Work Text:
Jiang Cheng walked happily, holding two peaches in his arms. The kind aunty from the kitchen had given them to him because she thought he was cute. Jiang Cheng liked her—she was kind, just like his A-Niang, Jiejie, and Jiuma.
Humming a little tune, he suddenly noticed a large shrub swaying suspiciously. What was that? Was someone playing hide and seek? Jiang Cheng wanted to play too!
He walked over slowly, curious, and as he got closer, he heard someone inside. Oh, it was Nie-gege! Was Nie-gege playing hide and seek?
"A-Cheng wants to play too!" Jiang Cheng said cheerfully, startling Nie Huaisang so much that he almost jumped.
Nie Huaisang turned his head sharply toward the voice and saw Jiang Cheng standing there with his peaches, smiling brightly. Panicking, Nie Huaisang grabbed Jiang Cheng’s hand and quickly pulled him into the shrub.
"Shhh, A-Cheng!" Nie Huaisang whispered, glancing nervously to the left and right.
"Nie-gege is playing hide and seek?" Jiang Cheng asked innocently, tilting his head.
Looking down at Jiang Cheng sitting in his lap, Nie Huaisang couldn’t help but smile. "Yes, A-Cheng. Nie-gege is playing hide and seek, and now we’re hiding together," he said softly.
"Who’s going to search for us?" Jiang Cheng whispered back, mimicking Nie Huaisang’s tone.
Nie Huaisang scanned their surroundings cautiously before leaning in close. "A big meanie-gege," he whispered. "So we have to hide really well."
°°°°°°
Jiang Cheng sat quietly on Nie Huaisang’s lap, even helping Nie-gege scan the other side of the shrub for any signs of the “big meanie-gege.” But then, his eyes lit up as he spotted Meng Yao nearby.
Jiang Cheng perked up, excited. He wanted to invite Pretty Gege to play hide and seek with them.
"PRETTY GEGE!" Jiang Cheng called out loudly, his small voice echoing in the quiet area.
Nie Huaisang froze in horror. Panicked, he quickly clamped his hand over Jiang Cheng’s mouth, but it was already too late. Meng Yao had heard the shout and had begun looking around curiously.
Meng Yao scanned the area, his sharp eyes landing on a shrub that swayed suspiciously. He began walking toward it to investigate.
Inside the shrub, Nie Huaisang was desperately trying to keep Jiang Cheng quiet. His hand still covered Jiang Cheng’s mouth as he whispered frantically, "Shhh, A-Cheng, don’t call him!"
Jiang Cheng blinked up at Nie Huaisang, clearly confused. Tilting his head slightly, he whispered back, "But why? I want Pretty Gege to play too."
Nie Huaisang sighed, whispering back in exasperation, "Because he’ll find us!"
"But Pretty Gege isn’t Big Meanie Gege," Jiang Cheng said, pouting slightly.
Nie Huaisang opened his mouth to explain, but before he could come up with a good excuse, Meng Yao had already found them.
"So this is where you’re hiding, A-Sang," Meng Yao said, peering into the shrub.
Nie Huaisang’s eyes widened in horror, while Jiang Cheng waved enthusiastically at his Pretty Gege.
"Pretty Gege, we’re playing hide and seek!" Jiang Cheng said, his voice filled with excitement.
Meng Yao smiled gently and patted Jiang Cheng’s head. Then, turning to Nie Huaisang, he said, "Nie Zongzhu is waiting for you, A-Sang."
Nie Huaisang’s face fell, and he quickly grabbed Meng Yao’s sleeve. "Yao-ge, please! I don’t want to meet Da-ge," he pleaded desperately.
°°°°°°
Jiang Cheng proudly showed his Pretty Gege the peaches the kind aunty had given him. Meanwhile, Nie Huaisang trudged alongside them, Meng Yao firmly clutching his robe to prevent him from escaping.
"They look very sweet, A-Cheng," Meng Yao said with a warm smile.
"I want to gift one to Jiejie," Jiang Cheng said, hugging Meng Yao’s neck and resting his head on his Pretty Gege’s shoulder. He had wanted to walk, but Meng Yao insisted on carrying him.
"What about Ying-gege?" Meng Yao asked gently.
"We can share," Jiang Cheng replied with a small smile.
Meng Yao chuckled softly and adjusted his hold on Jiang Cheng. Together, they walked toward the main hall, where Nie Mingjue was waiting for his brother, accompanied by Lan Xichen.
°°°°°°°
Nie Mingjue was having tea with Lan Xichen, discussing sect matters, when Meng Yao arrived with Jiang Cheng in his arms and Nie Huaisang trailing behind.
Nie Huaisang immediately tried to hide behind Meng Yao, while Jiang Cheng cheerfully waved at Lan Xichen.
"Xichen-ge, look! A-Cheng has peaches!" he said excitedly, holding up the peaches for Lan Xichen to see.
Lan Xichen smiled warmly at the child, but Nie Mingjue’s gaze lingered on the little boy. The soft lavender robes, the small bun tied with a purple ribbon—so this was the youngest master of the Jiang sect.
Nie Mingjue had become sect leader last year after his father passed away from illness. Despite his new responsibilities, he had heard plenty about the famous young master of the Jiang sect—the child who had stolen everyone’s hearts, including that of the Chief Cultivator, Wen Ruohan. However, this was his first time meeting Jiang Cheng in person.
Jiang Cheng wriggled in Meng Yao’s arms and asked to be put down. Once his feet touched the ground, he ran straight toward Lan Xichen, wrapping his small arms around the elder’s legs. Lan Xichen smiled gently and patted Jiang Cheng’s head.
It was then that Jiang Cheng noticed someone else standing beside Lan Xichen. His big eyes blinked as he stared curiously at the towering figure of Nie Mingjue. The man was so tall that Jiang Cheng craned his neck, trying to look up at him. He leaned back too far and almost toppled over, but Lan Xichen, quick on his feet, caught him before he could fall.
Jiang Cheng blinked in surprise, then giggled. "Xichen-ge saved A-Cheng!" he declared happily, clutching Lan Xichen's robes for balance.
°°°°°°°
Jiang Cheng sat comfortably on Lan Xichen's lap, chattering excitedly about his day.
"Ying-gege got punished with Zhan-gege, and A-Cheng was bored, so A-Cheng went to the kitchen. The aunty gave A-Cheng two peaches!" He proudly showed Lan Xichen the peaches again, beaming.
"And then I played hide and seek with Nie-gege, but Pretty Gege caught us!" he continued happily, completely oblivious to the way Nie Huaisang tensed beside his older brother, Nie Mingjue.
Meng Yao, who had been about to excuse himself, was stopped by a look from his sect leader, so he quietly took a seat nearby.
Lan Xichen listened with a warm smile, gently patting Jiang Cheng’s head. "You were hiding with Nie-gege? Who were you hiding from, A-Cheng?"
Jiang Cheng immediately mimicked Nie Huaisang’s whisper from earlier, his voice dropping to an exaggerated hush. "From Big Meanie Gege!"
Then, returning to his usual tone, he added, "But Pretty Gege caught us, and he’s not a meanie. So Big Meanie Gege is still around!"
Lan Xichen chuckled softly, while Nie Huaisang froze and shot a panicked glance at his brother. Nie Mingjue raised an eyebrow, his sharp gaze making Huaisang squirm. Meanwhile, Meng Yao hid his smile behind a polite cough, choosing not to comment.
"Big Meanie Gege, huh?" Nie Mingjue turned his sharp gaze toward his little brother, who immediately averted his eyes and looked pleadingly at Meng Yao.
Help me, Yao-ge, Nie Huaisang begged silently with his eyes.
I'm sorry, A-Sang, Meng Yao replied with an apologetic look, clearly unwilling to intervene.
Nie Mingjue continued to stare down his brother, his arms crossed, when a small tug on his robe made him glance down. It was Jiang Cheng, clutching his peach and gazing up at him with wide, earnest eyes.
"Big Gege, Big Gege," Jiang Cheng said in his small voice, "don't be angry at Nie-gege. He was hiding really well! It's just because A-Cheng called Pretty Gege that he got caught."
The little boy’s innocent defense made Nie Mingjue pause. He looked down at Jiang Cheng’s big, pleading eyes, so full of sincerity, and let out a sigh. He crouched slightly to meet Jiang Cheng at eye level, his stern expression softening just a bit.
"Is that so, young master jiang?" Nie Mingjue asked, his tone gentler now.
Jiang Cheng nodded enthusiastically, holding his peach closer. "Mn! Nie-gege was really good at hiding! It's not his fault!"
Nie Mingjue’s lips twitched as if suppressing a smile, while Nie Huaisang sagged with visible relief. Meng Yao, watching the scene unfold, quietly hid his amusement.
°°°°°°°
Jiang Cheng tugged at Lan Xichen’s sleeve. “Xichen-ge, lower me, please.”
Lan Xichen gently set the boy down, watching curiously as Jiang Cheng confidently walked over to Nie Mingjue. Without a hint of fear, the little boy climbed onto Nie Mingjue’s lap, settling himself comfortably. He held out one of his peaches with both hands.
“Here, for Big Gege,” Jiang Cheng said with a bright smile.
Nie Mingjue blinked in surprise as he accepted the peach. “For me?”
Jiang Cheng nodded earnestly. “Mn! Jiejie is still at home, so you can have it.”
Nie Mingjue’s serious expression softened further as a rare smile graced his face. He gently patted Jiang Cheng’s small head with his large hand. “Thank you, A-Cheng.”
Watching the exchange, Lan Xichen chuckled and asked teasingly, “What about Xichen-ge?”
Jiang Cheng paused, his tiny brows furrowing in thought. Then, as if coming to a decision, he took a big bite out of the peach in his hands. After chewing, he turned to Lan Xichen, holding out the bitten fruit.
“You can bite it, Xichen-ge,” he said cheerfully.
Lan Xichen laughed, his heart warmed by the boy’s sincerity. “Thank you, A-Cheng,” he said, leaning forward to take a small bite.
Meng Yao watched the scene unfold with a gentle smile, while Nie Huaisang took the opportunity to inch farther behind Meng Yao, hoping his brother wouldn’t notice. Unfortunately for him, Nie Mingjue’s sharp eyes caught the movement immediately.
“Come here, A-Sang,” Nie Mingjue called firmly, his deep voice leaving no room for argument.
Nie Huaisang sighed dramatically, dragging his feet as he reluctantly sat beside his older brother. He cast a pleading look at Meng Yao, who could only offer a sympathetic smile in return.
Meanwhile, Jiang Cheng was happily chatting with Nie Mingjue about the rabbits, his small hands gesturing excitedly as he described their antics. Nie Mingjue listened patiently, nodding occasionally, his stern expression softening as the boy’s enthusiasm grew.
Their conversation was interrupted when Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji arrived. Wei Wuxian approached first, his grin as wide as ever. He bowed slightly to Nie Mingjue, his tone playful but respectful. “Nie-zongzhu, I didn’t expect to see you here. What a surprise!”
Lan Wangji followed, bowing deeply with a polite “Nie-zongzhu.” His gaze briefly flicked to Nie Huaisang, who shrank under his brother’s looming presence.
Nie Mingjue acknowledged them both with a short nod. “Wei-gongzi. Hanguang-jun.” His gaze lingered for a moment on Wei Wuxian’s carefree demeanor but softened when he noticed Jiang Cheng beaming up at them.
Wei Wuxian crouched to Jiang Cheng’s level, reaching out to ruffle the boy’s hair. “A-Cheng! Let’s go see the rabbits!”
Lan Wangji gave a small nod of acknowledgment to the others before shifting his attention to Jiang Cheng.
Jiang Cheng’s face lit up. “Mn! But Big Gege has to come too!” he declared, tugging on Nie Mingjue’s sleeve.
Nie Mingjue raised an eyebrow at the insistence but eventually stood up. “Alright,” he said, his tone resigned but gentle.
Moments later, the group found themselves sitting on the grass in the rabbit field. Jiang Cheng took the lead, carefully introducing each bunny to Nie Mingjue one by one.
“This one is Snowball! And this is supreme butt!” Jiang Cheng said with great seriousness, holding up a fluffy white rabbit before pointing to another gray one hopping nearby.
Nie Mingjue nodded solemnly as if he were meeting important allies, while Wei Wuxian grinned and whispered to Lan Wangji, “Who knew Sect leader Nie was so good with bunnies?”
Lan Wangji remained quiet but allowed a faint smile to grace his lips as he watched Jiang Cheng’s excitement infect everyone around him. Even Nie Huaisang, hiding behind Meng Yao, found himself smiling despite his earlier reluctance.