Shen Yuan knows he needs to take his health more seriously. Having a heatstroke and almost dying in the hospital isn’t fun for him or anything. It’s just hard for him okay? Doing anything is hard for him. That said, he is not willing to move back in with his parents at the big age of 29. It’s bad enough that he has to rely on his family to fund him instead of working.
Luo Binghe really needs a job. Culinary school is great, he’s really grateful he was able to attend, even if his most loathed high school professor sabotaged his chance at a scholarship that would have paid for everything. He has to pay for living expenses, for ingredients, for gas, and now for his mom’s funeral. It’s just a lot. And every day the cooking school that was once his dream seems more and more like a soul sucking nightmare.
Shen Yuan’s add for a personal chef gets an application within 5 minutes of posting. It’s a culinary student— his portfolio is nothing to sneeze at and in his cover letter he explains his rather dire situation. Shen Yuan’s heart weeps for the poor kid! Obviously he responds immediately and asks him to coffee for an interview.
Turns out Luo Binghe is impossibly pretty, like runway ready model pretty. And, if Shen Yuan is not mistaken, he’s living out of his car. Shen Yuan practically has to bully him out of paying part of the bill. He’s only 19, and already in debt paying for his mother’s funeral.
“I have a rather extensive list of food allergies, and I have to eat a lot more protein than the average person for my body to process it. Will Binghe be able to work with that?”
“Of course,” Luo Binghe nods, desperately, “whatever you need I can do! I’ve studied world cuisine, various diets, I’m in dietician classes as well. So long as I get a list of requirements it’s no problem!”
Shen Yuan can’t help himself from reaching over to pat the boy’s head. “Hey, don’t worry so much! If I’m being honest, you’re the best candidate I’ve seen so far. You all but have the job already, so long as you’re not some kind of serial killer!”
Luo Binghe loves Shen Yuan’s smile. It’s like the sun piercing through clouds, lighting up everything around him. He feels very… special, getting walked to Shen Yuan’s house and shown around. He gets hired on the spot— he’s supposed to come three times a week to prep meals. Shen Yuan sets up a work expenses account on his phone and tells him “It’s for groceries, but I don’t mind if you use it when you’re in a pinch.”
Luo Binghe really likes Shen Yuan. He’s incredibly trusting— more so than is reasonable or safe. It makes Luo Binghe want to hide him away from the rest of the world.
He pulls out all the stops for the first meal he cooks Shen Yuan, even utilizing a smoker at school to slow cook a slab of salmon. Shen Yuan loves it. He praises Luo Binghe practically without end, and at one point even starts petting Luo Binghe’s hair.
Shen Yuan is pleasantly surprised when Luo Binghe starts coming over to cook more than initially agreed upon. It starts with him cooking a fresh meal every Saturday they share. Then he’s there practically every evening. Shen Yuan can’t kick him out either, the poor boy is homeless! So obviously Binghe sleeps on his couch most nights, and starts making breakfast in the morning. Shen Yuan isn’t so cruel as to force a growing boy to live on his futon, so after a while Luo Binghe joins him in his bed.
Shen Yuan is very happy for the company. It’s rather lonely being a shut-in, aside from tutoring his sister and the occasional visit from his parents (all of whom love Binghe). Binghe is probably the most hardworking person Shen Yuan has ever met. On top of cooking all his food, Binghe also regularly cleans the apartment, completely unasked! It’s only when this cooking and cleaning turns obsessive Shen Yuan gets worried…
“Binghe?… Is everything okay?”
Luo Binghe has been sharpening the same knife for 20 minutes. He knows, he just… he can’t keep going back to school. Every single day watching food get tossed out, or chef only taking a bite or two to judge. He…. Hates it. Food is special, he doesn’t actually want to make it in some restaurant for strangers he’ll never talk to!! Every class feels more and more like the passion his mother taught him is being chipped away piece by piece, he just can’t do it anymore….
“Ah, sorry… Did Yuan-ge need something?”
Shen Yuan settles next to him, and Luo Binghe has to suppress a blush when their thighs touch. Shen Yuan takes the knife from his hands, setting it on the table for him, face unusually dour. “Binghe, what’s been bothering you? You can tell me, even— especially if it’s something I’ve been doing.”
“No,” Binghe puts up his hands, looking startled, “Yuan-ge is perfect, he hasn’t done anything!”
Shen Yuan takes those hands setting them in his lap and holding them there. Binghe is never this unsettled, not since starting the job at least. “Then what’s wrong? I only want to help.”
Luo Binghe is sure he’s blushing furiously, Shen Yuan’s soft hands holding his. He looks away, ashamed. “It’s stupid, really…”
Shen Yuan shakes his head. “Nothing that makes your life worse is stupid. Ignoring early signs of something worse is part of why I need so much help from you. Now spill.”
Luo Binghe swallows. “I think I hate culinary school.”
Shen Yuan stills, his big brown eyes crinkling slightly with a frown. “That’s all?”
Binghe looks like he wants to walk into traffic when he nods. Shen Yuan struggles not to laugh a little at him. “Binghe, people change their specialization all the time. It’s not a big deal.”
“But it is!” The boy is tearing up now, lips wobbling and voice growing tight. “When I was little, my mom scrimped and saved so I could go to cooking classes because I said I wanted to be a chef! This is what I’ve been working towards my whole life! And I hate it!”
He’s fully wailing now, and Shen Yuan can’t stand to see it. He pulls Binghe into his lap, petting the kid’s hair and cooing at him. He whimpers “How can I quit when I need the financial aid? Where would I go, what would I do?”
Shen Yuan feels like a monster listening to Binghe’s woes. Was he not paying the kid enough? Come to think of it, he didn’t give Binghe any extra for cleaning the apartment or helping him run errands or making extra food for his sister. What kind of evil capitalist is he right now?! This poor boy!
“Binghe shouldn’t worry! He is an amazing chef, and more than that, a kind person! I—“
Shen Yuan considers his next words carefully. “I’m not going to magically get better any time soon. I’m going to need help for the rest of my life. If Binghe wants, I could pay you more as a full time caregiver, and let you live here until you find something better? There’s a lot of universities you can attend online, and get a degree in something easier to tolerate if you want. Or not! It’s your choice.”
Luo Binghe can barely believe the words he’s hearing. He looks up at Shen Yuan, almost in awe. “Yuan-ge would want that? You would be okay with me living here?”
Shen Yuan smiles sheepishly. “I’ve had a lot of caregivers in my lifetime, and Binghe is my favorite by far. Plus my mom was asking when your birthday was and what sorts of things you like, so you’re practically already part of the family.”
Shen Yuan wheezes when Luo Binghe hugs him tight, and while he will loosen his grip for the sake of comfort, he doesn’t intend on ever letting go.
