#hourdive

“ I’m… sorry? ” Xia Fei’s head feels like static. His mouth remains open, dumbfounded, until he sees Cheng Xiaoshi’s ‘wink.’ Laughter catches in his throat. He covers his mouth, inhales sharply, and attempts to stifle the sound. “ What are you doing, Xiaoshi… ” They are in public!

he only grins, a single finger pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose as he gives the other man a pointed look. " won't your boyfriend get jealous? not that he has to know, but it's just an observation. "

➺  •║ 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐈𝐄𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐓 ║• ❝ ... ❞

artistic renditions || @hourdive

artistic renditions || @hourdive

She's good at being small, at going unnoticed. It had been an important skill, when she was small. It meant sometimes Father didn't see her, couldn't feel the anger that always swallowed him when he did. It meant that Tianchen and Qian Jin didn't see her, too, and that was good. That kept her safe. ( being safe from her brother. she hates that she needs to be protected from her brother. )

But she wants to be seen, now; she raises a small hand to get Cheng Xiaoshi's attention. When he looks to her, she gestures to invite him nearer, then shows him what she's been drawing. It's a picture of Qiao Ling, Cheng Xiaoshi, and herself, sitting around in grass and flowers, all three of them smiling.

an hour later, qiao ling receives texts from cheng xiaoshi’s phone. one reads ‘ qiao ling. stay out of the studio. it’s not safe there. ’ the other is a blurred selfie of xiaoshi, forehead bleeding, but behind him a sign with the name of a street. he’s okay, yet the danger is still in their midst…

Her head is spinning. All Qiao Ling can think is: I should’ve hugged you tighter before I left. She stares blankly at the text from Xiao Li. ‘I’m sorry,’ it reads. ‘We’re not sure where he is yet. We’ll keep you updated.’ Cheng Xiaoshi is not responding to anyone. After hastily hanging up on her, the sounds of broken entry echoing through the speaker, she can only assume the worst. Something must’ve happened. Her heart aches in every agonizing beat.

She should’ve hugged him tighter. She should’ve clung, should’ve savored that moment, because she dreads now that it was their last. A strangled sound from her throat accompanies tears. She rubs at her face. What will she do? What can she do? Should she go see for herself, try to get into the studio? What would Cheng Xiaoshi do if their roles were reversed…?

A new notification lights up her phone. Qiao Ling’s lungs constrict; she draws in a tight breath. There, in a photo featuring a wound in front of a sign she recognizes, is her brother. He’s alive. He’s hurt but alive, standing at a familiar street, urging her to avoid the studio. She takes a moment to steel herself. Resolve, once flickering, soon rekindles to a decent flame. “ What’s going on? ” she texts back. And, most importantly, “ How can I help? ”

cheng xiaoshi struggled to maintain his serious demeanor, the effort to suppress his laughter causing tears to well in his eyes, blurring his vision. it made the act more convincing. “ just admit it… you were with another man, weren’t you? ”  he feigned a quivering lip, pointing an accusatory finger across the light wood counter.  “ just admit you don’t want me anymore… you barely look at me during… ”  his cheeks flush, the weight of that unfinished line almost breaking him. he bit his lower lip, desperately trying to contain the urge to crumble into laughter at this ‘showhome soap opera’ they’ve created while they waited for lu guang to return.  “ you’re tearing this marriage apart! ” 

he should have never left them alone from the start.

IKEA is a stage tonight, and Xia Fei can barely restrain his laughter. He covers his mouth with one hand to hide his smile. At the other side of the counter piece, facing the full intensity of his glare, is Cheng Xiaoshi. Their argument echoes in the showroom, drama drawing over several sets of worried looks. 

It’s all to pass the time. Lu Guang left them alone to inspect another section of the store. He can’t blame them for how they cope in his absence. There were no other options.

Xia Fei rolls his eyes at the accusations. To play the part of a scornful cheater, he sits tall on a stool — shoulders back, posture disinterested. The longer they carry out the charade, though, the harder it becomes to hold steady. He nearly loses it when he spots tears in Cheng Xiaoshi’s eyes. Matched emotions bring a shimmer to his own: mimicked heartbreak.

“I’m tearing this marriage apart?” he asks. Iciness curls through his teeth, sharp and unyielding. “Look at yourself, feigning innocence.” Xia Fei shoves the stool back when he stands. It scrapes the floor louder than he intends, but he embraces his subsequent wince for special effect. 

Adorning his cheeks now is a flush of shattered composure. Pink hues exacerbate the scowl. When he speaks again, pain turns his voice raw. “Have you considered why I’d look for company elsewhere in the first place? Maybe—” His voice catches in his throat, a badly hidden giggle, as he steps towards Cheng Xiaoshi. He places his hands on the counter’s edge and leans over him, closing the distance, worsening the tension. “Maybe you just don’t love me right anymore, Xiaoshi…”