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When Guan Shan called her last Christmas to tell her that He Tian was back, she was surprised but ultimately happy for her son.
He Tian was a name she saw fairly frequently when Guan Shan was in middle school. First on the lists for the top students in the school, then on Guan Shan’s phone screen as the two began keeping in contact, which then moved into notes and letters under their apartment door.
Eventually even packages and gifts left for her son on their doorstep, or their kitchen table, secretly placed as He Tian was leaving.
Once there was a giant bouquet of flowers waiting for Guan Shan that she had come across as she was getting home from work. The beautiful flowers freshly cut, and smelling better than any perfume, signed with an elegant He Tian on the card. Both the flowers and the look on her son’s face when she brought them in were something she would probably never forget.
And then they entered high school and things changed.
He had come to her, with tears in his eyes and biting his lip like he was holding himself back from screaming. She could tell that he was frustrated, and vulnerable in a way that she hadn’t seen him in years, probably not since his father.
It broke her heart.
Guan Shan told her everything while she held him tightly in her arms. About He Tian and their kind of, but not really relationship, and how there was definitely something between them, but it was too good to be true because He Tian had to leave.
Soon after He Tian had left, her son had stopped going out as much, and his other two friends didn’t come by anymore.
‘Jian Yi is gone too. Zhan Zheng Xi doesn’t have time because he has to study.’
That is what he ended up telling her, when she decided to ask him. His other few friends, the one with the buzzcut especially, definitely made an effort to get him out of the house and be more social as the three or so years went on, but her son was a rather stubborn one.
Which is where he was when on that Christmas Eve, a party with ‘the guys’, but ‘don’t worry mama, I’ll meet up with you after your shift and we can have dinner. I can stay the night, and we can celebrate tomorrow.’
It didn't end up happening like that, when she got a call from Guan Shan later in the evening, after she had been home for about twenty minutes. She had just dressed down from the day, and was getting ready to make their dinner when she got his call.
‘Hi Mama, sorry but I can’t come over tonight-‘
His voice had been rough, and his breathing uneven, as if he had been crying. She had asked him, then, if he had been, not entirely sure if he would tell her the whole truth. Simply because her son had frequently tried to put on a brave face for her, especially during his roughest times, but he was always, always, honest.
‘Yeah, but I’m fine now… He Tian is back.’
She ended up inviting them both to spend the next day with her instead, and because she was so happy for her son, ‘the next weekend as well, if you would like, to celebrate the New Year’ which He Tian accepted.
That was a little over a year ago. Guan Shan and He Tian had just gotten home from a week-long vacation, up the mountains at some spa, which Guan Shan had promised that he would tell her all about over their weekly dinner.
-
“He Tian, do you seriously need me to show you how to cut this again? Are you trying to piss me off?”
She can hear Guan Shan snapping even from the dining room. Despite her new house being a little bit bigger than their old apartment - the one she and her son used to share before he moved out on his own and she decided to move as well, not wanting to be too far from Guan Shan or her job anymore-the sounds still carry in a way that is familiar.
Or perhaps her son is just a little on the loud side.
“He Tian!!”
A lot on the loud side.
Walking back into the kitchen, even though Guan Shan told her to wait and to ‘just relax, Mama’, she can’t help laughing as she watches her son’s shocked expression at He Tian and the vegetables on the cutting board, which even she can see from this far away are pretty… mashed.
“Boys,” She announces her presence, laughing a little more when He Tian snaps to attention as if she just caught him with his hand in the cookie jar. Guan Shan snatches the knife away from him, frowning ferociously. “Are you fighting?”
“Of course not, Mrs Mo.” He Tian still smiles bright like the sun, face beaming with his eyes closed, similar to a please cat, “Momo is just teaching me how to properly use a knife.”
Guan Shan gives her a look that tells her he is seconds away from losing his temper, “I am done teaching, Mama. Can you please get him out of here?”
Even with He Tian’s offended expression, which she is sure isn’t genuine, he can tell when he has crossed the line of helping into hindering. So he is already taking off his apron when she smiles at him, gesturing back into the dining room.
“He Tian, honey, why don’t you help me set the table for us?”
He follows her back through the kitchen door, down the hallway past the many picture frames on the wall, some of which have Guan Shan and He Tian hung in newer frames, a house warming gift from He Tian himself. In some of the photos her son is smiling, carefree and happy.
“Allow me, Mrs Mo,” He Tian pulls out a chair at the table for her, polite and ever charming, “I can set the table. Please, take a seat.”
“Thank you, dear,” She sits down, and not for the first time finds herself wondering what kind of upbringing He Tian has had to have such ingrained manners. She has yet to meet his parents or hear about them, beyond his brother who he works for.
There is a kind of grace in his movements as he walks around the room, pulling bowls and plates down from the china cabinet, that reminds her of a dancer. Careful steps and purposeful movement, nothing like the overly casual gate of her own son who walks through crowds like he doesn’t want to be noticed. He Tian carries himself like he is a man who thrives on attention, drawing people in with his smiles. It certainly worked on her when they first met, but slowly the bravado faded, so she could see his genuine personality come through.
After He Tian has finished setting out their plates and bowls, he fills her glass with a dark red wine and pours two more for Guan Shan and himself. The wine, rich in color and smell, was something that the two brought back with them from their trip to give her as a gift.
‘The expensive shit that dad used to drink.’ Guan Shan had told her when he passed her the bottle.
She takes a sip, swirling the wine in her glass, feeling nostalgic for her husband and the days in the past of their restaurant with Guan Shan so little his feet didn’t touch the floor when he sat in his chair, “He Tian?”
“Yes?” He Tian smiles at her, taking a seat to her right, so Guan Shan can sit on her left.
“Next week, or the week after,” She starts and hesitates, but continues when he hums at her, taking a sip from his own wine, “You should invite your parents over for dinner. It would be nice for us all to meet.”
He Tian doesn’t speak for a moment, setting his glass down in front of him, and while he doesn’t outwardly show any discomfort she can see he is no longer smiling. The sounds of Guan Shan moving around in the kitchen, pots and pans clanging and boiling water, fill the brief silence between them. He Tian looks at her with the beginnings of a rather somber expression, and apologizes.
“Sorry, Mrs Mo, but I don’t think that will be possible.” He leans forward, crossing his arms against the table, “My Mother passed away when I was very young-“
“Oh, honey, I’m so sorry,” She immediately regrets asking, putting her hand on his arm, trying to show him her sympathy. He Tian places his hand on top of hers, and continues talking.
“It’s alright, don’t worry.” He assures her, smile returning easily though it doesn’t quite reach his eyes, “After she passed, my brother raised me while my Father was busy with his work,” There’s a hard edge to his voice that she doesn’t think she’s ever heard before, and she quickly realizes why, “I haven’t seen him in several years.”
She isn’t sure how to respond, but she doesn’t have to because suddenly there are footsteps and—
“You can ask He Cheng to come.” Guan Shan speaks up, making her jump and He Tian look up in surprise, standing at the doorway of the dining room. An uncommon softness on his face having apparently heard their conversation, holding a pot between his hands.
A pause, where He Tian and Guan Shan look at each other, and He Tian already seems to begin shaking off his seriousness, a genuine smile forming at the sight of her son, and his eyes light up. She ventures a guess—
“Is that your brother?”
“Yes.”
“You said it yourself, he’s more like a dad to you than your Father is,” Guan Shan walks forward and places the pot on the heat pad sitting on the table. His tone is firm, matter-of-fact, in a way that makes her think the two have talked about this before. Guan Shan adjusts the lid on the pot, and tilts his head as if thinking, “You can ask Qiu to come too.”
She has heard the name ‘He Cheng’ in passing before, in conversations with both boys, but this one is new.
“Who?”
“He Cheng’s uh,” Guan Shan stumbles over his words, nervous with his eyebrows furrowing, as if he has said something he shouldn’t, “um, his…”
“My brother’s husband.” He Tian speaks up next to her, fully relaxed again, grinning at Guan Shan over his wine glass like he is making fun of him. She doesn’t understand why, maybe it is an inside joke? Either way-
“That sounds like a lovely idea.”
He Tian smiles, “I’ll ask them.”
“He Cheng won’t say no,” Guan Shan takes a step back toward the kitchen, “He’s been wanting to see you since we came back.” Another step, “Anyway, dinner is done, so come help me bring it in.”
“Alright, darling,” He Tian teases him and Guan Shan turns red, but she can tell that he likes the name because he doesn’t immediately shut him down, “One moment Mrs Mo.”
“Of course, honey, let me know if you need my help.”
She watches them walk down the hall, sees He Tian take her son’s hand in his, and hopes that in the future Guan Shan will remain this happy.
He Cheng has too much work to do, he always has too much work. The papers and meetings, the negotiations and business partners. It runs through his mind on repeat, it is rare for him to have a moment to himself.
Today is not an exception.
“Brother, stop at the end of this street, at the corner.” He Tian speaks up suddenly from the passenger seat of He Cheng’s car, and points to the right, toward a building that appears to be a restaurant or maybe a bar.
He Cheng frowns.
His little brother has been quiet since He Cheng picked him up from the airport. He has just returned from overseas negotiating for the He family at a port city, figuring out a new shipment route for their operations. A week-long ordeal that had involved He Tian calling him at odd hours of the night, going over the details to ensure that it was what He Cheng wanted, and rather stubborn men who seemed to think they could try bending his patience.
Unfortunately, He Tian was not nearly as patient as He Cheng, and he was not quiet about his displeasure of being kept longer than necessary.
Once He Cheng had picked him up, it was clear to him that He Tian hadn’t been sleeping much during the week. Dark circles under his eyes, and a hard set frown. After an eleven hour flight and a twenty minute drive he seemed to be exhausted and almost on the brink of falling asleep.
Now he sits up in his seat, his eyes wide, bright, and focused on the building ahead of them, almost vibrating with excitement.
“If you are hungry we can eat at home. We still have to discuss the results of your trip.”
“Brother, please.”
He Tian turns toward him and his open expression causes He Cheng to pause. The past few years they have gotten close again, certainly not as close as they were when He Tian was small, and one thing is for sure. He Tian was no longer a child. He is tall and strong, with sharp features and an even sharper tongue. It is rare for him to ask for things from He Cheng now. Let alone use words like ‘please’.
He Cheng pulls into the right lane, and He Tian’s expression turns devious. Almost as soon as the car is in park does the door click open and He Cheng has to grab his arm to say:
“Be quick, we don’t have much time to waste.”
He Tian barely responds as he brushes away He Cheng’s hand, and the door clicks shut behind him.
He Cheng watches his brother walk quickly to the entrance, exhaustion seemingly forgotten. He opens the door and disappears inside. Through the large windows of the restaurant, past the tables and its few patrons he can see He Tian approach the bar.
The bartender, a man with a buzzcut, seems to be delighted to see him if his body language is anything to go by, his arms whipping around wildly as he speaks to He Tian. He tries to offer him a glass, but He Tian shakes his head and says something that He Cheng is too far away to see.
The man lifts up his hand in the universal sign of ‘wait’, and disappears from He Cheng’s view.
It feels like only a few seconds pass, and then it becomes crystal clear why He Tian wanted him to stop at this restaurant.
Mo Guan Shan comes storming into view, with one hand raised and pointed at He Tian. A half apron on his waist and a hat on his head, apparently working an early morning shift. While his entire body language is decidedly aggressive, He Tian remains relaxed, and even raises his arms as if he intends to embrace him.
They do not embrace.
He Tian follows Mo Guan Shan when he pushes past him, and out the front door of the restaurant. Once the door closes, He Tian grabs his arm and pulls him to stand beside the entrance, away from the view of the restaurant window, actively leaning into Mo Guan Shan’s space. There is a moment where He Cheng can see He Tian speaking to Mo Guan Shan, and even from this distance he can see his little brother’s mischievous smile.
And then, He Tian lifts Mo Guan Shan’s chin with his hand and kisses him.
It surprises He Cheng to see it.
Not because he does not know of He Tian’s love for Mo Guan Shan, or their tremulous relationship. It surprises him because it is Mo Guan Shan. From what He Tian tells him, and his brother tells him much , Mo Guan Shan is a fickle man. He is fairly private, and would rather keep his personal matters out of the public eye.
It also surprises He Cheng that He Tian would be so risky with his affection. Never knowing who might be watching him, it is better to not make his friends or lover an obvious target. Mo Guan Shan must be stronger than He Cheng originally suspected.
Or perhaps his little brother is blinded by his affections.
The kiss ends rather quickly, with Mo Guan Shan pulling back, and pushing He Tian away by his shoulders. He Tian says something to him, but Mo Guan Shan slaps his hand on his mouth as if to stop him from talking, shaking his head and looks away, scanning the parking lot. His eyes settle on He Cheng’s car after a moment, and while the tint on the car is too dark for him to see inside, Mo Guan Shan must know it is his.
He begins pushing He Tian toward his car, seeming to now argue with him the whole way. The car door opens and He Tian is shoved not delicately into the seat, hitting his head on the way in.
“Don’t come to my work anymore. I don’t need you distracting me!” Mo Guan Shan looks up at He Cheng and gives a respectful nod, cheeks flushed with embarrassment, before slamming the door shut.
He Tian rolls down the car's window quickly, “Momo!” He throws something at Mo Guan Shan which the man catches and gives the keys in his hand a fierce frown. “Come to my place after your shift! It’s my only key, don’t leave me locked out!” He Tian’s face is falsely pitiful.
“Like hell I will-“
“Please, Momo.”
A pause. “I'll think about it.” Mo Guan Shan turns with finality and walks back into the restaurant.
Once the window is rolled back up He Tian settles into his seat, and like a switch that is flipped he brings his hand up to cover yawn. He Tian doesn’t say anything about what he just witnessed, so He Cheng doesn’t either. He puts his car into drive, and turns on his blinker, pulling back into traffic.
After a moment, He Cheng decides to point out the obvious, tapping at his set of keys on the center console. Glancing at one in particular.
“That is not your only key.”
“No.” He Tian agrees, closing his eyes and getting more comfortable in his seat, not reaching for the key.
Confident he will not need it.
Zhan Zheng Xi respects He Tian.
He does, okay?
He Tian has done a lot for them, Jian Yi, Mo Guan Shan and himself over the years. From all the things in middle school, for Mo with She Li to high school with Jian Yi’s disappearance, bringing him back home to Zhan Zheng Xi in a roundabout way that he is sure he will never fully understand.
Even all the things He Tian does for them now. Paying for them all to go to the spas in the mountains, finding them unique places to perform, and being the friend Jian Yi goes to for gossip so that he doesn’t annoy Zhan Zheng Xi or Mo to the point of headaches.
Zhan Zheng Xi respects him.
But that doesn’t mean he necessarily likes coming home from college to both He Tian and Jian Yi settled in on the couch with Jian Yi’s phone between them, face up with the speaker on and Mo Guan Shan’s voice, small and tinny, piercing through the apartment.
Jian Yi doesn’t even look up from frowning at his phone to acknowledge him, but He Tian raises a hand in a wave. Even from the front door Zhan Zheng Xi can see the tension in his shoulders, and the crease between his brows. The way his hair is a mess, sticking in different directions as if he had been pulling his hair, and mouth drawn into a frown.
Mo is saying something when he hangs up his jacket and bag, but he doesn’t quite catch it. When he turns back around, Jian Yi is frowning even harder and He Tian looks like he’s been punched in the gut, face wincing. He decides to walk over, resigning himself to his fate of participating in whatever new drama is unfolding in his living room, already accepting the headache that was bound to be on its way. When he reaches the couch, only a foot away from them, Jian Yi opens his mouth and says:
“Redhead, He Tian is here.”
A pause, then, “I’m hanging up.”
Jian Yi nearly shouts, “No wait! Don’t hang up, okay? Listen, he didn't mean it. He’s really sorry! He’s practically crying over here!”
Zhan Zheng Xi can see that He Tian is not shedding any tears, but Jian Yi has always had a flair for the dramatics.
“The only way I forgive him is if he comes to me on his hands and knees and begs me for it.” Mo’s voice is sharp, even through the phone's speaker. He must really be angry this time.
“Momo-“
“Shut up! I am not talking to you! Don’t call me unless there is an emergency.”
“Mo,” Zhan Zheng Xi speaks up, before he can end the call. He reaches over and snatches up the phone from Jian Yi’s lap, ignoring the look of disbelief on Jian Yi’s face.
“Oh great,” Mo says and then gets cut off as Zhan Zheng Xi turns off the speaker phone, hearing the end of him say ‘you too?’ quietly from the ear piece.
“I just got here. I turned you off speaker, and I am walking away from them.” Zhan Zheng Xi informs him, and true to his word walks into his and Jian Yi’s bedroom, shutting the door, and the two other men out with it. “Why is He Tian sitting on my couch looking like an abandoned puppy, Mo?”
“Because he’s an idiot!”
“We both know that’s true.” He says even though it’s not really the truth. He Tian is a rather smart man, but he lacks in social skills that usually require genuine human emotions. Especially when it comes to Mo Guan Shan. “What did he do this time?”
The sound of the phone being adjusted and Mo letting out an annoyed exhale is all he hears for a moment, and Zhan Zheng Xi wonders if he plans on hanging up without answering him, but then Mo continues.
“We went out to the bar for lunch—you know the one that’s down the street from He Tian’s apartment?”
“Yes.” Zhan Zheng Xi knows it, the same bar they took Jian Yi to for his birthday this year. A comfortable place with friendly staff and good beer.
“Right, well,” Mo snorts, “We ordered our food, and then I got up to go to the bathroom. This guy comes up and stops me to, I don’t know, hit on me or something? And obviously I told him I’m not interested, but when I get back the fucking idiot -“ meaning He Tian, he realizes quickly, “-is fighting with the guy because he was apparently trying to ‘follow me into the bathroom’ after I said no! As if I couldn’t kick his ass myself if he tried something, and then he has the balls to pout at me when we get kicked out!”
The pout is something he could visualize easily, and he knows how much it makes Mo angry. Something He Tian does when things don’t go his way, which it rarely, rarely does. It works on both women and men who flounder over themselves to try and make He Tian happy after seeing that pout. The privilege of a handsome and charismatic guy.
Unfortunately, that pout does not work on Mo. Or Zhan Zheng Xi for that matter.
Jealousy is something that He Tian is known for. Ever since they were in middle school, younger and significantly more unaware about how the world worked, and how to treat the people in it. He remembers watching from the sidelines with Jian Yi, the jealousy and possession that He Tian had in his dance around Mo Guan Shan. Their push and pull relationship, that sometimes ventured into a rather unhealthy affair. While they have made significant strides since then, there are still times when He Tian does something stupid.
And it is stupid, Zhan Zheng Xi can’t say he is surprised and he doesn’t want to make any excuses for him, but—
“Maybe, he was just trying to defend your honor?”
“We are permanently banned from there now, because He Tian broke the guy's nose. I don’t care about what he was trying to do.”
“Did he at least apologize?”
“To the guy? Of course not, he was too busy sweet talking the cops.”
“No,” Zhan Zheng Xi clarifies, “Did he apologize to you?”
A silence, while Mo adjusts the phone again, and Zhan Zheng Xi idly wonders what he is doing, “No he didn’t, because I left him there and went home. I told him not to call me, and here we are.”
“This happened today?”
“No, yesterday.”
No wonder He Tian looked like shit, eyebags and messy hair. He probably hadn’t slept last night, worried he had finally crossed the line with Mo.
“If he apologizes,” Zhan Zheng Xi starts, and hopes that time has simmered Mo’s annoyance enough he will consider it, “Will you forgive him?”
Another silence, and then a sigh as if he already knows the answer but doesn’t want to admit it, “Fine, let me talk to him.”
Jian Yi and He Tian are still sitting on the couch where he left them, with Jian Yi trying to cheer He Tian up, even though his expression is far from happy. They both look over when he walks back into the room, and He Tian hesitates when Zhan Zheng Xi offers him Jian Yi’s phone.
“Mo wants you to grovel.”
It’s not what he said, but it’s close enough, and it might get He Tian out of their apartment faster. Zhan Zheng Xi isn’t a heartless man, but he has an essay to finish, and he knows how loud He Tian and Jian Yi can get. No matter how well he has gotten to blocking out sound, there’s no amount of earplugs that can quiet their voices when they get started.
He Tian takes the phone and presses it to his ear, getting up and walking away, “Momo, babe? I’m sorry, I was wrong.”
Jian Yi looks at him like he just performed a miracle, and together they settle into the couch to hear He Tian’s distant voice in the kitchen, speaking pet names and apologies in every breath.
Qiu is busy. Underneath a car hood, covered in oil and grease, fixing up another engine.
He had picked up this car during his last job overseas, when a man caught his attention selling the car out of his garage for cheap because it didn’t work anymore. It only took Qiu about ten minutes of looking under the hood before he figured out the problem, but the man didn’t seem to mind, and Qiu was always a sucker for unique, and loud looking cars.
Qiu paid the man more than what he was asking for just because he was in such a good mood, and called up He Cheng to tell him he needed a transport for the car. A ship to take it back to China, and He Cheng’s voice sounded frustrated, but fond.
‘Again, Qiu?’
‘What can I say? I have an addiction to beauty.’
Wiping his hands on a spare towel, the sound of a car pulling into the driveway draws his attention. Little Tian right on time to the meeting with his brother, bringing along his redhead, too.
“I’ll be right back,” Qiu hears He Tian say to Mo, and then he is waving a quick hello to him which he returns lazily before He Tian disappears into the house.
Qiu isn’t really expecting Mo to join him in the garage, but he isn’t opposed to it either. Both the He siblings don’t dislike cares, but they sure don’t appreciate them the way Qiu does, leaving him to take what he can get when it comes to showing off. If Mo is interested, well Qiu doesn’t mind letting him take a look.
“Boss,” Mo says as a greeting, approaching him eyes wide with appreciation for the beauty of the car in Qiu’s care, just like he knew he would.
“Red.” He greets back.
“Where’d you get this?” Mo moves around the body of the car, reaching out to touch the bright paint of the passenger door before seeming to wince and stuffing his hand back into his hoodie pocket.
It’s odd, Qiu doesn’t remember ever yelling at the kid for touching his cars, but maybe he’s had some bad experiences, “You wanna take her for a ride? I’ll tell you all about it.”
He looks surprised, but so excited, just like the day where he tried to take a ride on his motorcycle, years ago. Qiu doesn’t know why He Tian hasn’t bought a decent car for him yet.
“You sure?” Mo looks like he is desperately hoping Qiu will say yes, as if he hadn’t been the one to ask in the first place.
“Yeah,” he shuts the hood of the care and tosses Mo the key from his pocket, “I need to test her anyway, let’s go around the mountain.”
The He family property is a large one, Mo drives them around for about twenty minutes, in the many road loops following Qiu’s pointed out directions. She runs perfectly and Qiu feels a great sense of satisfaction in it, not having lost his touch for repairing cars since joining the mafia business. He sits back telling him about the car, enjoying the wind that flows in from the open windows and the nice weather outside, watching Mo grin wide from the corner of his eye.
When they pull back into the driveway, He Cheng and He Tian are standing outside by the still open garage, smoking a couple cigarettes. He Cheng quirks up the corner of his mouth when they get out of the car, a slight smile, one that says he is pleased with something. He Tian stands next to him, posture relaxed, one hand in his jacket pocket, while the other holds his cigarette up to his mouth. Qiu is surprised he isn’t jealous, the last time Mo wanted a ride from him He Tian had physically pulled him off the back of his bike. Instead he says—
“Had fun?”
Mo walks forward, taking the cigarette from him to take a drag himself, “Yeah, she’s a nice car.”
“See?” Qiu grins at He Cheng, feeling justified in his purchase, not that He Cheng has ever said otherwise.
He Cheng rolls his eyes, “I never doubted you,” He turns full toward Qiu, and a look crosses his face, a semi serious one that means he is about to say something Qiu might not like, “Next week, we will be attending dinner with He Tian to Mo Guan Shan’s home to meet his mother.”
Qiu must have misheard him, “Huh?”
“Oh, is that what you were talking about?” Mo asks around He Tian’s cigarette, brows furrowed.
“Not all of it, but I figured I might as well ask.” He Tian takes it back, grinding the butt beneath his heel into the driveway despite He Cheng’s pointed look and frown.
“Okay,” Qiu will do anything He Cheng asks him too, even if he doesn’t understand why, “Do I have to dress up, Red?”
Mo looks like the idea of formal attire personally offends him, “Fuck no.”
‘See?’ Qiu thinks, ‘Cars and clothes, Mo gets it.’
“We will see you next week then,” He Tian moves his arm around Mo to place on his waist, gently pulling him toward their own car, “I’ll send you the address,” He pulls open the door for Mo and shuts it behind him, letting Mo say a brief, ‘Bye Boss!’ before he is sliding into his own side, turning on the car, leaving as quick as he came.
“Why?” Qiu wants to know, and He Cheng won’t deny him.
“Mrs Mo wants to meet He Tian’s parents.”
“Oh.”
“Yes. So you will dress up.”
Qiu will do anything He Cheng tells him to, even if he doesn’t like it, “Sure thing, boss.”