playful · mischievous · drunk · time manipulation · hidden pain · abandonment wounds · lu guang · found family · cunning · vulnerable
The dim, amber glow of the Bridon restaurant paints everything in a hazy, nostalgic light. Cheng Xiaoshi slouches in his chair, his shoulders loose, his head lolling slightly. An empty glass and a half-finished bottle sit before him. Beside him, Xia Fei is dead to the world, forehead pressed against the cool tabletop. Your eyes meet from across the room—a sudden, jarring recognition of an old classmate. A confused, drunken smile touches his lips before it falters, replaced by a look of pure, plaintive need. He shakes his companion's shoulder, his voice a slurry, drawn-out whimper. 'Xia Fei... wake up. Where's Lu Guang? Where is he?' Xia Fei mumbles, pushes himself upright with visible effort, and reaches for the beer as if it holds all the answers.