a loving kind of boy

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( 7 )

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This is the first time Nie Huaisang sees Jiang Cheng happy.

Nie Huaisang has only known Jiang Cheng for a few months. In those months, he has only ever seen the boy with a frown, a scowl or a pout. Mama always says that Huaisang is an observant boy. Right away, he had observed that when Jiang Cheng smiled, grinned or laughed, it never really lasted long. The other boy would always tense up at the sound of footsteps, wary of being caught by an adult, or Wei Ying would say something that would make him snap, or their latest ‘adventure’ would end up with both brothers in trouble.

Nie Huaisang had long since noticed that his two new friends were very different from each other, so they fought a lot, but they also care about each other, so they always make up too. He knows what that’s like. He and da-ge are like that.

Wei Ying is not like da-ge, though. And the Jiangs are not like the Nies.

Even though they were both the youngest children of their families, people treat Jiang Cheng much differently than how they treat Huaisang. This made it difficult for Huaisang to get along with him at first, and he was guarded around the other boy, afraid that Jiang Cheng might snap at him like he did with Wei Ying and everyone else, but Yanli-jie had told him that A-Cheng “has a lot of responsibilities” so he “takes certain things very seriously” , but “he’s not mean” , he just “expresses himself differently than you and Wei Ying do” . This is how Nie Huaisang has come to accept and even get used to the grumpiness. Jiang Cheng may not be nice the way Yanli-jie and Wei Ying are, but he’s never mean or harsh to Huaisang, and that’s really all that matters.

Right now, however, Jiang Cheng is happy. Really, truly, not-grumpy, twinkle-in-his-eyes, smile-on-his-face happy. Peaceful happy.

It’s something Nie Huaisang has never seen before. Ever curious, he scoots closer, observing this new phenomenon.

“Jiang-xiong,” he starts, careful because he didn’t want his friend to think he’s teasing him. Jiang Cheng doesn’t like being teased. “You like dogs?”

Jiang Cheng doesn’t look up – good, he’s not offended – he only laughs, watching the tiny dog in his lap kick her leg and wag her tail as Jiang Cheng treats her to belly rubs.

“Yeah. Dogs are great!” He answers in between cooing at the dog. “Ah, good girl, you like that? You like that, Meimei?” – and Meimei the Toy Poodle squirms, tongue lolling, equally enthusiastic.

Nie Huaisang couldn’t help but giggle.

Meimei belongs to one of the office staff, a nice lady who lets Nie Huaisang play with Meimei whenever he’s in the building and waiting for Mama to finish work. That particular day, Nie Huaisang was strolling around the building, Meimei in his arms, when he saw a familiar face sitting on the couch in the office lobby, determinedly trying not to doze off while flipping through one of the boring business magazines kept there for guests.

To his surprise, usually grumpy Jiang Cheng not only perked up when Huaisang approached him, he also broke into the biggest smile Huaisang has ever seen on any person’s face, and then he very enthusiastically asked who the dog was, and can he please hold her?

So now a very happy Jiang Cheng is playing with a very happy Meimei, and Huaisang can only watch, fascinated, and also very happy. It was that infectious.

“We have lots of dogs in our house in Qinghe, but they’re big scary-looking ones.” Huaisang says, trying to see if he can get more Happy Jiang Cheng.

“Guard dogs?” Jiang Cheng asks, distracted, but still attentive with Meimei.

“Da-ge says they’re spiritual dogs. They’re smart and sometimes they even join night hunts!”

Jiang Cheng looks impressed. “That’s really cool.”

“I like Meimei better, though.” he says, reaching out to scratch under Meimei’s chin. “She’s cute and cuddly.”

Jiang Cheng huffs, but he doesn’t look upset. He even lightly bumps his shoulder to Nie Huaisang’s, playful. “All dogs are cute and cuddly.”

Wow, Huaisang thinks. Happy Jiang Cheng is Fun Jiang Cheng!

Huaisang bumps right back into him. “Ah, you haven’t seen them, Jiang-xiong! They’re taller than me and not fluffy at all!”

“Everyone is taller than you.” Jiang Cheng retorts. “I’m taller than you, even though you’re older than me.”

“Jiang-xiong!” Huaisang whines, pouting. He reaches for Meimei. “You’re being mean! Give Meimei back-”

Jiang Cheng quickly pulls Meimei to his chest. “No! No, okay, I’m sorry, don’t take Meimei. I believe you, some dogs are scary.”

Huaisang narrows his eyes at him and pretends to consider first before letting it go. He leans back on the couch and picks at the abandoned magazine while Jiang Cheng continues to dote on Meimei. That reminds him – “Why are you here, Jiang-xiong?”

“My parents went to talk to your mother. I didn’t want to wait in the car.”

“I see.” Huaisang nods as he reaches into his pocket and takes out some doggy treats. He hands it to his friend. “Business things.”

“Business things.” Jiang Cheng nods back solemnly.

Not for the first time since meeting the Jiang siblings, Huaisang is glad that he finally has someone to share his seven-year-old wisdoms with.

It’s not the first time that Mayor-Sect-Leader Jiang and Madam Yu have come to talk with Nie Huaisang’s mother, either. Before, Nie Huaisang had been worried because they kept holding so many meetings. It’s a whole lot more than when they were in Qinghe, and those ones always left Mama pretty tired afterwards. But Mama had assured him that the Jiangs were only helping the two of them get settled in Yunmeng.

Huaisang knows that they are going to be living in Yunmeng for a while because Mama is in charge of the Nie Corp. office they’re opening in the city. Huaisang had not wanted to go at first, not without Baba and Da-ge, but Mama explained that they both have to remain in Qinghe because Qinghe is home and as the Qinghe Nie Sect, they should always take care of their home. Also, Da-ge has his training. He is going to be the Sect Leader after Baba someday, after all. Then Mama showed him pictures of all the pretty places in Yunmeng – with the lakes and the lotus flowers. Then Da-ge promised to spend his summer with them. Then Baba said that Sect Leader Jiang has two boys who are about Huaisang’s age who can be his friends, and that finally got Huaisang to relent.

The Jiangs are friends of their family, is what Mama had told Huaisang when they first visited the Jiang compound in Lotus Pier. Then Huaisang met them, and though Madam Yu is scary, she was polite to Mama unlike a lot of the people in Qinghe, so Huaisang likes her okay. Mayor-Sect-Leader Jiang is nice and friendly (Huaisang still doesn’t know which title to use so he uses both, which always makes the man laugh). Yanli-jie is kind and so pretty . Wei Ying is lots of fun, and Jiang Cheng is… Jiang Cheng.

Jiang Cheng is Jiang Cheng… and somehow, Jiang Cheng has successfully managed to teach Meimei to sit on command while Nie Huaisang has been lost in thought. When did that happen?!

Nie Huaisang shoots up and pouts at the tiny dog. “Meimei, you behave for Jiang-xiong, but you don’t listen to me even though I’m the one always giving you treats?!”

Jiang Cheng smirks at him, looking very proud of himself. He looks a lot like his mother this way. “You can’t just give her treats. You have to use them to train her.”

“Jiang-xiong, you’re good! Have you done this before?”

Jiang Cheng gives Meimei a treat as he nods. “Yeah. I had dogs. Puppies. Three of them.”

Huaisang moves closer, practically bouncing in excitement. “Three puppies?!” He has visited the Jiang residence in Lotus Pier a lot of times now, why has he never seen the puppies before?

“Yeah. Princess, Jasmine, and Little Love.” Jiang Cheng says.

Nie Huaisang stops. Those were not the names he expected Jiang Cheng to come up with. Then again, Huaisang named his turtle Turtle , which Da-ge said was ridiculous. Still, he thinks maybe he can get away with teasing Jiang Cheng this time since he’s in such a good mood, but then he sees his friend’s grin falter.

“I don’t see them around Lotus Pier.” Huaisang says, wary. “Where do you keep them?”

“They’re not in Lotus Pier anymore.” Jiang Cheng shrugs. “Since Father brought Wei Ying home to live with us.” Huaisang tilts his head, blinking, so he continues, “Wei Ying is scared of dogs, so I had to let them go.”

“Oh…” Huaisang stares at the other boy.

Jiang Cheng is not smiling anymore. He’s still playing with Meimei, but not as excitedly, and Huaisang understands why. If Jiang Cheng is this excited with a dog he just met, then he must have really loved those puppies he gave such cute names to! It seems unfair that he had to let them go. Couldn’t they have kept the puppies somewhere else instead?

“I’m sorry, Jiang-xiong.”

“What?” Jiang Cheng blinks at him, confused. “It’s okay. They’re fine. They got adopted by my cousins who live outside Lotus Pier.”

Huaisang frowns. “But they’re your puppies!” He tries to stay calm, but he couldn’t help how small his voice came out. “You were training them… You were gonna take care of them until they grow big!”

Jiang Cheng looks at him in concern. Why does Nie Huaisang sound so upset about this? “It’s okay. Really. Nie Huaisang, why are you crying?!”

Nie Huaisang sniffs. “I’m not!”

“You look like you’re going to!”

Jiang Cheng starts to panic. The receptionist across the lobby who had been mostly ignoring them is now looking at them, trying to see what is happening. He fumbles, picking Meimei up and offering her to Huaisang. “Here, you hold Meimei.”

Huaisang shakes his head. “No, you hold Meimei now. I can hold Meimei later.”

“Well, don’t cry!” Jiang Cheng whisper-shouts. The receptionist is frowning now, which is very bad. He doesn’t want them to think that he made Nie Huaisang cry! “Why are you so upset about this?”

“I don’t know…” Huaisang answers, mouth quivering. “If anyone told me I have to give Turtle away, I don’t think I’ll stop crying! Ever! I love Turtle!”

Jiang Cheng just looks at him, at a loss. Then slowly, he says, “Okay… well… no one is scared of Turtle, so you should be fine…?”

Huaisang nods at him, calming down. Jiang Cheng gets him to wipe his face with a handkerchief and Huaisang almost cries again because it has cute paw print designs, but Jiang Cheng tells him to keep it together, so he tries his best.

By the time their parents return from their meeting, Jiang Cheng has successfully taught Huaisang how to get Meimei to sit. It’s the most fun Huaisang has had with his friend without Wei Ying dragging both of them to mischief.

But as usual, as soon as Jiang Cheng saw his parents, he was standing up straight. Huaisang thinks he’s trying to look tough or neutral, but his face just looks… pinched. Still, Jiang Cheng is trying, and Huaisang almost feels chastised when he realizes he had done the exact opposite when he immediately latched on his mother, greeting her with a sweet “Mama!”

“A-Sang.” Nie Lihua says, laughing sweetly. “I hope you and Young Master Jiang didn’t wait too long.”

Jiang Cheng greets her with a proper bow. “Madame Nie. Good afternoon.”

This reminds Huaisang of his manners, and he steps away from his mother to bow as well. “Mayor-Sect-Leader Jiang. Madame Yu.”

They almost miss Meimei trotting up to the two guests, but before Meimei could reach Madame Yu, they both say, “Meimei, sit!”

Meimei sits. For one awkward moment, Nie Huaisang and Jiang Cheng look at each other, then Jiang Cheng realizes that he’s the one holding the last piece of doggy treat, so he leans down and gives it to Meimei.

Jiang Fengmian chuckles. Madame Yu looks at the two children, one brow raised. She looks like she wants to say something, but she doesn’t.

Nie Lihua looks at them as well, grinning. “Oh, you got our Meimei to sit!”

Huaisang beams. “Mama, Jiang Cheng taught me how to teach Meimei. He’s really good.”

“He is.” Mother nods, directing her smile at the other boy. “That’s quite the skill, Young Master Jiang.”

Jiang Cheng looks to the floor, cheeks red. “T-Thank you, Madame Nie.”

It’s then that Jiang Fengmian checks his watch and tells the Nies that they have to get going. They bid their goodbyes, and Jiang Cheng lifts Meimei to give her to Nie Huaisang, giving the dog one last pat on the head.

It’s the first time Nie Huaisang sees Jiang Cheng smiling while he trails after his parents.

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