Wei Ying glanced at the door.

The soft knock came again.

"Were you expecting anyone?" Lan Zhan asks him.

He doesn't know why he's suddenly so on edge. It might be because he hadn't heard footsteps walking to their door…hadn't expected them, so he hadn't paid attention, and he wasn't sure who it could be.

Plus he was feeling anxious about F4keSt0ries, since there was nothing on that front, either. Lan Zhan kept refreshing the tab and checking if there was an update…but the person simply hadn't responded. He couldn't help thinking it was because of their questions…

Wei Ying shakes his head.

"Let me go, then." Lan Zhan says, standing up.

Wei Ying has already understood, just from the straightening of his shoulders, his stance alert and ready.

One quick nod and Lan Zhan is by the door.

He looks through the peephole to see who it is, and is immensely relieved to see a slight woman standing outside their door.

She's turning around to leave, when he makes the decision to open the door.

"Um…hello." She says, timidly. "Do you know where my son is? Lan JingYi?"

Lan Zhan is nodding and he lets her come inside, reeling because she just told him that JingYi's surname was Lan.

Then…who was his dad?

"Hello!" Wei Ying welcomes her into the living room.

She makes her way over to the single chair matching the sofa, and sits down. Her frame is dwarfed by the couch and she looks even smaller. Her poor posture with her shoulders hunched inwards doesn't help.

She's wearing a plain brown skirt with a floral blouse, and a cardigan which matches neither. There's a fading bruise on her leg, which she tries to hide by crossing her leg over her knee. The action causes her sleeve to ride up, revealing a fresh looking cut.

Now that Lan Zhan is able to look at her properly, he can see one of her eyes is squinting at them, almost as if she's forcing it to remain open.

His hands curl into fists.

His anger is a real thing…because he suddenly knows why JingYi is the way he is. The chances of the person hitting this frail looking lady and her sweet son being the same, is getting more and more likely.

Wei Ying scoots closer and covers Lan Zhan’s fist with his hand. He squeezes it gently, hoping to calm him down.

"What can we do for you, Mrs Lan?" Wei Ying asks her pleasantly, keeping his voice level.

"JingYi…is here?" She asks, tentatively looking around.

"Yes, the boys are in the kitchen, doing their homework." Wei Ying answers her cautiously.

"Oh…that's…that's good." She says, obvious relief settling in her expression. "I meant to thank you…for all the times you picked him up from school. It's very kind of you." She inclines her head to bow.

"It's no chore. JingYi and A-Yuan…you know how close they are…" Wei Ying trails off.

There's so much he wants to ask her and Lan Zhan feels the same way. But how to go about getting answers?

"Actually…I was wondering if I could ask you for another favour." She says softly.

"Sure thing. What can I do for you?" Wei Ying asks her easily.

Lan Zhan can tell his open mannerisms are putting her at ease.

She produces a carrier bag from under her cardigan and places it on the coffee table.

Lan Zhan quickly closes the laptop, in case she reads the topics they were researching, namely social services.

Before she knocked on their door, he and Wei Ying were discussing the best way to let the authorities know of a domestic violence case. Wei Ying was saying that the social services people would swoop in and take JingYi away, while Lan Zhan was pushing him to mention how happy JingYi already was with them…and if they could make a special exception in this case.

"So…my husband just recently lost his job. Things are…a little tense in our home…so I was wondering if in this coming holiday, would it be okay for JingYi to stay with you and A-Yuan? Just until my husband gets another job. My husband…is a very passionate man…and sometimes JingYi asks too many questions." Her hand trembles as she tucks a wisp of hair behind it.

Wei Ying looks as relieved as Lan Zhan feels at this sudden request.

"Actually, A-Yuan was saying something about that, and I was going to ask you about the very same thing." Wei Ying can lie so smoothly, Lan Zhan almost believes him. He's in awe of his boyfriend who, it seems, has many hidden talents.

Tears spring to her eyes, and she quickly wipes them away with her sleeve. The edge is rough, as if she's been gnawing on it.

"That's great…I guess…I'll be going now." She nods to herself.

"Um…don't you want to meet JingYi…say hello?" Wei Ying asks her, surprised by her sudden need to depart.

"Mama?" JingYi is standing on the threshold of the living room, looking at her with uncertainty.

"Baby!" She sits back down slowly, carefully, as if she's in pain. Then she holds her arms out to her son.

JingYi runs to her so fast, he's a blur.

Lan Zhan glances at Wei Ying, who is having trouble keeping his eyes dry. He blinks fast, and now it's Lan Zhan who is squeezing their hands together.

"Have you come to get me, Mama?" JingYi asks her.

Wei Ying can feel his heart breaking all over again at the simple question.

"Soon, Baobei, soon. Your father and I just have a few more things to sort out…and then. Look, I brought you your favourite pyjamas…you'd like to stay with sweet Yuan-Er…right? Just for a few more days…and then I'll come and fetch you." She soothes him.

But JingYi is having none of it.

First, his bottom lip comes out and his eyes fill with steady tears.

"Mama…you stay here too! Don't go back!" He cries.

Her frightened eyes glance at Wei Ying.

"You can stay too, if you like. This couch still has a few good years!" Wei Ying injects his voice with forced cheer.

Suddenly, he doesn't want her to go back, either.

"This is a safe place." Lan Zhan adds.

He's so proud of Wei Ying right now.

Wei Ying offered her a place to stay without missing a beat…Lan Zhan doesn't know anyone who would do that, not even his brother.

"Thank you…really. I'm so grateful that I can count on you." She says, her lips lifting up into a plastic smile that doesn't reach her eyes. "But I'm afraid I have to be there…for my husband. But I'll be sure to come and get you, Baobei…as soon as I can. I was hoping to take my husband away for a few days…so he could lessen the stress he's under. Holidays can work wonders…"

Wei Ying makes a noise that could mean anything…and she stands up.

JingYi goes right to the door with her.

The way he's quietly hanging on to her hand…

Wei Ying discreetly wipes his eyes on the back of Lan Zhan’s shirt. Then he pastes the brightest smile he can muster, and addresses JingYi.

"Come on, JingYi. We're going to have Spaghetti for dinner and Zhan Gege needs our help!" Wei Ying says supportively.

Mrs Lan smiles gratefully at him. One last kiss on JingYi's wet cheek, and then she's gone.

Wei Ying immediately wraps the little boy in a bear hug, unable to see him cry.

JingYi goes all quiet.

"Would you like to help me make hats, JingYi?" Wei Ying asks him. "You and A-Yuan are both going to be sous chefs, and you have to wear paper chef hats…otherwise you're not allowed in the kitchen."

That's all it takes for JingYi to stop sniffing and nod.

A-Yuan had been watching from the doorway, and suddenly he's bringing in colouring pencils.

"We have to decorate them." He insists, planting himself on the floor next to Lan Zhan’s legs.

Wei Ying is the master of making do, and after watching one video on YouTube, he's armed and ready to create the world's best chef hats.

Lan Zhan leaves them when they start adding glitter and stars, to get things ready in the kitchen.

Wen PoPo arrives a little after six, and luckily, Lan Zhan was expecting XiChen, so there's extra food. She's made to sit down and eat, just as it's time for Wei Ying to leave.

XiChen arrives in his car as they exit the building, and Lan Zhan tells Wei Ying that they're going straight to the mechanics to retrieve his car, after dropping Wei Ying off.

He intends to return with his brother after that, just so he can make sure Wei Ying is alright in the evening.

He's been keeping a sort of track on Wei Ying’s symptoms. His dizzy spells are approximately every two to three days…and so he knows that today, Wei Ying might be okay.

Then that means tomorrow and the day after, they have to be even more vigilant.

Outside the bar, Lan Zhan kisses Wei Ying goodbye, a kiss to make it count.

It's a Friday night, and the street is filled with eager party goers ready for a good time.

They are treated to catcalls and wolf whistles as strangers pass them by; Lan Zhan does not care. He leaves Wei Ying with kiss bitten lips and glazed silver eyes, promising to return as soon as possible.

The mechanic has the paperwork ready, and in a matter of twenty minutes or so, both Lan brothers are parking in the car park behind Love Bites.

XiChen has a strange look in his eyes, when Lan Zhan exits his car. He's still on a high of driving for the first time in a week, and he's missed his pale blue Porche. It has custom made extras which make it a joy to drive.

XiChen has his hands stuck in his pockets, and is looking down.

"Xiongzhang?" Lan Zhan asks, coming closer.

"Ah…let's go in, shall we?" XiChen moves to walk past, but Lan Zhan grabs his arm, forcing him to stand still.

"What's wrong, Ge?" Lan Zhan wants to know.

"It's just…this time last week, I was walking around with a picture of you…asking strangers if anyone had seen you…" his voice broke at the end.

Lan Zhan hugs him.

Sometimes, as a very special little person had told him recently, hugs make everything better.

************

They enter the bar a while later.

Lan Zhan has brought his laptop and is going to show his brother everything they found out earlier in the day; he grabs them a table and sits down, booting up his device.

Love Bites is really busy tonight.

Wei Ying has a three deep crowd waiting for his attention, and his hands are never empty.

Lan Zhan is in awe, as he watches how gracefully Wei Ying dispenses drinks out, shaking margaritas and cocktails like some kind of God. His tip jar is overflowing, and it's placed on the floor for safekeeping until they get a moment to empty it out.

Su She is checking tables for non paying customers, ready to show them the door; he startles to a stop when he sees Lan Zhan, who stares back without blinking.

It's safe to say that Su She is intimidated enough to leave them alone.

XiChen comes back with two bottles of water and slides into the booth, next to Lan Zhan.

Luckily, they don't need to talk here; it would have been impossible to do so.

XiChen reads through the many articles written by F4keSt0ries and their associates, and he agrees with Lan Zhan and Wei Ying’s assessment; there seems to be a lot of truth mixed in with sprinkled calculated lies.

There's no answer to their last question…and that's a bit worrying.

It's late and the crowds have actually increased, when there's a loud harsh laughter, and shrill giggling nearby.

It's disturbing and hurts Lan Zhan’s ears, so he looks up.

It is Wen Chao and his slutty girlfriend, Wang Lingjiao.

"Well, well, well, look who decided to slum it with the rest of us!" Wen Chao slurs, already inebriated.

Wang Lingjiao cackles like he's made the best joke ever.

"Mind if we sit here?" He totters in behind the little table adjacent to them, peering in to see what Lan Zhan is reading. Luckily, Lan Zhan’s screensaver is all he sees.

He makes another disparaging comment about how people who cannot drink, shouldn't visit bars.

"Go and get me a bottle of chardonnay!" He tells his girlfriend, who has a hard time walking towards the bar.

"Weren't we supposed to meet last week?" Wen Chao suddenly says, leering at Lan Zhan.

"Yes, but you never showed up." XiChen replies politely. He gets up to go and get more water for them.

Wen Chao uses this opportunity to slide closer to Lan Zhan.

"I've got some good news coming…tonight's the night for an early celebration." He winks in what he clearly thinks is a cool way.

Lan Zhan shifts unsubtly to one side, the furthest he can get from this drunk fool.

He's still thinking about what Wen Chao said: last week, he and XiChen were supposed to meet clients here, at this bar.

But, XiChen hadn't told him who they were going to meet.

And, Wen Chao hadn't turned up.

************

Dear Fabulous Readers,

Busy two days coming up, and I am worried I won't be able to update. This is just me telling you guys so you don't worry. Hopefully back on schedule by Wednesday.

Thanks for your patience and lovely support!

Love you guys!

Charlie.