Hualian AU ~ 1. The Ghost Groom

Part 5

Xie Lian only heard from Ling Wen in the afternoon the next say. Just after his Music Theory and Production class, he heard screaming and shouting at the uni's main hall, with its fancy glass ceiling and stylish café. Joining the other tens of people to see what's going on, and heard the argument,

"I did it. So what? Did he think he'd get rid of me just like that? And why are YOU talking to me anyway? This is between Pei Ming and me."

"You know it's not. You were totally unprofessional and unethical to sabotage our project like that."

Hearing the word 'sabotage', Xie Lian pricked up his ears, and without realising it, he got closer to the arguing couple. They were good-looking, but somehow it was clear they weren't 'a couple'. The girl looked passionate, with long lustrous hair and red lipstick, and the guy was cold and a stone-faced while talking to her.

"Pei Ming, where is he? Don't tell me he sent you to deal with me."

"He didn't have to send me Xuan Ji, I'm here on behalf of the team."

"You guys must be so pissed off you never found out about my rogue script", and she gave a hysterical and unnatural laughter, "You looked down on me because I'm a girl right?"

She looked around and carried on, accusingly, "You all do. Can't tell you how much shitty mansplaining I heard." She exhaled heavily.

"And Pei Ming had to hit on me, so he could have my skills without looking bad. Right?" She looked around, but no one seemed to sympathise with her, and she started to break down. Big teardrops filled her luminous eyes, and fell down her face with her mascara, making everything even worse.

Seeing many people were filming the scene with their mobiles, wild excitement going around, Xie Lian couldn't take it anymore, and started waving around, "That's enough guys, respect their privacy, c'mon!" And he turned to the couple, saying, "Guys, just go somewhere else."

The guy, never taking his eyes off her, said, "I'm done here", and turned to leave.

However, when he saw Xie Lian, he said, "Ah Xie Lian. I'm Pei Su. I have to thank you, I guess, for finding out what was wrong with our app." He looked at the girl quickly, and added, "Not that it matters now. We have moved on. But anyway now we know where we stand." And walked off.

Then Xie Lian's mobile pinged. It was Ling Wen, asking him to go see her ASAP.

When he got to Ling Wen's Palace, he wasn't surprised to see Feng Xin and Mu Qing already there waiting for him.

"Ah Xie Lian", Ling Wen said when she saw him, "I'm sorry for not getting back to you on your enquiries. You see, you were right, so I had to contact the Academic Council straight away".

"So what happened, how did you establish I was right?", Xie Lian asked, out of curiosity.

"Pfff once you know Pei Ming was on the team..." Mu Qing said.

"?"

"Pei Ming is the uni's biggest slut", he said. Ling Wen coughed, politely, so he would mind his language. He carried on, "I'm actually surprised such dramas never happened before."

"Xuan Ji is really talented, but still, sabotaging their own project...", said Feng Xin.

"We don't know for sure what happened between them, so let's not judge anyone", Xie Lian said.

"Xuan Ji will get an academic disciplinary action, most likely.", Ling Wen said. "And the guys weren't too happy to hear the truth", Ling Wen said. "I guess they'd prefer if this never came out."

"I noticed", Xie Lian said, thinking of Pei Su's attitude towards him.

"Hold on a minute, how is it Xie Lian's fault?", Feng Xin asked, frowning,

"Just don't mind them", Ling Wen replied. "Oh, I must apologise; I haven't realised you needed a pass for that Yu Jun building, I thought a pass code would do."

"No need to apologise", Mu Qing replied, "Xie Lian sneaked in somehow. When we finally got there he was making himself at home, drinking, what was it?"

"Salty caramel latte", Xie Lian said, slightly embarrassed to have been exposed.

"Oh yeah! How did you enter that lab anyway?", asked Feng Xin.

"Ah, a guy let me in? He had a pass.", Xie Lian replied, and for some reason he felt his face burning.

"What guy?", Feng Xin frowned, "And what's the point of passes if you let just anyone in?"

"Thanks", Xie Lian said, crossing his arms. Then he added, "He was tall with black messy hair and a huge red jacket."

"Red jacket?", Mu Qing said, widening his eyes, "Could it be..."

"Fuck!" said Feng Xin.

"What? Guys, what's going on?"

"By your description, this can only be Hua Cheng", Mu Qing said. "He's a thug, possibly involved in gangs and drug dealing and what not. Stay away from him", he concluded.

"What? C'mon..." Xie Lian said, shocked.

"Xie Lian, as university staff I really shouldn't say anything", Ling Wen said, and added. "And we don't have any proof, but Hua Cheng is definitely someone you shouldn't mess with."

"You heard us", said Feng Xin in a tone that didn't allow arguments, "Stay away from Hua Cheng".

"Alright mum." Xie Lian said, with a laugh.

Of course Xie Lian never took those warnings seriously at all; not even when, on the Friday of the following week, while going home late, he met Hua Cheng again.

Thanks for reading! 😃 I hope you liked it! Please like the fic and follow me for the next adventures of this Hualian AU: Tales of The Half-Moon Pass. Coming soon... 😉