Xingyun Oneshots

127 - In Sickness, And in Health

This takes place when they're older and married anyways enjoy

Xingqiu's long, droning explanation of the new trading route to a number of other men he hasn't cared to learn the names of is quickly interrupted by a cough leaving his lips.

All the men glance around at each other, unanimously agreeing that there must be an illness plaguing Master Xingqiu on this fine evening, but none dared to bring it up.

Xingqiu notices, like he's noticed most everything from childhood, every glance of disapproval or nod in agreement to some action of his. The people in this room are hesitant, he decides, hesitant to get up and perhaps ask if Master Xingqiu is feeling unwell.

Xingqiu doesn't want to be feared by business folk to the point they won't talk to him or speak their minds. He doesn't want to be feared like his father and his brother are in dim, quiet meeting rooms like their word is gospel. So he clears his throat, being wary of the way everyone's eyes immediately dart up to him and he takes a slow sip of his water.

"I'm afraid my voice doesn't wish to cooperate with me today, so if we could schedule another date to continue this that would be much appreciated." Xingqiu nods, setting his glass down.

All the men start to mumble amongst each other, one of them finally throwing out a suggestion for the next day that Xingqiu hastily writes on a spare piece of paper, tucking it into his pocket to decipher later before he starts tidying up his things.

Everyone slowly filters out of the room, and eventually some guild workers come in and start tidying things up, pushing in chairs neatly to the table and setting the room exactly as it was, not a single thing out of place.

"Oh, you don't need to help, Master Xingqiu. We can tidy the room ourselves, I'm sure you're busy with other things after this." One of the attendants says sweetly, addressing him with a kind smile not as shaken as the business folk. It's quite the breath of fresh air compared to what he's grown accustomed to now that he's grown older.

"No no, I don't mind. You do so much for me anyways." Xingqiu smiles kindly, holding back another cough before he finishes tidying his area and leaving the meeting room.

Around him, dozens if not hundreds of Feiyun Commerce Guild employees run about the large building, hurrying down halls with papers and folders, running up steps with documents and wavers. He'd always hated having to spend entire days as a teen and child inside the inner workings of the building, and he so despises that even if his role is small, it's still far bigger than he ever would have liked it to be nowadays.

He slowly trails up the stairs, feeling his coughing fit starting to come back. He buries his face into his shoulder, coughing quietly into his arm as he reaches the top, trudging to his father's office where he was supposed to report after the meeting.

"Xingqiu." His father says, not looking up from his paperwork, and so Xingqiu flops down into the chair across from him, his ponytail dangling over the top of the chair.

"No slouching. Sit up straight. Hands in your lap." He says without looking up, and Xingqiu sits up with a groan, trying to mimic what his father wanted. "You're a head of the guild now, you should act with much more decorum."

"I think I'm coming down with something." Xingqiu interrupts, his hands fidgeting restlessly in his lap. The lighting in the office is hurting his head, and he just wants to turn all the lights and noise off in the building and lay on the floor and sleep.

"Go see the family doctor then. She should give you some medicine to fix that promptly." He says dismissively, and Xingqiu only grows more tired and exasperated.