Beautiful.

That was the first thought Wei Ying had, looking into those bottomless golden eyes.

They were remarkable because they were so alive, so vibrant.

There were tiny golden flecks lighter than the amber ring around the blackest of pupils...and for a moment, Wei Ying was completely lost inside that swirling golden sea.

Lan Zhan heard a heartbeat.

That's what caused him to open his eyes, and the strong scent of vanilla and lotus flowers was back, stirring his hunger. His eyes snapped open with the awareness of a high-class predator, with the knowledge that his prey was close by.

But what Lan Zhan had not realised was that his prey was captivating.

Silver eyes stared back at him, even as the external heartbeat rose, a percussion that steadily increased.

Lan Zhan was momentarily confused because...it didn't feel like his own heart was beating...so whose...? It must be this gorgeous man's heart he could hear.

In that split second, Lan Zhan was aware of so much, and he was certain it was accurate information his brain was supplying.

This beautiful man was in his mid twenties... around the same age as himself. His forehead was open and wide, partially hidden under a wild fringe framing his oval face, almond shaped eyes glimmering with the majesty of a stormy sea, and Lan Zhan was reminded of crashing waves under a moonlit night. This beauty had longer hair than himself, currently tied up in a bun with a few tendrils escaping their confinement.

Lan Zhan wanted nothing more than to ... bite him?

Where had that thought come from?

The hunger was back...far more powerfully than Lan Zhan was able to bear but to his utter frustration, he still couldn't move.

He felt entirely numb...as though his body was incubating something...or under going some kind of drastic change. And along with that knowledge, he was hyper aware that it was alright...that these first thirty three hours were going to be hard, but crucial to his survival.

And all throughout, the temptation standing so close to him that Lan Zhan felt as if he was drowning in a lake of intoxicating lotus flowers...and he was surprised to understand that he wouldn't mind.

Not if this person was with him.

His hunger flared painfully in his gut...but that thought anchored him, and Lan Zhan forced himself to calm down and listen to what he was saying.

"Um...how are you feeling?" The silver-eyed beauty was asking him.

Lan Zhan tried to speak, but his tongue felt like lead. In fact his whole face was numb right now. He really wanted to answer the question but his body wasn't cooperating with his thoughts...and it was too frustrating!

Lan Zhan could feel a rage building, a fire brewing in his belly. Anger coarsed through his veins as he tried in a futile attempt to say something...anything. A strangled noise came out instead, and those gorgeous silver eyes widened in surprise. He must have seen something in Lan Zhan’s eyes, because there was confusion on his lovely face.

"Wait...you can't move?" Wei Ying could feel his heart racing even as this realisation occurred to him.

How did he know to ask that?

Wei Ying only knew that he really wanted to help this man. He told himself that it was because he was in some kind of discomfort...not because the longer he looked into those wonderful eyes, it felt like he was coming home.

But he had a brilliant idea on how to help, especially if he was right...that whatever had happened to this handsome stranger, it had rendered him immobile.

"Okay...listen up. Can you blink?" He asked, urgently.

It was only a matter of time before one of the kids out there needed something...and Wei Ying wasn't sure why, but he wanted to keep their new guest's arrival a secret for as long as he could.

For as long as he could remember, Wei Ying was a man who listened to his gut, and right now? It was telling him that it was the best way to proceed.

The stranger blinked once.

Wei Ying felt a thrill of anticipation run through his body.

This was great! He was able to communicate with this gorgeous hunk of a man.

He groaned internally, wanting to smack himself.

Wei Ying had no idea where this burgeoning attraction had come from but it was spiralling out of control.

Help...he wanted to help this man.

Yes! That was why he was so happy.

That was it.

If he focused on helping, he could concentrate on doing a moral good instead of all his blood racing down below his belt.

"Right...I'm going to ask you a few questions and you can blink once for yes, twice for no...okay?" Wei Ying felt unreasonably excited at the prospect.

Lan Zhan blinked once, thinking it was a genius move. His mouth still wouldn't do what he wanted it to...and if his arms could function, he would have grabbed this delightful person and kissed the hell out of him.

Oh, God!

Where had that come from?

Lan Zhan was suddenly really happy that his body wasn't working properly...otherwise this conversation would have been terribly embarrassing suddenly.

Was his attraction to this pretty soul a part of his condition? Something related to the changes that were happening to him?

Lan Zhan wasn't sure...but he hoped not.

Whatever this was...he wished it was real, and separate from his current problem.

"Can you move?"

Lan Zhan blinked twice, rapidly.

He kind of felt helpless at that...but a part of him was telling him that it was only temporary...how much he could trust that feeling was something that only time could tell.

Wei Ying was trying not to panic.

This beautiful stranger couldn't move? Was he paralysed? Wait, didn't Wen Qing show him two puncture marks on this guy's neck? What if they had somehow severed crucial nerves around his spinal cord? Was that why he couldn't move?

Lan Zhan saw him reach careful fingers to gently turn his head.

Desire suddenly flared through his body, a fire erupting through his mind, leaving him dazed and confused. This body was feeling everything so much stronger than before, all the nuances that he would have previously ignored, were now amplified to a hundred times more deeply.

Cool fingers on his skin and Lan Zhan was in heaven.

His skin was hot, he realised...so maybe this was a fever? Maybe all he had to do was wait it out? Not unlike when he was ill on the few occasions in the past, and contracted a fever; he invariably felt better once it broke.

This was a calming thought.

And in complete contrast to whatever was going on with the beautiful man currently touching him.

"Your skin feels too hot." Wei Ying frowned. "I'm just coming."

He moved out of Lan Zhan’s sight, and Lan Zhan wanted to call out, shout, grab him, anything to bring him back.

His voice was just as wonderful as he looked, and Lan Zhan wanted him to continue speaking. If paying him to do that was an option, then Lan Zhan was so up for that.

Now that his eyes were open, he had a circle of vision that he could see.

A single light bulb hung on the ceiling above him, and a thin glimmer of light slipped through the crack in the curtains not closed properly.

Lan Zhan wasn't sure how he felt about the light. He knew he would prefer the light bulb to actual daylight...but that seemed to be a problem for another day.

There was a table next to the bed he was lying next to, and from what little he could see, it was filled with clutter. There was some makeup, just the basics of mascara and concealer, foundation and lip gloss. Lan Zhan did not recognise the names and guessed that they were probably of a supermarket brand.

Why would the man need makeup?

Lan Zhan had nothing against men using makeup, in fact he rather liked the idea of being able to enhance what was already there...but on the person who lived here?

Lan Zhan thought it might be devastating on his poor heart...which was already not working properly. Seeing that beautiful man enhance his gorgeous mouth? Lan Zhan was positive there would be no saving him then.

There were times when Lan Zhan had to use makeup himself; he was the face of the Lan Corporation and his job demanded that he look perfect all the time.

But the hours he worked strongly contested that.

Beauty sleep was called that for a reason.

A deep breath outside the door alerted him to the return of the beautiful man, this time holding a thermometer.

"Sorry...it took me long to find it. A-Yuan and I rarely get sick and so I've never had to use it...congratulations on being the first one!" He used his teeth to rip off the packaging.

Lan Zhan didn't know why that was so appealing, but a bolt of lust shot through his body at the sight. His eyes were drawn to this person, noticing the smallest details.

Right now, his little pink tongue was peeking out from the side of his lovely mouth, those pink lips beautifully puckered in thought as he read the instructions on the back.

Then he turned his attention onto Lan Zhan.

Lan Zhan felt a wonderful warmth at that, as if he was a blooming flower turning towards the nourishing rays of the sun that was this stranger.

He wanted to do anything to make this man look at him this way...forever.

"Can we try this?"

Lan Zhan realised he was waiting for a reply. He quickly blinked, eagerly wanting to be touched.

Wei Ying smiled down at him. He had brought alcoholic wipes to sterilise the thermometer before he put it into the handsome man's beautiful mouth. He concentrated on doing that, and trying not to think about what kissing him would feel like.

Damn...get a grip, Wei WuXian! He told himself sharply.

If this guy couldn't move...then he had a problem.

One thing at a time, he told himself. If he took this in stages, it would be easier to deal with, and he knew that. So he made himself focus on the task at hand. His fingers held the electric thermometer, and with his other hand, he lifted the man's jaw so he could slide the cold plastic nib into his mouth.

He talked throughout.

"According to the instructions on that," his eyes shifted to the cardboard backing of the instrument in his hands, "your temperature should be ninty eight point six degrees Fahrenheit or..." He bit his lip, doing a quick calculation, "thirty-seven degrees centigrade." He smiled down at Lan Zhan.

That smile was dangerous.

Lan Zhan found himself falling into its beauty.

He could see himself offering up all kinds of wealth just to be able to see it regularly. It made him feel warmer...and that was a good thing...wasn't it?

"In case you're wondering why I haven't taken it out yet, we're waiting for a beep. Ah...there it is!" He smiled wider, and took it out.

The smile disappeared and Lan Zhan felt its loss deep inside. His soul cried out in misery, needing to see it.

That smile should be permanent, always there...

"Wow! It's no wonder you're not feeling great. You are flying high on a hundred and fifteen degrees Fahrenheit! Oh my God!" His silver eyes snapped back towards Lan Zhan.

Lan Zhan felt the spike in the other's heart rate, confusion marring his face.

"That's way too high!" He sounded distressed.

Lan Zhan felt bad for him...but something was wrong.

From the moment Wei Ying had stuck that thermometer in his mouth, he'd tasted the horrible alcohol from the wipes and his mind was already woozy. His eyes drifted closed all by themselves and the last thing he felt was being shaken.

His mind screamed out in frustration because all Lan Zhan wanted was to carry on watching that beautiful man, and have him continue to speak to him...and then...there was only blackness.

Wei Ying was staring at the thermometer when he saw the eyes of the strangely beautiful man close, and he panicked.

Was this the effect of his fever? He didn't know what to do!

He raced back to the kitchen and grabbed a washcloth, and filled a bowl of cold water. He tried to smile af the kids but it was okay because they were ignoring him for now, so he hurried back towards his bedroom.

Wei Ying prepared the cold compress and twisted the wet cloth so all the water was wrung out, and then he placed it on the man's forehead.

And then his stupid alarm went off.

At the same time, the doorbell rang.

That was probably PoPo...

And Wei Ying was going to be late.

Great...just what he needed, for Su She to be mad at him even before he got there.

Wei Ying hurried to open the door for her; he was right, it was Wen PoPo.

He smiled at her kindly face, wrinkled with time.

She poked his belly disapprovingly.

To his greatest embarrassment, it gurgled painfully as though reminding him that he hadn't eaten yet.

She frowned at him.

"It's a good thing I brought these." She took out instant cup noodles.

"PoPo...I have to leave!" He replied, regretfully.

"Nonsense. You can take these with you. Go get ready, and I'll have these done for you." She shooed him out of the way, and Wei Ying wondered what it was about these Wen women, why the heck were they so strong-willed when they were so short?

But there was no time to dwell on the similarities between PoPo and Wen Qing; he had a job to get to.

The table in his bedroom doubled as a workspace and a dresser, and Wei Ying blushed at the thought that at least he didn't have to change his clothes; both places he worked at used the same black uniform just with different name tags.

He fastened his Love Bites one over his heart and checked his hair, refreshing his bun so that all of his silky hair was tidily caught inside. Just seconds of applying concealer to the dark circles around his eyes; at this rate, it was only a matter of time before some zookeeper arrested him for being an escaped panda.

He sighed deeply.

Then one quick glance at the stranger passed out in his bed, not at all thinking why that would give him the deepest thrill, and Wei Ying grabbed his jacket, flinging it over his arm.

The problem of why his bed was occupied was really a problem for later, he decided, closing his bedroom door behind himself.

Not a moment too soon, because a napkin holding warm, fresh noodles and the scent of chicken and spices assaulted his nose, and his ravenous stomach.

PoPo glared at him triumphantly until he accepted them.

"Thank you, PoPo. I don't know what we'd do without you." Wei Ying kissed the top of her head.

She had been about to smack his arm, but she immediately softened at that.

"Just look after yourself better." She scolded, but it was without heat.

"No way!" He grinned back, charming her. "That's why we have you!" He bounded over to the two little boys. "A-Yuan, JingYi...I've got to go now, but you both be good for PoPo, okay?" He kissed the top of both their heads, waving at them.

As he left, he heard JingYi say to A-Yuan, "That's why I like your dad. Mine doesn't even touch me."

There was a sharp pain in his chest as Wei Ying closed the door of his apartment.

He wasn't sure what was going on with JingYi...but whatever it was...it wasn't good. He made a mental note of taking care of the young boy more from now on. It would be no hardship to tell him how great he was now and then, even if his parents did not.

But it was a shame.

********

It was only after he walked into Love Bites that he realised he hadn't told anyone not to go into his bedroom.

But as usual, time wasn't on his side.

He met a scowling Su She, who told him that it was time for their daily clean out of the glassware tonight...when he probably had had the whole day to do it...but no. He had to only remember that now, after Wei Ying walked in.

And the way he kept staring at his watch as though Wei Ying had committed one of the deadly sins by arriving only seconds late?

It made Wei Ying want to smack that nasty, calculating smirk off his ghastly face.

He sighed, rolling up his sleeves and got to work.

The bar was already busy and customers were waiting for their drinks.

By ten, the place was heaving.

It was strange because this level of busy was usually reserved for the weekend starting with Friday night. Sunday it normally petered out because Monday was the start of another working week.

Wei Ying had been looking forward to getting even five minutes free so he could make a start on washing out the glasses and tumblers that Su She wanted, but it was not meant to be.

Wei Ying had already been on his feet for four hours straight and his calves were aching, but he pushed his discomfort away, just glad that PoPo had made him eat on the way to work.

"Excuse me."

The commanding voice made him look up suddenly.

Wei Ying paused, shocked because he was staring at a carbon copy of the guy back at his apartment, hopefully still passed out...but this...it wasn't him, right?

The dim lighting of the bar showed almost identical golden eyes staring back at him.

Almost...but not the same.

What were the chances of two people looking like that...crossing his path in a week? No...in a matter of two days?

Wei Ying did not believe in coincidence.

So he carefully kept his face completely neutral.

"Hi." He said in a friendly voice. "What can I get ya?" He pretended to wipe the spotless bar, hoping to get his heart rate down by the sudden appearance of this guy.

"I was wondering if you've seen this man?"

A photo was held up in front of his face.

It was this man and his bedroom guy, standing together.

They had their arms wrapped around each other in a side hug, their similarities too close not to be brothers.

Wei Ying only allowed himself a cursory glance before he returned his gaze back to the man holding the picture.

"Can't say that I have." It wasn't a complete lie. He really couldn't say that.

The stranger frowned.

Wei Ying forced himself to ask, "why? What's up?"

"I was supposed to meet him here, last night. He's my brother...and I think..." He stopped himself from saying anything further.

Wei Ying could see the raw pain in his honey-coloured eyes.

He wished he could say something...anything...but his instinct pressed his lips together.

The guy on his bed at home...he was in no condition to be moved. In fact, he couldn’t move...and maybe there was a part of Wei Ying that didn't want to give him up.

Not this soon, anyway.

He didn't question it, surreptitiously watching as disappointment clouded this new guy's face. He didn't order a drink, instead he went around the bar showing anyone who would look, if they had seen his brother.

It was closer to midnight when Wei Ying was compelled to look up from cleaning. The patrons had thinned out, the closer it got to shutting time, and now there was only a handful of customers finishing their last drinks.

Wei Ying was itching to leave, his mind almost wholly on the stranger in his bed.

"Please..."

He looked up to see the brother still standing there.

Wei Ying tried to give him a sympathetic smile but it soured his mood, being a hypocritical thing to do. He felt bad for this guy...he obviously cared about his brother...and since Wei Ying knew where he was, everything about this interaction was wrong...

"Can I leave this with you? Please? If you stick it somewhere everyone can see...his car broke down last night. His last text was just past midnight...his GPS shows he was close by..."

Wei Ying made the mistake of looking at him and he immediately regretted it.

The guy had goddamn tears in his eyes.

Wei Ying felt like shit now.

But he wasn't going to rush into anything.

"Sure. Here." He took the photo and grabbed some bluetack, sticking it up where it could easily be seen.

"Here's my number...just in case someone comes forward." The brother pushed a card towards him. "My brother's name is Lan WangJi."

Wei Ying nodded, the lump in his throat too big, thankfully, preventing him from spilling his guts.