You forgave me for mentally scarring you... you''ll forgive me for trying to prevent the same situation happening with our friends." With a sigh, Tom leaned his forehead against Will''s. "You''re right. This is an insane plan but... you''re right." A choking sound behind them, turned their attention once more to the computer screen. And a magenta faced Mei. Two empty bottles of scotch now sat on the table, alongside several... things... of various sizes, and a bottle of lube. "What... are... these?" Mei held one of things between his thumb and forefinger, studying it as though it was an alien life form. "That... is a butt plug." Mei choked and dropped it. Will ignored him and carried on. "And it''s not the one you want to start with. Work up to that." "It goes..." Mei decided that now was a good time for another drink. He could understand why Will had wanted him to start drinking before opening the box. "Why did you send me a box of sex toys? How did you send it?" "I shipped it to a friend after our first email conversation. Knew it would be needed at some point. He owed me a favour and agreed to deliver it, no questions asked, whenever I asked him to." Smug pride coloured Will''s voice. "Smart huh." Shell shocked, Mei simply nodded. "There''s instructions in there, some candles for mood lighting, and may I suggest putting some music on? Also... go take a hot bath and really relax for getting started." Mei nodded again, still looking at the paraphernalia in the box. "Aaaaaand... we''re off. While Tom is always up, eh, for some voyeurism, I don''t think you are... so we''re going to leave you to get acquainted with your new friends while we enjoy the benefits of proper preparation." The video called ended on Tom''s apoplectic face, but Mei couldn''t move. His body alternately flushed hot then ran cold and his mind kept short circuiting. It was one thing to consider Will''s advice, and mentally decide to take it on board... it was something else to be faced with the reality of said advice. He was almost ready to reject everything, tape the box back up and pretend he never opened it... but... he flopped back on the couch. But. That was the kicker... but... then what would happen? If he was hoping for a relationship with KO, living together, sharing their lives together, then the issue of sex would never fully go away. He''d always prided himself on being smart... and the smart thing to do in this situation... he took another drink. Looked like he was having a bath. 30 Chapter 30- Newbie Village Task 1 Another bottle of scotch and a mild panic attack later, Hao Mei relaxed in a warm bath. Fragrant bubbles tickled his nose and spread over the surface of the bath like fluffy clouds pulled down from the sky. He giggled at the thought and then covered his mouth. Did I just giggle? Hope no one heard me. His head felt as fluffy as the bubbles and the warm water was helping the alcohol spread a delicious lassitude through his bones. Under the cloak of bubbles, his hand stroked gently over his chest, slowly drifting lower and lower in languid sweeps. Just as he gripped himself firmly, eyes rolling back, a chirp sounded from the phone he''d left on a towel next to the bath. Had it been anyone else, he''d have ignored the call, but that particular ring tone was assigned to only one contact. "Hmm?" "Mei?" "Hmm?" Mei stroked up and down, biting his lower lip to muffle a groan. "Do you feel okay? You''re not saying much." The concern in KO''s voice was evident, not just to Mei but he could hear Xiao Nai in the back ground asking "Is Mei sick?" "Feel... good..." The purr in Mei''s voice travelled through the phone and the hacker froze, clearing his throat before continuing. "Did I call at a bad time?" "No." A distant part of Mei''s mind took note of the fact that the less he said, the more KO spoke, but he was feeling too hot to pay much attention to anything beyond the feel of his hand around his c*ck and the low rumble of KO'' voice. "Why...?" "Why did I ring? To check on you. Xiao Nai and I stopped at your place to drop off some dinner before we headed back to the office. You weren''t home and my key didn''t work." The echo in the background told Mei that his partner had stepped out of the office, onto the walkway, for some degree of privacy. "What happened, Mei?" "Ah... thought I''d just tell you at work..." He swallowed, trying desperately not to groan as his hand stroked harder and faster, making the water slosh against the side of the bath. "Problem with keys... new lock..." "Mei..." KO''s voice turned husky. "Are you playing with yourself right now?" Mei groaned in response to the change in KO''s voice. "You are... Mei..." "Ah... Shut up." His balls tightened as he gripped the base of his c*ck and his hips pumped reflexively. Silence on the other end of the phone told him KO was listening intently. "K...O..." "Yes, Mei?" The voice on the phone was smooth as honey and sent a shiver down Mei''s spine. "Talk..." "I thought you wanted me to shut up?" "Stupid..." KO chuckled. "Put the phone on speaker, Mei, and put it somewhere safe so you don''t drop it in your bath." In a haze, Mei obeyed, putting the phone on the bathroom basin and sinking back into the water. "Lean back and close your eyes." "Hmmm..." KO''s low voice rolled around the bathroom as he directed Mei''s actions; using both hands to flick and pinch his nipples until, on the exquisite border of pain and pleasure, Mei couldn''t stifle a moan. Once that first uninhibited sound echoed against the tiles, it was nearly impossible for him to stay silent and the bathroom filled with moans, pants, groans and sighs. Under KO''s instruction, Mei gradually worked himself closer and closer to the edge. His ragged breathing filled the air as KO, his own voice unsteady now, continued talking. "Hold yourself tight now, Mei. Eyes closed... that''s my hand on your c*ck..." Mei whimpered. "Put your leg up on the side of the tub... open yourself up... don''t stop moving your hand, Mei..." Head filled with KO''s voice and mindless desire, Mei followed his instructions; trailing fingers from his knee and down his leg, tracing the crease between thigh and groin, blindly going further to press against soft skin at the base of his balls, and- when Mei''s pants brought an answering groan from KO- reaching even further to press against his entrance. "Fuck." "Mei?" "Ah... feels strange... but..." He almost swallowed his tongue when his probing finger pressed further inside, the sensation making his balls draw tight to his body. "... good strange." "Mei? Did you...?" "Hmm... ha..." A second finger joined the first and he had barely enough presence of mind to remember a certain object he''d prepared before getting in the bath. The note attached to it had said to use it when he was comfortable with two fingers and thinking of a third... Mei wasn''t sure if his current feeling counted as comfortable- he was too hot, his blood itching beneath his skin, to be comfortable- but, his breath hitched, he wanted more... needed more. Somehow he managed to squirt lube on it with just one hand, nothing was making him stop stroking his cock until he''d come, and he was close enough that even thinking about it wasn''t enough to cause him to worry and tense up. The plug slipped in easily and the pressure in his arse, the grip of his hand, the swirl of the water, and the heavy breathing that was all KO was managing on the phone, all combined and sent him tumbling head first over the edge. His shout echoed around the bathroom and he almost sat upright, the movement putting his weight on the plug in his rear and making him whimper as he stroked himself to completion. "Fuck, Mei..." KO groaned on the other end of the phone. A thunk through the line told Hao Mei he''d let his head drop against the glass of the walkway. "That was hot." "Hmm..." A panted murmur was all Mei could manage. He wanted to invite him over to pick up where they''d left off last time but the smallest surviving part of his rational mind stopped him from speaking up. It seemed as though KO understood what he wanted to say however, as when the hacker next spoke his voice was laden with a bittersweet combination of regret and anticipation. "Next time, Mei... do that when I don''t have to work at the office all night." KO groaned and rubbed his eyes. "How am I supposed to sit at a desk and concentrate?" "Bathroom break?" Slowly catching his breath, Mei took a moment to feel sympathy for his frustrated partner. "Sure. Good idea. I only have to walk past Laoda with a hard on and hope he doesn''t notice..." "If you didn''t wear tight pants it wouldn''t be so noticeable." "You happen to like me wearing tight pants." "I like it better when you take them off." "Mei! Not helping." Satisfaction, and the warm water, was turning Mei''s bones limp but he''d finally caught his breath enough to laugh softly at the other man. "You like it though... ah..." As he spoke, Mei tried to get out of the bath and the movement shifted the plug inside him. Unbelievably, he''d forgotten about it while teasing KO but trying to stand with it still inside made his knees weak. "What did you just do?" Mei''s eyes rolled backwards as he managed to get out of the bath and reach for a towel. "Not telling. Call it practise for the real thing... ha..." "Practice?" "Hmm... now I can look forward to you being here in person next time... and on that note, my play isn''t over but yours is. You need to go back into the office before laosan comes looking for you." Hanging up on KO, Mei slowly made his way into the bedroom where he''d left the rest of the toys Will had sent him. Before his bath, even with the help of several drinks, he''d looked at them and worried... it''s funny what difference an orgasm can make. Now, when he looked at each one and read the instructions on the notes Will had left him, he could feel himself hardening once more. Back at the office, KO stared at the phone in his hand. Did that really just happen? The erection in his jeans told him that it hadn''t been a dream. He hadn''t ever considered phone sex with Hao Mei but thought it would be very easy to become addicted to hearing his moans and whimpers through the line... he adjusted his pants but it didn''t help him feel more comfortable. Mei''s suggestion of a bathroom break was looking like a good option. He turned to head in and jumped when he saw Xiao Nai leaning against the door to the walkway. "Shit." "Go take a shower." "Ah..." "I don''t care how long it takes. Come back when you can concentrate on coding." Xiao Nai''s face was expressionless but he couldn''t completely erase the laughter in his voice. "You... heard?" Xiao Nai inclined his head. "Acoustics. If you want a completely private conversation, the far corner of the office near the exposed wall is a dead zone." Ice rolled down KO''s back. "Sorry." "Don''t be. It was... educational." There was a glint in his eye that would have made Bei Wei Wei run a mile had she seen it. When KO tried to slink past him, Xiao Nai slapped a hand on his shoulder. "It was also the most words I''ve ever heard you string together." KO couldn''t help the feeling of deja vu that raised goose bumps along his arms. It was one thing for Mei to say something like that... but Laoda? He was never telling Mei they''d been overheard. Ever. In fact, he was going to work really hard to forget that fact himself... once he''d taken care of his pants problem, that is. His shower was very cold. 31 Chapter 31- Hinting at Dreams Relating to Episode 22 of Love O2O To his relief, Mei managed to slip into the office on Monday morning without running in to KO. Every time he thought about their phone call his face would flush and his tongue would tie itself in to knots. For some reason, what they''d done on the phone was more embarrassing to think about than what they''d managed to do together. Especially when he thought about the ''treasure chest'' Will had sent over. His collar felt inexplicably tight and he loosened the top button, fidgeting his finger between collar and neck. This was no good. He needed to concentrate on coding, not on... he coughed and dragged his attention back to his screen. Work. Concentrate on work. He''d just settled into working the codes, when the hair on the back of his neck bristled and he felt a shiver run down his spine. Headphones in, he used the music in his ears as a handy excuse not to notice KO settling in to his desk. Pretending not to notice didn''t stop the blush spreading down his neck, didn''t stop his heart from racing and definitely didn''t stop him from shifting in his seat with an uncomfortable mix of heat and embarrassment. From the peripheral, he could see KO attempt to make eye contact, but when Mei refused to look directly at him the other man appeared to give up. Hyper aware of every move that KO made, Mei struggled to retain his concentration and when Yu Ban Shan threw his arm over his shoulder and laughingly ordered him to lunch, he gratefully grasped the opportunity to escape. Maybe if he''d paid more attention to the rest of the office, he''d have noticed Bei Wei Wei extending the same invitation to KO. As it was, by the time he realised the four of them were in the elevator and it was too late to try and run away. For some reason, KO seemed content to let Hao Mei keep some distance between them, quietly watching as Mei and Ban Shan joked and carried on all the way to the restaurant. The banter continued once the group were seated and it wasn''t long until Mei, running on nervous energy, included Wei Wei in the teasing. "Junior Wei Wei, how come you haven''t called me Senior Hao?" Wei Wei hid a smile. "If I called you that, Da Shen would destroy me." (A/N: Wei Wei calls Xiao Nai Da Shen, meaning "Big God" and used by fans to refer to celebrities/famous people. Wei Wei calling Xiao Nai this is carried on from the game when they initially met etc.) "Why?" "Senior Hao... Senior Hao... Senior Hao..." Ban Shan looked up from the menu long enough roll his eyes at Hao Mei. (A/N: "Hao" sounds like the word for "fond of" so "Senior Hao" sounds like they''re saying "The senior I am fond of"... to a senior other than Xiao Nai. :P) Wei Wei joined Ban Shan in his chanting, waving her hands at Mei as if casting a spell of clarity. "Senior Hao... Senior Hao..." Mei blanched. "Forget it! Forget it! Don''t call me that. If you call me that, he won''t destroy you- he''ll destroy me! That''s so dangerous. I could have lost my life!" While he knew full well that Xiao Nai saw him as a brother, no familial loyalty would save him if Xiao Nai saw him as a romantic threat. He shivered and grabbed the menu off Yu Ban Shan. Funny how a near death experience needed comfort food as compensation. "I''ll order. I need to comfort my young heart." The teasing had restored Hao Mei''s equilibrium, and he was able to relax and chat comfortably throughout the meal. In contrast, KO was unusually subdued at the opposite end of the table, and when Mei snuck looks at him he didn''t catch the hacker looking his way even once. He did notice Wei Wei taking extra special care with a bowl of food to take back to the office for laosan. He gently kicked Yu Ban Shan under the table. "Hey, have you noticed? After laosan got saosan he''s been so well taken care of. In the past, if he didn''t have time for lunch he''d just have a bun and water. Look at him now, he gets so much to eat." He smiled at Wei Wei, only half teasing. "You''re so thoughtful." "He only ate buns and water?" Wei Wei paused in the process of packing Xiao Nai''s lunch. It was Yu Ban Shan''s turn to pipe up, speaking around a mouthful of rice. "That''s not all. If he got caught up in work, he didn''t even get a bun...." Wei Wei''s face fell and Ban Shan and Mei grinned at her. "Look at Junior Wei Wei''s distressed expression!" Ban Shan laughed whenshe sniffed at him. "Yes, I''ve noticed he''s really not choosy about food. He actually told me to bring him fried rice." She sniffed again and continued to pack lunch for the absentee subject. "That doesn''t have much nutrition. Leave it to me to provide him with a balanced nutritional diet." Mei groaned and rolled his eyes as the air around Wei Wei turned pink. Any moment now a small bubble was going to appear with an announcement saying "Achievement Unlocked: Pure Love Overdose." "Add on a juice full of love too. There''ll be food and drink. A 100% balanced nutritional diet." Surely now the achievement would appear? Yu Ban Shan grimaced and shielded his eyes from the pink aura radiating from Wei Wei''s side of the table. "Save me! Their dazzling affection is blinding me!" As Wei Wei pouted at Ban Shan, in good spirit, Mei had a sudden thought. "I once had a sincere online romance right in front of me, but I didn''t cherish it." At the time he hadn''t cherished it because of a small issue with gender, but now that he was involved with KO he randomly wondered what would have happened if he hadn''t run away. "Now that I think about it, I really regret it." "Senior Hao," Wei Wei shook her head at him. "Online romances are not appropriate." "Then what about you and Xiao Nai?" Match point, thank you very much. Wei Wei cleared her throat. "We met each other online and then got to know each other in real life. And then... " She shook her head and changed track. "Whose was yours with? Let''s hear it." "It wasn''t in Dreams of Jiangshu. Before I was playing Dreams of Jiangshu I played a game called Galaxy Dreams. I played a Heavenly Healer character." ... To be continued... 32 Chapter 32- Do Dreams Come True? "It wasn''t in Dreams of Jiangshu. Before I was playing Dreams of Jiangshu I played a game called Galaxy Dreams. I played a Heavenly Healer character." "I know of that game." Bei Wei Wei frowned. "But I thought only female gamers played as Heavenly Healers. You played a female character?" "Hmm. that was the only character that fit my aesthetic tastes." No one around the table evinced any sort of surprise. Mei continued. "A lot of my friends formed partnerships, so I wanted to find a partner too." "In general, couples are formed by a man and a woman. You had a female character, where you looking for a male player?" Wei Wei flicked a look across the table at the stone faced hacker before turning back to Mei. Curiosity was obviously the stronger force than worry about stepping on toes. "You''re wrong." Mei shook his chopsticks in denial. "I was looking for a yaoren." "That worked?" "Of course." Kind of. In theory, it had worked anyway. "There was a male character in the game named Blossom Arrow. It was designed to be very feminine. Most guys wouldn''t choose to play that character. Instead, it was very popular with the girls. I thought I''d look for a Blossom Arrow. I even found someone who''s name looked like a girl''s. It was... Shou Ke Zhai Xing Chen" (A/N: Plucker of Stars) Wei Wei frowned. "That name sounds very bold and imposing. Why would it be a girl?" Wah! Here was the difference in genders. Saosan thought it sounded bold? Where was she when he was looking through the names? "I... I thought only girls would want to pluck the stars." Wasn''t that the sort of romantic idea that girls liked? Or was it as Wei Wei had said, and the idea of plucking stars was for the bold? Was the plucking of stars only romantic if the man plucked them to give to the female? He groaned. "And in order to express my understanding, I deliberately didn''t ask the question of gender." Because he was an idiot. "In the end, I found out he was... a she-male..." "That''s so complicated. So was it a man or a woman?" Confusion creased Wei Wei''s brow as she tried to make sense of Mei''s convoluted retelling. "He was pure man." Barely hidden glee tinged Yu Ban Shan''s voice as he answered Wei Wei. Her mouth opened like a fish. "And then?" "Later on?" Mei sighed. "There''s no more. After I found out he was a man, I didn''t touch that game anymore." Except for that one time he logged in and wondered about what could have been. Which was ridiculous because what could have been? Despite his current situation, Mei was sure he wasn''t gay. Women still attracted his attention and he could easily imagine a happy future with a women... if he wasn''t already with KO. Who was a man. To Mei''s mind though, KO was the exception and the fact that their parts were a matched pair was incidental. "Mr Beauty..." Reproach was clear in Wei Wei''s voice and the disappointed looked she gave him. "You''re blaming someone else? You were the one who masqueraded as a female player, played with someone else''s feelings, and then abandoned them." "Scum." Yu Ban Shan pointed his chopsticks at Mei as he agreed with Wei Wei. "I''m not scum!" Okay, he kind of was. "But at the start, my motives were pure." Ban Shan and Wei Wei exchanged a look before turning to Mei with the clear intention of ganging up on him. Before a further word could be said, however, KO spoke up. "Was the server you were on, called ''Chang''an Under the Moon''?" "How did you know?" Mei was shocked. Even after he''d filled the guys in, he''d never mentioned the server, so it wasn''t as if Yong Hou or Ban Shan could have told him. For the first time during the meal, KO looked at Mei from across the table. "Because I am Shou Ke Zhai Xing Chen. Silence fell around the table. Not even the clatter of dishes and hum of conversations from the diners around them intruded into the bubble that surrounded the four of them. Wei Wei and Ban Shan exchanged glances as KO and Mei stared at each other, neither aware of the shock of their friends. A silent conversation was pantomimed across the table and Ban Shan suddenly gripped his stomach. "My stomach really hurts. Junior Wei Wei, Take me to the hospital." Wei Wei blinked at him. "It''s really that serious?" Exaggeratedly solicitous, Wei Wei helped Ban Shan leave the table. KO and Hao Mei stared at each other. Wei Wei returned to grab the bag of food she had prepared for Xiao Nai. KO and Hao Mei stared at each other. She bowed at them as she took her leave, but the interruption was enough to break the eye-lock between the two men. KO shifted his gaze to a point just beyond Mei''s shoulder, while Mei fidgeted in his seat and nervously sipped at his juice. Well, this is awkward. He couldn''t believe KO was Shou Ke Zhai Xing Chen. Afterall, what were the odds that the only two people he''d had a romantic interest in over the last two years, were actually the same person? "KO..." "Mei..." They spoke at the same time and their eyes collided once more. "You go first." "It''s alright, you go." "No, really..." Mei coughed to cover his laugh. "We sound like teenagers refusing to hang up the phone on their crush." KO smiled at the image and Mei immediately forgot what he''d been about to say. Damnnit. "Ah..." Clearing his throat, KO rose from the table. "We should go." Pursing his lips, Mei nodded. They couldn''t really sit at the table all afternoon, especially without ordering anything and he''d eaten more than enough at lunch. Besides, there was the minor detail of work. Paying for the meal- and discovering that Ban Shan and Wei Wei had skipped out and avoided their share of the bill- Mei followed KO outside, so lost in thought that when the older man stopped he promptly ran in to his back. "Huh?" Ko turned, looked quickly around and then dropped a quick kiss on the tip of Mei''s nose. "Hey! What do you think you''re doing? Pervert!" Mei scowled at him. "Standing out in the middle of the street like this. Stop acting like the male lead." "Mei, we need to talk." 33 Chapter 33- The Talk. Kind of. After KO''s ominous words outside the restaurant, the pair somehow ended up at Hao Mei''s hotel room. Explaining the situation with his parents distracted Mei from his earlier discovery. "Have they really ''bought'' your apartment?" "Hmm." Mei nodded. He was lying face down on the bed with his feet dangling over the end. KO leaned against the frame of the doorway. "What will you do?" "I have another place but it has tenants in it. I can wait until their lease is up, or I can use the money Pa transferred for the sale, and just buy somewhere else for me." "What if they do the same thing again?" "I''ll talk to Xiao Nai, get him to buy part of it so it''s a business investment. Then they can''t touch it without his signature too." KO considered that for a moment. "That could work." He wasn''t too happy about the situation but right now there wasn''t anything he could do about it. Mei rolled over on the bed and threw his arm over his eyes. "As for the random women in my bed..." He shuddered theatrically and KO watched his shirt ride up, exposing a sliver of creamy skin. "Lesson learned. My mother is never getting a spare key to my place again." Sunlight filtered through the gauzy hotel curtain, painting Mei in a soft, golden haze... fuck. KO shook his head. He was in a bad place if he was getting all fucking poetic over sunlight. He cleared his throat. "It''s only natural for them to want their son to marry and continue the family name." Playing devil''s advocate sucked. Mei sat up on the bed and stared at him. "What did you just say?" "Uh..." He looked at a spot in the wall behind the bed. The other man''s face was clouding over and he looked fit to spit fire. "Don''t worry. I heard it." Mei scowled. "I''m giving you a chance to rethink what you said." "As parents, its natural..." "No. As parents, it should be natural for them to want the best for their only child. The best being him happy with the choices he has been strong enough to make for himself. The best being a mature, functioning, productive member of society. The best being a son who wants his parents to be proud of him and love him as much as he loves them instead of seeing him as an obedient clay doll that they can mould as they see fit." He rose to his knees on the bed as he spoke, face flushing with anger. KO watched him, heart swelling with pride even while it ached for Mei. "If I didn''t care about the company, I wouldn''t have busted my arse through university. Yes, I majored in Computer Sciences against my father''s wishes, but what he doesn''t know- because he never bothered to come to graduation- was that I also minored in Business... because I care about his stupid company!" Mei sank down, kneeling in the middle of the bed as his energy left him. "Mei..." KO''s voice was rough with compassion as he left the doorway, standing next to the bed and cupping Mei''s cheek. His thumb wiped away a single tear that had escaped during his outburst. "Why do you always have to choose the hardest path?" Mei sniffled. "I don''t deliberately choose it... I just chose what makes me happy." He looked up at KO and leaned his face in to the other man''s hand. The brilliance of his smile made KO''s knees weak. "Like you." "Huh?" "You make me happy. So I choose you..." KO stared at Mei for a moment. Even with red rimmed eyes and a slightly glowing nose, the other man was fucking adorable. Even though he knew they still had more to talk about, he leaned down to press a gentle kiss to Mei''s forehead. His plan to keep it a chaste, comforting gesture was foiled when Mei tilted his head back and threw his arms around KO''s neck, bringing their lips into contact and immediately sending them both soaring. He groaned when Mei''s tongue flicked along his lips, seeking entrance to his mouth. Fuck it. They could talk later. Gathering Mei in his arms, KO devoured his mouth. A frantic urgency gripped them and when sanity briefly returned, KO was pressing Mei to the bed- both shirtless and Mei fiddling with the button of KO''s pants. "E-Mei..." Panting, he peeled Mei''s hands away from his pants and pinned them to the bed above his head. Mei smiled and squirmed beneath him. Fuck... the little minx was getting bolder. "Stop, Mei... we need to talk..." "Talk after." Mei pulled against KO''s hands, lifting himself off the bed enough that he could reach the man''s neck with his teeth, biting down before gently lathing the sting with his tongue. All of a sudden, the man froze as KO''s words sank in. "E-Mei?" Aware that the shit was likely to hit the fan, KO kept his grip on Mei''s hands, pinning him to the bed with the weight of his body. The ire on Mei''s face, as he considered the implications of KO''s earlier disclosure, made him smile. Mei was too open; his thoughts flickered across his face like a TV drama. "Did you know it was me?" "Marry me..." His breath caught in his throat as he said those two words and he forgot to finish his sentence. Beneath him, Mei stilled and his eyes went wide. "Huh?" "In the game." Shit, this wasn''t what he''d planned! "Marry me in the game and I''ll explain it all." Mei''s face darkened. "Marry yourself. You buffalo. Get off me." He squirmed beneath KO, trying to free his hands. KO tightened his grip- he knew what would happen if Mei got his hands free while in this mood and he had no desire to block a punch to the face. Never mind that he deserved it for that clumsy interlude. "Marry me in the game... to start with..." The spitfire beneath him stopped trying to escape and looked up at him. "To start with?" "It''s too soon for anything more." "Too soon for how much more?" "Marry me in the game and find out." Mei scowled once more. "Marry someone else in the game." "Don''t want to... just want you." KO kissed Mei''s forehead, his nose, and then his chin before lightly pressing a kiss to his lips. When Mei tried to draw him in to a deeper kiss, he pulled back. "Say yes, first." "Bastard. Who''ll say yes to you?" "Okay." KO let go of Mei''s hands and was off the bed and heading out the door before the other man even realised he''d been released. "What....? Seriously?" A very rumpled, delicious looking Mei sat up in the bed and stared incredulously at the retreating hacker. "Say yes, first." "Agreement received under coercion doesn''t hold up in a court of law." KO smiled. Thank goodness her had his back to Mei and the other man couldn''t see how much he liked hearing those words. "I''ll take what I can get." "So you''re not fussy. Great. Don''t I feel special now." KO turned around, eyes meeting Mei''s. "I''ll take you any way I can." Mei pouted. "You could at least finish what you started." "Not until you say yes. I''m an honourable man- I won''t take your virtue without the sanctity of marriage." Pulling his shirt back on, he found Mei''s and tossed it to him. "Get dressed. Let''s go shopping so I can make you dinner tonight." Mei grumbled under his breath but put the shirt back on. "I''m sure this is covered by the Geneva Convention under cruel and unusual punishment..." KO threw his head back and laughed, making Mei stop and stare at him. "Oh Mei, you have no idea." "Huh?" KO simply shook his head. Teasing Mei about marrying him in the game was going to be a lot of fun. 34 Chapter 34- The Talk. Take Two. Kind of. By the time Hao Mei realised that they had, once again, left work in the middle of the day, it was too late to go back in. The damage had been done and even though Mei had sent Xiao Nai a text apologising he couldn''t help feeling guilty. He wasn''t meaning to take advantage of the fact that his boss was also one of his closest friends... it just kept turning out that way. It''s not my fault!!! He sighed and buried his face in his hands. Why did he get the feeling he''d been thinking that a lot lately? All night, his phone had received a near constant influx of texts. Initially they had just been from Yu Ban Shan and Qui Yong Hou, touching base and making sure he hadn''t killed KO, and vice versa. It appeared as though getting no response from Hao Mei had given them the green light to share the story with the rest of the office; his phone had vibrated non stop with messages from everyone in the office until he''d finally gotten tired of it all and turned the damn thing off. Of course, that hadn''t stopped anyone and all the messages had been there waiting for him this morning. To make matters worse, the messages had encouraged KO in his teasing. From the moment Hao Mei had dragged himself up the stairs and into the office, KO had been not-so-subtly pushing his agenda. Everyone in the office thought it was a great joke and their teasing and ribbing kept egging KO on. When he turned his computer on and discovered that his password had been changed; "Marry me." (One word, no capitals and he noted that there was no question mark at the end- arrogant bastard.) When he asked KO to send him the updated patch so he could adjust the coding; "Say "yes" first." When he got up to get a drink and asked the rest of the programming team if anyone needed anything; "a marriage licence." He slumped forward in his seat, hiding his face in folded arms. Diagonally opposite him, KO lounged back in his computer chair, barely restrained humour making his eyes dance despite the lack of expression on his face. Around Mei, hemming him in from all sides, were Yu Ban Shan, Qui Yong Hou, Wang Wei, and Li Qiang... all pestering him about when he was going to take responsibility and set a date!!!! The ding from the elevator was like a life line and Mei bolted towards the doors- Laosan and Saosan would save him! "Laosan, you''re finally here! As soon as he got here, KO started harassing me!" Bei Wei Wei''s eyes sparkled. "How is he harassing you?" She cleared her threat and tried again, lowering her voice so she didn''t sound quite as excited. "Hao Mei, how is he harassing you? Tell us all the details. Don''t leave anything out." Xiao Nai pinched her side and she flinched slightly, gave him a dirty look and then continued. "We''ll definitely uphold justice for you." The by-play hadn''t gone unnoticed by Mei but he wasn''t going to say anything when he finally had someone on his side. "He insists that I log on to that old game and pair up with him." "How can he do that? That''s absurd." Wei Wei shook her head at KO''s actions but laughter was starting to creep back in to her voice. "Exactly." Mei just knew that Saosan would support him. "He said that he was ridiculed before so he insists that I make up for it." He could help pouting at the injustice of his situation. All he could complain about to everyone was KO''s insistence on marrying him in the game- he couldn''t fully explain that he''d initially thought it was a real proposal, or that KO was enforcing a celibate life until he agreed. All he could do was grumble about the game... so he did. "So many people have come and gone from the game- what''s the point of doing that now?" Wei Wei abruptly changed her tune. "KO is right too. You were the one who toyed with his feelings back then. You have to take responsibility for it." Mei gaped. What just happened? He turned to Xiao Nai. "Laosan, you have to stand up for me!" "This is good." Rather than acting outraged on Hao Mei''s behalf (if he was honest, he didn''t actually expect outrage from Xiao Nai but at least a token amount of shock would have been nice) Xiao Nai smiled and nodded his head. "I was worried that I wouldn''t be able to keep KO here after a year. Now I don''t have to worry anymore." The traitorous couple exchanged smiles while Mei stared at them both in horror. What was this? A conspiracy with laosan at the helm? "Laosan, you''re so heartless. You want to marry me off?" "I''ll give you a bonus." "I''ll sell myself for 1000 yuan." Mei threw the figure out there- it was the extra he needed to buy the leather jacket he wanted, so it was worth a try. To his surprise, Xiao Nai nodded. "Yes!" He celebrated for a moment before realising that he''d just inadvertently agreed to marry KO in the game. Admitting defeat, he ran to lean against KO''s desk. "KO, let''s pair up later. I''ll treat you to dinner tonight." Wang Wei shook his finger at the fickle Mei. "Hao Mei, you have no integrity at all." Mei shooed him off. "Get back to work." As the others wandered off to their own desks, he looked down at KO. "Okay? Happy now?" "1000 yuan?" "What?" "You had to be paid to marry me in a game?" "Call it lao po ben." Mei scowled at the other man who was currently refusing to make eye contact. "And yes. I had to be paid to marry you in a game." (A/N: lao po ben = the amount of money a man needs to be able to marry.) "Then I don''t..." KO''s response was lost as You Ban Shan called out to Mei. "Sissy Mei, I want to be treated to dinner too. If you really can''t afford it, you can just give me wedding candy." "Go away." Mei folded his arms and glared at his eldest brother. He loved the guy, but right now he wished he could take a page from laosan''s playbook and tie Ban Shan to a pillar so he could stab him a thousand times with a blunt knife. "We''ll have a programming team meeting later." Xiao Nai''s announcement distracted Ban Shan, who soon turned his attention to teasing Wei Wei, leaving Hao Mei and KO alone. In silence. A silence that continued throughout the programming meeting. Hao Mei was his usual, chatty self but he didn''t make an effort to draw KO in to the discussion and KO simply reverted back to his best impression of a terracotta warrior. When the meeting finished, Xiao Nai called Mei in to his office. "What''s going on?" "What?" Mei feigned a deep interest in the cactus blooming on Xiao Nai''s desk. "You and KO. What happened?" "Nothing." "Nothing?" Xiao Nai pushed Mei onto the couch, leaving him to sit and think while he grabbed them a drink of tea. "Nothing looks an awful lot like something." "It''s nothing. Stupid. Nothing." Mei took the cup and smiled when he noticed that Xiao Nai had given him the cup with the Y Xiao Nai He avatar, keeping the red clad jia for himself. Not even willing to share her in cup form? He hid his smile behind a sip of tea. "Stupid, huh?" Xiao Nai sat in silence next to Hao Mei for a moment. Just as Mei was about to start fidgeting, he spoke up again. "The in-game marriage." "What about it?" "What did he do?" "What? Nothing." Mei looked in to his tea as if he could sink into it and avoid laosan''s eagle eyes. "He did something. Otherwise the two of you would have come in this morning joking about taking yesterday off to elope." Xiao Nai put a hand on Mei''s shoulder. "So, what happened? Why were you balking?" Mei sighed. "Marry me..." "Huh?" "That''s what he said. "Marry me..." then just looked at me until I started to think he meant it. But he didn''t." He leaned his head back on the couch and closed his eyes. Damn it was embarrassing to be saying this to laosan, but at the same time he was relieved he had someone to talk to about it. "What were you both doing when he asked?" Xiao Nai rubbed the back of his neck. "Huh? Nothing." "Nothing?" Xiao Nai smiled wryly. "Okay, you don''t have to tell me... but I want you to look at me like you were looking at KO when he said it." Mei squirmed. "Come on. Just pretend." "Fine. Hang on." Eyes closed, he tried to remember exactly how he was feeling at that time and let it show on his face. For once, his modelling experience came in handy. When he opened his eyes and looked at Xiao Nai, it wasn''t his laosan he saw, but KO. "Mei..." Rubbing a hand over his face, Xiao Nai sighed and shook his head. "No wonder..." "No wonder what?" Rather than explain further, Xiao Nai simply patted him on the shoulder. "I think it''s safe to say- when you looked at him like that... anything he said was what he really meant." "Huh?" "He was clumsy, and obviously didn''t handle it well... but Mei, if Wei Wei looked at me the way you looked at KO... I''d have our wedding date set already." Collecting the cups, he put them on the bench before heading back to his desk. "Think about it, Mei... but make sure he asks you properly next time. You deserve that, at least." Feeling slightly bemused and thinking he''d been taken by surprise, Mei nodded acquiescence and headed back to his own desk and the work piling up. How had Xiao Nai understood so clearly when he hadn''t even explained properly? It wasn''t that he objected to pairing up in the game... it was that for the brief moment he''d thought KO had truly proposed, he''d been willing to throw caution to the wind and jump off whatever cliff they were teetering on. Crashing back to reality had been painful and refusing to pair up in the game had become the only way he could express his frustration. He sighed and opened the program on his computer. There was a lot of work to do before he could head home- he had to make up for yesterday''s disappearance. Opposite him, KO watched Mei''s thoughts flicker across his face. He was just about to approach the younger man when a message scrolled across his screen. Laoda: KO: Laoda: <"Marry me....?"> KO: Laoda: <"... in the game..."> KO: He sank his head on to his hands. All of a sudden, Mei''s reaction made sense. He hadn''t been able to understand why his cheery, good humoured Mei had been so stubborn about rejecting him... but the inflection that Xiao Nai had given the pause... it was starting to make sense. Laoda: KO: He looked up, making eye contact with the man through the glass windows of his office. Both nodded at each other in complete agreement. The situation needed fixing. Grabbing his phone, KO quickly sent Mei a text. Text message to: E-Mei Text message from: E-Mei Text message to: E-Mei A throat cleared and KO looked up, making eye contact with Mei. The younger man nodded abruptly before turning his attention back to his computer. KO sighed. Looked like it was going to take a bit to get back in to Hao Mei''s good graces... he better take him somewhere good for dinner. 35 Chapter 35- The Talk. Take 3. To KO''s surprise, Mei didn''t choose a restaurant for their dinner. Instead, once work was finished for the day, he dragged him to several road side stalls. Without talking to KO, he loaded the man up with sweet potatoes, egg waffles, fried squid, and dumplings, and then led the way back to his hotel. The thunderclouds on Mei''s face made KO decide silence was the better part of valour, and he didn''t complain as he followed blindly along. Even when he was laying the food out on the coffee table while Mei raised the bar fridge for something to drink, KO kept silent. He knew Mei would eventually crack, and he was good at silence. He was right. A third of the way through their dinner, Mei did finally speak up... it just, wasn''t what KO was expecting. Rather than address his irritation over the in-game marriage, Mei jumped to something else. "You knew I was E-Mei before yesterday... when? How? And why didn''t you let me know?" He waved a squid skewer around as he spoke, punctuating his words with fried seafood. "Uh..." KO looked down, concentrating on peeling a sweet potato. He wasn''t sure what Hao Mei wanted to know so said nothing. Mei scowled at him from across the table. "Don''t think that the stoic and silent act will get you out of this. I''ve heard you talk like a normal human being... I know you can do it." "Uh..." inexplicably tongue tied, KO offered Mei the peeled sweet potato. The man took it with an adorable pout. "Fine. Maintain radio silence while we eat. But don''t forget... I know how to get you talking...." The rest of the meal was finished in silence. Normally reticent himself, KO found it difficult to sit still while he ate, shifting on the lounge and scratching his head or his knee or an elbow... even for KO, the silence felt oppressive; the air heavy with nervous anticipation. After Laoda''s heads up this afternoon, KO thought he knew why Mei was angry but he was at a loss as to how to fix the situation. Finally, he could draw it out no longer, packing the containers into a plastic garbage bag and wiping the table down while Mei disappeared into the bed room. When the man came back out, he was carrying a basket of clean washing ready to be folded. "Sit," he looked from KO to the couch and the hacker took the hint. "Because you only seem to get chatty during sex, or talking about sex... We''re going to play a game..." Mei dumped the basket of clothes on the floor and sat himself down next to it, opposite KO who was glued to the couch in confusion. "I''m going to ask a question. Your answer determines what I do next." KO nodded to show that he was following along. "Answer quickly, truthfully, and with a response I like... and I take a piece of clothing off." KO''s eyebrow rose. This was not what he''d been expecting but so far he thought he might like this game. Mei wasn''t finished explaining the rules though. "Hesitate, and I''m going to assume you''re trying to work out what I want to hear. And I''ll put something else on." And.... there was the catch. "Tell me something I don''t like, and I''ll put something on. Tell me a lie, and I''ll put something on." Mei rattled the washing basket. "If I empty this basket... we''re done." "Then what?" "No. Not done for the game. Done. Completely." A clear coldness settled on Mei''s face and KO felt his heart clench. All of a sudden, he really didn''t want to play this game... he sighed. All Mei was really asking for was honesty, and he''d only resorted to these measures because he''d been too chickenshit to speak openly. KO nodded. "Let''s play." 36 Chapter 36- Donst Talk With Your Mouth Full "We''re going to play a game..." Mei dumped the basket of clothes on the floor and sat himself down next to it, opposite KO who was glued to the couch in confusion. "I''m going to ask a question. Your answer determines what I do next." KO nodded to show that he was following along. "Answer quickly, truthfully, and with a response I like... and I take a piece of clothing off." KO''s eyebrow rose. This was not what he''d been expecting but so far he thought he might like this game. Mei wasn''t finished explaining the rules though. "Hesitate, and I''m going to assume you''re trying to work out what I want to hear. And I''ll put something else on." And.... there was the catch. "Tell me something I don''t like, and I''ll put something on. Tell me a lie, and I''ll put something on." Mei rattled the washing basket. "If I empty this basket... we''re done." "Then what?" "No. Not done for the game. Done. Completely." A clear coldness settled on Mei''s face and KO felt his heart clench. All of a sudden, he really didn''t want to play this game... he sighed. All Mei was really asking for was honesty, and he''d only resorted to these measures because he''d been too chickenshit to speak openly. KO nodded. "Let''s play." "Start from the beginning: How long have you known I was E-Mei?" "Umm..." As KO fumbled with the very first question, Mei reached in to the basket and grabbed a shirt. "Fuck. Slow down, Mei. It''s not that simple an answer." He rubbed his forehead. "How about I tell you in stages, you decide what each stage is worth?" Pausing while doing the shirt up, Mei thought about it for a moment before his hands fell away from the buttons. "Okay. But the shirt stays on for not doing this from the get go." "Fair trade," KO took a deep breath, then held up one finger. "First- did I know E-Mei was a man? No. I suspected- there were things you would say that made it seem like you were male- but like you said, we both left the question of gender unasked." Mei unbuttoned the shirt he''d just done up. "Aren''t you taking it off?" "It doesn''t sound like you were finished." "Shit. Okay. I knew E-Mei was in Beijing and you''d let slip about being at Qing University. So I took the cafeteria job." "Why?" "To meet you. That day we arranged to talk, if we got along well then I was going to suggest meeting at the cafeteria before my next shift." "But I never spoke to you." "No... but you disappeared as soon as you heard my voice. That confirmed it for me- E-Mei was a renyao." Mei slowly took off the shirt. "So you knew you were talking to a guy?" He wanted to ask were you attracted to the renyao or to me? But he wasn''t sure he wanted to hear the answer. Dealing with his own shift in sexuality was confusing enough... he didn''t want to add his partner''s confusion to the mix. "I didn''t know for certain. I just knew that the first person I''d been interested in, enough to find myself in the start of an online relationship, was a gamer going by the name of E-Mei. To be honest," KO cleared his throat. "It was a relief to find that I could still be interested in someone. I''d never had a relationship like this before. And I''d started to think there was something wrong with me." "What?" Mei stared at him, wide-eyed. "Never?" "Never." KO held his hand up. "Those are questions for another day. So..." he looked pointedly at the work shirt Mei had started the ''game'' in. Mei smiled and slid it off his shoulders. "Then?" "Then..." another deep breath. He closed his eyes so he couldn''t see Mei''s face. "Then I met you in the cafeteria." "And you knew I was E-Mei." The disappointment in Mei''s voice was clear. "No!" KO hurried to correct his misunderstanding. "I didn''t. I looked up one day and someone was standing in front of me with a smile that made my heart stop and when I got home that night I realised that I didn''t remember a thing from the afternoon except that smile." He was rewarded with the same smile, and the removal of both socks. "I started looking for you at lunchtime but couldn''t even say hello." He shrugged. "I thought that was because I was feeling guilty- I''d never stopped wondering if maybe, one day, I''d overhear someone calling E-Mei in conversation. So it was confusing to be attracted to someone while being interested in someone else." That surprised a laugh from Mei. "Well, that''s honesty." He pulled his undershirt over his head and KO''s breath caught in his throat. "Earth to KO?" "Huh?" "I asked, when did you find out E-Mei was me?" "Ah..." he rubbed the back of his neck but when Mei reached for the undershirt the words tumbled from his mouth. "The night you all came to the restaurant celebrating Laoda finding Bei Wei Wei. Somehow, you got my number and I had yours and when you got drunk I heard you telling Xiao Nai that he was lucky Wei Wei wasn''t a renyao like E-Mei because you would have turned him down." A blushing Mei buried his face in his hands. "I didn''t." "You did!" KO laughed at the memory. "You have no idea how relieved I was... the person I was interested in, and the person I was attracted to, were one and the same!" "That does make it easier." Still refusing to look up and his ears tinged pink, Mei pulled his belt free. KO looked at it contemplatively. "What do we do if you end up naked but still have questions you want to ask?" The pink of his ears darkened. "Wait and see." They sat in silence for a moment, each thinking about what had already been disclosed. It was Mei who spoke up next. "We were friends very quickly, but you never asked me about my gamer tag. What if it wasn''t me?" KO shifted uncomfortable on the couch. "You checked?" He bit his lip and looked away. Movement from the corner of his eye caught his attention and he jerked his head back around to see Mei putting the undershirt back on. "Maybe if I reword it, you''ll answer. Otherwise I''m putting the belt and the shirt back on... When and how did you confirm that I was E-Mei?" KO sighed. "I set an alert to your account in the game and had the trace already set up to go. When you signed in it was easy to follow you back to your computer and access the webcam. All I had to do was wait for you to sign back in. Which you eventually did." Mei thought back to the last time he''d logged in to the account... and the timely text message he''d received. The undershirt stayed on, but KO counted himself lucky that nothing new had been added. "So you''ve known since then... and never said anything..." "Because I had you. And getting to know you in person, was so much more than getting to know E-Mei." Mei smiled and rose up to kneel between KO''s knees. "That deserves a kiss." He pressed his lips against KO''s, eyes starting in to the other man''s; a soft touch of mouth to mouth that should have been a mere peck but was enough to have them both leaning toward each other even more. Mei pulled away, lingering for a moment with his lips just above KO''s, their breath mingling. "Once you''d hacked my computer the first time... how many times did you access my webcam?" KO''s eyes widened and he pulled completely away from Mei. "What?" He rose from the couch, stepping past Mei and pacing across the lounge room. "What kind of a man do you take me for?" "You''d already hacked my laptop once... why not assume you''d done it again?" "I only did it to find you! Once I knew where you were, there was no need to do it again!" KO''s voice rose and he clenched his fists. "It was bad enough doing it that one time, but I thought it was worth invading your privacy to make certain. If I wanted to see you after that, all I had to do was text." Mei froze. He''d never seen KO angry before and he definitely hadn''t meant to hurt him. He''d been so caught up in his own confusion that he hadn''t thought about what his question would mean to KO. And it was true... now he knew when KO had found out, he could also see that it was when the regular text messages had started- initiated by KO more frequently than himself. "I''m sorry." Mei stood and quickly stripped the undershirt off once more. He stood in front of KO and slowly placed his hands on the other man''s arms. He could feel the tension in them as KO vibrated with anger tinged with hurt. "That was cruel of me. I didn''t think about what I was saying." His hands moved from KO''s arms to his waist, fingers splaying along his side. "I''m sorry." Closing his eyes, KO took a deep breath then leaned his forehead against Mei''s. "Apology accepted... if you get rid of the pants as well." Mei grinned and unzipped the fly of his slacks. "You drive a hard bargain." The slacks hit the floor and KO froze, gaping. "Were you like that all day?" "Hmm." A naked Mei ran his hands up KO''s chest. "I haven''t been back to my apartment to get the rest of my clothes and started running low on supplies." KO ran his hands down Mei''s back, sliding them over his arse and cupping it gently. "You have more questions?" "Umm..." Mei bit his lip as KO''s fingers kneaded his cheeks, rubbing his naked groin against the older man''s jeans. "The hacking competition..." KO smiled when he ran his fingers up Mei''s spine and the younger man curved in to his touch, eyes fluttering closed. "That wasn''t a question." "What wasn''t?" "The hacking competition...." Both hands on Mei''s arse, he rolled his hips forward slightly and smiled as the other man caught his breath. "The hacking competition... you let Xiao Nai win, didn''t you?" "Yes." "W-w-why?" "I wanted to be by your side." He dipped his head and nibbled at Mei''s ear. "I wanted to see you every day." His lips moved from the ear, down his neck to the sensitive spot where neck and shoulder met. Teeth lightly grazed the skin and Mei shuddered in his arms. "And I wanted you to see me." He bit Mei''s neck, concentrating more on leaving a badge of ownership, than on the conversation. "I-i-i-diot..." Mei groaned as KO''s teeth on his neck sent a pulse straight to his cock. "I already saw you. Every time I had a rough day- at school or at work- I headed straight to the restaurant. When I was stressed or needed company, you were the only one I thought of." Mei opened his eyes, pulling back to cup KO''s face with trembling hands. "It''s been you for months, KO. Even before I realised it myself." Their kiss was a slow tangle of tongues, drowning in sensation and arms holding each other tightly. KO was breathing hard when they separated. "Any other questions?" Fingers clumsy with desire, Mei shook his head as he fumbled with the button of KO''s jeans. "Only one more..." He finally flicked the button open and pulled the zip down as he sank to his knees in front of KO. As Mei''s fingers slid inside the jeans and curled around the warm length, KO''s breath hitched. "What... what question?" Mei mouthed at the cloth revealed through the open fly, tonguing KO as he looked up his body. "Be with me?" "Huh?" His fingers burrowed in to Mei''s hair and he tried desperately not to roll his hips against Mei''s mouth. "What do you mean? Aren''t we...?" "We kind of just... happened." As he spoke, Mei tugged at KO''s underwear until he could finally reach what he was after. He licked the tip and grinned when KO''s fingers convulsed in his hair. "We never established us... and maybe that would help. So... be with me?" KO opened his eyes, groaning as he took in the sight of a naked Mei kneeling at his feet with his tongue tracing up and down the side of his cock. There was something in the visual- being fully dressed while his naked partner laved at him with his tongue- that turned him on even further. "What was it you told me? Acqui-fuck-acquiescence a-acquired via coercion... fuck, Mei..." His hips rolled as Mei slid his open mouth down his length, nose bumping against the hair crinkled above his groin. A hot tongue rolled against him, pressing him further down Mei''s throat. "Yes." Mei hummed his pleasure at KO''s agreement and bobbed his head up and down. His balance was shaky so he held on to KO''s thighs and could feel them tremble as the man- his man- reacted to every suck and swallow of his mouth. Concentrating completely on his partner, Mei lost himself in the experience. Bobbing his head, quick and shallow, made KO pant. Running his tongue along the head and flicking it at the hole in the tip made KO groan. Following that with swallowing him as far down as he could, feeling him bump against the back of his throats and trying to relax against the reflexive gag, made KO''s hips jerk and his fingers clench in his hair. Wrapping his thumb and middle finger around the base, squeezing gently as he sucked down KO''s cock, made him swear. He groaned around the length in his mouth and felt KO''s thighs tremble under his hands. "Mei... fuck... don''t..." The fingers in Mei''s hair tried to pull him off but he growled, making KO''s eyes roll back as the sound vibrated against his length. With a shout, KO spilled himself down Mei''s throat. It was reflex for Mei to swallow and KO''s knees buckled, held upright by Mei''s hands on his thighs. Mei kept him in his mouth until he stopped cumming, finally releasing him; clean and replete. He smiled up at the man, unconsciously biting his lower lip. "Good answer." With a barked laugh, KO pulled Mei upright, wrapping his arms around the still naked man. "You had my dick in your mouth... what else was I going to say?" Mei shrugged. "Ask me again?" "Be with me?" With a finger underneath his chin, KO gently tilted Mei''s face up. "Yes." Their eyes fluttered shut as their lips met- softly, gently. KO''s hands roamed over Mei''s bare back, while Mei tucked his hands into KO''s back pockets. It was hours- or maybe only minutes- later that KO pulled away from Mei. "We need a shower." "Saving water?" "Mandarin duck bath." Mei smiled. "Yes." 37 Chapter 37- Three Matchmakers and Six Proofs The newly established couple walked in to work, together, the next morning. Mei was yawning and rubbing the back of his neck when he froze, left speechless by the sight in front of him. He blinked. Maybe lack of sleep was causing hallucinations? Or maybe, as his father always used to warn him (or was it threaten?) and too much wan lao er had sent him mad. (A/N: wan lao er = "playing with little brother" or masturbation. Lao er = "little brother" or penis. 38 Chapter 38- No One puts Beauty in a Corner Once Hao Mei grudgingly agreed to don the silk robes, a mischievous imp settled on his shoulder. If he was being forced to do this, then he''d damn well do it on his own terms. KO was sent out of the office to beg for cosplay supplies from the Art Department and, with the bird well and truly set among the pigeons, Mei thanked the gods for his years of modelling experience. He''d paid attention to the stylists and had once planned to put the skills he''d learned to use cosplaying as his Dreams of Jiangshu avatar. Never mind... they could be used now to pull the reins out of Ban Shan''s hands. By the time KO returned with arms loaded high with art supplies, Mei had rung Bei Wei Wei: her help in the matter, he''d informed her, would take the place of her red packet. When she would have continued to demur, he''d resorted to emotional blackmail; "When did Old Man You concoct this idea?" "Ah..." "Tell me that he didn''t have the idea incubating before returning to the office yesterday. Tell me that you didn''t know what he was planning before anyone else... and you''re off the hook. Completely." "Ah..." "You owe me." "Okay, okay. I''ll help." In the background, Mei could hear Xiao Nai''s chuckle. "Laosan sounds like he has been injected with chicken blood. Tell him he owes me a red packet. A big one." He hung up as Wei Wei started to splutter. He didn''t have time to properly curse his brothers... Ban Shan wasn''t the only one who could whisper in the dark of the moon. His eldest brother wasn''t going to know what hit him. First on Mei''s "to-do" list, was KO. (A/N: get your minds out of the gutter. Bunch of perverts.) Logging in to his Galaxy Dreams account, Mei used the image of KO''s avatar to guide his work until he had done a passable job at turning KO into a delicate featured Blossom Archer. When Wei Wei arrived, he set her to work fixing the wig that Ban Shan had so "thoughtfully" provided. He also made a mental note to watch his sarcasm- there was no need to completely stoop to Ban Shan''s level. Wei Wei had been transfixed at the change in KO, staring at the hacker for a long minute before Mei grew impatient and pushed the wig into her face. It wasn''t that the hairstyle looked elaborate- it was that Mei had a tendency to create knots if he so much as looked at long hair. It was up to Wei Wei to set the wig, brush the hair out, and then style it as if the dead straight yet completely out of the eyes locks were a natural occurrence. While Wei Wei worked on KO''s hair, Mei worked on his own transformation. As he flicked his eyes from the computer screen, on which his Heavenly Healer avatar was smiling at him, to the small mirror he''d found in the bottom of the art supplies box, Mei continued to grumble. He couldn''t help wondering why they "just happened" to have a recreation of an avatar''s costume when it wasn''t from a game the company was designing. Wei Wei helped him with the wig and her eyes grew round. "Eh?" "Mr Beau... no... E-Mei..." "Don''t say it." "If a photo of you had been submitted, I wouldn''t have been the department beauty. You''d have boys from all departments lining up to ask for a date... or a dirty pair of socks." She shuddered and shook her head at Mei''s incredulous look. "Don''t ask. Surely you already know that beauty can be hazardous?" "Cold. Laosan has been a bad influence on you." Wei Wei giggled then blushed as Mei picked up the Heavenly Healer robes. "You''ll need help putting those on. Shall I get KO?" "No. Get your husband. Call it practice for your day." Blushing, but unable to refute the truth in Mei''s words, Wei Wei left the office. Xiao Nai entered soon after. "Ban Shan is about to send out a search and rescue party.... oh." Xiao Nai opened the door and stuck his head back out. "Calm down Old Man You, the carp is leaping through the dragon gate." (A/N: to make a significant advancement after much effort: to undergo a great transformation. I think I''m enjoying learning and experimenting with idioms a bit too much than is good for me. 39 Chapter 39- Orchids, Lillies and Chrysanthemums The ceremony probably would have been sweet, had anyone other than Ban Shan officiated. As it was, not only did he insist on going off script (the Art Department had printed out transcripts of the ceremony in the game and were trying to video the event so they could work on timing and atmosphere- Ban Shan''s adlibbing kept throwing their timing off) but it seemed as though he and Qui Yong Hou had a running competition for most amount of bad jokes in a short amount of time. KO looked at Mei, who nodded. With steely determination they advanced on a grinning Ban Shan, who only realised what they had planned when it was too late. After a brief scuffle, the ceremony continued with a slight change- the official was bound and gagged while A Shuang was unwillingly dragged into the mix, standing behind Ban Shan and reading the script like a ventriloquist with a human puppet. When the ceremony concluded and the in-game script called for an exchange of gifts, Ban Shan finally succeed in spitting out the gag. "You may now kiss the bride!" Whatever he was going to say next was drowned out with a chorus of "Yeas" and "Kiss E-Mei"... Mei eyed them all. "Don''t let the dress fool you- I''m still all man." Jeers and catcalls echoed off the office walls. He scowled at his peers: so rowdy and no one had been drinking! "Okay, okay," he leaned towards KO but a shout made the pair freeze. "No!" Wei Wei rushed forward. "Not like that- do it like it''s a wedding photo shoot. Look, Wang Wei will take the photos but he''s only so talented- he can''t make a weed look like a flower." When Mei and KO (and every other male in the room) simply looked at her blankly, she pulled Xiao Nai into the spotlight. When she stepped into him, his arms automatically wrapped around her waist and his hands rested at the small of her back. She leaned into him before arching her back, creating a graceful line, while looking in to her lover''s eyes. When Xiao Nai lowered his head her eyes widened and she froze. With a small smile, he kissed the tip of her nose and only Mei and KO were close enough to hear him murmur "if only you were this bold without the audience." Mei coughed and KO smoothed his face as best he could. "Okay?" "Let''s just do it. Then they can feed us and we go home." "Work?" "Look at these monkeys- Do any of them look like they''re getting any work done at all today?" KO looked at their laughing, jeering, teasing peers and decided that his E-Mei had a point. An extremely valid one. "Kiss the bride! Kiss the bride! Kiss the bride!" It wasn''t clear who started the chant, but Mei was going to kill Ban Shan for it anyway. With a sigh, he swept the robes back and stepped up to KO. As with the costume, they may as well call the shots as best they could. The groom''s arms went around the bride''s waist, fingers splayed over silk clad hips. The bride leaned towards the groom, thigh to thigh, then arching back to lock eyes. A camera flash went unheeded by the pair as they stared at each other for a moment. With a sharp tug, the groom pulled the bride off balance, one hand heavy at the small of the bride''s back while the other gently stroked the smooth cheek, traced the jawline then tipped the delicate face up to meet his kiss. The bride''s arms lifted to wind around the groom''s neck, pressing their bodies tightly together. The kiss went for forever and not long enough and when they pulled away there was a moment of silence before applause and whistling broke out. "They did it!" "Woohoo!" "Go E-Mei. Go KO!" With a secret smile, the groom leaned forward to whisper in his bride''s ear... "You''re mine now." The bride pushed the groom away. "Shit. Who''s whose? You''re mine." A traditional Chinese wedding banquet comprises of nine courses and Qui Yong Hou, in charge of the food, had done his best to accomodate that. Not long after the mock ceremony had concluded, a parade of deliveries began. As each arrived, people eagerly helped spread the options out on the makeshift banquet table. It was impossible to cater for nine courses at such short notice, so Yong Hou had compromised; ordering meals from nine different restaurants in the area. Any other day, Mei would have been happy to get stuck in to the food on offer, but there was something niggling at him, distracting him from eating. He side-eyed the man sitting next to him. "How much did you know?" "Not everything." "What? What do you mean, ''not everything?'' How much did you know?" "You should have at least answered Laoda''s call last night." "Well you obviously did- why didn''t you say something?" Lips twitching, KO put his arm over Mei''s shoulders, pulling him close to murmur in his ear. "I told you: you''re mine now... including your virtue." "Shut up." Tingles ran down his spine, and Mei blamed the breath on his ear rather than the whispered words. His hands clenched in his lap and he stared down at them until he thought his face was no longer going up in flames. Chopsticks appeared in his line of sight: the dumpling a peace offering that Mei almost accepted. His blush returned and he shook his head. "Angry?" "No..." Mei took a deep breath for courage then transferred himself on to KO''s lap. As catcalls broke out, he wound his arms around the groom''s neck and leaned in close. "I''ll eat when my virtue isn''t a concern anymore." KO''s eyes widened in almost comical shock. Sitting in his lap, Mei felt the first stirrings of his reaction as his body finally caught up with what Mei had said. "We can leave now." "No." Mei wriggled on KO''s lap. "It would be rude to leave this early. Think of our guests, dear." His words dripped poisoned honey. "Angry." "You should have told me." "You would have tried to get out of it." "Idiot." Mei shuffled on KO''s lap until his legs were no longer to the one side, sitting on the man''s lap as if he were sitting on a chair. Leaning forward, he made a show of reaching for his drink. Behind him, KO sucked in a breath as Mei''s butt pushed against his groin. Satisfied that his plan was effective, Mei smiled behind his cup of water. "If you''d told me that Ban Shan was planning a farce of a wedding, then yes, I''d have tried to get out of it. However, if you''d even hinted at your feelings about it, then I''d have gone along with it simply because you wanted to. But you didn''t even try to tell me." "But... Mei... when I asked..." "Because of how you asked, you idiot man." Mei stared down at his hands, once more clenched in his lap. He hadn''t realised just how much it hurt that KO hadn''t trusted him enough to tell him what he''d been thinking in time for Mei to have agreed to it all of his own accord. "It sounded like you meant it and then you tagged on ''in the game''. That''s why I was cranky about it." With a gentle hand under Mei''s chin, KO turned his face and claimed those pouting lips with his own. Mei tried to push away, not quite willingly to give up his mood so easily, but KO''s fingers on his chin held him in place until the older man chose to release him. Caught in their own little bubble, neither noticed the silence that had descended on the room. Even though they''d kissed before, it had been staged and rowdily encouraged by the men now staring at them from around the ''banquet'' table. The kiss just witnessed was natural, a spontaneous gesture, and couldn''t have made their relationship clearer than if Ban Shan had organised a billboard to advertise the fact. "Don''t try and kiss your way out of it." Mei scowled at KO. "You should have said." "You didn''t ask." "I didn''t know there was something I needed to ask, did I? The thing about communication? It has to go both ways... sometimes you need to volunteer information that I might need because I can''t get naked every time I want you to start talking!" Mei''s voice rose until he was almost shouting. This time, they noticed the silence. Wide eyed, Mei stared at KO''s face as the man looked past him, taking in the shocked grins of their co-workers. "I said that too loud, didn''t I?" Whispering, he buried his face in KO''s shoulder, planning on never looking at his peers again. "I''d say you said it at just the right volume." Ban Shan''s cheery voice made Mei groan and wish for a deep hole to hide himself in. "Care to explain, E-Mei?" With his face still hidden, Mei shook his head and didn''t see the glare that KO directed at his eldest brother. He muffled a squeak when KO stood, Mei cradled in his arms. The men watched in silence as Xiao Nai tossed his car keys onto Mei''s lap and gave KO a meaningful look. The pair had almost made it out the door when Qui Hong You ran up to them with the bouquet of lilies and orchids that had graced the table. "Take these with you." Mei looked up just enough to accept the flowers and with perfect timing Hong You made eye contact as he said; "Don''t forget to add the chrysanthemums when you get home." It took a moment for his meaning to sink in, and when it did Mei whacked the grinning Monkey in the face with the bouquet. Add the chrysanthemums... did no one in their office have any class? The jeers that followed them into the elevator were a clear indication; no. No class. Anywhere. 40 Chapter 40- The Wedding Nigh Mei blinked at his lover... husband? Why was it that he''d only just gotten his head around them as a couple and now they''d just married? And why the hell did he feel as if it was real, rather than the grand joke that Yu Ban Shan had planned? His head felt fuzzy, and while part of it was due to the speed with which their relationship had progressed, the larger part was due to the bottle of champagne Xiao Nai had left in his car for them- further evidence that laosan and KO had colluded behind his back but with a good third of the bottle in him he couldn''t really muster any more outrage. The trip back to his suite had never felt longer, yet somehow, lying on his bed with fantasies about to become reality, it didn''t seem to have taken very long at all. While he''d been thinking- a process hampered by the alcohol- KO had stripped off his costume and wig, dumping them on the floor at the foot of the bed. Steam billowed from the open ensuite where he''d already turned the shower on, letting the water heat up. Without the wig and robes, the cosplay make up looked slightly incongruous and Mei giggled. Giggled? How strong was that champagne? KO sighed as he looked at the slightly inebriated man lying on the bed with his hands over his mouth. As delicate as the wig and makeup had made him appear, there was, to KO''s mind, still no denying Mei''s masculinity. But drunk giggling? Not part of KO''s plan for the night. He wanted his Mei completely sober and of sound mind for what he had planned. First, a shower. Which actually, when he thought about it, meant first he needed to get his lover naked. It was a hard job but someone had to do it. (A/N: oh, I bet it is. 41 Chapter 41- With Roses, Come Thorns The smell of steamed buns and fresh porridge tickled Mei awake. Eyes closed and following his nose, he rolled over and abruptly froze. "Ouch." He hurt. Flopping face first into the pillow, he muffled his groan. No one said it would hurt this much! As much as he would have been capable of wallowing in bed, grumbling all day, the tantalising smell of breakfast had woken his stomach which was now grumbling louder than Mei could himself. He shuffled sideways on the bed and let his legs fall to the floor- it was easier to push himself upright when he was already half way there. Hobbling like an old man, he made it to the ensuite and let the hot water pound into his aching shoulders. "Shit..." Steam filled the bathroom and Mei slowly felt the aches in his shoulders and back ease, as if the hot water was washing them down the drain. He''d expected pain in a very specific region, and to his surprise while it definitely felt... well... exercised... there wasn''t the anticipated pain. What neither Will or Tom had thought to warn him about though, was how sore his whole body would feel. It was worse than a gym session after taking time off; his muscles were complaining to the point of threatening to go on strike and he wasn''t all that sure about sitting in a computer chair all day. Rather than think about it too much, he stuck his head under the stream of hot water. Maybe he could just stay in the shower all day? Or at least until the water ran cold? His stomach rumbled loudly, vetoing that idea. Food. He needed food. And why did he feel as if he hadn''t eaten for days? Memory slowly dawned on him and he quickly blamed the hot water for the heat rising in his face. He hadn''t eaten much at the "wedding banquet" and then they''d been distracted when they got home and... he covered his face with hands. How could I be so shameless???? He remembered KO getting up at some point to feed them but he''d been so distracted by the shirtless man, with sweatpants hanging low- so deliciously low- that he''d dragged him back to bed and the food had been forgotten. Again. Small wonder his body felt like he''d gone a few rounds in a cage fight... His stomach rumbled and admitted defeat, turning the shower off and wandering out to the lounge area with a towel slung around his hips and using another to dry his hair. The hotel suite was conspicuously empty, but two covered bowls on the table called Mei over. A note was taped to the top of one of the bowls and he pulled it off, reading it as he helped himself to one of the steamed buns inside the bowl. <> Mei choked on the bun. A love heart? Was the man trying to kill him? Chimes sounded from his phone, distracting him from trying to decide if signing off with a heart made it a love letter or not. Text from: Laosan [Your red packet arrived. Meet you at your old place in 30 minutes.] A quick glance at the time sent Mei rushing to throw clothes on- forcing him to move quickly despite his aching body. With a steamed bun in each hand, he ate on the run even as his stomach churned and nausea threatened to return every bite. Xiao Nai was waiting for him in the foyer of his old apartment building. Several tall, burly men in uniforms were talking amongst themselves while the security guard eyed them nervously. When he saw Hao Mei rush in, relief lightened his face and he hurried over, wiping sweaty hands on his navy pants. "Hao Mei, you''re here, Sir. These men... they say they were waiting for you?" Mei nodded. "Yes, yes. No need to worry." The security guard leaned closer to Mei and his voice dropped to a whisper. "They say they are here for your furniture. You''re not in any trouble are you? Do I need to call the police?" It took a moment for Mei''s sleep deprived brain to catch on to what the man was suggesting, but when he did, he laughed. "No! No, nothing like that. The apartment is on the market so I''m putting my furniture in storage. More convenient to sell it empty. Oh... there''ll be cleaners coming this afternoon: will you be able to let them in? I have to return to work and can''t wait for them." It hurt to smile as he reassured the security guard who had become familiar in just a short amount of time. The whole situation was surreal and he was glad he had Laosan there with him. Under the guise of forgetting his keys at the office, Mei borrowed the spare key from security and led Xiao Nai and the removalists up to the apartment. As they walked down the hallway, Xiao Nei put his hand on Mei''s shoulder, silently offering him support. That support was needed when they turned the corner and caught sight of the graffiti on Mei''s door. It appeared as though Whats-her-face had returned and vented some more. One of the removalists whistled at the variety of insults scrawled across his door. "Looks like you dodged a bullet with that one. Crazy breeds crazy and you''d have ended up surrounded with the insane!" Mei barked a laugh. "You''re more right than you know..." He sighed, pausing with his hand on the door handle. "I don''t know what we''re going to find in there..." "The Boss gave us enough information to not be surprised at anything." Mei shot Xiao Nai a grateful look. "Any furniture that has been vandalised, I''m not interested in. If it requires cleaning before storage then I don''t want it." "What do you want us to do with it then?" "I don''t care. Throw it, or clean it up and sell it. It''s yours." The men shared smiles and nodded their heads at each other. This one was as generous as the Boss who''d paid them extra to come in on short notice. If only all their rich clients were as considerate. Taking a deep breath, Mei pushed the door open. The apartment was empty. Not completely empty but echoing with disuse all the same. The dirty dishes from that night were still in the sink, but the cupboards had been emptied of all the clean plates and cups. There was a dusty space where the fridge had been and the kitchen table and chairs were gone. The lounge room had been stripped of everything, even the curtains, and when Mei looked into the laundry that was empty of all bar a few piles of dust. Heart in his throat, he pushed open the bedroom door. The bed was gone but everything else remained: the vanity with lipstick graffiti, clothes dumped out of wardrobes and drawers and still smelling of that heavy perfume, the wardrobe with a door hanging loose on its hinges. Mei looked around at everything and felt numb. Xiao Nai looked into the room over his shoulder. "Your parents had the same idea?" "Hmm. Force me out and into the place they have chosen." His voice was flat, expressionless, and the lack of response cause Xiao Nai to look at him in concern. It wasn''t like Mei to hide his feelings. "Boss?" "I don''t need anything from here. Whatever you want to salvage, you can. I don''t want it." Mei turned away from the bedroom and walked past the removalists standing awkwardly in the empty lounge room. "But.. some of those clothes..." "If you can get rid of the stink then do what you want with them." "But..." Xiao Nai shushed the man with a shake of the head, passing him his business card. "He means what he''s saying." The big man rubbed the back of his head and shifted his feet. "It doesn''t feel right, being paid for a job we''re not doing. Tell you what- cancel the cleaners. We''ll call in our wives and they''ll help us sort this place out. We''ll take whatever is left here as payment for the cleaning. I''ve got an eye for value and the vanity in that bedroom is more than worth our time. So we owe the guy a move. Let us know when he finds somewhere new and needs help moving in, and we''ve got him covered." Xiao Nai clapped the man on the back as the rest of the removal team murmured their agreement to the terms. "You''re good men. I''ll recommend you." By the time he got down to the foyer, Mei had disappeared and all Xiao Nai could do was send KO a text. His brother didn''t need to be alone while he processed everything. Somehow, Mei made it back to the hotel. His head felt like it was full of cottonwool and there was a log lodged in his throat, making it difficult to swallow. Before he could realise he''d left his room key inside the suite, the door opened and KO''s arms wrapped around him. The older man held him tight, pressing Mei''s head to his shoulder. "I''m here for you, love. I''m here." Mei closed his eyes and burrowed his nose into KO''s neck- let the familiar spices chase away the perfume from his apartment. His hands slid inside KO''s shirt and fingers dug into the muscles of his shoulders. "Mei..." "KO... please. I really don''t want to talk, or even think, right now. Maybe later. But not now." His nails pricked at KO''s skin and the man sucked in a breath. "If that''s what you need. But promise me... when you need to talk, you''ll talk to me?" "Promise." KO twitched when Mei breathed his response into the sensitive skin beneath his ear. "I thought you''d be too sore..." "Just muscle sore... and you know what the westerners say about the hair of the dog that bit you..." KO laughed as he lifted Mei, hands under his butt while the younger man wrapped his legs around his waist. "I don''t, actually. But if it means "shut up and distract me" then I''m good for that." "Not quite... but I like the idea. KO..." Mei cupped his lover''s face and felt the cottonwool in his head disappear. "... shut up and distract me...." The door swung shut behind them. 42 Chapter 42- The Red Packe Relating to Episode 25 of Love O2O Series. When Hao Mei and KO made it in to work the next morning, the office no longer looked like a scene from a historical drama and apart from a bright red box left on Mei''s desk, had returned to its usual muted hues. KO and Mei stood behind his computer chair, eyeing the box with great suspicion. Around them, conversation was hushed, as if their peers were waiting for their reaction. Which only made Mei even more reluctant to open the mysterious present. He nudged it with a ruler and when it didn''t explode, gave it a harder shove. It slid sideways... then nothing. Picking it up, he frowned at the weight and gave it a shake. Something inside rustled? Or rattled? And was there a crinkle too? What the hell is in this thing? "Open it." "You open it." "It wasn''t on my desk." "That''s because they''re all too scared of whatever you would do to their computers." Mei scowled at the package on his desk. "It''s red. It''s obviously for both of us. Why don''t you open it?" KO folded his arms. "I don''t care." "Huh?" "You''ll open it. Because you want to know what it is. I don''t care." "Ungrateful." "Who do you trust to give you a red packet that you appreciate?" "Ah...." "This is not from him." Mei had to acknowledge that KO had a good point. Xiao Nai''s red packet was already in his desk drawer, waiting for him to file them away at home. Which meant that this box was from someone in the office... He looked around and noticed all the heads suddenly duck behind computer screens. Or maybe from everyone in the office. He wrinkled his nose at KO. "Fine. But if anything jumps out at me, sicc ''em." KO grunted agreement and watched over Mei''s shoulder as he peeled the red wrapping paper off and used a key to slice open the tape keeping the box closed. Peeling the flaps back, they both peered inside. "Nuts?" Confused, Mei pulled several packets of nuts out of the box. Some were cashews, some almonds, some mixed. Some were raw while others were roasted. The only thing they all had in common was that they were all salted. "Eh? Why salted nuts? I like the sweet snacks... why would they give me salty nuts?" KO choked on air and, shaking his head, left his na?ve furen to work it out himself. "Hao.... Laosan is bringing me food but he''s still not back. I''m starving," Yu Ban Shan sat on the edge of Mei''s desk and whined. "Do you have anything to eat?" "There are nuts in the drawer." And he still couldn''t work out what that present had been about. The way everyone kept asking him for snacks and sniggering was really starting to get on his nerves. "Help yourself." "Thank you!" Ban Shan dropped a kiss on the top of Mei''s head, making the younger man rub his hair and scowl at him. "Hurry up." Rummaging through the drawer, Ban Shan pulled out a bag of nuts before something else caught his eye. While Mei concentrated on recoding a particular section of the game, Ban Shan snuck the files out of his drawer and ducked away. Mei continued working, oblivious to the drama that was about to unfold. The first he knew of impending trouble, was when his screen went black. "What are you doing?" He tried to turn his computer screen back on but Qui Yong Hou stopped him. Ban Shan waved the files in front of Mei''s face. "What''s this?" "That''s mine!" He tried to rise out of his chair to grab the files but Qui Yong Hou pushed his shoulders back down while Ban Shan continued brandishing the files. "Give it back to me." "Everybody! Come and look at this cunning boy!" Ban Shan''s trumpeting caught the attention of several others and they crowded around Mei''s desk. Mei covered Ban Shan''s mouth with his hands, so Yong Hou picked up the narrative. "Hao Mei has something to say to everyone!" I do not. Bastards. "What''s that?" "And there are two!" "There are two!" Mei''s stomach flipped as everyone close enough to read the front of the files recognised them as House Purchase Agreements. Ban Shan sat on the edge of Mei''s desk and rested his chin on his hand in a classic ''thinking'' pose. "Cunning Boy..." His voice was soft and Mei was shocked when his eldest brother abruptly leaned forward and grabbed him by the shoulders. "Why didn''t you tell me when you went to rob a bank?" Ban Shan''s words were punctuated with sharp shakes and Mei''s head felt like it was about to fly off his neck. "Exactly, Mei. How much money do you have left from winning the lottery?" Yong Hou''s grin encouraged others to pipe up. "Buy houses for all of us!" Wang Wei''s suggestion was met with cheers and Mei tried to escape but Ban Shan grabbed his tie, anchoring him to his chair. "Mei... You''re a wealthy man who has been hiding among us working class men." Li Qiang tsked and shook his head at the hapless Mei. "Why is that." Letting go of Mei''s tie, Ban Shan clapped a hand onto his shoulder instead and Mei almost wished he''d go back to pulling the tie. "No... wait... Brothers... this is a harmonious society. We must be reasonable!" Feeling slightly panicked, Mei looked at the men looming over his chair and his throat went dry. "You guys... you guys can''t get physical!" Taking advantage of Ban Shan''s momentary distraction, Mei ducked under outstretched arms and fled. "KO! KO! KO! Help! KO! Save me!" He scurried between KO''s legs and hid underneath his partner''s desk. KO immediately swivelled around, arms stretched along his desk; the dragon guarding the gate. His glare gave the crowd pause, and Ban Shan attempted to reason with him. "KO, we''re in the same social class. You can''t stand against the people." "Exactly!" "Let''s get him out of the way!" "Come on!" It took a concerted effort for the group to pull KO away from the desk and the wheels on his computer chair hampered his attempt to stay protecting Mei. When Qui Yong Hou and Yu Ban Shan reached under the now exposed desk, Mei slid further underneath, popping up on the opposite side and brandishing a keyboard as a weapon. "You damn Beauty!" Ban Shan advanced on Mei then jumped back as he swung the keyboard at him. "Hao Mei, how could you do this to me? When we were in school, a rich boy like you was borrowing money from a poor student like me? You borrowed dozens at a time! Have you given me a cent back?" "Do you think I wanted to?" Mei knew he owed his brothers an explanation but he still didn''t want to face their teasing and he really didn''t want his private affairs being bandied around the office. Just look at the wedding the pair of them held! No way would they be able to keep their mouths shut about either his part-time work or his hobby. "I really was poor at that time. I applied to Qing University behind my dad''s back. I only got 600 yuan a month! If I knew Bejing had laosan and sandstorms, I wouldn''t have come!" "Who cares whether you''d come? Catch him!" At Ban Shan''s words, the crowed surged forward once more and Mei fended them off with the keyboard. "I''ll treat you to dinner!" It was like his words had been the cue for a new scene, and Mei found himself sitting in his computer chair, shoulders slumped, as his peers argued over where he was going to take them for dinner. "I found a hotpot place nearby that''s really good. The food is great and it''s cheap." "Ha! Eating such inexpensive hotpot is an insult to Mei''s two houses." Ban Shan scoffed from his perch on Mei''s desk. Mei hugged his files close to his chest. "That''s right!" "We need to eat the most expensive food. Junior Wei Wei, what do you want to eat?" "It''s fine, as long as it''s expensive." When directly entreated, Wei Wei joined their teasing but shuffled closer to KO. They''d both been exiled to the outskirts of the conversation with the men claiming that KO and Wei Wei were too sympathetic towards Hao Mei to be allowed any closer. "You guys... you''re all terrible." Mei turned wide eyes towards his partner and saosan, silently begging them for help. Li Qiang''s face brightened. "Let''s have seafood. Seafood is pricey and easily racks up to a few thousand yuan. It completely matches up with the image of a rich boy." "It''s seafood then. How about the late-night stall nearby?" He wasn''t sure who suggested it but for a brief moment Mei had a glimmer of hope. The late-night stall wasn''t very expensive compared to a restaurant. "Look at you guys." When Ban Shan spoke up, Mei hung his head, his bubble of hope popped on his eldest brother''s sharp tongue. "Do you know what ''high end'' means? Is a seafood stall classy enough? Right, Mei?" "Isn''t that right?" "Absolutely." As the comments began to turn towards expensive restaurants, Mei noticed Xiao Nai approaching. Laosan! Save me! Ban Shan noticed him too. "Laosan, you''ve been to many places. Pick a place. Let''s get something out of Mei." The rowdy group quietened as they looked at Xiao Nai''s solemn expression. "Everybody to the conference room in five minutes for a meeting." Mei gave a sigh of relief as everyone''s attention diverted away from the issue of seafood. As everyone headed towards the conference room, he tucked his files into KO''s drawer. No nosy brothers would dare to go looking in there for them. As he shut the drawer, KO leaned over him from behind, arms going around his waist and hot breath on the nape of his neck. "They don''t know. Otherwise they wouldn''t go so far." "I don''t care." "Yes you do." "I don''t want to care right now." KO nodded at that more accurate statement. "Hmm." A rumbling stomach interrupted Mei''s pouting. "Hungry?" "Hmm." "Want some salty nuts?" "Only if they''re yours?" Mei blinked at KO who openly laughed at the utter confusion written across the younger man''s face. "Mei... never change." He scowled. "Whatever you''re laughing at... it''s not my fault!" 43 Chapter 43- Human No More It wasn''t the news that Feng Teng Technology had brought forward the demo date, that threw Hao Mei''s head for a pin. It wasn''t even that Laoan was determined to finish an extremely difficult coding task that was akin to going up against a big boss by yourself and armed only with a beginner''s knife. No. These trivial things weren''t the reason for Mei''s sudden attack of the pouts. "But if we sleep at the office then we can''t sleep together." "Hmm." "Why don''t we both stay at the hotel? It''s close so we don''t need to worry about commuting... "Mei." "Don''t look at me like that." "Like what?" "Like I''m being childish." Mei folded his arms and turned his back to KO, leaning against the stairwell wall. "Mei..." "What?" KO put his hands on Mei''s shoulders and gently turned him around. "I will miss you too." Pink tinged his cheeks and Mei couldn''t help but look away from the sincerity in KO''s eyes. "Idiot. Being so blunt." "My Beauty," KO pressed a soft kiss to Mei''s pouting lips. "I have something to say." Eyes on KO''s lips, Mei leaned forward. "Yes?" With gentle fingers, KO tilted Mei''s chin up until the younger man couldn''t help but make eye contact as their lips hovered millimetres apart. "Get to work." Mei blinked as KO pushed him towards the office door, propelling him back into the workplace. What just happened? Since when did he equip SuperFlirt?He shook his head. Was KO laughing at me? There was no time to overthink; however, as Qui Yong Hou called him over a soon as he stepped back into the office. Coding. Right. Think about the coding and not about KO. Even as he sank into the computer chair, he couldn''t help wondering just how well that endeavour would go. Twelve hours later, Mei had taken to pacing alongside the windows to Xiao Nai''s office. Ostensibly he was stretching his legs, however his stride grew shorter and shorter until he gave up all pretence of exercise and simply leaned against the window, peering in at the two men fixated one their devices. "Are you cosplaying as a gecko?" Bei Wei Wei joined Mei, taking note of the way he pressed his hands against the glass as if he could through it. Mei sighed. "I''m heartbroken, Junior Wei Wei." "What about?" "Look at them! They won''t let me in," Mei narrowed his eye at the oblivious pair. He hadn''t slept for nearly an entire twenty four hours and hadn''t exchanged a single word with KO for half that time. He cleared his throat. It wasn''t like he could just blatantly admit that to anyone, even if it was Saosan. "Are they scoffing at my IQ? I was at least the best student in my province, okay?" A smile played at the corner of Wei Wei''s mouth but she held it back. "Mr Beauty, I think that you''re overreacting. Don''t you already have lot''s to work on?" "That stuff is easy," and something he had to do as an individual, not part of a team and definitely not working with his partner. "It''s jut physically challenging. It''s boring to work on that alone. It''s more fun to do it in pairs... look..." He gestured at the coding pair with his chin. "When we don''t share the same opinion, we still get to bicker about it. Most importantly... the way they hold themselves up as the top of the food change is just too irritating." And if anyone had to be stuck with KO in an office with a lockable door and blinds, then why was it Laosan? Wei Wei considered his words but shook her head. "Why don''t I think so? I think that makes them look so cool." Mei tsked at her. "You have no idea about the world of men." "Why do I think that you and I are in the same world?" "Eya! My ass!" Mei pulled away from the window to glare at Wei Wei. "Who''s in the same world as you?" When her only response was a half-hidden smile, Mei rubbed his hands over his face. Just because I wore that bloody dress does not make me a wife! "Forget it." With a theatrical groan, Mei rolled his shoulders, loosening them up as he prepared to go back to work. "Junior Wei Wei... This is the last day I get to speak to you as a human. From tomorrow onward, I''ll turn into a coding robot." Wei Wei laughed and left him to it, for which Mei was grateful. A thought had crossed his mind and he didn''t need Saosan to know what he was doing or she''d make more comment about their similar roles. He knocked on the door and Xiao Nai and KO both grunted without looking up from their work. "Keys?" Mei held his hand out for them but neither KO nor Xiao Nai responded. "Motorbike keys?" "Hmm..." KO nodded as he passed a tablet to Xiao Nai who checked the coding against the computer screen he''d been working on. Rolling his eyes at the pair of them, Mei came fully into the office to lean his head against KO''s back as he slipped his hands into the man'' pants'' pockets. The keys jingled as he pulled them free- he refrained from teasing given that Laosan was right next to him- and he swung the keyring around his finger before tucking the keys into his own pocket. "KO?" He was almost out the door before he spoke and as soon as he did so regret flooded his body. Too late to take it back. "Hmm?" "Don''t forget to eat." "Hmm." Hands shoved into pockets, Mei stomped his way out of the office and down the stair. Don''t forget to eat. Gah! Since when did I step out of a drama! They both had plenty of clean clothes at Mei''s hotel room, and he tossed them into a single, carry-on suitcase, along with the bare essentials for showers at the office. Thank goodness the previous tenant had installed a bathroom- Zhi Yi Technologies was going to need that bathroom for the next few weeks. Rather than worry about how to wash clothes for the next eighteen days, Mei stopped at a department store after leaving the hotel, purchasing enough underwear to last both of them then entire time without even needing to turn the inside out! When he made it back to the office, he tucked the suitcase under his desk and put the keys in the drawer. No one needed to know he''d brought clothes for KO too. The hair at the back of his neck stood on end and he rubbed at it as the weight of a stare made itself felt. Looking quickly around, Mei could only assume the one staring was KO. He scowled at the hacker but the scowl quickly melted when KO smiled at him. It was fleeting- blink and he''d have missed it type of fleeting, but for that heart beat KO had smiled openly at the office... He rubbed his chest. For some reason, his chest hurt. It felt tight and sore. And oh so light. Maybe it wasn''t so bad being the one looking out for his partner. 44 Chapter 44- And So It Goes Some idiot sadist thought it was a great idea to buy a countdown clock for the office; now, everytime Hao Mei looked up from his desk he could see the bright red numbers slowly ticking down as time ran out. When the clock first appeared (he didn''t see who hung it up otherwise he''d have whacked them over the head with it by now), there were 18 days and 22 hours left until the demo. After what felt like only an hour or two, there were only 17 days and 24 hours left. It was too close to call which would send him insane first- the work or the clock. Not that his friends were faring any better. If they were, they wouldn''t be joining him in the foyer as they all struggled for inspiration. Posing as famous thinkers in order to channel their mindset had been Yu Ban Shan''s idea. "Didn''t we say it had to be the thinker?" Qui Yong Hou, with his fist against his forehead, looked sideways at Ban Shan and Mei. "Look at the pose you came up with. How can I be inspired?" "There is a reason that we two gods are placed outside our school library." In place of an ancient scroll, Ban Shan held a tablet. "Just you wait and see. I''m sure that I can connect through to Aristotle''s spirit right away. Then his wisdom will pass on to me through these hands. What''s the big deal in programming inspirations? I can even understand the meaning of human existence." Mei snorted. Someone hadn''t been paying too much attention during their philosophy class. It occurred to him that he hadn''t exactly been a model student for that class either but still... surely he''d retained more information than Ban Shan? He coughed. "How did you get so confident on front of your mentor? I have always taught you not to be too arrogant and narcissistic. You''ll make mistakes if your narcissistic. You''ll fail when you get too arrogant." "Mr P. No, Mr Plato. Don''t you know that the student often exceeds the teacher? I''m not as lucky as you are. You get to chill and relax." "The student exceeds the teacher? According to what I know, Young Aristotle, you even got the theory of gravity wrong. So you''d better leave this difficult issue of programming to me." Mei shuffled towards Ban Shan, maintaining his statue pose in the process. "You, go and make me some noodles." "I won''t!" Aristotle pushed at Plato''s chest. "How dare you hit your mentor!" Plato glared at the blatant disrespect. "Watch your attitude." The bickering pair were interrupted by Le Penseur, who suddenly straightened from his thinking pose. "The both of you can keep on fighting. I''ve got some ideas." Plato froze. "He has some ideas." "Damn," said Aristotle. "Why don''t we switch to a new position?" suggested Plato. "Okay." "Okay." The pair switched positions and Plato handed Aristotle the tablet to complete his pose. "Heh. Guess switching things up a bit is fairly novel." "What are you on about now? "What? You can''t tell me that someone like KO will let someone like you top him. Even to add a bit of spice to a relationship." "Shit. What would you know?" Aristotle''s ears turned red. "I''m not talking to you about this. Think on your own." With his head down and cheeks filled with heat, he headed back to his desk. "My tablet!!!!" Plato''s wail echoed through the office. The delivery man, who had just reached the top of the stairs, gulped and wished that for once, someone else could have been free to make the delivery. When the clock said they had 17 days and 18 hours left till D-Day, Mei noticed Wei Wei call Laosan out of his office. While Xiao Nai was distracted with his wife, Mei slipped through the door. It didn''t matter if all KO did was grunt at him while coding; he just needed to see him without the glass barrier. Closing the door behind him and taking a moment to lean against it, it took him a heartbeat to realise that the room was empty. But I only saw Laosan leave? "KO?" It was like calling out ''hello'' when you know no one is home. Useless, but you do it anyway. If KO was in there then he''d have said something when the door closed. He was about to head back to his own desk when a rustle from the lounge caught his attention. "KO?" The man sleeping under a soft blue blanket didn''t stir, and Mei dropped to his knees next to him. Pulling the blanket up further, Mei covered KO''s shoulder''s and tucked the cover around him. This close, KO''s sleeping breath moved the hair hanging over Mei''s forehead. Unable to resist, Mei leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to the tip of KO''s nose, and the another on his cheek. He stood up before the words on the tip of his tongue could come tumbling out. With one last look at his sleeping partner, Mei straightened his shoulders. I can function without him. I am a grown ass man. I can cope for.... He checked his watch... 17 days, 17 hours and 47 minutes. He groaned. He''d reached a whole new level of pathetic. "THIS IS AWESOME!" Mei threw himself onto the keyboard lounge and rolled around on the new futon gracing the usually uncomfortable seat. The team had been kicked out of the office by Xiao Nai and taken over the restaurant across the road; they laughed their way through lunch before Xiao Nai made them all go for a walk. Despite the grumbles and looming deadline, Mei had to admit that he did feel better after stretching his legs for half an hour. The fact that he''d spent that half hour rubbing shoulders with KO while horsing around with Yong Hou and Ban Shan had nothing to do with his good mood. Nothing. As much as the food and exercsie had revitalised him, he couldn''t deny that the sight that greeted them on their return, made tears come to his eyes. "We have beds to sleep on! It''s so soft and comfortable! We won''t have to sleep on our bums anymore!" Hugging the pillow to his chest, Mei rolled around like a child. A bed... oh bliss. "It''s just different having a girl around." Li Qiang looked around for any naysayers but no one was going to disagree. "In our office we get food, drinks and beds! I don''t even want to go back to my dog kennel." "Saosan, you''re like the kind and diligent snail-shelled girl from the folktales." Ban Shan threw himself across three futons laid out on the floor together. Mei laughed at his oldest brother but a shadow fell over him as a back clad body positioned itself Mei and the rest of the office. "Eh?" Mei looked up, ready to grumble, but when he saw who it was, he fell backwards and smiled sweetly at KO. "Beds." Stone faced, KO tugged at Mei''s shirt. It had ridden up when he''d rolled around on the futon but he hadn''t thought anything of it. As soon as KO started tugging it down, Mei blushed and pushed himself up; kneeling on the lounge he unzipped his fly enough to tuck his shirt in and was about to zip it back up but a pair of large hands beat him to it. Mei hissed in a breath when KO''s knuckle brushed against his stomach as the other man pulled the zipper up and secured his belt. The heat in KO''s eyes stole the complaint he was about to make and instead he watched, mute, as KO traced the buttons of his shirt until his hand slid around his collar and settled at the nape of his neck. His breath caught in anticipation of a kiss, but KO simply pressed his forehead to Mei''s before helping him stand and leading him over to rejoin the group heckling Ban Shan about his snoring. Throat dry, Mei wondered how long it would take before KO''s eyes stopped having the power to make the ground disappear beneath his feet. For the sake of his equilibrium, he hoped it happened soon... and never. "That''s discrimination!" Faced with the laughter and jeers of his peers, Ban Shan protested the snoring charge. "You''re so thoughtful and caring," Mei stepped in to Wei Wei''s defence, using banter as a convenient distraction from emotion. "I get to sleep in peace." Yong Hou was nodding. They''d both suffered four years of Ban Shan''s snoring in the dorms. Having him locked away at night was the only way to get some sleep. Xiao Nai leaned over Wei Wei''s shoulder. "Where''s my bed?" "Over there," blushing, Wei Wei pointed at the futon laid out at the open corner of the conference room. "Junior! You actually assigned Laosan the worst spot?" That was cold. And Mei felt paternally proud of his junior. "I assigned your beds by drawing lots." "It''s fair and just. I sleep the least. It''s better for me to sleep there." Xiao Nai smiled at Wei Wei, and Mei thought that he was the only one who noticed the finger Laosan ran along her spine. Oh-ho? Is Laosan still trying to drown her with a light drizzle? Fighting, Xiao Nai. Fighting! A chorus of cheers and thanks echoed throughout the office and Mei joined them. Li Qiang was right- it really was different working with a female in the office. Especially a female with control of Laosan''s wallet. He''d seen that interplay outside the office door when he''d snuck in to see KO. He also knew that when Xiao Nai had paid for lunch, he''d charged it to the office account instead of paying straight away like usual. Which meant.... he coughed. Better not instigate any teasing along those lines! Not until they''d met the deadline and he had enough energy to defend against the retaliation fire! There were 17 days and 3 hours left till D-Day, before Mei got a chance to sleep in his new bed. Which, he suddenly realised, Saosan had neglected to point out to him. "Eh, Junior Wei Wei." He rubbed the back of his neck, standing next to Wei Wei as she packed her things to go home for the night. He tried not to feel jealous about the fact that she was able to leave each night, but comforted himself with the fact that she didn''t get to go home with her partner either. "Mr Beauty?" "Where is my bed?" "Oh?" Her eyes widened as she looked at him. "Didn''t KO show you?" "Eh? Why would he show me?" "Well... I drew lots for everyone else but KO specifically requested a certain spot. It wouldn''t be fair to separate a married couple afterall." Slipping her bag over her shoulder, Wei Wei pointed at Mei''s usual desk. "You might not have noticed because you''ve been working in the conference room so much, but your and KO''s beds are under your desk." "Under my desk?" Initially, Mei wasn''t sure if he should curse Saosan for her teasing or thank her for her consideration. He looked through the window to the inner office. Xiao Nai and KO were still hard at work, despite the bodies snoring on the office floor. If he had known how much longing showed in his eyes, maybe he would have refrained from looking. As it was, he was not to know how much his Saosan wished she could have given the pair an entire room, rather than a makeshift cave under a desk. Hiding her smile, she sent a goodnight text to Xiao Nai and waited until he received it; when he did, he looked up long enough to give her a nod goodbye before returning to the coding. Mei and Wei Wei sighed at the same time, surprising each other. All they could do was smile in commiseration and head their separate ways- Wei Wei to an echoingly empty house and Mei to his cold bed on the floor. Both knew that it wasn''t a long term situation, but that didn''t mean they had to like it. 45 Chapter 45- Making the Best of a Bad Situation 9 days and 13 hours until D-Day. And 9 days and seven hours since he''d last woken up next to KO. Hao Mei sighed. Even though saosan had put their beds together, at KO''s request, they were yet to actually sleep side by side. The only consolation as far as Mei could tell, was that even if he didn''t have KO with him, at least the bedding smelled like his favourite hacker. He pulled the blanket over his head and curled up into a ball, cocooning himself in the comforting scent. Muffled by the blanket and his position underneath his desk, he could faintly hear Yu Ban Shan and Qui Hong You rustling everyone up and out the door. For some inexplicable reason, despite using every possible excuse to avoid running when he was at school, Ban Shan had taken it upon himself to lead the office in a morning run. He claimed that getting everyone running for half an hour in the morning helped get their brains switching on faster than slowly waking up in the office, but Mei suspected it had more to do with the women who also jogged along that path early in the morning. The shuffle of shoes was punctuated with yawns and groans as people stretched the kinks out of arms and legs. The futons helped the situation but the office floor really wasn''t designed for sleeping on. Unmoving, Mei stayed motionless in his cocoon, hoping that it would be a case of out of sight, out of mind. It seemed to do the trick as the echo of voices in the stairwell petered out and all that was left was the echo of an empty office. He was about to drift back off to sleep when a heavy weight landed on top of him. "Argh!" Arms trapped in the blanket, Mei flailed his legs, trying to dislodge his attacker. There was a loud thud as he managed to push the body enough to send it bumping against the desk. "Ow." Mei froze. He knew that voice. The blanket slowly peeled back from his head, revealing the face he''d just been missing. "KO? What are you doinnnnng....." The hacker''s lips covered his own and Mei closed his eyes as their kiss deepened- tongues colliding and breath seemingly unnecessary. The body straddling his own kept Mei trapped under the blanket with his hands next to his chest, and he groaned with frustration when he tried to pull KO closer and discovered just how stuck he was. Unwilling to interrupt the kiss, he rolled his hips upward, trying to move his partner just enough to free his arms. When KO simply deepened their kiss, his fingers tunnelling through Mei''s hair and pulling his head off the ground so his tongue could delve further into their kiss, Mei surrendered to the moment. Unfortunately, surrender to the moment was making him hard and he couldn''t help the reflexive rolling of his hips. Realising that he was resorting to dry humping, Mei pulled away from the mouth that was driving him wild. "KO... want... you...." Face flushed and panting with kiss swollen lips, Mei was unaware of the image he presented so the stunned look on KO''s face made no sense. "Don''t just sit there... let me get my arms out...." getting no response, he rocked his hips to the side and KO slid sideways. There was enough of a gap that Mei could stretch his arms up and push the blanket down. It bunched around his waist but at least he had his arms free... and his hands free... hands which he put to good use straight away. He had KO''s shirt mostly unbuttoned before the man reacted- abruptly returning to the here and now when Mei''s fingers brushed against his chest. "I just wanted to kiss you while no one was here," KO looked down at his partner as Mei''s nimble fingers finished with the buttons and pushed the shirt down his arms. Only when his arms were pulled behind his back, did KO realise that Mei hadn''t undone all the buttons and now he was naked from the waist up and his shirt was effectively tying his hands behind his back. "Mei..." KO''s voice was deep and full of warning, but Mei ignored it, choosing instead to concentrate on drooling over the torso laid bare before him. Did he want to start at KO''s neck and kiss his way down? Or go straight for the nipples? "Mei... what are you...." the question disappeared when Mei decided to skip the foreplay and get straight to the point. His lips and tongue teased one nipple while he rolled the other between his fingers, lightly playing with it while he savoured the first with his mouth. When he grazed the taut, sensitive bud with his teeth, KO groaned. "Mei, we''re under a desk. At work. Under a desk. Fuck. Don''t undo my fly... ungh...." when Mei''s fingers delved into his boxers, KO''s body shuddered and his breath came in pants. "I want you..." Fingers wrapped firmly around KO''s length, Mei stretched up to nip and suck at his neck, kissing his way along the man''s collarbone and up the side of his neck to beneath his ear. Warm breath sent shivers down KO''s spine when Mei gently bit at the love of his ear. "It''s been too long..." The longing in Mei''s voice splintered KO''s control and he pulled away as far as the desk would let him. "You want me?" "Yes..." the man beneath him was panting already and his eyes were dazed. "Yes. Please." "Undo my buttons, Mei," he watched as Mei''s shaking fingers finished the job he''d started and as soon as the last button slipped free he yanked his arms out of his sleeves. He had enough presence of mind to spread his shirt over the chair to avoid wrinkles- and Mei''s very quickly joined it. The skinny jeans that Mei had taken to wearing- and that made KO want to tear off him every time he bent over in the office- were tossed to the side and KO was finally able to look down at his naked lover. Being completely naked seemed to have brought Mei at least partially back to his senses. "What? We''re in the office! We can''t do this in the office..." Mei''s voice faded as KO wrapped his hand around him and pumped him several times. "Okay... maybe we can..." KO smiled, and for a fleeting moment Mei thought he''d never seen such a beautiful sight. "We have 25 minutes before Ban Shan lets everyone give up and return to the office. Laoda and Junior Wei Wei went for breakfast and he said he wouldn''t be back for an hour... and we still have 20 minutes of that time left. Allowing time for a quick clean up..." Mei groaned and smacked KO on the arm. "Why are you so chatty about sex? If we only have fifteen minutes then shut up and do me." Taking Mei at his word, KO stuck his fingers in the others mouth. "We have no lube so better get these nice and wet." He almost expected his spoiled prince to pout at him so it came as a surprise when Mei''s eyes rolled back as he sucked on KO''s fingers. His cock twitched. It may have been a surprise, but damn... When Mei released his fingers, leaning back and panting with a flush colouring his cheeks, KO leaned forward and kissed him deeply before flipping him over onto his knees. "No...." "Why not?" "Want... ungh...." Inserting his finger into Mei''s arse made it hard for the other to talk. KO smiled at the sounds his liver made as he clenched at the digits scissoring his rear open. "What do you want?" "Want...." Mei''s head fell forward and his hips trembled as KO added a third finger. His hands grasped at the bedding, knuckles turning white. "Argh... want to see your face..." Leaning down slightly, KO used his own saliva to wet himself before pulling his fingers free and pushing gently into prepared hole. Hands on Mei''s hips, he smoothly entered until Mei''s rear was trembling against his groin. "What do you want?" He punctuated each word with a trust and felt his balls tighten when Mei shivered beneath him, hips tilting to accept him deeper. "Want to see your face... miss it...." Lodged firmly between Mei''s thighs, KO shuffled them sideways until the desk no longer restricted movement. With both in their knees, he slowly pulled Mei upright until the younger man''s back was leaning against his chest. Fingers gentle, he turned Mei''s head to look at him before taking his mouth in a kiss. At the same time, he rocked his hips and felt Mei''s arse clamp around him, pulling him in to the heat. Mei sobbed into the kiss and KO let go of his face, dropping his hand down to his partner''s groin. When his fingers wrapped around Mei and he pumped him in time to thrusts in his arse, the younger man''s trembles grew stronger and his kiss hotter. Now it was Mei urging them on- Mei who was reaching behind to dig fingers into KO''s hip and pull him closer, harder, faster. Ithad been too long for either of them and with a shout that was muffled by their kiss, both came... hard. Mei coated KO''s hand while KO shot in side Mei. Panting, they stayed kneeling in a sort of postcoital limbo before the rumble of truck passing outside jerked them to their senses. "How long? Shit! Quick... pull out... no... don''t...." when KO started to move liquid started to trickle down Mei''s leg. "If you move then it will come out and the smell..." "Won''t they be able to smell you anyway?" "It looks like you caught it all." "Huh." Slightly amused at the turn Mei''s mind had taken, KO grabbed his shirt off the chair. "I need a clean shirt anyway so just use this until you get to the showers." Face bright red, Mei grabbed the shirt but his grumble was lost in a moan as KO slowly eased himself free. It was a slightly awkward pair that made it into the office showers without leaving a trail behind them, and both cleaned up as quickly as possible. By tacit agreement they kept their hands to themselves and once KO was dressed he disappeared into the office and left Mei to finish showering on his own. Not for the first time, Mei thanked the previous tenants for installing a bathroom. He was drying his hair with a towel when the clatter of voices in the stairwell heralded the return of the others. Inspecting himself in the mirror he hopes that what they''d just participated in was not written all over his face, took a deep breath and headed out. To his surprise, KO was curled under the desk, face peaceful in sleep. Ban Shan joined him as he looked down at the oblivious hacker. "Eh... he''s asleep. Once I realised neither of you had joined us, I thought we''d return to find you to going at it like rabbits." Mei smacked his friend over the head. "Who''s a rabbit? Perverted old man." Ban Shan jostled him back and the pair wrestled for a moment before pulling apart and heading to their work stations. Phew. Mei shook his head. He was never going to tell Ban Shan how close he''d come to being right... never. Still, he rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck, I''m feeling surprisingly refreshed. Guess that was the inspiration I needed... bring on those codes. 9 days, 12 hours, and 17 minutes until D-Day. 46 Chapter 46- Countdown Hao Mei glared at the countdown clock as it refused to tick down the minute that had just passed fifteen minutes ago. Okay, maybe he was exaggerating, even in his mind, but he had never realised just how long an entire minute could be. The count down to Demo-Day was driving him crazy and that bloody clock with its smug refusal to count do... nope. There it went. 1 day, 10 hours and 13 minutes. Unable to concentrate on the coding (he''d managed to lose a 7. At least, he thought it was a 7 but it could have been a T) because that blasted countdown clock was giving him the evil eye, Mei headed to the office foyer. "Food de...liv...ery?" The orange clad delivery man looked nervously at Mei when he stepped through the doorway. More often than not, around this time, Mei could be found crouching against the entranceway wall and it was beginning to scare the delivery drivers. To be honest, it was past the beginning stage and well in to the ''scared all the other drivers off so now only one was willing to make delivery''s anymore" stage. "Come get lunch!" Bei Wei Wei rescued the delivery man, taking the bags of food off him and palming them off to Ban Shan. "This is today''s lunch; this is last week''s bill. Please review it." He handed the paperwork over to Wei Wei while trying not to twitch when he happened to see Mei from the corner of his eye. He leaned towards Wei Wei. "What''s the deal with your company? There isn''t even a proper reception desk. Everytime I come here, he''s over there in a strange pose. If I weren''t so brave, I wouldn''t dare to make deliveries here. Is your company a legitimate business?" Mei sneered but Wei Wei answered the man seriously. "We are a bonda fide gaming company. We''re absolutely legitimate." "Then.. he..." "Ah... this you don''t know. Inspiration congregates in this area. It''s really easy to find ideas here." Wei Wei helped Mei stand and leaned him against the wall. "When our programmers are stuck on their codes, they come to this spot." The delivery man''s eyes widened. "That''s some advanced sci-fi technology. But that hair of his looks like it hasn''t been washed in days." Snickers could be heard from the direction of the conference room. "Is that hair style also for inspiration?" "Look. Upright hair like this makes it easier to receive inspiration. It''s just like an antenna." To everyone''s surprise, the delivery man nodded. "That seems reasonable." "This bill looks fine. I''ll get the money." Wei Wei quickly made her escape before her laughter gave the game away.Left with the delivery man, Mei rolled against the wall until he was facing it, forehead pressed to the surface and eyes closed. Behind his eyelids he could still see the numerals from the countdown clock and he groaned loudly, dropping to his knees once more. From his left the was a sudden scurry and a clatter as the delivery man bolted down the stairs. Wei Wei wandered back over with money in her hand. "Oh? Where did he go?" "ET phoned home and scared him off." Li Qiang''s contribution was entirely unnecessary and Mei turned to scowl at him. "Now Mr Beauty, with a smile like that you look less like Mr Beauty and more like Mr J." "Mr J...." "Mr J. Joker? Batman? What kind of a nerd doesn''t know a Batman reference when he hears it?" "It''s geek. Not nerd." Wang Wei smacked Li Qiang on the back of the head. "You work for a gaming company and you can''t even get the basics right." "Mr J..." "Yes. Mr J. It was a joke. Don''t worry about it... even if you smile like the Joker you''re still this company''s most handsome man apart from laoda." "Mr J... J! It''s a J! Not a 7 or a T! It''s J!" Ignoring the food being passed around the conference table, Mei scrambled into his chair and typed furiously on his keyboard. "J... J... ah!" 1 day, 8 hours, 59 minutes. His bones ached and Mei wasn''t sure he had the strength left to bring his chopsticks to his mouth. He was contemplating simply putting his face in the bowl and eating while he slept, but that would ruin his hair and damnit... his hair was finally tamed. No more E.T style antenna. As he ate, he watched the Super Pair through Xiao Nai''s office window. Mei and Wei Wei had claimed the two chairs directly opposite the window and after the last three weeks, not even Ban Shan had given them grief about stalking their loves. "Laosan has been holed up in his office for two days. He hasn''t even slept." Ban Shan shook his head at the obsessive dedication of their younger brother. "When I left yesterday, they weren''t sleeping yet. When I came in this morning, they were already working. But Da Shen did sleep for half an hour through lunch today." Wei Wei sighed, watching her partner turn to address KO; their conversation inaudible through the window but the concentration on their faces was clear. "If this continues, will he be able to keep up physically?" Waving his chopsticks at Xiao Nai, Qui Yong Hou tsked at the hardworking man. "What is there to worry about?" Mei struggled to hide his worry from his friends. "Now I finally understand. The difference between me and them isn''t in our intelligence. It''s in our focus and strength. Look at those two crazy people. They only sleep three hours a day but they''re still so energetic. They''re not human." "But it''s already the 30th," Ban Shan pointed out the obvious as if the bright red numerals ticking down on the blasted clock weren''t clear enough. "We''re flying to Shanghai tomorrow night. They''re still stuck. Will we make it in time?" "Don''t worry about them. I''ve taken a look. The optimization hasn''t reached our objective but it is pretty good. So, they''re just masochistic." Mei choked on his rice. KO? Masochistic? When he could wield infinite patience like a fine edged sword? Oblivious, Yong Hou continued. "We can''t help it if they like to torture themselves. We can just bring our current version. We can''t lose." Wei Wei sighed, her attention obviously elsewhere. "Should we tell them to come out and eat?" "No need to, Junior Wei Wei. Just leave the food here. They''ll come out to scavenge for food when they''re hungry." As he spoke, Ban Shan reached over and pinched some meat from Mei''s container. Too busy worrying about how long KO was going without food or sleep, Mei barely noticed and Ban Shan took full advantage of his distraction. When he''d picked Mei''s bowl clean of meat, Ban Shan started eyeing off the container of ginger chicken that Mei had put aside for KO. The crack of Mei''s chopsticks across Ban Shan''s knuckles echoed throughout the entire office and his howls of pain only drew laughter from their peers. The atmosphere of the office relaxed considerably when Xiao Nai disappeared- with Wei Wei and without a word. His exit was the cue for everyone to start yawning, and as soon as people completed what they were working on, everyone drifted off to bed. After only a few hours, Mei was the last one left awake, and the office floor looked like it had sprouted strange blue aphids. He yawned, stretching his arms over his head until his back cracked. He couldn''t wait until tomorrow night when he could sleep in a real bed again. A bed with pillows. And a real mattress. And a fluffy doona that he could roll around in to his heart''s content. He was so caught up in fantasising about the bed he''d be sleeping in in Shanghai, that it came as a surprise to realise someone else was already in his bed. He peeled the blanket down, revealing KO''s sleeping face. then racked back on his heels to just look at him. Have KO''s eyelashes always been that long? "Come to bed." The murmur was so soft, Mei had to lean forward to hear it and as soon as he did so, KO grabbed his hand and tugged, pulling him onto his chest. "I thought you were sleeping." "I am." "But you''re talking." "I''ll go straight back to sleep again once you come to bed." "Shameless." But Mei was kicking his shoes off and sliding under the blanket as he spoke. Without opening his eyes, KO tucked his arm behind Mei''s shoulders; he pulled him closer until he was laying flush against KO''s side, with his head tucked onto the hacker''s shoulder. Mei sighed and wrapped an arm around KO''s waist. "I''ve missed you." "I missed you too." "It''s almost over." "Two more nights." "Eh? But tomorrow night in Shanghai?" "I won''t go." "Why? It''s the demo. You need to be there." "You''re flying there." "Ah... your fear of heights includes planes?" "You don''t get any higher." Their voices were low, mere vibrations that they were able to understand simply because they lain like this, talking in whispers, so many times before. "That''s true. But... well... I was looking forward to seeing Shanghai with you." "We can go another time." "It won''t be the same. I wanted to celebrate our success with you." "So sure we''ll succeed?" "Of course. With you helping Laosan, how could we not?" In the dark, Mei felt KO''s lips press against his head. "Mei?" "Hmm?" "Happy Valentine''s Day." "Shit. It is? Happy Valentine''s Day to you too." "What do you want for it?" "Who cares? I already have you?" "Urgh. You two make me sick. How much sugar did you eat to be that sweet? Shut up and go to sleep." Ban Shan''s complaint echoed through the office. "Got up to go to the toilet and this is what I overhear. You two are sappier than an Indian rubber tree." His grumbles faded as he headed back to the "Snorer''s Zone" but they didn''t bother Mei or KO... both had fallen asleep, finally wrapped in each other''s arms. 0 days and 22 hours and 7 minutes. "Stay asleep..." Mei felt KO brush his hair off his forehead and murmured a complaint when he felt his partner leave their bed. "Don''t go.." "Laoda solved the problem with the coding. Just sleep. I''ll wake you when you need to help with testing." "Hmm... wait... what?" His sleep muddled brain slowly made sense of what KO had said. Electricity shot through his veins and he bolted upright, whacking his head on the desk in the process. "He solved it? Seriously? He was on a date... what did he do- ignore his date on Valentine''s Day and drop her home to come straight back to work?" "Maybe your next prototype should be for a fortune teller." Mei blanched at the voice coming from behind him. Crawling out from under the desk he waved sheepishly at Xiao Nai. "Laosan... didn''t see you there." "Mei-ge." Xiao Nai looked tired; the skin on his face was taut and the shadows under his eyes looked like he was a punk rocker caught in the rain. "You''re right though; I''m lucky to have such an understanding furen." "Understanding is an understatement. Saosan is a saint to put up with being ditched on a date for a string of numbers. If it was me..." Xiao Nai cut him off. "If it was you, it wouldn''t have happened because you''d have just jumped KO as soon as his attention started to wander." "I wouldn''t!" "You would." "Not on a date... that''s in public!" "And the office isn''t public?" "WHAT?" Mei''s voice rose and set of a chain reaction of grumbles form sleeping lumps. He waited until everyone had settled back down before whispering "how do you know?" Xiao Nai simply smirked, pet him on the head and left him in a state of bewilderment. "How does Laosan know?" KO shrugged a shoulder. "He caught me trying to hack into the CCTV." With a heartfelt groan, Mei threw himself onto the floor and pulled the blanket over his head. "Just kill me now." A toe nudged him in the side and he peeled the blanket back enough to peer at KO. "No killing. I''m not in to necrophilia." Mei threw the pillow at the hacker''s back as KO headed off to Xiao Nai''s office. "Shut up you pervert! Go back to not talking! Where''s my silent KO???????" Yu Ban Shan, Qing Yong Hou, A-Li and A Shuang soon stumbled out of the office, their bedding in their arms and yawning widely. They all stopped and stared at Mei rolling around on the floor, destroying his pillow. The other three simply shrugged and found empty floor space to lay their beds, but Ban Shan wandered over to investigate. "Mr Beauty... is this a new Beauty regime?" "Xiao Nai.. and KO... and Xiao Nai... urgh!" "They just kicked us out to keep working. Sounds like they''ll be at it all night. Just get some sleep... The morning will come soon enough." Mei sighed. "No... I''m wide awake now. I''ll get up and act as gofer for them. You get some sleep. At least you and Monkey won''t be zombified come morning. " Ban Shan grunted and promptly stole Mei''s bed, snuggling into the still warm blankets and going straight back to sleep. Mei scowled at his opportunistic friend but couldn''t really blame him; it wasn''t like Mei was going to be using the bed anytime soon and warm blankets were nicer than cold ones. Stretching his arms over his head, he wandered towards the showers. Xiao Nai and KO wouldn''t need anything for a while and if he was going to be sleep deprived then he was going to be sleep deprived in style. 0 days 12 hours and 27 minutes. "Memory consumption is usually around 750 megabytes in this general setting. It''s a little lower than we anticipated." "Run the River Emperor''s Flood Scene." Hao Mei settled into the chair while everyone around him held their breath, eyes flickering between Mei''s screen and Xiao Nai''s. Ban Shan sniffed. "It''s so smooth, I want to cry. The graphics haven''t been affected at all." "Peak usage is 880 megabytes. Yes! It''s steady below 1 gigabyte. Laosan, we''ve succeeded. Our memory consumption has been nearly cut in half!" Qui Yong Hou punched the air in celebration. "Yes! We''ve succeeded!" Mei jumped up, unable to sit still any longer. "We did it! We don''t have to work overtime anymore! I want to sleep! I''m going to sleep for a hundred hours!" He grabbed Ban Shan and half hugged him, half shook him. "Come on, good job guys!" Releasing Ban Shan, he hugged KO, holding him tight. "You''ve worked hard." Ban Shan cleared his throat behind him and Mei let go of KO, turning to give Xiao Nai a hug and clap on the back. "Laosan, good job." He sighed. "Laosan, KO, I have to admit it. You two are a tiny bit better than me." "A tiny bit?" Ban Shan and Yong Hou advanced on the impertinent Mei and he held his hands up in surrender. Out of the corner of his eye he caught KO watching them, a warm smile on his face and for the first time looking like he was part of this great, big, crazy family; no longer on the periphery. Cheers greeted them as they left Xiao Nai''s office and after the initial flurry of questions and congratulations, Li Qiang piped up. "I have a suggestion. As part of the Art Editing Department, I don''t have opinions in other areas... but dear Brothers! You guys are representing Zhi Yi Technologies on this trip. Can you guys tidy up your image? Of course, you don''t have to Laoda. Good looks can make anything look good. As for the others... I think you can at least buy some new clothes, or get a haircut. Especially you, Old Man Yu. You don''t look put together at all." Yu Ban Shan looked down at his orange and green shirt with the leaf print. "I don''t look put together?" Li Qiang backed down slightly from the menace in Ban Shan''s voice. "It''s not that you don''t look tidy... I just can''t pinpoint what it is." "That is a great idea." Xiao Nai forestalled any further disagreements. "I think we should work on that. Are there any other problems?" "No." "No." "Then we''re done here." Cheers rocked the office once more. "I''m not going to Shanghai." KO spoke quietly and only Xiao Nai and KO heard him over the noise of their peers. "I don''t like appearing in the spotlight. And... I don''t like dressing formally." Mei nodded at him, knowing what had gone unsaid, but not willing to let him completely off the hook. "You don''t have to attend the meeting. You don''t like talking anyway." Heat rushed to his face and he willed it away. "However, you have to let us see how you look in business wear!" KO inclined his head and Mei took it as acceptance, smiling happily at his partner and already picturing him in a well tailored suit. "Laoda, I already have a suit. I won''t be joining you guys. I''m going to go home and rest. I don''t feel so good." A Shuang took his leave from Xiao Nai, and Ban Shan stared after him. "Why do I feel that A Shuang has been acting strange?" "It''s obvious." Mei wasn''t bothered. "He''s exhausted from working overtime. I feel strange myself." KO loomed behind Mei''s back, ostensibly listing to Xiao Nai''s attempt to hold a last minute meeting. "A Shuang''s strange and your strange are two different things. They both need a bed to fix but his includes sleeping." Mei jerked his elbow back, driving it into KO''s stomach. The grunt from the hacker was more than worth the pain in his funny bone. What idiot called it a funny bone?There''s nothing funny about it except for stinking bad puns. Nothing could have prepared the tailor''s for the circus that descended upon them. Had they been fully cognizant of just how hectic the afternoon was going to be, then maybe they''d have taken an extended lunch. As it was... "Hey Beautiful." Mei flashed a winning smile. "Give me your store''s best suit." Ban Shan was more direct and with one line, the gloves came off. "No! If there''s only one, give it to me." Mei stepped in front of Ban Shan and employed his charm. "Give it to me!" Yong Hou pushed them both out of the way as all three barrelled towards the bewildered assistant. "Should we go to a different store?" Xiao Nai turned to Wei Wei, attempting to shepherd her from the embarrassment that was their friends. His efforts were in vain, as Wei Wei eagerly joined the fray. "Please, also choose a suit that would fit this gentleman." Tugged along by Wei Wei, Xiao Nai''s face was a study in emotions; however, the predominant emotion appeared to be that most commonly referred to as "what the hell am I doing here?" "It''s not really ''what the hell am I doing here'', so much as ''I thought they were all adults." Xiao Nai scratched his head. "Laoshi, please don''t write the next part. I know how your mind works and we really don''t have time for what you were thinking." (A/N: Laoshi = teacher/title of respect. Xiao Nai is such a polite boy. Even if he is trying to hijack my story.) "Consider it a holiday. You''ve written so much already, let me tell this next part for you." (You do realise, I still have to write it, whether you tell it or not?) "But if I tell it then we''ll get to the demo quicker and I know you have plans for them after that... why don''t you save your idea for then? As a favour for your favourite character?" (You''re not my favourite character. If it wasn''t for the fact that you obviously ship HoK then I wouldn''t even be allowing you this much room to speak.) "Why not?" (No offence, but in the series you kind of appear as though you''re made of ice. I mean, seriously, who dates someone for years, lives with them for months, and still doesn''t get lucky until the night before the wedding?) "Seriously?" (Spoiler alert. Sorry. But yeah... you have a whole lot of schooling in the art of patience ahead of you. Sigh. Fine. You can tell the next chapter. But only because I''m taking pity on your blueberries.) A/N: The next chapter will be told by Xiao Nai. I can''t decide if he''s shipping this couple or acting as a c*#k block. "Both." Shut up. This is MY author note which means no characters allowed. Out! Shooo! 47 Chapter 47- Suits, courtesy of Xiao Nai Nothing could have prepared the tailor''s for the circus that descended upon them. Had they been fully cognizant of just how hectic the afternoon was going to be, then maybe they''d have taken an extended lunch. As it was... "Hey Beautiful." Mei flashed a winning smile. "Give me your store''s best suit." Ban Shan was more direct and with one line, the gloves came off. "No! If there''s only one, give it to me." Mei stepped in front of Ban Shan and employed his charm. "Give it to me!" Yong Hou pushed them both out of the way as all three barrelled towards the bewildered assistant. "Should we go to a different store?" Xiao Nai turned to Wei Wei. He was (almost) sure that she would feel uncomfortable with the three hooligans; however, his effort to save her any embarrassment was in vain, as Wei Wei eagerly joined the fray. "Please, also choose a suit that would fit this gentleman." Tugged along by Wei Wei, Xiao Nai had a moment to wonder just how things had come to this. He was sure that he''d left the office with four grown men and a mature woman yet here he was watching those same ''adults'' jump and climb all over each other in a useless competition. Did they not understand how suits work? Did they seriously think the same style of suit would fit each of them? Reining them in seemed like climbing a tree to catch fish (A/N: climbing a tree to catch a fish = pointless.) so rather than waste his energy, he held his peace and sat on the lounge to wait for the mania to pass (A/N: I almost wrote "he bit his tongue" and given the connotation of that phrase in Chinese literature it would have completely changed the atmosphere of the scene! lol.). When Wei Wei sat next to him, he stretched an arm over the back of the lounge and lightly played with the back of her blouse. "You''re not trying one on?" Wei Wei turned to him and Xiao Nai was struck once more with how guileless her expression was. It was gratifying to note her disappointment that he wasn''t joining the others in their impromptu fashion parade. "I have several suits. I don''t need to buy any for the time being." And he could sit with her rather than stand in a change room by himself. They sat like this for a few minutes, talking about inconsequential matters until the doors to the change rooms opened. Hao Mei, Yu Ban Shan and Qui Yong Hou stepped out, posing in front of Xiao Nai and Wei Wei. All three were wearing the same suit, however Hao Mei''s individual style was evident in comparison the other two. Mei looked his older brothers over before shaking his head at them. "I advise you guys not to wear the same style as me. It will only highlight your shortcomings." "You''re just afraid my manly body will make you look like a wimp." Ban Shan tugged at his jacket and missed Wei Wei leaning to whisper in Xiao Nai''s ear. "Did he look in the mirror before coming out?" Xiao Nai bit back a smile. "Stop fighting you two. This type of suit looks best on mature men like me. Change into something else you two." Yong Hou smoothed a hand over his hair, preening with satisfaction. As if choreographed, Mei and Ban Shan sneered at him. Rather than argue the matter himself, Mei turned to the most impartial judge they had available. They''d have had no chance of getting a straight answer out of her had Xiao Nai been trying on a suit as well, but as it was, surely Wei Wei could manage to clear the matter up for them. "Saosan, you be the judge. Who is the most handsome one?" Wei Wei stood, clasping her hands behind her back as she looked the three men over. "Why do you guys have to wear the same style?" "It has to be the same style. This way you''ll be able to see who is the best-looking." Duh. Mei rolled his eyes. Unable to help himself, Xiao Nai cast his eyes upwards, beseeching the heavens for a divine intervention. Or a lightening strike. Was this seriously what a trip suit shopping had degenerated to? A beauty competition? "You''re all very handsome... however I don''t think that you guys should wear the same style. People will think they''re wholesale suits." Xiao Nai mentally commended his furen''s diplomacy even as he wished she would just give them an answer that they could fight over while he used it as an excuse to drag her away from their influence. "How can we all be handsome? You''ll have to rank us first, second and third," Ban Shan pointed to himself, then Mei and finally Yong Hou, who promptly whacked him on the back of the head. "Saosan, take note of this thing called sophistication." He gestured to himself while Ban Shan laughed sarcastically. "You have to be honest, Junior. Is it that difficult to speak the truth?" While he wasn''t all that invested in her answer, Mei couldn''t help needling Wei Wei a bit more. It wasn''t just about teasing Old Man Yu or Monkey anymore... he now had a sister that he needed to torment as well. Wei Wei hemmed and hawed, trying to avoid answering. "The truth? Let me gather my thoughts...." Her words trailed off as the fourth change room opened and KO stepped out. Unlike the others, he had chosen a different design in a stark black that suited him perfectly. Wei Wei froze, wide eyed. "Senior KO is so handsome..." Xiao Nai shifted in his seat to get a look at Wei Wei''s face. The shock and utter appreciation on her face made a hard lump form in his stomach and he frowned. Was this jealousy? Almost like heart burn? Hmm. He definitely wasn''t a fan. Fortunately for his stomach, the hacker was well and truly taken by the man who held his complete attention. "Why are you looking at me?" The others could have been invisible for all the attention that KO gave them. Mei tsked at him. "Your collar isn''t straight. Honestly. You wear it sloppily, but you still look so good. You can''t unbutton the second button of this suit. That''s so tacky." His tone and words were nagging, but Mei''s finger''s were gentle as he resettled the suit collar and did the button up for KO. "Why? I don''t really understand." KO looked at Mei for an explanation, ignoring the sharpness of Mei''s tongue. "It doesn''t matter anyway." Mei sighed before smiling at KO. "You''re good looking anyway." The forgotten four watched the couple as KO submitted to Mei''s fussing. Ban Shan shrugged. "Forget it. I''m going to pick something more outgoing. It''ll be more suitable for me." "Alright. I''m going to pick something more sophisticated." Yong Hou headed to the opposite side of the store as Ban Shan. Sitting back down next to Xiao Nai, Wei Wei couldn''t take her eyes off the office couple as they went together to find Mei a different suit. "Eh... did you see the same thing I did?" "What did you see?" "KO just let Mei fuss at him... it was like he was used to it." "He is." "Already?" "He''s in love. That speeds time up and slows it down." Wei Wei turned to her boyfriend, brow furrowed with confusion. "What do you mean?" "Let me know when you work it out." He stroked her hair and smiled when she blushed and ducked her head. "Why?" "Because, dear wife, then I will know we''re on the same quest." Her cheeks tinged pink, Wei Wei cleared her throat and tried to change the subject. "You don''t mind about them?" "Mind? That they''re two guys together? Or that it''s an office romance?" "Both?" "Why would I? Mei needed someone to see his worth, someone who would be steady enough to be the support he needs with his family. Man or woman... I''m not in bed with them so has nothing to do with me." He absentmindedly twirled a tendril of Wei Wei''s hair around his finger. It had escaped from her bun and each time he tugged on it, his knuckles brushed against the nape of her neck. "And it was their romance that brought KO to the office. Even though Mei didn''t know it at the time, the only reason KO approached me was to be a support to Mei. Without KO, I don''t think we would have a completed demo for the presentation tomorrow. It would be hypocritical of me to object to the original reason we had a chance for success." Thinking over what Xiao Nai had said, Wei Wei''s face cleared. "That''s very progressive of you." Xiao Nai shrugged. "I love our Chinese culture and heritage... you know it''s a big component of our own game design, but I''m also aware of what century we''re living in. Being too caught up in the ways of the past will only lead to stagnation. It''s the flowing, changing rivers that bring life to the land around them." "Hmm..." The pair sat in comfortable silence as the other''s selected a new suit each and headed into the change rooms to try them on. Noticing something, Xiao Nai coughed to hide his smile. "We need to do something." When Wei Wei spoke up, Xiao Nai looked at her in alarm. Had she noticed what he did and was going to object to it? He really didn''t want to have to explain anything to his na?ve furen just yet. "About....?" "About Hao Mei and KO." Xiao Nai''s stomach rolled. She had seen. He took a deep breath, attempting to ready himself for an awkward conversation when... "They need a couple name." "A couple name?" That wasn''t what he had expected. "It''s one of the ways you know a couple is serious and that their friends approve- you only give couple names to a boyfriend you think is good for your friend. So. We need to give KO and Hao Mei a couple name." Relief made Xiao Nai''s spine limp, but he straightened it to concentrate on Wei Wei''s idea. While he wasn''t really clear on the female perspective of what she was suggesting, he could understand the implicit support and encouragement that a couple name could give a partnership. And brainstorming a name distract Wei Wei from the fact that four men had disappeared into three change rooms. When deciding on a couple name became too difficult, Wei Wei ducked into the corner of the store to make a call and Xiao Nai took the opportunity to wander over to the change room he had seen Mei slip into. Standing outside he knocked on the door. "This is a shop, gentlemen. Hands to yourselves please. I have Wei Wei with me and you''re both just lucky she didn''t notice your little rendezvous." "Who has the dirty mind now Laosan? I''m trying to show him how to wear a suit correctly. I''m not that immature to make out in a change room in a sho...." Mei''s whinge was abruptly muffled and Xiao Nai was about to knock on the door again when he heard a thud of flesh on cloth. "Idiot. Just because he thought we were making out didn''t mean you had to prove him right. Put your hands in the pockets... not MY pockets, you idiot. Yours. Sheesh." Xiao Nai chuckled and left them to it. When a couple was so well matched, how could any one object? As he turned, he noticed Wei Wei looking at the change rooms with anticipation on her face. The heart burn returned and he felt a driving urge to try a suit on as well. Good thing there was a spare change room now. 48 Chapter 48- Every Mountain has a Valley Relating to Episode 28 of Love O20. Post-Presentation It was a festive group that gathered in a private room of an exclusive seafood restaurant. Even though the four of them had planned on celebrating in Shanghai, the bitter taste that Zhen Yi Technologies'' cheating left in their mouths needed to be washed away with good wine and good company. Their plans had changed in the backseat of a limo as they were chauffeured from Feng Teng Technologies to Shanghai Airport. While Xiao Nai pushed forward their flights, Hao Mei booked a restaurant and the Troublesome Two contacted as many full time Zhi Yi staff as possible. Not everyone was available on such short notice and they didn''t bother trying to contact the temporary staff who''d been hired on a short term contract. Everyone would be invited to the contract signing celebrations but tonight was just for those who were emotionally invested in their success. Humming under his breath, Hao Mei tapped away at his phone. Text to:World''s Hottest Hacker [Monkey and Old Man will send you an email soon about dinner. Wear your new suit.] Text from: World''s Hottest Hacker [What new suit?] Text to: World''s Hottest Hacker [The one hanging in your wardrobe.] Text from: World''s Hottest Hacker [What?] Text from: World''s Hottest Hacker [How did that get there?] Text to: World''s Hottest Hacker [I invaded your privacy. Call it payback for the monastery.] Text from: World''s Hottest Hacker [I don''t like suits.] Text to: World''s Hottest Hacker [I don''t like monasteries.] Their boarding call put paid to any further discussion and Mei settled in for the flight looking remarkably like the cat that ate the canary. "Cheers!" Glasses chimed around the round table as everyone celebrated their victory. "Thank you for all the late nights and hard work." Xiao Nai raised his glass and everyone cheered once more. "I thought you would have had your celebration in Shanghai." Li Qiang looked at the four brothers sitting on the opposite side of the table. "Why did you come home early?" They all exchanged glances before You Ban Shan waved his glass in the air. "Because we missed you all so much. We can all go to Shanghai for a feast when we sign the contract." "That''s right," Qui Yong Hou agreed. "You''re all welcome to order whatever you want tonight. It''s on our boss. No one''s going home sober." Mei chuckled as he poured a glass of wine for KO and then one for himself. They''d all agreed to keep quiet about the display of poor showmanship, and no one listening to Ban Shan or Yong Hou would be able to tell that anything was amiss. "Ah..." Ban Shan''s stomach rumbled loud enough to be heard by Hao Mei and Yong Hou, sitting on either side of him. "You know what? I didn''t eat anything on the plane in order to make room for this feast." "let''s order more dishes. We can''t let laosan off the hook that easily." Mei grinned at Xiao Nai. "But we haven''t finished our food yet?" Wang Wei looked at the dishes already gracing the table. Mei waved it off. "Don''t be stupid. We should make the most of tonight''s free meal. I''m the core strength of our team, so I must eat more to make up for the brain cells that I sued." He laughed as he leaned back in his chair. A finger stroked along the edge of his collar and he turnedd to look at KO. The hacker had his arm over the back of Mei''s chair and was looking at him with the type of fondness usually reserved for dump pets or small children. Mei narrowed his eyes at the older man but wouldn''t hide his smile completely. It also helped that KO had turned up wearing the suit Mei had bought him... and looking even better to eat than the seafood feast. It was probably just as well he''d run late and Mei was already inside when he finally got a look at him. If they''d run into each other outside Mei may very well have dragged him off and skipped the celebratory feast. Dragging his mind out of the gutter and back to food, Mei waved to the waitress. "Excuse me, I''d like to order." Laosan was lucky the food was delicious. After reminding everyone of Mei''s promise to shout them dinner, he''d sulked until the new dishes had arrived. At that point, the smells wafting from the table had coaxed him out of his bad mood. It also helped that KO had whispered something to the staff and a collection of small dishes had appeared with a variety of spices. Only for Mei and Xiao Nai would KO add these spices and the moans of appreciation from those two were making the rest of the table envious. Bei Wei Wei was able to share Xiao Nai''s good fortune but Mei zealously hoarded all of the food that KO seasoned for him. It served them all right for making fun of him and not letting him get any crab. Even Yong Hou had stolen the crab right off his plate! Mei only managed to get some because KO snuck it onto his plate when no one was looking. "Mei... Are you going to tell us about your two houses?" Yong Hou looked at the spiced scallops on Mei''s plate, salivating over the smell but fully aware of KO''s hooded eyes paying close attention to anyone trying to steal his partner''s food. "Yeah Mei..." "Hey, that''s right! "Tell us Mei-ge!" "When my parents came here last month I didn''t want to go back with them so they bought them for my future wife." That was close enough to the truth that Mei wouldn''t trip himself up. "But why did they buy two residences?" And immediately, Yong Hou tripped Mei up. "Is it because...." Mei looked at Laosan in hope but Xiao Nai left his words hanging long enough for Ban Shan to take the bait. "You want to have two wives?" Eyes wide, Ban Shan pointed an accusatory finger at Mei. "No! Laosan..." Mei shook his head, giving Xiao Nai a look of betrayal. How could Laosan leave him hanging like that? As if able to read Mei''s mind, Xiao Nai caught his eye. "Sandstorms don''t just happen once." The table laughed and Mei groaned, shaking his head. He was doomed. "He actually wants two wives when we don''t even have a girlfriend!" Ban Shan pretended outrage but the laughter was evident in his voice. "Yeah... how can you have two wives?" Mei put a hand up to forestall the rest of Yong Hou''s comment. "Wait... I almost forgot... One of my apartments is still empty. You can stay there for free if you want to." There was a brief moment of silence before debate broke out around the table. "Me!" "No, me!" "Have pity on me in my dog kennel!" "Hey, hey hey... it''s a very small apartment... It''s only good for one person..." Yong Hou grabbed Mei''s hand. "Bro, we''ve already lived together for four years. You''re not dumping me are you?" "You already have a huge apartment." Ban Shan manhandled Yong Hou out of his chair, taking it for himself and leaning in to Mei. "Mei and I have already bathed together before. Beat that." Mei shifted uneasily in his seat as he felt KO lean in behind him. As the others continued teasing Yong Hou and Ban Shan, KO breathed in to Mei''s ear. "Bathed together before?" "Not like that... Pervert..." He wasn''t game to look behind him and see what sort of expression was on KO''s face. "Mei will never put up with your smelly feet." The table roared at Li Qiang''s quip. "His feet smell worse than mine; he doesn''t even wash his socks." Ban Shan tried to defend himself but Yong Hou was quick to shoot him down. "Your feet smell even worse." "Do they know how frequently you don''t wear underwear because of your aversion to doing laundry?" Hot breath in his ear made the hair on the nape of Mei''s neck stand on end. He dug an elbow backwards but the perverted hacker dodged it easily. "Eh, eh, eh... That''s enough. that''s enough." He directed those words at KO as well as his bickering friends. "We''re all friends so I really can''t choose anyone. Why don''t you talk about it and let me now your decision? Okay?" From the corner of his eye he could see the corner of KO''s mouth twitch before his face smoothed once more. Xiao Nai and Bei Wei Wei slipped away as everyone gathered in front of the karaoke machine. Sure, Wei Wei had to make it back to the dorm in time for curfew but did no one else realise that Xiao Nai had allowed a full hour to take her ten minutes down the road? Mei smirked to himself and filed it away for future teasing. Of Wei Wei, not Xiao Nai... he didn''t need to give Laosanfurther excuse for his sandstorm effect! He was contemplating getting well and truly drunk and dragging KO home with him, when his phone rang. Seeing who it was, he grabbed a just-opened bottle of wine off the table before heading outside. No one in that room needed to overhear the conversation that he knew was going to happen; and he was going to need the wine afterwards. "Father" "When are you coming home?" "For mother''s birthday." "You know that''s not what I mean. When are you going to stop wasting your time with those stupid little computer games and come home? Learn to do a real job." "I do a real job, Father." Mei sighed and wondered if it would be rude to start drinking this early in the conversation. He''d taken his conversation to the alley behind the restaurant and leaned against the wall. Through a gap between the buildings he could see a smattering of stars and the faintest glow from the full moon. "Playing games is not a real job."The derision in his father''s voice made him decide that this early in the conversation was exactly the right time to start drinking. "Yes Father." "So you can see sense. I expect you home in time for work on Monday..." "No, Father." "What did you say?" "I said: No, Father. I am already home and I already have work. I will not be leaving either behind to return to the family home and work for the family business." Knowing what was about to come, Mei held the phone away from his ear. He couldn''t make out the words but could still hear enough for the general gist. Meanwhile, he''d forgotten to grab a glass. Oh well. He wasn''t planning on sharing his wine with anyone so drinking straight from the bottle was going to have to do. A shrill female voice joined his father''s baritone and Mei knew his mother had joined the party. "Hello, Mother." "Don''t you ''hello'' me. Such an unfilial boy... what did I do to deserve such a troublesome son?" "I''m sorry, Mother." And he was sorry; he was also terribly tired. "If you''re sorry then come home tonight and we''ll forget about all of this. Your father has been good to you and let you run loose through your university years but it''s time for all that to stop. You need to come home. Learnt the business. Marry and raise an heir." Mei choked. Maybe drinking straight from the bottle wasn''t the best of ideas. "I am sorry. But that''s not going to happen." It was too late now to tell them he had planned on returning... when he was ready. His parents'' attempts to control his life had deadened any desire to return home and if he was going to use his Business Major then he had more interest in support Laosan than his power hungry father. "I have work, a place of my own, and someone I intend to settle down with." His mother gasped and he heard his father take over the phone. The background noise told him it was on speaker so holding the phone didn''t actually mean anything, but that was what his father was like- if you held something, you owned it. "You don''t get to chose who you settle down with. She''s not suitable. Leave her behind. As for your place, it sold yesterday. You have nowhere to go tonight."Self-satisfaction oozed through the phone and Mei dramatically, but silently, gagged. Smarmy old man. "You''re behind the times. I moved in to my new place twelve days ago. Admittedly, work has been so busy that I have been using it as a changeroom rather than sleeping there, but I do have somewhere to go for tonight. Thank you for your concern. As for the person I intend to live with..." "I said she isn''t suitable. It''s all very well and good for you to sow your wild oats when you''re young, but at least sow them where it doesn''t matter if they bloom." Head almost as heavy as his heart, Mei felt his filter disappear into the cool wind that swept down the street. "Don''t worry... I haven''t been sowing my seeds where they could bloom. In fact, I haven''t been sowing them at all. If any seeds were to bloom, I would be the ploughed field." One breath. Two breaths. Thre... "Did he just say what I thought he said?" Mei closed his eyes and held the phone away from his ear once more. "Did he just say.... Oh my! That.. That...." Rather than wait for the inevitable disgust, Mei hung up on his parents. Turning the phone off he slipped it into his pocket and ran his hands over his face. That wasn''t exactly how he''d planned to tell them. "Shit. I need to give Laosan a head''s up." He hailed a taxi as he pulled his phone back out and rang the familiar number. "I just dropped Wei Wei off... You''re lucky you didn''t ring five minutes earlier." "Laosan..." "What''s wrong?" "I did something stupid..." He sniffed and wiped his eyes with the hand that was holding the nearly empty bottle of wine. Where had it gone? "What did you do?" "I told my parents." "Go home and sleep. We prepared for this, just like we prepared for the demo... remember? We''re okay. You''ll be okay. Go home and sleep it off. I''ll see you at work on Monday; don''t spend the weekend stressing." "Yes." He hiccoughed. "Xiao Nai?" "Yes, Mei-ge?" "Thank you." "You''re my family. Family looks out for each other." Text to: KO [It happened ahead of schedule. Sent him home to sleep it off.Look after him tomorrow.] Text from: KO [Not just tomorrow.] Text to: KO [After tonight, it will be my permission you need to court him.] Text from: KO [The only permission I need is his.] Letting himself into his quiet house, Xiao Nai smiled down at his phone. At least he didn''t need to worry about Hao Mei in the future... he''d never be without support with KO around. Rather than going to bed, Xiao Nai turned his laptop on. He''d reassured Mei, but it wouldn''t hurt to double check everything himself. 49 Chapter 49- House Warming Relating to Episode 29 of Love O2O. Knock, knock, knock. Knock, knock, knock. Knock, knock, knock. The stars groaned and a large mass rolled beneath them, shaking the galaxy and shifting the centre of gravity. Which sounds a lot more exciting than saying that an extremely hung over Hao Mei was rudely awakened by a persistent knocking at the front door. Each bang of the door reverberated in his skull until he thought his head might vibrate so much it would separate from his neck and roll on to the floor. It might hurt a lot less in that instance. Knock, knock, knock. As the knocking continued, Mei admitted defeat and sat up on his bed. Rubbing his head, he looked over at the alarm clock he''d silenced earlier that morning. "What? It''s already 3:30pm?" He yawned as the knocking continued. "Who is it?" Bleary-eyed and heavy-headed, he navigated the maze of discarded clothing and empty juice bottles, inured to the sight and smell. "I''m coming.. I''m coming," he scowled as he opened the door and peered up at the brave sole who dared wake him up. "Who is it?" The brave man simply looked at him. "KO? What are you doing here?" Mei blinked. Maybe he was still drunk and just imagining his hangover... and KO''s unexplained presence. In response, KO held up two plastic bags, packed full of groceries to the point they were threatening to burst at the seams. "I''m here to go through the back door." "Eh... come in, come in." Stepping back, Mei ushered KO through the door, yawning as he followed the hacker into his home. Rubbing his eyes, he watched KO step carefully over the mess and put the bags on the kitchen bench. "It''s such a mess." "I just moved in a few days ago... you know what work has been like... unpacking hasn''t been a priority." "Cleaning hasn''t been either." "Eh," Mei gave a shame-faced chuckle. "Well, to be honest, cleaning is never much of a priority." With a grunt, KO acknowledged the truth of Mei''s words as he started opening cupboards; searching for something that Mei was sure he didn''t have. "How did you know I lived here now?" He hadn''t told anyone when he found a replacement unit- other than Xiao Nai that was.... and suddenly he didn''t have any questions. Okay, he had several, chief of them being ''what game was laosan playing'' but he had no questions that needed urgent answers. "You don''t have anything?" Without waiting for a reply, KO started writing on a notepad he just happened to have in his pocket. "What are you doing?" "Get dressed. Go to the supermarket," KO finished scribbling on the paper and tore it off, handing it over to Mei who blinked at him owlishly. "Buy the things on the list." "Wok, saute pan, electric rice cooker, spatula, electric grid?" Mei wrinkled his nose. What was this? An episode of Home Shopping 101? "Griddle. Not grid." "Ah..." Pretending that made sense to him, Mei perused the rest of the list. "Soy sauce, corn oil, essence of chicken..." What was essence of chicken? Essence brought to mind essential oils but he didn''t think anyone would want a massage that left them smelling like dusty poultry. "Hmm," KO pulled the bags towards him and started to put their contents into Mei''s empty fridge. It still had the plastic seal over the deli drawer and smelled like fresh plastic. The only thing he''d put in it since its delivery was bottled juice. And a random beer bottle. He couldn''t remember buying that and had a feeling it had been left behind by the friendly removalists as a house warming gift. "You''re going to cook in my house?" Mei''s stomach tried jumping for joy but all that achieved was an uncomfortable sloshing of all he''d had to drink last night. "Hmm." "So I''m going to the supermarket? What are you doing?" "Washing vegetables." Washing vegetables? Didn''t you just peel them all anyway? And why did Hao Mei have to be the one to leave the house when he felt like death warmed up and KO looked as chipper as he ever seemed? It just didn''t seem fair. "What''s an electric griddle? Do I buy a wooden spatula or a stainless steel spatula?" Legitimate questions but Mei only cared about asking them because he wanted KO to take pity on him and let him go back to bed while the more experienced one did the shopping. Unaware that his reluctance was written on his face with neon signage, Mei pouted hopefully at KO. The hacker sighed and slung his backpack over his shoulder. Mei immediately cheered up. Success! He could go back to bed while KO shopped and... "I''ll go with you." What? That wasn''t his plan! No! "What about this?" "You don''t need it." "But it''s cute." "You don''t need a nutcracker shaped like a Koala." "It might remind me of Will and Tom?" "Then get them to buy you one that''s actually made in Australia, as a souvenir. You don''t need a Chinese version of a Koala nutcracker." "What about these?" "You don''t need Chansey egg cups." "What if you make me boiled eggs? Then I''ll need egg cups." "If you buy Chansey egg cups, I''m never making you boiled eggs." Mei rolled his eyes and sighed as he returned the pink pokemon egg cups to their shelf. Shopping with KO was such a drag. The man had no sense of humour, or of the absurd. And did he not understand the purpose of impulse buys? How could he walk past so many shiny things and not see anything that wasn''t on his list? "Don''t roll your eyes. You''re not five." Mei froze. "How did you know? Do you have eyes in the back of your head?" He gasped dramatically. "You''re really an alien aren''t you? That''s why you go by KO, because if you told us your real name we wouldn''t be able to pronounce it and your alien origins would be exposed." He skipped sideways beside the cart that the stone-faced hacker was pushing. "Is that why you''re so good with coding? You''re not coding like us humans do, but talking to the computers and making them do what you want?" Was that a twitch at the corner of KO''s mouth? The hacker investigated the box of an electric rice cooker- comparing details between two different brands. Mei thought he was laying it on too thick. Seriously, how much difference could there be between brands? And wasn''t the most expensive one always the best? Just buy that one and hey presto... decision made. "Did you come to Earth in a beam of light, or was it more a molecule transfer thing? And why China? I mean, why not China is the better question, but did you come to China because you look like us so you''d fit in better or did you choose a country and then change your appearance to suit? If you were going to choose your appearance though, then you might have wanted to choose a form with facial muscles. They do these really cool things like smile and allow for talking." Putting a box in the trolley and ticking the final item off his list, KO finally turned to the talkative Mei. He understood that the man was bored but did he seriously have no ''off'' switch? Bored or not, shopping for kitchen ware was serious business and not something Mei should be taking lightly. "Mei." "KO?" "Let''s go home." "Finally you''re talking my language." "Mei." "Yes, KO." "How old are you?" "Young enough to still enjoy life. Old enough that having fun with you won''t get you locked up." Mei smiled at him and his heart tripped when the corner of KO''s mouth twitched. A cough brought him back to earth and he realised that the girl at the checkout had heard his last comment. Her face was bright red as she scanned through their purchases. "Ah... He.. We... I..." "Mei," exasperation weighed heavily on KO''s words. "Stop. Talking." For once, Mei listened. Between last night''s phone call and now this afternoon''s overheard comment, he was batting 2 for 2 in the embarrassment stakes. Silence never seemed like such a good idea. Which reminded him... "KO.... we need to talk." "I know." KO ruffled Mei''s hair and smiled at him. In public. Mei''s knees went weak and he glared at older man. The twinkle in his eye told Mei that KO had wielded that smile on purpose. As a weapon of distraction, it was fatal. "We''ll talk when we eat. For now, lets get these things home and I''ll cook for you." Mei smiled his agreement and the checkout girl put a hand to her mouth, muffling her giggles. As the pair headed out the doors, she snuck a quick photo on her phone, tucking it back into her pocket before her supervisor could notice. She couldn''t believe she''d actually witnessed a scene straight from a drama! And with two such handsome leads! Good thing she had photo evidence or her friend would never believe her. 50 Chapter 50- Sneaking Through the Back Door Translation notes: baobei = babe/darling/treasure etc. Affectionate pet name for females to use in reference to their partner. Zhu tou= fool/stupid. Affectionate reference by girls to their partner. Oppa= do I really need to translate this? It''s Korean for older brother (used by girls) and can take a flirtatious note. It has become part of the Chinese lexicon meaning ''handsome man'' etc (Apparently there are cafes that advertise their staff as Oppas. I need to go to one of those cafes. In a non-creepy, purely for research, manner.) Aegyo= again, does this need translation? Korean for... basically acting cute/flirtatious... if you''re confused, look it up. YouTube will do a better job at explaining it than I can. "What the actual fuck, KO?" It wasn''t often that Hao Mei cursed. And it was even rarer for him to curse in English, but in this case he felt the situation warranted some serious swearing. Waking up sore and slightly achy wasn''t exactly new, but waking up looking like he was wrapped with bright red ribbon? That was new. His torso was criss-crossed with deep red lines, the edges tinted with purple and when he gingerly ran a finger along the thickest of the lines he hissed at the tenderness. What the hell? It looked like he''d been attacked by an octopus with venomous tentacles. The red bands of abraded skin wrapped around his stomach and his forearms. When he lay on his back with his arms by his side, it was easy to see that the lines matched up. Which made sense when he thought about the previous night. He was trying to decide whether the heat in his face was from anger, embarrassment or remembered arousal, when KO came into the bedroom carrying a tray. The hacker froze at the look on Mei''s face then gave him a sheepish half-smile and put the try on the bedside table. "I made congee for breakfast and have some medicines for you." KO sat next to Mei and reached to trace the lines marking the younger man''s white skin. His fingers hovered just above the bruising and he winced in sympathy. "They look sore." "They are." Mei huffed and crossed his arms but that rubbed on a mark over his chest which hurt and all he could do was flop his arms back onto the bed and lie there like a lump. He glared at KO. Apparently he was going with anger. One of the bowls on the tray was filled with the green, succulent leaves of the Aloe Vera that Mei had growing in a pot on the balcony. It had been the first living thing in the apartment, delivered before he managed to escape the office to come home for the first time. Having spent years working in various kitchens, KO had stressed the importance of having an aloe vera growing in a pot for easy first aid in the case of burns, and when he''d thought about furnishing his new apartment Mei had immediately ordered a plant. And now he was busy thinking of everything other than what KO was planning. He''d sliced the leaves length ways and now gently covered the lines on Mei''s body with thin sheets of the gel filled tubes. "Does that hurt?" "Cold." "I put them in the fridge while I made breakfast. The cold will help," KO''s eyebrows furrowed as he carefully placed leaves on the bands wrapping around Mei''s forearms. "Stay like this while you eat, and then I''ll put them on your back." "Ah, genius? How am I supposed to eat? If I move my arms the aloe vera will fall off." "I''ll feed you." He matched words to actions and carefully blew on a spoonful of congee, cooling it down before lifting it towards Mei''s lips. Mei thought about refusing- he was a grown man and being spoon-fed was rather childish- but his stomach rumbled and won that argument before it could even start. Mei ate in silence, not sure whether he should address what had happened the previous night or just leave it be. KO''s silence didn''t give him much of a gauge as to how the older man felt about it, but the way that he was refusing to meet Mei''s eyes was interesting. Could it be, I''m not the only one feeling awkward? This was no good; if he''d learned anything about sex, then it was that things like this needed to be talked out. Looked like it was up to him to start the conversation. Surprise surprise. "KO, we need to..." "Mei, I''m sorry..." They looked up at each other when their words collided mid air. "You go first." "You go First." "Jinx." "Jinx." Their eyes met, Mei''s mouth twitched and KO''s eyes sparkled. "Well, that worked as an ice breaker," Mei laughed. "Wonder if we''re about to say the same thing?" "I''m sorry." KO blurted it out, looking back down at the bowl of congee and stirring it with the spoon. "Okaaaaay...." Mei frowned. "That wasn''t what I was going to say. Why are you sorry?" KO looked up. "I hurt you." "You didn''t hurt me." "LOOK AT YOU!" The shout burst from KO''s lips and his fingers clenched around the bowl on his lap. "I woke up this morning because you whimpered in your sleep. You can''t say I didn''t hurt you." "KO..." Mei sighed and all anger evaporated. Not that he''d been angry at KO, more at himself. Which it seemed he needed to make clear. "Look at me. Look in my eyes when I tell you this because I need you to believe me." He waited until KO met his gaze, the hacker''s eyes sheened with fear. "You. Did. Not. Hurt. Me. Yes, I''m hurt... but it was a joint effort. Actually," he thought back on the events of the previous night. " If either of us needs to take responsibility for what happened, then it would be me." "What? No..." Mei stroked KO''s thigh with fingers, wishing he could lift his hand to touch KO properly but not game to face his partner''s wrath if the aloe on his arm slipped. "Yes. Did I ask you to stop? Even once?" "No." "Did you get the impression, at all, that I wasn''t enjoying myself?" KO''s eyes darkened with satisfaction at the memory. "No." "Next time... let''s establish some ground rules first. Okay?" "Next time?" "Oh baobei... there will be a next time." KO caught Mei''s hand in his own, their fingers tangling on the sheets. He leaned forward to place a gentle kiss on Mei''s forehead. "Roll over and I''ll fix your back for you." Mei obediently turned onto his stomach, burying his face into the pillow that smelled like spicy chocolate. He''d asked Wei Wei one day what she thought KO smelled like, and the look of confusion on her face made him hurriedly take it back. Apparently he was the only one who associated chilli chocolate with the man currently placing aloe vera along the markings on his back. His eyes closed as he melted beneath KO''s hands, much like he had the night before. Mei had stumbled from his bedroom, yawning after his late afternoon nap, to find that KO had filled his dining table with all his favourite foods. Spicy poached fish, saut¨¦ed hairy crab, and even salted egg chicken wings, graced the table and made his stomach rumble and mouth overflow with drool. The hacker had put all of Mei''s new kitchen accessories to good use and Mei dug in to the feast without hesitation. "Is it good?" "It''s so good," the words were barely audible around a mouth full of chicken. "KO, you''re so talented. Who would have though the second-to-none hacker was once a cook? That''s so legendary. In comparison, I suddenly feel a bit inadequate." KO simply smiled at Mei''s unabashed enjoyment of the meal. Watching his partner forgo table manners in favour of food was gross... yet heart warming. "KO? Which college did you graduate from?" "Nine-year compulsory education." "Eh?" Mei froze with a chicken wing halfway to his mouth. "I lost my family when I was fourteen. I had no money so I couldn''t continue school." The matter-of-fact ness with which KO revealed a such a major part of his life, stunned Mei. As much as he didn''t see eye to eye with his parents (to put it simply), he always had them as a safety net. Failure might mean having to conform to his parents'' wishes, but it wouldn''t leave him destitute. "You''re doing quite fine now. You''re more skilled than us actual university students. You might have lost to laosan before but it definitely wasn''t a matter of skill. It was because you have a noble character." The bare chicken bone was waved to illustrate Mei''s point. "I know." "I was just being polite." KO raised an eyebrow at Mei then shrugged. "What was that look for?" "Nothing." "It wasn''t nothing. That was a smug, ''that''s what you think'' look...." Mei sucked in a breath. "No! Did you deliberately lose to laosan? But why?" "You''re smart, Mr Actual University Student. Use those brains." "For me?" "Don''t ask stupid questions. Especially when you already know the answer." "There''s no such thing as stupid questions." "What are you? Five? Anyone who says that has never had a meal with you and the Terrible Two." Mei pursed his lips as he thought about KO''s words. He couldn''t really refute any part of that statement. Rather than waste energy on a pointless argument, he concentrated once more on the food. It was an effort, but he managed to polish off everything that KO had cooked. Leaning back in his chair, Mei watched KO start to clear the table. "I plan on living here." "Uh?" KO stood next to the table, plates piled in his hands and eyes fixated on the table. It wasn''t that interesting a table and Mei wasn''t sure why KO was refusing to look up at him. "I''ll cook; I''ll wash the dishes; I''ll mop the floors; I''ll do the laundry; I will do everything." KO finally lifted his head to look at Mei properly. "Do you want me to live here?" "Zhu tou." Mei shook his head as KO stepped back, face closing off at his words. As the older man silently carried the plates to the sink and began rinsing them off, Mei went rummaging through a box of bits and pieces next to the front door. Eventually he found what he was looking for and turned around, triumphantly holding his fist in the air. "what... what are you doing?" In the process of putting his bag over his shoulder, KO sighed. "I''m going home." "Hey. Idiot. What home?" Mei waved his hand in front of KO''s face and when he finally looked at it, opened his fist. A set of keys dangled from his fingers, attached to a key ring with three connected stars. "What?" "They''re yours." Putting the keys in KO''s hand, Mei closed the man''s fingers over them. "I was going to be all romantic and shit and ask you to move in officially... but you beat me to it. Again. Not like you were doing all that much asking though." Lips pressed tight, KO looked down at the keys in his hand. His arm quivered with tension, like a string pulled too tight. Mei frowned. "I understand if you need to think about it. Me asking you to move in is slightly different to you moving in because you need a place to stay." Mei chewed on his lower lip and stuck his hands in his pockets to stop them shaking. "It''s not like life will be drama free, what with my parents and everything..." "That''s family." A new statue appeared to have made itself at home in Mei''s dining room- KO frozen in place and unable to drag his eyes away from the keys with their falling-star key-ring. "That''s right," Mei scuffed his foot on the tiles. "Why don''t you have family? Even if you lost your parents, didn''t you have someone else to look after you?" He skirted around the question of exactly what happened to KO''s parents, feeling that they were both too emotional to risk opening that Pandora''s chest. "My parent''s fell in love and neither of their parent''s approved. They were disowned after their marriage. I don''t even know if my grandparents know I was born." "Eh? Both sides? Was falling in love so bad then?" "She was Korean and he was Chinese." "That''s not so bad..." "South Korean. And both sets of grandparents were very traditional." "Ah." Mei''s heart clenched. "Would they have accepted us?" "I don''t know. They were talking about returning to Korea, but that never happened." Putting his hands over KO''s, tucking the keys away, Mei stepped closer to his partner. "I''m glad they didn''t go. I wouldn''t have met you then...." He grinned as a thought crossed his mind. Taking a step back, he tucked his fingers into the buttons of KO''s shirt and looked up at him through his lashes. "If you''d gone back to Korea... I could call you Oppa...." Neither man was prepared for the effect that Mei''s aegyo would have on KO. His hands shot out to grip Mei''s arms, dragging the smaller man''s body flush to his own as his lips took Mei''s in a searing kiss. Heat shot through Mei''s body and he moaned into the kiss. Wrapping his arms around KO''s neck, he pushed himself against the other man but the closer contact only made him more eager. Sliding his hands down KO''s chest, he fumbled with the buttons on his shirt, pulling away from the kiss to grumble when button refused to cooperate. His nails scraped against the hacker''s chest and KO groaned, digging his own fingers into Mei''s hips. "Get... it... off..." he tugged at KO''s shirt with each word and when KO slid the fabric down his arms, Mei shucked his own shirt over his head. Chest to chest, skin to skin, they kissed; tongues tangling as they panted against each other''s mouth. Restless and feeling like he could crawl out of his skin, Mei ran his nails up the side of KO''s torso. "Heh... don''t do that..." The skin under Mei''s fingers twitched and KO reached up to move his hands away. As soon as he let go of Mei''s hands, they slid back to the ticklish spot. "Mei..." KO narrowed his eyes at his partner. Unrepentant, Mei wriggled his fingers against KO''s ribs, laughing up at him when he couldn''t help flinching away. "Mei..." "Oppa?" "Fuck, Mei." KO caught the teasing fingers with one hand, pinning them together between their bodies as he caught Mei''s chin; tugging it so the younger man could only look up at him. "You need to stop teasing me." Having his hands caught didn''t deter Mei; he rolled his hips provocatively against KO''s groin. "Stop teasing?" He bit his lip and grinned slyly. "Make me..." The tussle that ensued could have been straight from Mei''s dorm days. As in the past, he was no match for his opponent; however, wrestling with his friends never made his heart race; never made his skin tingle; never made his breath catch his throat; never made him moan when he was pinned to the floor... He also never ended up naked with his arms pinned to his side with a tie from his bathrobe. Straddling Mei, KO stared down at him, his eyes hooded but with the blush on his cheekbones giving away his arousal. Unwilling to admit defeat, Mei rocked his hips, trying to dislodge the man sitting his lap. KO barely shifted as Mei twisted beneath him. When the younger man finally lay still, panting and heart racing so loud he thought for sure KO would be able to hear it, he frowned up at KO. "Why do you still have your pants on?" Mei whined at the unfairness of the situation. How did he lose so badly he ended up more than naked while KO still had his pants? It wasn''t Mei''s fault that KO was ticklish, or that he had a susceptibility to pet names. His lips pursed in a pout when KO smirked at him. The hacker shifted on Mei''s lap and Mei groaned as his dick reacted to the attention. It had started to harden when KO was tying him up, but there was no denying that being trapped beneath his lover was turning him on even further. KO gently flicked Mei''s nipple, watching as his breath escaped with a quivery little moan. Mei''s physical response to their play hadn''t escaped KO''s notice. He leaned forward to lick at the other nipple while his fingers kept playing- slowly rolling the pink bud harder between his fingers until he pinched it at exactly the same time as his mouth covered the other side. Mei''s body jerked at the dual pleasure and pain sensation and when KO lifted his head, his lover''s face was flushed and his eyes were closed. "M....mo...more..." Mei''s whimpers tested KO''s self-control. Continuing to roll the budded nipple between his fingers, KO kissed and licked his way from Mei'' chest to his neck, grazing his teeth along the younger man''s white skin and feeling himself heat at the trail of pink marks left blooming in his wake. When KO''s breath ghosted up Mei''s he shivered beneath him. When his lips softly traced the curve of his ear and KO''s husky voice murmured "E-mei" into his ear, his body bucked and he unconsciously fought against the tie binding him. He wanted to touch his partner, to drag nails down his back, to hold him close... The terry-towelling tie rubbed at his arms, abrading his sensitive skin but it was just one more sensation added to all the others. He could feel KO''s erection rubbing against his own, could feel their pre-cum making his slacks damp. The heat above his groin and the heat at his ear connected, while the abrasion of his arms joined the pinching of his nipple and his body shook, trembling... even as it begged for more. It was a barely conscious thought, and maybe if he''d known KO''s response in advance Mei would have refrained from speaking... "If you like oppa ... then what would baobei do to you?" He grinned at KO as he undulated beneath him- just because he didn''t have his hands free, didn''t mean he was defenceless. KO''s eyes darkened as Mei''s body rubbed against his own. Without speaking, he swooped in, taking Mei''s lips in a bruising kiss as he ground his hips against Mei''s groin. His hands were rough on Mei''s body, drawing whimpers from the bound man. One hand snaked through Mei''s hair, pulling his head off the ground as KO continued to devour his mouth. The other hand wrapped around Mei''s erection, eliciting a groan that vibrated through their joined mouths. Arms trapped next to his body, held in place with a hand in his hair and one on his cock, and unable even to move his legs as KO shifted his weight off Mei''s lap and onto his thighs, Mei was overwhelmed with sensation. When his lover grazed the tip of his cock with his nail, he shuddered as his ejaculation seared on his stomach. The euphoria of his orgasm seeped through his bones, leaving him limp in his lover''s hands even as those hands deftly worked his cock to hardness once more. Unknown to Mei, when KO pulled himself away from Mei''s mouth, the younger man''s moans were punctuated with pet names- begging his baobei for more. Grabbing Mei''s hips, KO flipped him over even as he pulled his hips higher. The carpet of the lounge room floor rubbed against Mei''s cheek as he turned his head, his weight balanced on his upper torso. His knees were bent and KO''s hands guided his hips to push his arse into the air. Mei''s hands couldn''t help balance himself but KO placed them on Mei''s cheeks before rocking back onto his heels and admiring the view. "Open yourself for me, E-Mei." The rasp in KO''s voice sent shivers down Mei''s spine as he blindly obeyed the instruction, pulling his cheeks apart as KO watched. "Good boy, E-Mei," KO left Mei on the lounge room floor and ducked into the bedroom. He knew his lover enough to know that their supplies would already be in his top drawer, even though KO hadn''t even been over yet. When he returned, lube in hand, he was surprised to see that Mei had stayed in place, exposing himself for KO''s return. His lover''s eyes were glazed over, staring into the distance. Settling behind Mei, KO couldn''t help leaning forward and placing kiss at the base of Mei''s spine before moving to bite down on the soft flesh of his arse. A shuddering breath was Mei''s only response. "You''re so hot... such a good boy..." Crooning at his lover, KO applied lube to his fingers before pushing his index finger into Mei''s hole. The heat swallowed the digit and he could feel Mei quivering despite how still he was trying to stay. "What do you want, E-Mei? Do you want more of this..." he curled his finger inside Mei as he added a second. "No more... just.. just..." KO leaned over Mei''s back, his fingers constantly moving even as his shift in weight drove them deeper into Mei''s body. "Just what, love?" "You. Just want you... now. Ple...ease..." One movement pushed KO''s pants down enough for him to grab his cock, coating it with lube before aligning himself with Mei''s hole. The man beneath him tilted his hips, rubbing himself against the head of the cock pressing at his entrance. With one hand on those hips, KO also grabbed the bathrobe tie, using it as leverage to pull Mei backwards, impaling himself inside Mei''s tight heat in one thrust. A cry escaped Mei''s lips- thin and needy as he rocked his hips backwards, taking KO deeper. The hacker cursed under his breath when Mei clenched around him. He wasn''t sure what was hotter- Mei''s needy body or the whimpers slipping past his lips. The room filled with Mei''s whimpers and the fleshy thud of skin on skin as KO rammed into Mei. Their panting became indistinguishable from the other and Mei slowly stopped moving against KO- held upright by KO''s hands on his hips and in the tie around his torso. Mei''s vision blurred and his attention narrowed to the feel of KO pushing himself in to his body. Head down and arse up, each stroke brushed over the bundle of nerves and his balls grew tight, tingling with the nearness of his orgasm. He tried to tell KO he was close but couldn''t find his words, barely managing unintelligible moans and cries that only seemed to drive the hacker to higher heights. When he came with a groan that was half cry, Mei''s mind floated above the sensations overwhelming his body. He could still feel the slick slide of KO inside him, he felt his lover dig fingers into his hips and he came, felt the heat from KO''s cum deep inside... he could feel his lover disengage from him, lie him gently on his side and release the binding of his arms. He could feel the warm cloth as KO wiped him clean, felt the arms gather him up and place him gently in the bed before drawing him close. He could feel it all, but from a distance. Overloaded with sensation, his mind distanced itself from the physical. As his eyes fluttered shut, darkness swallowing him, his last conscious thought was that they would have to try that again sometime. 51 Chapter 51- Even the Dead have Ears Relating to Episode 29 of Love O2O. Time flew by and before Mei knew it, the day of the staff trip had arrived with a burst of sunshine. "Hey... no one said anything about a dress code." Li Qiang, the only one not wearing a variation of black and white, grumbled as they headed out to the cars. Even the cars fit the unofficial colour scheme.Xiao Nai, Ban Shan and Li Qiang were all taking their SUV''s, while Mei had splurged on a jeep. When people asked, he claimed he was too handsome to continue catching public transport- what if he got kidnapped and sold for his good looks- however the truth was that he''d gone and bought the first car he saw after KO had come dripping into the office one day. Rain and motorbikes were not a good mix, except in the movies, and while they might occasionally act like the leads in a Rom-Com, Mei knew they weren''t. No, it was better to buy a car than risk KO in bad weather. Not that he was all that comfortable driving. He''d never needed to learn when he was living at home and once he was in the dorms they walked everywhere, or he caught a lift with the guys. Which is why KO was the one with the keys. "Hey Mei, it was supposed to be a fair competition. But you straight up let KO in the back door!" Li Qiang''s comment was backed up by the others. Unperturbed, KO slung his backpack into the car and stood in the open door, waiting for everyone to get their teasing out of their system. Mei advanced on Li Qiang. "He can cook, do laundry, wash dishes, and mop floors. Can you? Can you?" Each question was punctuated with a poke to Li Qiang''s chest. He put his hands in the air and backed up. "But I have such precious hands. Of course I can''t do such menial work." "Well if you can''t, then shut up. Hurry and get in the car." Maybe he closed the passenger door a bit too firmly, but darn that Li Qiang. Why did he have to remember his offer for someone to stay? Didn''t he know Mei only made the offer because he was backed into a corner? KO reached over and ruffled his hair, before pulling the Jeep out of the car park to follow Xiao Nai''s and Ban Shan''s cars. Mei frownedat KO. "What was that for?" "You''re cute when you pout." "Zhu tou." A cough from the back seat caught their attention. "Please don''t forget you have company," Wang Wei leaned between the front seats. "I don''t think my heart could take it if I see KO acting like a human rather than a statue. The sweet would rot my teeth." "What would rot your teeth? You''re an old man- it happens with age." When Wang Wei feigned a direct hit to the heart, Mei noticed KO hiding a smile. If Wang Wei couldn''t see the hacker as human than that was his loss. Mei was more than happy to keep KO''s smiles a secret. The three of them chatted while they followed Xiao Nai to pick Wei Wei up from college. It would be more accurate to say that Mei and Wang Wei chatted while KO provided the occasional grunt whenever comments were directed specifically at him. After climbing halfway out the window to wave at Wei Wei, and thoroughly enjoy the fact that someone else was turning pink, not him, Mei leaned back in his seat with a sigh. "Four days away... laosan sure is good." "Hmm." Surprised to get no response from Wang Wei in the backseat, Mei twisted around. Their peer was lying on the backseat with his head leaning against the door. Each time the Jeep went over a bump, the man''s head thunked against the handle. Mei blinked at him in surprise. "He''s asleep." "Hmm." KO took one hand off the wheel and rubbed the back of Mei''s neck. "He''s been asleep since we hit the highway after picking up Wei Wei." "That long?" Without noticing what he was doing, Mei reached up, putting his hand over KO''s. "How can he sleep in that position?" "Everyone is still exhausted after getting ready for the demo." "I guess so. He''s sleeping like the dead though. Are we sure he''s still alive?" Mei''s phone rang and he let go of KO''s hand so he could fish the phone out of his pocket. One look at the caller I.D and he hung up on the call, turning the phone off and tossing it in the center console. Lips down turned, he stared out the window. Laosan had assured him that nothing could be done while they were away, so he determined not to think too hard about things he couldn''t control. "Who was it?" "Ma." "Still crying?" "The crying is harder to listen to than the shrieking. But the crying is starting to sound purposeful." "Purposeful?" "I get the feeling that she''s planing something even more outrageous than her last attempt to marry me off." "I didn''t think that was possible." "Yeah... but if anyone can do it, Ma can. And after my serious caseof ''foot in mouth'' syndrome, she''ll be planning some sort of intervention." Mei sighed. "It''s harder to hang up on her than it is when Pa rings. Someone finally told him I majored in Business and he''s taken that as his cue to try and push the company angle. I have a responsibility to the family name, the family business, the company employees.... you name it, I apparently have a responsibility for it." "You should let me answer for you." "No... I can''t do that to you." "Let me take care of you." Mei chuckled. "You already do. Who has been making me congee for breakfast every morning and not even letting me put the aloe on by myself?" "It''s the least I can do. It''s my... responsibility...." "Oooh... he jokes. Be still by beating heart." The pair smiled at each other, unaware that the sleeping beauty in the back seat had woken up. Wang Wei cushioned his head with his arm and kept his eyes closed. To begin with, he''d been too stunned at hearing KO speak in full sentences, to let them know he was awake. Then the conversation turned personal and as educational as it was, he knew Mei wouldn''t want him knowing he was having family trouble. Hearing KO make a joke, albeit a very cold joke, almost made him blow his cover. He swallowed his laugh, covering it with a sleepy snort. Folding his arms over his chest, Mei pouted at his partner. "I thought we agreed it was more my fault than yours?" "I never agreed." "You stopped arguing though." "You were happier thinking you''d won." "Arrogant..." when KO ruffled his hair, Mei pushed his hand away. "I can blame you if you want. Especially if this trip goes poorly. Argh. I can''t believe we''re staying at such a high class resort and I can''t enjoy all of it." "What? Why not?" "It has a huge pool with a glass roof: I wanted to go swimming with you at night so we could see the stars... seeing as you ruined my romantic gesture with the keys." "We can still do that." "No. We can''t." "Why not?" "Have you forgotten about these?" Mei lifted his shirt up, the bruising around his torso still visible in a dark purple that was only just starting to mottle into greens and yellows. In the back seat, peering through slotted eyes, Wang Wei was only able to see Mei lifting his shirt. Curiosity itched at his brain. Tucking his phone down the side, near the door, he quietly sent off a group text to all other members Zhi Yo Technologies who were on the trip... all others except for Xiao Nai and Bei Wei Wei. He knew them well enough to know that neither would cooperate with the plan starting to emerge from that itch. "Ah..." After a few days of tending to his lover, and Mei''s physical reassurance that a bit of bondage hadn''t traumatised him, KO was starting to feel a deep satisfaction whenever he saw the bruising. Even more than the possessive love bites he''d previously marked Mei with, these bruises were a demonstration of his lover''s surrender to him... and he was finding he quite liked that. "We can go swimming when everyone else has gone to bed." "But what will I say for why I''m not swimming through the day?" "Say you can''t swim." Mei scoffed. "Yeah right. I grew up next to the ocean with a lap pool in the backyard. And I can''t swim." "You''re a Young Master... isn''t the pool for lounging next to, not swimming in?" "Ay, this man...." movement from the backseat reminded Mei that they had company. Thanking the gods that Wang Wei had slept through their conversation, Mei nevertheless guided their subject matter into calmer waters. The discussion about aspects of the game led, somehow, to which paint colours would suit the apartment best. That topic kept them occupied until they pulled into a scenic lookout behind the other cars. With an elaborate stretch and a yawn loud enough to unblock his eardrums from the drive up the mountain, Wang Wei ''woke up''. His performance was unappreciated however, as both KO and Mei had got out to check on the whereabouts of Xiao Nai and Wei Wei. Unbeknown to the HoK couple, the phones of their peers were overheating with secret plans. It wasn''t going to be the relaxing weekend Hao Mei was looking forward to.... 52 Chapter 52- The Family You Choose Relating to Episode 29 of Love O2O In exchange for Hao Mei claiming the best room for himself and KO, he was ''volunteered'' for BBQ duty. Technically, they''d both been volunteered but as no one wanted to take KO''s place as head chef he was off the hook for the rest of it. Which left Mei cleaning the BBQ and getting it lit while the rest of the guys hit the pool. Just in case anyone felt sorry for Mei, Ban Shan and Yong Hou had shared stories about some of his early cooking attempts when he''d just moved into the dormitories. These stories were taken as proof that Mei was great at lighting fires... so he was left to do so in peace. Fortunately for everyone, Mr Chef was very particular about his work space and had printed off instructions before leaving the office. Mei had watched him in the kitchen enough that had no trouble following the precise instructions and before long the BBQ was heating nicely. "Senior KO and the others are swimming... you''re not going to take a look?"Bei Wei Wei offered him a drink of water and he took it gratefully. "Who says you''ll know how to swim if you grow up by the sea? I only know how to eat fish." The gods were smiling on him if Wei Wei was the first one he tried his excuse with; she was more naive than the others but if she accepted his story then no one else would question. Such was the power of being Laoda''s furen. "All right," Wei Wei shrugged. If Mei wasn''t swimming then at least she wouldn''t be the only one sitting on the side watching. It didn''t take long before Mei was wiping his hands on his pants. "Okay, this is all good," he grinned at Wei Wei. "Let''s go watch them swim." "This would be you forcing me to go." "Let''s go. I''m forcingyou to go." Mei grabbed her arm and dragged her towards the pool. they could hear raucous laughter echoing in theglass atrium and it was hard to stay apart and set up the barbecue. Especially when Mei was used to being in the centre of that much noise. "Let''s go watch them swim." Contrary to Mei''s expectations, only Xiao Nai and KO were still in the pool. The noise came from their friends sitting on the sidelines, teasing the two men about being unable to define ''relaxation''. It wasn''t long before basic male posturing led to a competition between the two... which led to Mei''s current predicament. "Eh?" He scratched his head as he watched KO swim away. "What did I do?" "Think it through and then go and apologise or Ban Shan will have to cook." "Hey!" Ban Shan hit Li Qiang over the back of the head, then smirked. "But he''s right. Hurry, Mei, and make up to your husband. We''re all getting hungry." "Yeah." "Hurry, hurry." "Make up quick. We want food." Several hands pushed Mei towards the opposite end of the pool where KO was leaning against the wall with his face half in the water. He cleared his throat as he approached, squatting next to the swimmer. "Hey, KO. What''s wrong?" The clear water, Mei decided, was a curse. How was he supposed to concentrate on finding out what was wrong with KO, when he had the perfect view of his bare chest... all wet... he licked his lips then spluttered as he copped a face full of water. "Eh? What was that for?" "So thirsty." KO pulled his swim cap off and ran his hand through his hair. Mei''s mind went blank. "You''re thirsty? I''ll get you a drink." Another wave of water splashed over his face and into his open mouth. Coughing and spluttering, he wiped chlorinated water from his eyes. "Eh? What was that for?" KO turned around, facing his unimpressed partner. "That was for cheering for Laoda." "What?" Mei blinked at him. It was like shutters closed over KO''s face and Mei finally clicked. "You''re mad because I cheered for laosan?" He hid a smile. Was his KO pouting because he cheered for Xiao Nai? So cute. KO merely narrowed his eyes at Mei before pushing off from the wall, arrowing down the pool. Mei rocked back on his heels. Now what did I do?He could see the guys at the end of the pool waving their arms and mouthing obscenities at him. It was easy to see that they were worried about who was going to cook their lunch but how was he supposed to sweet talk KO if he didn''t even know exactly what it was he''d done wrong... and had an overly interested audience? As KO touched the wall at Mei''s feet, turning around to swim another lap, Mei waved his hands at his peers- shooing them away. The rowdy bunch left, and Mei heaved a sigh of relief. Now to try and figure out how to fix the mistake he''d obviously made. Sometimes being an adult sucked. Mei lay on the wet floor, chin propped on folded arms, waiting for KO to reach the wall once more. This time, when the hacker touched the wall, Mei reached down and grabbed his wrist. KO held onto the wall and their faces were level. "Sorry." "What for?" "Cheering for Xiao Nai. Making you mad." KO sighed and leaned his forehead against Mei''s. "I''m not mad because you cheered for Xiao Nai... I''m mad because you didn''t cheer for me." "Huh?" Mei''s forehead wrinkled against KO''s. "That doesn''t make sense. If I cheer for Xiao Nai then I''m not cheering for you, but if I cheer for you I''m not cheering for Xiao Nai and what am I even saying?" "Just..." Taking a deep breath, the hacker closed his eyes. "Cheer for me. Believe in me." "I do." Mei pulled away, cupping KO''s face with his hand and rubbing the other man''s cheek with his thumb until those dark eyes slowly opened. "I believe in you. I really do." His thumb stroked over KO''s eyebrows, down his cheek and Mei''s fingers curled against the side of his face. "I have known Xiao Nai for nearly five years. We''ve shared a dorm, studied together, played together, started a business together... I trust him, and love him like a brother. I know he will be there for me." When KO tried to pull away, his face dark, Mei grabbed his shoulders with both hands. The water on his skin made him slippery and lying flat on the ground while trying to hold onto a disgruntled swimmer was easier said than done, but Mei needed KO to hear him out. "You know what he means to me... but if you don''t know what you mean to me, then that''s my fault. KO..." He wanted until the man looked at him, holding the eye contact. He couldn''t look away now, no matter how embarrassing he found the whole situation. KO deserved to hear it plainly. "You mean more to me in the last year, than Xiao Nai ever could. You''re the one I think about when I think of the future. You''re the one I wonder about- are you getting enough sleep, eating enough, not working too hard? These weeks while we were all basically living at the office, I was jealous of the two of you working so close together... because I wanted to be the one next to you. I''m competitive, and I let that get the best of me. And I''m sorry for that. I''m not used to having a partner''s feelings to worry about- I''ll do better in the future." "Why?" There was no elaboration but Mei knew what KO meant. "Because I love you." "Oh... you do?" An eyebrow twitched and Mei tried unsuccessfully to hide the grin that stretched his lips at the sight of his hacker unthawing. The sparkle in his eyes gave KO the barest warning before Mei answered him. "I love you, oppa." "What are they doing?" "Still talking." "What are they saying?" "Idiot. Am I Batman to be able to hear from this distance?" "What are they doing now? "Still talki..." "What?" "We''re saved!" "Eh?" "Ban Shan doesn''t have to cook lunch anymore." "Mei fixed it?" "Well," Qui Yong Hou coughed and pulled away from the doorway he''d been peering around. "Mei did something, anyway." "What do you mean? Did he fix it?" Curiosity got the best of Wang Wei and he took a look for himself. When he turned back to the others his face was slightly red. "I see what you mean. Something. Ah... lets all get changed so we can eat lunch in dry clothes?" "Good idea." The rest of the group took their cue from Yong Hou and Wei''s red faces and left for their rooms. Inside the atrium, the two men slowly pulled away from each other. Mei licked his lips and grinned at KO. "That word really does it for you, doesn''t it?" "Not the word," KO pressed one last kiss to Mei''s lips before dragging himself out of the pool. Water ran down his chest and Mei forgot how to breath. "Only when you say it, E-Mei. Only you." For the first time, Mei had no snippy comeback and could only blush in response. When he scrambled to his feet, water dripped from his shirt and KO laughed. "You look like you went swimming after all." "Whose fault is that?" "You lay on the ground next to the pool. Of course there will be water." "Eh? And who splashed me?" Happily bickering, Mei grabbed a towel and passed it to KO before reaching for his own. With his face buried in the towel, he failed to notice the warmth that filled KO''s eyes at the gesture. It was small, with no thought behind it, but for KO that small action of putting him first, spoke thousands. When Mei finally looked up, satisfied that he''d dried his hair enough it wouldn''t drip into his eyes, he found KO staring at him. "What?" "E-Mei," Now it was KO''s turn to cup his partner''s face- KO''s turn to lean and press his lips gently to Mei''s. "I love you too. Now let''s go and feed the horde before they come looking for us." "Hmm." Mei nodded his agreement, lips tingling from the kisses in the pool and the one that just happened. Just as he was considering whether lunch was really that important, his stomach growled. He sighed. Food first... then maybe he could drag KO away? Now that was a plan. 53 Chapter 53- The Lull Before the Storm Lunch was relatively uneventful. When they''d all gathered on the patio near their rooms, Mei fully expected some teasing from at least Yu Ban Shan and Qui Yong Hou, but the pair were surprisingly silent. There was the remark Ban Shan made about Mei eyeing off the cook the way you usually eye off the food you''re eating, but Mei was confident he''d got him back for that by feeding KO the lamb skewer he''d pretended to offer to his oldest bro.Then there was the comment Wang Wei made, when they were all swapping accounts to battle each other for food, about Mei being so successful on the Lu Wei Wei Wei account because they were both wives. But Wang Wei had taken it back when Mei trounced him so emphatically he wasn''t able to make a single hit on the Red Xia character. He''d lost almost as badly as Ban Shan and Mei couldn''t help feeling proud of himself for giving as good as he got. He was feeding the chef lamb skewers (couldn''t have the cook go hungry after all- then who would feed the rest of the horde?) when Xiao Nai took Wei Wei off for a walk. Whistles and jeers followed them before barbecue and beer proved too enticing to ignore. "Eh... so good. This is why I told laosan he should hire you." Ban Shan licked marinade off his fingers. "Who told laosan to hire him?" Mei waggled his finger at the bald faced liar. "You were pacing in the foyer determined that laosan was hiring a thug who was going to murder us at our desks." "You weren''t any better," Yong Hou grabbed a fresh beer, twisting the cap off with a satisfying hiss. "As I recall, you were armed with the toilet mop." "Toilet mop?" "What were you going to do with that?" "I was going to stink him out. If he tried anything I was going to chase him with the mop and the smell would make him faint." "Good plan." "Didn''t work though." "Well, when I saw KO I didn''t think he was going to murder us at our desks." "He saves the stabbing for underneath the desk huh?" Ban Shan''s mumble was only heard clearly by Mei who immediately took offence. "Ya! What did you say! I''ll murder you." The chair toppled over when Ban Shan scrabbled out of it, scuttling away from Mei''s grasping fingers. The pair chased each other around the tables, knocking over empty bottles that had been left on the ground and sending their friends into a panic as everyone tried to save their plates of food. An impasse was briefly reached when Ban Shan and Mei found themselves on opposite sides of the largest table. "You can''t win this, Mr Beauty," Ban Shan''s laughter was raspy as he tried not to pant. "Truce?" "Truce my arse." "I''ll leave that to your husband over theeeeeeeeeere.... grab him!" At Ban Shan''s taunt, Mei launched himself over the table. His plan was foiled when Wang Wei and Yong Hou obeyed Ban Shan''s direction and grabbed Mei''s arms. Before he had a chance to blink, Mei was pinned to the table and Ban Shan was pulling his shirt over his head. "Bastards," he tried to kick but quickly discovered that it was useless. Why do I keep getting ganged up on like this? It''s not fair! "Mei-he," Ban Shan''s voice was somber, all hint of teasing disappeared. "What happened?" "What happened? You cheated! Calling in reinforcements, bah." Opening his eyes, Mei looked up at his eldest brother. The seriousness of Ban Shan''s expression made him gulp. Who knew his playful friend could look so cold? It suddenly occurred to Mei that with his shirt on the ground, his chest and stomach were left bare and that meant... "Oh. Ah... nothing? Nothing happened?" "You''re covered in rope burn. That''s not nothing." "Let me up." All Mei wanted at that moment was to cover himself with his arms. Or a shirt. Preferably a fluffy parka so he could bury his face in it too. "We''re not letting you up until you explain." Yong Hou gently touched one of the bruises corded around Mei''s stomach. The younger man flinched slightly which only made his friend''s faces tighten even further. "Who did this to you?" Mei stared at them and clamped his lips shut. He wasn''t saying a word. Nothing. They could wait here all day until laosan returned and rescued him. Why am I waiting for Xiao Nai to rescue me? Where''s KO? On cue, his partner in crime stepped forward, parting their friends with a single look so he could reach the table. When Ban Shan and Yong Hou refused to move away from Mei, KO glared at them until they slowly released Mei''s hands. With an arm under Mei''s shoulder, KO helped him sit. "It was a joint effort." The silence was deafening. Blood rushed to Mei''s face and he hid it against KO''s chest. The arm around his shoulder tightened. "Ah..." Ban Shan started to speak, then stopped. It was a miracle to see him speechless but Mei wasn''t sure he appreciated being the reason behind such a miraculous event. "Please explain?" Yong Hou folded his arms and narrowed his eyes at the pair. With Mei''s face hidden against KO''s chest it was hard to tell what he was thinking, however everyone could see the tips of his ears turn red. "Are you saying that Mei wanted to resemble a goose trussed for roasting?" "No. That part wasn''t deliberate. But it was still a joint effort." Mei pinched KO''s waist. Damn the hacker and his sudden verbosity when talking about sex. Did he not realise that now was he perfect time to keep quiet? "Ah!" It suddenly dawned on Li Qiang what had happened. "Didn''t you organise a safe word beforehand?" KO shook his head and unconsciously stroked Mei''s back. "Idiots. It''s Kink 101. Always have a safe word." "How do you know that?" Wang Wei eyes Li Qiang suspiciously. "I''m the Creative type... we have imaginations," not at all perturbed by the fact that he''d revealed more about himself than the others wanted to know, Li Qiang focussed again on KO and Mei. "If you had used a safe word then it probably wouldn''t be as bad." KO opened his mouth and Mei sprung up, kneeling in the table with his hands over the hacker''s mouth. "Do. Not. Speak." He narrowed his eyes at the man in front of him, not at all trusting the warmth he could see on the hacker''s face. "Oh ho..." Li Qiang chuckled. "Maybe it would have been as bad. Mei-ge, I never picked you for an M." Waving his middle finger at his grinning friend, Mei plonked his butt on the table, legs on either side of KO''s waist and once more buried his face against the man''s chest. "I can''t deal with this. Just talk." KO wrapped his arms around Mei and took him at his word. "He never said stop." Li Qiang looked surprised. "Never?" "Never." "Huh." Their friends shifted uncomfortably and Li Qiang took pity on everyone. "We can talk in your room, without an audience." "Hmm." KO inclined his head. "So... we''re not worried about Mei looking like a kidnapping victim?" Ban Shan looked between KO and Li Qiang, still not completely sure he knew what was going on. When Li Qiang and KO both shook their heads, Ban Shan sighed. "Okay... I think I''m better off not knowing. I feel like a father finding out his daughter is no longer pure." A burst of laughter greeted his words and that acted as the cue for everyone to once more take their seats. When KO went to lift Mei off the table, Yong Hou held his hand up. "We''re not finished with you two yet. I believe you both have something to tell us." When neither man rushed to fill the gap, Yong Hou sighed. "Particularly you, Mei-ge. I believe you have something to tell us about your parents?" "It''s a family matter," Mei''s voice was muffled against KO. "And we''re not family?" The hurt in Yong Hou''s voice made Mei lift his head, twisting around to look at the brother he''d chosen. "Monkey Hou... don''t say that. You''re family." "Then share, Mei. A load shared is a load halved. Let your family help." When Mei looked up at KO, his partner nodded at him, silently encouraging to fill everyone in on his situation. With a sigh, he twisted around to sit cross legged on the table with KO as a backrest. "I need beer." At his words, everyone grabbed more bottles from the cooler, placing them in the middle of the table and dragging their chairs to sit together. "It started before I came to Beijing..." "That long ago?" Ban Shan whacked Yong Hou over the back of the head. "Shut up and let him talk." "I told you I needed beer to tell it." "If it''s that long a story, shouldn''t it start with ''long long ago''?" Wang Wei raised a valid point. "In a galaxy far far away?" Li Qiang raised his bottle in cheers with Wang Wei before both were shouted down. Mei rolled his eyes, the teasing and joking making it easier to share. "Long long ago in a province far far away, a young boy dreamed of being a game designer...." It was a relief to just speak. To tell his brothers about his part time modelling, his propensity for playing the stock market like some people play online games, and his parents adamant refusal to acknowledge that he had studied IT rather than business. Ban Shan and Yong Hou were both taken aback with how much they didn''t know about someone they had shared a room with for four years. Mei knew that keeping secrets had hurt them, but he also knew that if they''d found out earlier he would have been the subject of teasing and he hadn''t been confident enough in himself to stand up to his friends as well as his parents. It was different now- the warmth at his back a constant reminder that he wasn''t alone; he had KO now. When he talked about his mother''s machinations in attempting to marry him off, Ban Shan''s face clouded over. When his father''s determination to reel him back in to line was revealed, Yong Hou couldn''t stay sitting anymore; pushing his chair back with a screech and pacing behind the others as Mei kept talking. The arrangement with Xiao Nai was also exposed, as Mei explained that he had financed the purchasing of the properties but they had been signed off on by laosan, sohis parent''s couldn''t touch them. It wasn''t until he reached the latest development in his story that Mei stumbled. "And? I know you didn''t take a phone call in the room when we were all singing karaoke. So what happened?" Li Qiang leaned forward, elbows on the table. "I was drinking," Mei cleared his throat. "We all were. It was a celebration. So? What happened?" He cleared his throat again while his face flushed. "Ah... they wanted to me to go home again. Thought that they''d left me nowhere to go after selling the unit." "And?" "... they wanted me to get married to a girl of their choice...." "And?" "He accidentally came out to his parents." Xiao Nai''s comment made everyone jump. Engrossed in Mei''s story, no one had noticed him and Wei Wei return. With a slight smile on his face, Xiao Nai held onto his furen''s hand as everyone turned their attention to their boss. "He rang me straight away to let me know. His father has connections and has already proven he won''t play fair; Mei was worried he would retaliate against the company if he couldn''t get his son to obey." A whisper of murmurs rustled through the gathered men. They all knew about filial piety, and all knew that when money was involved, the duality of that piety frequently got twisted. "Can he harm Zhi Yi Technologies?" Ban Shan folded his arms over his chest, thinking hard about the possible consequences. "He can try." Xiao Nai''s words spurred on a chorus of agreement- everyone nodding and adding their own challenge to Mei''s parents. All had been with Zhi Yi and Xiao Nai from the beginning- before he''d found their own office space these men had been coding at home and in Internet cafes. Xiao Nai''s company was their company and no outsider, not even one related by blood, was going to be allowed to harm what they had created. "What do we do?" Wang Wei spoke for all of them- determination clear in each face. "I assume you already have a plan." "I do." Xiao Nai nodded his approval at his staff''s unity. "First, we need to enjoy this break. You''ve all worked hard and deserve the treat. KO and I already have procedures in place for while we''re away. Time enough to worry when we return to the office." Wide eyed, Mei looked up at KO. "You do?" "Hmm." Unable to help himself, KO bent his head and dropped a kiss on Mei''s nose. "You''re mine. And laoda''s. You were right- neither of us will let someone hurt you." "Oh." A brilliant smile lit Mei''s face as his eyes locked with KO''s. For the onlookers, they could swear the air around the couple had turned pink and filled with hearts. "Okay, Okay," Ban Shan clapped his hands, breaking the spell between the pair. "You''ve got an audience and seeing those marks was bad enough... we don''t need a first hand demonstration. Mei-ge, put some clothes on." Mei scowled at his friend as he pulled his shirt over his head. "Who was it got rid of the shirt in the first place?" "Eh, Eh...." Waving Mei''s logic off, Ban Shan returned to more pressing matters. "You all heard laosan? No worry until the office... so back to celebrating! It''s almost time for dinner! Let''s have another challenge round and loser pays for dessert in the hotel restaurant?" As the men pulled their laptops out once more, Mei smothered a grin as he heard Wei Wei turn to Xiao Nai. "How did Senior Beauty get those marks?" She was wide eyed, completely oblivious and Mei chuckled at the look on Xiao Nai''s face. It was rare to see his laosan so perturbed... as he logged in to his Dreams of Jiangshu account he made a mental note to stay far away from Xiao Nai until he''d forgotten the incident. Mei really didn''t need a sandstorm attack in retaliation! KO lifted Mei and sat on the chair, putting his partner on his lap as the younger man continued tapping at the keyboard. As Mei played the challenge round, KO watched over his shoulder with an arm wrapped around his waist. Although Mei gave no indication ofbeing aware of KO''s presence, it warmed him nonetheless. Annihilating Li Qiang with a loud cheer, Mei used the win as an excuse to cheer- loudly expressing his happiness to all around. Even though he knew the peace was temporary- he knew his parents too well to think they''d leave well enough alone- he took a moment to feel grateful for the family he had chosen... and who had chosen him. When the storm came, they''d be ready. . 54 Chapter 54- The Line in the Sand It is a truth universally known that when battle lines are drawn between family members there can be no winner. Upon returning from the weekend away, Mei and KO found a note posted to their front door. Mei yanked it off, scanning quickly before crumpling it in his hand. "What was it?" "Eviction notice." "They can''t evict you though." KO followed Mei inside and dumped their bags on the coffee table in the lounge. "They obviously don''t know that yet." The fake notice was tossed into the bin before Mei opened the fridge. "Beer?" "Tell Laoda first," the older, much more domesticated, man started unpacking their clothes, separating them into piles of light, dark, and underwear. "And you might need to rescue that note. Xiao Nai might need it." Mei scowled at the logic- it was much more satisfying to throw it away- but pulled the notice out of the trash. He smoothed it flat on the table before taking a picture and sending it to Xiao Nai. Once his phone dinged that the picture had sent, he tossed it and the notice on the table. "It didn''t take them long." He flopped on to the couch behind KO as his partner continued unpacking and sorting. Lying down was the only way to stop himself from pacing with frustration: it wasn''t his fault if it also gave him the perfect view of KO''s rear every time the man leaned over to pull something else out of their bags. "When was the notice left?" Bags empty, KO carried the pile of light coloured clothes into the tiny laundry. "Yesterday." "So we''ve got at least one more day before they find out they can''t touch this place," KO''s voice carried through the apartment even as beeping sounds told Mei the first load of laundry was being put on to wash. Sometimes he thought the sound of the washing machine beeping was the most comforting sound in the apartment. Not because it meant he didn''t have to do laundry (not that he would have done it anyway- isn''t that what dry cleaners are for?), but because it meant someone was in his home, caring for him. Every mechanical beep, be it the washing machine or the dryer, was like a pat on the shoulder reminding him that he wasn''t alone. "Pa will probably self-combust and take a day to calm down enough to think logically. Ma will coo at him until he stops raging and then it will be her turn for hysterics when they access the family registry." Mei rubbed his eyes, a headache forming behind them. "Hopefully taking myself off their registry will be enough of a point." "Is that likely?"A knee nudged Mei''s shoulder and he sat up enough for KO to sit on the couch, then leaned back with his head on the hacker''s lap. Cool fingers stroked gently over his brow and he sighed with relief. "With Pa''s temper and pride? And Ma''s "what will people think?" dramatics?" He snorted. "Not a chance. No war worth winning is over that quickly anyway." Opening his eyes, Mei looked up at KO then reached a hand up to cup his cheek. "They just don''t know that I already have my prize." The soft words and pink atmosphere startled KO and a blush crept over his cheeks. "So corny." "So true." Mei smiled up at his lover. KO''s head lowered as Mei lifted his and their lips met in a kiss even softer than Mei''s words. "I love you, Oppa." "I love you, E-Mei." The following days played out according to Mei''s predication. Two days later he received a phone call from his father; with the phone on speaker and KO''s phone recording the tirade that Mei''s father levelled at his son, the pair drank beer and ate salted peanuts as they listened. "Are you even listening to me?" "What?" Mei finished chewing the nuts before continuing to speak. "Sorry, I tuned you out when you started insulting my ancestors. I am interested to know which ancestors you were insulting? The ones from your side of the family or Ma''s?" The explosion of anger was more than worth forcing levity into his voice. "Pa. I''m your son. Did you honestly expect me not to learn from last time? To assume that you wouldn''t try and do the same thing again?" Mei tsked then finished the last of his bottle. "You can''t touch my house. Can''t force me back by leaving me homeless. Try something else. Jiayo." (A/N; good luck/fighting.) The call ended in the middle of Mei''s father drawing in breath to yell. Shaking his head, KO saved the recording and emailed it though to Xiao Nai. "I didn''t think he''d be quite so vicious." "Oh, that was nothing. Wait until they check the registry and Ma rings." "You don''t have to answer." "Yes I do. You know I do. If I don''t answer then they won''t spin enough rope to hang themselves with. We need these recordings." Mei collected their empty bottles and tossed them into the recycling box with a clatter. "What another drink?" "We have work in the morning." KO frowned at his partner, not liking the sight of his love using alcohol to dull the emotional pain. He understood though, and knew it wouldn''t be a long, drawn out war. For the short term, if it helped Mei cope, then he''d make sure he never drank alone. And he stocked up on the ingredients for his clear broth in the morning. He''d reached the limit for the night of what he was happy seeing Mei drink, so when the younger man walked past him towards the fridge, KO stopped him with a hand on his wrist. "Don''t drink more." "It helps me sleep," biting his lower lip, Mei scuffed at the floor with a bare foot. It was embarrassing to admit that the stress of the situation was making a grown man wake through the night with tears on his cheeks. Each night he would scrub them away, turning his back to KO in case his lover woke and worried. KO''s lips curled and his eyes darkened. "If you need something to help you sleep, I''ve got a better idea." He lifted Mei''s shirt and buried his face against the soft skin. Goose bumps raised under his breath and Mei''s hands settled in KO''s hair. The hacker had forgone his buzz cut when he realised how frequently Mei tried to tug on his hair and both of them were enjoying the extra centimetre of growth. "I''ll give you all the comfort you can take before exhaustion sends us both to sleep." KO nipped lightly at Mei''s belly and the hands in his hair tightened, all the agreement he needed. The things he did to avoid having his lover wake up with a hangover in the morning. When Mei''s Ma rang, the pair were at work and took the call in Xiao Nai''s office. With the phone once more on speaker, Mei sat on KO''s lap on the black leather lounge. With his face tucked against the hacker''s neck, Mei couldn''t see the audience that had gathered outside the office, listening to the shrill hysterics that carried beyond the closed door. When his mother''s cries about an unfilial son turned cruel, citing an enduring disappointment and wishing he''d been born after the one child policy was adapted, allowing her to try again after her first mistake, KO stood, carrying Mei out of the office and away from words he younger man did not need to hear. He sat them on the keyboard couch, rocking Mei gently as the younger tried not to let everyone see how upset he was. By unspoken agreement, everyone kept their attention focussed on the office, now occupied by Ban Shan and Yong Hou. When there was a brief pause in the tirade, Ban Shan spoke up and his words took everyone by surprise. "You bitch." Wei Wei covered her mouth with a gasp. Xiao Nai covered her ears. Wang Wei and Li Qiang exchanged high fives. "How someone as horrible as you managed to give birth to someone as sweet as Mei-ge, I will never know." "Not once did you visit while he was studying." Yong Hou joined the fray. "Not once did you allow him home for his breaks. For the last five years, he''s been little better than an orphan. Worse, because an orphan can at least imagine having loving parents, whereas Mei has daily been faced with the knowledge that his parents don''t care." "You have both worried more about your own pride, about making him fall in to line, than about whether or not he was happy, studying well, eating well." Ban Shan raised his voice over the shrieking that was happening on the other end of the phone. "You have nothing to find fault with." Mei''s mother''s response was indistinguishable through the walls but Yong Hou''s reaction was clear. "So what if he''s gay? Better that than being married to someone who cares for him as little as his parents do." Whatever Mei''s mother said made both Ban Shan and Yong Hou laugh, albeit rather bitterly. "It''s not the bloody flu- you can''t catch it. Being friends with a homosexual doesn''t make me one... but listening to you rant is definitely turning me off the idea of marriage. Don''t contact my friend again unless you''re going to be civil." Silence enveloped the office when Ban Shan abruptly disconnected the call. There was a brief pause and then loud cheering broke out. When Ban Shan and Yong Hou exited Xiao Nai''s office their peers feted them like heroes. The pair sat on the couch, on either side of the couple and Ban Shan put his hand on Mei''s shoulder. "Hey, Plato- ''take no account of the tears and lamentations... let (y)our inward conduct be even more untainted and pure and sensible." The seriousness of Ban Shan''s words, and the fact that he''d remembered them from an essay they''d studied in class, made Mei smile. "I see your Plato and raise you a Ou-Yang Hsiu: ''whenever one encounters dangerous circumstances the advice is always: ''cross the river''." The pair smiled at each other while KO furrowed his brow, struggling to work out what code had just been spoken. Normally he didn''t worry about his lack of education compared to the others- he was better at coding than the rest and that was what he was employed to do after all- but for someone who hadn''t studied philosophy, the conversation may as well have been in tongues. By the time he decided to stop trying to work it out, Mei was off his lap and back at the desk, returning to work as if the phone call hadn''t happened. It was on the seventh day after the eviction notice was posted, that Xiao Nai called everyone into the conference room for a meeting. Hearing the summons, Mei''s throat ran dry. All had been quiet on the parental front and it was due for a shake up. He just hoped they hadn''t gone too far. When everyone was sitting at the table or leaning against the walls, Xiao Nai addressed the room. "There has been an attempt to purchase Zhi Yi shares." Before the outrage could build, Xiao Nai raised a hand and silenced everyone. "Obviously they can''t purchase shares that aren''t on the market. However, I had a phone call from Feng Teng this morning, letting me know that there have been moves to discredit the company and jeopardise our collaboration. He was ringing to discuss several, disturbing rumours and when I explained the circumstances, he was able to confirm the origin of his concerns." Mei paled. "No. They can''t touch the company. You''ve worked too hard for it... you all have..." His hands fisted tight enough that his nails drew blood on his palms."I''ll go home before I let them destroy what we all worked so hard for." Xiao Nai simply looked at him until he sat in silence, looking down at his hands fisted in his lap. "We have steps we can take; but I can''t make that decision on my own. We can fend off Mei''s father one attack at a time. He can''t do anything to the company at the moment- our collaboration with Feng Teng is secure, but the longer rumours fester, the harder it will be to make new connections when we finish Dreams of Jiangshu 2." Disgruntled murmurs rolled around the conference room. No one liked the idea of staying on the defensive for an indefinite period of time. "There is one other option," Xiao Nai cleared his throat. "Hear me out before reacting." When everyone nodded their agreement, Xiao Nai continued. "We have a more aggressive option. One that I think we''d all agree to except for one thing..." he looked over at Mei and KO, waiting for the pair to give him their permission to share the details they had discussed before everything started. When they nodded at him, Xiao Nai closed his eyes briefly, hating what he was about to do. "But this options relies on Hao Mei and KO leaving. Not just Zhi Yi, but Beijing." 55 Chapter 55- The Best Defence is a Strong Offence "We have a more aggressive option. One that I think we''d all agree to except for one thing..." he looked over at Mei and KO, waiting for the pair to give him their permission to share the details they had discussed before everything started. When they nodded at him, Xiao Nai closed his eyes briefly, hating what he was about to do. "But this options relies on Hao Mei and KO leaving. Not just Zhi Yi, but Beijing." To say their friends weren''t happy would be an understatement. It took the rest of the day for Xiao Nai, KO and Mei to explain their plan and by the time everyone was on board, night had fallen and Wei Wei had ordered a food delivery. "I still don''t understand why they have to leave Beijing." Li Qiang spoke around a mouthful of rice. "I hate to say it, but leaving the company makes sense if Mei''s parents are only targeting the company to get at him. But why Beijing?" "Pa will correctly assume that if we stay in Beijing, then we''re still in contact with Xiao Nai and still working for the company on the sly. It will only make him focus on the company even more." Mei added more meat to KO''s bowl before filling his own with rice. "I don''t get it." Ban Shan leaned back in his chair and waved his chopsticks for emphasis. "Spreading rumours like this, targeting Zhi Yi as an "immoral influence" because we have a gay couple on the team... his son is one half of that couple. So don''t rumours like that hurt his own business as well?" "The rumours don''t name anyone." Shaking his head at the foolishness of it all, Xiao Nai reminded his friend of the basics. "There''s no record of KO available to the public and they won''t risk naming their son. This is about forcing me to make a public statement denying the rumours without firing the staff members involved, and therefore confirming, in the eyes of the conservatives, that Zhi Yi will be promoting homosexuality in our games." "Which is why laosan needs to fire us. Publicly." For someone who''s life was about to turn upside down, Mei was surprisingly calm. "That will reassure the conservatives about the company''s morals and has the added bonus of naming and shaming my parents, without actually calling them out." "But, Mr Beauty, why do you have to leave Beijing?" Wei Wei''s eyebrows furrowed in concern. "Why do you have to be fired and then leave? Isn''t that too much?" "Distance." It was KO''s turn to help clarify further. "We need to show that Zhi Yi is completely rejecting us. Xiao Nai has based his company on treasuring Chinese culture and sharing that culture, in a respectful manner, with a younger generation through gaming. Being seen to support homosexuality? Xiao Nai doesn''t have the influence in the industry to survive that. Combine that with the rumours that certain parties are trying to spread about the demonstration for Dreams of Jiangshu 2 and whispers on the wind could make even a brick house fall over." Everyone ate in a silence only punctuated with the click of chopsticks on bowls. When the last person leaned back from the table, replete and with all food containers empty, Mei abruptly rose to his feet. "I''m sorry," he bowed to his colleagues. "This situation is of my making. I apologise." "Sit down." KO''s voice was harsh. "You did not cause the situation. It is not your fault." "I could make it all go away so easily... but I''m selfish and I don''t want to. That makes it my fault." Head down, Mei couldn''t see the anger clouding his friends'' faces. "It''s not your fault." "You didn''t try to force someone to be something they''re not!" "Children should be dutiful to their parents but parents are supposed to care for their children first." "Why should you have to make it right? You didn''t start the rumours!" "Don''t say you could fix it when the solution would tear yourself apart." Wei Wei''s soft words cut through the male outrage. "That''s not ''fixing it''... it''s martyrdom and we won''t let you sacrifice yourself and KO to pander to the hurt pride of an overgrown man-child." She rose and started clearing the dirty bowls. Mei finally lifted his head, eyes meeting Wei Wei''s over the table. "Saosan..." The lump in his throat stopped him from saying more, but Wei Wei seemed to understand. "We''ll play the game that you guys have planned but," she lifted a finger in the air and everyone knew that what she was about to say was absolute, "The game will be played with the understanding that this.... exile... is only temporary and that you will both return, to Beijing and to us." KO dragged Mei on to his lap, wrapping his arms around his partner''s waist and resting his chin on Mei''s shoulder. "Understood. We''ll be back in Beijing in time for your wedding." There was a brief moment of quiet as everyone looked at KO, stunned that the hacker had been the one to tease. The shock quickly passed and everyone laughed at the pink still staining Wei Wei''s cheeks. She waved a hand at KO then squeaked as her boyfriend dropped a kiss on her nose. "That won''t happen until after Wei Wei graduates. So there''s time."Xiao Nai smiled down at his flustered love. A yawn caught his attention and he turned just in time to see Li Qiang smother a second yawn behind his hand. He smiled. "It''s late. We should all go home. Everyone will start late tomorrow because I''ll release a statement in the morning. Mei, KO, it might be better for you both to clear your desks tonight. You can have a few days to get everything packed. I''ll book your flights tomorrow." "No need." Mei leaned his head against KO''s shoulder. "I booked them after Ban Shan read Ma the riot act. There was only ever going to be one outcome." Mei''s words actually served to reassure his colleagues and friends. It made it clear to them all that he, Xiao Nai and KO had run through all the scenarios and planned accordingly. This exile, as Wei Wei had called it, was therefore no such thing... rather, it was an offence move. As a result, while the mood was somber as everyone helped Mei and KO clear their desks, there was also an atmosphere of determination. Anyone who thought they could cow a new company just through name calling had a harsh lesson to learn. "It''s just as well we never finished unpacking," standing in the middle of the apartment, Mei was surprised at how quickly it had taken to pack their personal items. The furniture and household goods were staying behind (he would rent out the place as a furnished apartment) and all their clothes and knick knacks managed to fit in just three large suitcases. "We don''t have a lot to take with us. Wonder if we need to pay for the extra suitcase?" "We wouldn''t need the extra suitcase if you didn''t decide to bring that doona with us." "I couldn''t leave it behind." "It''s not a pet- it''s not like it would miss us." "But it''s our doona." "Eh?" "It was mine and then it was yours and then I stole it back and then you moved in... it''s ours." "You''re a romantic, E-Mei." "Shut up." "We''ll take the extra suitcase." KO ruffled Mei''s hair. "It''s ours afterall." Mei briefly leaned his head into KO''s touch. "Do you think Xiao Nai has released the statement yet?" "Hmm," KO checked his watch. "Should have been done an hour ago." "Then why haven''t I had a phone call? They''d have realised he named the employees the rumours were founded on... why haven''t I heard anything?" With a sheepish look on his face, KO rubbed the back of his neck. "I changed the SIM cards last night." "What?" Mei pulled his phone out and opened the back. "Eh! You did! Why?" "You don''t need to hear what those people will say. I saved the numbers of everyone important. And everyone at work already has the new number." Before he could decide whether or not to take umbrage at his partner''s audacity, the intercom sounded next to the front door. "Sounds like our ride is here." They both took one last look around the apartment before heading out the door. The keys were left with the building security for Xiao Nai to pick up later. They wouldn''t get a chance to see him before leaving, their flight coincided with a meeting he had scheduled with Feng Teng Technologies. Maybe that was for the best, saying their goodbyes to everyone like a giant family, rather than having to repeat the process several times over. Sitting in the backseat of the car Mei had booked for pick-up, the two men watched the familiar sights fly past the window. Just a few years, and then they''d be back. It wasn''t even like they''d spend those years languishing in the country; they had a job to do. Linking his hand with KO''s, Mei continued looking out the window. "I''ll miss Beijing." "Hmm." "Do you think...." "Yes, E-Mei?" "I think Taiwan will be good to us." "Hmm." While Mei was absorbed in trying to memorise as much of the city as he could, KO watched the emotion play over his lover''s face. Checking that the driver was not paying them any attention, he raised their linked fingers and pressed a soft kiss to the back of Mei''s hand. "You''ll be there with me. It will be good." 56 Chapter 56- Size Matters Their first night in Taiwan was spent in a hotel near the Taipei Shongshan airport, but the next day found the pair standing outside a small house. The wall was a peeling, sun faded blue, but behind the barrier was a fairy tale garden. So many flowers were blooming that it looked like someone had flicked bright dollops of paint all over the bushes, and the perfume lay so heavily in the air the men felt like they were walking through a scented curtain. The house itself was quaint, with painted shutters, a gabled roof line and two stories. KO looked at the house, then at his lover. In his sharp suit and tie pulled loose, Mei looked like he belonged in a townhouse or apartment... not a cottage. For a moment, he wondered if maybe they''d come to the wrong address, but the taxi had already left after the driver pulled their suitcases out of the trunk. The rusty, wrought iron gate was locked, but Mei pulled a set of keys from his pocket and pushed the gate open with a loud creak. "That''s going to get annoying very quickly," leaving the suitcases next to the garden wall, Mei stepped along the sandstone path and fiddled at the front door until the right key opened that too. "Come on. Let''s investigate and then bring everything in." Not waiting to see if KO was following, Mei ran through the rooms like a child on Christmas day, excitedly ducking his head in to each doorway before moving on to the next. Meanwhile, KO looked at the sky with the dark clouds slowly roiling over the horizon and lugged all three suitcases inside the house before joining Mei. The downstairs was predominantly open living area- at some stage, previous tenants had modernised the kitchen and given the open plan lounge and dining rooms a facelift, but the polished floorboards and dark timber highlights retained a more traditional feel. The kitchen made KO''s fingers start to twitch, eager to really explore all its inclusions and get cooking. There was a small washroom and laundrette off the kitchen with a door opening into a small courtyard. Neither was too worried about the outside area so both simply stuck their heads out for a quick look before turning their attention to the rest of the rooms. The stairs, a dark timber that gleamed under the lights, were opposite the front door and led straight to the second floor. There were two rooms at the back of the house, one with a bedroom suite and the other set up as an office with two desks and computers. The bathroom was large, modernised when the kitchen was and including a bath deep enough for an adult to relax fully. While Mei simply ducked in and out of the bathroom, KO lingered, eyeing off the bathtub and making plans for that night. The final room was a large bedroom. At some point it had been a bedroom and a separate living area, and you can faintly see the marks where a wall had been removed to open the space up even further. Glass windows spanned the front of the house and a sliding door opened onto a small balcony overlooking the fragrant garden. The room was fully furnished and even included a small nook with bookshelf and beanbags. Mei stood in the centre of the space, hands on his hips as he surveyed the layout. "Not too bad. Although I will want to paint that front wall sometime soon. I don''t think I could cope with seeing it looking so shabby every time we come home." "This is home then?" "Of course it is. Why, did you think this was just another stop-gap until we found somewhere more long term?" "Hmm." KO wrapped his arms around Mei''s waist and rested his chin on his shoulder. "It looks lived in, the type of lived in that suggests we would be house-sitting rather than moving in." "It should look lived in. I paid good money for that look." "Eh?" "There were two house purchase agreements, remember? Did you never wonder about the second one?" "You said it was being rented." "And it was... as a short term, house-sitting arrangement." "Here? The second house you bought was in Taipei?" "Mmm." Mei turned around in KO''s arms to face him. "Coming to Taiwan was always in the plans for Zhi Yi Technologies. So when I needed help with the house registrations Xiao Nai and I agreed to purchase a place in Taipei where Zhi Yi could house whoever came over. After my parents started getting overly demanding and manipulative, I organised to have the pace fully furnished to suit my tastes... Better safe than sorry." "Such a rich boy." The idea of paying someone to spend money furnishing a house on the off-chance you might be the one to live in it baffled KO. Who did that? "Should I call you Prince Mei, instead of E-Mei?" With his arms around the hacker''s waist, Mei pouted up at him. "I like it when you call me E-Mei." KO smiled. "My E-Mei." He dropped a light kiss on Mei''s forehead, then the end of his nose, his cheeks and finally his lips. Mei''s lips curved against the kiss. "We should have a housewarming party." "Eh?" "Right now. In that bed." "Mei... we really should unpack..." "Oppa..." "Shit." With KO in charge, unpacking and settling into the house didn''t take more than a few days. Knowing that Mei had been in charge of directing the furnishing of the house had made him wary about how well stocked the kitchen would be, but he was pleasantly surprised. Apparently, Mei had informed the design team that the kitchen would be used by a chef and then left the professionals to fill it. When they''d eventually headed downstairs on that first day, with one appetite sated but the other ravenous and in need of food, they''d discovered the pantry and fridge fully stocked. "Mei, did the house come with a fairy when you bought it?" "No. Why?" Mei sat on the bench and chewed on a carrot. "The groceries were done." "Oh, that." His little prince shrugged his shoulders. "There''s someone who comes every second day to keep an eye on the place, keep it clean etc. I rang her yesterday to let her know we where coming over and she must have stocked it all for us." "I should say thank you." With his head in the pantry, bending over to move ingredients around and decide what he felt like making, KO didn''t see the grin on Mei''s face as the temptation to smack his butt grew too difficult to resist. "Ow." "You''re the one who bent over." Unrepentant, Mei returned to his perch on the bench. "And you can thank her tomorrow when she comes again." "Eh? Why?" "To clean." The look Mei gave him said that the answer should have been obvious. "Why? We are here now. Cleaning is my job?" "Not anymore it''s not. We have work to do for Zhi Yi and the sooner we get it done, the sooner we can go back to Beijing. Besides, I''m not having you work all day and then wear yourself out with housework at night." "But..." Unable to formulate his thoughts into words, KO reverted back to his stone-like fa?ade. While Mei watched and chattered away, KO made their lunch in silence. It wasn''t until the rice and dishes of stir-fried vegetables and chicken were on the table that he felt able to speak. "If I''m not cleaning, and we''re not being paid at the moment, then what do I do for rent?" "Why would you pay rent? Oh.. this is good." Mei groaned at the first mouthful then quickly dug in to the rest. "I have to do something. I can''t live off you. We''re both men... we don''t... it..." With a click, Mei put his chopsticks down on the table and reached over to grip KO''s hand. "We are both men. And because I''m a man as well I understand that you have a male pride. Do you think I didn''t know you were trying to work out a way to buy half my place in Beijing so we were in a partnership? I saw the search history. Laosan told me about you wanting to sign a contract on the condition you get paid 3 years in advance. I can put two and two together and realise that you were concerned about living off me." There was nothing KO could say to that. It was all true. He''d never thought he was this conscious of status or wealth but living with someone who owned everything, paid for everything... It had started to grate on his nerves. "That''s why your name is on the house registration as well." "Eh?" "3 years advance of your salary wouldn''t pay for half of my Beijing apartment. So I organised a mortgage for you to jointly own this house with me." "A mortgage? I don''t want to go through the banks..." "Who said it was with a bank? You owe me half the value of this place and you''re going to pay it back, interest free, from the payment we get from Zhi Yi when we complete the new programming." "That won''t be enough." "It will be. Xiao Nai and I made sure of it; why do you think I only bought a small house? So you don''t owe rent- in cash or in chores. We both have enough in savings for groceries and bills until we get the programming finished and can ''sell'' it to Zhi Yi. There''s no reason we can''t freelance some extra programming on the side either. Give laosan first option of course, but sell it to whoever wants to buy it." Shocked into silence, KO could only stare at his partner. Did he just get out manoeuvred by his E-Mei. "Small house?" "En. It''s small enough that you can afford half of it, large enough for the two of us to live comfortably. I have standards, you know." Aware of what he had just done to his partner, but choosing to ignore KO''s shock and salve his partner''s pride, Mei returned to his meal. "This is reeeeally good. So delicious. KO..." he pointed the chopsticks at the man in question. "Never stop cooking for me. Even when we''re old and grey and we have arthritic knuckles from too much typing... you have to still cook for me. Okay?" "Hmm." Old and grey and arthritic? That sounded perfect to KO. 57 Chapter 57- Happily Ever After and all that Sap The air was thick and oppressive; stepping outside the house was like stepping into a sauna. With no official office to go to, Mei had stopped dressing up for work and as summer drew closer he spent more and more time in a singlet and shorts. Their house was airy but by the end of the day the second level was like an oven and the pair had started sleeping on the lounge room floor with all the windows open. Not for the first time, Mei wished he''d listed air-conditioning as a condition for the house. Winter had been hard enough without heated floors, but thick socks and house slippers had helped and there was the added benefit of snuggling closer. To share body heat, of course. At the moment, it was so hot and sticky that they were sleeping next to each other on the floor... an arm''s length apart. "KO?" "Hmm?" "You awake?" "No." Mei thought about that for a minute before shrugging. "Eh. It''s not like you''d say much anyway so I guess I don''t need you to be awake." "Hmmm." "Next month is the Dragon Boat festival. I thought we could go and have a look around." "Hmm." "And we haven''t been out for a date since we got here. We''ve been so busy with work that we''ve forgotten to do something just for us." "Hmm?" "No. Dates at home don''t count. I mean a real date. We couldn''t really do anything as a couple in Beijing but it''s different here. We could actually go out together." "Hmm?" "I want to do things that couples do on dates. I want to go out for coffee and share a cake. I want to go shopping and hold hands in the mall." He stared up at the roof, gleaming white in the darkness. Outside, the night life rustled leaves in the garden and the bones of the house creaked as they cooled down in the night air. He could hear KO''s deep, even breathing next to him and rolled towards the sound. They''d been living together for nearly nine months and in Taipei for eight of those months, but he still struggled sometimes to believe that this, that they, were happening. Sometimes he wondered if they''d made the right decision. If being together was the best thing for them. He missed Beijing with its familiar streets and sounds and smells. He missed Drunk Monkey and Old Man Yu. Playing with them online wasn''t the same as playing altogether. He even missed Li Qiang, Wang Wei and the rest of the Zhi Yi family. In the relatively short time that Wei Wei had been with Xiao Nai, she and Mei had grown close and he missed being able to chat to someone who understood him. Not that KO didn''t understand him- that man could read him like a book and wasn''t that annoying sometimes. But his relationship with Wei Wei was different. Sisterly. Then there was laosan. Despite talking on a daily basis, Mei desperately missed his brother. The phone calls lately were always about work- both filling Mei in on what was happening with his family, and hearing what Mei and KO were up to with their programming. That was particularly interesting as Xiao Nai and KO had started arguing lately. The programming had reached the stage where they needed to start testing it- Xiao Nai wanted them to build a secondary system and test their program within that, while KO wanted to test it against real-world systems to see how the program compared to the current programs available. The problem with KO''s suggestion was small... just a minor issue of legality. Or lack thereof. Lately, phone calls between the two ended with Mei reassuring Xiao Nai that they wouldn''t do anything too stupid, and reminding KO that he was no longer a hacker. Or, at least, he was a white hacker trying to design a security program to stop a hacker of his capability. Mei''s interference between Xiao Nai and KO was starting to get stressful and the increasing heat was only making his temper rise. Just today he''d hung up on laosan and kicked KO out of the shared office space because he was tired of the stubbornness of them both. KO was right- they needed to test the program on a real world system. But Xiao Nai was just as right- doing so without permission would be illegal. He rolled onto his side, facing the windows and closing his eyes as a faint breeze teased his face. His partner was lying next to him... but he missed his KO. There was a rustle behind him; the only notice he received before KO wrapped an arm around his waist and burrowed his nose against his nape. "Okay." "Huh?" "A date. Tomorrow. We''ll go on a proper date tomorrow. Let''s tell laoda that we''re taking the next fortnight off- we''ll return to work after the Dragon Boat festival." "Really?" "Hmm." "Really? That''s great because I found this caf¨¦ that... hmph..." Mei''s excitement was muffled with KO''s lips and before long it was his moans and sighs that were muffled with the kiss. They were hot and sweaty from the heat... what harm would it do to get slightly hotter and sweatier? "You planned this from the start." KO looked at the street sign, then back at his partner. "I swear. I didn''t." "So we''ve accidentally stumbled across a district in Taipei called Oppa." He didn''t sound all that convinced. Mei struggled not to grin because then KO would be convinced it was deliberate when in reality it was just a very happy coincidence. "I promise I didn''t know. Wei Wei told me about a caf¨¦ in the Daan district and we need to go through here to get to it. Although," he did have to admit, "if I knew there was a district called Oppa, I''d have brought us here ages ago." That logic, twisted as it was, convinced KO that Mei wasn''t playing a huge prank. Rather, it was some cosmic practical joke that had them walking hand in hand, on their first public date, through a district named after the one word that never failed to get a reaction when Mei said it. Meanwhile, Mei was internally chortling at the name of the district and keeping a sharp eye out for a very specific type of stall. It didn''t take long for his eagle eyes to spot what he was after and he ducked off, leaving KO standing on the footpath scratching his head with bewilderment. Less than a minute later, Mei was slipping his hand into KO''s once more, but something was different. "What are you wearing?" "You like it?" "E-Mei... what are you wearing?" "Ooooh, strict voice."Mei''s grin lit up his face and all KO could do was shake his head at his partner. "You still haven''t answered the question." "What am I wearing? Just a souvenir shirt," and that was all Mei would say as they walked hand in hand, KO with his all black and shades and Mei in jeans and a white shirt that proudly proclaimed "I ?? Oppa". The cafe Wei Wei had told Mei about was in the Daan district and was named Cafe Tabby after the owner''s three cats who acted as hosts to the guests. As soon as the pair sat at their table, KO found a furry companion jumping onto his lap. He frowned and put the cat on the ground. "How did Wei Wei know about this cafe?" KO put the cat back down on the ground. "She found it online on a blog. She knew I like cats so told me about it." Unlike his partner, Mei was more than happy to pet the cat sniffing at his knee. To his surprise, the cat wasn''t interested in pets from a victim. It did no more than deign to sniff his fingers before sauntering off. "Take a selca and send it to her?" Frowning, KO put the cat back down on the ground. Again. "She would like it here." "I''ll have to bring her when she and Xiao Nai visit." Mei watched the persistent cat once more jump in to KO''s lap. This time, it''s paws barely settled on his knees before KO put a hand under its butt and continued its forward progress off his knees and back onto the ground. "We have a problem." "Hmm?" "I don''t think we''re going to work out." "What are you saying now?" If this was a video game, KO would have flattened the cat already. As it was, he had to settled for some pretty fierce glaring. "Us. You and me. This isn''t going to work." "Why not?" "I don''t think I could marry some one who didn''t like cats." "That''s good." "Eh?" That wasn''t the reaction Mei was expecting. "That''s good. Don''t marry someone who doesn''t like cats. Marry me." "What? Idiot. I don''t know what to say first." Cheeks pink, Mei downed his glass of cold water to cool himself off, almost choking in the process. "First- that had better not have been a proposal. Because that sucked. And second, you don''t like cats." "I do." "You don''t. You keep pushing it away." "It''s a her. And she has a white belly and I''m wearing black. That''s why she''s not welcome on my lap. Besides, that seat is reserved." "So you like cats?" "I do." "Are you deliberately making "I do" puns and ignoring the proposal question?" "No. It wasn''t a proposal. Besides, you brought it up first. You should propose." "Idiot. I''m not going to." "Why not?" "Because...." Mei floundered. "I don''t know. Just... because." "Ah. Logic. That''s okay. I don''t mind living in sin. It''s fun." The cat jumped back on to KO''s lap but this time she promptly put her paws on his chest and touched his nose with her own. He sighed and let her stay. The damage was already done. The men made eye contact and both struggled not to laugh. Well, Mei struggled not to laugh while KO allowed himself a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth. Which was basically a laugh. "It''s not like we have parents-in-law to worry about." Awkward silence greeted Mei''s words and thankfully the waiter delivered their iced coffees and cake, breaking the tension and conveniently delivering comfort food. "Have you heard anything from your parents?" "Only what Xiao Nai has shared. After we left Beijing, he sent copies of the phone calls we recorded to my parents and warned them that if anymore unsavoury rumours about his business were found to originate from them, or any of their associates, then he might accidentally email the recordings to a tabloid."The chocolate cake was delicious: the perfect combination of sweet and bitter but Mei, ever loyal, couldn''t help comparing it to the cake KO made him for the new year. It was also dense and tasted like he was ingesting warm hugs with every mouthful. "I haven''t heard anything after that. Did anything else happen that you haven''t mentioned?" KO watched Mei lick his fork clean and struggled not to reach across the table and kiss him senseless. Did he not know the picture he made: deep in thought yet subconsciously and sensuously licking the utensil clean? "Hmm... I know I haven''t been legally disowned. I''m not sure if that''s a surprise or not. The rumours were bad enough. Xiao Nai faced so much pressure from some of the directors he was collaborating with for Feng Teng, trying to get him to denounce us or lose their support." Rather than dwell on it too much, he had enough sleepless nights to know dwelling on his parents and the consequences of their spite would just lead to heart burn. Instead, he scooped up a piece of cake and offered it to KO. "Do you want to go back to Beijing?"KO accepted being fed and returned the favour. "I''m not sure. I do like it here. I think I''d like it more than Beijing if I became more familiar with the place. But I do miss everyone." "You know Xiao Nai is planning on opening a branch of Zhi Yi here on Taiwan. He''s planning on keeping the game design and the security programming separate. So even after we sell the program to Xiao Nai, we could stay." Leaving Beijing for the long term hadn''t really occurred to Mei and when he sank into silence, KO left him undisturbed. The cake was gone, and all that was left of their iced coffees was a rim of condensation on the table beneath their glass, before Mei lifted his head once more. "It''s not too far away. I mean, it''s still China. We can visit them and they can visit us." "We have to return for Xiao Nai and Wei Wei''s wedding anyway." They both knew it was still years away, at least until after Wei Wei''s graduation, but it felt good to make plans for the future. KO cleared his throat and looked down at the cat purring on his lap. "Which reminds me... Mei, my E-Mei... I have a question to ask you." "Yes?" Mei raised an eyebrow. "Would you... please..." "Spit it out Idiot before everyone thinks your doing something you''re not." "Wouldyoupleasegetacatwithme?" "No." "Eh?" Stunned, KO blinked at Mei. "Let''s get two. If we''re staying here then let''s get two cats so they can play with each other while we work." "Mei..." "Shut up. I love you too."