Innocuous (YiZhan/ZhanYi)

Chapter 9 Lost on You

Author notes: English is not my first language, so please forgive my mistakes and awkward writing. This is NOT for profit. I don't own them. AU (as in Alternate Universe) and maybe OOC (as in Out of Character).

Author notes 2: My eternal gratitude to @JJSin2020 for editing this.

Author Notes 3: The song is Lost on You by LP

Thanks for the votes and comments! They really encourage me.

There was a commotion at the Wang's residence. Madam Wang had hired an army of stylists, make-up artists and hairdressers to take care of her whole family's looks for tonight's event. Even the maids and the butler had been caught in the whirlwind of the activity because of the party, having to feed and help such a large group of people.

Yi Bo was there as well, to please his mother. He couldn't care any less about his appearance. As far as he was concerned, he had done his part already. He had his hair cut, he was shaved and his skin looked radiant according to the girl that had applied a revitalizing mask on his face the day before. He even got a new custom made tux for tonight.

Nevertheless, his mother had insisted he'd come over to 'get ready'. His mother was a bundle of nerves, she was finally going to meet Lulu's aunt, the veritable queen bee of the highest of the high in Shanghai's society.

Even Yi Bo's father had been included in the beautifying combo his mother prepared. Yi Bo still couldn't understand her insistence for his presence since he had to depart early to pick Lulu up at her home. He was after all, her date for tonight. But as he had become accustomed to doing, he had let his mother have her way.

*

Zhan arrived early to his parents' home, his mother had asked him nicely –for a change- to go there first and arrive together as a family to the party venue, which was the original plan. He found himself more docile to his mom's wishes lately, maybe because he really appreciated the unconditional acceptance he had gotten from both his parents. He had indeed mellowed, and his rebellious behavior seemed to be way in the past. He had even let his mother pick his clothes for tonight. He knew her taste was impeccable and honestly, she knew him well. She would respect his tastes while making sure he looked his best for the occasion.

She was hosting a very lavish party tonight. Of course, the apparent reason for the event was the signing of a very lucrative partnership with a large construction firm to get a huge project in Taiwan. His family owned one of the most important Architecture firms in China. His father and his uncle had founded it, two commoners with immense talent and insuperable work ethics. The fact that his father and uncle had been classmates in the same schools their whole life as well as best friends, had made the situation more convenient.

Zhan's dad trusted his uncle completely, he had left the company in his hands while he and his wife had stayed in Japan, helping Zhan recover. It had been his uncle who negotiated this partnership, so Zhan's dad only had a general idea of it and was not really involved. After Zhan's ordeal, he felt too tired to get deeply entangled in it, so he had asked Zhan to be in charge of the project. It seemed like a golden opportunity for Zhan to be constantly busy and to step up into his rightful position as his heir.

It had been hard to convince Zhan in the beginning, but his mother had made him see it was time. His dad was getting older and was very tired, so he finally agreed. He had returned to China just last week, so he wasn't yet very familiar with their counterpart and future business partners.

His tux was hanging in the closet in his childhood room, his mother had chosen one of Stefano Ricci's creations. A personal tailor had been sent from Florence to Tokyo to take his measurements, while he had been still there closing his final personal business in the city.