Hualian AU ~ 4. At the Green Ghost Lair

Part 1

CW: mental health issues, strong language, drugs, violence

Xie Lian got into the dorm room, took off his shoes and just laid in bed, exhausted and depressed. He didn't even turn the lights on, feeling his body heavy, numb, and aching all over. After a while, someone knocked on the door. He got up painfully to open; it was Feng Xin and Mu Qing.

"Shi Qingxuan said you got into the brawl to get Lang Qianqiu out, and you might be hurt?", Mu Qing said, putting the lights on. He had a green pouch, a first aid kit he probably got from the medical room. Xie Lian took his shirt off silently, showing a huge purple bruise on his right shoulder.

"Fucking hell", Feng Xin said.

Mu Qing put a cold pack on Xie Lian's shoulder, telling him to keep it on as long as possible. Feng Xin opened his holdall and gave Xie Lian some tracksuit bottoms and a t-shirt, the clothes he was going to change to after working out at the gym, if wasn't for that emergency meeting.

"Here. At least you can have a shower and change", he said, handing his gym toiletry bag as well.

Mu Qing then said, "What happened, really? I mean, this FangXin stuff?"

Xie Lian just stayed silent, his lids heavy. At that moment he didn't want to talk at all, specially about FangXin; if he was honest he just wanted to be swallowed in a dreamless sleep, disappear. He closed his eyes. Feng Xin, who was sitting on the bed by his side, said in a soothing voice,

"Just have a shower and get some sleep. We can come back tomorrow and talk if you feel like it?"

Xie Lian nodded slowly. Feng Xin eyed Mu Qing, and Mu Qing said,

"If you need anything. If you need stuff from your place or something? Text me ok?"

Xie Lian nodded again. They both got up, looking at him for a long time, nodded, and left. Xie Lian turned off the lights and laid down without a shower or a change of clothes, staying still for a while with closed eyes; then, probably out of pure exhaustion, he fell asleep.

He dreamed many things. His silver masked avatar FangXin. An Le and Qi Rong laughing together, sharing a spliff behind the Youth Club. Hearing of An Le's death. Getting his life in a mess, dropping off uni. Meeting An Le's parents at a support group some time later. Lang Qianqiu as a kid.

The day after, he woke up, had a shower, and saw a text from Shi Qingxuan, asking if he was fine, if he wanted any particular food or anything. Feng Xin and Mu Qing also texted; he replied saying he just wanted to be alone. He had a sandwich from the canteen, and just stayed in his dorm all day.

Around nightfall, Xie Lian's phone rang. It was Hua Cheng. Xie Lian kept looking at the phone, not knowing what to do; Hua Cheng had never called him before. He was afraid he'd be pissed off, and HE hadn't texted him or anything either. Well. Ignoring his call would be worse, so he answered.

"San Lang!"

"Hey. I'm dropping by", he said, with a neutral voice.

Xie Lian bit his lower lip, and said, "Er, I'm not home."

Hua Cheng replied, "I know where you are".

The call was cut off, as if he was in a train or a lift or something. 'How does he know where I am?' Shit, Xie Lian thought, so now everyone knows I'm here. Well of course, plenty of witnesses on last night's event, some video probably went viral. More for his #mostlikelytobeexpelled CV.

He heard a short knock on the door, and went up to open it. It was Hua Cheng, wearing an army jacket and a black bandana around his neck. He gave an intense look at Xie Lian through his messy hair, and didn't smile as usual. He simply said, "Let's go".

"San Lang! I... cannot leave", he said, lowering his eyes, embarrassed at Hua Cheng seeing him there.

"I know. C'mon grab your jacket, let's go", he said.

His tone was so firm that Xie Lian just put his shoes on, grabbed his jacket and followed him. They were seen at a distance by Feng Xin and Mu Qing; they got into the lift, so they couldn't be followed. Hua Cheng kept his back turned to Xie Lian, seeming very focused on something.

"San Lang, I'm sorry", he blurted out. He paused, and went on, "You were really cool, took me to your place, gave me yakisoba, and all I did was bring you trouble. I feel so bad, I'm so shit."

Even though he was being totally open and honest, he knew this didn't mean much, just saying he was sorry. Hua Cheng tilted his head slightly, listening, then he turned, and said with a weary voice,

"What are you saying? I kicked you on the shoulder, it's me who feels bad."

"Oh?", Xie Lian squeezed his painful shoulder a few times unconsciously, and said, "That was an accident, I jumped in front of you. Anyway my shoulder's fine".

The lift arrived on ground floor; with Xie Lian following him, Hua Cheng walked briskly to a car nearby, an uber, and the driver just drove off.

"San Lang...", he started, but Hua Cheng gave him a NOT HERE look so he shut up. Xie Lian then weighted his options; I'm fucked up, he thought, I just left the dorms when I was specifically told not to. I was seen. And where is he taking me anyway? He shrugged, deciding to just go with the flow.

After around 20 minutes, the car stopped in front of a pub and they dropped off. It was still early and it was Sunday, so the pub was crowded, with people all over the pavement. There was a park across the road, dark and empty; they walked towards it. Xie Lian had given up asking questions.

They found a nearby bench and sat down. Hua Cheng then said, "Now we wait."

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