’til next weekend

.

.

Jiang Cheng fields curious questions from A-Qing and Jin Ling with ease. He is 34 years old. He does not need to answer nosy questions from nosy teenagers.

He simply takes his coffee and the new box of cupcakes that he insists to pay for, and tells them that he has work to get back to.

That part is true. When he gets back to the clinic, Miss Liu, his assistant, tells him that one of their regulars are waiting for him, and he simply leaves the cupcakes with her before busying himself with the task of doing a check-up on three tiny and excited month-old puppies.

After that, they have some walk-ins. A young man with a sick cat, and a mother and son ushering in an injured family dog.

After that, he has to meet with the animal shelter to schedule vaccinations for their newcomers, and to discuss some other events they might need his services for.

His clinic is neither big nor fancy, but it is in a profitable location, being in the market district and right across the animal shelter and pet adoption center. So besides their regulars, the clinic is easily found by walk-ins, and Jiang Cheng has also practically become the shelter’s on-call vet.

It’s a busy late afternoon for him and Miss Liu. Jiang Cheng doesn’t mind. He enjoys the work, and he knows he is doing good. So he lets himself be busy until he isn’t anymore.

He doesn’t get back on his phone until right before closing time. He tells Miss Liu that he’ll close up, and she can clock out. He knows that she commutes, and would appreciate a headstart ahead of the rush hour. As Jiang Cheng finishes doing a quick once-over of the clinic, he takes his phone out to check if he missed anything work-related.

He sees his latest message thread. The one that was started just earlier.

’Oh. Right. That happened today.’

It turns out the message that Nie Huaisang sent to his own number using Jiang Cheng’s phone is a string of emoji: a lemon, a cupcake, a bunch of heart hands, a smiling blushing face and a puppy.

Cute. That’s cute.

Of course Nie Huaisang loves spamming emojis. That tracks.

Since Jiang Cheng is the one who started this, he decides he should also be the one to send the first actual message.

He gets a reply within the minute.

Jiang Cheng snorts, and he leans back on his office chair and just revels in his win.

Well. They’re not in competition, but still.

He thinks for a moment – he really should have thought of a place before suggesting lunch, but then again, he knows the neighborhood pretty well and a bunch of places easily come to mind.

.

.

.

Nie Huaisang doesn’t know why he’s nervous.

Okay, he knows it’s because he’s meeting up with an old friend after a painfully long time.

He doesn’t know why he’s nervous about that.

It’ll be fine. It should be fine! He’s back in Yunmeng, which feels nice. It feels like a childhood home, in a way. He spent until his teens here, with baba and da-ge. His stay here back then had been lovely.

It’s been a few days since bumping into Jiang Cheng, and they’d exchanged a couple more messages since then. Nie Huaisang was still busy unpacking and settling in his little one-bedroom place, in between planning meetings and brainstorming sessions at his new job, with the theater company. Jiang Cheng must be busy with work. Clinics are always busy. Nie Huaisang didn’t want to disturb him during work, or during the evening because he might be resting already. With… whatever… whoever… he spent his evenings with. So their messages were mostly Nie Huaisang asking something about the neighborhood, since everything is still so new to him. He sent them around lunchtime, or late afternoon, simply hoping those were reasonable times. Jiang Cheng had been very helpful, everytime.

Just like when they were kids and Nie Huaisang would barge in the staff room of the bakery where Wei Ying and Jiang Cheng did their homework, to ask them for help.

Jiang Cheng had seemed… good, even pleased to see him again? And their messages weren’t that awkward, to Nie Huaisang’s relief. Jiang Cheng even joked around with him a couple times. It’s been long but Nie Huaisang does remember his friend’s kind of dry and sarcastic humor.

It was fun talking to him again. It’s been suprisingly… easy… sliding right back into friendly and playful banter. Nie Huaisang doesn’t know if that’s just because they’re both much older, more settled. But that also might just be because they’re only texting.

The real test, Nie Huaisang knows, would be how they’d gel together, in person.

He fusses with his hair as he makes his way to the old family diner that they used to hang out in from way back. Nie Huaisang remembers that it was owned by a nice elderly couple, and the menu had the old madame’s family recipes. Jiang Cheng said their children had already taken over the business, but the menu has stayed mostly the same.

After his hair, Nie Huaisang fusses with his shirt. He’s dressed nicely, he thinks. Not too formal. Not too flashy either. A light, flowy kimono cardigan with a nice pattern, and a pretty plain ensemble underneath. Casual.

Yep, just casual.

It’s lunch to catch up with a friend! Really nothing to be nervous about! Nie Huaisang never gets nervous during meet-ups, unless it’s a doctor’s appointment, or a date- but it’s not like this one is a date, why would he even think it’s a date?

Okay, so the nerves are da-ge’s fault, Nie Huaisang decides. He’d been perfectly chill about this until he got in that call with da-ge right before leaving the apartment–

.

(“Wait- With who?”)

(“With Jiang Cheng! Y’know, from high school? You remember him. Jiang Yanli’s brother. From the bakery?”)

(“That boy? Still?”)

(“Wh-… What? What do you mean still?”)

(“That’s the one you’d sneak off work to make out with in the back room, right?”)

(“DA-GE???”)

(“What, you thought I didn’t know? Or is that the other kid? The loud one? No. No, I remember it’s the grumpy one. Yeah. You like that one.”)

(“What? I don’t-… We didn’t-”)

(“That was quick. Did he ask you? Or other way around?”)

(“Da-ge. No. It’s lunch, we’re catching up!”)

(“…No? You sure? Well, whatever. Hey, bring your pocket knife with you-”)

(“Nope! I gotta go. Drink your tea. Bye!!!!”)

.

Nie Huaisang did not bring his knife with him. One – it clashed with his aesthetic (even though it’s really cool). Two – WHY.

Also, it’s not a date. His da-ge is just insane, sometimes.

So maybe he did use to sneak off work to make out with Jiang Cheng, but that only happened a few times, and that was like, two decades ago, and da-ge has no business bringing that up. Not even Nie Huaisang brought it up. Not even Jiang Cheng-

Jiang Cheng did ask him out, though. Technically. Got his number and picked a place and everything-

Nope. It’s not a date. Nie Huaisang is sure if it was, he’d know. Right? Jiang Cheng isn’t the ask-someone-out-on-the-first-meeting kind of guy.

Well. When they were sixteen, that wasn’t him. Now-

Nope! Nie Huaisang shuts that firmly down. At least, for now…

…because he’s stepping inside the old-new family diner, and he is hit with a wave of nostalgia as he looks around the place.

It’s vaguely familiar in all the right places – the walls and decor all with an aged feel to them. At first glance it’s almost like stepping inside an old photo. Then he notices the little things – the cash register, the monitors with the menu, the more modern fixtures and more vibrant photos on the walls, the undoubtedly brighter and cleaner lighting and setup he can see of the kitchen. It’s a place that kept up with the times but didn’t let go of its aesthetic. It’s very lovely to see.

He finds Jiang Cheng sitting in one of the corner booths. He is talking to a very pretty waitress, but then he spots Nie Huaisang and waves him over.

The waitress smiles at Nie Huaisang as he walks over to the booth. “Good day! Welcome to Madame Qin’s!” As soon as Nie Huaisang settles in the seat across Jiang Cheng’s, she offers him a menu. “Anything I can get for you? Water? Tea?”

Nie Huaisang smiles as he accepts the menu. “I could do with some water, thank you.”

“Coming right up! And let me know when you’re ready to order.”

Jiang Cheng nods. “Thank you, Miss Qin.”

Nie Huaisang watches her go, before turning to Jiang Cheng. “She seems sweet. Friend of yours?”

“Extended family. On jiejie’s husband’s side.” Jiang Cheng answers, before taking a sip from his glass of iced tea.

“Oh?”

“She’s also Madame Qin’s granddaughter.”

Nie Huaisang blinks curiously. “Like the Madame Qin on the logo? Granny Qin?”

“Yep.”

“Oh! Cool…” Nie Huaisang nods, taking mental notes. As he skims through the menu, he asks, “Have you been waiting long?”

“No, I just got here too. And it’s fine, I have the afternoon off.”

“Your clinic’s closed during weekends?”

“No, I just have someone fill in.” Jiang Cheng explains easily. “I have a fellow vet who’s happy to take over the clinic on weekends, so I get those days free. Unless someone booked an appointment with me specifically, then I come in.”

“That’s really nice.” Nie Huaisang smiles. “You still get weekends.”

“Yeah, quite lucky.” Jiang Cheng agrees, also looking down at his own copy of the menu. “You? The company also takes weekends off?”

“For now. It’s early days, so it’s just meetings and planning and stuff. It will get busier the closer we are to the actual thing, and then of course, during the show run, we’re practically working all week.”

It’s Jiang Cheng’s turn to look curiously. “All week? That sounds tough.”

Nie Huaisang laughs. “It is! It’s so tiring. We’ll do eight shows a week, and when we’re not on, we’re rehearsing or cleaning up and resetting the stage, preparing props and stuff. But it’s also super fun, and very satisfying.”

“Huh.” Jiang Cheng looks amused. “You know, I remember you used to hate work.”

Nie Huaisang pouts, remembering his first “job”, which was to help around the meat shop. “That work wasn’t fun. It was all cold, wet, and stinky. And da-ge made me carry stuff like, twice my weight. That was unfair, I was so small!”

“You’re still small.”

He sighs, but there’s a grin pulling at his lips. “Jiang-xiong. You have to find a new insult. You’ve used that twice now.”

Jiang Cheng chuckles. “I know. I’ll come up with something.”

“Why, though?” Nie Huaisang whines. “Why be mean to me? Are we not old friends, Jiang-xiong? Did you not miss me?”

Jiang Cheng lets out a nonchalant hum. “I’ll have to think about that.”

“That’s cold.” Nie Huaisang catches the slight tilt of his friend’s lips and couldn’t help but smile himself.

Qin Su comes back with a glass of water, and goes to take their order. Jiang Cheng orders their signature dish. Nie Huaisang orders something he remembers liking from way back. They pick the dessert together. Jiang Cheng tells Nie Huaisang that the cakes are sourced from his sister’s bakery, so they settle on a cake slice to share.

“So Yanli-jie got married?”

“Yeah, about… uh, two, three years after you left?” Jiang Cheng answers. “Got two kids. Fifteen and eight.”

“Oh, that’s sweet! She’s the best mom, I bet.”

“Yeah, she’s pretty great at it.”

They wait for their food, and catch up.

And there’s a lot to catch up on.

.

.

.

“Jiang-xiong. No.”

“Yep. I know. It’s ridiculous.”

“So. Wait. What you’re saying is Yanli-jie basically did everything to not let your mom push her into that.. thingy–”

“The matchmaker.”

“-and in the end she finds out she’s already dating the guy your mom wanted for her?” Nie Huaisang gapes, his delicious meal temporarily ignored. “Did he know?”

“They both didn’t know. He’s just been dropping by the bakery and making eyes at her – really dumb – and she liked him back somehow.” Jiang Cheng frowns in disapproval at the memory as he chews on his own food. He continues, “We knew he was probably rich because he kept placing these large orders. We assumed it was snacks for his company – well, I guessed it was, he couldn’t have eaten all of those by himself-… Whatever. He kept coming back though. Then one day he finally found actual words and asked her out like a normal person. Somehow-”

“Wait, that’s cute-”

“You weren’t there. It was painful. There was a big, flashy, embarrassing bouquet-”

“That’s so perfect!”

“-then later when jiejie introduced him to Mother, it turns out she already knew him. He’s like, her best friend’s son? Rich future CEO man who’s back from his fancy college overseas. So Mother was very happy with that, you can probably guess.”

Nie Huaisang pouts. “See, it is cute! Straight out of a drama!”

Jiang Cheng sighs, and he looks like he has a headache. “No, you don’t understand. He’s a loser.”

“He’s that terrible?”

“He’s the worst.” Jiang Cheng nods, practically glowering.

“Like, is he a jerk? He isn’t hurting Yanli-jie, is he? If she liked him, he must be nice, somehow? How are they doing now?”

“They’re. Well. Uh. They’re doing okay.”

Nie Huaisang stares at him.

Jiang Cheng raises an eyebrow. “What?”

Nie Huaisang looks amused as he asks, “Jiang-xiong, are you hating your brother-in-law on principle? Are you just being petty?”

Jiang Cheng looks back down on his food and shrugs. “Maybe.”

“Ah. That tracks.”

“What does that mean?”

“You and Wei-xiong have always been super protective – I remember you guys glared at every guy who tried to flirt with her! So I guess this guy who finally managed to turn her head, he failed to charm you in the process?”

“Ew.”

“Don’t say ‘ew’! Are you a kid?” Nie Huaisang laughs.

Jiang Cheng just shakes his head. “Let’s just stop talking about that peacock, I’m losing my appetite.”

“Okay, okay. So we can savor the delicious food…” Nie Huaisang concedes. He looks at Jiang Cheng’s plate. “That looks really good, too. I should order that next time.”

Jiang Cheng’s response is to push his plate to the center of the table.

“Ah, yay! Here, you have some of mine too!”

Many things have changed, but not all of them. And, Nie Huaisang is happy to learn, it really is this easy to be back with his friend again.

.

.

“So is Mingjue-ge managing that farm all by himself?”

“He better not be.” Nie Huaisang frowns, then lightens up as he actually answers the question. “Our cousin helps with the management. Then of course there’s staff, both family and hired help. We have some tenants too.”

Jiang Cheng nods as he watches his friend start to dig in on their shared cake slice. “That’s good. And he’s had no health scares again after that last one?”

“None, thankfully. Probably because we all rallied to get him to rest and share his jobs. Finally.” Nie Huaisang rolls his eyes, lazily waving a fork with a chunk of cake. “He kept saying the farm is the family’s primary source of income, so we were like, okay then, so let the family help! That Da-ge, the most bull-headed man on Earth, I swear…”

“I’m surprised you convinced him to do anything.” Jiang Cheng chuckles. “Or, well, to do less things.”

“Oh, it wasn’t easy. But he does like it there. It’s better for his health too, like, less city noise and more nature… Fresh air and healthier living and all that.”

“Sounds like he really settled in the countryside.” Jiang Cheng smiles lightly. “So he’s okay with you moving out, this far from home?”

“Oh, he practically kicked me out.” Nie Huaisang snorts. Then, clearing his throat, he lowers his voice and scowls, in quite the spot-on impression of the Nie Mingjue that Jiang Cheng remembers – “’Who are you drawing costumes for out here, Nie Huaisang? The cows? Go to some city where you can do that properly!‘”

“Ah. That does sound like him.” is all Jiang Cheng says, before also eating some cake.

.

.

“I’m sorry, Wei-xiong’s kid is how old?”

“Eighteen.”

“What?! That’s older than Yanli-jie’s! That’s a baby adult!”

“Yeah, he’s going to college soon.” Jiang Cheng says, as he puts down his now empty glass of iced tea. “Last time we talked, he said A-Yuan’s started applying to different universities.”

“What kind of romantic movies are your siblings living?” Nie Huaisang asks in disbelief. “Yanli-jie and the matchmaking thing? Then this, Wei-xiong going to his mother’s hometown and meeting some handsome- what was it again, music teacher? Then they end up with this perfect kid?”

“Yeah.” Jiang Cheng shrugs, then squints at his companion. “So you just know the guy is handsome, huh?”

Nie Huaisang grins. “C’mon, we both knew Wei-xiong’s type.”

“We did?”

“Okay, speak for yourself, but I knew.” Nie Huaisang waves it off. “Also, you don’t just hook up with a stranger on a supposed vacation if you didn’t at least think they’re attractive. And then they got married! He’s gotta be handsome.”

Sighing, Jiang Cheng takes his phone and starts tapping, swiping, and then tapping some more…. Ah. There. He shows Nie Huaisang the most recent photo he could find from the sibling group chat. Wei Ying’s selfie with Lan Wangji and A-Yuan on the beach.

Nie Huaisang gasps. “Oh, wow, he’s a specimen. Way to go, Wei-xiong!”

Jiang Cheng doesn’t look amused. “Sure.”

Nie Huaisang turns to look at him with a barely-restrained smile. “Do you hate this one too?”

“Not as much as the other one, but… I don’t know, he’s boring.”

“I’m taking that with a grain of salt, because you’re super biased.” Nie Huaisang says, then looks at the photo again, this time focusing on the smiling teenager with glasses. “And that’s their baby… He’s so tall! He looks sweet…”

Nie Huaisang doesn’t miss how despite Jiang Cheng’s obvious bias against his siblings’ partners, he has the softest spot for their kids. “Yeah, he’s a good kid.”

That reminds him, though-

“How about you?”

Jiang Cheng blinks as he takes his phone back. “What about me?”

Nie Huaisang settles back on his seat. “You told me all about Yanli-jie and Wei-xiong, what about you? What’s up?”

“Uh.” Jiang Cheng stops. Yeah, besides telling Nie Huaisang about the clinic and what he does, everything else had been about his siblings, mostly. “Nothing much. I… work.”

“And?”

“That’s it.”

”No it isn’t. What have you been up to?”

“After you moved? College. Vet school. Worked. Saved up. Opened my own clinic. That’s it.”

Nie Huaisang pouts. “Noooo, A-Cheng, that can’t be it! What about- ummm… a partner? I would love to hear about them too, don’t be shy-”

At this, Jiang Cheng frowns, but Nie Huaisang could tell it is more out of annoyance than offense. “No, no. Don’t start about that. Mother has been trying to get me on the same matchmaking thing she wanted for jiejie. And Father actually told me to give it a go. They’re divorced and they still managed to gang up on me.”

Nie Huaisang snorts, and tries not to laugh at his plight. “Oh, no… I’m so sorry…”

“You’re good. Just don’t remind me about it.” Jiang Cheng shakes his head. He eyes their empty plates and glasses, and the bill that they’ve already paid. “Hey. Wanna get out of here?”

“Hm… where to?”

.

.

.

They walk around the market district with no actual destination. Nie Huaisang simply told Jiang Cheng to tell him about everything that changed over the years.

That’s… a bit of a challenge, because a lot has changed over the years, as is the nature of places like this. Jiang Cheng had never been the most talkative of their bunch – that was always Wei Ying – but this is his community, now. And he knows it well.

He doesn’t tell Nie Huaisang everything outright, but he does tell him about the places he thought his friend would be interested in.

The toy and candy shop they once frequented is an electronics and gadget shop now. The old junk shop is still standing, somehow. Many old restaurants are still there, old family recipes mostly preserved – but many had closed down in favor of newer places. There are definitely more bubble tea and fancy themed cafes now. More western restaurants, too. Jiang Cheng is less familiar with the bookshops, and the craft supplies district, but he knew several of them have closed and been replaced, although the bigger, established ones have managed to expand and modernize.

Nie Huaisang listens with interest. He doesn’t remember everything either, but he does remember most of his favorite places, and he only smiles a bittersweet smile when he hears some of them have closed down.

It surprises Jiang Cheng that he hadn’t thought to bring it up sooner – “By the way, your old place is a flower shop now. Though I guess you already know that, you must’ve seen it when you came to the bakery.”

Nie Huaisang nods. “Oh, yes, definitely! I’ve always known. I know the owner.”

That is new information. “You know Song Lan?”

“Yeah, he’s my landlord. Also a family friend. That’s how he got the place, y’know?”

“Really?”

“Da-ge kept ownership when we moved, and he leased it out to the next one. The-… I think, bento take-out place? Then after that one closed down, we sold it to Uncle Song. Then I guess he gave it to his son to start the flower shop business.”

“Huh. Didn’t know that.” Jiang Cheng says, taking mental notes. He didn’t always talk to Song Lan, but he’s been a good neighbor to the bakery for the past few years. That, and also- “His sister works part-time at the bakery.”

“Sister?”

“Ah, sorry. His partner’s sister. A-Qing. She lives with them, I think.”

“I see! I haven’t met her properly yet. I am renting one of their apartments, though, so maybe I’ll meet her sometime.”

“So it’s just you then?” Jiang Cheng asks. He had heard it mentioned before, that Song Lan’s parents had a small apartment building in his care now, extra income on top of the flower shop… If Jiang Cheng can recall correctly, the units are small living spaces, mostly for single occupants, couples or new families…

“Mm-hm, just me and my partner…” Nie Huaisang smiles.

Huh. Jiang Cheng opens his mouth to ask, then-

“My trusty sewing machine!”

Ah.

“My first week, I had to soundproof the whole place. A lot of work, but totally worth it.”

Jiang Cheng chuckles. “Yeah, you wouldn’t want to get kicked out, huh.”

“It’s such a nice place! I still have to buy a couple more things, though. Just small stuff…”

“Small stuff? For your apartment?”

“Yeah, do you know where I can buy them for cheap around here?”

Jiang Cheng doesn’t have to think about it for long. “I do, actually.”

.

.

.

So Jiang Cheng ends up on the local houseware thrift store, trailing after an excited Nie Huaisang with a basket that is slowly but steadily filling up.

Nie Huaisang had tried to grab the basket several times, and failed each time. He gave up after his fifth attempt.

He is too distracted by all the shiny and pretty and cheap things, anyway.

“Look, look, this is a complete tea set! With the saucers and spoons and everything! And the design looks hand-painted! And do you know what this bird is???”

Jiang Cheng squints. “It looks like a chicken.”

“It is a chicken!”

“Oh.”

Then it goes to the basket.

Jiang Cheng idly wonders if he made a mistake. Maybe he should have brought his companion to the new mall instead. But Nie Huaisang looks like he’s having a great time, even though Jiang Cheng is sure he’s buying more than what he planned to. So whatever. He’s happy. And he’s not asking Jiang Cheng for more life stories, which Jiang Cheng had run out of an hour ago. So that’s a win.

Also, he found a cute puppy mug that Jiang Cheng decided would look nice on the clinic front desk. So that goes to the basket as well. Another win.

Then Nie Huaisang finds the blankets, and starts talking about making clothes and pillowcases and various other stuff out of them.

“You really wanna do that?”

“Of course! This cardigan I’m wearing is made of old fabric too, it’s one of my favorites. I wear it all the time.”

“Huh. That’s… cool.” Jiang Cheng says. Now that he’s really looking at Nie Huaisang’s colorful cardigan, he can see how those patterns did look like they could come from some… older, vintage stuff. It suit him well, though. “You do that a lot, then?”

Nie Huaisang nods, smiling lightly as he goes through the various patterned sheets hanging on the rack.

“For a while, I wasn’t able to get an actual job because I was just taking care of da-ge and helping with the farm. Back then my hobby became… upcycling things? That old house had an attic full of heirlooms and stuff, just gathering dust up there! A lot of the old robes and sheets had nowhere to go… So I just made them into something new, something we can use more often.”

“That’s a really nice way to look at those things.” Jiang Cheng says.

“Yeah, the aunties loved getting them as gifts. And it was good practice for me, for sewing. Kept the machine regularly running too. I didn’t want that one to gather dust while I was on a break…”

Jiang Cheng appreciates this little insight.

Nie Huaisang so far hasn’t shared nearly as much as Jiang Cheng had today – but from what little he did share, Jiang Cheng could gather that he’s had a period of rough years before things got better again and he could be here now.

Jiang Cheng had known that the brothers relocated from Yunmeng to be with their late father’s side of the family. It had been a good time to do so, as their aging relatives were looking for someone young to take over an important family property, which was the farm, and at the same time the task of managing and maintaining the meat shop business all by himself was causing a strain in Nie Mingjue’s health. That’s about everything he knew, as they lost contact soon after.

Now after catching up, he knows that the health concerns were found significant sooner than any of them expected, as, according to Nie Huaisang, his brother had to go through a long strain of delicate treatments as his health worsened during the next few years. Thankfully they were with extended family by then, so they had plenty of support, but it must have been bad enough because Nie Huaisang mentioned that he “took a break” from his job after college so he can focus on his da-ge and the farm. He tried not to make it sound like such a big deal, but Jiang Cheng knew it couldn’t have been easy.

Now knowing Nie Huaisang had a way to still do a bit of what he really loved doing, while going through all that, it made Jiang Cheng feel better, worrying a bit less. He looks at his childhood friend now, all cheerful and full of energy, and if Jiang Cheng didn’t know any better, he wouldn’t have thought that Nie Huaisang been through such a difficult time.

He reaches out and examines one of the sheets for himself, feeling the fabric. It did look old and a bit out of fashion, but it was clean, and nice to the touch. He can see how someone with Nie Huaisang’s creative instinct would think it could be of use if turned to something else.

“So what do you think you can make with these?” he asks, and is rewarded by the sight of Nie Huaisang practically lighting up.

His friend lifts up an old curtain with a retro type design – all bold curvy lines and bright solid colors. “This one, I can see it already. A nice set of matching throw pillows!”

Jiang Cheng blinks and then nods, letting out a small, impressed smile. “Yeah, you know what, I can see it.”

Nie Huaisang beams. “Right?!”

Jiang Cheng lifts up the basket and Nie Huaisang puts the sheets in it.

“I think we should’ve gotten a cart.”

“…Yeah.”

.

.

.

Their “lunch” had taken up the whole afternoon.

Nie Huaisang doesn’t mind, as he adjusts the large market bag of various thrifted items propped on his shoulder. He bought a lot more than he had planned. But that’s fine. They were all nice items, and they were super cheap.

“Are you sure you don’t need any help with that?” Jiang Cheng asks, eyeing the big bag. On his side, he is carrying a very normal-sized paper bag containing the cute puppy mug for the clinic, and some scented candles for his own place. “I have time to walk you home.”

“I’ll be fine! I am stronger than I look.” Nie Huaisang assures him, grinning. “Must be all the lifting da-ge made me do, huh?”

Jiang Cheng raises an eyebrow. “You complained the whole time.”

“I still did it!” Nie Huaisang huffs. “Anyway, you’re still going to the clinic to help close, right? That’s the opposite direction, I don’t wanna hold you up.”

“Fine.” Jiang Cheng concedes easily, knowing they’ll be here for the rest of the afternoon and into the evening if they kept at this. “Take care on your way, then.”

“Thanks! Today was fun.” Nie Huaisang says, smiling. “It was nice to hear about- well, everything. And everyone.”

“Yeah. Same.” Jiang Cheng nods.

“I still didn’t get enough about you though! I don’t believe you’re that boring.”

Jiang Cheng simply shrugs. “I am. I have the clinic. Sometimes I babysit. I doubt you want to hear kid stories.”

Nie Huaisang doesn’t look convinced.

They just stand quietly in front of each other for a few moments, almost hovering. Like they both had something to say and they both also forgot what it was.

Nie Huaisang seems to remember first, as he asks, “Earlier, you said the old arcade’s still going, right?”

Jiang Cheng raises an eyebrow. He did mention that earlier. He didn’t expect Nie Huaisang to bring it back, though. The last time Jiang Cheng had gone to that arcade, he was just there chaperoning Jin Ling and his friend Zizhen. They were still kids then.

Still, he finds himself asking, “Next weekend?”

Nie Huaisang looks delighted to confirm, “Next weekend.”

“Good.”

“Okay!”

He is surprised when Nie Huaisang steps forward to give him a hug, much like when they first met again, back in the bakery, but this time he doesn’t hesitate to hug his friend back.

Nie Huaisang tells him to take care too, waves happily and goes on his way.

As Jiang Cheng turns to the opposite direction and starts walking towards where the clinic is, he takes a deep breath, and thinks back on his very eventful afternoon. It’s been a while since he’s had a day off like this, outside his own apartment, with someone that’s not his sister or her kids. Actually talking, and having fun just on his own time.

Yeah, next weekend sounds nice.

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to be continued!

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next time:
chapter three – mister kappa