Lei Ying was inconsolable in Fang Li-Jun’s arms, crying and sobbing while he explained him everything that happened. He didn’t even know he was going to his house until he was in front of him, as his first thought was going to a hotel so he wouldn’t disturb anyone with the family drama. But apparently, before he could even think on it, Fang Jin was already hugging him, trying to comfort him.

“I hate him! He is an asshole!” Lei Ying shouted, crying.

“Lei Ying-“ Fang Jin stroke his hair tenderly. “You are upset. You need to calm down. Do you want I prepare you some hot chocolate?”

Fang Jin wasn’t a big fan of hot chocolate or of sweets in general, he liked them sometimes but not too often. However, his kitchen was full of sweets of all kind for Lei Ying to have them anytime he wanted.

Lei Ying sobbed, relaxing his frown and nodding. They both walked to the kitchen, where Lei Ying sat on the countertop while he looked how his fiancé prepared the hot chocolate for him along with a toast with orange blossom honey.

“Why is he such an asshole. Why is-“

“He doesn’t want you to go.” Fang Jin said, looking at him then.

“What?” He blinked twice, confused.

“He is very overprotective towards you, you leaving his house and live a life where he can’t fully protects you it’s something he won’t accept.”

“You think too good of him, I think he is just being an idiot.” 

“Lei Ying.” Fang Jin looked at him in that way, making Lei Ying sigh.

“Fine, I’ll stop calling him these things. But I still think the same.” He put out his tongue, making Fang Jin smile very softly, just a tiny little smile.

“He will understand. Song Jian will speak to him.”

“I don’t think we are going to be lucky this time.” Fang Jin poured the hot chocolate and passed it to him. “He was irrational. I mean, even more irrational than usual. He didn’t even want to speak about it. He is not going to acknowledge our marriage in any way.”

Lei Ying looked at the chocolate, spacing out while he stroked the mug. Only when he felt Fang Jin reaching for his cheek and caressed it, he stopped his thoughts trail.

“We’ll figure out.” His future husband took one of his hands, kissing his knuckles. “Now just focus on eating. After that, I’ll take you home.”

“What?! No, Fang Jin-!”

“Lei Ying, listen to me.” He spoke softly, still caressing the other. “I know how are you feeling, but I also know you will regret being out of home in this situation. Things are gonna be worst if you spend the night here, and it will stress you more.” 

“But, Fang-Jin-“

“I would never do anything that I don’t think is the best for you. Do you trust me?” Fang Jin’s gaze on him was intense. Lei Ying nodded slowly. “Let me take you home, then.”

——

Lei XianLiang hopped both Song Jian and Chen Hua were sleeping, but when he arrived home they were watching a film in the living room. They both looked at him when he went into the house, being followed by Fang Jin. Chen Hua stood up just a second after he saw him, trying to pretend he wasn’t drunk at all.

“Lei Ying! What is he doing here?!”

“He brought me back, even if I don’t want to.” He replied, not even looking at Chen Hua.

“Thank you.” Song Jian stood up too, just in case Chen Hua wanted to satisfied his killing intents with Fang Jin. “And sorry for the inconveniences.”

“There were not inconveniences at all.” Fang Jin replied, looking at Chen Hua then. “Actually, I wanted to speak with you, sir.”

“The answer is: no, I don’t allow you to marry Lei Ying.” Chen Hua said.

“You-!!” Lei Ying was about to go into a discussion again with him when Fang Jin spoke.

“That’s why I wont marry him.”

Everyone in the room was startled, the three of them looking at him then, confused painted in the faces.

“What? Fang Jin, what are you…?”

“Lei Ying.” He took the other’s hands, stroking them with his thumbs. “I would never allow myself to put you in a situation in which you have to chose between me or your family. You will be miserable marrying me knowing your shushu doesn’t approves it. I can wait until we have an approval, and-“

“But, Fang Jin!! He-“

“And if he doesn’t, we can be together just like we have been until now. But I would not make you chose between he or me.”

Lei Ying shook his head, telling him to stop that no-sense. Of course they were going to get married! He wanted to at any cost! What if Chen Hua didn’t allow him?! It was his life, he was the one choosing what to do!

“This is unfair!!” He said at some point, furious. “You are being just like him, not letting me chose whatever I think is better!! You both are the same kind of idiots!!”

“Lei Ying! I-!”

Lei Ying didn’t want to hear anything else that night, not coming from Chen Hua, not coming from Fang Jin. He didn’t want to see any of them, so he decided to go to his room, slamming the door, not answering to Fang Jin calling him.

The silence filled then the room were Chen Hua, Song Jian and Fang Jin were standing up. Chen Hua just chuckled, mocking Fang Jin, and sat down again on the sofa. Song Jian sighed, approaching the young.

“Are you sure about this?” The older asked, carefully.

“I’m trying to do the best thing. Lei Ying wouldn’t be happy if we marry under this circumstances.” Fang Jin replied, but obviously sad. “I’m… going back home. Thank you for everything.”

Song Jian patted his shoulder before letting him go out and closing the door. He looked at Chen Hua, who was watching the film again trying to pretend nothing happened. After shaking his head, he went to the kitchen, looking for something.

“The bottle is finish.” Chen Hua said.

“Fuck.”

—-

An entire week passed with that situation. The first days were all shouts and slamming doors and Fang Jin taking back home Lei Ying several times. At some point Song Jian decided not stopping them when the argued, closing his eyes and just enjoying his alcohol the best way he could. Anyone that heard the screams inside the house would think they were insane.

Song Jian thought it would be Chen Hua the first one getting tired of fighting, but it was actually Lei Ying the one that stopped trying to speak about the matter. However, he not only stopped bringing up the matter, but doing anything else.

Obviously, he was sad. But he wouldn't stop fighting for that only because of this: it was because, even if he “won” the fights, Fang Jin wouldn’t accept to marry under that conditions. What was the point of arguing, then, if he would not marry Fang Jin anyway? It was pointless.

At first Chen Hua thought that Lei Ying stopped talking to him and decided to ignore him. Fine, whatever. But it didn’t take long for him to realize he was not doing that: he wasn’t speaking to Song Jian neither, and apparently neither to Fang Jin nor his friends. He didn’t finish any of his food, and he barely went out of his room, just the necessary. Song Jian tried to speak with him, but the only thing Lei Ying said after a long monologue of how important was to take care of oneself in rough situations was “I’m tired, jiujiu. Can I go to sleep?”

Obviously, Song Jian spoke to Chen Hua too. As he couldn’t defend himself properly -because he was overreacting-, the ended having a strong argument with finished with Chen Hua sleeping in the sofa and Song Jian taking Lei Ying to his room, so they could sleep together.

That morning, what made Chen Hua wake up was the sound of a tiny spooning titling, hitting softly a mug. He opened his eyes, seeing Lei Ying sitting down in the table with some milk chocolate and a couple of cookies. 

He looked awful. He wasn’t having enough sleep, so he had dark circles under his eyes; his hair was a mess, as he didn’t even brushed it yet, and probably he didn’t in the last two days; he seemed pale, probably because he wasn’t eating enough, his eyes tired and unfocused, looking at the spoon he was moving in the mug but not even caring about it, giving a very tiny bit to one of the cookies.

Chen Hua stared at him for a while until he decided to stand up, walking at him. He rearranged the mattress he used the last night in the sofa over him while he sat down next to Lei Ying.

“Will…” Chen Hua startled, but after a long sighed, he spoke clearly. ”There will be any dressing code?”

Lei Ying looked at him, still with the tired expression, but now mixed with confusion.

“In your wedding. Did you both planned any dressing code?”

It took some seconds for Lei Ying to realize what he was saying, his eyes widening then, surprised.

“Do you… allow me to marry?” He said, his words full of hope.

Chen Hua swallowed hard then, not daring to look then to the young.

“Only if you both accept some conditions. You will have to visit us at l-“

Chen Hua didn’t finish what he was saying as he felt how Lei Ying threw himself to him, hugging him strongly and laughing.

“Thank you! Thank you, shushu, thank you!” He kissed the other’s check several times.

“You better stop it before I change my mind. Now: go and have a shower, clean yourself properly, and after that you gotta eat what I’m gonna cook for you now. Do you understand?”

“Yes, yes, I do!” He kissed some more times the other before running away to the shower, greeting Song Jian in the process, who was entering the room.

“So… we are having a wedding?” Song Jian asked.

“…it’s your fault. This sofa is killing my back.”

“Good.” Song Jian sat down in the table. “You can come back to the bed tonight.” He said, taking one of the cookies Lei Ying left, looking then at Chen Hua.

“What?” He said after a while.

“I don’t see neither my coffee nor my breakfast anywhere. What are you waiting for?”

Chen Hua smiled. He had been rejecting his food the last two days. 

“Kiss the chef?” He asked.

Song Jian rolled his eyes before bending a bit and kiss the other softly, maybe a bit longer than usual. 

Chen Hua smiled and started to cook for the three of them.