"Ah Xian, you still haven't clearly told me why you are moving out in such a rush? My wedding date is still 10 months away! What's with all this hurry?"

Zhou Zi Shu said to Wei Wuxian, trying to stop the younger from storming out of the house with bags of luggage. The elder had his arms stretched in both sides, preventing Wuxian to get through.

"I told you already! I can't stay any longer!" Wuxian said dramatically as he escaped by ducking under Zhou Zi Shu's stretched left arm. But because of the big bags, he was stuck in an awkward position, unable to move forward.

Zi Shu took the opportunity and grabbed the bags and pulled them away, further blocking Wuxian. Zi Shu knew the secret reason why Wuxian wanted to leave, but he couldn't afford Wuxian knowing that he knew. He still wanted to be in touch with his younger friend. However, he knew Wuxian's personality and so he also knew that Wuxian would be too embarrassed to meet him ever again if his little secret was disclosed.

Wuxian let the bags go completely and said, "I don't care, I'm gonna go without them." Even though Wuxian felt his voice was stiff enough, but Zi Shu could see through his facade. Zi Shu gulped the lump in his throat and sighed before saying, "Okay, take your stuff and leave, I won't stop you."

On hearing the cracked voice of his Ah Xu-ah, Wuxian couldn't hold himself back anymore. He back hugged Zi Shu tightly, grabbed his stuff and left without a word.













 

After walking through the whole area and being disappointed by visiting both the houses, Wuxian still couldn't manage to get himself a decent apartment. The pointless rejections he faced by both landlords further played into his insecurities. He was now heading towards the last option of the day and if this didn't work out, he'd probably have to sleep on the street for the night.







 

Luckily, on the second ring, a young boy opened the door. He was wearing a simple white shirt and grey pajamas, blending beautifully against his pale skin. He seemed to be in his early twenties. Without a word, he let Wuxian in. Wei Wuxian felt like the boy was judging him but he entered nonetheless.

"Hello my name is Wei Wuxian, I called you to enquire about the flat."

Wuxian said in his usual hyped voice and extended his hand for a hand shake, but the younger didn't seem to be much impressed by it as he simply glanced towards his stretched hand, and decided to ignore it. Wei Wuxian felt slightly insulted and he awkwardly pulled back his hand and scratched the back of his head in confusion.

The younger pointed to his feet and said, "you cannot wear by slippers."

"Oh I'm sorry, I thought-"

"Please remove them." The boy interrupted.

Wei Wuxian was now starting to get irritated. What was the deal with this rude young brat. He must be about 8-10 years younger than himself and yet this brat had the nerve to be so disrespectful. 

Wuxian quietly removed his slippers and kept them back to where he wore them from.

"You can wear those." The younger said pointing to a blue pair of slippers, lying on the opposite side. Wuxian complied without a word.

"Can I have some of your id proofs?" The younger asked. And Wei Wuxian quietly handed it over. He was preparing himself for the next question due to which he always loses the apartment, 'What do you do?' as the lady from the previous household asked him, and when he said, "I am a mangaka." She couldn't hide the disbelief in her eyes and later declined him by saying that they needed more time to think it over.

Even though China had progressed massively in the invention of technology and new high-tech machinery, but the thought process of its people was still quite backward and orthodox. Writing mangas or performing make up, or styling or clothing or even dancing were considered areas for women. Men were expected to do more labor-intensive or speculative works.

Wuxian was often made fun of and even bullied for being the part of a female dominated industry. People often called him gay and used the f word to humiliate him. In the earlier days of his career, he used to tell people about his work without thinking twice, but the countless memories of people referring to him as a girl for writing mangas, made him much more insecure about his profession. So later on, he decided to keep it a secret from everyone.

Even his best friend Zi Shu didn't exactly know about his career. He just knew that the boy worked in a publishing firm, but had no idea of his exact designation.

And thinking about the 2 rejections that Wuxian faced in the same day from two potential landlords, he was now in cold sweat, looking at the younger boy in front of him who was quietly going through his identity proofs.

'As long as his mouth stays shut, he looks quite ... pretty' Wuxian thought to himself.

The boy looked up at Wuxian who immediately looked away, pretending to stare at his worn out shoes.

"Okay you can stay, as long as you don't break any rules from the rule book." The younger said, handing over a thin small notepad.

Wuxian's eyes grew bigger. Out of disbelief he asked, "You won't ask about my profession?" Realising what he had said, he wanted to knock some senses into himself. 'Why the did I say that?' He scolded himself.

"It doesn't matter." The boy said, much to Wuxian's disbelief. He didn't want to say it, but he did out of curosity, "What if I am a murderer? A criminal?" Wuxian asked very softly, almost as if asking his own self.

"You wouldn't be asking that if you were." The boy said expressionlessly.