Chapter 5: The Times We Know/Arc 1.4

Three weeks after Chen Xiang left, Wang Tao sat in the CEO's office as he watched the CEO converse with someone over the phone. Wang Tao could hear the familiar voice excitedly explaining his day to Zhou Jian.

The older man quietly listened as he did his work, nodding or responding from time to time. His cold eyes softened every time he looked at the youth on the screen.

"Ah, I have to go now. My scene is next. Bye Jian Ge, we'll talk later."

"Okay, do well. Xiang er, I'll call you tonight."

Zhou Jian had just finished as the call ended. He shook his head with a small smile before focusing back on his work. Wang Tao quietly watched him, thinking of the routine calls the two would have every day.

"Are you two friends?"

Zhou Jian glanced up from his work, a bit confused. Meeting those silver eyes, he swore he could sense some sourness.

"Who do you mean?"

"Chen Xiang."

Hearing this, a light smile spread across Zhou Jian's face. Curiosity flicked across his blue eyes as he queried.

"Why do you think so?"

The assistant didn't answer immidiately. Wang Tao hadn't quite expected to be asked this. Lowering his eyes, he recalled some things carefully before answering.

"You spend time with him...you talk more near him...and you seem..."

A pensive look rose on the etheral face and a deafening silence passed.

[ Is he stuck? ]

The CEO's lip quivered, pulling into a small smile.

"Then do you think we're friends?"

Wang Tao raised his eyes once the man finished speaking. His brows scrunched up slightly before he slowly shook his head.

Surprise showed on Zhou Jian's face at this. Just as he was about to ask why, Wang Tao threw out a question.

"Do you?"

"I..."

Zhou Jian felt a bit lost. He was about to answer yes but then something seemed wrong. The word friend just didn't seem to fit.

[ What...what do I think of him as? Someone to raise?...No...A friend? No...A little brother? That's not right either. ]

Wang Tao watched bemusedly as his boss went mute. The man furrowed his brows a bit while he went off into thought.

[ Why do I feel some regret? Why does it seem that I revealed something which I'd have preferred to keep hidden? ]

Despite being in the dark on the CEO's thoughts, the assistant realized that he might have triggered something. The unsettling emotion brewing inside him grew. He couldn't understand why but he suddenly became anxious. Unsure if what to do, he quickly spoke up to divert the topic, hoping to dispell whatever thoughts were in Zhou Jian's head.

A month later, Wang Tao folded his arms as he observed the boy before him.

Under the oppressive faze, Chen Xiang's bright smile slowly receded, replaced with a nervous expression. Unable to stand the judging eyes, the youth darted to hide behind the oldest one.

A helpless expression showed on Zhou Jian seeing the scared boy and he gently patted the fluffy black hair. Having placated Chen Xiang, the CEO held the smaller hand in his and turned towards his friend.

"Wang Tao?"

"..."

There was no verbal answer but Zhou Jian did get a cold stare. Noticing this, he sighed inwardly.

[ He's upset. ]

Right now, the three were about to stroll around the New Years Festival. Zhou Jian had convinced Wang Tao to come and try it out but hadn't mention that Chen Xiang would be there.

It really wasn't on purpose though. The CEO had not made plans tho bring the youth along. However, his heart lost against the cute face and sparkling peach blossom eyes.

However the real blow was when the boy sullenly explained that he had never been before. Apparently, he was going to go was with his parents when he was 17 but they died the day before, causing him to miss it.

When Zhou Jian heard this, it was impossible for him to say no and as a result, this was their current predicament.

"Wang Tao, I'm sorry. Xiang er w-"

"It's fine."

Noticing that his friend was confused, Wang Tao repeated simply.

"It's fine."

Zhou Jian was a bit surprised and he looked silently at the emotionless expression on Wang Tao's face. Picking up on the other's aura, an inexplicable emotion seeped through the dark blue eyes but went unnoticed.

Controlling his slight frown, the CEO thanked his assistant. Turning around, Zhou Jian led the two inside.

Brown eyes widened in delight as Chen Xiang took in his surroundings. Red lanterns dotted the stalls, illuminating the night on this festive occasion. The scents of different food mixed in the air as chatter and laughter filled the streets.

Time passed by as the group spectated the booths. Pulling Zhou Jian along, Chen Xiang dashed around, his face lighting up like a child on Christmas morning. A doting look rested on the CEO's face as he let the boy drag him from place to place.

Wang Tao watched them silently, always following a few steps behind.

[ It's so...lively. I've never been to a festival before...such a large crowd. The locals must really enjoy this time of year. ]

Phoenix eyes glanced over, lips tilting upwards when they noticed the slight glow in Wang Tao's silver eyes.

[ He likes it. Maybe I'll bring him next year... ]

When Zhou Jian thought of this, his smile broadened.

"Jian Ge, look!"

A sweet voice interrupted his thoughts and Zhou Jian shifted his eyes from his assistant to the youth. Chen Xiang pointed a distance away with excitement as he hurriedly dragged Zhou Jian over.

Gold and red intertwined as they formed waves, following the movement of the performers. A fearsome mask lead the scene and it appeared to puff smoke with each drum beat. The performers had fluid movements as they led the dragon in a dance, followed by a procession of musicians. A thunderous beat sounded as the group wove through the crowd seamlessly.

"It's a Chinese Dragon Dance. It's done to bring good luck and ward off evil spirits. Very nice right?"

It took a while before Wang Tao realized that Zhou Jian was speaking to him. He quickly blinked away the confusion and turned towards the expectant man. Giving a curt nod, Wang Tao couldn't control the slight curve of his lips. Satisfaction filled the CEO noticing this.

"It's finished."

Chen Xiang whispered this sullenly. Seeing him pout, Zhou Jian quickly coaxed him.

"Don't pout Xiang er...Come, let's get something to eat."

Gently speaking, the older man took the two to grab a snack. After eating, the three wandered around a bit before making there way out over to some game booths.

"How much for a turn?"

The booth manager eyes widened slightly taking in the handsome men. A light blush on her face, she answered Zhou Jian quickly.

"Just a dollar. You have three shots, shoot all the targets and you can choose any prize. If you only shoot one or two, you would have a limited choice range."

"Any prize?"

The young lady nodded at that. Zhou Jian took a moment to reply as he scanned the prizes and gleam appeared in his eyes before he quickly payed for a turn.

Taking the gun, he positioned himself and readied to shoot. Chen Xiang watched him attentively, his face filled with anticipation. Wang Tao took note of this and was slightly confused, however it didn't last long.

His attention was soon drawn to the CEO and some awe grew inside him.

[ His aura and posture...it's almost as if he'd used a real one before...]

Three consecutive shots snapped him out of his thoughts. A casual smile hung on Zhou Jian's lips, widening when he saw the excited youth.

The booth manager soon shook off her disbelief at the record, hurrying to offer suggestions for prizes.

"Wang Tao, which one do you want?"

The silver haired man was surprised hearing this. Looking across, Wang Tao picked up a tinge of confusion in the youth's brown eyes.

"I...I can choose?"

After a pause, Zhou Jian smiled and nodded, pushing down his bemusement. Silence surrounded the group as Wang Tao hesitantly turned towards the booth. Throwing a glance back, he met reassuring blue eyes.

"...Umm, the dragon."

"Nice choice!"

The young lady's face shined as she hurriedly brought it over. Taking the prize, Zhou Jian observed it carefully for a few moments. It was a cute little black dragon with purple eyes and it was made from very comfortable material.

"Yes, a very nice choice."

Blue eyes shined slightly. His lips bent upwards, Zhou Jian handed the prize over to Wang Tao. As he accepted it, the assistant raised his eyes to meet phoenix ones. Wang Tao's eyes widened a bit, his heart beating wildly, when the older man drew near, only a few inches away.

"Cheer up okay?"

Noticing the look on Zhou Jian's face, Wang Tao realized that the man hadn't been fooled earlier, knowing that he was still upset. His sourness lightened as he whispered back.

"I...don't think it's that easy."

"Oh...Do you want to talk about it?"

Uncertainty flashed in the silver eyes before he mumbled,

"I can't."

Sensing the CEO's dejection, the younger man quickly explained.

"I mean I don't know what it is so I can't really say it."

"If that's the case, whether you find out or not, I'll be open to talk."

Nodding, Wang Tao watched his friend smile warmly before moving over to the boy. Chen Xiang's brown eyes lit up as he led Zhou Jian over to another booth.

Stuck in place, silver eyes observed the item carefully.

[ My first gift...the purple is so beautiful. For a toy it's surprisingly comfy.]

Bringing the dragon into his arms, Wang Tao held it tightly and a sweetness overtook his heart, the frost on his face melting noticably. Snapping out of it, the young man started to catch up with the pair.

__

Two months later, Zhou Jian sat in the dining room as Aunt Lu placed the breakfast dishes on the table. A few of the dishes were western foods such as pancakes and French toast. The aroma wafted in the air and would cause one's mouth the water from just a whiff.

The man's expressionless face softened noticeably when he looked up at Chen Xiang who was running down the stairs.

"Morning Jian Ge!"

The teenager greeted with a bright smile showing off his two dimples, giving off the air of a cute and innocent teenage boy.

"Morning Xiang er. Did you sleep well?"

The cold eyes warmed greatly as he began placing food onto his new lover's plate.

It was only last night that the older man had worked up the courage to confess. Much to his delight, the other accepted joyfully so the two officially began dating.

Zhou Jian recalled what how he'd finally confirmed his feelings for Chen Xiang. It was just another day at the office...

___

Zhou Jian sat in his office one day, wondering how to find an answer. Blue eyes landed on the silver head on the couch a few feet away but he immediately dumped the idea.

[ From what I've seen, he's probably the most inexperienced when it comes to love. It would be useless to ask him. ]

Sighing, the CEO propped up his head with his elbow. Just then there was a knock on the door, and an angel entered. Zhou Jian's eyes lit up a bit when he spotted that it was Li Cheng who walked in.

[ I remember that he has a girlfriend. Maybe he could help. ]

"Mr. Cheng, can I ask you something?"

"Of course sir. I'll answer to the best of my abilities."

"What is Love and what does it feel like?"

The young man froze hearing this. Confusion surfaced as he answered hesitantly.

"...Well sir. Umm...love is an intense feeling of deep affection and care for someone...There are different types of love, like family love or romantic love. I would assume you are asking about romantic love though, right?"

Li Cheng glanced at his boss to check if he guessed right. Seeing the boss nod, he was shocked but quickly covered it up.

[ Romantic...love? ]

The nearby Wang Tao's eyes had widened in shock. Luckily, he was facing away from the two at the moment. Turbulent emotions overcame him and his whole body felt irritated. With his heart beating erratically, the assistant couldn't help but listen closely when Li Cheng continued.

"It's a warm, wonderful and sometimes painful emotion which one feels for another. It causes someone to feel a variety of emotions like worry, care, joy, jealousy, sadness and place great importance on the other person's happiness and wellbeing. Many people identify when they're in love by the fact that they feel these emotions intensely for someone and by physical reactions such as a faster heart rate around the recipient of their affection."

Li Cheng finished his explanation in one breath and waited to see if his CEO was satisfied. A short silence passed as Zhou Jian was in deep thought. After muttering something which Li Cheng couldn't make out, the boss accepted the papers that Li Cheng brought before dismissing him and Wang Tao.

When Wang Tao returned to his office, he sat down heavily. The silver eyes stared down at his trembling hands blankly.

[ W-why? ]

Even though Li Cheng couldn't hear what their boss said, with his supernatural hearing of course he could. He clearly picked up Zhou Jian muttering,

"So it's confirmed. I love Xiang er"

When he said that, Zhou Jian had such a happy look on his face that Wang Tao felt even worse for not being very happy about it. After listening to Lin Cheng's explanation, he finally was able to put a name on the emotions which he'd been feeling.

[ The reasons I was jealous...Why my heart was being torn into pieces. Why his presence lifted my mood and was so comforting. Why I smiled so much. Why I was happy...After all those years I-I felt alive for the first time, because of Zhou Jian. ]

Blinking slowly, Wang Tao clasped his hands tightly. No matter how he tried, his hands wouldn't stop shaking. He'd just realized his love but it already felt as if it was being shredded. His eyes burned and a shimmer appeared on the silver eyes.

[ I love Zhou Jian. I fell in love. With a human. ]

[ How did this happen? And what should I do? ]

[ Even if I know now it's useless because Chen Xiang has his heart. ]

[ Damn it! Will I…will I be able to bury this feeling? ]

[Maybe I should try? ]

.

[ No! That would be horrible. I can't be selfish and destroy their happiness. ]

[ Besides, he's so happy with Chen Xiang... ]

Wang Tao went through a series of emotions and thoughts for about an hour. He grew anxious as he tried to sort out his emotions. He had no clue what to do and had no knowledge on these things.

After a bit of thinking, he decided to look at it rationally. He had no right to interrupt the two as they'd done nothing to him. There was also the fact that Zhou Jian had been with him for so long but wasn't in love with him. The inexperienced Wang Tao took that as a sign that they weren't meant to be, even if Chen Xiang hadn't come along.

Many thoughts turned in his head before he sided with supporting the two and not becoming a homewrecker as humans call it. From what he's witnessed, the feelings are mutual so everything should go well.

Wang Tao sat up with a sad smile and the rims if his eyes were red. Cleaning himself up, he continued with his work in a poor attempt to distract himself.

- - - -

Once the new couple finished eating breakfast, Zhou Jian dropped off his beloved at the National TV station, where Chen Xiang would be filming an interview with his crew to promote 'Two Lovers'.

Once the film 'Above All', the martial drama he filmed a while back came out, the public's opinion of him began to change and he gained many fans. Because of this, while filming 'Two Lovers', the crew was kinder to him, especially after watching him flawlessly act out his scenes.

They came to respect him and Director Li became quite fond of him after noticing how dedicated and talented Chen Xiang was.

After giving Zhou Jian a kiss on the cheek, Chen Xiang entered the building. The older man then ordered his chauffeur to drive him to the Zhou Industries.