Chapter 2

1.9K 125 4
                                    

Xiao Zhan was already in the lobby where his clients were waiting for him. He was surprised when he saw that most of his clients were teenagers, they were 18 to 19 in his estimation. "Good day everyone, I sincerely apologize for being late," he smiled at them and made his clients shake at his smile. 'Wow, he's an angel,' all of the clients presents thought about the same thing.

"A-ah no, i-it's fine," one of the clients blurted and immediately covered her mouth when he realized what he just said and with that Zhan gave another smile which again, made all of their hearts beat fast. "Ehem," one of the clients coughed to escape the trap that they fell in, at least that's what they think.  "Let's proceed shall we?" Zhan motioned his clients to follow him and they followed. As Zhan was walking and his clients behind him he started explaining the concepts in each artwork that they passed until they stopped in a painting. Zhan stopped in his tracks and also did the clients.

"This artwork is entitled 'destiny'" Zhan pointed at the canvas that attracted the attention of the clients. If the painting is being described, it shows two figures holding each other with many colours surrounding them but despite that, they still held each other very tight. This piece attracted all of the clients' attention as the figures were hard to distinguish. "You all are curious on what the gender is present in the panting right?" Zhan asked and made the others nod their head and that was when Zhan smiled again. "It depends on the viewers, it can be a man and a woman, it can be a man and a man and it can also be a woman and a woman. Now, the main point of this painting is that gender do not matter when it comes to love. As long as both loved each other then it would be fine, knowing how judgmental our society is, most of the people won't be able to show who they really are," after Zhan spoke, all of them were quite as if they were putting what Zhan said in their hearts. Zhan flashed his smile once again then one of the client raised her hand, it was the same girl earlier so Zhan looked at the client and gave her the chance to ask him a question.

"Have you ever hidden your real self?" others might find this offensive as that question can be translated into questioning your sexuality but Zhan shrugged it off, after all, the teenager was curious so he gave her an answer. "No, I haven't because all my life I was never attracted to another gender besides women and I have a beautiful girlfriend here," he slipped his hand into his pocket to get his phone and showed his lock screen to his clients. His lock screen was his beautiful girlfriend, Bai Suzhen. "She's a beauty isn't she?" he asked and all of them nodded in agreement.

After Xiao Zhan roamed and showed his artworks to his clients, all of them proceeded to the auction hall to start the bidding. That wasn't Xiao Zhan's job anymore so he took the cue as his break and went to the Jiang sibling's office. Jiang Cheng ang Jiang Yanli shared the same office due to someone who is unable to live without his sister by his side, and yes that someone is Jiang Cheng.

"Jieeee," shouted Zhan as he burst into the sibling's office which made Jiang Cheng stand up with dried and wet saliva visible in his mouth to his chin. "HAHAHAHAHA Cheng, your saliva-" Zhan was unable to finish his statement because of the scene which caused him laughter. When Zhan was about to stop laughing Jiang Cheng then walked his way towards Zhan and smacked his head, hard which made Zhan wince in pain while Yanli was shocked at what his brother did. "A-Cheng!" Yanli half-shouted and then pinched Jiang Cheng's side which made him yelp in pain. "What did I do Jie?" Cheng asked while rubbing his side while Zhan was still rubbing his head because of the pain.

"Zhan, are you alright?" Yanli asked, worried. When Zhan looked up to her she screamed when she saw blood oozing from Zhan's nose. "Look Jiang Cheng, look what you did to A-Zhan!" Yanli was shocked to the extent that she panicked. She made Zhan sit in her chair and made Jiang Cheng kneel on his knees with his hands up as a punishment for what he did to Zhan earlier and now.

'This is getting out of hand' Yanli said in her mind.

She went out to get some supplies for Zhan while Zhan was sitting at Yanli's chair and laughed at the sight that Jiang Cheng was giving him. "This is what you get for messing with me Cheng" Zhan smirked at Cheng who was sweating but despite the sweat, he still looked at Zhan with daggers. "Well it's not me who has white cloth plugging his nose so that blood won't come out like water," Cheng mocked Zhan which made him pout which made Cheng's face twist in disgust.

"Ew, get away from me," Jiang Cheng said but inside him, his heart was beating loudly due to Xiao Zhan's pout. Who could've thought that a simple pout could sway Jiang Cheng's little heart. Both were silent after their bickering and that's when Yanli went back with supplies. She aided Zhan back to his office with the white cloth still covering both holes of his nose because the blood was still oozing out. Yanli panicked but Zhan did not pay any attention to it and calmed down Yanli by telling her that he has been like this since he was a child. "Zhan, do you have any blood? Are you not anemic?" Yanli asked Zhan but Zhan assured her that he was normal.

"Thank you, Jie, for taking care of me when Suzhen's not here. Suzhen was Yanli's friend and that's the reason why he, Yanli and Cheng became friends. "No worries Zhan, Suzhen entrusted you to me since she can't take care of you right now," his mood went down when he recalled that he can't see his girlfriend for three more months. Suzhen went to Taiwan to continue her studies and to improve her modelling there.

"But I'm still thankful Jie and maybe you should go back to your office because I'm sure that Cheng's crying already because of how he misses you. Ah, that silly man, he can't even spare this fragile man here," Zhan pouted and that made Yanli laugh at the scene. "Aiya Zhan, that's just how A-Cheng shows his love to you,"

"Hahh? By beating up this fragile man?" Zhan protected himself as if Cheng would smack him again. "But Jie, go back to Cheng now he'll be paranoid if you disappear for more than one hour," Xiao Zhan rolled his eyes remembering the scene where Yanli was out of the gallery and was gone for about 3 hours and in that span of time, Jiang Cheng was crying because he was paranoid and was overthinking that maybe his Jie was kidnapped someone, considering Yanli's looks, she was indeed a beauty.

"Alright alright Zhan, I'll get going now," were the last words that Yanli said before exiting Zhan's office. After Yanli disappeared his mom then called which then made Xiao Zhan relax and from that until evening he started to plan for his new painting.

??? POV

As I was staring at the picture sent to me by some journalist I smirked knowing that the person that I'd been looking for so long was so near to me.

"I'll get you back, my love'"

-----------------
Edited
11/20/21                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Chasing You (YiZhan)✔Where stories live. Discover now