Chapter Text
Li Lianhua rolled over in bed to squint at his ringing phone. He had been having a very nice dream that was now fading away rapidly to the tune of his ringtone. He stared at his phone screen for a moment, waiting to adjust to the brightness. It was an unknown number. He closed his eyes for a moment, weighing the pros and cons of letting it go to voicemail. It would feel so good to just hang up and roll back over into sleep, but an unknown number meant it could be a patient experiencing a genuine emergency. Ugh, he'd hoped that having his own practice and setting his own hours would mean more full nights of sleep. He slid the green button and cleared his throat before answering. "Hello?"
"Hi, Uh..." the voice of a young-sounding man came through, barely audible over background noise and music. "Is this Li Lianhua?"
Odd to hear his full name and not Doctor Li. "Speaking."
"Oh, nice! Listen, you've gotta come get your guy, He's had way too much to leave him alone and he keeps asking for you."
My guy? This was a very confusing statement to Li Lianhua's still sleep-muddled brain. Who on earth was his guy? Xiaobao? Li Lianhua wondered incredulously. Xiaobao had to be at the clinic first thing in the morning, he wouldn't be out this late, also, he was fairly sure Xiaobao was asleep in the guest room. "Could you describe what my guy looks like?"
"Uh, yeah, he's got like, longish brown hair and he's built as hell. He also has one of those- what do you call it? Cleft? Yeah, he's got a cleft chin!"
Well now, Li Lianhua was more confused than ever. He didn't know anyone that looked like that. A quiet, traitorous voice in the back of his head whispered that it sounded like Di Feisheng, but Li Lianhua told that voice to shut up. Not every muscular guy with a cleft chin was Di Feisheng, and honestly the fact that he would even think of Di Feisheng was an embarrassment. "And what's his name?"
"I don't know man, I've asked, but all we can get him to say is to call you."
"Does he need medical attention?"
"I don't think so, he's pretty wasted but not that wasted, you know?"
Li Lianhua thought about hanging up and pretending this phone call never happened. Surely this was too far beyond the realm of a family medicine doctor's responsibility. No one could blame him for ignoring a patient at two a.m. who was not experiencing an emergency. Unfortunately, Li Lianhua knew himself, and knew that if he didn't figure out what was going on, it would bother him for days.
He got the caller to tell him the address, and shuffled out of his bedroom. He checked the guest room, just in case, but found Xiaobao sprawled in bed, fast asleep and snoring gently. It really must be some mystery patient then. He pulled on boots and a coat over his pajamas, instructed Huli Jing to take charge of the house until he got back, and went out into the night. It took almost the entire drive for his car to warm up, and Li Lianhua's hands felt like ice. Xiaobao's car had a heated steering wheel, he thought ruefully. Next time he had to go out in the night like this, he'd wake up Xiaobao to get his keys.
The location was a house, all lit up with people mingling about in an impressive display of a house party, the likes of which Li Lianhua had not witnessed since college. He found a lucky parking spot near the driveway, and figured that with the lack of a better plan, he would just have to wander inside.
"Uh oh, Somebody's dad is here!" a girl snickered when he walked in.
He smiled a little to himself. He was only 32, far too young to be any of these kid's parent, but he kind of liked being thought of as an old man. Age was a sign that he was alive, after all.
He turned to her. "Hi, I'm looking for a man who's very drunk and is asking for Li Lianhua?"
She shrugged and turned back to her friends.
"Li Lianhua?" A guy from deeper in the kitchen called over the music. "I called you! He's back there." He pointed down the hall, deeper into the party.
Li Lianhua followed that direction, dodging the bodies of dancing and grinding college students, and more than one spilled drink until he made his way into what was, presumably, the stoner's corner of the party. It was a low-lit living room, pungent with smoke. And there, against all odds and common sense, was Di Feisheng.
He was sprawled on a leather sofa, eyes closed and completely asleep. The scene was so incongruous to Li Lianhua's current reality that he couldn't help but stare. Di Feisheng was here. Di Feisheng was right in front of him. Di Feisheng had asked for him? Di Feisheng mostly looked the same as he had ten years ago. His body was a little broader and his face a little narrower, but he was recognizable to Li Lianhua in an instant. His hair was almost exactly the same, and he still scowled in his sleep, still clenched his hands into fists.
He stared at the man's sleeping form for a long time until a dull ache in his head brought him back to the present moment. The smell of the smoke was starting to get to him. Part of him wanted to turn on his heel and drive back the way he came; he did not owe Di Feisheng anything, especially not a ride home. But there was something so bizarre about hearing from Di Feisheng now, ten years after he'd last seen him, that he forced himself forward. He knelt in front of Di Feisheng and lightly shook one shoulder. "Di Feisheng?" He couldn't keep the incredulous note out of his voice.
Di Feisheng let out a sigh of annoyance but didn't open his eyes. "Call Li Lianhua," and then recited Li Lianhua's phone number in the stilted chant of memorization.
Li Lianhua looked around the room, for someone to, he didn't know, validate how bizarre this situation was, but of course no one else found it strange, no one else knew their history. "This is Li Lianhua."
Di Feisheng briefly opened one scowling eye to look at him. "Okay then."
"Can I call someone for you or take you somewhere?"
Somehow, Di Feisheng glared even with his eyes closed. "Li Lianhua!" and recited the phone number again.
"Okay, okay. It's Li Lianhua, let's get you out of here." He stood to pull Di Feisheng into a sitting position. "This room is making my head hurt."
Di Feisheng made a retching sound when he sat up and leaned over the side of the couch for a couple of dry heaves. Li Lianhua glanced around for some kind of receptacle, and eventually placed what was either a very large ashtray or a decorative bowl in Di Feisheng's hands. "You hold this, I'm gonna stand you up." He flatly refused to rescue Di Feisheng from a party and clean up his vomit.
He braced the toe of his boot against Di Feisheng's feet and hooked his hands under Di Feisheng's arms. "Engage your leg muscles." He ground out as he pulled him up with all his might. This would have been much easier ten years ago. Now standing, he looped one of Di Feisheng's arms over his shoulders and half walked and half dragged him out the way he had come.
Somehow, he managed to get them both into his car. Di Feisheng still clutched the crystal bowl to his chest, even as his head lolled back against the headrest. Li Lianhua made the decision not to care about this particular instance of petty theft.
"Di Feisheng," Li Lianhua shook him a little to get his attention. "What's your address?"
Di Feisheng glared at him. "Li Lianhua."
Li Lianhua briefly considered just dropping him off at the nearest emergency room, but no, he didn't seem like he had alcohol poisoning. He was perfectly responsive, he just had one thing on his mind, and Di Feisheng had always had a one-track mind. He glanced up to the heavens in annoyance, and started his car. It seemed he had little choice but to take Di Feisheng home with him.
"Di Feisheng, ah Di Feisheng, how exactly have you gotten yourself into this situation?"
Di Feisheng only glared. Well, he never had been much of a conversationalist.
The rumble of the car was not loud enough to fill the uncomfortable silence.
Li Lianhua got him upstairs to his apartment without too much trouble, and deposited him on the sofa. He threw up the first glass of water Li Lianhua brought him, but managed to keep the next one down.
Li Lianhua was very tired, and had work in the morning. He didn't want to leave Di Feisheng alone in case he kept throwing up. He would need an IV if he couldn't keep fluid down. Fine then, he thought, it wouldn't be the first time. And so he hauled Di Feisheng to his feet again and steered him down the hall to his room, Huli Jing close on his heels.
Li Lianhua had, in the past ten years, grown accustomed to sleeping in the middle of his bed, with room to spread out if he felt like it, but today he could pick a side. He sat Di Feisheng down on top of the comforter, and pulled his coat off of him. Di Feisheng, freshly washed crystal bowl in hand, slumped over and allowed Li Lianhua to lift his legs up onto the bed. He covered him with a blanket, and Huli Jing jumped up to be at his feet, as Li Lianhua crawled into the other side of the bed. It was weird, he thought as he began to doze off. It was so weird to have him here, but it didn't feel uncomfortable. They used to sleep together almost every night, after all. Going to sleep beside him almost felt like he was twenty again.
~
When Li Lianhua woke the next morning, he rolled over to find the other side of the bed empty and cold.