Four hours later, Xiao Zhan finally arrives back in Chongqing, however the last thing that he wants is to head home to face an argument with his father. Instead, he wants to retreat back into the past and into some semblance of normalcy with his old friends, and for a little while, forget about everything else that he has to deal with.
He is reluctant to switch his phone back on so that he can contact Xiao Wu, so he just drives to his bar. It is just about 8:30 pm when he arrives, and although it doesn't look to be filled up with patrons, the bar is bustling enough for at least a handful of people to immediately recognize him if he were to just directly walk in.
So he waits, nursing half a prayer that perhaps Xiao Wu would come out for some reason and notice him. It doesn't happen, so he is forced to finally turn the phone back on. He immediately heads to his contacts to pull up Xiao Wu's number, however, a barrage of notifications hit the screen so suddenly that the phone nearly drops from his hands.
His heart begins to race at the depressing reminder that he currently has yet another controversy brewing, but he makes up his mind then that tonight, he will have nothing to do with his life as an entertainer. Whatever fire is currently burning will have to be addressed the next day, so he calls Xiao Wu, and thankfully he promptly picks up.
"I'm outside,"he says, as his gaze lifts toward Xiao Wu's apartment on the second floor."Can I come up through the kitchen at the back?"
"Oh," Xiao Wu is surprised to hear this. "You're here? Really?"
"Yeah. I'm in the minivan."
"I'll be right there," he says, and the call comes to an end.
Xiao Zhan switches his phone back off, despite the gnawing temptation to check if there is anything from Yibo on WeChat. His worry for him has done nothing but build over the last several hours, which makes him regret once again that he had chosen to tackle things between them over the phone.
He tries to assure himself that Yibo is fine, but the haunting memory of Yibo sobbing in his arms just the previous night keeps him from feeling any iota whatsoever of peace. His heart is aching but he forces himself to hold back, adamant that he has earned this- the right to be completely furious and withdrawn from Yibo for at least a day, or perhaps even more.
He needs this, he tells himself...for both of their sakes.
In little time, Xiao Wu arrives, and taps heavily against his window.
He rolls the glass down to see his friend's bright smile in welcome, and instantly feels warmed.
"Do you have ramen?"he asks, and Xiao Wu's smile grows even wider.
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A few minutes later, he is ushered into the cluttered studio apartment, and although it takes a little while, he eventually finds the couch underneath a pile of clothes and product boxes.
"You should have told me ahead of time that you were coming over," Xiao Wu complains as he hurries to clear out the boxes and clothes, but Xiao Zhan is already making himself at home. He collapses onto the couch, his legs propped up on the last bit of clothes that Xiao Wu is yet to get to.
"We were roommates in university," he says as one arm goes over his eyes in exhaustion. "Your lifestyle as a pig is not news to me."
This earns his feet a painful smack from Xiao Wu before the rest of the clothes are pulled out from underneath.
YOU ARE READING
Winter Wind (YiZhan)
RomanceIt's been a year since the world turned on Xiao Zhan, and just as long since he turned on Yibo. But what was the alternative? Now, Wang Yibo is back at his door and threatening to break it down if he doesn't let him in. The boy almost died today and...
