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Chapter Text

The clock ticked closer to closing time, but Lu Guang refrained from watching it too closely. Instead, he busied himself with wiping down the counter. Today had been decent; customers had flowed throughout the day, and some of them had even tipped quite well.

The sound of the ticking clock was drowned out when, without warning, the bell above the door chimed merrily.

“Wow! Neat little place you got here, don’tcha?”

Lu Guang very consciously kept his eye from twitching as he turned to address the loud customer. He was tall, grinning from ear to ear, with a mop of unruly black hair pulled back into a small ponytail at his nape.

Instead, he leveled a flat look at the man. “We close in ten minutes.”

The man blinked, suddenly looking abashed. “I… sorry, I just wanted to try a pastry.”

Lu Guang glanced at the display case. Despite the somewhat busy day, there were still a few pastries left over. But instead of directing the man to the case to ask what he wanted, he waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. “Nothing here is very fresh at this time of night. You’d be better off coming back earlier in the day.”

“But what if I just wanna try some?” The man was grinning again, as if the prospect of eating slightly stale croissants excited him for some reason.

And Lu Guang could only shrug and pull out a small paper bag. Once he’d retrieved his tongs, he stood ready and waiting for the man to decide what he wanted.

He was looking through the glass intently, peering at every pastry available. “I want one of those,” he said, pointing to the group of mini fudge bites. “Aaaaand,” he drew out the sound before he glanced up, smiling as he made eye contact with Lu Guang. “And I’ll take whichever’s your favorite.”

Lu Guang huffed. He didn’t usually eat his own stock. But, while there was something that came to mind… “We sold out hours ago. If you want to try it, come back some other time, earlier in the day.”

The man winced, but smiled. “Oops, my bad. I just got off work like half an hour ago and decided to drop in.” He paused. “Can I ask what it is? Your favorite?”

The slight urge to curl his lips into a smile filled Lu Guang, something inside him softening at the man’s eager tone, but he tamped down on it at the last moment. “It’s the dark chocolate raspberry macarons,” he said simply, knowing that the name spoke for itself.

The man’s eyes grew wide. “Ooooh, that does sound good!” His brow furrowed before his face erupted into a bright smile once more. “Could you hold onto a macaron for me for tomorrow?”

Lu Guang shook his head. “I don’t hold anything for anyone. If you want one, come back earlier,” he repeated.

“Yeah, yeah, I got it,” the man chuckled good-naturedly. “In that case, I’ll take one of those mega chunk chocolate chip cookies.”

The cookie fell into the bag with the fudge bite with a crinkle of paper. “That’ll be thirty yuan,” he reported, just as his watch began to chime.

The man grinned as he dug into his pocket, pulling out a few smaller bills and counting them before handing them over the counter. “Thanks,” he said brightly as he reached forward and grabbed his bag.

Then an odd look crossed his face as he squinted. “Thanks… Lu Guang?”

Lu Guang realized that the weird expression had been from him trying to read his name tag, not peering at him strangely. He nodded. “That’s me,” he said, even though it was unnecessary.

The man grinned brightly. “I like it! It suits you. It’s nice to meet you, Lu Guang! I’m Cheng Xiaoshi.”

It appeared as if Cheng Xiaoshi, already so oblivious to how talkative he was, would stay far past closing time and eat into Lu Guang’s minimal sleep, yapping the entire time.

But the man quickly turned to leave, glancing over his shoulder once at the door and offering a grin and a wave to Lu Guang.

It was only then that Lu Guang realized that Cheng Xiaoshi’s fingertips were slightly tinted green. Maybe he was an artist? He mentally shrugged and continued removing items from the display case to put them away.

The Quiet Light Pâtisserie was a small, tidy bakery that Lu Guang owned and ran alone. It was minimally decorated, focusing solely on the pastries - and cakes, occasionally - that Lu Guang offered every day. After all, he didn’t need any fancy frills or decorations. He let his goods speak for themselves.

Once the few tables and chairs were clean and doughs were resting for the following morning, Lu Guang finally considered his job for the night finished.

He hung his apron up, adjusted the rolled sleeves on his white shirt, and turned off the lights, locking the door behind him.

The road back to Lu Guang’s apartment was filled with golden light as the sun set, lights from the shops that lined the street rivaling its waning golden glow.

With one exception, he realized.

Lu Guang’s pace slowed ever so slightly as he glanced over to find a shop with its doors shut tight and its lights off.

Or, rather, as he looked closer, only the shop’s lights were off.

It appeared that the second story to the building was still occupied, although Lu Guang couldn’t make out what was inside.

And, he reminded himself, he didn’t pry into other people’s businesses. He was happier that way.

Lonelier.

Lu Guang shook himself and resumed walking down the road to his apartment.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Cheng Xiaoshi did return earlier the following day.

By five whole minutes.

“I got here as soon as I could!” he gasped out as he stumbled through the door. “Just… ran here straight from work!”

Lu Guang snorted. “You sound too excited at the idea of eating slightly stale pastries.”

“Only when they’re your pastries,” Cheng Xiaoshi countered as he caught his breath. He grinned at Lu Guang. “The cookie and fudge were soooo good, I gotta try more of your stuff!”

With the tips of his mouth curling ever so slightly upwards, Lu Guang grabbed a paper bag and some tongs. His face was carefully even when he looked back up to meet Cheng Xiaoshi’s gaze. “What would you like?”

Cheng Xiaoshi paused, theatrically clasping his chin as he surveyed his options. “Hmmmmm, do you have any cakes?”

“Those are special order only.”

“Ah, no problem then! I’ll take…” he jabbed a finger dangerously close to the glass - despite the ‘Please do not touch the glass’ sign - and announced, “I’d like one of those, please!”

Lu Guang nodded, carefully gripping one of the chocolate tarts that were left over from the day and depositing it in the bag. “Anything else?”

There was a strange gleam in Cheng Xiaoshi’s eye as he peered up at Lu Guang from over the glass case. “Do you have any paprika? For the tart?”

“Of course not.” Lu Guang wrinkled his nose. “Paprika? I’m a pastry chef, not a cook.”

Cheng Xiaoshi held his hands up in mock surrender with a grin. “No worries. I was just wondering. In that case, I’ll take one of the chocolate croissants, please!”

“Thirty yuan,” Lu Guang recited, more from memory than anything. As long as it wasn’t a special order, most of his items were relatively cheap, with each one being only fifteen yuan.

As before, Cheng Xiaoshi pulled out exact change and handed it over.

Lu Guang noticed some purple tinges had replaced the green as he grabbed the paper bag.

And then Cheng Xiaoshi left with a grin and a wave.

It was the same the following day as well. Cheng Xiaoshi rushed through the door fifteen minutes before Quiet Light Pâtisserie was set to close down for the night.

“Y’know, you’re…” he panted, “…always here. Don’t you… have any coworkers?”

Lu Guang leveled a flat look at him. “There’s no one here but me. I own the bakery and I’m the only employee.”

Cheng Xiaoshi’s eyes grew wide at that. “No one else?” He paused, his gaze flitting over to the glass case. “So, you make everything here? By yourself?”

“Now you’re getting it,” Lu Guang quipped in monotone. “Just me.”

“That’s so impressive.” A devious gleam filled his eye. “Maybe I’d say it was more impressive, if you’d save me one of those macarons?”

“No. Come earlier in the day if you want those.”

But instead of balking at the immediate rejection, Cheng Xiaoshi burst out laughing. “Yeah, I figured. But that’s fine. I’ll try it someday,” he winked. “As for now, I’d like one of those fruit pastries. And… do you have any soup?”

This again? “Again, this is a pâtisserie. A bakery. I don’t sell soup here.” Lu Guang glanced up at Cheng Xiaoshi quizzically as he set one of the pastries in the bag. “Anything else?”

Cheng Xiaoshi only grinned at the second rejection in as many minutes. “That’s fine. How about… hmmm, let me try a mini cannoli. One of the chocolate dipped ones!”

He followed Lu Guang back to the counter. “Thirty yuan, right?”

Lu Guang blinked. Cheng Xiaoshi already had the exact number of bills in his now-black tinted hand. “That’s right,” he said with a nod as he took the proffered money, pushing the bag across the counter.

With one more smile, Cheng Xiaoshi grabbed the bag and spun around with a flourish and a wave.

“Have a nice night.” The words escaped from Lu Guang’s mouth before he could stop them.

Cheng Xiaoshi stilled, glancing over his shoulder. Then his face erupted into a beaming grin. “Thanks! You too, Lu Guang!”

After that, a pattern began to form. Cheng Xiaoshi would always arrive just before closing time, each day sporting new colors on his hands and fingers. He’d try to make conversation, which Lu Guang warmed up to, then select two pastries, methodically working his way through Lu Guang’s menu.

And if Lu Guang found himself saving some items so they’d be available when Cheng Xiaoshi arrived, that was neither here nor there.

Occasionally, Cheng Xiaoshi asked Lu Guang for some strange ingredients, implying that he wanted to pair them with the pastries, but there was never anything like that here.

After all, who on earth, other than Cheng Xiaoshi, would enter a bakery and request black beans? Yellow squash?

Sauerkraut??

No self-respecting baker would dare include any of those in their pastries, Lu Guang included.

He was just grateful Cheng Xiaoshi usually showed up just before closing time, when there were no other customers around to overhear the frankly oddest requests that came out of his mouth.

Cheng Xiaoshi seemingly had no shame, always grinning despite the rejections.

As the days stretched into weeks and then months, Lu Guang began looking forward to the whirlwind of energy that Cheng Xiaoshi brought with him, counting down the hours until fifteen minutes before closing time, when the man would burst through his door, wheezing for breath but with a brilliant smile nonetheless.

One day, after Cheng Xiaoshi had left with his bag full of goodies and waving a now-yellow tinted hand, and just as Lu Guang began to head home for some much-needed rest, he found a flyer someone had put in his shop’s mailbox.

‘Highlight your skills in our cake baking and decorating competition! Sign up at the website below and fight your way to the top to earn three hundred thousand yuan and luxury Le Creuset bakeware equivalent to one hundred fifty thousand yuan!’

While Lu Guang wasn’t as well-versed with cakes as he was with pastries, the offer of money and high-end bakeware was too good to pass up.

The next night, when Cheng Xiaoshi visited, Lu Guang pulled the flyer out. “I don’t know if you’ve seen this, but I’m planning to close the shop tomorrow to prepare for it.”

Cheng Xiaoshi grabbed the flyer out of Lu Guang’s hand, exclaiming as he read what was being offered. “Whoahh, that’s so much cash! And I’ve heard of…” he paused, scrunching his nose before deciding not to even bother trying to pronounce it, “…that brand before, but I’ve never seen one. Is it really that good?”

Lu Guang couldn’t help the small smile that crossed his face as he slipped back into the kitchen, returning with his prized possession. “This is the only Le Creuset dish I own. It’s pretty small, but I use it to make tarts.”

It was a small fluted pie dish with scalloped edges, its color a deep blue that shone in the light.

“May I?” The question was almost hesitant as Cheng Xiaoshi’s green-tinged hands hovered in midair. His voice had taken on a reverent tone, picking the dish up carefully at Lu Guang’s nod. “It’s heavier than I thought it’d be,” he commented, running fingers over the glazed surface.

“They’re a very reputable company. To offer some as a reward for this competition, especially with the cash prize as well… Entering isn’t even a question.”

Cheng Xiaoshi raised his eyebrows at that. “I know you said you make cakes too, but those are special order, aren’t they? Do you have enough experience for a big competition like this?”

Lu Guang snorted. “I’ll be fine. Plus, that’s why I’m closing the shop tomorrow. So I can practice.”

“Oh, right…” Cheng Xiaoshi squinted at the flyer again. “It’s in two days, so spending one prepping makes sense.” But then his voice took on a lilting tone as he leaned across the counter. “But whatever shall I do without my daily Lu Guang’s Pastry fix?”

The corner of Lu Guang’s mouth quirked up. “Learn to bake for yourself and then you won’t need me.”

“But I don’t wanna!”

Lu Guang huffed out a laugh. He opened his mouth to tease Cheng Xiaoshi more, but then his watch began to chime. “It’s time for me to close,” he said instead. “What would you like?”

“You’re no fun,” Cheng Xiaoshi laughed as he stood upright. “I’ll take a lime tart and another one of those fudge bites. With no paprika,” he teased. “But seriously, your baking is amazing. I hope you win.”

Ducking his head to try to hide the blush tinting his cheeks, Lu Guang slid a tart and two fudge bites into the bag, hoping Cheng Xiaoshi would enjoy the extra treat. “Thirty…” he trailed off, looking back to see exact change had already been slid across the counter.

With a chuckle, Cheng Xiaoshi took the bag and waved to Lu Guang as he headed for the door. “You’ll do great in the competition! I think I might show up just to cheer you on.”

“Goodnight Cheng Xiaoshi,” Lu Guang called back with a small smile, feeling much more confident about entering the competition.

After all, with a cheerleader like Cheng Xiaoshi on his side, he had to do well.

With the memory of Cheng Xiaoshi’s sunshine-bright smile in the forefront of his mind, Lu Guang finished tidying up his shop and locked the door.

The following day, Lu Guang spent every waking moment in his kitchen, studying by way of making his usual cake recipes over and over. He hadn’t baked any cakes for a while - it had been months since the last time a customer had requested one as a special order - so this was a good way to remind himself how to make them.

By the end of the day, they seemed somewhat rote, but they were still cakes and, he ensured, they were baked and decorated to his satisfaction.

As he leaned back against the counter in the kitchen, wiping sweat from his brow and chewing a bite of vanilla cake, Lu Guang felt he was ready for the next day.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

As it turned out, only a handful of people showed up for the competition. It was likely that the flyers had only been distributed to reputable bakers in the area, keeping the venue from being overrun by overconfident amateurs.

Lu Guang didn’t mind. He arrived bright and early, ready to win.

Just as he was herded into his personal waiting room, away from the other competitors, Lu Guang realized that not only had he forgotten to look at his competition, but he had completely forgotten to look around for Cheng Xiaoshi. After all, the man had said that he might show up just to cheer Lu Guang on.

He silently cursed his penchant to overthink, especially before something stressful such as this.

Then again, Lu Guang considered as he sat down on a chair provided in the otherwise-plain room, Cheng Xiaoshi always kept busy with work, only ever leaving late at night, just before Quiet Light Pâtisserie itself closed. It’s possible he couldn’t leave work just to come here.

What did a strange artist even do for work? Surely painting didn’t require such strict hours.

Just as Lu Guang was turning the thoughts over in his head, there was a knock on the door. It opened, revealing a tall woman with her hair pinned up, holding a clipboard. “Chef Lu Guang from the Quiet Light Pâtisserie, correct?” she asked, peering through her glasses at whatever was written on the paper before her.

“That’s right.”

“Please follow me. Your match will begin shortly.”

As Lu Guang followed the woman through the halls, she briefed him on the rules of the competition.

Since there were only a handful of bakers competing, the rounds would take place one at a time with two bakers facing off head-to-head in a bracket style. In each round, both competitors would be given a mystery ingredient they would have to use in their dish. No other competitor was allowed to view a match unless they were eliminated from a previous round. “We try not to give the contestants an unfair advantage,” she explained.

Lu Guang merely nodded. “Is viewing open to the public? I have a friend who wanted to watch.”

That garnered a strange look from the woman. “This will be recorded for television, but there will be no actual audience other than your judges.”

And Lu Guang couldn’t help but deflate slightly at the thought of not seeing Cheng Xiaoshi’s grinning face.

A second later, he shook himself. Well then, he’d just have to win the competition. Then, he’d be able to give Cheng Xiaoshi the good news and see his blinding smile.

It’d be his reward.

“We’re here.”

Lu Guang looked up at the large double doors before him, took a deep breath, and walked through.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Two hours later, Lu Guang returned to his personal waiting room, feeling accomplished.

The baker he’d been up against had been a fierce competitor, but, in the end, Lu Guang’s moist cake and smooth, flawless buttercream had edged him out.

Being a perfectionist had its advantages.

“I have to win,” he muttered to himself, his conviction so strong that it had to be said aloud.

He could nearly see Cheng Xiaoshi’s beaming smile when he told him that he’d won.

It had been only a few short months since the man had begun visiting him, but ever since then, he’d captured the baker’s attention in a way that no one else had.

When Lu Guang had been baking his cake, he’d been imagining presenting it to Cheng Xiaoshi.

It was a strange thought, but one that warmed his chest nonetheless.

That same feeling persisted throughout the second round, which, surprisingly, had been the semifinals.

Lu Guang allowed himself to rest while he mentally prepared for the final match, wondering if he should bake something for Cheng Xiaoshi in one of the Le Creuset dishes.

He wasn’t sure how much time passed before the same woman knocked on the door again. “Are you ready for the final round?”

Standing, Lu Guang steeled his nerves. “I’m ready,” he answered.

Before long, he found himself standing before those same doors for the third and final time. He pushed them open, stepping forth into the competition area he’d become used to over the past few hours: a large open room with two fully-equipped kitchens on either side, complete with multiple ovens. The two contestants would have to share the pantry items, but that hadn’t been an issue for either of the previous rounds.

In the middle of the room was a single table covered with a bulky-looking lid, and Lu Guang knew from experience that the mystery ingredient was resting underneath, hidden from view.

As he walked into the room and took his place in one of the kitchens, the host announced, “Our first finalist: Lu Guang!”

Lu Guang didn’t spare a glance to the host, judges, or camera. Instead, he kept his gaze fixed forward, determined to win.

The host began speaking again: “Our second finalist is a young man with a taste for the strange and chaotic. Owner of his own bakery as well, please welcome…”

The double doors opened again.

“Our second finalist: Cheng Xiaoshi!”

Chapter Text

Down the road, only a twenty minute walk from Quiet Light Pâtisserie (or a fifteen minute run), stood Whisk Takers Only.

The bakery was small and decorated somewhat chaotically - as someone’s sister volunteered to “set the vibe” - but it was home to Cheng Xiaoshi.

He loved owning the bakery, finding his usual restlessness and energy tempered whenever he began creating something. He poured all of his energy into creating and decorating cakes with unique flavor combinations. He made sure that every dessert he made, every cake he decorated, was one that he could be proud of.

Even if the frosting and food coloring he worked with every day dyed his fingers unusual colors.

And he always loved getting new customers to try some of his crazier combinations. His menu was unconventional, but he put painstaking effort into everything he baked to make sure it tasted perfect.

He couldn’t imagine a better life.

And yet, there was always something missing, something that he felt he needed and yet couldn’t put a name to.

On one particular day when that feeling came to a head, a girl had dragged her friend into his shop, pulling her up to the counter. “Come on! You gotta try some of the stuff here!”

Her friend didn’t look convinced, but peered at his case of goodies anyway.

“Welcome to Whisk Takers Only, ladies,” Cheng Xiaoshi greeted them with a wide smile and a wink. “Feeling ‘whisky’ today?”

The first girl giggled. “I’d like a Tall, Dark, And Mysterious brownie and a Pink Menace, please.”

“Gotcha, gotcha,” Cheng Xiaoshi chuckled as he plugged the names into the terminal before him. “Great choices. And for you, miss?”

The friend was stuck looking at the glass case of desserts. “Uhhh, I’m a bit lost. Do all of these have a secret?”

“That they do!” Cheng Xiaoshi said with a grin. “If you’d like, I can tell you, but I prefer to wait to reveal the secret until after you’ve taken a bite.”

She hummed noncommittedly as she looked back to the case. “Um, I guess I’ll try a Dare To Cream?”

He grinned as he reached inside the case. “Excellent choice. This here is a deliciously moist chocolate cake that you’re sure to love with a sweet vanilla frosting. As always, your first dessert here is free, so please, enjoy.” As he pushed the plate with the cake slice across the counter, he winked again.

As he retrieved a brownie and strawberry cupcake for the other girl’s order and set them on their own plate, he kept an eye towards the girl holding the slice of cake. Her fork was poised above the dessert, almost as if she was psyching herself up to taste it.

When she finally did, her entire frame relaxed, a satisfied hum drifting through the air as she chewed and swallowed. “That’s so good!” she exclaimed. “You gotta tell me what’s different about it, because I can’t tell! What’d you do to it?”

Cheng Xiaoshi laughed. “Since you’re a fully-fledged ‘whisk taker’ now, I’ll let you in on the secret.” He leaned forward across the counter, lowering his voice conspiratorially. “It’s mayonnaise.” He chuckled at the way she froze. “I know it sounds gross, but it makes the whole cake so much more moist. It’s almost fudgy, right?”

She seemed hesitant to praise the cake again, but upon a second bite, she nodded. “It’s so much better than I could’ve imagined!”

“Enjoy your treats, ladies!” Cheng Xiaoshi chuckled as the two customers found a table and settled down in it, chatting with each other.

He loved revealing the secrets of his desserts to his customers, loved seeing the shock and awe on their faces when he revealed what was lurking underneath.

Cheng Xiaoshi had poured hours upon hours into perfecting his goods, making sure that, while they included unconventional ingredients, they tasted delicious.

After all, he was sure he was the only baker on the market to offer cakes such as these.

Among others offered in his adventurous dessert case were desserts such as Cocoa Conspiracy, Red Velvet’s Cousin, and Say Cheese-cake!, each one with a twist hidden underneath.

But there was still something missing. Something that he couldn’t help frowning at, lasting throughout the day until he was standing in his kitchen, nearly glaring at the metal counter before him as the ticking of the clock filled his ears.

What was he missing? Why was he feeling like this day after day?

His repertoire offered every wacky combination that Cheng Xiaoshi could think of, from sauerkraut chocolate cake to tomato soup cupcakes to Parmesan cheesecake, each painstakingly experimented with until Cheng Xiaoshi could find no fault with them.

He groaned as he ran a hand through his hair, finding no answers and instead turning and heading back to the front. It was nearly time to close up shop, so Cheng Xiaoshi turned the sign in the window to ‘Closed’, pulled on a coat, grabbed a Dillusion cupcake, and headed out the door for a walk to clear his head.

It was a quiet evening, during that magical hour where the sun had just dipped below the horizon and the stars above were just coming out, looking like powdered sugar against dark brownies.

Cheng Xiaoshi hummed as he walked, breathing in the fresh air and enjoying the silence as the wacky flavor combination he’d worked so hard on danced on his tongue.

Until his eyes landed on a small bakery. It was sparsely decorated, but, upon entering, Cheng Xiaoshi couldn’t help but notice that the man at the counter was beautiful enough to make up for it.

And, as he exited the shop with a bag of pastries, something bright and sunshine-yellow settled in his chest.

His fingers itched with the need to make something.

Cheng Xiaoshi ended up eating his pastries on the way back to his own shop, knowing that as soon as he returned home that he’d immediately head to the kitchen in his studio apartment above his bakery.

That kitchen, while smaller, was one he used solely to experiment.

He nearly forgot his intentions in the wake of perfectly-crafted fudge and delightfully chewy cookie.

Lu Guang was an amazing pastry chef.

When he arrived home, he stared at his ingredients, wondering what it was that his body wanted to make.

“You’re too in your head,” he reminded himself, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. “Just feel. Start somewhere.”

Grabbing butter from the fridge, he began working at it with his pastry cutter, finely chopping it. Once he deemed it good enough, he dumped it into a bowl of flour with a pinch of salt, discarding the pastry cutter in favor of incorporating them with his fingers. As he was finishing up, satisfied with the crumbly texture of the butter in the flour, his eyes drifted over his spice rack.

The scent of spices perpetually emanated from both kitchens - his personal experimenting one and his more professional one downstairs - perfuming Cheng Xiaoshi’s very essence with the scents of cinnamon, cardamom, paprika, and more.

But he needed something special for this.

That one. He grabbed the shaker and very carefully added a tiny bit.

Ground Szechuan peppercorn gave a mild heat, slightly burning while also numbing one’s mouth and allowing other, brighter flavors to shine.

That bright golden, sunshiny feeling in his chest made itself known again.

Placing the mixture in his food processor, Cheng Xiaoshi let it run while he drizzled water inside until he formed a usable dough.

He didn’t make pies very often, but this one seemed to speak to him. He wrapped the pie crust dough up and placed it in his fridge to set.

“Something bright. Something bright,” he muttered to himself as he rifled through his ingredients.

And it wasn’t until his eyes alighted on a lemon that he realized that’s what he wanted to do.

His hands worked on their own, first grating and then juicing as many lemons as he could find, then adding condensed milk and egg yolks to thicken the mixture. While he was mixing, Cheng Xiaoshi couldn’t help but wonder what could be a good twist for this dessert.

As much as he’d like to count the pepper in the pie crust, there just wasn’t enough of it. Whatever this was had to really pop!

Cheng Xiaoshi hummed as his mind wandered in all sorts of different ways, but nothing seemed right enough.

In the end, he shrugged, finally satisfied with the lemon mixture he’d created. But just as he was packing it up to head to bed - the pie crust had to set overnight before he could use it - he opened the refrigerator and saw exactly what the lemon mixture needed.

A whole bowl of fresh, already-washed blackberries.

A second later, the blackberries were spinning inside the food processor until they were a fine purée. Turning the machine off, Cheng Xiaoshi stuck a finger inside and tasted it, grinning as the rich sweetness of the blackberries coated his tongue.

As he set both the lemon mixture and blackberry purée in the fridge, he reminded himself that the sooner he went to bed, the sooner he could get up and begin experimenting again.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The next day, before Whisk Takers Only opened, Cheng Xiaoshi rolled out his pie crust into little dishes, spooning the lemon mixture inside and ribboning in the blackberry purée until the dark purple color swirled among the yellow.

After they came out of the oven, he tasted one, humming slightly. The initial bite of lemon was strong, but quickly mellowed out into the sweetness of the blackberries. The numbing heat of the pepper in the crust only seemed to make the taste of the fruit more intense.

But it was still missing something. Szechuan peppercorn in the pie crust was too subtle and too similar to something he’d done already.

Cheng Xiaoshi frowned to himself, considering what could make this creation stand apart as he quickly whipped melted sugar and egg whites to make a meringue. Maybe piping some meringue on top would be the Thing that he needed?

It looked cute, and the meringue darkened slightly under Cheng Xiaoshi’s careful touch with the blowtorch. But, upon trying another, it wasn’t whatever Cheng Xiaoshi was looking for.

“What do you need?” he muttered to them. They tasted great, but they were too plain to stand next to his other, more chaotic goods.

This was just a lemon pielet. He couldn’t put this next to Sweet Betrayal or Keyed-Up Lime; it needed something to put it on the same level as all his other creations.

As Cheng Xiaoshi headed downstairs and opened the shop, he gazed critically at the dessert case.

Until the bell over the door rang, jolting him out of his thoughts.

“Welcome to Whisk Takers Only!” Cheng Xiaoshi greeted with a lopsided grin. “Feeling ‘whisky’ today?”

“You try that every time I come to visit,” Qiao Ling huffed as she approached the counter. “As if I didn’t help you get this place up and running.”

Cheng Xiaoshi theatrically bowed. “Oh, thank you, kind and generous milady. Dost thou desire a…” he paused, searching for the right word, “…a confection befitting of thou… heart?”

Qiao Ling laughed. “Good enough. Have you made anything new since the last time I visited?”

“Well, I’ve been working on something, but I’m waiting for that extra thing to make it pop, y’know? But! I don’t think you’ve tried this one!” He grabbed a pair of tongs, reaching for one of his most recent creations from the display case and set it on a plate, handing it over.

She arched an eyebrow as she glanced up at him and then back down. For, on the plate, rested a small paper bag of thick-cut fries. Next to them was a small dish of thick red ketchup. “Is this a joke?”

Cheng Xiaoshi proudly shook his head. “No jokes here! Just try one. And don’t forget the ketchup!”

Qiao Ling shrugged and picked up a fry, frowning as she looked at it. “It’s heavier than I thought it’d be.” Without waiting for Cheng Xiaoshi’s response, she dipped the end in the ketchup and bit it.

Her eyes opened wide as she stared at Cheng Xiaoshi, a muffled ‘Whoah’ escaping as she chewed. He grinned at her reaction before reaching over and grabbing one for himself, dipping it as well before popping it in his mouth.

What he’d painstakingly recreated to look like thick-cut fries were actually shortbread cookie fries baked with potato chips and smoked salt and dyed that signature golden color. The rich, nutty taste of the shortbread was complemented perfectly by the salt undertones, making it taste that much sweeter. And the raspberry purée brightened everything with a splash of sweetness and acidity, making it the perfect pairing.

“I’m calling it ‘Salty Intruder’!” he declared, proudly lifting his chin. “You think that the ‘Intruder’ is the fries among the sweets, but it’s actually the salt among the cookie!”

“Cheng Xiaoshi, that’s so good,” Qiao Ling said around another mouthful. “It tastes amazing!”

He preened at the praise, reaching forward and dipping his ‘fry’ into the ketchup again. “It’s been pretty popular! Not as much as the Tall, Dark, and Mysterious brownies, but I think the visual aspect of it is… the real…” he trailed off, staring into space.

“Uh, Cheng Xiaoshi?” Qiao Ling waved her free hand in front of his face. “You okay?”

She jumped and yelped when he suddenly bolted for the stairs. “I’m good, Jie-jie!” he called back. “Can you man the shop for a bit?!”

He was much too preoccupied to hear her good-natured grumble, but he knew she’d help him out anyway. Qiao Ling had always been there for Cheng Xiaoshi, loving him in a way that only a sibling could.

That is, roughly and with no small amount of affectionate insults.

But he just had to test something out.

The Salty Intruder had the visual gag that added to the twist that all of his creations had.

So why couldn’t the pielet?

Cheng Xiaoshi furrowed his brow as he looked down at the mini pies before him. Instead of something else flavor-wise, he needed to add something visually striking.

But options were limited, he realized as he sifted through his fridge.

Until, finally, he came across exactly what he was looking for.

In the distance, he could hear the bell chiming, could hear Qiao Ling greeting his customers.

She was undoubtedly partaking in some of his goods when no one else was around, probably citing it as her ‘employee benefit’.

But, as Cheng Xiaoshi quickly whipped up another batch of the lemon mixture, adding in much more lemon this time, he couldn’t bring himself to care. Not when he was busy adding in a few drops of his new secret ingredient and grinning like a mad scientist as it swirled in and dyed the entire bowl.

It looked dangerous.

It looked perfect.

He spooned it into the crust, grateful that he’d made a large batch the night before, and lightly swirled in the blackberry purée.

After a short bake in the oven, he pulled them out, grinning at how they looked.

While they cooled on the counter, he busied himself with making the meringue, melting sugar and egg whites in a double boiler and then whipping them until they were a glossy white.

It wasn’t long before the pielets were cool, and he wasted no time in piping the meringue over each one, covering the filling entirely.

With just the lightest touch from his blowtorch, it darkened ever so slightly, solidifying into perfect little dollops.

“Oh, Qiao Liiiiing!” Cheng Xiaoshi sang as he descended the stairs, carrying one of the pielets on a plate. “I brought something for you!”

“Brought or made?” she shot back, a mischievous twinkle in her eye. “Is that what you’ve been working on?”

Cheng Xiaoshi extended the plate proudly. “Yep. Just finished it. I’m calling it a Dangerously Lemon Pie.”

“What’s so ‘dangerous’ about it?” Qiao Ling wondered aloud as she looked down at the mini pie. It looked small and innocent, only big enough for four, maybe five bites, with a dollop of lightly-toasted meringue on top.

Her gaze flitted back up to him, as if waiting for the excited monologue she knew was running through his mind.

But Cheng Xiaoshi stayed quiet, just watching.

Waiting.

Qiao Ling sliced through the meringue and crust with her fork, inhaling the strong, fresh lemon scent that was already drifting out.

And then she gasped.

The interior of the pie was revealed to be as black as tar, shining in the light like ink on paper. “Cheng Xiaoshi? Is this… safe?”

“Perfectly safe,” he assured her.

With one more look of trepidation, she cut a bite-sized piece and stuck it in her mouth.

She immediately relaxed, humming lowly. Cheng Xiaoshi speared a piece with his own fork and popped it in his mouth with a triumphant grin as the tart lemon flavor covered his palate, soothed almost immediately by the sweet blackberry. Their flavors only seemed to get more intense the more he chewed, the more the heat from the Szechuan peppercorn numbed his mouth ever so slightly.

“Cheng Xiaoshi,” she whispered after swallowing, eyes wide. “That’s amazing. What did you do to it?”

He grinned. “I added a few drops of squid ink. You can’t taste it, but it makes the entire filling look kinda like poison, even though it tastes pretty normal. Aaaside from the pepper in the crust,” he added with a chuckle. “I kept trying to figure out what to add to the pie to be the twist, but the flavor was great; it was the visuals that I needed to focus on.” Surging forward, he captured Qiao Ling. “And it’s all thanks to you, Jie-jie!”

“Idiot! You’re gonna make me drop it!” Her words were harsh, but she couldn’t help laughing through them even as she pushed him away. “You’re such a dork. And a really talented baker.” She paused. “I should’ve known something was off when I saw your fingers.”

“Huh?” Cheng Xiaoshi finally looked down at his own hands, blinking at the black ink that stained his skin. “Ah, that’s fine. Occupational hazard. It’s worth it!” He grinned, reaching forward for another bite.

Qiao Ling deftly moved out of the way as she scooped another bite into her mouth. “No!” she said between the mouthful. “This is mine and I’m keeping it.”

“But I made it!” he shot back.

“Then make another!”

They ended up chasing each other around the shop until Qiao Ling finished the pie. They shared another chuckle as she waved to him and left the bakery.

The rest of the day went by smoothly, and Cheng Xiaoshi’s giddiness from completing yet another chaotic creation only added to the energy singing in his limbs.

And, as the clock ticked closer to closing time, that feeling seemed to double as even more excitement at seeing Lu Guang again filled his chest.

He was so full of energy that, as soon as Whisk Takers Only was closed for the night, he ran down the street to Quiet Light Pâtisserie, to see Lu Guang.

And, after paying for a fruit pastry and a cannoli, he returned home, happiness stirring in his heart and warming his chest.

The pastries were immaculate. Baked to perfection and with just the right amount of sweetness, the flavors danced on Cheng Xiaoshi’s tongue.

It was clear that Lu Guang had honed his craft, perfecting every small pastry he baked.

It was almost as if he’d put himself into everything he made, making each one come out as quiet and calm and confident as he himself was.

Cheng Xiaoshi passed the kitchen, catching sight of his own creations on the counter, each boxed up to keep their freshness. He chuckled a bit as he turned and headed up the stairs.

His own desserts seemed so loud and chaotic in comparison.

But he wouldn’t have it any other way.

After he headed upstairs, Cheng Xiaoshi sat down in his own kitchen in front of a Dangerously Lemon Pie. He dug his fork into the unassuming exterior, watching the glossy black filling catch the light as he tilted it back and forth, admiring the stark difference in color between it and the pale, almost-white meringue.

“Why does it feel like I made this for you?” he murmured, more breath than voice as he brought the bite to his lips.