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Nie Huaisang is taking his tea, watching Wei Wuxian squirm in his place.
“What do you want again?” Nie Huaisang finally asks once his cup is empty and he guesses he has to applaud Wei Wuxian for staying quiet all this time.
It does help that he is afraid of Nie Huaisang now.
“I’m here to check on Mingjue-ge,” Wei Wuxian says and Nie Huaisang narrows his eyes at him.
“That’s Nie-gongzi to you,” Nie Huaisang calmly reminds him and watches with pleasure how Wei Wuxian pales. “And he’s not here.”
“What do you mean he’s not here? He needs constant supervision!” Wei Wuxian yells out and Nie Huaisang calmly pours himself another cup.
“He’s neither a baby nor a dangerous animal. Wasn’t it you who assured me that there is no danger coming from da-ge now?” Nie Huaisang sweetly wants to know and Wei Wuxian swallows heavily.
“It’s just a precaution,” he amends, letting out a nervous chuckle. “You know, just in case.”
“Just in case you fucked up once more and my da-ge has to suffer again?” Nie Huaisang asks and it effectively shuts Wei Wuxian up.
Nie Huaisang is glad that Lan Wangji opted to let his husband travel alone today because he would not have liked to deal with those glares today.
“And he is not alone. He is with his husband,” Nie Huaisang tells Wei Wuxian and watches with satisfaction how Wei Wuxian freezes in surprise.
“Husband?” Wei Wuxian repeats, more to himself than Nie Huaisang. “What do you mean, husband?”
“I mean the man he is married to,” Nie Huaisang explains with more patience than he really feels. “You should know what that is, seeing as you have a husband yourself. Or did you never really get the approval of Lan Wangji’s family?” Nie Huaisang curiously asks because he damn well knows that Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian eloped because Lan Qiren would never approve of them.
“Hey,” Wei Wuxian complaints. “We are married!”
“Good for you,” Nie Huaisang replies. “Then you understand that da-ge is currently pre-occupied. And he’s also in good hands.”
“Uhm, Nie-zongzhu, no offense but I doubt that an ordinary person could subdue your brother should he lose control. Which of course is not going to happen because his state is stable, I promised you that, it’s just—just in case, you know.” He trails off with an awkward laugh and Nie Huaisang does so enjoy to watch him squirm.
“There is no need to worry. Da-ge is in very good hands. Capable hands. I wouldn’t worry if I were you.”
Or maybe that’s exactly the reason Wei Wuxian should worry but Nie Huaisang is not about to say that.
“Who is the husband then?” Wei Wuxian asks, his curiosity now clearly piqued. “Do I know him?”
“I think so,” Nie Huaisang says, pretending as if he has to think about it.
He does actually, because he’s no longer sure if Wei Wuxian truly does know Jiang Cheng at all. But he guesses they are about to find out.
“And it has to be someone who is strong enough to subdue him,” Wei Wuxian mutters. “Or maybe the person is just keeping him calm. Mh, yeah, probably that then,” he goes on and Nie Huaisang watches him with a raised eyebrow.
“You’re not going to tell me who it is, huh?” Wei Wuxian finally asks him and Nie Huaisang gives him his sweetest smile, which is clearly making Wei Wuxian uncomfortable.
“I am not. I think I want you to try and guess who it is,” Nie Huaisang says.
He doesn’t like how Wei Wuxian has treated Jiang Cheng in his time back, especially considering that for Wei Wuxian it has been a few seconds since he last saw Jiang Cheng. It has been years for Jiang Cheng on the other hand and still he seems more invested in this relationship than Wei Wuxian.
Nie Huaisang doesn’t like it.
Jiang Cheng has become family to him when he married Nie Mingjue and he stayed that way even when Nie Mingjue was dead.
And Nie Huaisang takes care of his family.
“Are you going to give me some more hints then?” Wei Wuxian asks, clearly already intrigued. “Because so far I have very little to go off on.”
“Fine,” Nie Huaisang heaves out. “Where to start,” he then muses. “I guess you could say da-ge married the biggest softie in the world,” Nie Huaisang finally says and Wei Wuxian frowns.
“A softie, huh? But someone who might be strong? Or maybe not? Mh, that doesn’t narrow it down at all. One more please?”
Wei Wuxian gives Nie Huaisang his most winning smile, which of course does absolutely nothing to Nie Huaisang.
“He’s playful. He likes to play pranks on da-ge and doesn’t allow him to be too serious,” Nie Huaisang says next and is surprised when understanding washes over Wei Wuxian’s face.
“Oh, so it’s Xichen-ge, right? Of course, it would make sense with their history,” he nods, not even waiting for Nie Huaisang to confirm or deny it and Nie Huaisang is kinda confused how he connected pranks to Lan Xichen.
But Nie Huaisang is happy to let him believe this if he really wants to, because he is quite protective of Jiang Cheng these days, especially after Wei Wuxian told him to leave it all in the past.
“He’s also very good with children,” Nie Huaisang goes on as if he hasn’t heard Wei Wuxian who nods along, clearly only getting his original idea confirmed.
“Let me guess, he’s also musical,” Wei Wuxian says and Nie Huaisang has to chuckle at that, because surprisingly enough Jiang Cheng is.
Nie Huaisang thinks he’s never heard anyone play the xun as beautifully as Jiang Cheng.
“He is indeed,” Nie Huaisang confirms. “Not that it matters much since da-ge has a deaf ear. He doesn’t even know to appreciate it.”
“Oh, that must be rough in a musical Sect as Gusu Lan then,” Wei Wuxian sighs out.
“I would suspect so,” Nie Huaisang says, still keeping it vague on purpose. “He’s athletic,” Nie Huaisang goes on, because there are actually so many more things he can list off about Jiang Cheng.
“Mh, all the arm strength,” Wei Wuxian says with a love-sick look on his face.
“Ew,” Nie Huaisang says, disgust making him shudder. “I don’t need to know that.”
“Aw, come on, Huaisang, you were the one handing out spring books back when we studied in the Cloud Recesses.”
“I did,” Nie Huaisang nods. “But those were of people I didn’t know. And it’s not as if I am interested in your sex life so I would appreciate it if you could stop.”
“Fine,” Wei Wuxian huffs out, clearly miffed that not everyone wants to hear about his sexual endeavours.
“Da-ge’s husband is also the most caring person I have ever met,” Nie Huaisang continues, thinking back to when Jiang Cheng couldn’t walk past any person in need, least at all children that were living on the streets.
There were definitely points in time when Nie Huaisang thought Lotus Pier was an orphanage and not a Great Sect.
“Yeah, Xichen-ge is a really warm-hearted man,” Wei Wuxian nods along with him and at this point now Nie Huaisang frowns.
“Er-ge? No one is talking about him,” he finally says and watches how Wei Wuxian’s mouth drops open.
“It’s not Xichen-ge? But who else could it be? Are you sure I know that person? With everything you have said I don’t think there’s someone fitting out there. And someone I know as well? Are you trolling me?”
“I am most definitely not,” Nie Huaisang says with vehemence and just in that moment his second in command comes in.
“Zongzhu, your brother and his husband are back. Should I tell them to wait for you?” he asks with a side-eye at Wei Wuxian.
But Nie Huaisang thinks this could be the best opportunity to show how much Wei Wuxian doesn’t know about Jiang Cheng.
“Tell them who my guest is and let them decide if they want to come here,” he still decides because he remembers how crushed Jiang Cheng was when Wei Wuxian simply fucked off with Lan Wangji without a look back.
And his da-ge has only recently managed to make Jiang Cheng smile again.
His second bows and leaves, leaving Nie Huaisang with a bouncing Wei Wuxian.
“Oh, I’m going to meet the mystery man,” he whispers, clearly beyond excited about this.
“Maybe,” Nie Huaisang corrects him. “Maybe he’ll decide he doesn’t want to see you.”
“But why should he?” Wei Wuxian asks with a frown and then perks up like the dogs he hates so much when the sound of voices reaches them.
They are still muffled through the door so Nie Huaisang guesses it can be excused that Wei Wuxian doesn’t immediately recognize Jiang Cheng’s voice but he can’t help but to tighten his grip on his cup.
Wei Wuxian is staring at the door even before it’s opened and Nie Huaisang keeps his eyes trained on him. He definitely doesn’t want to miss the moment he realizes.
And it truly is a sight to behold when Wei Wuxian’s face goes slack with surprise and his eyes go big. Nie Huaisang is tempted to lean over and close his mouth with his fan but it’s honestly more fun to see Wei Wuxian frozen with his surprise.
“A-Cheng?” he breathes out and Nie Huaisang stands up, smiling at his brother and Jiang Cheng before he turns around to Wei Wuxian.
“That’s Jiang-zongzhu to you,” he coldly says and then he finally leans down to close Wei Wuxian’s mouth for him. “And it seems as if you don’t know him at all.”
And with that Nie Huaisang turns away from Wei Wuxian, completely content to forget that he even exists.
“You left me alone for so long,” he whines out, immediately going to hang off Nie Mingjue’s shoulder, who of course indulges him.
Nie Huaisang has missed him so.
“What have you been up to?” Jiang Cheng asks as he pinches the bridge of his nose, watching Wei Wuxian from the corner of his eyes.
“Nothing, nothing, really nothing,” Nie Huaisang is quick to breathe out, before he bursts into laughter.
“I just reminded him that his perspective is not the only one in the world.”
“Mhm, sure,” Jiang Cheng says and then steadies Nie Huaisang with a hand when he stumbles as Nie Mingjue starts to walk away from Wei Wuxian. “Careful, Huaisang. My soul, don’t drag your brother along like this.”
“His fault if he won’t let go,” Nie Mingjue grumbles but he does slow down a bit.
It’s not prompting Nie Huaisang to let go though.
“Rude, da-ge. I bet you let Wanyin hang off you all the time.”
“That’s because I love him a whole lot,” Nie Mingjue immediately replies and Nie Huaisang watches with satisfaction how Jiang Cheng’s face goes all soft and Wei Wuxian seems to be even more surprised.
“Don’t even pretend, you big softie. You love your brother just as much,” Jiang Cheng chides him but there’s laughter in his voice and Nie Huaisang thinks he’s positively radiant with his happiness.
It’s good to see him like this after all these years.
“I’m so glad you’re back, da-ge,” Nie Huaisang says, completely serious and meaning it in more than one sense and Nie Mingjue ruffles his head for his troubles.
“I’m glad I’m back, too. I left my heart alone for way too long.”
Nie Huaisang sucks in a pained breath, clasping his hands over his chest.
“The pain! Betrayed by my own flesh and blood.”
“Still the same theatrics I see,” Jiang Cheng says and pokes him in the side. “He meant you.”
“Did not,” Nie Mingjue grumbles and pulls Jiang Cheng in for a soft kiss.
Normally Nie Huaisang would complain but he’s too busy gleefully looking back at Wei Wuxian who sees as if his whole world is recalibrating at the moment.
It’s what he deserves, Nie Huaisang thinks. Just like Nie Mingjue and Jiang Cheng deserve their happiness.