"My apologies." Whatever, he didn't care. He smiled at the young man, waited for him to sit and then followed suit. He sat down and leaned on the table, trying to work out how to best go about this. "I want you to understand that I have no stake in this, not really. If you don't want to come, you won't come. You won't be the heir and someone else will take your place. I just want you to understand that whoever does, they are unlikely to want you alive. Years down the line, if you changed your mind, they'd lose everything - who'd want that person alive?"
It was unlikely that whoever became the next leader would allow someone like Chenglei to exist for any longer so really, there wasn't much of a choice. He slipped his hand into his inside pocket and pulled out a USB, holding it out to Chenglei.
"Here is all the information on your family, thought you might find it interesting. It's not everything but it's the gist on what we do, how we do it and how long your family has done it."
"If you've got no stake in this, why would you be here?" Chenglei just muttered it, entirely too reminded of so many gangster movies that he'd watched. He took the USB and looked at Yihao again, to make sure he was fine. He seemed fine, if a little overwhelmed by the amount that Xue Yang was ordering. Good.
He swallowed and looked at Meng Yao again, doing his best to keep his face neutral. He wasn't feeling neutral, he felt very unsure and a little scared, neither of which he wanted to admit to. Acting like he didn't care about anything was a lot easier than this. "I haven't even finished high school yet and it's not looking like I will, so what am I even supposed to do? I can't be a gangster."
"I'm here because I have to be. I was asked to find you and tell you. Sometimes we have to do things for the sake of doing them." He didn't want to do it but he knew it was essential to do it, whether or not it mattered. "If you do accept the offer, I am here for you. As a teacher." For some awful reason, that was the role that was thrust upon him. "I'll show you how to be a gangster."
Leaning in, Meng Yao kept his voice nice and slow. "It's not hard, promise." It wasn't easy but luckily, this boy would not really have to do any dirty work - he'd just be a figure head until he was old enough to decide what to do himself. "You are so fortunate, you do not even know. You should jump at this chance, it's incredible."
"What's fortunate about it? You've just told me that some assholes would kill me and my friends and family just for existing." Didn't really seem like much of a perk. So far, this whole thing just sounded like a pain. Definitely didn't help that he had a feeling that this guy was talking to him as if he was an idiot. Maybe he was just being sensitive, but still.
"It's not an offer, is it? I have to do it." If what he'd told him was actually true. Which he had no proof of. Maybe this USB stick would actually have that? He eyed it suspiciously. "All I know is that my grandfather owes me a lot of birthday presents."
"To be born in a position of privilege is always fortunate. You will have money, a purpose, a place in the world and eternal protection. If you don't think that is good fortune, I think you should trade places with others without those perks." Meng Yao would have killed to have such a beautiful lot in life but instead, he had to fight all the way to get anything. Perhaps that was why he so deeply loathed Chenglei right now. Lucky little brat.
"You have a choice. Take it or don't take it and gamble. Maybe you'll get to live for a few years, maybe forever. Maybe the person who takes over will be generous." Unlikely but possible. "Even so, I wouldn't like my odds."
Chenglei would have a few things to say on the subject of how privileged and fortunate he was, but he bit his tongue. It wasn't that difficult to sense that this guy didn't like him, so what good would come from trying to make him understand that? Seemed like nothing good would come from any of this, honestly.
But it also seemed as if, no, he did not have a choice, and the only person he had to talk to about it was some guy who hated him. Ugh. This was like summer school all over again. "So, what? What do I have to do? I don't-- I mean, what, do I still have to go to school?"
"Yes, you have to go to school and finish, graduate if you can and we will handle the rest for you. If you want to study at university, great. If you don't, we can fake it." He could just have a magical bachelors in business in a few years. "Your grandfather will pass soon you will be expected to visit him beforehand and eventually, you will inherit his home."
"No one will know you are the leader outside of a very small circle. You see, the ones at the top are never known. They're less in danger that way. Gangsters hide in plain sight." It could be dangerous but it was an art that most heirs had perfected. Too bad Chenglei hadn't. "I'm curious, do you mind me asking - do you remember anything from when you were around 4 and you used to stay with your grandfather?"
"I don't remember my early childhood. My mother says she dropped me on the head." Which, honestly, he'd always thought was her bullshitting him, because she said stuff like that all the time and also because he remembered some things. "I remember gunshots."
He'd never told anyone about that, but then, it had always seemed irrational. Now that he knew these things? A lot more believable. "Maybe I forgot because of something?" Maybe there was trauma of some kind. Huh. Maybe that was what was wrong with him. So many people had asked him what was wrong over the years. "...would I still go to school here?"
"That is a shame. I assume you blocked it out. I don't know every detail but I do know people who may know. I know people who know you. Childhood friends." He knew that Wangji remembered him, he had seemed interested for the first time in a long time when the rumour started to spread about Chenglei returning. He was sure Tian probably knew something too. Tao? Unlikely. He had been far too young.
He looked back to make sure Xue Yang was spending all of his money before nodding slowly and turning back to Chenglei. "Sure. Move. You can leave and come with me, I can find you a preferred school. We have the money for it." After all, Meng Yao had to serve him and make him happy. "Your grandfather rejected your parents so if you wish to as well, you should."
"Er. I dunno. I think they were gonna move again anyw--" Wait. Chenglei frowned, then folded his arms and rested his head on them. Of course. Of fucking course. This did explain everything. Well, not everything, his parents were still odd, but the frequent moving? The insistence that he learned how to defend himself and beat people up and also never wanting him to get too close to people or draw too much attention? Right. That did explain his entire life's misery nicely.
Now he had childhood friends and was a gangster. Ugh. He was so tired.
Xue Yang returned carrying a tray, but he let Yihao sit down first, then set the tray down, immediately reaching for the cake that looked best for him. Glancing at Chenglei, he laughed. "What's with the future boss?"
"He's whiny of his burden in life." Meng Yao explained as he checked all the drinks until he found his - black coffee. Nothing in it and, if Xue Yang had remembered, several extra pumps of caffeine. He hadn't slept yet this weekend so he was a bit all over the place, he really needed something to help him focus. "But he is open to accepting his fate. So there is that. We just need to find a new school and somewhere to live, shouldn't be hard."
"... New school?" Oh. Well. Okay, Yihao should have expected that but Chenglei was leaving already? He felt his heart sink and his stomach drop at the idea. He just got a friend and he was going to leave. He hated it. "I hope you'll like, Chenglei." He was going to miss him.
Chenglei didn't exactly want to leave, honestly, he just wanted all of this to leave. Life had been a lot simpler half an hour ago, before this bomb had been dropped on him. He wasn't sure how to put any of that into words, so he just reached for Yihao's hand under their table and threaded their fingers together, his heart beating too fast for all too many reasons.
"Ah, he can go to the fancy school with those other brats." Xue Yang nodded his understanding. "You'll like it. Their cafeteria is great." About all he knew, from a few times he had had to do bodyguard duties there.
"Look, man, I do not have the grades to get into a school like that." Chenglei didn't want to explain that to people, but here he was. "And I have things in my file. Fights."
Xue Yang laughed. Well, it was funny. Gangster heir concerned over having some fights on file.
"You could have the worst possible thing on your file and it would be forgotten. Do you have any idea how much influence you have? Besides, fighting in your field - it's a good look." Meng Yao smiled as he took a sip of his drink and laughed, looking at Xue Yang with amusement. This was all so funny to him, the way this boy talked. When would he realise that he wasn't normal, the rules didn't apply to him. Not in that way.
Yihao looked down at the table and silently held Chenglei's hand, wishing that this men would disappear forever and leave, not taking his Chenglei with them. What would he do without him? He didn't mind the bullying, he could deal with it alone, he always had. It was being alone again. He knew what it was like to have a friend.
"He really has no idea, huh?" That was funny. Usually the brats he dealt with were incredibly entitled, quite a couple of them treated him like a rabid dog and even the ones who didn't, well, he'd seen how they thought about the world. The polite ones were the scarier ones, really, they tended to be most calculating, much like Xue Yang. But Chenglei just sat there, looking lost and badly pretending that he wasn't.
"...can Yihao go to a different school?" Chenglei wasn't even sure why he asked that, but-- Well, he knew how much Yihao got bullied. He didn't like the idea of that continuing.
"Aw. He wants his boyfriend with him. Grandpa's gonna be thrilled." Xue Yang, at least, was entertained. "Just shack up, why don't you? Yao, get them a lovers' nest."
"That... I can't sort out for you. I mean, kind of - I could help with it but ... that is an issue for his parents and I don't want to get involved, it draws attention." Meng Yao pointed out, not sure what to say but he didn't want to be accused of kidnapping some teenage boy so he could live with his boyfriend. He looked at Yihao and shrugged. "You would have to ask your parents..."
Yihao's mouth hung open as he tried to process the idea of it but he didn't know how. He looked at Chenglei, touched at the fact that he wanted to bring him along but terrified at the idea of leaving everything he knew to go with him. Not that he had much to lose.
"You want me to come with you?" Yihao gripped Chenglei's hand harder. "Are you sure?"
"Er. I just meant somewhere better?" How had this happened? Because now Yihao was looking at him so eagerly, or afraid or-- he wasn't even sure how to interpret that expression and Xue Yang just seemed to be deeply amused, while enjoying his cake.
Chenglei had no idea what to do now. "Look, he gets bullied without me there. I'm not-- He's not--" Ugh, why was this so hard? "I just want him to be all right."
"Aww! I ship them, Yao." Xue Yang knew how helpful he was being.
"You want me to just randomly move your friend to a new school? ... I mean I can do it but it's a weird order. Also, once again, you have to consider how to do it subtly. I guess a scholarship or something." Meng Yao rolled his eyes and looked at Xue Yang, not sure what to make of all this true love. He lowered his voice, subtle but not too subtle. "They're a strange pair. I don't think the young master knows..."
Totally didn't know how gay he was.
Yihao wasn't sure if it was rejection or not but he tried his best to look at it as a good thing. He didn't want to lose Chenglei but it was sweet of him to care so much. "I'll be okay, it's not that bad. I can survive it. It's just two more years." Yihao smiled shyly and bowed to Chenglei. "Don't worry about me, focus on yourself."
"Nah, he's no idea." Xue Yang knew denial when he saw it and he had a feeling that Chenglei was in denial about a lot of things. He wondered when it'd hit him. He hoped he'd cry.
Chenglei had no idea what they were talking about, but he glared half-heartedly anyway, then looked at Yihao and shrugged. "If I'm suddenly some rich gangster, I might as well make sure you're all right. Probably safer away from me though."
Just... Logically speaking. "Like in some weird movie."
"I don't know if I can change where I am. I belong here and I'm okay with it. You should focus on you. Seems like there's a lot here that's going on." Yihao looked awkward over at Meng Yao and Xue Yang, unsure how things changed so rapidly. He went from a cute not-date to this mess. He was losing Chenglei and he didn't care about whatever else came of it - he wouldn't get to see him.
"I need to visit your family." Meng Yao stated simply, looking at Chenglei and waiting for his focus to come back from his little boyfriend. "I'll drive you home. My car is out back."
"Great." Chenglei got up, letting go of Yihao's hand. Yes, pretending to not care about anything was definitely better. "My parents will be thrilled." Ugh. He was not thrilled with them, he knew that much. Couldn't they have prepared him in some way instead of just messing him up this much?
"Yao, should I take home the boyfriend or am I coming with you?" Xue Yang was happy either way, he just wanted to know. "Is the boyfriend under protection or something?"
"If he is then yes, I suppose you take the boy home. Do you live far from here or...?" Meng Yao just wanted to know how long it would take before he could have Xue Yang back. Yihao nodded slowly and played with his sweater, admittedly not thrilled to be in a car with Xue Yang but he had no idea what was going on - Chenglei looked so hurt, he didn't know how to make it better for him.
"I-I can go home al--"
"No, it's fine. Yang, take him home. Be careful with him. No funny business." Meng Yao got up and looked at Chenglei. "He will be fine. Promise."
"...call or text me when you get home all right, Yihao. Yeah?" He waited for Yihao to confirm, then just glared at Xue Yang as effectively as he could. That seemed gangster-like. Of course, Xue Yang just smiled and even put an arm across Yihao's shoulder, already asking him whether he wanted to get take-out at some drive-through.
Well, whatever. That left him with Meng Yao. Who, while less scary, also seemed like way less fun. "So, what's the deal? You have to do whatever I say? Is that what the young master stuff is all about?"
"Yes, I do." Meng Yao sighed as he led Chenglei along, fishing out his car keys as he walked next to the younger boy. "I'm in service to your grandfather right now but I bounce around certain families depending on where and when they need me. There is no one ruling family, usually there are families within one group and that group will share assets." And Meng Yao was an asset, much like Xue Yang. They did things for people and when they had run out of use, they were swapped over.
"I just finished teaching the Nie heir how to exist by himself and I got the recommendation for this job." A great regret he would forever have - he hated working with teenagers.
"All right. Gotcha." It was like in a video game. He had a mobile game that worked similarly, but that was about ants and he decided to keep that thought to himself. "I'm all right at existing. I don't think I'll need that much help with that."
Although, he supposed it was different. Existing as an heir to something like that. Yeah, honestly, he had no idea how to go about that. He still couldn't fully understand it. "So... You are like a babysitter for gang boss heirs? Or a tutor? Huh." What a weird job. "What does the other guy do?"
"No, not officially. I do ... anything. I tutor, I do the finances, I organise events, I handle the paperwork and the clerical issues, I -- I clean up sometimes." Meng Yao was not in a good position but he had proved himself worthy of some more difficult duties. He bounced between Nie Mingjue's high expectations and his father's pathetically low ones. "Xue Yang is an assassin, hit man, body guard and whatever else. Mostly he's here because he wanted train snacks."
Xue Yang was a lot more than what he was too but Meng Yao kept that to himself.
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It was unlikely that whoever became the next leader would allow someone like Chenglei to exist for any longer so really, there wasn't much of a choice. He slipped his hand into his inside pocket and pulled out a USB, holding it out to Chenglei.
"Here is all the information on your family, thought you might find it interesting. It's not everything but it's the gist on what we do, how we do it and how long your family has done it."
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He swallowed and looked at Meng Yao again, doing his best to keep his face neutral. He wasn't feeling neutral, he felt very unsure and a little scared, neither of which he wanted to admit to. Acting like he didn't care about anything was a lot easier than this. "I haven't even finished high school yet and it's not looking like I will, so what am I even supposed to do? I can't be a gangster."
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Leaning in, Meng Yao kept his voice nice and slow. "It's not hard, promise." It wasn't easy but luckily, this boy would not really have to do any dirty work - he'd just be a figure head until he was old enough to decide what to do himself. "You are so fortunate, you do not even know. You should jump at this chance, it's incredible."
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"It's not an offer, is it? I have to do it." If what he'd told him was actually true. Which he had no proof of. Maybe this USB stick would actually have that? He eyed it suspiciously. "All I know is that my grandfather owes me a lot of birthday presents."
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"You have a choice. Take it or don't take it and gamble. Maybe you'll get to live for a few years, maybe forever. Maybe the person who takes over will be generous." Unlikely but possible. "Even so, I wouldn't like my odds."
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But it also seemed as if, no, he did not have a choice, and the only person he had to talk to about it was some guy who hated him. Ugh. This was like summer school all over again. "So, what? What do I have to do? I don't-- I mean, what, do I still have to go to school?"
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"No one will know you are the leader outside of a very small circle. You see, the ones at the top are never known. They're less in danger that way. Gangsters hide in plain sight." It could be dangerous but it was an art that most heirs had perfected. Too bad Chenglei hadn't. "I'm curious, do you mind me asking - do you remember anything from when you were around 4 and you used to stay with your grandfather?"
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He'd never told anyone about that, but then, it had always seemed irrational. Now that he knew these things? A lot more believable. "Maybe I forgot because of something?" Maybe there was trauma of some kind. Huh. Maybe that was what was wrong with him. So many people had asked him what was wrong over the years. "...would I still go to school here?"
Because this school sucked, honestly.
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He looked back to make sure Xue Yang was spending all of his money before nodding slowly and turning back to Chenglei. "Sure. Move. You can leave and come with me, I can find you a preferred school. We have the money for it." After all, Meng Yao had to serve him and make him happy. "Your grandfather rejected your parents so if you wish to as well, you should."
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Now he had childhood friends and was a gangster. Ugh. He was so tired.
Xue Yang returned carrying a tray, but he let Yihao sit down first, then set the tray down, immediately reaching for the cake that looked best for him. Glancing at Chenglei, he laughed. "What's with the future boss?"
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"... New school?" Oh. Well. Okay, Yihao should have expected that but Chenglei was leaving already? He felt his heart sink and his stomach drop at the idea. He just got a friend and he was going to leave. He hated it. "I hope you'll like, Chenglei." He was going to miss him.
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"Ah, he can go to the fancy school with those other brats." Xue Yang nodded his understanding. "You'll like it. Their cafeteria is great." About all he knew, from a few times he had had to do bodyguard duties there.
"Look, man, I do not have the grades to get into a school like that." Chenglei didn't want to explain that to people, but here he was. "And I have things in my file. Fights."
Xue Yang laughed. Well, it was funny. Gangster heir concerned over having some fights on file.
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Yihao looked down at the table and silently held Chenglei's hand, wishing that this men would disappear forever and leave, not taking his Chenglei with them. What would he do without him? He didn't mind the bullying, he could deal with it alone, he always had. It was being alone again. He knew what it was like to have a friend.
And now he knew how painful it was to lose one.
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"...can Yihao go to a different school?" Chenglei wasn't even sure why he asked that, but-- Well, he knew how much Yihao got bullied. He didn't like the idea of that continuing.
"Aw. He wants his boyfriend with him. Grandpa's gonna be thrilled." Xue Yang, at least, was entertained. "Just shack up, why don't you? Yao, get them a lovers' nest."
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Yihao's mouth hung open as he tried to process the idea of it but he didn't know how. He looked at Chenglei, touched at the fact that he wanted to bring him along but terrified at the idea of leaving everything he knew to go with him. Not that he had much to lose.
"You want me to come with you?" Yihao gripped Chenglei's hand harder. "Are you sure?"
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Chenglei had no idea what to do now. "Look, he gets bullied without me there. I'm not-- He's not--" Ugh, why was this so hard? "I just want him to be all right."
"Aww! I ship them, Yao." Xue Yang knew how helpful he was being.
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Totally didn't know how gay he was.
Yihao wasn't sure if it was rejection or not but he tried his best to look at it as a good thing. He didn't want to lose Chenglei but it was sweet of him to care so much. "I'll be okay, it's not that bad. I can survive it. It's just two more years." Yihao smiled shyly and bowed to Chenglei. "Don't worry about me, focus on yourself."
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Chenglei had no idea what they were talking about, but he glared half-heartedly anyway, then looked at Yihao and shrugged. "If I'm suddenly some rich gangster, I might as well make sure you're all right. Probably safer away from me though."
Just... Logically speaking. "Like in some weird movie."
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"I need to visit your family." Meng Yao stated simply, looking at Chenglei and waiting for his focus to come back from his little boyfriend. "I'll drive you home. My car is out back."
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"Yao, should I take home the boyfriend or am I coming with you?" Xue Yang was happy either way, he just wanted to know. "Is the boyfriend under protection or something?"
"Yes. Yes, he is!" There, he could order that.
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"I-I can go home al--"
"No, it's fine. Yang, take him home. Be careful with him. No funny business." Meng Yao got up and looked at Chenglei. "He will be fine. Promise."
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Well, whatever. That left him with Meng Yao. Who, while less scary, also seemed like way less fun. "So, what's the deal? You have to do whatever I say? Is that what the young master stuff is all about?"
Better than him being a pervert, he supposed.
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"I just finished teaching the Nie heir how to exist by himself and I got the recommendation for this job." A great regret he would forever have - he hated working with teenagers.
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Although, he supposed it was different. Existing as an heir to something like that. Yeah, honestly, he had no idea how to go about that. He still couldn't fully understand it. "So... You are like a babysitter for gang boss heirs? Or a tutor? Huh." What a weird job. "What does the other guy do?"
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Xue Yang was a lot more than what he was too but Meng Yao kept that to himself.
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