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There’s an old adage used a lot in artistic circles: Those who can’t do, teach. 

Shen Wei had always hated that adage. Afterall, it required one to have a complete mastery of a craft to adequately pass on that knowledge to the next generation. 

He shifted the strap of his bag and bowed a greeting to the students passing by as he ducked into the music building of Dragon City University. The warm air of the building enveloped him the moment he stepped through the doors and he breathed a sigh of relief, stretching out his frozen fingers. No matter how warm his gloves were, they never felt like a thick enough barrier to his sensitive hands. 

He enjoyed teaching- even if it did mean being confined to teaching his students from a small pool of music appropriate for their level. Even the most beautiful piece of music can lose its appeal after the five hundredth listen. Luckily, the school loved to showcase their professors and often held concerts to allow for more challenging pieces to echo through their performance hall. His fingers twitched just thinking of sitting before a grand piano and submerging himself in the music. Performance had always been Shen Wei’s first love. 

He walked to his office and found his first student of the day leaning against the wall beside the door. She smiled at him as he approached looking sheepish. He unlocked the door and held it open for her as she bustled inside, already apologizing for arriving so early to her lesson. 

Setting her bag down on one of the chairs that lined one wall she began shucking what she still wore of her heavy winter clothes- jacket and gloves long removed during her wait for her professor. 

“Allow me a moment to prepare. Please warm up if you need.” Shen Wei unwrapped the thick scarf from around his neck and hung it up on the coat rack. 

The sounds of scales filled the office while he shed the rest of his outerwear leaving him in his suit- a style choice his fellow professors found a little strange. Most of the rest of the faculty dressed in more casual attire unless they were attending a concert or function, but Shen Wei found comfort in the formality- the concept of fashion was elusive, but a suit was always in style.  

He turned to his student and a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. Part of his job was to teach individual lessons to a handful of students which was both exhausting and exhilarating. Within his studio, Li Qian was the most promising and the most humble about her talents. 

“Let’s get started then. Why don’t you start with your competition piece?” Shen Wei took his position over her shoulder, listening closely and adjusting her technique as she moved through the music. 

Shen Wei had always been unusual even for a musician. So far in his career, he had yet to meet another person in the community that shared his particular quirk- he didn’t like listening to music. Well, he didn’t dislike it so much as he was apathetic. To him, simply listening to a piece was like skimming the surface of a vast ocean of emotion. Some performers came closer than others, managing to dip their hands below the surface, while others felt like two dimensional drawings in crayon. It made conversations with other professional musicians stilted and awkward when they asked for his opinion on their performance.

He knew his fellow professors found him likeable, but odd- invitations to functions often missed his mailbox if the school did not need to impress donors. He found he did not mind- he would much prefer to stay at home with a stack of music books and the baby grand piano in his living room anyway. 

With his students, however, he could focus on critiquing their form and accuracy while trying to explain how to truly connect to the music. Many students failed to comprehend the idea, but Li Qian was one welcome exception. From her, the music kicked off sparks behind his eyes which was more response than any other pianist he’d met. 

Her fingers stumbled through a difficult passage and she stopped, fisting her hands over the keys and twisting her mouth into a thin line. 

“Don’t force it,” he explained gently, taking a seat at her side. “Your fingers know what to do, just let go and focus on what the music is saying to you. Focus on translating that feeling to the audience.” He laid his fingertips on the keys and demonstrated the passage with a delicacy that gave the feeling of spun glass. He caressed each note while still keeping a sharp accuracy that made each tone both stand alone and as part of the phrase. 

He felt the pull of the music calling him to continue with the piece, but he gently pushed it aside and turned to face Li Qian. It was like this every time he played even a few measures of music- the siren call of the other world he could slip into and escape the confines of reality around him. He would step into that other place later, right now he had a student to focus on. 

By the end of their lesson Li Qian had made progress on the rougher passages and knew what to work on before their next lesson the following week. She gathered her music books and her coat and bid Shen Wei a good day. 

His next student strolled in fifteen minutes late and Shen Wei had to remind himself that he couldn’t just smack him upside his unkempt head with a copy of Chopin’s Nocturnes. 

The day dragged on from there, one lesson after the other interrupted only by a short lunch break and the music theory class he taught in the afternoons. By the time he reached his front door that night he could feel the draw of his piano like a physical pull. He flicked his eyes towards the sleek black lacquer, but decided that food needed to come first. 

Hunger satisfied, Shen Wei sunk into the plush surface of his piano bench and stretched out his fingers. The moment he touched the keys he felt a knot between his shoulder blades ease and he slid into the melody like someone submerging their feet into a quiet stream. He let the music wash over him, stripping away the mundane worries of everyday life and allowing himself just to exist for a moment. 

The nuances in tempo and dynamics played below his deft hands bringing different colors and moods to life. His journey moved on from the gentle stream, guided by the breeze leading him to a forest clearing. The bass line was the sun-warmed earth beneath bare feet- if he focused hard enough he could feel the supple blades of grass. His right hand conjured up images of majestic trees and their swaying branches towering far over his head all with a constant feeling of longing in the background. 

The piece wasn’t usually sad, but in recent months Shen Wei had found most of his playing tinted with loneliness. It felt like he was missing something, but no matter how many hours he played he never found what he was searching for. The forest breeze stirred his hair bringing with it a soft scent of flowers that tickled his nose. 

A sharp buzzing sound jerked him away from that solitary clearing and his fingers lifted from the keys. Irritation drew his brow down low over his eyes, but there was no use in ignoring the caller now that the moment had been broken. Adjusting his glasses on his nose, the name displayed on his phone screen immediately cleared his stormy expression.

“Chu Shuzhi, it is good to hear from you.” 

Shen Wei did not usually keep in close contact with his previous students, but Chu Shuzhi had been an exception. He had met the music composition student in one of his theory classes and immediately recognized the potential in the broody young man. Once he’d graduated from the music program several years prior, their friendship had grown- though he imagined himself indebted to Shen Wei for the simple act of helping find him a job. 

“Hey Laoshi. I’ve got a concert booked with a few people I think you might be interested in. Are you busy tomorrow night?” His former student’s voice was as gruff and to the point as he remembered. 

Chu Shuzhi helped to run an intimate concert venue in one of the trendy parts of town. The owner loved his work so much that he was given free reign to showcase his compositions with the artists that came to perform. Shen Wei was given to understand that there was a long waiting list to be blessed with the opportunity to perform Chu Shuzhi’s work- not that the composer would ever admit it. 

Chu Shuzhi knew about Shen Wei’s preference to play and his difficulties connecting with music performed by other people. They’d had a long conversation about it shortly after Chu Shuzhi had graduated. Shen Wei wished that he could say alcohol was involved, but he was completely sober at the time- to this day he still couldn’t say why he’d been so open with the other man. 

Since that day, Chu Shuzhi had made it a personal mission to find a performer that would elicit the same level of emotions Shen Wei felt when he played. So from time to time, the younger man would invite him out to hear the musicians he had booked for the night. So far, he’d been trying for five years with no results. If it were anyone besides Chu Shuzhi, Shen Wei would have turned down the invitations years ago. 

Shen Wei agreed to attend and they hung up without any additional pleasantries. Sometimes Chu Shuzhi’s bluntness was refreshing. 

The black and white keys before him beckoned him back to his sanctuary, promising journeys buoyed on waves of sound. His fingers were sliding into position without thought and the music pulled him under once more. 

It was late when fatigue finally dragged him from the dark underworld he had been wandering through. It had been a place with little light and much suffering driven by relentless phrases in his left hand. The phantom feeling of cave-like dank air against his skin still clung to him as he shut the lid over the keys and stood, making his back protest sharply. This was one of the only places he went where he knew what was missing- the light. There was no warmth in that place of desolation no matter how much Shen Wei tried to pour it into his hands. 

The next evening Shen Wei walked through the doors of the venue, nodding to the staff members he recognized. The building was small, touting a stage that dominated most of the room. There was a second floor that overlooked the floor below and allowed the audience to fill every inch of available space from above as well. A well stocked bar lined three of the walls of the first floor which offered up specialty cocktails as well as over a dozen local craft beers on tap. Not that Shen Wei would be partaking. 

He’d opted to dress down a little for the evening, knowing that his suits would only stand out awkwardly in the fashionable crowd drawn to this type of venue. He wore a green wool coat with large silver buttons over a white button down shirt. The only adventurous part of his ensemble were the purple pants that had been languishing in the back of his closet since gifted to him by a coworker. His hair was pulled back into a small ponytail at the back of his head, but several of the strands refused to be bound, falling loosely across his forehead and cheeks. Without the familiar armor of his suit he felt on edge and he fiddled with the sleeve of the coat as he walked. 

He made his way to the stage where Chu Shuzhi was sitting at an upright piano that was in desperate need of refurbishment. Of course, Shen Wei knew the instrument was still perfectly tuned- his student would demand nothing less than perfection. 

He was chatting with another man wearing a guitar case on his back, and when Shen Wei approached Chu Shuzhi lifted his hand in a silent wave, beckoning him to join them. The other man turned to follow the direction of Chu Shuzhi’s wave and Shen Wei’s feet faltered. 

He was stunning, apparently without even trying. The stranger was dressed simply in a grey sweater with a depiction of a blue ringed planet and blue jeans with what looked like paint splattered over the fabric. His hair was unstyled and fell softly around his face which was somehow both youthful and mature at the same time. The youthfulness was likely due to the lollipop stick caught between his teeth which pulled at his bottom lip in a most enticing way. When he saw Shen Wei he smiled, crinkling the corners of his eyes in a way that set Shen Wei’s heart in a syncopated rhythm. 

Shen Wei slid his eyes over to Chu Shuzhi who was watching him with keen interest. If he didn’t know any better he would think that his former student had called him here to do more than just listen to a few musicians. 

“Shen Laoshi, I’m glad you could make it.” Chu Shuzhi’s eyes lingered on the purple pants for a moment and his eyebrow swept up. Thankfully, he didn’t dare comment. “This is Zhao Yunlan, he’s one of the performers tonight. Shen Laoshi was my professor back in college, he’s the pianist I was telling you about.” 

The stranger, Zhao Yunlan, extended his hand and Shen Wei saw his own hand reach out to clasp it. His palm was dry and Shen Wei couldn’t help but notice the callouses on his fingers as they gripped the back of his hand. He was so lost in the sensation that he ended up holding on for longer than socially acceptable. Blinking rapidly he pulled his hand away sharply and tried to ignore the way his ears felt suddenly warm. 

When he looked up, Zhao Yunlan was wearing a confused smile. Shen Wei breathed a silent sigh of relief- at least he hadn’t offended the other man with his wandering focus. 

“Nice to meet you,” Shen Wei managed. 

“Yeah, same! Lao Chu was just talking about you. He was saying how amazingly you play, I’d love to hear it someday.” Zhao Yunlan leaned against the piano and slid one hand into the front pocket of his jeans looking completely relaxed. 

“Chu Shuzhi, has exaggerated, I’m sure. I’m merely an adequate musician.” Shen Wei reached to adjust his glasses before he remembered that he’d opted for his contact lenses, but his student was unimpressed by his humble description. 

“Shen Laoshi has a superpower: no matter how complex, he can memorize a piece after hearing it just once.” Chu Shuzhi explained to Zhao Yunlan whose eyebrows rose in astonishment. Shen Wei opened his mouth to interject, but Chu Shuzhi waved him off, turning to address his professor. 

“I once wrote a piece that made one of the other piano professors cry and you not only played it perfectly on your first try, you never had to look at the music again.” Chu Shuzhi said flatly. 

“It wasn’t that hard, Professor Wang is prone to dramatic displays.” Shen Wei grumbled. 

The sound of laughter brought his attention back to Zhao Yunlan whose entire face was alight with mirth. Shen Wei swallowed thickly at the sight. 

At that moment a young man stumbled his way onto the stage, tripping over cables and bumping into mic stands. To Shen Wei’s surprise, a fond expression softened Chu Shuzhi’s eyes for an instant before it was buried under his usual gruffness. 

“Hey, Guo Changcheng, try not to break everything in your path!” Chu Shuzhi barked, standing from the piano bench and steadying the man by his narrow shoulders. 

“S-sorry! We just need to start setting up so the stage manager sent me to find you and mister Zhao.” He bowed to the guitarist who dipped his head in return. 

Chu Shuzhi glanced over his shoulder between Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan. “Alright, we will be right there.” Guo Changcheng looked so relieved that Shen Wei worried he would pass out, but he managed to rally his spirits and turned to exit the stage. 

Chu Shuzhi nodded towards Zhao Yunlan to follow and the guitarist's smile slipped a few degrees when he glanced at Shen Wei. Zhao Yunlan shifted his weight from foot to foot, his gaze darting to the exit and back until he shifted the strap of his guitar case and focused on Shen Wei. 

“Well it was nice meeting you. We should jam together sometime.” Zhao Yunlan tilted his head and gave him a roguish smile before sauntering after the young man. The heat from Shen Wei’s ears spread over his entire face. That smile held a promise for more than just a jam session and for the first time in a long time, Shen Wei felt the stirrings of interest. 

When Shen Wei was alone with Chu Shuzhi once more, the former student returned to stand at his side. They stood there in silence, both lost in thought for a long moment before Chu Shuzhi spoke up. 

“Hey Laoshi, I have new music I want your opinion on, but I left it in my car. Can you wait after the concert for a bit?” 

“Of course.” Shen Wei turned and smiled at his friend, glad for the distraction from the strangely charged encounter with Zhao Yunlan. 

“Great.” His eyes wandered offstage and remained there when he continued. “You should take him up on that offer.” Shen Wei’s eyebrows vanished under his hair. Surely, he wasn’t implying… 

“I would pay good money to see you two play together; he really is a talented musician.” Chu Shuzhi finished and Shen Wei released a silent breath of relief. He could accept a lot of changes in the world, but Chu Shuzhi suggesting that he get laid was not one of them. No matter how tempting the offer had been. 

“You know that I prefer to play alone.” Shen Wei reminded him, viciously stamping down his inappropriate thoughts and focusing on the idea of playing a duet with the other man. 

It wasn’t that Shen Wei didn’t like playing in groups, but when he played with other musicians, he wasn’t able to be as free as he liked. Often his usual euphoric state was muted due to his focus being on the music made by the group. It was hard to be free to wander the forests conjured in his mind when he had to worry about keeping tempo with someone else. 

Chu Shuzhi turned and regarded him for a count of ten, then he pursed his lips. “We’ll see, sir.” Without further comment, Shen Wei’s former student and friend left him standing on the stage gaping after him. 

Shen Wei found a seat at one of the barstools in a corner, sipping at his glass of water. He sat with his back straight and his legs crossed neatly while his eyes scanned the crowd. The concert was pleasant enough with several talented musicians as Chu Shuzhi had promised, but as the night wore on, Shen Wei found himself waiting for one artist in particular. He wasn’t sure what it was that drew him to the guitarist so strongly after such a short interaction, but before each performer entered the stage he held his breath. 

After what felt like hours, Zhao Yunlan finally took the stage carrying a guitar with beautiful dark colored wood grain in one hand and a microphone stand in the other. He strode to the end of the stage and set the microphone down on the floor in front of the audience. Shen Wei’s upper body leaned forward when Zhao Yunlan surprised everyone by plopping down on the edge of the stage. Though his legs were long, his feet still dangled in the air as he slid the guitar strap over his head and adjusted the microphone. A stagehand ran up with an amp cord and he dipped his head in thanks before plugging it in and testing it out. 

“Hey everybody, my name is Zhao Yunlan and I’ll be playing for you tonight. They saved the best for last.” He sent a flirtatious wink to the crowd and was met with a chorus of whoops and cheers. “I’ve got a few songs for you tonight so let’s just jump right in.” 

From the moment his fingers strummed the first chord, Shen Wei could tell something was different. Rather than the pane of glass that usually existed between himself and the music, he felt a gentle breath of air across his face. Though it was a cover of a contemporary pop song- that the audience at least seemed familiar with- Shen Wei’s breath was getting faster as if he were in the presence of Chopin himself. 

There were words to the song, but Shen Wei could not say what they were even if his precious piano were on the line. He was too swept away by the simultaneous gravity and weightlessness of a roller coaster ride on a warm summer night. The sensation was so strong that the smell of cotton candy in the air tickled his nose and the flash of carnival game lights danced behind his eyelids whenever he blinked. 

He pressed a hand to his chest and his heart rose to meet the touch, hammering against his ribs. Never before in his life had he connected with music this way outside of his own playing. Chu Shuzhi’s cryptic words from earlier in the evening came rushing back and Shen Wei finally understood- he knew the effect that Zhao Yunlan’s playing had on the audience. His fingers itched for piano keys and the attention of a man he’d just met. 

Zhao Yunlan played two more covers of songs that Shen Wei had never heard. The music led him to late nights laying under a blanket of stars which seamlessly flowed into riotous laughter huddled close under an awning during a sudden rainshower. 

What struck Shen Wei the most about Zhao Yunlan’s ability to pull him into the music is that he was never alone. Every phrase, every strum of his fingers held a story of at least two people where Shen Wei’s music was always only him. He may be able to share the experience with the audience, but they were never active participants in his world. Zhao Yunlan, however, held his hand out to the audience and pulled them in, sharing his world freely. 

A cheer from the audience pulled his attention back to the concert. Zhao Yunlan was smiling and waving at the crowd, gesturing for silence. 

“Thank you! Alright, we’ve arrived at the last song of the evening. This is a special treat that I saved for last. It’s a new composition by a very talented local composer, and dare I say, maybe a friend?” Zhao Yunlan looked scandalized by the idea and a few audience members chuckled- Chu Shuzhi’s reputation of being gruff and standoffish was well known in the professional music circle. 

“Okay then,” Zhao Yunlan absently strummed a few times and glanced over his shoulder. “Hopefully he didn’t hear me,” he said conspiratorially and gave a blinding smile to the audience. “This is Kunlun: Mountain God .” 

The first few notes were echos, singular tones that brought to mind a portal opening to another time, another world. The tempo took on a suddenly brutal pace and wind whipped his hair, but this time it was biting cold and deadly. As if entering a sanctuary, the tempo eased and the wind died down as he stepped out onto a mountain top. It should have been desolate and barren amongst the frozen rocks, but instead held the vibrancy of life in lush trees and bright flowers. The view offered jagged peaks as far as the eye could see. 

The music slowed even more and the warmth of a presence was at his back. It felt powerful, but curious, emphasized by a quick succession of sixteenth notes. This was Kunlun, the mountain god for which the song had been named. Shen Wei felt a shiver of anticipation slip down his spine. 

There was a brush of fingers against the nape of his neck as if the god was gathering his hair to bind it against the swirling wind. The sensation traveled down his neck and shoulder to his arm before settling on his hand. Phantom fingers laced with his own and in the center of his palm a scorching heat blazed to life. 

Shen Wei gasped at the sensation and fisted his hands in response, desperate to hold on and never let go. There was a gentle intimacy in this music that whispered of promises murmured against bare skin and warm lips pressed to cool foreheads. 

Though Shen Wei couldn’t see a face, he understood the kind smile that defined this deity as they looked out at the mountain range together. 

The song came to a conclusion that left a sense of peace draped over the crowd, but Shen Wei felt bereft of its loss. He shivered trying to shake the sensation of a warm hand held in his, of being wrapped in the protection of one as mighty as a mountain god. 

At some point in the song, he had stood from his seat and wandered closer to the guitarist though they were still separated by a sea of people standing in front of the stage. Zhao Yunlan was talking, thanking the audience and rising to his feet. Shen Wei wasn’t sure if he was relieved or disappointed when their eyes didn’t meet across the room before he turned and left the stage. 

The crowd immediately turned and began to file out of the venue so Shen Wei returned to his perch by the bar to await the exit of the throng. A few minutes later Chu Shuzhi appeared at his side wearing a curious expression. 

“So?” He asked, knowing Shen Wei would not need any further explanation of his question. 

“It was incredible. I-” His eyes traveled to the upright piano still sitting on the stage. “Would you mind if I played, I think...” He trailed off, but Chu Shuzhi was already nodding. 

“Of course, Laoshi. I still need to go get that music for you. I’ll be back in about twenty minutes.” 

Shen Wei was already making his way along the edge of the floor space where the last remaining audience were clearing out. His eyes were trained on the piano, his fingers itching with need. 

He was barely in the seat before his fingers hit the keys, but he stopped short, realizing that the audience members may get the wrong impression. Instead, he sat on the bench stretching his fingers until only the staff remained. As soon as the door closed behind the last patron, he launched himself into one of his favorite nocturnes, savoring the feeling of the cool evening air and the light spray from a lively fountain in an empty city square. 

It wasn’t long before his mind wandered to the Kunlun piece and Zhao Yunlan’s playing. Shen Wei tried to adjust his interpretation of the nocturn to conjure another person in his world, but no matter what he did, it was only him standing before the fountain. 

The new song had been glorious with nuances that Zhao Yunlan had presented perfectly. Shen Wei wondered if the solitude of his music was from the composition itself rather than his interpretation. His fingers wandered to the music he had just heard for the first time from Zhao Yunlan’s guitar. Immediately Shen Wei could sense a difference. Could it be the use of a different instrument? 

The wind still tore at his hair until he entered the warmth of what he had thought of as Kunlun’s home. The difference was stark- this place did not hold Kunlun’s presence. Shen Wei could feel his absence like a knife in his heart. When the music slowed it wasn’t Kunlun’s warmth and curiosity he felt, it was the falling blossoms from the tree. He felt wetness on his cheeks, but he wasn’t sure if the tears were phantom or real. 

The strumming of a chord blanketed the scene in pale green and stilled his fingers on the keys. His eyes had slipped closed shortly after he’d started playing, but he did not need to see to know it was Zhao Yunlan’s guitar. His heart was throwing itself against his ribs and his lungs refused to cooperate. Though Shen Wei had stopped playing, Zhao Yunlan continued the coaxing melody. It was similar to the curiosity from earlier, but this time it was heavier, more profound- like reaching a destination you didn’t know you were walking towards.

Shen Wei picked up the Kunlun melody once more, but at half tempo and much softer- guarded. He was sticking close to the music that Chu Shuzhi had written, only making the adjustments necessary for the different instrumentation, but Zhao Yunlan was not. The notes of the guitar glided around the melody, weaving itself in harmony as if it had always belonged there. 

Shen Wei almost stopped again when he realized that his experience while playing was in no way lessened when Zhao Yunlan joined him. If anything, playing with him heightened the sensations to the point of lightheadedness. Judging by the huff of breath he heard from a few feet away, he was not the only one that was moved. 

This time when the presence joined Shen Wei on the mountain top it was like two souls meeting for the first time, but not. As if they had lived through hundreds of reincarnations only to find each other again and again. 

There was a deep ache of loneliness that was soothed away by the guitar, one that Shen Wei had given up on ever easing. He felt the ghost hand brush against his cheek and he leaned into the touch, tears pricking his eyes. 

The flowers were falling once more, but this time they lifted Shen Wei’s heart with their beauty. The hand moved to his neck once more, but this time he sensed the presence come closer, holding him still by the nape. When this section had been played on the guitar it had felt like chaste fingers entwining, but now as a duet it became an intimate embrace between the two- represented by their instruments. 

At the piano, Shen Wei’s lips parted when the music swelled between them and in it he could feel the heat previously held in their joined hands pressed against his mouth. A warmth spread through his entire body, radiating from his chest until his fingers burned as they danced over the keys. He never wanted the moment to end, but the final strains of the song rang out into the room and the figure vanished.  

When the last notes had faded away and Shen Wei’s lips were still tingling with a kiss made of music, he opened his eyes. The silence in the building was deafening as the two musicians stared at each other, their breathing uneven. 

“That,” Zhao Yunlan shook his head slowly, his eyes rounded in wonder. “Was incredible. I’ve never plugged into someone else like that.” He searched Shen Wei’s face. “Have you?” 

“Not until you, no.” Shen Wei winced at the sincerity and weight of the words on his tongue. He’d wanted to lie, but a part of him thought that if he lied then Zhao Yunlan would know. He’d been laid bare and also been given complete access to Zhao Yunlan through music- there were few things besides the obvious that were more intimate than that. 

“This is going to sound forward, but do you want to go grab coffee?” The unbridled hope in Zhao Yunlan’s voice spread warmth through Shen Wei’s chest. There was a desire there too, simmering just under the surface and Shen Wei wondered if they would sync up so well in other areas besides music. 

“I’d like that.” 

The smile that Zhao Yunlan gave him in response was a melody of its own. 

A few days later Shen Wei was locking up his office when a student assistant dropped by with his mail. After their impromptu duet Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan had left before Chu Shuzhi could catch up with them so he was not surprised to see a thick manila envelope nestled amongst the other items. He tore open the package, tucking the other mail under his arm and pulled out two pieces of music and a note. The short missive was scratched quickly onto a blank piece of manuscript paper in Chu Shuzhi’s familiar scrawl. 

Laoshi, I think you will find these interesting.

Shen Wei smiled down at the sheet music in his hand: a solo piano piece entitled The Ghost King and a duet for piano and guitar. 

Slipping the mail into his bag he quickly made his way out of the building to find Zhao Yunlan waiting for him in the gently falling snow. He hurried to join him and together they made their way towards the parking lot, hands lightly brushing as they walked. 

“You didn’t need to meet me at the building. Were you waiting long?” Shen Wei couldn’t keep the worry out of his voice. Zhao Yunlan was a singer and he didn’t want him getting sick from waiting in the snow. 

“Nah, you are nothing if not punctual, professor.” Zhao Yunlan laughed and bumped their shoulders together gently. 

“I’m not sure if that was a compliment, but thank you.” Shen Wei replied primly, pulling another bout of laughter from the other man. 

“Chu Shuzhi sent me the music by the way.” Shen Wei continued and Zhao Yunlan turned to him excitedly, moving sideways down the street. 

“Really? Is it amazing? Can I see?” Zhao Yunlan’s excitement was infectious and Shen Wei returned his smile widely. 

Even after only knowing him for a few days, Shen Wei was unable to deny Zhao Yunlan anything he asked for so he stepped over to a bench to pull out the music. He passed the sheets to Zhao Yunlan, careful to avoid the falling snow from lingering on the papers for too long. 

“He also sent me a solo piano piece entitled: The Ghost King. I haven’t played either of them yet.” 

“ The God and the King .” Zhao Yunlan flipped through the pages of the duet and grinned up at Shen Wei. “I love it already.” 

He handed the music back and Shen Wei safely stored it in his bag away from the snow. They continued their journey in comfortable silence, but Shen Wei’s brain was working in overdrive. He bit the side of his lip and finally just took a page from Zhao Yunlan’s book: he dove in without thinking too much about the consequences. 

“Do you… want to come over to my place rather than going to dinner? We could play through them.” 

The smile that lit up Zhao Yunlan’s face could melt the snow drifts around them as he nodded enthusiastically at the idea. There was a stupid grin on Shen Wei’s face and he tried to school his features, but when a hand casually slipped into his own as they walked towards Zhao Yunlan’s jeep, he didn’t think he would ever stop smiling again.