Wu Xie
Been emotionally drained after watching the video, Wu Xie decided to rest for what was left of the day. He had pressing matters to take care off, like looking into the name he was given, but he was no in the mood to try his luck. His head hurt for the downpour of crying and his mind was completely tired. He truly needed the rest... a short break from all his losses, so he could compose himself again to be back with the man he loved as soon as possible.
So he took a shower and throw himself into the bed to cry some more and then fall asleep in fatigue. The next morning, past ten, he wake up when Wang Meng told him he had some visitors. He was in no mood for more people send by his uncle or troublemakers, like Mr. Jin had suggested, but at Wang Meng insistence, he clean in face, brush his teeth and hair and went out to meet with his new visitors.
The first one he saw was Pangzi's back and his heart sink to the floor in the spot, fearing that something may had happen to Xiaoge while he was away, because he was standing there, in the middle of the room alone.
"Pangzi!" Wu Xie shouted and rushed to meet with him and ask what happen, why was he there all of the sudden without him been informed and where was his Xiaoge, when another figure dressed all in black walked inside and starred at him with a deep gaze that make Wu Xie's heart leaps tenfold in a single second. He halted midway by the surprise of seen him out of the hospital and looking like he had not been on a coma for the past month. He looked beautiful...
"Xiaoge..." Wu Xie simply whisper and walked toward him like pulled by an invisible string, one slow step at the time as he admired the slim, yet strong black figure that could not gaze away from him either. Zhang Qiling for his part did the same as he approached him, never taking his eyes of Wu Xie, also in his own trance, with his heart pumping blood into his veins, as fast as if he were running a mile instead of just staring at another man.
Before, as they journey back out of the Queen Mother's Palace and the young man carried him as he told Qiling stories of their adventures together, he thought that his heart was skipping beats with apparent no reason, while his body temperature raised, like wrapped by a warm sensation that he wanted to hold forever. Then sometimes, when Wu Xie whisper old tales to him and occasionally moved his head to make sure he was listening and their faces got to close, almost in a kiss he felt a tingling sensation than ran all over his sick body.
To all that, he thought it was just part of his sickness, a rare reaction to the new reality he was facing, the loss of his memories then depending on two strangers to get out of the place alive. However when Pangzi had carried him, to give Wu Xie a break, Qiling notice that his heart rate remained stable and steady, no fever, no that warm sensation in the mouth of his stomach and no tingling sensation until once again it was Wu Xie's turn to get a hold of him and then his emotions went out of control again.
While in the desert, his focus was centered on Wu Xie as well, staying close to him, supporting him and guiding him for as long as he could resist the pain and sickness and even when he was unconscious he still could sense the other man close or when he was gone, which was the reason he had wake up in the very moment that he had been aware of his longer absence. He didn't wanted to part with that welcoming warm when he was so drowning in a cold void. Wu Xie was not only kind at heart, he was like a beacon of light that cleansed his darkness. He was reliable and trustworthy, but most of all, he notice that the young man was... special.
All his instinct told him he needed to protect the man and that Wu Xie was to him more than just a friend or a brother. On his confusion, he could not place the emotions right... but as he saw Wu Xie rush to meet Pangzi's with those big tender eyes of his filled with sudden fear and even a bit swollen by probably a night of tears, he could tell that what he felt for Wu Xie was not brotherhood, or gratitude, nor curiosity or even familiarity, but love. Yes, he loved Wu Xie, even if could not remember how it happen. Even if the other man had said nothing about it, or perhaps he was not aware of his feelings.
Qiling stopped his careful advance just a few feet from Wu Xie and by impulse, he lifted his hand to caress Wu Xie's cheek. It felt right to do so, to care for him, to try to give him reassurance in the only way he knew how to do it, because he was not good with words. He thought that the man was going to reject his touch, but instead, Wu Xie closed his eyes and leaned on it for a few seconds. Ah... he too felt the same, Zhang Qiling thought, but then Wu Xie open his eyes and give a step back, breaking the contact.
"Xiaoge... I'm so glad to see you awake..." Wu Xie said as he beamed him a blinding smile that make his heart go crazy. Did he just imagine Wu Xie lean on his touch or that faint blush on his face? He looks so nervous... why? Qiling asked himself as Wu Xie starred back.
"Hum... Xiaoge, do you remember me? It's been a month already and you were unconscious, sick and..."
"Wu Xie." Qiling said without hesitation and Wu Xie smiled quite pleased with the answer.
"I'm so glad you remember me... I was afraid you will forget again."
"Oh, come on, how could he forget, if asking for you was the first thing he did when he wake up? Are you kidding me Tianzhen? He is no different than what he was before... he just wake up right after you leave which doesn't look like a coincidence to me, not when he pleads me to take him to you. Thus you are still his number one priority, you know the Pingxie thing is still very much intact... so don't look so heartbroken because he remembers more than what you feared he forgot... Ah, you know what? I'm starving after traveling back here in such a rush, so I will take Wang Meng with me to have a late breakfast and bring something for you two later. You won't object, right? Have a nice deep talk until then, you both need it." Pangzi said as he took the surprised Wang Meng by his collar and pretty much drag him away.
"Wait, Pangzi!" Wu Xie panic and was going to chase after him when Xiaoge's hand took a soft hold on his arm.
"Wu Xie... I want to know..." Xiaoge said to him with a serious expression he knew so well. He really wanted to know, just like he had asked when he make him promise he will tell him everything. He thought that taking the secret to his grave was the best thing for him, but perhaps he had been wrong.
"Xiaoge... are you sure you want to know? It may not be what you want right now." Wu Xie warned him.
"I want to know..." Xiaoge insisted and Wu Xie sighed.
"Alright... then let's have a sit and then we talk." Wu Xie said, then guide Xiaoge to the ship sofa in were they sat closer than strangers would have sit on the same place.
"So... from where do I start?"
"First meeting." Xiaoge answer and thus Wu Xie told Xiaoge about the first time they saw each other and the following encounters one after the other and Xiaoge listen to him for a long time.
He could not recall anything he was telling him, at least not with his foggy mind, but his emotions were on par with what Wu Xie was saying. There were no lies, no deceptions, no hiding meanings and no selfishness coming from the young man. He was pretty much like his name imply, pure and innocent, sometimes borderline naïve, just like Pangzi calls him.
As the encounters progressed, he found out that they had been pretty much pinning each other for years, until they finally get together with Wu Xie kissing him first, after his life had been at risk by some kind of strange fungus. Deep in his heart, he knew that what happen to Wu Xie at that time had snap something inside him, perhaps realizing that he could lose Wu Xie at any time, despite his efforts to keep him alive and they had been too many already...
Thus, when Wu Xie finally finish his tale with him begging Qiling not to leave him, then coming back without memories, he did what he was meant to do before forgetting everything. He pull Wu Xie closer and kiss him like if there was no tomorrow.
It had been already a month of suffering in silence and he was determined to make it for the time lost and the anguish unintentionally inflicted in the man that hold both his life and heart. Not remembering was already bad enough, but ignoring his feelings would had been worse... his heart didn't need the memories to keep his love burning stronger, only the feelings that clearly screamed his love for Wu Xie and he will keep loving him as he had want it.
It was in the middle of the deep kissing that Pangzi have walked into the entrance, but after seen the two of them trying very hard to devour the other, he backed off and smiled, passing an arm around Wang Meng shoulders, which was only a few steps behind him.
"You know what? We forgot dessert... Oh and I know a very good place that sells the best ones. It's a bit far, but then again, it's not like we are needed here right now. Off we go..."
"But the Boss breakfast..."
"Trust me, Wang Meng... he will give you a fat bonus if you walk away right now." Pangzi insisted as he pushed the lazy man to the main door.
"Well, if you said so..."
"Of course... Pangzi will always know best.... Ah, what a great man I am, you better appreciate it Tianzhen." Pangzi whisper as he took away Wu Xie's employee, to leave them to their heated encounter for a few more hours.
AN: Well, I hope this was a better version than the one in the drama. Xiaoge still loves Wu Xie, even if he can't recall how it happen. We all know that Xiaoge falls in love with him again as they keep their adventures as the Iron Triangle and then retirement. Thanks for reading and for the great support. With love, see you next time and take care. By the way... Pangzi is the best! 😁💖💖