The Downfall of Zhan Zheng Xi

Chapter Twenty Nine - Aftermath

Jian Yi felt sick when they walked towards Zhan Xi's door, he didn't know what kind of reception he would get from Xixi's family. Zhan Zheng Xi used his key to go in and he pulled Jian Yi down corridor towards the kitchen where he heard voices.

"You're here welcome back, I'm making some dumplings, shrimp, rice and pickles. I will bring you both some dinner." Mrs Zhan came around the kitchen counter and she looked like she wanted to drag him into her arms and break down crying, but instead she sniffed and squeezed his cheek, she patted it a lot.

"You go and sit at peace wherever you're comfortable Jian Yi." Mrs Zhan's voice trembled.

"Thank you Mrs Zhan for having me here." Jian Xi nodded at her

Zhan Zheng Xi's younger sister came rushing in and she stopped and stared at Jian Yi for a long while, then she pounced on him and gave him a hug that bordered on bear like. Jian Yi cried out with pain, she jumped back and she was sniffing too. Did all of the Xi family know every single detail of his ordeal? He didn't know where to look.

Zhan Xixi's father opened the front door and he walked in greeting them, he had a bag from a popular cake shop in his fist. His brief case was dropped to the ground and he strode up to Jian Yi and he put a hand on his shoulder.

"You're safe here Jian Yi, no one can get you here, we're all here to watch over you, so don't worry okay? I brought cake Mrs Xi just like you requested!" Mr Xi took his coat off, strode over to his family and gathered them in his arms, until Zhan Xi and his sister were groaning in embarrassment. Jian Yi could guess what was going through his mind, he was thinking of what Jian Yi had gone through and praying for them.

After seating Jian Yi carefully at the kitchen table, they all sat down to eat their meal, it was a noisy affair Jian Yi had always loved coming over for dinner, it gave him a glimpse at what a loving family could be like. They munched their way through a mountain of food and when Mrs Zhan mentioned cake they all groaned in protest, but then immediately decided that they had room for a little slice.

Stuffed Zhan Xixi and Jian Yi were told to go to bed, Jian Yi had actually lost track of time and hadn't realised it was now 11pm, 11 hours ago.........only 11 hours had passed. Fucking shit it was going to be a long night.

Opening Zhan Zheng Xi's bedroom door Jian Yi shuffled in and he immediately took off his uniform and underwear, kicking it all away. He looked at the dirty, soiled pile of clothes with disgust. There was no way he was wearing them ever again, he'd burn them, buy a new uniform, turning to Zhan Xi completely naked he panicked a little.

"Please can I have some clothes, boxers too, I can't wear those any more!" Jian Yi wrung his hands.

Zhan Xi's heart was literally wrenching in two at the sight of his boyfriend's bruised, naked body, he was shivering in misery. He leapt at his drawers pulling out clean boxers, a white t-shirt and mahogany jogging pants and brought them over. He helped Jian Yi pull on the t-shirt, then Yi pulled on his borrowed boxers and jogging pants.

"Jian Yi here get into bed, lie down." Zhan Xi tugged off his own clothes and waited for Jian Yi to find a comfortable position. His mom had placed a futon on the floor beside his bed. Fuck that! He was going to be lying next to his boyfriend all night, if he needed him.

He knelt on the floor beside his bed and reached over to stroke Jian Yi's hair, Zhan fiddled with it and tucked it behind his ear.

"Jian Yi do you want me up there with you? I will understand completely if you just want to lie up there on your own, but know that I am here, I'm here Jian Yi. I would understand if you didn't want me anywhere near you tonight....". Zhan Xixi sat on the futon waited.

"Xixi get up here, I'm cold to the bone I feel like I can't get warm." Jian Yi held out his hand to Zhan Xi and he crawled onto the bed until he was facing Jian Yi. Pulling the covers over them, he lifted Jian Yi's head and placed it down gently on his bicep. He manoeuvred as close as he dared without jostling Jian Yi's injuries and he kissed Jian Yi's palm, placing it on his chest so Yi could feel his heart beat.

"It took this for you to finally loan me a pair of your boxers." Jian Yi smiled shakily at him.

"You idiot Jian Yi!" Zhan Zheng Xi laughed and stroked a gentle hand on Yi's hip where his underwear rested underneath the joggers, then he removed it straight away.

"Does this mean in the future you won't be such grumpy shit and let me wear them?" Their heads were close in the dark, and Jian Yi remembered when they were little they would lie with heads close together in the darkness and tell each other ghost stories until Jian Yi had nightmares and Zhan Xi's mom would come in and tell them off.

"Oh definitely. The thought of you wearing them is distracting though. In the future when you borrow my underwear again, I will probably spend a lot of time thinking about the various parts of you they're covering." Zhan bit his lip.

"You're such a pervert Xixi." Jian Yi lay there and gripped Xixi's hand.

"Well I'm in good company my voyeuristic burglar." He reached over and brushed his finger tips against Jian Yi's eyelids. "Sleep Yi, we will deal with it all tomorrow."

"Nite Xixi." Jian Yi's voice was slurred, he was exhausted.

"Nite Yi." Zhan Zheng Xi lay in the dark and watched over his best friend while he slept.