That night, Xiao Zhan begins reading Heaven's official blessing.
After his brief conversation with Yibo, his mind began to wander back to their history. To the moments that were too numerous to count, but at the same time, seemed too scarce to recall.
Being in Yibo's presence he realizes had truly been special, because now and for the first time, it is beginning to dawn on him that perhaps he will not have this fortune for much longer.
Or perhaps... he has already lost it.
He is not ready to go running into Yibo's arms just yet, but neither is he willing to let go either.
So he starts on the novel, which he hopes can be topic enough to promote conversation between the two of them from time to time.
Which is why somewhere around 4 in the morning, exactly three hours into the book, he sends a text to Yibo.
"I'm in the twelfth chapter of Tian Guan Ci Fu but I'm beginning to lose interest. You said this was good."
After sending the message, he returns to the novel but not long after that, his phone falls to his side and he is fast asleep.
The next morning, he is at their kitchen table and helping his mother crack some walnuts with his hands when the notification for Yibo's response comes in.
Xiao Zhan tosses the half cracked walnut aside, and dives for his phone to check the message.
"The start is slow, but keep going. It gets better. Have you met Hua Cheng?"
He rereads the text several times and then begins to contemplate on how to respond.
For one, Yibo asked him a question. If he didn't want their communication to continue any further then perhaps he wouldn't have?
A small ache to the side of his head then, makes him realize that he is over thinking this.
His goal here is mainly to keep in contact with Yibo, and this novel will facilitate this purpose. Overthinking their texts however will mess with his mental health.
So he sets the phone down and continues on with his chore. After the bowl of walnuts have been handled, Xiao Zhan rises to his feet, much to his mother's protest .
"I'll be back," he says and heads to his room. When he's there, he shuts the door behind him and takes a few deep breaths to calm his racing pulse.
The wait had been akin to tossing fuel into a small fire, and at this thought, he wonders what is happening.
He realizes that he is now ... careful when it comes to Yibo.
Right now, he is going to reread Yibo's text and think of something very appropriate to say. Something that will not push any boundaries between them but yet wouldn't discourage further communication.
He sighs, wishing for simpler times, when he was oblivious to all of this. Before Yibo barged into his apartment.
Before Mei Li's comments.
It makes him wonder, if he is not just wrapped in a bubble concocted by his own head.
He sinks to the floor, unwilling to take the few seconds needed to find somewhere more appropriate to sit. Then he begins to type out his response.
"Hua Cheng?" he writes. "You mean San Lang right? The boy by Xie Lian's side? They've not officially acknowledged him as Hua Cheng but everyone around seems to suspect that he is. Right now, I'm still reading about their time at the cave in the desert."
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Winter Wind (YiZhan)
العاطفيةIt'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...
