53 Chapter 53- The Lull Before the Storm (1/2)
Lunch was relatively uneventful. When they'd all gathered on the patio near their rooms, Mei fully expected some teasing from at least Yu Ban Shan and Qui Yong Hou, but the pair were surprisingly silent. There was the remark Ban Shan made about Mei eyeing off the cook the way you usually eye off the food you're eating, but Mei was confident he'd got him back for that by feeding KO the lamb skewer he'd pretended to offer to his oldest bro.Then there was the comment Wang Wei made, when they were all swapping accounts to battle each other for food, about Mei being so successful on the Lu Wei Wei Wei account because they were both wives. But Wang Wei had taken it back when Mei trounced him so emphatically he wasn't able to make a single hit on the Red Xia character. He'd lost almost as badly as Ban Shan and Mei couldn't help feeling proud of himself for giving as good as he got.
He was feeding the chef lamb skewers (couldn't have the cook go hungry after all- then who would feed the rest of the horde?) when Xiao Nai took Wei Wei off for a walk. Whistles and jeers followed them before barbecue and beer proved too enticing to ignore.
”Eh... so good. This is why I told laosan he should hire you.” Ban Shan licked marinade off his fingers.
”Who told laosan to hire him?” Mei waggled his finger at the bald faced liar. ”You were pacing in the foyer determined that laosan was hiring a thug who was going to murder us at our desks.”
”You weren't any better,” Yong Hou grabbed a fresh beer, twisting the cap off with a satisfying hiss. ”As I recall, you were armed with the toilet mop.”
”Toilet mop?”
”What were you going to do with that?”
”I was going to stink him out. If he tried anything I was going to chase him with the mop and the smell would make him faint.”
”Good plan.”
”Didn't work though.”
”Well, when I saw KO I didn't think he was going to murder us at our desks.”
”He saves the stabbing for underneath the desk huh?” Ban Shan's mumble was only heard clearly by Mei who immediately took offence.
”Ya! What did you say! I'll murder you.” The chair toppled over when Ban Shan scrabbled out of it, scuttling away from Mei's grasping fingers. The pair chased each other around the tables, knocking over empty bottles that had been left on the ground and sending their friends into a panic as everyone tried to save their plates of food. An impasse was briefly reached when Ban Shan and Mei found themselves on opposite sides of the largest table.
”You can't win this, Mr Beauty,” Ban Shan's laughter was raspy as he tried not to pant. ”Truce?”
”Truce my arse.”
”I'll leave that to your husband over theeeeeeeeeere.... grab him!” At Ban Shan's taunt, Mei launched himself over the table. His plan was foiled when Wang Wei and Yong Hou obeyed Ban Shan's direction and grabbed Mei's arms. Before he had a chance to blink, Mei was pinned to the table and Ban Shan was pulling his shirt over his head.
”Bastards,” he tried to kick but quickly discovered that it was useless. Why do I keep getting ganged up on like this? It's not fair!
”Mei-he,” Ban Shan's voice was somber, all hint of teasing disappeared. ”What happened?”
”What happened? You cheated! Calling in reinforcements, bah.” Opening his eyes, Mei looked up at his eldest brother. The seriousness of Ban Shan's expression made him gulp. Who knew his playful friend could look so cold? It suddenly occurred to Mei that with his shirt on the ground, his chest and stomach were left bare and that meant... ”Oh. Ah... nothing? Nothing happened?”
”You're covered in rope burn. That's not nothing.”
”Let me up.” All Mei wanted at that moment was to cover himself with his arms. Or a shirt. Preferably a fluffy parka so he could bury his face in it too.
”We're not letting you up until you explain.” Yong Hou gently touched one of the bruises corded around Mei's stomach. The younger man flinched slightly which only made his friend's faces tighten even further. ”Who did this to you?”
Mei stared at them and clamped his lips shut. He wasn't saying a word. Nothing. They could wait here all day until laosan returned and rescued him. Why am I waiting for Xiao Nai to rescue me? Where's KO? On cue, his partner in crime stepped forward, parting their friends with a single look so he could reach the table. When Ban Shan and Yong Hou refused to move away from Mei, KO glared at them until they slowly released Mei's hands. With an arm under Mei's shoulder, KO helped him sit.
”It was a joint effort.”
The silence was deafening. Blood rushed to Mei's face and he hid it against KO's chest. The arm around his shoulder tightened.
”Ah...” Ban Shan started to speak, then stopped. It was a miracle to see him speechless but Mei wasn't sure he appreciated being the reason behind such a miraculous event.
”Please explain?” Yong Hou folded his arms and narrowed his eyes at the pair. With Mei's face hidden against KO's chest it was hard to tell what he was thinking, however everyone could see the tips of his ears turn red. ”Are you saying that Mei wanted to resemble a goose trussed for roasting?”
”No. That part wasn't deliberate. But it was still a joint effort.” Mei pinched KO's waist. Damn the hacker and his sudden verbosity when talking about sex. Did he not realise that now was he perfect time to keep quiet?
”Ah!” It suddenly dawned on Li Qiang what had happened. ”Didn't you organise a safe word beforehand?”
KO shook his head and unconsciously stroked Mei's back.
”Idiots. It's Kink 101. Always have a safe word.”
”How do you know that?” Wang Wei eyes Li Qiang suspiciously.
”I'm the Creative type... we have imaginations,” not at all perturbed by the fact that he'd revealed more about himself than the others wanted to know, Li Qiang focussed again on KO and Mei. ”If you had used a safe word then it probably wouldn't be as bad.”
KO opened his mouth and Mei sprung up, kneeling in the table with his hands over the hacker's mouth.
”Do. Not. Speak.” He narrowed his eyes at the man in front of him, not at all trusting the warmth he could see on the hacker's face.
”Oh ho...” Li Qiang chuckled. ”Maybe it would have been as bad. Mei-ge, I never picked you for an M.”
Waving his middle finger at his grinning friend, Mei plonked his butt on the table, legs on either side of KO's waist and once more buried his face against the man's chest. ”I can't deal with this. Just talk.”
KO wrapped his arms around Mei and took him at his word. ”He never said stop.”
Li Qiang looked surprised. ”Never?”
”Never.”
”Huh.” Their friends shifted uncomfortably and Li Qiang took pity on everyone. ”We can talk in your room, without an audience.”
”Hmm.” KO inclined his head.