The Orchard To His Abyss - A HuaLian FanFiction (TGCF)

Ch 4

Xie Lian continued walking as San Lang followed behind him carrying the bag Xie Lian handed him earlier and insisted on carrying it until they reach home. They were through with buying some cooked food. 

"So, San Lang, what brought you here?" he asked, kicking a pebble on the ground. 

"Nothing, gege," San Lang answered. 

Xie Lian knew there was something. Of course, there was a reason for everything. 

Every action is driven by a motive or an intent. 

San Lang did not look like a homeless person, but who was he to point that out. He still might be wrong. 

Xie Lian shrugged. 

If the man did not wish to tell him, then, he would not force him to speak. "Are you sure I am not imposing on gege?"

Xie Lian turned his head back and smiled briefly before returning his gaze ahead. "I am sure San Lang would not be a bother. I live with Ruoye. We can fit inside my small home."

"Ruoye?" The man asked, obviously unamused.

"You aren't allergic to cats, right?" Xie Lian chuckled hesitantly. He hoped San Lang was not allergic to cats because he genuinely wanted to help him and he did not even know why.

 Weighing the situation, he was not the kind of person who easily welcomed a stranger in his home, but, then again, his gut feels told him San Lang was a good person. 

"Oh, it is a cat. Of course, it is," San Lang more like talked to himself. "And I am not allergic to cats, gege. So, you have to take me in with you. After all, I saved your life." Xie Lian could hear the teasing in the man's manner of speaking. 

Xie Lian scoffed slightly. "I would have not died from a bicycle crash, San Lang!" He heard the man laugh behind him. It was pretty. Pretty!? Xie Lian walked faster. He could feel his stomach protesting from lack of food since last night. 

They walked further until they reached the compound-like neighborhood. 

Xie Lian's neighbors were pretty nosy. Seeing him bringing a friend seemed like a mother seeing her child bring in a friend. Everyone looked skeptical, even granny did not greet them and just looked at the man behind him with squinting eyes. The women were ogling at San Lang, not that Xie Lian could blame them. 

San Lang was such a sight to see anyway. 

When they reached the doorstep of his home, Xie Lian made a disclaimer. "As you can see, it is not that big, San Lang. If you wish to go in an inn, I can take you somewhere." Before pushing the door open, Xie Lian looked at San Lang. In the man's eyes, there was no judgment, but only genuine concern. So, he opened his safe haven to the stranger. "Come in, San Lang. I don't have a sofa, so you can sit in one of the chairs or on the bed. I really do not mind it at all. The comfort room is here. The~"

"Gege, relax. It's fine. It really is," San Lang assured him. 

Xie Lian relaxed a bit. He sighed. It was his first time welcoming someone inside his home. Of course, he would overthink if he was hospitable enough or if his guest needed anything. "Let's eat, San Lang. Ruoye will be here in a while."

"Eat, gege. I am not really hungry. Just eat and I will put to place what we bought from the market."

Oh. Xie Lian blinked his eyes a couple of times before preparing his and Ruoye's food, just in case the sassy cat walks in. "How old are you, San Lang?" he asked while taking a spoonful. The vegetable he ordered tasted good.