Work Text:
Liu Qingge had assumed that Shen Qingqiu lived in the redeveloped half of Jinlan, perhaps in one of the shiny, new complexes that had sprung up, each more tacky than the last. Instead of taking him there, Shen Qingqiu kept directing him down increasingly sketchy side streets towards the red-light district. If it weren’t for the fact that they were going to have sex, Liu Qingge would’ve turned the car around.
“Park here,” Shen Qingqiu said.
He pointed towards an angled parking spot on the opposite side of the street to them. It was, of course, rear-park only.
“Can’t I park in your garage?” Liu Qingge asked.
“I don’t have a garage,” Shen Qingqiu replied.
Shen Qingqiu undid his seatbelt and got out of the car. He slammed the door behind him.
Liu Qingge looked up and saw a pair of sneakers strung up over the powerlines. He had a bad feeling that if he left his car parked on this street for any length of time, it would be stolen.
Shen Qingqiu knocked on Liu Qingge’s window. He lowered it.
“Leave the trunk cover off,” he said.
“Why?” Liu Qingge asked.
“Every question you ask makes me want to fuck you less,” Shen Qingqiu replied.
He stalked off to the side of the road and stood on the footpath, his arms folded impatiently. Liu Qingge put his car into reverse and began the tedious process of ten-point-turning himself into a spot that was designed for people coming in the opposite direction. It did not help that Shen Qingqiu’s street was ridiculously narrow.
Liu Qingge thanked any higher powers for the fact that he hadn’t taken the Maserati to work today. His BMW hatchback was much humbler in appearance.
Liu Qingge heeded Shen Qingqiu’s words and left the trunk cover off after he parked the car. He also pressed the lock button twice, just to be sure. Shen Qingqiu was already halfway up the road by the time Liu Qingge crossed the street. Liu Qingge had to jog to keep up with him.
Shen Qingqiu had his suit jacket draped over his shoulder, held up by two fingers. It gave Liu Qingge a good view of his skinny, usually hidden, posterior. His suit pants fit him flawlessly, with no creases even at the end of the day. Even his shirt was tailored perfectly to his thin frame. He was so pretentious.
Liu Qingge bought all of his suits with a slim fit as well, but they never looked as good on him as they did on Shen Qingqiu.
Liu Qingge had been working with Shen Qingqiu for 5 years, 2 months and 3 days, and he had hated him for every single second of it. Shen Qingqiu had started in the editorial department without any experience, because Yue Qingyuan, then Vice President now CEO, had vouched for him. That cronyism had carried Shen Qingqiu up the ladder until he made it to editor-in-chief. Normally, the editor-in-chief wouldn’t have much to do with the head of the legal department, but Shen Qingqiu liked to make life harder for everyone else in their organisation and that included Liu Qingge.
“You can’t fire people without a proper HR process,” Liu Qingge said, through gritted teeth.
“And yet, I did,” Shen Qingqiu replied.
“Because of your bad temper we are getting sued. Again.”
Shen Qingqiu wasn’t even looking at him. He was inspecting his nails.
“I suppose that would be a problem if we had an incompetent legal department,” Shen Qingqiu said. “Do we have an incompetent legal department?”
Liu Qingge wanted to hit him.
“I won’t keep incapable, disloyal staff on my team-“ Shen Qingqiu started.
Liu Qingge interrupted him. “Then you go to HR, you start a disciplinary process, and we fire them without ending up in a court room! This company shouldn’t have to bleed money every time someone stands up to you.”
Shen Qingqiu finally looked up from his nails. He looked annoyed, which was fantastic, because the only thing worse than dealing with Shen Qingqiu, was Shen Qingqiu enjoying the experience.
“Have you thought to ask why I fired him?” Shen Qingqiu asked.
“Did he make bad tea?” Liu Qingge replied, with a sneer.
Shen Qingqiu’s cheeks went red. Shen Qingqiu was a cantankerous, immoral stain upon society, but whenever Liu Qingge got a hit back on him, he’d blush like a schoolgirl. All Liu Qingge had to do was point out how pathetic and petty his actions were.
“Get out of my office,” Shen Qingqiu said.
“You can’t get away with this forever,” Liu Qingge replied. “One day CEO Yue will stop covering for you.”
“Out,” Shen Qingqiu repeated.
Liu Qingge wanted to slam the door behind him as he left, but the last time he did he broke the handle and Shang Qinghua made him pay to replace it.
Liu Qingge had to follow Shen Qingqiu for two blocks before they finally reached his house. It was a surprisingly small townhouse with a brick fence and a wrought iron gate. There was a front garden, filled with drooping ferns. The building was painted a pale colour, though Liu Qingge couldn’t tell what with the evening as dark as it was. The lights on Shen Qingqiu’s street weren’t very good.
Liu Qingge heard quick steps coming up behind him and turned to check whether he should expect a mugger or a jogger. Instead, he saw a young woman with fake eyelashes, inch-long nails and an enormous tote bag. Her coat may or may not have had anything beneath it. She raised her left hand in greeting.
“Jiu-ge!” she cried.
Shen Qingqiu turned and a smile bloomed on his face. It was an expression Liu Qingge hadn’t known he was capable of.
Also, who was Jiu-ge? Was that a gang name?
“Meimei!” Shen Qingqiu cried. “How are you, my darling?”
Meimei (clearly not his sister) bounced over to embrace Shen Qingqiu and kiss his cheeks. Left, then right.
“I’m well!” she said. “I’ve missed you! You never come out anymore!”
She had a pout on her face. Shen Qinqiu cupped a hand over her cheek.
“I know, I’ve just been so busy. I haven’t forgotten you; I promise.”
Shen Qingqiu and his not-sister had yet to acknowledge Liu Qingge’s existence, which was a good thing, because gave Liu Qingge a moment to process Shen Qingqiu’s absolutely bonkers mood-switch. Was Shen Qingqiu a sociopath? Did he pretend to be different people for shits and giggles? Was he a foreign government spy?
“Can you come out on Saturday?” she said.
“Don’t you have work?” Shen Qingqiu asked.
Why would Shen Qingqiu know her work schedule? Did he want her to work? Was he benefitting in some way?
A thought occurred.
“Are you a pimp?” Liu Qingge asked.
The woman turned and looked at Liu Qingge like he was fetid garbage. It was a very ‘Shen Qingqiu’ expression. Maybe she was his sister.
“Who’s this clown?” she asked.
The sweetness was gone from her voice.
“This is my… current situation,” Shen Qingqiu replied.
“He looks familiar.”
Shen Qingqiu turned cagey, “off to work with you, don’t want to be late…”
She gasped loudly. She looked at Shen Qingqiu with wide, judgemental eyes.
“That’s the guy,” she said. “The guy that got you banned from the Birdhouse!”
“That was a while ago.”
“Why are you situating with this fuckwit?” She cried.
“Hey,” Liu Qingge said, quietly.
“Sweetheart, good dick is hard to find,” Shen Qingqiu replied, in a disturbingly pitiful voice.
“No, it’s not!”
“It is when you’re my age!” Shen Qingqiu whined.
“You’re thirty fucking two.”
“Please don’t be mad.” He was pouting. “I’m just blowing off a little steam.”
She glared at Shen Qingqiu.
“This better be top tier dick you’re debasing yourself for,” she said.
“Eight inches. He has a six pack. He reciprocates oral,” Shen Qingqiu replied.
Liu Qingge felt simultaneously flattered and insulted.
The woman rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to Liu Qingge. Liu Qingge stood up a little taller.
“If you do anything to harm this man again,” she waved her hand towards Shen Qingqiu, “En-ee-thing… I will show up at your house and rip the doors off.”
“I live in an apartment,” Liu Qingge said.
“I will kill you.” She said. “You will die.”
Shen Qingqiu pressed a hand over his heart. He looked touched.
“You have such a beautiful spirit, meimei,” he said. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” she said plummily, before she pressed another kiss to Shen Qingqiu’s cheek. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” Shen Qingqiu said. “Have fun at work.”
“I will,” she replied.
She pressed a very pointy finger into Liu Qingge’s chest as she walked away.
“Dead,” she said.
Shen Qingqiu waved fondly as she left. He had a gentle smile on his face that dropped as soon as he looked back at Liu Qingge.
“You are so incredibly rude,” he said.
Liu Qingge was going to kill his lecherous, unprofessional colleague as soon as he dragged him out of the den of inequity that he’d hidden himself in. They were on a work trip. They were meant to be having dinner with the heads of Huan Hua publishing. Instead, Shen Qingqiu had left their hotel early to go drown himself in alcohol and women and probably drugs. Like cocaine!
Liu Qingge’s subordinates had spotted Shen Qingqiu carousing while they were out to buy groceries. For this reason, he knew exactly where Shen Qingqiu was. A stripper bar called the Birdhouse. Liu Qingge had never been to a stripper bar before. He’d hoped to go his whole life without going to a stripper bar. And now he had to go to a stripper bar because of Shen Qingqiu!
“Are you okay man?” the bouncer asked.
“I’m fine,” Liu Qingge replied. “Excuse me.”
The bouncer held a hand out when Liu Qingge tried to walk through the entrance.
“What?” Liu Qingge asked, testily.
“There’s a cover charge,” the bouncer said. “30 dollars.”
Liu Qingge shook his head. “I’m not staying, I’m just looking for a colleague.”
The bouncer kept his hand out. He looked unamused.
“50 dollars,” the bouncer said.
“What?” Liu Qingge asked.
“65.”
“Why does the price keep going up?” Liu Qingge asked.
“Because you look like trouble,” the bouncer said. “75.”
Liu Qingge furiously dug into his pocket for his wallet. Stupid bouncer, stupid Shen Qingqiu!
He slapped 80 dollars into the bouncer’s hand and then speedily walked inside. He could hear what sounded like the opening refrain of the ‘Happy Birthday’ song. He pushed through a beaded curtain to see an empty stage to his left and Shen Qingqiu to his right, seated in a booth with a bikini-clad blonde woman on his lap and a cavalcade of her peers crowded around him. Shen Qingqiu’s lady du jour had a plastic crown on her head and a sash that said ’29… Again!’. It was awful. None of them were wearing clothes.
“Happy Birthday dear Katerina! Happy Birthday to you!” They all sang.
Everyone burst into applause, including the small amount of confused men who stood on the outskirts of Shen Qingqiu’s harem, keen to join but not knowing how. None of the women paid them any attention.
“Thank you so much!” Katerina cried, happily. “And thank you for coming, gege!”
Shen Qingqiu tapped her nose with the tip of his index finger. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world!”
She giggled and clapped her hands.
“Shen Qingqiu!” Liu Qingge shouted. “What the hell are you doing?”
Shen Qingqiu turned his head and Liu Qingge saw a big, red lipstick mark on his cheek. He should’ve been networking but instead he’d been kissing women!
“Who’s this clown?” Katerina asked.
“It’s my stupid coworker,” Shen Qingqiu replied.
A pack of beautiful women were looking at Liu Qingge with expressions which ranged from confusion to rage. Liu Qingge gritted his teeth. He would not be intimidated by mostly-naked people.
“You are meant to be at work!” Liu Qingge said.
“How the hell did you find me?” Shen Qingqiu asked.
“I followed the stench of moral decay!” Liu Qingge said.
“Rude,” Katerina said.
“And you are meant to be at a work function!” Liu Qingge said.
“I am sure you can survive a single evening without me,” Shen Qingqiu replied. His lip had curled up in distaste, as it always did when he was called out for his immoral behaviour.
“You’re an embarrassment,” Liu Qingge said.
“Hey bouncer!” one of the girls cried. “We’ve got a live one!”
“Get up,” Liu Qingge said, aware that his time had run out.
“No.” Shen Qingqiu had a prodigious glare on his face.
Katerina slid off Shen Qingqiu’s lap. She folded her arms and glared at Liu Qingge in solidarity. Liu Qingge glanced to both sides and realised that some of the women around him were taking off their shoes. That was probably bad.
“I told you to get up,” Liu Qingge said.
“I told you no,” Shen Qingqiu replied.
“What’s happening here?” the bouncer said.
Liu Qingge reached across the table, grabbed Shen Qingqiu by the lapels and then dragged him over.
“This is Italian wool, you ingrate!” Shen Qingqiu hissed.
“Let him go!” Katerina screamed.
Too late. Liu Qingge already had him in a fireman’s carry. Shen Qingqiu had started to struggle but his body was as weak as his will. Liu Qingge wasn’t going to drop him until he was good and ready and on a hard surface.
“Asshole!” Someone shouted, right next to Liu Qingge’s ear.
“Ladies,” the bouncer cried. “Ladies, come on!”
Liu Qingge turned and found himself face to face with a furious woman with a platform stiletto in her hand.
“Zhaodi, no!” Shen Qingqiu shouted.
The stiletto came down, platform first, right in the centre of Liu Qingge’s forehead.
He woke up outside, on the concrete sidewalk in the recovery position. A bored-looking paramedic was crouched over him with a flashlight pen in her hand. Shen Qingqiu loomed over her shoulder, a furious expression on his face. His suit was ripped on the left shoulder, and he had a black eye.
“I hope you have ambulance cover,” Shen Qingqiu said. “Because I am not paying for this.”
Shen Qingqiu’s home was neat, narrow and minimalist. His entryway opened into a living room, with white walls and a few antique fans on the wall. He had a single armchair with a footstool, both upholstered in sage-green leather. He didn’t have a tv, but he did have a set of speakers tucked in the corner of the room, connected to a small sound system. The only slightly messy aspect to the room was a built-in bookshelf, filled to the brim with books and photo frames.
“I’m going to shower,” Shen Qingqiu said. “Don’t touch anything.”
“Can I at least wait in your bedroom?” Liu Qingge asked.
“No. You’re dirty,” Shen Qingqiu said.
Asshole.
Shen Qingqiu disappeared up the stairs. Liu Qingge took his shoes off and left them beside the door. There was a shoe rack, but it was too small for Liu Qingge’s size 14 loafers. Shen Qingqiu had less shoes than Liu Qingge expected. Two pairs of Oxfords (he’d been wearing the black pair that day) and one pair of dark brown leather boots with a stacked heel.
Liu Qingge walked into the living room and stood there for a moment. It was very quiet. There was a short hall in front of him, which lead towards the back of the house. Liu Qingge flicked a nearby light switch, then stuck his head through. He saw a pristine kitchen, with a tasteful marble countertop. There was a small table in the corner, which, as with the living room, had only one chair. There was a drying rack by the sink, with a cup and a bowl on it. The blinds were closed, so Liu Qingge couldn’t see into the backyard.
Liu Qingge turned back into the living room and walked over to the bookshelf. Shen Qingqiu’s tastes were eclectic, with poetry collections beside musical scores and art books. They weren’t all in Chinese. He could recognise some Spanish and English texts, languages they both spoke for work, and some books in dialects that Liu Qingge wasn’t familiar with.
His eyes skated over the photo frames on the middle shelves, all placed at Shen Qingqiu’s eye height. Mostly group photos. Some of the faces looked familiar. One picture attracted Liu Qingge’s attention more than the others. It captured a woman with long, brown hair and peach blossom eyes who had her arms around a handsome young man. He had a gentle expression on his face. The pair looked happy.
It took Liu Qingge a moment to realise he was looking at Shen Qingqiu.
Work functions were terribly dull, but CEO Yue liked upper management to attend, so attend Qingge did.
“Who do you think he brought this time?” Qi Qingqi asked.
Qi Qingqi made it easier. She had similar moral standards to Liu Qingge, but unlike Liu Qingge, she didn’t seem like a killjoy when she expressed them. She had a wit that Liu Qingge lacked and appreciated.
“I hope it’s not the blonde,” Liu Qingge said. “Whenever it’s her they spend the whole night gossiping in Swedish and I know he’s making fun of me.”
“I get that you have a lawyer ego, but not everything is about you, you know?”
Liu Qingge was aware, but Shen Qingqiu definitely had it in for him in particular.
“I can prove it,” Liu Qingge said. “Swedish for big dumb idiot sounds a lot like English for big dumb idiot.”
“Maybe he does focus a bit more on you, but he’s awful to the boss too.”
“I would’ve fired him years ago.”
“Here, here.”
Qi Qingi raised her champagne flute and tapped it against Liu Qingge’s. They both took a sip.
“Ugh, there he is,” she said.
Shen Qingqiu appeared at the entrance to the venue, late, as always, with a beautiful woman on his arm. She had peach blossom eyes and long, brown hair. She wore a shimmery, floor-length dress that hugged her figure. It had one full sleeve on the right-hand side, with the other arm left bare. The asymmetry was visually interesting while maintaining an air of elegance.
“The last one was in latex,” Liu Qingge said. “At least this one is properly dressed.”
“Carla Zampatti, 2019 autumn/winter collection,” Qi Qingqi replied. “Probably rented it.”
“How do you know that?” Liu Qingge asked.
“I’m into fashion.”
This particular event had a small group of chamber musicians and a dance floor. Shen Qingqiu swanned over to it without acknowledging any his colleagues and acquaintances. Once on the floor, he held out his left hand and bowed towards his date. She smiled brilliantly and put her hand in his. He kissed it, then stood up and put his right palm over her waist. He led her into a sedate waltz that took them all around the room and made everyone else look bad.
“Do you think escorts are more expensive when they’re well-educated?” Qi Qingqi asked.
“Don’t know. Just feel sorry for them,” Liu Qingge replied.
“No one should have to endure Shen Qingqiu to make a living,” Qi Qingqi said.
Liu Qingge looked over the rest of the photos. Most were group photos of social events. Shen Qingqiu was the only man in any of them. The women of his acquaintance came in all shapes and sizes, and when Liu Qingge looked carefully, he recognised some more of them from functions he’d attended over the years.
Escorts probably didn’t invite clients to play mahjong, or attend fun runs, or go to their birthday parties.
Liu Qingge’s heart felt funny again. He turned his attention to a photo of Shen Qingqiu at a New Years party. He looked comfortable. In each photo he looked comfortable, and he looked happy. He didn’t seem like the lecherous misanthrope Liu Qingge knew him to be.
“What are you doing?”
Liu Qingge flinched and looked up. Shen Qingqiu was on the stairs above him, towel-wrapped from torso to knee, his skin still damp from the shower. He had a suspicious look on his face.
“Nothing,” Liu Qingge lied.
“Your turn,” Shen Qingqiu said. “Hurry up.”
Liu Qingge hurried up. Shen Qingqiu’s bathroom was at the top of the stairs. To the right of it was a closed door and to the left, Shen Qingqiu’s bedroom. The sheets had already been turned down on the bed.
Shen Qingqiu slammed his hands down on Liu Qingge’s desk.
“It took you 5 years to become a lawyer and you still don’t know what a conflict of interest is!”
It was 5.30pm on a Friday. What else would he be doing?
“I can’t force people to fill out a COI form correctly,” Liu Qingge replied. “She chose not to disclose.”
“The great Liu Qingge is too important to do a little due diligence? He cannot bear to question Huan Hua’s young miss?”
“No one knew-“
“I warned you about this and you ignored me,” Shen Qingqiu said, through gritted teeth.
Self-righteousness was an ugly look on anyone, but Shen Qingqiu wore it particularly badly. His jaw clenched and a vein beneath his left eye twitched repetitively. He looked like he was about to put a hole in the wall. Liu Qingge could relate.
“Maybe I would have listened to you this once if you didn’t spend your entire professional life hurling invective!” Liu Qingge cried. “You hate everyone! How was I supposed to know that she was special?”
The blood pumped hotly through Liu Qingge’s veins. How dare Shen Qingqiu invade his office and lay the blame at his feet? The decision to sign a contract with Xiao Gonghzu had come from Yue Qingyuan, who’d also had no way of knowing about her undisclosed industry connections. They’d all acted in good faith. If no one had listened to Shen Qingqiu’s complaints, it was because he was always complaining, about everything, everyone, all the time. He was a snide, sanctimonious asshole and-
“It doesn’t matter what I say,” Shen Qingqiu hissed. “You never listen.”
- Liu Qingge was done with Shen Qingqiu’s obstinance, with his rudeness, with his incredible lack of grace. Yue Qingyuan never should have-
“You’re right. I don’t,” Liu Qingge said. “Because I won’t endure hours of your abuse for a second of useful information.”
- given him a chance in their industry. Liu Qingge wanted to make him shut up for once, and if he couldn’t do that, he wanted to-
“Bastard,” Shen Qingqiu said.
-put him through the ground!
Liu Qingge exploded up from his chair and realised two things in short succession. One, his blood was up more than he’d realised, and two, his pants were uncomfortably tight.
Shen Qingqiu’s expression had gone carefully blank, but his eyes were directed below Liu Qingge’s belt. Liu Qingge froze.
“You have an erection,” Shen Qingqiu said.
“It’s not my fault!” Liu Qingge replied.
“Whose fault is it, then?” Shen Qingqiu asked, frostily.
Liu Qingge didn’t answer. Shen Qingqiu licked his upper lip. Liu Qingge watched the path of his tongue from left to right. Shen Qingqiu’s eyes were wide but inscrutable. His irises were pale green. Liu Qingge had never noticed that before.
Shen Qingqiu looked up and caught Liu Qingge staring. Liu Qingge felt his cheeks redden. The air in the room felt stale.
Both of them were breathing heavily and, Liu Qingge realised, in time with one another.
“Whose fault is it?” Shen Qingqiu asked again.
Liu Qingge wasn’t going to answer that because Liu Qingge didn’t want HR to get involved.
“You…” Shen Qingqiu swallowed, audibly, “you…”
Shen Qingqiu turned around and walked out of Liu Qingge’s office. He shut the door behind him.
Liu Qingge leaned down on his left hand and ran the other through his hair. He took a deep breath, then released it, shakily.
There was a small sofa in his office. He walked out from behind his desk and dropped onto it. His dick ached between his legs.
He’d gotten hard because of a vile, pointy, thorn in his side. Worse, Shen Qingqiu hadn’t been cruel or nasty about it. He’d blushed like a surprised maiden. He’d licked his lips. They were nice lips. Thin. Pretty. They’d look prettier spread around Liu Qingge’s cock. It would be a better use of his mouth.
Liu Qingge covered his eyes with his hands. That was gross. Awful. Shen Qingqiu was intolerable but he was still a human being. He didn’t deserve to be on the end of Liu Qingge’s frustrated sexual fantasies.
He was going to have to quit his job. What was he going to tell everyone? He couldn’t lie, no matter how shamefully he’d acted-
Liu Qingge heard his office door open again. He looked out from under his hands. Shen Qingqiu walked inside and closed the door behind him. He took off his suit jacket, folded it, then placed it on the shelf nearby. He loosened his tie with one hand, while the other reached behind him.
Liu Qingge heard the door lock click shut.
Shen Qingqiu walked sedately over to the couch, put his hands on Liu Qingge’s shoulders and straddled his lap. He leant forward until Liu Qingge could feel his breath against his lips. Their eyes met.
“I hate you,” Shen Qingqiu said, quietly.
“I hate you, too,” Liu Qingge admitted.
“What are you going to do about it?” Shen Qingqiu asked.
Liu Qingge threaded his hand into Shen Qingqiu’s hair, pulled him forward and kissed him.
Sex with Shen Qingqiu was surprisingly vanilla.
“Ah,” Shen Qingqiu sighed, eyes closed, mouth open, as he was penetrated. Missionary, this time. It was a classic for a reason.
“Good?” Liu Qingge asked.
“Mhm,” Shen Qingqiu replied.
Shen Qingqiu bit his lip. His thighs clenched around Liu Qingge’s waist, tugging him in. His every breath came with a helpless, high moan. Shen Qingqiu reached above himself and gripped onto the spindle headboard. He braced himself and started to roll his hips back onto Liu Qingge’s thrusts.
He was like that, every time they had sex. He couldn’t keep still. Liked having Liu Qingge inside him too much. It made Liu Qingge feel sweet towards him.
It was also incredibly flattering.
Liu Qingge lowered himself down onto his elbows, so he could kiss Shen Qingqiu. He kissed his upper lip, then his lower, kissed forehead, his cheek, the point where his jaw met his ear…
Shen Qingqiu arched into him and cried out. He shivered, whole-bodied. Liu Qingge took the hint and sucked gently against that spot. One of Shen Qingqiu’s hands came down to rest on Liu Qingge’s head. He didn’t push Liu Qingge or tug at him. He just brushed his fingers through Liu Qingge’s hair.
“Oh, Qingge,” Shen Qingqiu whispered. “Like that.”
He was cute. He was so, so cute…
Liu Qingge closed his eyes and felt Shen Qingqiu’s pulse beneath his lips, the steady thrum of it. He breathed in the scent of him, lemongrass soap from the shower with a hint of salt. Shen Qingqiu’s breath was steady in his ears, punctuated by soft sounds of pleasure.
Liu Qingge rolled their hips together in a slow, steady pace that he could keep up for hours. There wasn’t any rush, hadn’t been after their first flurried attempt at copulation. They had a rhythm in bed, now. Slow and easy.
“Was there a snowstorm on the way here?” Liu Qingge asked.
Shen Qingqiu glared at him from the depths of his olive, ankle-length parka. He’d wrapped his scarf around his face, so all Liu Qingge could see was a pair of narrowed eyes.
Shen Qingqiu tugged his scarf down. “It’s winter,” he said, irritably.
“It’s above 10 degrees outside,” Liu Qingge replied. “I’ve already been for a jog this morning.”
Shen Qingqiu’s pissy expression got pissier.
“Is that why you’re dressed like an unkempt teenager?” he asked.
Liu Qingge looked down at his outfit. He was wearing a black Nike tracksuit. It was a little short in the leg but it was comfortable.
“What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”
“Just let me inside,” Shen Qingqiu said.
Liu Qingge stood to the side, with one arm out to keep the door open. Shen Qingqiu stepped inside and visibly relaxed as he felt the warmth from Liu Qingge’s ducted heating. His shoulders dropped as he unzipped his jacket.
“I was worried your house would be cold,” he said. “You’re such an ascetic.”
Liu Qingge normally did keep the house a much cooler temperature because he preferred it. Shen Qingqiu, however, was as much a snake in this as he was everything else. He did not like the cold, though he tended to hide it.
Beneath the parka Shen Qingqiu was wearing tight, black jeans and an over-sized cardigan. When he took his boots off, his socks had little pictures of bamboo on them. He’d been hiding a brown leather satchel beneath his coat. He took a small, wax paper-wrapped disk out of the bag.
“Here,” he said.
Liu Qingge took the disk out of his hand. It looked like one of the shampoo bars his sister liked. “What is it?”
Shen Qingqiu closed his eyes, inhaled deeply through his nose, then exhaled through his mouth.
“Give it back,” he said.
“No!” Liu Qingge held the disk above his head. “You can’t just take back gifts.”
“I can try,” Shen Qingqiu replied.
In spite of the threat, Shen Qingqiu didn’t even try to get the disk back. Liu Qingge was taller than him and jumping was apparently beneath his dignity.
“Please tell me what it is,” Liu Qingge said.
“It’s tea.” The ‘you moron’ was silent.
“Oh.” He sniffed the tea. It smelled earthy, like petrichor. “We should drink some.”
Before they fucked. It felt impolite to wait until after. The post-coital period could be a little awkward.
“Yes,” Shen Qingqiu said.
Liu Qingge put the tea brick down on his kitchen bench, then pulled his teapot out from the back of his leftmost kitchen cabinet. He didn’t drink tea often when he was at home. It always came out bitter, so he stuck to water and protein shakes.
“Is that what you are planning to use?” Shen Qingqiu asked.
Liu Qingge frowned. “Yes.”
He examined the teapot in his hands critically. It was white porcelain. His mother had bought it for him from Gucci. It had flowers on it. Liu Qingge liked that it could hold several cups of tea at once.
“You can’t brew puer tea in a pot that size!” Shen Qingqiu looked offended, “You’ll ruin it!”
“It’s a teapot, how can it brew tea wrong?” Liu Qingge asked.
Shen Qingqiu looked horrified.
“It’s the only teapot I have,” Liu Qingge added. “Take it or leave it.”
Shen Qingiu glared at him. He reached into his bag and pulled out a gaiwan.
“You are the least cultured man that has ever lived,” he said. “Give me the tea.”
“Fine,” Liu Qingge replied. He picked the tea up from the counter and slapped it into Shen Qingqiu’s hand.
“Where’s your kettle?” he asked.
Shen Qingqiu didn’t get louder when he was close to coming, but he did get more expressive. He’d shiver and whine and moan, his hands would skitter between anchor points, from the headboard to Liu Qingge’s thighs and back again. Sometimes he’d bite his own finger, when he was frustrated and not quite able to get there.
Liu Qingge could admit to himself that he wasn’t the most libidinous man. His pleasure was reactive; built from others. He’d always dated men that had shared experience and hobbies. Nice men, that liked that he was rich and handsome, enough to initially ignore the fact that he wasn’t very interesting. Men who inevitably lost their attraction once the boredom got too much for them. Liu Qingge didn’t blame them, and he didn’t try to chase them back when they left.
They’d never made him feel the way Shen Qingqiu did. Not the same hate, frustration and intrigue. Nor the same tenderness.
The tea was really good. Damnit.
Shen Qingqiu’s little sighs had become high-pitched whimpers. He’d taken his hand away from Liu Qingge’s head to clench at the sheets. His looked overwhelmed, almost pained.
“You ready?” Liu Qingge asked.
Shen Qingqiu nodded.
“You could stay the night, you know,” Liu Qingge said.
It was late and snowing outside. They’d stopped between sessions to eat dinner. Shen Qingqiu had made a face at Liu Qingge’s cooking, but he had not, surprisingly, complained about it.
Shen Qingqiu gave him a narrow-eyed look. “Why?”
He already had his shirt on. It was always the first thing he put on after sex, even before his briefs. Liu Qingge had thought it was funny the first time.
“We could have sex in the morning,” Liu Qingge said.
“Oh,” Shen Qingqiu said. “Alright, then.”
He lay back down. He didn’t take his shirt off again. Liu Qingge patted his right pectoral as an invitation.
“You’re so high strung,” Liu Qingge said, as Shen Qingqiu rested his head on Liu Qingge’s chest and cuddled into him.
“I’m not,” that was a lie, “I just know what you’re like.”
“What am I like?”
Liu Qingge reached down between Shen Qingqiu’s thighs and took him in hand. He worked him with long, firm strokes that matched the pace of his hips.
Shen Qingqiu’s eyes were clenched shut, his lips parted. Liu Qingge leaned down to kiss him.
“I’ve got you,” Liu Qingge whispered.
Shen Qingqiu came with a whimper, caught in Liu Qingge’s mouth. He trembled as Liu Qingge gentled him through his orgasm.
Shen Qingqiu wrapped his arms around Liu Qingge’s back once the aftershocks passed. Liu Qingge raised himself up on his forearms so he could look him in the eye. He looked so peaceful. Like all his sharp edges had been smoothed away. Liu Qingge kissed him, softly, sweetly.
“Oh, Qingge,” Shen Qingqiu sighed.
“Mm?” Liu Qingge said.
“Come with me,” Shen Qingqiu clenched down around him.
“Not too much?” Liu Qingge asked.
“It’s good,” Shen Qingqiu replied.
Liu Qingge started to work his hips once more, slow at first, to test Shen Qingqiu’s sensitivity. Shen Qingqiu whimpered as Liu Qingge moved inside him, but not with pain. Liu Qingge let himself thrust faster, finally ready to chase his orgasm.
Shen Qingqiu put his hands on Liu Qingge’s cheeks and their eyes met.
“You get attached.”
Liu Qingge frowned. “Nothing wrong with that.”
“When you get attached, you forget what people are like. You see the best in them,” Shen Qingqiu said. “If you do that with me, I’ll inevitably disappoint you and you’ll feel betrayed. Then I’ll have to deal with the consequences.”
A few months ago, that bite of character analysis would have offended him. Shen Qingqiu was right, though. He did get attached and it did change him.
“I wish I was as simple as you,” Shen Qingqiu said, sleepily.
“Asshole,” Liu Qingge replied.
“Please don’t forget it,” Shen Qingqiu replied.
Shen Qingqiu smiled at him and Liu Qingge’s body turned liquid and gold.
Liu Qingge never pulled out immediately after coming. It felt rude.
“Mmph,” Shen Qingqiu said. “Get off me, brute, you’re smothering me.”
Nice while it lasted.
Liu Qingge extricated himself carefully. Shen Qingqiu whined as the head of Liu Qingge’s dick popped free of him. He reached between his leg to rub at his hole, soothing it. Liu Qingge found that sight quite stimulating.
“Seriously?” Shen Qingqiu asked.
“Do you want me to lick you out?” Liu Qingge asked, as he lowered his head.
Shen Qingqiu put his hand on Liu Qingge’s forehead and pushed him away.
“You just buggered me for an hour,” Shen Qingqiu said. “Let me rest, for pity’s sake.”
“Alright,” Liu Qingge replied.
Shen Qingqiu watched him carefully as he took off the condom, tied the end and placed it Shen Qingqiu’s wastebasket.
“What?” Liu Qingge asked.
“Nothing,” Shen Qingqiu replied.
Shen Qingqiu was an enigma. Cute one minute, cautious the next. He seemed to expect something from Liu Qingge after sex, but he looked relieved every time he didn’t get it. Liu Qingge didn’t ask, because Shen Qingqiu would tell him to fuck off.
“Be right back,” Liu Qingge said.
He got up from the bed and walked naked to Shen Qingqiu’s bathroom. He took the towel he’d washed himself with out of the laundry basket and ran one of the corners under the tap. He wiped himself down quickly. He took a washcloth from the shower, rinsed it, then brought it with him when he return to the bedroom. He found Shen Qingqiu reclined against the pillows like a handsome youth in a Michelangelo painting.
“Hey,” Liu Qingge said.
“Mm?” Shen Qingqiu replied.
“Brought this.” Liu Qingge held up the washcloth.
“Oh,” Shen Qingqiu said. “Thank you.”
Liu Qingge brushed his hand away when he tried to take it.
“Let me,” he said.
He ran the cloth over Shen Qingqiu’s arms and legs, and then down his stomach and between his legs. Shen Qingqiu looked a little offended by his thoroughness, but he didn’t object. He never objected when Liu Qingge did this for him.
“Such a gentleman,” Shen Qingqiu said, with a wry tone to his voice.
Liu Qingge over-armed the washcloth into Shen Qingqiu’s laundry basket and earned himself an unimpressed look. Shen Qingqiu pulled a tshirt out from under his pillow and pulled it on. A pair of boxer briefs followed. Shen Qingqiu slid off the bed and stood on wobbly legs.
“Come on, help me take off the fitted sheet,” he said.
“Really?” Liu Qingge asked.
“Really.”
“Where are your spares?” Liu Qingge asked.
“Don’t need them.” Shen Qingqiu pulled up the lower left corner of the sheet to reveal a second fitted sheet beneath it.
“Do you keep your bed like that all the time, or just when you’re expecting company?” Liu Qingge asked.
“Consider it a tip worth implementing in your own quarters,” Shen Qingqiu replied. “I hate sleeping on dirty sheets.”
So that was why Shen Qingqiu always hustled them to the other side of the bed when they were at his place. Certainly an easier thing to do on Liu Qingge’s king and it was on Shen Qingqiu’s double.
“Fine,” Liu Qingge said.
Liu Qingge helped pull off the top sheet and rearrange the bedding after. He flopped back down on the bed once they were done. It actually was a lot nicer to lie down on clean linens.
“Making yourself at home?” Shen Qingqiu asked.
Liu Qingge rolled over and patted his right pectoral, because Shen Qingqiu basically owned it at this point. Shen Qingqiu huffed in annoyance but laid down next to him anyway. Liu Qingge tugged the blankets up over them once Shen Qingqiu was properly situated.
Shen Qingqiu fell asleep faster than Liu Qingge did. Liu Qingge laid quietly in Shen Qingqiu’s bed and felt the gentle rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. He basked in the warmth of another person. Liu Qingge pressed a kiss to top of Shen Qingqiu’s head and closed his eyes.
Liu Qingge woke up alone. The curtains were open but the sun had yet to fully rise. Shen Qingqiu always seemed to wake up before he did, but not by much. The space on the mattress beside Liu Qingge was still warm.
Liu Qingge rolled out of bed and stretched. He felt a little sore, but in a constructive way. His mouth tasted terrible, though.
He picked his boxer briefs off the floor and put them on. He then walked out of the bedroom and into the bathroom. There was only one toothbrush by the sink. He opened the mirror cabinet to see if there were any spares. No toothbrushes, but he did see a box of Tenvir-EM next to some vitamin bottles and other medications. He closed the cabinet door.
Maybe the spare toothbrushes were in Shen Qingqiu’s linen press. His mother kept all her spare bathroom products in there. Liu Qingge had no idea where it was, though, and Shen Qingqiu would throw him out if he thought Liu Qingge was snooping. Probably better to ask.
He was one foot out of the bathroom when he heard the sound of voices coming up the stairs. Two voices, both familiar and both whispering. Some people didn’t realise that whispering could carry better than a speaking tone could. One of the people talking was Shen Qingqiu, Liu Qingge couldn’t place the other, yet.
Liu Qingge thought about going back into the bedroom and pretending to be asleep.
“Leave!” Shen Qingqiu hissed. “I have a guest!”
Liu Qingge decided not to go back into the bedroom.
“Oh!” Person Number Two said. “That’s good, that’s great, I didn’t know you were seeing anyone.”
Sounded like a man.
“I’m not… it’s none of your business. Just fuck off. I don’t want him to see you.”
“Maybe I could meet him? It must be serious if you’ve let him into your home.”
Liu Qingge still couldn’t place the voice, but the tone was recognisable. Placating and yet condescending…
“Listen to me,” Shen Qingqiu sounded very frustrated, “I want you out, I’ve asked you to leave.”
“Xiao Jiu…”
There was the ‘Jiu’ again.
“And give me my keys back, I gave them to you for emergencies, not for you to just force your way into my space whenever you remember to feel guilty!”
“Please don’t be like this, you know I care about you.”
Liu Qingge stepped back into the bathroom and picked up Shen Qingqiu’s toothbrush. He walked out and stopped for a moment at the stop of the stairs.
Sehn Qingqiu and his home invader were still arguing, with no evidence of resolution. Maybe if Liu Qingge showed himself, whoever-it-was would get an eyeful of Shen Qingqiu’s muscley paramour and decide to fuck off. Liu Qingge had scared off problematic exes before. Usually Mingyan’s.
Lu Qingge closed his eyes and sighed.
“Hey Qingqiu?” he shouted.
He stomped down the stairs and found himself looking over the banister at his boss. Yue Qingyuan was dressed in his best Sunday casual. Liu Qingge was in his okayest underwear. Bad, but not his greatest concern.
Shen Qingqiu flinched when Liu Qingge looked at him. Distress washed over his face before it was replaced with a far more familiar expression of defeated frustration. It was the same way he’d looked when Liu Qingge ignored his concerns about Xiao Gonghzu and any other number of conflicts they’d had over the years.
Yue Qingyuan and Shen Qingqiu were by the front door. Shen Qingqiu had his hand on Yue Qingyuan’s chest and Yue Qingyuan looked like a bus had hit him. If Liu Qingge hadn’t heard them talking, he might have made some assumptions about that. Or perhaps not. Shen Qingqiu didn’t have any photos of Yue Qingyuan on his shelf.
Liu Qingge held up the toothbrush. “Can I borrow this?”
Shen Qingqiu’s eyes widened. He raised both hands in the air in irritation. Yue Qingyuan seemed to be forgotten, for the moment.
“No! Why would you borrow a toothbrush?” Shen Qingqiu cried. “That’s disgusting!”
“I couldn’t find any spares.”
“Just use your finger and some toothpaste like a normal person!”
“That won’t do anything!”
Yue Qingyuan cleared his throat. Shen Qingqiu turned towards him. Shen Qingqiu looked angrier, but less upset than before.
“Liu Qingge?” Yue Qingyuan asked. “What are you doing here?”
“I could ask you the same question,” Liu Qingge said.
“It’s none of your business,” Shen Qingqiu added.
Yue Qingyuan looked between them. There was a sheen to his eyes, as if he might cry. As if he were the wronged party.
“So, you two are…”
“Off the clock,” Liu Qingge said. “In Shen Qingqiu’s personal residence, which he has asked you to leave.”
Yue Qingyuan rolled his shoulders back and stood a little taller. “You still work together…”
“We don’t work in the same department, we have equal seniority and therefore no inherent issues with power dynamics, so HR has no objections.”
“You told HR about us?” Shen Qingqiu asked.
“I checked our internal policies and asked a hypothetical,” Liu Qingge said.
“You’re an ‘us’?”
Shen Qingqiu clenched his fists and glared at Yue Qingyuan. “It’s none of your business if we’re an ‘us’ you have no say in who I ‘us’ with.”
“Xiao Jiu…”
Liu Qingge walked to the bottom of the stairs and gave up the middling protection to his modesty that the banister provided. Toothbrush still in hand he stood beside Shen Qingqiu, shoulder to shoulder.
“I think you should leave, Mr Yue,” Liu Qingge said. “And I think you should return Qingqiu’s keys.”
Liu Qingge held out his free hand.
Yue Qingyuan looked at Liu Qingge’s palm with an expression of betrayal. He looked to Shen Qingqiu, for support or succour, Liu Qingge didn’t know, only to find that Shen Qingqiu wasn’t even looking at him anymore. He was looking at Liu Qingge.
“You…” Shen Qingqiu held a hand over his mouth for a moment.
Liu Qingge didn’t say anything. Yue Qingyuan looked hopeful.
“As he said,” Shen Qingqiu didn’t make eye contact with either of them, “I want my keys back and then I want you to go.”
Yue Qingyuan flinched. He shook his head. Shen Qingqiu kept his eyes on the ground, but he took half a step closer to Liu Qingge, so their arms touched. Yue Qingyuan clenched his jaw.
“Fine,” Yue Qingyuan said. “We can talk later.”
He pulled a ring of keys from a larger chain and put them in Liu Qingge’s hand.
“I will… I’ll see you both at work,” he said.
As he left, he closed the door behind him, so gently that it didn’t make a sound.
“Couldn’t even give the keys to me himself,” Shen Qingqiu said. “Prick.”
Shen Qingqiu didn’t thank or chastise Liu Qingge for interfering in his affairs. He did find him a spare toothbrush and then he made him tea. Liu Qingge drank his while he sat in the sole kitchen chair and Shen Qingqiu had his standing up. It was really good tea. Green, this time.
“Are you free today?” Shen Qingqiu asked.
“Yes,” Liu Qingge replied.
“Do you want to come with me, somewhere?”
“Where?”
Shen Qingqiu looked nettled. “Somewhere. Will you come or not?”
“Fine!” Liu Qingge said. “I will.”
“Good!” Shen Qingqiu replied.
He walked over to his cupboard and pulled out a very fancy package of mung bean cakes. He put one on a saucer and smacked it down in front of Liu Qingge.
“Eat,” he said.
Liu Qingge ate. Not because Shen Qingqiu told him to, but because he was hungry.
The cake was as good as the tea.
~ Epilogue ~
Shen Qingqiu took him to an old, dingy-looking tailor shop in the garment district. There was a wooden dress form in the window, with the makings of a suit jacket pinned to it. The store’s signage had faded, but Liu Qingge could recognise a word written in the Roman alphabet above the door. Guiseppe’s.
“Why are we here?” Liu Qingge asked.
“Because you have money but no taste,” Shen Qingqiu said.
“I have taste,” Liu Qingge replied, annoyed.
“You don’t, but don’t worry, out of the goodness of my heart, I am going to address this issue,” Shen Qingqiu said.
Liu Qingge glared at Shen Qingqiu.
“Why do you care?” Liu Qingge asked.
“I can’t keep having sex with a man who wears suits that don’t fit him,” Shen Qingqiu said, airily.
Liu Qingge looked down at himself. He was still wearing last night’s suit, because Shen Qingqiu hadn’t let him go home to change. It was a bit wrinkled but it still looked okay.
“My suits fit,” he said.
“They don’t.”
“People tell me I look good in suits.”
“You would look good in a good suit,” Shen Qingqiu replied. “One that fits you properly.”
He tugged Liu Qingge towards the door, then paused. He looked over his shoulder and gave Liu Qingge a severe look.
“Do not embarrass me,” he said.
“How would I?” Liu Qingge asked.
Shen Qingqiu rolled his eyes.
“Just let me do the talking,” Shen Qingqiu replied.
Liu Qingge allowed himself to be bullied out of his clothes by a tiny, ancient Italian man. The man kept making judgemental sounds as he took Liu Qingge’s measurements.
“Slim fit,” he said, derisively. “On this… bear of a man.”
“I know,” Shen Qingqiu replied. “It’s a travesty.”
Why was everyone so mean to him? What had Liu Qingge done?
“Chi è questo pagliaccio?” Giuseppe asked.
“È il mio ragazzo.”
“Veramente?”
“Contro il mio giudizio migliore, sì...”
Liu Qingge didn’t speak Italian, but his mother had dragged him to a lot of operas in his lifetime. He was pretty sure Giuseppe had called him a clown.
Liu Qingge jumped when Giuseppe patted his arm with a wizened hand.
“Don’t worry, I have seen worse,” Giuseppe said. “You’re lucky you’re handsome. People will forgive ugly clothing on a handsome man. For a while.”
Shen Qingqiu looked very pleased with himself.
“Thank you,” Liu Qingge replied.
“What sort of fabric should we make the suit in?” Giuseppe asked.
“Wool?” Liu Qingge said.
“I was not asking you.”
“I wouldn’t mind seeing him in linen,” Shen Qingqiu said.
Giuseppe nodded. “Summer is coming, linen is a good choice.”
“Do I have any say this?” Liu Qingge asked.
Shen Qingqiu stepped over to Liu Qingge’s side and rose up on his toes to press a kiss to Liu Qingge’s cheek.
“No,” Shen Qingqiu said.
“Fine,” Liu Qingge replied.
Shen Qingqiu was a pest and an enigma, and the most guarded person Liu Qingge had ever met. If he were an animal, he’d be a hedgehog, with rows of spines around a soft, squishy rodent. He was probably Liu Qingge’s first partner that didn’t come with a pair of rose-coloured glasses.
“You’re such an asshole,” Liu Qingge said, softly.
“Please don’t forget it,” Shen Qingqiu replied, with a smile.