Outrun The World

Chapter 17

The two of them visited Rico and Daniella that afternoon. Mo Guan Shan apologized to the old couple again, his head lowered in embarrassment. He Tian apologized too and he thanked the couple for taking good care of Mo Guan Shan.

"Ay sus, no problem, no problem," Daniella said. "So how are you two now? Have you made up na?" 

Mo Guan Shan nodded and turned his head to He Tian who's smirking like a little devil and he involuntarily blushed at the images that flooded his mind. The fucking idiot was basically shouting to the world that they finally made up. Daniella squealed like a giddy schoolgirl and Rico offered He Tian a glass cup filled with white liquid.

"Here, have a drink to celebrate."

"Oh! Tuba!" He Tian beamed, accepting the cup and gulped the whole thing. He wipe a foam mustasche. "Hella sweet too."

"Just got it this morning so it's fresh," Rico said while pouring another serving from a white plastic container. He offered it to Mo Guan Shan but He Tian accepted it before bringing the cup next to his face.

"Go on, it's sweet," He Tian said, his eyebrows wriggling up and down.

"If you're shitting me I'll ruin your face," Mo Guan Shan threatened in Mandarin but He Tian just looked at him as if saying that it's his loss if he doesn't taste it. So Mo Guan Shan took a sip, without taking his eyes off the innocent-faced guy holding the cup. It was indeed really sweet. He Tian motioned to pull the glass away but Mo Guan Shan wanted more so he held He Tian's hand in place while he gulped his own serving of tuba.

"He likes it! The boy likes it!" Daniella clapped her hands, calling to a pair of passing neighbors. She looked pleased and proud as she exchanged a lot of words to the neighbors who were looking at them and nodded every time their gazes met.

Mo Guan Shan, wanting to make it up to the friendly people around, asked for another glass. He honestly liked the juice too, or whatever it was, because it tasted sweet and kind of frizzy, like coconut water. Although he noticed that he's slowly getting dizzy and everything felt like a blur.

"I want more," he whined at He Tian but the guy shook his head sternly. So he leaned on his chest and pinched his nipple, oblivious to Rico's smiling eyes.

"No more," He Tian said, trying to look unaffected. 

"But whyyyy?" Mo Guan Shan, eyes droopy and blinking slowly like a content cat, trailed an index finger from his chest up to his neck, tracing his jawline until he reached his lips. He Tian playfully snapped his mouth at his finger but he managed to pull back.

He Tian only looked at Rico apologetically but he's glad Daniella already returned to the kitchen.

"You're freakin' drunk, is why. Besides, the gallon is empty," He Tian said, lifting up the white container.

"I'm not drunk. It was just juice," Mo Guan Shan snickered, clinging to He Tian's arm. He even wrapped the raven-haired guy's arms around him while pressing his back on his sturdy chest, savouring his warmth and attention.

"I think we'll go ahead, Uncle. Thanks again for the lumpia. It was delicious," He Tian said and stood up, dragging Mo Guan Shan with him. "This guy's a lightweight, I didn't know," he added.

"Haha! Well, he did drink five glasses of it," Rico said, obviously pleased. He harvested his own tuba and He Tian was aware of the pride they take in their own product. These men would often drink together and compare whose harvest was the sweetest and reminisce about the times they tasted the most amazing tuba of their lives. Nobody wanted to lose the bragging activity.

"You gained yourself another customer, Uncle," He Tian commented and dragged Mo Guan Shan who was starting to sit on the chair again. "Hey, get up."