Xie Lian's artistic side| Colors of the Heart ~ Hualian AU

Chapter XLVI

Xie Lian finished rehearsing early, went home to shower and grab a bag of his things, and decided to walk through the city center on his way to Hua Cheng's house. He wanted to bring San Lang a little something to support the apology for his own immature behavior yesterday. Even though Xie Lian was older than Hua Cheng, he acted like a selfish child who did not get what he wanted. In this sense, San Lang was so mature and steady.

His image transpired confidence, fierceness, reliability. Well, to Xie Lian at least. It was not reliable to everyone, considering the whole controversy scandal from the previous play. Xie Lian's friends and that bad reviewer from the newspaper were surely caught on the same aspects of the story with Yushi Huang, and draw all the wrong conclusions.

Xie Lian enjoyed thinking about the other sides of director Hua Cheng that only him knew. The side that cared so much for Xie Lian as to dedicate his career to him. The side that touched him with the utmost respect and admiration, and that eased his concerns. Also, it was the side that elicited inexplicable feelings in Xie Lian, a side perhaps even wilder than the director Hua Cheng everyone new. His creativity showed also on bed, and that got Xie Lian so curious the other day, when the director slept clearly in the process of seducing the actor.

Xie Lian turned on the central road and walked past the shops while considering gift ideas. Chocolate is always a good option, but what type does San Lang prefer? Wine is a great and fancy option, but again, so very personal, and Xie Lian did not understand much about it, since he seldom drank himself. He would wait and check with Mu Qing and Feng Xin before buying, so this was an idea for a future present.

Right then he walked by a stand of white carnation flowers, reminding him of the bouquet he got from San Lang on the day of the graduation party. San Lang was so fancy and handsome wearing a suit that day.

Xie Lian approached the flowers almost mesmerized, deeply lost in memories, right when someone else's hand entered his field of view.

He looked to the side and gasped in surprise.

"Mu Qing! What a coincidence, what are you doing here? Choosing a gift?"

The lawyer was startled and felt his own heart starting to race. "No, no, just picking a plant for my office. You?"

Xie Lian sighed. "I need to choose a gift. I'm visiting San Lang and I thought about giving him a plant." He stretched his look to the other stalls concluding these were definitely the prettiest flowers.

"Why a plant?" Mu Qing knew it was somewhat of a common gift, and he considered there were selected "plant people" that would be pleased by it. But, was Hua Cheng... a plant person? Mu Qing ended up asking "Won't he think a plant is too much trouble?"

Xie Lian started turning the pots to examine the plants. "If San Lang would complain about keeping one plant alive just by having to water it and keep it in the sun, I would worry."

Oh, right, it was a simple logic, or so Mu Qing thought. "Yeah, I mean, the guy can direct a play but can't keep his plants alive, definitely sounds weird."

Xie Lian lifted one pot and looked at Mu Qing now. "It's not that. A relationship is much more demanding than a plant. If he can't care for the plant, how could he worry about us? I need more care than a plant." Xie Lian shrank his eyes in a smile and separated this pot, while checking again the other plants.

Mu Qing widened his eyes, his vision losing focus. That was it. A metaphor for how to make Feng Xin pay more attention to Mu Qing. Still, would it be too weird to show up with a plant at Feng Xin's door?

His thoughts were interrupted by a comment. "Go ahead, give Feng Xin a plant, but only if you are willing to buy one for yourself too."

"Why would you mention him suddenly?"

Xie Lian finally decided himself and held up one plant. It had one single open flower, the others were still just buds. He added while contemplating it "Just because it'd do you two good. But if you're not willing to put yourself on the line too, then it's too platonic."

Mu Qing wondered why did Xie Lian pick the plant with least flowers. "Wait, what is platonic?"

Still, Xie Lian seemed pleased with his choice and stared back at Mu Qing. "I mean that, if you're in love but it is platonic, all would be perfect, ideal, there'd be no problems in your relationship. But a relationship like that doesn't exist."

"Do..." Mu Qing cleared his throat. "...you and Hua Cheng have problems? Ah, hm, not that I care, it slipped."

Xie Lian sighed. "Yeah, sometimes we do. And this is me trying to apologize. Being in love is solving problems together, isn't it? I'm gonna go pay!"

Mu Qing was left standing. He looked at the stand of white carnation flowers. He never saw a relationship as keeping a plant alive, as putting effort in it. When he thought of being with someone, he imagined something organic, people in love, pleasing each other and being happy together. What was a relationship with Feng Xin going to be like? More importantly, was he in love with Feng Xin? He continued to stare at the flowers without really seeing them.

Xie Lian came back some minutes after with a red loop wrapped around the plant pot and a big satisfied smile. He and Mu Qing spoke at the same time.

"Are you buying one too?"

"How do you know if you're in love?"

They paused before answering.

"What?"

"I'm not sure."

Xie Lian thought about Mu Qing's embarrassed look when they met. Was he really just thinking about his office? "Mu Qing, you just know if you're in love. If you think about someone all the time, you enjoy their company, and you make an effort to meet them, that may be a sign."

Mu Qing watched him, eyes distant. These "symptoms" were all true for him. "How do you define if you're in a relationship then?"

Xie Lian touched his chin before answering. "I guess if you can count on each other, that works as a silent agreement."

Mu Qing creased his brows.

"There's something else that's pretty defining for me too..." Xie Lian scratched behind his own head.

"Hm?"

"Sex. But every person has their own peculiarities about it. I'm off to San Lang's! Bye, Mu Qing!"

"Bye...wait!" Mu Qing managed to stop Xie Lian before he got away. He could still feel his own cheeks warm from what Xie Lian just said. "Why did you choose the plant with one single flower?"

Xie Lian looked at the lonely flower and smiled. "It's not about this one, it's about the other ones that will come." He turned the pot to show the numerous flower buds all around. "I hope San Lang feels happy everytime a new one opens! I gotta go now or I'll be late. See ya."

Mu Qing watched Xie Lian go, whilst reality creeped in from the corner of his mind and showed itself proudly in front of him.

Dammit, he was so in love with Feng Xin, what an idiot.

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This was a short one, life got in the way this week! Bear with me, please. Smut and adrenaline will follow. Thanks for reading! Stars and comments always make this author happy 🦋🦋🦋