4 Chapter 4- Dreaming of a Galaxy (2/2)

<Mo Zha Ta> They can't possibly be so generous that they give everyone a guardian beast. You must have asked for it, right?

<Lu Wei Wei Wei> Just keep it to yourself and thank me in your heart.

<Mo Zha Ta> I'm so touched. Well done Laosan! Well done Laosan! He married you and we all benefit from it.

Even as he whole heartedly congratulated Xiao Nai and Bei Wei Wei, Hao Mei could feel his spirits sinking. An uncomfortable lump settled in his stomach and pressure built behind his eyes. To distract himself, and to prevent Wei Wei's emerging psychic talents from picking up on anything, Mei turned his attention to mischief. Teasing the absent Xiao Nai was fun... until he walked behind him. Then it became a hazardous venture. Keeping his head down, Hao Mei tried to fly under the radar while Bei Wei Wei and Xiao Nai turned their wit towards each other. When Bei Wei Wei abruptly disappeared from Dreams of Jiangshu and Xiao Nai went out to the balcony to ring her, Hao Mei took the opportunity to log off as well. There was only so much pink air a single man could breath before feeling sick.

Without conscious thought, Hao Mei found himself logging in to an account that had lain dormant for nearly a year. As his female avatar turned in lazy circles on the home screen, Hao Mei sighed, burying his face in his hands. As useless as it was, he couldn't help wonder what it would have been like had his plan worked. Or if he hadn't been a renyao and had indeed been the girl his avatar suggested. Which was a pointless train of thought. He couldn't turn back time and he couldn't change who he was.

* * *

Not too far away, an alert dinged on a mobile screen and the phone's owner ran for his laptop. Ignoring his irate boss, he logged into Galaxy Fantasies, followed the trace he'd previously put in place and felt his breath catch as the camera of the distant laptop showed him his E-Mei, head in hands and shoulders slumped.

Text to: E-Mei

[You free? Food?]

A phone next to the distant laptop pinged and he watched Hao Mei's face light up as he read the incoming text.

* * *

Text from: Number One Chef

[You free? Food?]

Hao Mei smiled at his phone and abruptly closed his laptop. Grabbing a hoodie, he struggled to put it one and get it zipped while simultaneously replying to the message. He didn't know how KO always managed to cheer him up when he needed it but could already feel his spirits lifting.

”I'm headed out guys. If I miss curfew I'll just see you in the morning.”

Text to: Number One Chef

[See you soon.]