Lan Zhan eats alone at the same restaurant every Friday night, the last restaurant where he met Wei Ying before he disappeared. He always orders a plain meal with a side of chilli oil which he never touches, it’s just there to remind him of what he lost.
As he lifts the first fork full of food to his mouth, he notices something strange. A little hand reaches up onto his table and starts patting the surface, then the little chubby fingers make contact with the small bowl of chilli sauce and pull it off the table.
As Lan Zhan looks down, he is just in-time to see a small dark head of hair run away with his bowl of chilli oil. Lan Zhan follows the little boy through the restaurant until he reaches a table and carefully puts down the bowl.
“Baba extra chilli oil for you!”
“Baba extra chilli oil for you!”
“Radish! I was going to ask the waitress for some, who did you steal this bowl from? I should go and apologise, which table did he visit A-Yuan? Was it…Lan Zhan!”
Lan Zhan blinked. Wei Ying. Wei Ying was here. In-front of him after all these years and he was a dad.
Lan Zhan blinked. Wei Ying. Wei Ying was here. In-front of him after all these years and he was a dad.
“Lan Zhan!” Wei Ying grinned. “What are you doing here? I thought you moved away!”
Lan Zhan shook his head. As if he could move. He was always waiting, for this. For Wei Ying to come back.
“We’ve just moved back into the area. I got a job with my brother! And this is A-Yuan!”
Lan Zhan shook his head. As if he could move. He was always waiting, for this. For Wei Ying to come back.
“We’ve just moved back into the area. I got a job with my brother! And this is A-Yuan!”
A-Yuan blinked up at Lan Zhan. “I’m sorry I took your chilli oil, baba’s friend,” he said quietly.
“It is okay,” Lan Zhan replied. It was more than okay. The little boy had led him to his hearts desire.
Wei Ying laughed. “It was my fault, I said I wanted extra.”
“It is okay,” Lan Zhan replied. It was more than okay. The little boy had led him to his hearts desire.
Wei Ying laughed. “It was my fault, I said I wanted extra.”
“But wait…why did you order chilli oil, Lan Zhan? Can you stomach spicy things now?”
“Is A-Yuan yours?” Lan Zhan asked instead of answering Wei Ying’s question.
“Yes! Birthed him myself!” Wei Ying said proudly.
“I see,” Lan Zhan replied.
“Is A-Yuan yours?” Lan Zhan asked instead of answering Wei Ying’s question.
“Yes! Birthed him myself!” Wei Ying said proudly.
“I see,” Lan Zhan replied.
Wei Ying giggled. “I adopted him.”
A-Yuan nodded. “Baba and I look after each other.”
“That’s right isn’t it, radish?” Wei Ying agreed. “It’s just me and you against the world.”
Lan Zhan tried not to look too pleased by the revelation that Wei Ying was single.
A-Yuan nodded. “Baba and I look after each other.”
“That’s right isn’t it, radish?” Wei Ying agreed. “It’s just me and you against the world.”
Lan Zhan tried not to look too pleased by the revelation that Wei Ying was single.
“Lan Zhan, you must sit and have dinner with us! We have so much to catch up on!”
Lan Zhan nodded and sat down. He flagged down a waiter who helped him relocate his food to his new location and enjoyed listening to Wei Ying and A-Yuan talk about their many adventures.
Lan Zhan nodded and sat down. He flagged down a waiter who helped him relocate his food to his new location and enjoyed listening to Wei Ying and A-Yuan talk about their many adventures.
They stayed in the restaurant for many hours until A-Yuan started to yawn so Lan Zhan offered to drive them both home and Wei Ying readily agreed rather than have to take public transport.
“It’s been so lovely catching up with you tonight,” Wei Ying told Lan Zhan.
“It’s been so lovely catching up with you tonight,” Wei Ying told Lan Zhan.
“Can I see you both again?” Lan Zhan asked as he drove.
“Yes,” Wei Ying replied. “Aren’t you angry at me for disappearing without a word?”
“No,” Lan Zhan replied truthfully.
“Jiang Cheng was pretty mad, but he forgave me. You will too, I hope.”
“Yes,” Wei Ying replied. “Aren’t you angry at me for disappearing without a word?”
“No,” Lan Zhan replied truthfully.
“Jiang Cheng was pretty mad, but he forgave me. You will too, I hope.”
“I do not need to forgive you,” Lan Zhan told him. “I am not mad at you. I am glad to see you again, and just hope that you wouldn’t leave again without allowing me a way to contact you.”
Lan Zhan pulled up at Wei Ying’s place and turned off the engine.
Lan Zhan pulled up at Wei Ying’s place and turned off the engine.
Lan Zhan looked at Wei Ying in the passenger seat and then back at A-Yuan asleep in the car seat.
“Why do you have a car seat, Lan Zhan?” Wei Ying asked. “Do you have a…family?”
Lan Zhan shook his head. “Sometimes I collect a friend’s child from daycare.”
“Why do you have a car seat, Lan Zhan?” Wei Ying asked. “Do you have a…family?”
Lan Zhan shook his head. “Sometimes I collect a friend’s child from daycare.”
“I…I am single and I do not date,” Lan Zhan admitted.
“Lan Zhan, you need to get out there. Do you know what a catch you are?”
“There was never anyone…else…I was interested in,” Lan Zhan confessed.
Wei Ying licked his lips. “I left before we even got started didn’t I?”
“Lan Zhan, you need to get out there. Do you know what a catch you are?”
“There was never anyone…else…I was interested in,” Lan Zhan confessed.
Wei Ying licked his lips. “I left before we even got started didn’t I?”
“It is okay, Wei Ying. I don’t expect you to still…”
“I do still…” Wei Ying interrupted. “So if you were still interested in…”
“I am still interested in…you,” Lan Zhan said with a smile.
“I do still…” Wei Ying interrupted. “So if you were still interested in…”
“I am still interested in…you,” Lan Zhan said with a smile.
Wei Ying grinned. “I don’t want you to think I’m easy but do you want to come inside?”
Lan Zhan carried A-Yuan and followed Wei Ying into the house. They put A-Yuan to bed and Wei Ying took Lan Zhan’s hand and led him to his own room.
Lan Zhan carried A-Yuan and followed Wei Ying into the house. They put A-Yuan to bed and Wei Ying took Lan Zhan’s hand and led him to his own room.
Wei Ying told Lan Zhan why he left and Lan Zhan once again tried to convince Wei Ying he was not angry with him. Lan Zhan confessed to the real reason why he always ordered chilli oil with his meal and Wei Ying didn’t hide his tears as he smiled and squeezed Lan Zhan’s hand.
All they did was talk and hug but Lan Zhan counted it as one of the best nights of his life, and then their first real date became the best night of his life, and then the first time they slept together became the best night of his life…until eventually…
…Lan Zhan stopped keeping track. All his days were better now that Wei Ying was back in his life and back in his arms.
All his days were better now that he knew his heart was never going to part from him again.
All his days were better now that he knew his heart was never going to part from him again.
“Adie!” A-Yuan shouted throwing himself onto the bed and across Lan Zhan’s chest. Lan Zhan caught him and wrapped his arms around him. “A-Yuan, shall we make pancakes?”
“Yey!” A-Yuan cried.
“I heard pancakes?” Wei Ying said opening one eye.
“Yey!” A-Yuan cried.
“I heard pancakes?” Wei Ying said opening one eye.
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