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Chapter Text

It was a wonderful day in Jingch-... uhh, no. It started as one of the shittiest days Jiang Yuelou could have imagined.

He had been a fully trained policeman and officer with two stars on the collar of his uniform for several months now. Not bad at all at the age of 21.

In the morning, just before 8, he walked through the front doors of the station, with his typical indifferent expression on his face. The weather was crap, it was raining and, considering it was already late spring, it was just too cold. Simply uncomfortable. But he enjoyed his work, even if it often didn't show.

He shared his office with two older officers, also two-star officers, named Sun Yongren and Song Rong. The short, fat officer Sun was - unfortunately completely stereotypically - always eating and he talked a lot and often nonsense. Jiang Yuelou liked him anyway, even though he was often annoyed by him. Sun Yongren may not be a superior, but he was older, so respect was the order of the day, no matter how often Jiang Yuelou secretly called him an idiot and a glutton.

Song Rong was someone Jiang Yuelou actually respected, not only because of his age and professional experience, but also because he had earned it. He was the complete opposite of Sun Yongren. Taller than Jiang Yuelou, slim and athletic, and the most obvious difference from Sun Yongren was that he was quiet, spoke when necessary, and when he said something, it was never superfluous or useless. He seemed a bit serious and aloof, but once he got to know him better, he knew that he had a heart as big as Sun Yongren's.

Jiang Yuelou entered his office and, as expected, found his two colleagues there. However, they were not alone. Sitting on the sofa, with her back to the wall where the windows were, was a young woman about Jiang Yuelou's age. She looked familiar, but he couldn't think of where he had met her before.

Something else distracted him from his musings. The baby she was holding. It wasn't a newborn, but it certainly wasn't a year old either.

Song Rong came up to him, grinned, patted him on the shoulder and left the office without another word. Sun Yongren looked up at Jiang Yuelou, shaking his head a little sheepishly, also grinning, and immediately followed Song Rong.

Jiang Yuelou looked after the two with his hands raised questioningly.

"Wha-?"

The only answer he got was the sound the office door made as it slammed shut. He had no choice but to turn his attention to the woman and the child. He still didn't know how he knew her. Embarrassed, he scratched the back of his head and walked towards her.

"Miss-,"

"Zhang. So you don't remember, Yuelou?"

She sounded reproachful and a little sad, but spoke calmly and quite quietly.

"Sorry, do I know-,"

"Zhang Xinyue."

Jiang Yuelou still looked just as perplexed as before. The name seemed just as familiar to him as her face.

"Maybe he'll jog your memory."

"He?"

"Mingyue," she replied, turning the child in her arms a little in his direction.

There was no mistaking the resemblance, not at all. Especially his eyes, which looked at Jiang Yuelou curiously, looked exactly like the policeman's. Jiang Yuelou blinked a few times and stared wide-eyed at the boy.

"This... How?"

She snorted softly and actually looked a little amused.

"I certainly don't need to explain the how."

His question had been theoretical of course. When he'd seen the baby, he'd immediately remembered the New Year's party at the end of his second year of training at the police academy. It had been quite some time ago, about a year and a half. Gradually, some memories came back. He had drunk far too much that day, had let himself been persuaded by his classmates to go into town with them to celebrate.

"Now you seem to remember," Zhang Xinyue said

"You're the girl from back then?"

She nodded.

"I... I'm sorry about what happened. I was pretty drunk. It shouldn't have come to this."

"It still takes two to tango, Yuelou, and I knew it wasn't serious. I could have held back like you did, but I... I just couldn't resist your smile."

"Believe me, I'm not usually like that. You were the only one. I was so embarrassed. I was a coward, I should have looked for you... but I didn't know anything except your name."

"Don't worry, Yuelou, I... we were fine."

Slowly, the realization that the child was his son seeped through to him. He felt hot and cold at the same time. What was he supposed to do? What was expected of him? What should he tell his parents?

"Why didn't you contact me when you knew you were pregnant?"

"So you don't deny that he's your son?"

Jiang Yuelou laughed softly and looked at the baby.

"How could I?"

"He looks exactly like you."

She sounded sad and the smile with which she looked at her son was melancholy.

"Do you..." she asked a little shyly, but then paused.

Jiang Yuelou sat down next to her on the sofa and looked her in the eye.

"May I?" he asked, holding his hands out to her.

She smiled again and this time she looked relieved. With a nod, she handed the baby to Jiang Yuelou. He took the little boy in his arms and it was... overwhelming. It felt so natural to hold him in his arms. The fabric of her clothes rustled as she stood up. Jiang Yuelou lifted his head and looked at her questioningly.

"I need to go to the toilet," she said sheepishly.

"Oh, of course. Just out of the office, then to the right, up to the stairs. The door to the right of the stairs."

"Thank you... Yuelou."

She had spoken his name very softly and looked him in the eye. Jiang Yuelou sensed that something was strange, but then the baby in his arms stirred and distracted him from his train of thought.

"I'll be right back."

She left the office and headed in the direction Jiang Yuelou had told her. Now he was alone with the child, his child. He held him in front of him and looked at him carefully.

"Mingyue. A good name. Bright as the moon."

The boy kicked in his hands and laughed again. He seemed to be a good-humored child, so he wasn't quite like his father in that respect.

When the office door opened after a few minutes, Jiang Yuelou expected to see Zhang Xinyue had returned. Instead of a pretty young woman, however, a man in his late forties, his adoptive father, stood in the doorway and looked at him with incomprehension in his eyes.

"Com- Commissioner," Jiang Yuelou greeted him, and anyone would have noticed the unease in his eyes.

Jiang Yuelou felt like he was going to be sick.

"Whose child is this? And why are you here alone with a baby? Where are Officer Song and Officer Sun?"

Jiang Yuelou lowered his hands and now held the baby so that Bai Jinbo could look him in the face. Somehow, he couldn't muster the courage to state the obvious, so he instead chose to just show him the boy. Both the baby and Jiang Yuelou wore the same slightly frightened expression at that moment.

Bai Jinbo stared. Then he turned pale, very pale. Jiang Yuelou had never seen anyone this pale. Mingyue started to laugh.

"Commissioner..."

The commissioner's jaw dropped a little. The baby was still laughing.

"What have you brat done again?" the commissioner suddenly raised his voice at him.

"Commi-,"

"JIANG YUELOU!!!"

The whole floor had heard that. The baby had now started crying in fright and Jiang Yuelou was so overwhelmed that he just wanted to cry with him.

**

The morning ended with the entire headquarters whispering as Jiang Yuelou, who trotted behind Bai Jinbo with his head red and the baby in his arms, walked through the corridors. Like a schoolboy who had been caught smoking by the principal and now had to listen to a telling-off in his office. However, their destination was not Bai Jinbo's office, but their home.

Bai Jinbo had called his wife before he showed up at home with Jiang Yuelou, so Yang Siqi had been warned to a certain extent. However, she had not been warned about how adorable the baby was.

When her husband and adopted son arrived home, she too wore a serious and reprimanding expression, which immediately turned into the brightest smile imaginable when she saw the little boy.

"Aww... is that him?"

Jiang Yuelou, still totally overwhelmed, exhausted and confused, nodded.

"Give him to me."

It was a certain physical and mental relief to let the child out of his hands. He finally felt like he could breathe freely again, at least as long as he wasn't looking at Bai Jinbo's face.

Yang Siqi looked at Jiang Yuelou and recognized the restlessness in him.

"Let's go into the living room," she suggested.

Bai Jinbo, however, waved him off.

"I have to go back to the station. You-," Bai Jinbo, his forehead furrowed around the steep crease in the middle, pointed his finger at Jiang Yuelou, "-are on forced vacation now and we'll have a serious talk when I get home tonight."

"Yes, father," Jiang Yuelou replied so meekly and quietly that it was barely audible.

It felt more like house arrest than a vacation.

Then he followed his mother into the living room. Yang Siqi had her full attention on the baby and stroked his cheeks gently.

"So soft," she murmured.

"Mother..."

"Yuelou, he's adorable and he looks just like you. Son, what were you thinking?"

"Nothing at all. I was drunk, mother."

Yang Siqi looked at him reprovingly.

"I know that's no excuse."

"Where's his mother?"

Jiang Yuelou's expression turned serious.

"Disappeared. She was in the office with him this morning. She just wanted to go to the toilet, at least that's what she said, but then she disappeared. We searched the whole police station and the surrounding streets for her, but we couldn't find her."

He played nervously with his fingers and looked a little desperate.

"Mother..." he had to swallow before he could continue, "Mother, I only know her name. I don't even know where she lives."

"Boy, I don't know you like that. So irresponsible."

"I know."

He had lowered his gaze and seemed to be paying a lot of attention to the pattern on the carpet.

"Xinyue; Zhang Xinyue is her name."

"What's his name?"

"Mingyue."

"Beautiful. She seems to be a kind-hearted woman if she named your son after you two."

Jiang Yuelou raised his head and looked at the child. He blamed himself for not being there for her and the child, even though he had only found out today that he was a father. A small, very, very selfish and immature part of him asked him if he would have been happy to take care of her and the child. If Jiang Yuelou was honest, however, he found the idea of sharing a life with someone he barely knew and didn't love frightening. It felt suffocating and imprisoning to him.

They spent the rest of the day with Yang Siqi explaining to Jiang Yuelou everything she knew about children, especially babies. She didn't have any children herself, but she had been the director of an orphanage for more than twenty years and had experience when it came to them.

First, she sent the housekeeper to get the most necessary things for the boy, such as diapers, some clothes and toys. Yang Siqi planned to go shopping with Jiang Yuelou at the weekend. Without saying a word about it, it was clear to both of them that the child would stay with them, would have a home here, at least until they had found the mother. Jiang Yuelou avoided thinking about what would happen when she reappeared.

The young policeman was surprisingly skillful and, after a few attempts and a shirt full of pee, had managed to put a diaper on his son in such a way that it didn't fall off immediately. The boy seemed to be having a lot of fun, he kept laughing and Jiang Yuelou could not resist the attraction his laughter exerted on him.

His heart beat a little faster as he picked up the baby, gently pressed it to his chest and felt its warmth. Mingyue made a few noises that seemed to Jiang Yuelou like a contented grunt. Lightly, he began to sway back and forth and closed his eyes. Heavens, it felt so good to hold his own child in his arms. All the worries that had entered Jiang Yuelou's life with his sudden appearance were completely forgotten for a few precious moments.

Yang Siqi, who had just been in the kitchen with the housekeeper cooking something for the baby, came into the living room and watched her son lovingly with his son in his arms for a few seconds before she went to him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Lou-er."

Jiang Yuelou opened his eyes and looked first at her and then at the baby.

"I know you'll be fine. You're a good father, I can see it clearly."

"Thank you, Ma, that means a lot to me, even if I'm far from being as convinced as you are."

"You know we'll always be there for you and help you."

"After the telling off Ba is going to give me."

"You'll have to get through it, son."

A grateful and loving smile curved his lips.

**

The lecture was long and loud, but in the end, even Bai Jinbo could no longer be angry with his son. Just like Yang Siqi, he was enchanted by the little man, his son's son, and just like his wife, he realized that Jiang Yuelou already hopelessly had fallen for the baby and would do anything for him.

At dinner, Bai Jinbo remembered that his own old cradle was in the cellar. The baby was already asleep, but in Jiang Yuelou's bed. A cradle was a better choice. Together with his father, Jiang Yuelou went to the basement after dinner and took it out.

Despite its age, it looked good and just needed a little dusting. Meanwhile, Yang Siqi picked out some somewhat suitable bed linen. They would have to get some more things for the child at the weekend. Bedding for babies in any case.

When everything was ready, Jiang Yuelou went to his room and quietly opened the door. He didn't want to wake the baby. Mingyue was apparently fast asleep. Bai Jinbo brought the cradle into the room and placed it next to Jiang Yuelou's bed. Then he placed a hand on his son's shoulder and both men looked at the sleeping baby.

"Good night, son," Bai Jinbo said softly and left the room.

Suddenly Jiang Yuelou was alone with the child again. The uncertainty returned and the events of the day left a nervous feeling. With a soft sigh, he sat down on the bed and carefully picked up his son. The baby stirred slightly in his arms, but did not wake up. Jiang Yuelou placed him in the cradle and stroked his cheek with his index finger. The baby smacked softly but continued to sleep.

Lost in thought, Jiang Yuelou went to the bathroom, showered, brushed his teeth and returned to the bedroom. He was totally exhausted, it had just been so much today, he just wanted to sleep. Before he went to bed, he took one last look at his child. The day hadn't been quite so shitty after all. Exciting, nerve-wracking, scary yes, but not shitty and as soon as his head touched the pillow, he fell into a deep sleep.

**

In the middle of the night, a loud and unfamiliar sound woke him. Jiang Yuelou opened his eyes and the next moment he was sitting bolt upright in his bed.

The baby was crying.

His heart pounded in his chest. He got up and stood next to the cradle to look inside. Thick tears rolled down the baby's cheeks. He had squeezed his eyes tightly shut and hadn't noticed that his father stood next to his cradle.

Jiang Yuelou timidly touched him and stroked his cheek with his thumb. Mingyue opened his eyes and was silent for a moment before he burst into heart-rending cries again. A shiver ran down Jiang Yuelou's spine. Frozen with fear of doing something wrong, he stood next to the cradle, but then pulled himself together and took his child in his arms.

Unfortunately, it didn't help much. His crying didn't get any quieter. Jiang Yuelou didn't want his parents to wake up and thought desperately about what his son might need. Carefully, he held him up a bit, in front of his face, and sniffed. Didn't smell suspicious, so it couldn't be that.

Maybe he was hungry.

Yang Siqi had placed some baby porridge she had prepared before dinner in Jiang Yuelou's room. She had expected that the baby might get hungry at night.

Jiang Yuelou went to the table with the crying bundle in his arms, sat down and took some of the porridge on the spoon. Mingyue, however, instead of opening his mouth, turned his head away and, after the third attempt, knocked the spoon out of Jiang Yuelou's hand.

Baby food on the carpet. The housekeeper would definitely be happy tomorrow.

Jiang Yuelou was at the end of his very limited wisdom when it came to raising children. He walked around the room for a while, cradling the baby in his arms. However, he hardly calmed down. Exhausted, Jiang Yuelou eventually sank down onto the bed, leaned against the headboard and stretched out his legs. What should he do? He didn't want his son to cry about anything. The worst thing was that he simply didn't know what he needed.

He pushed back the curtain in front of the window where the bed was and looked out. The sky was clear and the moon was now shining directly into the room. Without realizing when, Mingyue had stopped crying and, like his father, was looking at the moon. Jiang Yuelou gave him a gentle hug. He had not yet gotten used to the feelings that overflowed when he felt his child so close to him.

He stroked Mingyue's back with light movements.

Jiang Yuelou's thoughts returned to the morning, to her. He wondered why she had left the baby behind. She hadn't seemed like an irresponsible person to him and something had definitely been bothering her. He wanted to know what was wrong with her, to know why she had left her son in the care of a literal stranger. He absolutely had to look for her.

The baby had fallen asleep in his arms. He didn't want him to wake up again, so he sat with his back against the head of the bed and closed his eyes. At some point, sleep overcame him too.

Chapter Text

The next morning there was a knock, but Jiang Yuelou was so exhausted that he didn't notice anything and the baby didn't wake up either. The door was opened slowly and Bai Jinbo looked into the room. A soft expression, rarely seen on him, appeared on his face. He left the door ajar and went to fetch his wife. She absolutely had to see this.

"Siqi, come with me," he said to his wife, who was in her bedroom and had just gotten dressed.

He grabbed her hand and pulled her behind him. On the way to Jiang Yuelou's room, he quickly went into his study and picked up his camera.

"Jinbo-ah, what's going on?"

"You'll find out in a moment. Come with me, but be quiet."

As they stood outside Jiang Yuelou's room, Bai Jinbo pushed the door open again, taking care not to make any noise. However, Yang Siqi almost made a loud, delighted sound when she saw her son asleep in bed with the baby in his arms. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes and she squeaked softly.

"Shh," Bai Jinbo said, putting his index finger to his lips.

Yang Siqi nodded obediently and immediately returned her gaze to Jiang Yuelou. She was literally overflowing with happiness. Bai Jinbo now fiddled with his camera, adjusted the lens and took some photos, always dreading that the soft clicking sound might wake them up.

When he was finished, he had a big grin on his face. This was what it looked like when Commissioner Bai was overflowing with happiness. There was nothing left of the anger he had felt yesterday.

While he took the camera back to his study, Yang Siqi went into Jiang Yuelou's room and sat on his bed. She was so enchanted by this adorable sight, she felt like she could sit here for hours just looking at them.

However, she couldn't help but notice the worry on Jiang Yuelou's sleeping face. She thought that he just looked like the sixteen-year-old boy they had adopted five years ago again. She stroked his head.

"Lou-er, wake up."

Jiang Yuelou moved his head slightly and blinked a few times.

"Ma, good mor-,"

"Ba."

Jiang Yuelou and Yang Siqi looked at the baby in utter surprise. Mingyue looked up at his father and repeated,

"Ba."

Yang Siqi giggled.

"He must have heard you talking to your father yesterday and now he's imitating you."

Jiang Yuelou was not yet fully awake and yawned heartily. Mingyue started to giggle and then laughed. Baby's perspective was certainly funny.

"When do children start talking?" Jiang Yuelou asked, smiling as he looked down at the baby and lightly rubbed his tummy, which he seemed to like, judging from the contented look on his small face.

"Mmhhh, let me think for a moment. On average at about a year, I'd say, but every child is different. Some start talking earlier, some later. How old is he?"

"I don't know exactly. She was gone before I could ask her. He should be about seven months old now."

"Then it's still a bit too early to talk. Babies mimic a few sounds before they speak their first real words. I'm sorry, son, about what happened. I always wanted you to be happy with a family of your own, but it was all quite..."

"Surprising," Jiang Yuelou interrupted her.

He looked at his son, who was holding his little finger with one of his small hands and squeaking contentedly. It might have been almost brutal, so completely without warning, but Jiang Yuelou had understood what it meant to love a person unconditionally.

Yang Siqi had gotten those teary eyes again and had to pull herself together to keep from squealing in rapture again.

**

The doorbell rang. The housekeeper hurried to the gate and came back into the house with a letter with nothing but Jiang Yuelou's name on the envelope. Bai Jinbo gave her a quizzical look as she handed him the letter.

"The messenger came straight from the police station. The letter was delivered there yesterday by a young woman at the reception desk."

Bai Jinbo's eyes grew wide. Could it have been the boy's mother?

"Did he say anything else?"

The housekeeper shook her head.

Bai Jinbo stood up and walked quickly to Jiang Yuelou's room with the letter in his hand. He found his son sitting on the edge of the bed. Next to him was Yang Siqi, beaming with joy with the baby in her arms.

"Here, this was delivered to the police station for you yesterday. I assume the letter is from her."

Jiang Yuelou looked at his father in surprise and took the letter from his hand. With slightly trembling hands, he opened the letter, unfolded the sheet of paper and began to read. The letter was not particularly long and was written in fine handwriting.

It was indeed from Zhang Xinyue. She apologized for not having prepared him, but gave no further explanation as to why she had not contacted him much earlier, why she had left her son with him and then simply disappeared. She mentioned his birthday and explained that the child should be named Jiang Mingyue.

I think your name is beautiful, Jiang Yuelou. Jiang Mingyue is a good name.

The letter concluded with her apologizing again and explicitly asking him not to look for her.

Take good care of him and of yourself. I love him and I regret not having known you well enough to be able to say the same about you. We were both naïve.

Jiang Yuelou couldn't help thinking that it sounded like a goodbye.

"Ba, we have to look for her."

As if he hadn't just read the lines she had written.

**

The search was unsuccessful. Even after years, there was no trace of Zhang Xinyue. Meanwhile, Jiang Mingyue grew up. During the day, when Jiang Yuelou had to work, Yang Siqi looked after him. She loved her grandson, whom she affectionately called Xiao Yue, more than anything and was overjoyed to be able to spend so much time with him.

Jiang Mingyue was now four and could be the most well-behaved child in the world if he wanted to be, and he was damn handsome, the spitting image of his father, something the two of them often heard.

But good looks were not the only thing he had inherited from Jiang Yuelou. He could be a hotshot and had an unhealthy level of self-confidence. Jiang Yuelou had sworn never to hit his child, but there were times when he would have loved to put him over his knee and spank him. Unconditional love or not.

He himself had experienced a traumatic childhood and beating was something that struck a raw nerve in him. When he saw angry husbands beating their wives or parents beating their children, something inside him was always on the verge of snapping. He couldn't do that to his child. He couldn't do that to any child.

In the first few months after Jiang Mingyue had turned his life completely upside down, he had often doubted whether he could be a good father. His own father, his real father, had not been a good example. But his adoptive parents gave him the stability and calm he needed. That and his love for the child, was all he needed.

When his son was five years old, Jiang Yuelou decided to take him hiking. The regular excursions into nature helped Jiang Yuelou to relax and did them both good. Jiang Mingyue was inquisitive and Jiang Yuelou tried to answer his questions as best he could.

The bond between father and son was close, but both realized that something was missing. Jiang Mingyue asked about his mother from time to time, but Jiang Yuelou couldn't tell him much. He was still looking for her, but even contacts in Hong Kong, Beijing or Shanghai brought no new information. People with the surname Zhang were a dime a dozen, which didn't make the search any easier. He promised his son that he would not stop searching until he had found her.

Another year passed, but there was no sign of her. Jiang Mingyue would start school in a few months, so Jiang Yuelou decided it was time to look for a place of their own in the city. He was now 27 and had previously been firmly convinced that he would move out of his parents' house by the time he had turned 22 or 23 at the latest. Back then, before Jiang Mingyue became an inseparable part of his life.

A suitable place to stay was quickly found. Shou Xi Road, just a ten-minute walk from the school Jiang Yuelou had chosen for his son.

Shortly after the move, the Jiang family had an unexpected addition. When the Jiangs returned home one evening after one of their hiking trips, having just left the train station and were now waiting for a cab, something caught Jiang Mingyue's attention.

He wrung his hand out of Jiang Yuelou's and ran to a narrow alley next to the station building.

"Jiang Mingyue, come back right now!" Jiang Yuelou scolded and ran after him.

The people around him giggled.

Chief Jiang and his rebellious son were known throughout the city. At first there had been whispers about the single father, but the gossip quickly died down because there simply wasn't enough to talk about. Nobody knew anything about the mother. So what was there to spread rumors about? And everyone saw how seriously Jiang Yuelou took his role as a father, how much he adored his child.

Out of pity, various wealthy friends of the family sent matchmakers to him. Many felt that Jiang Yuelou needed a wife and Jiang Mingyue a mother. But Jiang Yuelou was not an easy man. No matchmaker could find a woman who would fit him. To his relief. He felt that he had enough to do with taking care of his son, he had no time for a wife and he was firmly convinced that he simply didn't need one.

However, this conviction crumbled from time to time. Nights when he felt lonely. Days when he saw other families, when he just didn't feel complete.

With just a few steps, Jiang Yuelou had caught up with his son and was about to pull one of his ears when he heard a soft meow and paused. Jiang Mingyue took advantage of his hesitation and slipped into the alley. When Jiang Yuelou followed him after a few seconds and entered the alley, he found his son kneeling in front of a pile of garbage.

There it was again, the meowing.

"Ba," Jiang Mingyue said, looking at Jiang Yuelou with pleading eyes.

He approached and now he saw the little white ball of fur lying amidst the garbage. It was completely filthy and wounded. The dried blood on one of its short legs was almost black. Jiang Yuelou knelt down next to his son and looked worriedly at the little kitten.

Moving slowly so as not to frighten the animal, he took his spare sweater out of his backpack and placed it on the ground. Then he carefully picked up the kitten, trying to look for signs that it was in pain, and placed it on the garment. With still extremely careful movements, he wrapped the little creature in the sweater, lifted the bundle and stood up.

A heart-rending "Meow," was heard and Jiang Mingyue looked worriedly at his father.

"Don't worry, Xiao Yue, we'll take it to a vet and it will soon get better."

Jiang Mingyue looked up at his father with confidence and took his free hand. With the child on one hand, the bundle in the other and the backpack slung over his shoulder, Jiang Yuelou left the alley.

Everything turned out fine. The kitten, a male, was not in that bad of a condition, but he was malnourished and dehydrated and he urgently needed a bath. Xiao Bai became family member number three.

The tomcat grew up and Jiang Mingyue was now eight years old and already a notorious charmer. The teachers and a number of his male classmates did not have an easy time with him, constantly falling victim to his pranks and even girls were not safe from him.

Scolding from the adults and one or the other tear from the children were the order of the day. Jiang Yuelou was practically a regular in the principal's office. Jiang Mingyue only escaped expulsion from school because he was not only one of the naughtiest, but also one of the best students. The teachers recognized his intelligence and, despite all the trouble, did not have the heart to spoil his future. His good looks and his heart-warming, charming smile, which he knew how to use eerily manipulatively despite his young age, did the rest.

But there was one person who wasn't fooled by his charm. Daddy Jiang. Jiang Yuelou loved his son, no question about it, and since beatings were never an option as a punishment, Jiang Mingyue was regularly grounded at home, or rather at the office.

Jiang Yuelou took him to the police station after each of his visits to the principal's office, at least when he was on duty, where the boy was condemned to do his homework or study under his father's stern gaze. He now also learned that his grandfather was not just the nice older man. Grandpa Bai could look even stricter than his father.

"Sorry Ba, for every time I got into mischief," Jiang Yuelou said to Bai Jinbo one afternoon.

They were sitting side by side on one of the sofas in Jiang Yuelou's office, drinking tea while watching Jiang Mingyue, who was sitting at Jiang Yuelou's desk with a scowl on his face, sulking and doing his homework. Bai Jinbo had leaned towards Jiang Yuelou and was talking to him quietly.

"Now you know what it's like."

Despite the trouble Jiang Mingyue had caused again today, the two men's deep affection for the boy could not be overlooked.

"It was particularly bad today."

"What did he do?"

"Teasing girls. However, he probably didn't expect one of them to stand up to him."

Bai Jinbo looked at him questioningly.

"Let me tell you from the beginning."

"I'm all ears, son."

"As far as I understood from what the principal told me, he first teased one of the fourth grade girls. What exactly happened is still not entirely clear to me."

Bai Jinbo laughed.

"Pretty brave, messing with older ones."

"Baa, don't encourage him."

"Yes, yes, you're right, son."

Bai Jinbo raised his hands defensively and signaled Jiang Yuelou to continue.

"Anyway, a second girl came along and must have given him a good telling off. The principal almost laughed when he told me how she grabbed him by the ear and dragged him into his office. His ear was still all red when I entered the office."

"Oho, brave girl. Do you know who she is?"

"I don't know much about her. She just changed schools a few days ago. Chen Keying is her name, she's ten. Very self-confident and she doesn't seem to be impressed at all by Xiao Yue's charm or his smile. She must have scolded him a lot. When I arrived at school, he was sitting in the principal's office with his head red and down, sniffling. Chen Keying was sitting in the chair next to him, keeping a stern, watchful eye on him. I almost felt a little sorry for him."

"Ha."

Bai Jinbo made such a loud noise that Jiang Mingyue looked up from his homework.

He still had an angry glint in his eyes. His pride had been heavily wounded today. He had to make plans, he couldn't let that happen to him.

Bai Jinbo, meanwhile, lowered his voice back to a whisper.

"Maybe he'll behave a bit more decently at school from now on. Who knows, it might be good for him that the girl is there to keep an eye on him."

"That wouldn't be so bad," Jiang Yuelou muttered.

Over the next few weeks, Jiang Mingyue was indeed unexpectedly well-behaved. There were no complaints, neither from classmates nor from teachers. However, Jiang Yuelou knew his son well enough. For him, it felt more like the calm before the storm.

He didn’t know, but he was quite right in his assumption. Jiang Mingyue watched Chen Keying every spare minute, sometimes with his eyes narrowed into slits. After all, she had to have some kind of weakness. But he found nothing.

Simply teasing her, stealing her things and hiding them somewhere or pulling her braids seemed silly and childish to him, which irritated him a little. It had never bothered him with other girls, but for her he had to think of something special, something clever. He was far too proud to embarrass himself and play a stupid trick on her. Besides, she was taller than him and that gave him a little bit of respect.

Discontentedly, he sat at dinner one evening, poking at the food with his chopsticks, brooding.

"What's wrong, son?" Jiang Yuelou asked.

"Nothing."

"Your stabbed food wouldn't be satisfied with that answer."

Jiang Mingyue would have liked to ask his father for advice, but he knew he wouldn't do a damn thing to help him teach this girl a lesson. He had to sort it out himself. He looked up and looked at Jiang Yuelou with a firm gaze.

"Ba, there are things that a man must handle alone."

Jiang Yuelou looked at him with complete incomprehension for a moment before bursting out laughing. There sat his son, eight years old, telling him with a deadpan expression that he was a man and could sort out his problems all by himself. Jiang Yuelou tousled his hair.

"You're right, son," then he narrowed his eyes into slits, "but don't you dare get up to any nonsense again."

"I would never do that, Ba."

Jiang Yuelou knew that he shouldn't trust him, but left it at that for the time being and hoped that this quiet phase his son seemed to be in would last a while longer.

Chapter Text

It took a few more days, but at some point Jiang Mingyue had what he thought was a brilliant idea of how to get back at Chen Keying.

The next day, a Monday, he had asked his father to take him to school a few minutes early and, without even beginning to explain what he needed it for, persuaded him to buy a single rose.

Now Jiang Mingyue stood at the school gate with the rose in his hand and waited. He kept looking up and down the street to keep an eye out for Chen Keying until he spotted her. A mischievous smile stole across his face. Mini Yuelou through and through.

As Chen Keying, who was chatting with a classmate she had met on the way to school, stepped through the school gate, Jiang Mingyue cleared his throat and took a step towards her.

"Miss Chen," he said loudly enough for everyone in the immediate vicinity to hear and turn their heads towards him curiously.

Chen Keying stopped and looked at him with irritation. He grinned and took another step towards her.

"What?" she snapped.

His presence alone put her in a bad mood.

"Allow me to give you this rose. In recognition of your extraordinary beauty, next to which even this flower pales."

Then he pressed the flower into her hand and grinned. Chen Keying's eyes widened. Everyone around her started giggling. By the heavens, this was so embarrassing, and the heat rising in her face from embarrassment and anger only made things much worse.

"Are you stupid or what?" she asked, not feeling particularly intelligent herself at that moment.

She angrily threw the rose at him, aiming it at his face, but he deftly dodged it. His grin had not left his lips for a second. With a red head and pinched lips, she stomped off. The giggling of her classmates seemed to swell to a crescendo of malicious laughter, at least it seemed to her.

Jiang Mingyue mentally patted himself on the back. The first day had gone well, better than he had expected, and he was pretty sure that he wouldn't be called to the director's office today, which he was totally right about. What was Chen Keying supposed to tell the director? That he had given her a rose? The smug grin on his lips lasted for a while.

It went on like this all week. Jiang Mingyue paid her lavish compliments in the most inappropriate situations and on Thursday had even managed to smuggle a letter that looked unmistakably like a love letter into her classroom before the start of the first lesson and place it on her desk for all to see.

The suspicious giggling that Chen Keying heard when she entered the room gave her a bad feeling. The letter and its meaning really could not be overlooked. With her fists clenched and her head down, which was as red as the decorations on the envelope, she made her way to her seat. On the verge of exploding with rage, she grabbed the letter, didn't even need to confirm, who had placed it on her desk, crumpled it up with gritted teeth and stuffed it into her school bag.

She was so angry that she was close to bursting into tears. This little runt had actually managed to upset her completely. She had no idea that the worst was yet to come.

On Friday, to Chen Keying's relief, there had been no more "attacks", from Jiang Mingyue since yesterday morning, she was sitting on a bench in the schoolyard with a friend during the break after having lunch. The girls were so engrossed in their conversation that they didn't even notice that someone was sneaking up on them.

Only the cheeky,

"Good afternoon, honored Miss Chen," and the audacity with which Jiang Mingyue sat down right next to Chen Keying made the girls end their conversation abruptly.

Instinctively, Chen Keying wanted to move away from him, but her friend was sitting on the other side, so close to her that she couldn't move more than a few centimeters. Because she couldn't think of anything better to say, she wrinkled her nose, turned her head away and asked indignantly,

"What do you want, you little pain in the ass?"

"Why in such a bad mood, Miss Chen? The weather is beautiful, the sun is shining, the sky is almost cloudless, I'm here..."

His last words came so unexpected that Keying almost laughed, but managed to stifle it at the last moment.

"A kiss would make the day perfect," he said, aiming his lips at her cheek.

At the same moment, an incredulous, horrified,

"WHAT?" escaped her mouth and she reflexively turned her head towards him.

The two of them stared at each other with wide-open eyes, their lips pressed together. Only the laughter and jeering of the other children snapped them out of their stupor, as it did Chen Keying's friend, who was also staring at the two of them with her jaw dropped wide open.

Coughing, Jiang Mingyue put a few centimeters of space between their faces.

"JIANG MINGYUE! How dare you! Have you completely lost it? Have you hit your head? You... You...," instead of a suitable expletive, Chen Keying, who was so beside herself that she couldn't think of anything, gave him a hard, resounding slap and stomped with heavy steps to a watering can that the gardener had probably forgotten at the school yard.

Chen Keying's eyes sparkled mischievously when she realized that it was about half filled. It was heavy, but she was in such a rage that she didn't notice the weight at all. Jiang Mingyue, meanwhile, rubbed his cheek, which was scarlet with Chen Keying's handprint, burning like hell. He didn't seem to really understand what was going on. The shock of the kiss was deep and his cheek hurt which demanded all of his attention at the moment.

"This is your fault," he heard before a gush of cold water poured over him.

"What's going on?" a slightly shocked voice of a man in his mid-forties could be heard.

Finally, a teacher had noticed the commotion.

"For heaven's sake," Teacher Gao exclaimed when he saw a heavy-breathing Chen Keying with a watering can in her hand standing next to a soaking wet Jiang Mingyue.

**

Wrapped in a large towel, the little troublemaker sat in front of the principal's desk a few minutes later. His cheek was still burning. Chen Keying sat next to him and stared angrily out of the window behind the principal’s back. He stared at the two of them just as angrily and looked as if he was going to explode at any moment.

Then he picked up the phone, called the police station and demanded that Chief Jiang came to his office immediately. After he finished the call, he dialed another number. His voice became a lot friendlier, but still sounded serious.

"Dr. Chen, this is Principal Liu, there's been... a misunderstanding. A dispute between your daughter..."

"~~"

"Oh yes, sister, excuse me. Anyway, there was a small dispute and I would ask you to come to school as soon as possible."

"~~"

"What? Yes, yes, don't worry no one's hurt. Everyone's fine."

"~~~~"

"Alright, see you in a bit."

Principal Liu passed the waiting time by pacing back and forth reproachfully in front of the children. No one said a word. Jiang Mingyue, because he didn’t dare to even let the tiniest sound escape his lips, Chen Keying, because she was still quivering with anger, and Principal Liu because he was just as angry but for different reasons. Everyone was relieved when there was a knock and the tension in the room eased at least a little, when the door opened.

Jiang Yuelou entered the office and looked at his dripping wet son almost shocked. He immediately noticed the red handprint on his cheek. In the next second, however, he had to pull himself together not burst out laughing, as his son looked like a picture of misery, but knowing him, he certainly deserved it.

He looked at Chen Keying, who was still furious and had her arms crossed in front of her chest.

"He deserved it, didn't he?"

"You bet," she replied, continuing to stare straight ahead.

"Chief Jiang, please. Whatever happened, Chen Keying's reaction was quite extreme, to say the least. That's not proper for a young lady."

"Pff," Chen Keying retorted, and Jiang Yuelou had to stifle another grin.

He was starting to like the girl.

"Chen Keying!" the principal scolded, and now she actually looked a little startled.

"Now, I want to know what exactly happened," the principal demanded an explanation from the children, tapping his finger gruffly on the tabletop.

Chen Keying replied defiantly, "You'll do that, gnome. It's all your fault."

"Chen-,"

"It's okay, it's okay," Jiang Yuelou interrupted the principal.

He wanted to stop him from raising his voice again.

"My son will do it. Right?"

He had addressed the question to Jiang Mingyue, who looked at him, a little frightened and embarrassed.

"You said it yourself. There are some things a man has to handle himself."

Jiang Mingyue turned his gaze away from his father and stared at the floor. Then he nodded slowly and told them haltingly and at some point even in tears, because what had happened in the schoolyard was just embarrassing. Since none of the men really understood why he had kissed her in the first place, he had to tell them everything, from the rose to the compliments to the letter.

Jiang Yuelou felt bad because he had the strong urge to grin again. He was a little proud of his son. It was a pretty elaborate plan for an eight-year-old and that he dared to mess with a ten-year-old...

"When is your brother coming?" Principal Liu asked Chen Keying.

"He should have been here by now. Maybe something came up, maybe there was an emergency."

"An emergency?" Jiang Yuelou asked with slight concern in his voice.

"Ge is a doctor," Chen Keying said with some pride and less anger in her voice.

"Oh. A good profession."

"Then I guess we'll have to wait a little longer," Principal Liu added.

"Keying, child. Even though I know the story now, you shouldn't have done that, pouring all of that water over him. You too won't get away without punishment.

Chen Keying looked at the principal quite shocked.

"But it's all his fault," she defended herself and pointed at Jiang Mingyue.

"We'll talk about it when your brother gets here."

"Mm," Chen Keying said and slumped down in the chair.

Jiang Yuelou could clearly see that she was fighting back tears.

"Principal Liu, don't be too hard on her. I know how tiring my son can be."

"I will consider your words. For you, Jiang Mingyue, there will be a month's punishment. One hour after school every day, you will help the janitor or the gardener. Alright, Chief Jiang?"

Jiang Yuelou nodded. Jiang Mingyue was smart enough not to raise any objections. A month was a long time, but it could have been worse.

Since he was still wearing the wet clothes, Jiang Yuelou and the principal thought it was better that the two Jiangs no longer waited with him and Chen Keying for her brother. Jiang Yuelou knelt down next to Chen Keying's chair, extended his hand and winked at her when she reached for it. A shy smile played around her lips.

"Goodbye, Chen Keying."

"Goodbye, Chief Jiang."

**

With the towel wrapped around his shoulders, Jiang Mingyue walked beside his father down the corridor of the school building. He could literally feel the piercing stares of his classmates and was glad when they were finally in the car. Jiang Yuelou had driven straight from the police station to the school in an official car.

The policeman looked at his son through the rear-view mirror with a mixture of reproach, amusement and pity. He was looking out of the window, lost in thought, with his towel wrapped tightly around his shoulders.

"Are you cold?" Jiang Yuelou asked.

"Just a little, it's not too bad."

Jiang Yuelou handed him his jacket, which he had carelessly placed on the passenger seat.

"Here, put my jacket on. I'll drive you to your grandmother's now. Then you’ll take a hot bath and after that go to bed."

"Nainai will probably scold me too."

"And would that be surprising?"

"Probably not," Jiang Mingyue muttered meekly.

"You'll have to get through it and don't expect that the punishment at school was all there was to it."

"What else, Ba? That's already more than enough," Jiang Mingyue protested.

"Jiang Mingyue, you kissed a girl, and not just without her consent, no, you've been teasing her all week."

"It's not my fault I kissed her lips. I just wanted to kiss her on the cheek."

"Oh, and you think that makes it any better?"

Jiang Yuelou really wanted to sound serious, but the whole situation was just too funny and Jiang Yuelou's grin didn't escape his son either.

"See, Ba, you can't even be angry with me. So it can't have been that bad."

"Don't think you can get around your punishment by sweet-talking."

Apart from a dissatisfied, "Mmhh," Jiang Yuelou received no further reply. Jiang Mingyue seemed to have accepted his defeat.

**

Nainai did not scold him as much as Jiang Mingyue had feared, but she did not approve of him kissing Chen Keying at all. Once again, he was told that he deserved what had happened to him today.

After the bath, Yang Siqi tucked him into bed and although it was only afternoon, he was fast asleep shortly afterwards. Today's events had really exhausted him. In the evening, when Jiang Yuelou and Bai Jinbo came home, she woke him up.

Jiang Mingyue approached the living room and could hear the two men talking to each other through the ajar door, and he realized quite quickly that they were talking about him. The next second, he came rushing into the room, climbed onto the sofa next to Jiang Yuelou and tugged on his sleeve.

"Ba, do you have to tell everyone?" he asked, visibly upset.

Jiang Yuelou ran his hand through his son’s hair.

"Not everyone, but definitely your grandfather."

"Yeye..."

Big innocent eyes looked at Bai Jinbo. Jiang Mingyue tried to get at least some sympathy from his grandfather.

"You're a bit late with that, your grandfather already knows the whole story."

Jiang Mingyue hung his head and grumbled softly and shortly after, Yang Siqi called for dinner.

Over dinner, Jiang Yuelou and Yang Siqi decided that he and his son should spend the night with them. It was Friday, so no school and no work tomorrow.

Jiang Yuelou still slept in his old room when he visited his parents, and when Jiang Mingyue had been old enough, Bai Jinbo had the room right next to his son's prepared for the boy.

A few hours later, about an hour past midnight, Jiang Yuelou was woken by the gentle rocking of the mattress.

"Ba," Jiang Mingyue croaked after climbing onto the bed.

Jiang Yuelou realized that something was wrong and was immediately wide awake.

"Mingyue, what's wrong?" he asked quietly.

"I'm not feeling well, Ba."

Jiang Yuelou switched on the lamp on his bedside cabinet and looked at his face. He was pale, except for his cheeks, which were a striking shade of red. When he put his hand on the boy's forehead, he immediately felt that he had a fever.

"Come on, lie down."

Jiang Mingyue cuddled up in Jiang Yuelou's bed. His father tucked him in and stroked his cheek lightly with his thumb. Something he had been doing since his son was a baby. A loving smile flitted across his lips.

"I'll be right back with you, okay?"

Jiang Mingyue nodded.

Jiang Yuelou sneaked around the house because he didn't want to wake his parents. He got a bowl of cold water and a washcloth. Then he went back to his room, sat on the edge of the bed and put the bowl down on the bedside cabinet. His son had dozed off. Jiang Yuelou felt his forehead again and then placed the damp washcloth on it. The boy moved and opened his eyes.

"Thank you, Ba."

"I'll go to the kitchen now and make some tea for you."

Jiang Mingyue nodded weakly.

A little later, Jiang Yuelou came back into the room with the hot tea and sat back down on the edge of the bed next to his son. He straightened up so that Jiang Yuelou could hold the cup of tea to his lips.

"Drink carefully, it's hot."

Jiang Mingyue took a few small sips, but even drinking was too strenuous for him right now.

"That's enough, Ba."

Before he lay down again, he slid towards the window where the bed stood to make room for his father. Jiang Yuelou smiled. Even though his son caused trouble often enough, he loved this little human more than anything. Jiang Yuelou slipped under the covers and placed the washcloth he had dipped in the bowl again on his son’s forehead.

"I'm sure you'll feel better tomorrow, and now try to sleep," he said quietly before turning off the light and lying down.

Chapter Text

Jiang Mingyue did not feel any better the next day; on the contrary, the fever had gotten even worse. After a quick breakfast, Jiang Yuelou woke his son and took him into town. His father had given him the address of a clinic near the northern market run by a doctor who was on emergency duty that Saturday. He was new to the city, but Bai Jinbo's acquaintances spoke very highly of him.

Yuzhi Tang, was written on the small note in his coat's pocket.

Jiang Yuelou parked the car right in front of the clinic entrance, got out, walked to the back door and took his son out of the car. He was weak from the fever, so Jiang Yuelou lifted him up and carried him to the clinic. He held Jiang Mingyue with one hand while knocking on the door with the other. It wasn't long before the door was opened and a familiar face appeared behind it.

"Chen Keying?"

"Chief Jiang? What are you doing here?"

After the moment of surprise was over, he replied,

"Mingyue, he's sick."

Chen Keying's eyes widened and she let Jiang Yuelou in, closing the door behind him.

"Sit down," Chen Keying said, pointing to the chair in front of the desk, which was in front of a wall with countless wooden drawers. The clinic was empty. No other patients, which wasn't surprising for an emergency service.

"Ge," Chen Keying called as she hurried up the stairs to the second floor.

"Ge," Jiang Yuelou could hear her calling again, a little quieter now.

"You have a patient. Hurry."

"I'll be right there, Keying," Jiang Yuelou heard a soft and deep, but quite youthful-sounding voice reply.

"Hurry up," Chen Keying urged him again.

Jiang Yuelou heard footsteps and turned towards the stairs as best he could with the child on his lap. First he saw brown leather shoes. Then a pair of light-colored suit trousers became visible, followed shortly afterwards by a matching vest and a white shirt.

What appeared next in his field of vision was a face. A face that left Jiang Yuelou speechless. Soft, almost childlike features, warm, dark brown, unusually large eyes, hair perfectly styled into a side parting. An indescribably beautiful smile, and whoever had come up with the idea of giving this man these dimples must have been a genius when it came to aesthetics.

Then he stood in front of him and shook his hand. Dr. Chen Yuzhi, Chen Keying's older brother.

Jiang Yuelou shook his head slightly. He wasn't here to look at a handsome... forbidden handsome, man. This was about his son. He fought down the nervousness and the urge to just touch the young man.

"Good morning, Mr..."

"Jiang, Jiang Yuelou."

"Chief Jiang," Keying, who had followed Chen Yuzhi, whispered to him.

"Oh, excuse me, Chief."

The doctor's gaze fell on the boy on Jiang Yuelou's lap.

"I'm assuming he's the patient," he remarked.

"What's wrong with him?"

"He got a severe fever during the night."

"Is he responsive?"

"Yes, but he's fallen asleep. He's pretty exhausted."

"It's best to take him upstairs. You can lay him down there."

Jiang Yuelou nodded and followed Chen Yuzhi.

He gently laid Jiang Mingyue down on one of the beds. The boy woke up and looked around, somewhat disoriented.

"I'm here," Jiang Yuelou said.

"Ba, where are we?"

"At Dr. Chen's clinic."

"Chen?" Jiang Mingyue asked, startled, and tried to get up.

"Now, now, young man. Take it easy," he heard a strange but pleasant voice.

"Who-?"

"Dr. Chen. He's going to examine you now. Be good."

"Keying," Chen Yuzhi called after his sister.

"Keying?" Jiang Mingyue breathed and tried to get up again.

"Take it easy, son. You can settle your dispute another time, not now."

Jiang Mingyue was too weak to make another attempt to escape.

Meanwhile, Chen Yuzhi looked back and forth between Jiang Yuelou, his son and his sister, uncomprehending. Then he remembered. Jiang Mingyue, the name had come up a few times yesterday in the conversation with the principal. But that was something that could be settled later, now he had to take care of his young patient.

Chen Keying stood behind Chen Yuzhi and looked guiltily at Jiang Mingyue.

"Keying."

"Hm?"

"Take Chief Jiang to the other room and make him some tea."

"Don't bother, Dr. Chen."

"It's no bother, Chief Jiang. Do me that favor, will you?"

There was something about this Dr. Chen that made it impossible for Jiang Yuelou to start arguing at that moment.

Chen Keying looked at Jiang Yuelou and gestured with her head for him to follow her. When the tea was ready, she brought the pot and a cup and poured Jiang Yuelou some of the hot liquid. Indecisive and seemingly unsettled, she remained standing next to the table.

To lighten the mood a little, Jiang Yuelou smiled at her and took a sip of tea.

"Good tea, tastes great."

He didn’t manage to draw her out, so he decided to simply ask her.

"What's wrong Chen Keying? You weren't so shy yesterday."

Chen Keying blinked, swallowed and looked at him. Before she could say anything, a thick tear rolled down her cheek.

"Hey, sweetheart," Jiang Yuelou said worriedly, getting up and kneeling on the floor in front of her.

"Keying, what's up? Did I do something wrong?"

She shook her head and a few more tears left wet marks on her face.

"Come on, what's wrong?"

"I..." she sniffled, "I... I'm sorry," and then it was as if the heavens had opened all floodgates and Chen Keying started crying bitterly.

Even though Jiang Yuelou had experience with crying children, he was totally overwhelmed for a moment.

"Hey, hey. Don't cry. What are you apologizing for?"

"Keying?"

Chen Yuzhi rushed over and knelt on the floor next to Jiang Yuelou.

"Geeeee."

A child’s crying could be so heartbreaking.

Chen Yuzhi looked helplessly at Jiang Yuelou. The latter shrugged his shoulders, still not understanding what had made Chen Keying so sad.

"I... I..." her breathing had become faster, which made it even more difficult for her to speak.

"I didn't mean to, Geeee."

Her words were followed by another bout of crying.

"What didn't you mean? We don't understand what you’re trying to tell us," Chen Yuzhi spoke to her in a calm voice.

Apparently, it helped Chen Keying to calm down.

Tears still fell from her eyes, but she seemed a little calmer and looked first at her brother and then at Jiang Yuelou. She sniffled once more and mustered up all her courage.

"I'm sorry, Chief Jiang. I didn't mean for Mingyue to get sick."

Both men exhaled with relief. So this was what had made Chen Keying so upset.

"Don't worry A-Ying, he'll be fine. He has a bad cold, but he'll be fine soon."

"Really, Ge?"

"I promise."

"These things happen, little one, and I understand why you poured the water on him. I know my son, I know what a cheeky brat he can be."

"Still, I'm older, I should have behaved better. I'm sure the slap would have been enough."

As if seeking reassurance, Keying looked at her brother. Chen Yuzhi placed a hand on her head and smiled encouragingly.

"I know you've learned your lesson and will do better next time, and your punishment will be an extra reminder of what you did wrong."

"Mh," Keying now grumbled.

"How is my son, Dr. Chen?"

"He'll be fine soon, don't worry. He should get plenty of sleep and I'll prescribe him something to bring the fever down. He should eat fresh fruit and vegetables as soon as he's well enough and congee would be good."

"Thank you, Dr. Chen."

"No thanks, that's my job after all."

"Can I see him?"

"Sure."

Jiang Mingyue had fallen asleep again and looked like the sweetest child imaginable. He hadn't noticed any of the excitement that had just been going on, mostly because of him.

"Let him sleep a little longer, Chief Jiang. Come downstairs with me. I'll get the medicine ready for him."

Jiang Yuelou nodded and followed Chen Yuzhi downstairs. Chen Keying took the teapot and cup to the small kitchen. When she had finished, she heard the men talking to each other downstairs.

She quietly walked over to the sickbed where Jiang Mingyue was lying and looked at him.

"Sorry," she mumbled and left the room again.

Meanwhile, Chen Yuzhi was setting up a new patient file and was quite surprised when Jiang Yuelou told him his address.

"What a coincidence. Keying and I moved into No. 58 a few weeks ago."

Jiang Yuelou looked at him and for some reason he couldn't figure out, he suddenly smiled, a conspicuously broad smile.

"Who knows, we might bump into each other more often from now on."

"Maybe."

Chen Yuzhi smiled too. Jiang Yuelou didn't know if the doctor was doing it for the same inexplicable reason, but he didn't care right now. That smile was something else and he wouldn’t mind at all if he could see it more often.

"I hope your son and Keying get along. Imagine something like yesterday happening right on your doorstep or mine."

"The talk from the neighbors... I certainly can do without that."

They looked at each other and suddenly chuckled.

Chen Yuzhi mixed the appropriate herbs together and gave them to Jiang Yuelou wrapped in paper. After he had explained how to use the medicine, they went back upstairs.

Suddenly, Jiang Yuelou thought of something.

"Dr. Chen, can I leave him here for a while? One hour, that's all I need."

"Sure. It'll be quiet here today anyway, so he can get some more sleep."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Chen Yuzhi accompanied him to the door and watched the car drive away.

What a turbulent encounter.

Jiang Yuelou drove back to his parents and told them that he had left his son at Dr. Chen's clinic. Bai Jinbo and Yang Siqi were relieved to hear that although their grandson had a bad cold, it was nothing serious. Jiang Yuelou thanked his father for recommending Chen Yuzhi.

"He really seems to be a very good doctor, Ba, and he's young, younger than me, not older than 25."

... and he's handsome, almost slipped from his lips.

"Can you drive me to the clinic and then take us home?" Jiang Yuelou, who had driven in one of Bai Jinbo's cars earlier, asked his adoptive father.

"You don't have to ask me twice, Yuelou."

Jiang Yuelou sat on the passenger side and looked out of the window in silence. The memory of a pretty smile had taken root in his mind, and shortly afterwards, he got to know a side of Chen Yuzhi that he instantly felt a deep need to get to know lots more of.

Embarrassment.

When Bai Jinbo entered the clinic and introduced himself, Chen Yuzhi became a little nervous. Even if he had only lived here in Jingcheng for a short time, he knew who the police commissioner was. And when Chen Yuzhi realized that Jiang Yuelou was his son and Jiang Mingyue was his grandson, he seemed a little unsettled for a moment which brought an adorably cute expression to his face.

Then he switched into doctor mode, which helped him to control himself better, and led the other two men upstairs. While Bai Jinbo stood a little further away from the bed next to Chen Yuzhi, Jiang Yuelou sat on the edge of the bed and watched the doctor and his father, while the latter let Chen Yuzhi explain about the current state of his grandson.

An unfamiliar feeling spread through his stomach. It wasn't unpleasant, but it made him nervous and yet he didn't want to take his eyes off Chen Yuzhi’s handsome face. He reminded himself to be sensible and turned to his son. As he had done so often, he stroked his cheek.

"Xiao Yue," Jiang Yuelou said softly.

His son stirred in his sleep and mumbled something unintelligible, which sounded rather displeased. Jiang Yuelou laughed softly and gave him a kiss on the forehead. Chen Yuzhi had given him something for the fever and his forehead had become much cooler already..

"Son, wake up."

"Mmhh, don't want to."

Jiang Yuelou smiled, but then a tiny bit of something devilish mixed into his gaze. He leaned down and gave him a big peck on the cheek. Jiang Mingyue's eyes flew open and he stared into his father's face. A second later, he sat bolt upright in bed and wiped his cheek with his hand with a disgusted expression on his face.

"Baaa," he looked reproachfully at Jiang Yuelou.

"You know very well that I don't like that."

"But now you're awake, practically out of bed. Purpose accomplished, everything is fine."

From the door, they could hear Chen Yuzhi and Bai Jinbo's strained attempts to stifle the laughter that was catching in both of their throats. Chen Keying, who was standing in front of Chen Yuzhi and had also been watching the whole scene, stared at Jiang Yuelou with her arms folded in front of her chest and scowled,

"Now I know where he got that stupid idea from," she grumbled, unconsciously touching her cheek, the two men couldn’t take it anymore and burst out laughing.

Jiang Yuelou hadn't understood what Chen Keying had said, but he grinned anyway. He liked that his father and Dr. Chen were laughing together, it felt nice, quite nice.

The children were the only ones who looked anything but cheerful, but somehow, from Jiang Yuelou's point of view, this contributed perfectly to the fluffy feeling he was experiencing. But even though he would have liked to stay, he had to take his son home.

He buttoned Jiang Mingyue's shirt and helped him put on his jacket and shoes. Jiang Yuelou asked if he should carry him, but he shook his head and wanted to walk by himself, but immediately grabbed Jiang Yuelou's hand after he stood up.

Slowly, they walked down the stairs. Chen Keying was nowhere to be seen, so they couldn't say goodbye. Bai Jinbo had already said goodbye and was waiting in the car.

"Thank you for everything, Dr. Chen," Jiang Yuelou said once more and shook his hand.

"You don't have to keep thanking me, Chief Jiang, I told you it's my job."

"I might remember it for next time. I'll certainly see you around. Until then, take care of yourself and Keying."

"You too, take care of yourself and your son."

"See you soon."

"Yes, see you soon."

**

Soon was... a few hours later. Jiang Yuelou came out of his house to get two portions of wontons from aunt Luo when he spotted two familiar faces at one of the tables. Chen Yuzhi's expression seemed to brighten a little when he recognized Jiang Yuelou. He waved to him and Jiang Yuelou had the impression that it seemed a little shy.

Before he went to the Chens, he went to Aunt Luo and ordered the food. He sat down at the table with the siblings for a few minutes. Chen Yuzhi asked how Jiang Mingyue was, Jiang Yuelou acknowledging his attention with a small smile. The medicine Chen Yuzhi had prescribed was working, which Jiang Yuelou did not forget to emphasize.

His fever had not risen again and he even had some appetite. Chen Yuzhi's relief that he seemed to be feeling better already seemed so sincere to Jiang Yuelou. That warm, soft feeling he had felt in the clinic this morning was back.

However, he didn't stay with the Chens for long. After Aunt Luo had brought him two bowls on a small tray, he wished Chen Yuzhi and Chen Keying a good evening and went back into the house.

After they had finished their portions, the doctor and his sister also went back to their house. Chen Yuzhi prepared some tea and then he and Chen Keying sat together in the living room. In a few minutes, the next episode of a radio drama, which Chen Keying was very fond of since a few days, was about to start.

However, Chen Yuzhi could hardly follow the plot. Not even five minutes after the play had started, his mind wandered. He thought back to this morning. Jiang Yuelou's smile when he had leaned over his son and tried to wake him up was deeply etched in Chen Yuzhi's memory.

Something had stirred in his chest when he had seen the look with which this man had looked at his child. He literally radiated how important his son was to him, how much he loved him. Chen Yuzhi immediately thought of his own feelings for Keying.

Although she was his sister and not his child, he felt neither entirely like a brother nor entirely like a father, it was a mixture of both. Their parents had died of the same illness in quick succession when she was less than two years old. Even though their father, like Chen Yuzhi, had been a doctor, he had been unable to do anything for his wife or himself.

Chen Yuzhi had tried, had applied all the knowledge and skills he had already learned from his father, but it had been to no avail. He blamed himself, he should have been a better doctor - Chen Yuzhi always suppressed the fact that he himself had only been fifteen years old at the time - he should have learned more from his father. To this day, he had not completely gotten over this loss.

Chen Keying was all that was left of his family. There was no one but her. She was the most important person in his life and he loved her more than anything. Jiang Yuelou looked at his son with the same look that Chen Yuzhi only had for his sister. But Jiang Yuelou was not alone, he had parents who cared for him even today, after all Commissioner Bai had come with him to Yuzhi Tang to drive him and his son home and the men seemed to have a good, cordial relationship. In this regard they differed.

Nevertheless, Chen Yuzhi had noticed the loss that accompanied the relationship between father and son. He had not seen the mother and she had not been mentioned once. Jiang Yuelou had bought two portions of wontons, not three.

He pondered this for a while until he realized that it was none of his business. These were the highly personal matters of the father of one of his patients. He turned his attention back to the radio play, but realized that almost an hour had passed and that the last dialogue of tonight's episode had just come out of the speaker.

Again and again that evening, his thoughts returned to Jiang Yuelou and again and again he had to force himself to think of something else.

Chapter Text

Jiang Yuelou had taken the next week off to look after his son. On Monday evening, there was a knock and Chen Yuzhi stood at the door with his doctor's bag in his hand. Jiang Yuelou raised his eyebrows with a surprised but pleased expression on his face.

Chen Yuzhi returned his small smile in kind when Jiang Yuelou had opened the gate and invited him in.

"What brings you here Dr. Chen?"

"I came to check about the little patient's well-being."

"Do you do this for all your patients? Home visits after hours?"

A small tingle pinched Jiang Yuelou's guts as Chen Yuzhi looked caught off guard for a moment. But then the doctor seemed to have regained his composure.

"Not usually, but for one thing, your home is on my way home, and for another... well."

Chen Yuzhi ran his fingers through his hair in embarrassment, and Jiang Yuelou scolded himself for finding him so endearing at that very moment.

"Keying has..."

"Stop, Dr. Chen," Jiang Yuelou interrupted him, which earned him a questioning look from Chen Yuzhi.

"Don't blame your sister. I can completely understand why she reacted the way she did. Believe me, I know my son."

"But he's such a sweet child."

Jiang Yuelou huffed.

"There can only be two reasons for him being a 'sweet child'. Either he wants something, or you're my mother."

"No, it can't be that bad."

"Don't forget, he wasn't in top form when we were at your clinic."

"You're very strict with your son."

"It's all based on experience. But for now, please come in. Do you have some time to spare?"

"I've definitely got a few minutes."

"For a cup of tea?"

"Gladly, thank you."

Jiang Yuelou had told his son to rest in bed, even though said son thought he had recovered enough to get up again. When his father remarked that he could then go back to school, bed wasn't such a bad option after all.

First Jiang Yuelou went to the kitchen to put on some water for tea and then he led Chen Yuzhi to his son's room. Jiang Mingyue was sitting in bed and looked up from the book he was reading when his father and Dr. Chen entered the room.

Chen Yuzhi approached the bed and greeted him. Jiang Yuelou stopped near the door to the room and leaned against the desk.

"Good evening Jiang Mingyue."

"Hello Dr. Chen."

"May I sit with you for a moment?"

The boy nodded obediently. Jiang Yuelou narrowed his eyes skeptically. He must be mistaken, but his son seemed unusually reserved and well-behaved.

"How are you?"

"Fine," he replied enthusiastically, but qualified his answer when he saw his father's stern and questioning face.

"Not perfectly fine yet, but better than two days ago. I should definitely get some more bed rest."

"That's a very sensible attitude."

Jiang Mingyue seemed to like the praise.

"Do you still have a fever?"

"No, Dr. Chen, your medicine has worked very well."

"I'm glad to hear that. Will you let me examine you?"

Chen Yuzhi glanced briefly at Jiang Yuelou, who nodded slightly at him. The boy now nodded as well.

"Can you unbutton your top?"

He nodded obediently again and complied with Chen Yuzhi's request. Chen Yuzhi took his stethoscope, which both father and son looked at with equal interest, and listened to Jiang Mingyue's back. He winced briefly when the rather cold chest piece touched his skin.

"Sounds good, and now your heart," Chen Yuzhi said after he had finished with his back.

"Everything's fine. I'd suggest you stay at home for two more days and get some rest. You'll definitely be able to go back to school on Thursday."

"Meow," came an unexpected sound, followed by a short "Mrrp," as Xiao Bai jumped onto the bed and eyed the unknown human curiously.

"Oh, you have a cat," Chen Yuzhi said and turned to the tomcat with a smile.

Xiao Bai sniffed the hand the doctor held out to him and then nudged it with his head. Chen Yuzhi laughed softly and the whole room suddenly brightened up, at least for Jiang Yuelou, who didn't even notice the smile on his lips.

"Xiao Bai," Jiang Mingyue said proudly.

"We found him two years ago, injured and all alone."

"That sounds very worrisome."

"And it was. Ba and I took him to the vet, but luckily he wasn't that badly injured after all."

While Jiang Mingyue babbled and Chen Yuzhi listened attentively with a look on his face that Jiang Yuelou instantly declared to be one of his favorite expressions, Xiao Bai toddled over to his little master and got a few more cuddles.

Suddenly the kettle shrilled and Jiang Yuelou remembered the tea. He had completely forgotten about it. Embarrassed, he cleared his throat.

"Son, I'll bring you some tea in a minute."

"Thank you, Ba."

Jiang Yuelou left the room and went to the kitchen.

The tea kettle sounded not only impatient, but extremely angry at the lack of attention.

Jiang Yuelou took it off the stove and poured some cold water to cool down the boiling water. Then he poured it into the teapot, the bottom of which was covered with leaves of a mild green tea, and waited for about a minute and a half until the leaves had unfolded and released their aroma into the water. Jiang Yuelou's nose was filled with a pleasant, slightly bitter smell.

Quite untraditionally, he poured the tea into three large western mugs. He always used the large ones when he or his son were sick. The tea might not be perfect that way, but it was more practical. The small cups he normally used were just... small.

With a tray in his hand, he brought the three mugs into Jiang Mingyue's room. He had actually intended to have tea with Chen Yuzhi in the living room, but he liked the idea of them all sitting in his son's room better. There was something familiar and relaxed about it and he definitely wanted to be a little more familiar and relaxed with Dr. Chen.

However, Dr. Chen didn't stay much longer that evening. Jiang Yuelou took him to the gate and the two of them stood on the street talking for a few more minutes. The conversation turned to the children. It was clear that they would run into each other more often in the future, and none of the men were in the mood for constant bickering.

Chen Yuzhi had to smile when he thought about how Chen Keying had told him about Jiang Mingyue's kiss.

"Actually, I should pull your son's ears and forbid him to come anywhere near within two meters of Keying. That was pretty bold of him."

Jiang Yuelou chuckled, but then tried to put on a more serious face and wanted to apologize for his son's behavior. Just as he was about to do so, Chen Yuzhi raised a hand and made him pause.

"But, it was damn funny. You should have seen Keying. I know I shouldn't laugh about my little sister, but imagining how shocked she must have looked is too funny. I have to admit, it's an anecdote I'll be happy to tell in years to come."

"I didn't know you had such a side to you, Dr. Chen," Jiang Yuelou remarked, looking him in the eyes.

His gaze lingered on his handsome face long enough for the doctor to blush slightly and look a little nervous. Jiang Yuelou saw a small chance that he would definitely take in the near future, but for today, he decided to let him go.

"It's late, Dr. Chen, your sister is waiting for you."

"You're right. Good night, Chief Jiang."

His deep, gentle voice sent slight shivers down Jiang Yuelou's spine.

"Could we... Jiang Yuelou," Jiang Yuelou said abruptly and somewhat hesitantly.

Chen Yuzhi blinked.

"What?"

I should arrest him, here and now, and lock him up at home for the time being. No one is allowed to look like that and walk around freely outside.

What was meant was that a perplexed expression had crept onto Chen Yuzhi's pink-colored cheeks and a part of Jiang Yuelou's brain short-circuited. Chen Yuzhi smiled lightly out of embarrassment and, without saying a word, the policeman stared at his lips and dimples.

"Chief Jiang, are you alright?"

Chen Yuzhi was worried by the absent expression in Jiang Yuelou's eyes.

"Oh, what? Yes, everything's fine… and please, do me a favor, leave out the chief, okay?"

"Oh, that's what you meant.“

Chen Yuzhi visibly relaxed now that he finally had understood what Jiang Yuelou had been trying to tell.

"Fine with me. Chen Yuzhi."

"Yuzhi?"

Heavens, this man was easy to embarrass, just saying his given name seemed to be enough to flush his cheeks immediately again.

"A pretty name."

"I... uh... thank you. Good night, Chi-... Jiang Yuelou."

It looked like Chen Yuzhi was fleeing as he turned around and made his way back to the house with the number 58 with quick steps.

Jiang Yuelou grinned and waited for Chen Yuzhi to reach his home. As he did, he witnessed Chen Yuzhi turn around once more after putting the key in the lock and seemed to flinch when he realized that the policeman was still standing on the street looking after him.

Jiang Yuelou was still grinning and waved at Chen Yuzhi, who waved back a little hesitantly and then disappeared into his house in a flash.

"Meow."

Jiang Yuelou bend down and picked up the cat that had followed him unnoticed to scratch him a little under the chin.

"You seem to like him."

"Meow."

"We have good taste."

**

Jiang Mingyue stayed home until Wednesday, as suggested by Dr. Chen, and only went to school for the last two days of the week. The principal thought it would be better not to start the punishment work until next week so that the boy could take it easy for the rest of the week.

Chen Keying had already started helping the janitor and the gardener this week. Even though she was not very happy that Jiang Mingyue was sick, she was glad not to run into him. On the one hand, she had a guilty conscience and on the other hand, she didn't know whether he wanted to take revenge somehow. Besides, she was still angry with him despite everything. So many contradictory feelings confused her.

And, with a cheeky grin, as if nothing had happened at all, and a broom in his hand, Jiang Mingyue stood in the schoolyard with the janitor on Monday afternoon. His father had not yet given him any further punishment, just instructed him to come to the police station after he was done with the chores at school. He recklessly assumed that he would get off lightly this time.

When Chen Keying entered the schoolyard with more cleaning utensils, including a metal bucket, she looked skeptically at Jiang Mingyue. She had come up with a few suitable and not very nice nicknames for him by now and if he misbehaved even once, she would definitely use them, regardless of whether it was appropriate for a young lady or not.

Just stay away from me, her eyes seemed to say.

"So you two brats, let's get started," the janitor announced.

"Chen Keying, you already know your way around, so I don't have to explain anything to you."

She nodded obediently.

"Great, then I can take care of more important things. Explain to Jiang Mingyue what he needs to know."

Before she nodded again, she glared daggers at Jiang Mingyue, but the janitor no longer cared about them instead went back into the school building without giving them any more attention.

"I know you're not the brightest, but I assume you know how to use a broom."

Jiang Mingyue narrowed his eyes and the grin vanished from his face. Her unfriendly manner annoyed him and, quite irritatingly, it hurt him. If she wants war, she will get war. But he had to play it smart and he had to be more careful than last time.

Think, Jiang Mingyue, think.

While he was racking his brains, he swept the yard. He was so lost in thought that he didn't even realize that he had swept the entire front part of the schoolyard in no time. He had good ideas, but some were definitely too adventurous, even he could see that, and others were great but not feasible for one reason or another.

He couldn't think of anything clever that day. He had to ask two of his best friends, Li Xiaohu and Zhu Jian, maybe they had an idea. Zhu Jian had a brother who was four years older and, from the perspective of an eight-year-old, had so much more, infinitely more, life experience. They could ask him.

But nothing to make her cry. She should just be really annoyed, preferably blushing.

"Hey gnome, are you deaf?"

Judging by the choice of words and the annoyed tone of voice, it probably wasn't the first time she'd addressed him.

"What, no."

"Then are you missing any brain cells and don't understand the question or don’t know how to answer?"

"Snipe," it slipped from Jiang Mingyue's lips.

Her words hurt him. He didn't like the feeling, no one else talked to him like that.

Chen Keying pressed her lips together and was about to say something, but then she remembered what she had said to Jiang Yuelou at her brother's clinic. She was the older one, she had to be reasonable.

"I’m sorry."

"You... what?"

He must have misheard.

"I didn't mean it like that."

To his own surprise, Jiang Mingyue found himself believing Chen Keying, as she seemed honest with her apology.

"Why are you always like this?"

Chen Keying snorted slightly.

"You're not seriously asking, are you?"

"Deadly serious."

His gaze was also deadly serious, and Chen Keying thought he looked somehow cute with those sparkling eyes.

"Think hard, I know you can do it, I know you're not an idiot."

Jiang Mingyue had a feeling that she had just paid him a compliment… or not. He wasn't sure.

"Are you serious?"

The hurt feeling had somehow diminished.

"I wouldn't say it otherwise, especially not to someone like you."

"What about me?"

"You're annoying."

"Mmhh yeah, that's right," he said with a grin.

Chen Keying couldn't believe it. The little pest was obviously proud of it.

"Really now, Jiang Mingyue? You think that's good?"

She had no idea that her words penetrated into deeper layers of Jiang Mingyue's mind, nestled somewhere very deep.

"So..." Jiang Mingyue scratched his foot in embarrassment.

"Have you ever thought about how others feel?"

"N-no, not really."

"Did you feel good when you were soaking wet in the schoolyard?"

"Of course not."

"See. No one likes to be bullied. Oh and sorry about the watering can."

"I guess my father and grandma were right. I probably deserved it."

"Even so, I should have known better and I'm sorry you got sick too."

"I'd say we're even... sort of. If that's okay with you."

"Okay, Jiang Mingyue."

"Miss Chen."

Chen Keying squinted her eyes for a moment, but then grinned and held out her hand to him. A quick handshake and the big plans Jiang Mingyue wanted to make with his friends were forgotten.

As she wanted to go to her brother's clinic after the hour of punishment work for today was done Jiang Mingyue decided to accompany her without further ado, as the clinic was on the way to the police station anyway.

"Ge gave me an extra punishment. I have to help him clean the clinic three times a week. For four weeks," Chen Keying whined while they made their way to Yuzhi Tang.

"I have to go back to the police station and probably do homework or study."

"We could swap, at least then I could do my homework and not have to do it in the evening," Chen Keying remarked somewhat miffed.

"Your ge is pretty strict, isn't he?"

"Not really, most of the time at least. He's the sweetest person you can imagine."

"You don't know my Nainai."

"That's true, but I bet Ge is at least ten times nicer."

"My Nainai wouldn't have punished me so harshly."

"Ge was really strict this time, but he explained it to me. He said that what I did was wrong in more ways than just one. Firstly, I'm older than you. Like I said, I should have known better. Second, it was reckless to dump the watering can on you. You could have gotten seriously sick. My big brother is a doctor and I've already learned some basic things from him, I should have thought of that. So the punishment is justified. Still annoys me though."

She looked at Jiang Mingyue from the side. It was definitely better to talk to him like this than the constant bickering.

"I guess your Nainai is a great woman."

"The best."

"What about your mother?"

Jiang Mingyue looked lost for a moment, but then he seemed to have regained his composure.

"She's not here. She left me with my father when I was a baby and disappeared, but Ba is looking for her and he'll definitely find her eventually."

"I hope he finds her."

"What about you, Chen Keying?"

"What do you mean?"

"Where are your parents?"

Chen Keying fell silent and looked down the main street. Yuzhi Tang was already coming into view.

Jiang Mingyue sensed that he had broached a sensitive subject.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"It's alright, it's been a long time. They both died of the same illness. I was very young too, not even two."

"Can you remember them?"

Chen Keying shook her head.

"Not really. I have a few blurry images in my head. Ma had long hair. Ge has some photos of them that we look at sometimes. He tells me stories about the old days. I think he's a lot sadder than I am because he remembers our parents well."

"I can't remember my ma at all. We don't have any photos of her either."

"That's a shame."

The mood between the two had become noticeably gloomier. There was a small bakery a few meters from Yuzhi Tang. Jiang Mingyue's own mood almost always improved when he entered a bakery and left it with something tasty in his hand. He rummaged in his pants pockets and felt for the coins rattling inside.

Should be enough for a few cookies.

He tugged on Chen Keying's sleeve and motioned for her to go with him to the bakery window. The baked goods looked fantastic. There was even strawberry cake. Chen Keying really liked this Western dessert.

"What are you staring at so intently?" Jiang Mingyue asked.

"Oh... nothing."

"Tell me, Jie."

Chen Keying looked at him puzzled for a second, but then left the unusual form of address uncommented.

"Mhhh... to be honest, I love strawberry cake."

Jiang Mingyue rummaged in his pocket again. He wasn't sure if he had enough money for it. Strawberry cake was a lot more expensive than cookies, but maybe he was lucky.

"Wait here for a moment," he said abruptly to Chen Keying, and disappeared through the door inside the bakery a second later.

She watched him through the shop window and became a little uneasy when, after having a handful of cookies wrapped up, he actually let the shop owner give him a slice of strawberry cake. She didn't feel like she deserved that after everything that had happened.

With a proud grin on his lips, he stood next to Chen Keying shortly afterwards and held out the paper-wrapped piece of cake to her.

"Here. I'm sure you'll feel better once you've eaten it."

"That's... thanks, but..."

"Just take it."

"Thank you," she replied.

Chen Keying carefully held the piece of cake in her hand like it was some precious item as the two of them walked the last few meters to Yuzhi Tang.

Chapter Text

"Ge, we're here," Chen Keying called out when she didn't find her brother sitting behind his desk. Footsteps came from the second floor before Chen Yuzhi could be seen at the top landing and then descended the stairs.

"We? Who's-?"

The surprised "Oh" was not long in coming when he realized who his sister had brought with her. For a brief moment, a suspicious expression flitted across his face.

Is it good or bad that the two of them are showing up here together?

Then he thought of Jiang Yuelou and thought it was great that the children seemed to be getting along, only to wonder in the next moment why practically the first thing he thought of when he saw the children together was this man and where that slightly nervous and joyful feeling in his stomach came from.

"Good afternoon, Chen-yisheng," Jiang Mingyue's greeting snapped him out of his thoughts and only now did he really notice for the first time how much he resembled his father.

The boy looked like an almost perfect miniature copy of Jiang Yuelou.

"Good afternoon, Jiang Mingyue," Chen Yuzhi returned the greeting and leaned down towards him.

"How are you?"

"Fine."

"That's good to know. You know what? I want to examine you again to make sure you have fully recovered. It won't take long."

"I don't think that's necessary."

"Your health is not to be trifled with, young man."

Jiang Mingyue felt that Chen Yuzhi's voice had become a little deeper, not threatening, but kind of serious. Dr. Chen could be very persuasive.

"You're probably right, Chen-yisheng."

"Then come upstairs with me. Did you want to go home now?"

"No. I have to go to Ba at the station. Office detention most likely."

The last word clearly sounded dissatisfied. Chen Yuzhi grinned. He could well imagine Jiang Yuelou thinking up such a punishment for his son. It matched the impression he had of the policeman. He chuckled inwardly at the idea of Jiang Yuelou sitting at his desk with a stern look on his face and supervising his son to make sure he did his homework properly.

"Then we'll let your father know that you're with me right now so he doesn't have to worry."

"Thank you, Chen-yisheng."

Once upstairs, Chen Yuzhi called for Chen Keying and told her to call Jiang Yuelou. She sat down at her big brother's desk, picked up the phone and dialed the number of the police station. There was a bit of confusion over the fact that a child was calling from a clinic to talk to Jiang Yuelou about his son. It had the advantage that Chen Keying didn't have to wait for long before she was put through to Jiang Yuelou.

"Keying?"

He sounded worried.

"Jiang-kezhang, hello."

"Is everything alright?"

"Yes, yes, don't worry."

"Why are you calling?"

"Mingyue is here. Ge told me to call you so you wouldn't worry ."

"That's very thoughtful of him, but why is my son with you instead of being here doing his homework. You can tell him that he won't escape his punishment by shirking."

"He's not shirking, Jiang-kezhang. Ge said he wants to check him again to make sure everything’s alright with him."

"Your brother is a great person."

"That's true. Ge is the best."

"Do you know how long the examination will take?"

"Not exactly, but certainly not long."

"It's quite late and he hasn't eaten lunch yet. Maybe it's better if I pick him up."

"Alright... oh wait, Ge is just coming. Do you want to talk to him?"

"Yes, please pass the receiver to him, will you?"

"Okay. Goodbye, Jiang-kezhang."

"Yes, Keying, take care."

Then Jiang Yuelou could hear the siblings exchanging a few words. A joyful, expectant feeling spread through him, making his heart beat a little faster, and then it gave a little jump when the doctor was on the phone.

"Good afternoon, Jiang Yuelou."

It was inappropriately exciting to hear the doctor's deep and soft voice right at his ear. Slight shivers ran down his spine and he closed his eyes.

"Hello, Chen Yuzhi."

Jiang Yuelou emphasized his given name a little and enjoyed how something inside him seemed to resonate with the sound.

"Your sister has already told me that my son is with you."

"Hm," Chen Yuzhi replied approvingly.

"Is everything alright with him?"

"Everything is fine. He's completely recovered."

"I'll pick him up in a moment, we haven't had lunch yet. I'm sure he'll be hungry."

"And what about you?"

"What about me?"

"Are you hungry?"

"Me? Yes, of course, I haven't eaten since breakfast."

"Then why don't you stay for lunch with your son?"

"What? No, we can't do that."

However, the selfish little voice inside Jiang Yuelou rumbled loudly that he could very well do that, after all, the doctor had clearly invited him.

"I've cooked enough. That's enough for four and there's plenty of room in the clinic."

"I really don't want to put you to any trouble."

"You're not."

"Alright, but only on the condition that I can return the favor."

Chen Yuzhi chuckled. Jiang Yuelou found this sound so incredibly adorable and instantly tried to imagine what Chen Yuzhi looked like. Judging from the smile on his lips, it was a very pleasant image.

"Gladly."

"Okay, see you in a bit."

"See you in a bit."

On the way to the clinic, Jiang Yuelou had decided to walk the relatively short distance, he thought of nothing but the doctor's handsome smile and charming dimples or his beautiful eyes. Chen Yuzhi's voice echoed through his head and then he suddenly realized and a second later admitted to himself that he was totally smitten.

The tingling in his stomach at this realization was so intense that he was at most minimally surprised that his crush was a man. How could he not fall for someone like him? And this second realization, that it was virtually impossible for someone like Chen Yuzhi not to have a partner, was also intense. Extremely undesirable, but intense.

Jiang Yuelou immediately began to rack his brains. Had there been any signs of a girlfriend? He was somehow pretty sure that Chen Yuzhi wasn't married, even if he didn't know where he got this certainty from. Chen Yuzhi hadn't mentioned a partner yet, but they hadn't spoken to each other that often.

He had eaten wontons alone with Keying in the evening, but ultimately that didn't have that much significance either. What was a small reason for hope from Jiang Yuelou's point of view, however, was the fact that Chen Yuzhi had looked rather embarrassed when he had told him that his name sounded pretty. That didn't strike him as someone in a committed relationship, and if he looked at it closely, he didn't seem like someone who had much experience either.

When he was still a few meters away from the front door of the clinic, it was pulled open with a flourish and Jiang Mingyue came running towards him with a loud "Baaa". Jiang Yuelou laughed and lifted him up. The boy wrapped his arms around Jiang Yuelou's neck and buried his face in the crook of his neck.

"Well you troublemaker, have you been bothering our Chen-yisheng?"

"Of course not, Ba," came Jiang Mingyue's somewhat muffled reply.

Jiang Yuelou took the last few steps to Yuzhi Tang with his son in his arms.

"Son, I think you're getting too old to be carried."

"Oh nonsense, Ba," the boy muttered.

He still had his head nestled against his father's neck and his eyes closed.

Chen Yuzhi, who had been standing at the open door watching the two of them the whole time, gave Jiang Yuelou a smile that could easily rival those in his fantasy.

Jiang Yuelou placed his son on the floor and put his hands on his shoulders. He scrutinized him with a stern look.

"Are you sure you haven't done anything mischievous?"

Jiang Mingyue shook his head.

"I haven't, Ba."

"He hasn't. He and Keying came here straight after school and he was on his best behavior," Chen Yuzhi said, winking at Jiang Mingyue.

"There you hear it, Ba. Do you believe me now?"

"Well, if Chen-yisheng says so, it must be true."

Chen Keying's voice came from the top floor to inform everyone that the table had been set. The last time the Jiangs had been here, the staircase to the top floor had been closed with a barred door, but today it was open.

This was the private area, as Chen Yuzhi explained. Up here under the roof there was a small kitchen, two rooms, one closed, one with a sitting area with a sofa and a coffee table and a round table in the middle, set with two large bowls of rice and fried chicken and various vegetables on several plates and more bowls in the middle. Small bowls and chopsticks were waiting for the four of them. The sloping roof made the whole thing very cozy.

"Very nice," Jiang Yuelou said as he let his gaze wander around the room.

"And it smells fantastic."

Chen Yuzhi's smile, which clearly told him how pleased he was by the praise, filled his whole chest with a warm feeling and curiosity. He wanted to know more about him, to know more things that could make him smile like that.

The lunch was fantastic. Jiang Yuelou had tears in his eyes, it tasted so good. He never wanted to eat anything else again. However, he immediately revised this thought when his mother appeared before his inner eye with that certain look in her eyes that only mothers know to bear.

He silently apologized to her several times for such unfilial ideas and made 20 imaginary kowtows.

Well, he never wanted to eat anything other than Chen Yuzhi's or his mother’s food again.

But the company also made this lunch unforgettable for Jiang Yuelou. He told the siblings a little about Jingcheng. Although they had been living here for a few weeks and had already settled in well, they had not yet found time to look around the city properly.

"You could show us around the city a bit, if you have the time and inclination. I literally don't know anyone else here."

Jiang Yuelou had the impression that Chen Yuzhi's voice was not only filled with the desire to get to know the city better, it was as if there was something else that the young doctor wasn't saying. That little selfish and possessive piece of his personality was almost a little pleased that Chen Yuzhi didn't seem to have any closer friends.

"Anytime, I'd love to. How about Saturday, or are you on duty?"

"Saturday?... No, but we have some things to do in the morning, I need new supplies for the clinic."

"Hmmm, then... why don't we just go with you? Then we can combine the pleasant," Jiang Yuelou looked Chen Yuzhi firmly in the eye as he said this word, "with the useful.

Chen Yuzhi seemed to have understood the allusion. The slight shade of red on his cheeks was unmistakable and Jiang Yuelou's mind was on the verge of short-circuiting again. He didn't even realize that he was practically staring at him. Chen Yuzhi didn't look particularly present either as he continued to stare into Jiang Yuelou's eyes.

Others, however, were completely attentive. When it had become quiet at the table, Jiang Mingyue looked up from his bowl with the chopsticks in his mouth and looked first at his father and then at Chen Yuzhi. They were behaving very strangely. He turned to Chen Keying, who was busy eating, and lightly nudged her under the table with his foot.

Chen Keying looked up and into his face. Before she could say anything, he put his index finger to his lips and pointed at the two men with his other hand. Her gaze followed his finger and her raised eyebrows shortly afterwards left no doubt that she also noticed their strange behavior.

"Ge?"

"Huh?" was Chen Yuzhi's only response, but his gaze still lingered on Jiang Yuelou's face.

"Ge!"

Now Chen Keying had his attention.

"What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing, I..."

What was he supposed to say? That he was distracted? Those outrageously pretty eyes with that intense gaze.

"Nothing."

"You're acting really weird today," Chen Keying muttered and had her eyes on the bowl again and Chen Yuzhi’s attention was completely on his food again but not after an embarrassed clearing of his throat could have been heard.

And suddenly an awkward silence filled the room while everyone emptied their bowls.

Jiang Mingyue found that he didn't like the sudden change in mood. The cookies and cake, his panacea for bad moods, were in the kitchen.

"Chen-yisheng?"

"Yes?"

"Can I get the dessert?"

"You're welcome."

"Dessert?" Jiang Yuelou asked.

"Your son brought it."

"Really?"

Chen Yuzhi nodded, an amused expression creeping across his face when he heard the skeptical tone in Jiang Yuelou's voice.

"Jiang Mingyue, I don't know you like that," the policeman turned to his son.

"Baaa," Jiang Mingyue had drawn out the syllable in protest, "don't say that, that's not true. I've brought cookies for you before, too."

"Yes, and ate almost all of them alone."

"... anyway."

The Chen siblings grinned, while Jiang Mingyue shuffled into the kitchen with an offended look on his face and then came back with two plates. On one was the piece of strawberry cake and on the other the cookies.

Jiang Yuelou looked questioningly at the strawberry cake.

"It's not for you, Ba," Jiang Mingyue said somewhat defiantly, but also triumphantly, and placed the plate on the table in front of Chen Keying.

"Thank you, Xiao Di."

Jiang Yuelou's look became even more astonished. Then he leaned towards Chen Yuzhi and whispered,

"Did the two of them get along? I thought the only reason they didn't quarrel was because they were afraid that we would punish them even more."

Chen Yuzhi shook his head in amusement.

"No, they seem to have talked. Actually, they seem to be getting along really well."

"I'm relieved about that. I was afraid we'd have to deal with this problem at every opportunity."

"I don't fully trust the peace yet, though."

The mutual skepticism about the children's behavior brought them a little closer, which of course both noticed and definitely welcomed.

The cake and cookies were quickly eaten and while the children cleared up and did the dishes, Jiang Yuelou and Chen Yuzhi chatted over a cup of tea. The office arrest for Jiang Mingyue came up and Chen Yuzhi had to smile.

"What's so funny?"

"You."

Jiang Yuelou raised an eyebrow.

"Jiang-kezhang watches over his offspring with suspicious eyes and a stern look."

Chen Yuzhi's smirk became a little more prominent and the corners of Jiang Yuelou's mouth seemed to have developed a life of its own. So the doctor was thinking about him. Good thing. He needed to give him more to think about. Maybe he could get his son involved somehow. He needed to come up with a good plan, not too flashy, but something effective.

The need to make plans was apparently in the Jiang men's blood, but for now he had to delay any planning as it was time for Jiang Yuelou to head back to the station. Just as he was about to call for his son, Chen Yuzhi held him back.

"Jiang Yuelou, I have an idea about punishing those two."

"I'm all ears."

"Instead of sitting in your office all the time, he could help at the clinic. If he and Keying do the work together, they'll have time to do their homework afterwards. I think a bit of exercise would be better for your boy than sitting in your office all afternoon."

Jiang Yuelou didn't have to think about it twice. For one thing, the idea was actually excellent and, for whatever reason, he honestly didn't care much, he trusted the doctor. Besides, it gave him a reason to come to Yuzhi Tang tonight. Maybe they could go home together. He hadn't even begun to think about 'Operation Chen Yuzhi' and already he had snatched a chance to spend more time with him without raising any suspicion.

"That's a deal. I think it's a great idea. Then I'll leave him in your care and pick him up tonight. What time do you close the clinic?"

"Around 6 p.m., if there are no patients left. It's best if I call you when we're finished."

"Alright. Do you have anything to write?"

"Sure."

Chen Yuzhi stood up and took a pen and a notepad from the drawer of the chest of drawers and handed Jiang Yuelou the items. The latter scribbled the extension number of his office on the piece of paper.

"This way you can reach me directly and don't have to be put through by reception."

"Thank you, Jiang Yuelou."

"Not for that, Chen Yuzhi," he replied and stood up.

Chen Yuzhi followed him into the kitchen, where Jiang Yuelou informed his son of the change of plans and made it very clear that he had to behave himself and not cause any trouble.

"I would never do that, Ba."

"Jiang Mingyue, remember, I know you better than anyone else. Be good and listen to Chen-yisheng."

"I promise, Ba."

Jiang Yuelou tousled his hair a little and said goodbye to the children. Chen Yuzhi walked him to the door and after a quick glance into his big, dark brown eyes and a last smile, he said goodbye to him too. Chen Yuzhi remained standing in the open doorway for a while, looking after him.

On the way back to the precinct, Jiang Yuelou strolled along the main street, his hands in his pockets, softly whistling a tune. He hoped that the hours until the evening would pass quickly.

**

Jiang Yuelou had a very ambivalent relationship with his phone for the rest of the afternoon. Until shortly before 6 o'clock in the evening, he fervently hoped that it wouldn't ring or, if it did, that at least it wouldn't be Chen Yuzhi. An early call could only mean that his son had caused some kind of trouble.

He kept looking up from the file and staring suspiciously at the phone. However, the closer it got to 6 o'clock in the evening, the more Jiang Yuelou's feeling for the phone changed into something expectant, excited and happy, and then he almost had a heart attack when it actually rang shortly after 6.

His hand shot to the receiver, but hovered a few millimeters above it in the air.

Don't pick up too quickly, Yuelou. I don't want him to think that I’ve been sitting next to the phone the whole time waiting for him to call.

After the third ring, he picked up.

"Hello, Chief Jiang speaking."

"Hey.“

It so nice to hear his voice, Jiang Yuelou thought and pressed the receiver a little harder against his ear. The voice got a little louder, felt closer.

"I thought we'd skip the chief."

A small smile stole onto Jiang Yuelou's lips. He liked that the doctor was joking a little.

"Are you alright?"

"Everything's fine."

"And he didn't cause any trouble?"

"Not at all."

"I think you've got the wrong child with you."

"I don't think I could mistake the junior chief for another child."

Was the doctor flirting with him right now? Jiang Yuelou wasn't sure. He urgently needed to think about this in more detail later.

"Don't think so badly of him. He has behaved in an exemplary manner. Oh yes, and his homework is already done."

Somehow, Jiang Yuelou felt the urge to justify himself.

"I don't think badly of him, it's just experience. I know he can be exhausting sometimes. Believe me, I know the principal's office inside out. Did the kids get along?"

"Don't worry so much, it's been a nice day and now don't keep us waiting any longer. Actually, I just wanted to let you know that we’re almost ready to go home."

"Alright, Chen Yuzhi. I'm on my way. Give me 15 minutes."

"Be careful."

"I will."

"See you in a minute."

"Yes, see you in a minute."

Chapter Text

When he had placed the phone receiver on the fork, Jiang Yuelou let his hand rest on it and breathed in and out deeply. His cheeks had taken on a healthy hue. He had become warmer during the conversation and only now did he realize that his heart was racing. He ran his hand through his hair and laughed softly. Who would have thought that he was so easily flustered.

He hoped that the mild evening air and the balmy breeze would cool him down a little.

The street leading to Yuzhi Tang was still very busy, but it was quieter than at midday. It would be dusk in a few minutes, but there was still a bit of sun to be seen. The closed sign hung outside the door of the clinic, inside the lights were on, creating a cozy and welcoming atmosphere even now that it was still light outside.

Through the door, he could see Chen Yuzhi sitting at his desk. He was writing something. There was no sign of the children, at least Jiang Yuelou couldn’t see them. When he opened the door, however, he could hear them and shortly afterwards he could see them in the back. Each with a broom in their hand, pointed at each other as if wielding swords.

"Chen-guniang (姑娘gūniɑng), please stop. I'm here to save you."

"Ha, a fool like you and such a gnome at that? You couldn't even carry me if I was injured."

"Uh... I... I'm stronger than I look and I'll grow."

"But the demon of the Black Water Cave won't wait until you're tall enough, and you haven't even mastered sword flying yet."

"That... you don't even know that."

"Prove it!"

While the children, absorbed in their play, hadn't even noticed him, Chen Yuzhi was far more attentive. Jiang Yuelou was distracted by the children and grinned when he heard Chen Keying's comments about his son's height. He had his arms folded in front of his chest and seemed eager to hear the outcome of this dialog.

Chen Yuzhi took the time to watch him carefully. A man who, despite the fact that he often smiled and seemed to be in a good mood, radiated a deep seriousness. Perhaps it was his work as a policeman or had he always been like this? Chen Yuzhi had the feeling that he was someone who had experienced a lot and not always pleasant things, but who had and still possessed the strength to deal with these things. He seemed balanced and, what Chen Yuzhi had noticed first and what Jiang Yuelou radiated with every fiber of his body, his son was the most important to him. Jiang Yuelou looked as if he could and would reduce entire regions to rubble to protect him.

This strength fascinated Chen Yuzhi. Even though Jiang Yuelou might not be the tallest, he would definitely face the demon of the Black Water Cave and defeat it. With a warm smile on his lips, he stood up and walked to Jiang Yuelou.

"Hey."

"Hey," Jiang Yuelou replied, but didn't take his eyes off the children at first.

After a few seconds, he turned his head to Chen Yuzhi and eyed him from the side. The doctor stood next to him and now had turned his attention to the children as well. Jiang Yuelou noticed with slight displeasure that Chen Yuzhi was slightly taller than him. That irritated him, somehow it didn't feel right. The doctor should actually be shorter. Jiang Yuelou's eyes wandered to Chen Yuzhi's shoes. It didn't look like he was wearing particularly thick heels. He'd have no choice than to accept that he couldn’t change it, if he didn't want to walk around in heels himself.

"Have you and Keying anything planned for tonight?"

"Going home, dinner and then relaxing with a good book."

"Would you mind if my son and I accompany you for a while? We have to walk in roughly the same direction."

"It would be silly of me to turn you down."

"Indeed, it would be."

"Give me a few more minutes to pack my things," Chen Yuzhi said and went back to his desk to check the contents of his doctor's bag and then lock it.

When he took off his doctor's coat, Jiang Yuelou couldn't take his eyes off him. His movements made his body stand out a little more clearly under his clothes. He looked lean yet muscular, even a little stronger than himself, which once again irritated Jiang Yuelou a little. When he thought of the gentle doctor, he saw someone who was just that, gentle, calm, somehow soft and smaller and not as strong as him. These thoughts didn't help to curb his curiosity, on the contrary, a desire stirred in him that was clearly connected to the doctor's body.

"Baaaa."

Jiang Mingyue had finally realized that his father was there. He dropped the broom and came running towards him. After a tumultuous hug, Jiang Yuelou squatted in front of him and looked him in the eye intently.

"Are you alright?"

Jiang Mingyue nodded and grinned. Jiang Yuelou cupped his cheek with his left hand and stroked it gently with his thumb.

"And you were good? Didn't give Chen-yisheng any trouble?"

"No Ba, I swear."

"Keying is doing well too?"

"Of course."

Jiang Mingyue sounded a little indignant. Chen Yuzhi had to chuckle softly and approached the two of them.

"He's behaved in an exemplary manner, Jiang Yuelou, believe him."

Jiang Mingyue's eyes shone a little at Chen Yuzhi's praise and he smiled gratefully at him. Chen Yuzhi briefly tossed his hair. Chen Keying had put away the two brooms they had been using as makeshift swords and now came forward to greet Jiang Yuelou as well.

The four of them made their way to Shou Xi Road. At first, Jiang Yuelou and Chen Yuzhi strolled a few meters behind the children, but eventually the two came running back to them and first Jiang Mingyue and then Chen Keying began to tell Jiang Yuelou about everything that had happened at the clinic that afternoon.

They kept him so busy that he could hardly exchange more than a few glances with Chen Yuzhi until they arrived at Shou Xi Road. Glances, however, that made Jiang Yuelou's heart flutter.

It was so different from how he felt when he thought of his son's mother. He had been worried about her for years, but every time he thought about what would happen when he found her, it was written in large characters in front of his inner eye, I don't know her, I don't know what it would be like, to live with her. With Chen Yuzhi, although he hardly knew him either, a possible future suddenly unfolded, ideas of being together, doing things together, spending time together.

They entered Shou Xi Road, and just as he was about to say goodbye, Chen Yuzhi noticed Jiang Yuelou's gaze, which was - somehow longingly - directed at the wonton stall.

"Hungry?"

Jiang Yuelou looked at him and seemed puzzled at first, but then a small smile spread across his face. He turned his gaze to his son

"Son, wontons?"

"Always," he replied enthusiastically, which earned him an amused smirk from Chen Yuzhi, much to Jiang Yuelou's delight.

"Keying, are you in the mood for wontons?"

"Sure, Ge."

"Well then, I guess that's settled. Keying, will you take my bag? You and Mingyue can go sit at the free table there and we...," Chen Yuzhi put a hand on Jiang Yuelou's shoulder, "... will get the food."

While the children were on their way to the table, Chen Yuzhi's hand was still on his shoulder for a few conspicuous seconds, seconds that seemed like eternities to Jiang Yuelou and yet were far too short. Only the doctor, taking his hand back, jolted him out of his stupor.

They walked the few steps to Aunt Luo's stall, Chen Yuzhi right behind Jiang Yuelou. Aunt Luo greeted them with a joyful smile.

"My favorite regular and my... " she eyed Chen Yuzhi from top to bottom, "...hopefully another favorite regular in the future."

"You've barely moved in and you're already competing with me, Chen-yisheng," Jiang Yuelou grumbled with a playful glint in his eyes.

"My natural charms, I guess."

Chen Yuzhi's reply earned him a surprised and very interested look from Jiang Yuelou. A look that made a warm tingle rise in his chest.

"Four bowls of wontons please, Laoban-niang," Chen Yuzhi heard the next moment, having somehow missed that Jiang Yuelou had already turned away from him.

"Chen Yuzhi, how-"

"No need, Chief Jiang, I know his taste is just like your's, and the little lady prefers an extra portion of scallions, just like your offspring."

"What a coincidence," Jiang Yuelou remarked quietly while Chen Yuzhi tried desperately not to grin so broadly.

Each holding a tray with two bowls on it, they approached the table where the children were sitting. Jiang Mingyue and Chen Keying had sat down next to each other and put their heads together, which Jiang Yuelou found extremely suspicious out of his usual paranoia as a parent. The men had no choice but to sit opposite them, side by side, on the other bench.

Somehow, the evening ended with everyone ordering a second serving of wontons and some tea. The book on the couch that Chen Yuzhi wanted to relax with was long forgotten. Instead, Jiang Mingyue's planned four-week office detention had now become a temporary job at Yuzhi Tang, and his son was a little too happy about it for Jiang Yuelou's liking. It no longer felt like a punishment. He had no idea how Chen Yuzhi had managed to completely change his parenting methods after such a short time.

And all of a sudden he was no longer taking his son to school alone in the morning, suddenly there were four of them. The school was not very far from Shou Xi Road and, to Jiang Yuelou's great advantage, Yuzhi Tang was practically on the way from the school to the police station. He could hardly believe his luck when he realized that he didn't even have to come up with an excuse or - which was an option he had already seriously considered - pretend to be sick in order to spend more time with him.

**

Bai Jinbo and Yang Siqi noticed two things during the weekend visits. Their son was more relaxed and smiled a little more and not once did they hear a complaint that their grandson had done anything wrong again.

In the kitchen after dinner one evening, Yang Siqi confronted Jiang Yuelou.

"What's wrong, Lou-er?"

"What do you mean, Ma?"

Yang Siqi stepped closer to him and studied his face carefully.

"Something is different, as if something has tamed you both."

When Jiang Yuelou didn't answer and seemed to squirm slightly under her scrutinizing gaze, her eyes narrowed a little more.

"Wait, Lou-er... can it be? Not something, but someone."

She knew she had hit the mark when Jiang Yuelou's eyes widened a little more for a second.

"Jiang Yuelou, speak up, who is she?"

"Oh, Ma, what are you talking about?"

"Don't try to take me for a fool."

"Ma, really... there's no one... at least not yet, maybe not at all. I don't know, Ma."

"Aww, are you a little lovesick? Is she with someone else?"

With a look of slight pity and amusement about the fact that he's finally found someone, she placed her hand on his warm and red cheek.

"What, no, it’s not like that, Ma."

Heavens, he was embarrassed, he wasn't 16 anymore, and the worst part was, he couldn't just run away from her, but had to answer her questions.

"Then what is it? Can I help you?"

"No Ma, I have to do this on my own."

"So there's someone, isn’t there?"

"Yes, Ma," Jiang Yuelou replied resignedly.

"I can't hide something like this from you anyway."

"Who is she? Will you tell me?"

"Ma, it's..."

"Don't say complicated."

"But Ma, it actually is and... not... not acceptable, for many, probably for no one."

"What do you mean 'not acceptable'? Surely not-"

Jiang Yuelou looked at her, a little startled. He had already said far too much.

"Jiang Yuelou, you didn't go to one of those establishments, did you? One like Nianchun Pavilion?"

He looked at his mother dumbfounded for a few seconds.

"Ma! What do you take me for. Of course I don't. Please, you're so far from the truth, that's as far as it can get. Please, I promise I'll explain everything to you, soon, but don't ask me now, okay? It's just... I need to figure things out, including about him (I wrote "him", but Yang Siqi doesn't know that it's about another man. I'm sure most of you know that the personal pronouns he/she/it are all pronounced tā in Chinese, even though they're different characters, 他她它)."

"That means she doesn't know?"

"No Ma, I haven't talked about it yet."

"Does Xiao Yue know her?"

"He does."

Jiang Yuelou's smile that he had on his lips when he answered her question was also the answer to her the question that was on the tip of her tounge.

"I guess they get along."

"They do Ma, quite well in fact."

"That's good, Lou-er. Alright son, I won't bother you any more about it, but you'll have to tell me more about her soon."

"Ma, promise me something."

"What?"

"This person is not what you or Ba would expect. A good person, through and through. A doctor, I can tell you that much."

Yang Siqi raised her eyebrows in astonishment.

"A doctor? How unusual, but great. An independent woman suits you."

Jiang Yuelou almost felt a little bad about letting her be under the misconception that the person who had stolen his heart was a woman.

"Lou-er, I really don't understand why you're so apprehensive about telling me more about her."

"Do you trust me, Ma, to think my decisions through?"

"I do, son."

"Then trust me this time too. You'll like the doctor, for sure."

"Lou-er, I know the decisions you make are well thought through. I trust you, but you're making it so secretive, it's not like you at all."

"Give me a little more time, Ma."

"All the time you need, child."

"Thank you, Ma."

Jiang Yuelou lay awake in bed for a long time that evening. He brooded for hours. He pondered how good his chances were that Chen Yuzhi felt a similar affection for him. What he would give to know why he was so often embarrassed, especially when they were alone, without the children, which they had been noticeably often lately. What would he give to know why Chen Yuzhi was sometimes unexpectedly offensive, not only returning his teasing but also being the one to start it himself every now and then.

It was only now that Jiang Yuelou really realized that in the past few days, they often sent the children outside to play. Chen Yuzhi often had words at the ready about how it was good for their health if they were out in the fresh air, but if he thought about it carefully, perhaps it could also be a welcome excuse for the cute doctor.

Jiang Yuelou's stomach was tingling again. He loved this feeling. It was exciting, new and so invigorating. The uncertainty was sapping his strength a little, but mostly he was happy to have Chen Yuzhi around so often, almost every day.

At some point, his thoughts wandered to his parents. He wondered how they would react when they found out who their son had fallen for. He could not imagine that they would reject him, that they would show no understanding for him. On the other hand, how was he to know how they would react? This topic, same-sex love, had never come up before.

His feelings for Chen Yuzhi had become so intense in such a shockingly short time that he hadn't had time to question them in any way, let alone wanted to question them for anything in the world. He knew how society felt about it and accepted that there would be hurdles and secrets if Chen Yuzhi got involved with him, however, Jiang Yuelou didn't want to keep any secrets, at least from his parents. He loved and respected them too much, and he was far too grateful. They didn't deserve that, no matter how they would react in the end.

At some point, deep in the night, just before the early hours of the morning, his thoughts returned to Chen Yuzhi. His heart contracted slightly for a second before a tingling, excited feeling spread through his chest.

"Chen Yuzhi... Yuzhi," he whispered into the night.

It was an incredibly pleasant feeling to say his name. It felt as soft on his lips as the doctor actually was. Thoughts of him were no longer just a source of nervousness and excitement. It calmed him to think of Chen Yuzhi, of the warmth he radiated, of the evenings the four of them spent together.

It was kind of crazy, because this wasn't really how he had imagined being in love for the first time.

Well, he hadn't imagined being a father at that point anyway, but he really hadn't expected that the idea of dinner with two children and a forbiddenly handsome man would trigger such feelings in him.

**

A few weeks later, it was the end of summer, but even the nights were still pleasantly warm, dinner was served at the Jiangs'. In keeping with the temperature, they had a cold noodle salad with steamed chicken, cucumber, carrots and mung beans. Most of the cooking, however, was done by Chen Yuzhi, who now knew his way around the Jiangs' kitchen almost as well as around his own.

Jiang Yuelou had tried to stop him often enough to know that any attempt was futile, so he at least tried to help him as much as possible. The practical side of it was that he got the chance to learn about cooking and all sorts of new recipes.

It wasn't that he and his son had had a bad diet before they met the Chens, he wasn't a bad cook, and his repertoire wasn't so limited that they ate the same thing every week, but they often ate at his parents' or Aunt Luo's and every now and then they visited restaurants. So there was plenty of room to learn new things.

For a few weeks now, however, they had been eating at home or at the Chens', except on weekends, which was reserved for the grandparents, and, what was also very surprising, his son hardly ever grumbled about food any more. There had been something slightly hypnotic in Chen Yuzhi's voice as he explained to his son why healthy eating was so important, and to Jiang Yuelou it all seemed so terribly normal. He daydreamed a little while slicing vegetables into thin strips.

While the adults were busy in the kitchen, the children were in Jiang Mingyue's room. Chen Keying had a book in her hand that Jiang Mingyue’s grandmother had given him some time ago and he was sitting on his bed.

"Jie?"

Chen Keying turned to him and looked at him.

"What is it?"

"Can I ask you something? Something very personal?"

"You do realize that I can't answer that question until I know what you want to ask in the first place. Tell me. What do you want to know?"

"What's it like living without parents? Is it hard?"

Chen Keying put the book back on the shelf and approached him.

"It's quite normal, just like you, except Ge takes care of me. It's not hard. I don't know what it's like to have parents, but I don't think it's that much different from how I live. Ge's my family and I have a great home.... Some of the neighbors are a little weird, but I can put up with them."

"What neighbo-"

Jiang Mingyue stopped in mid-sentence when he saw the big grin on her face.

"Haha, very funny," he grumbled.

"Okay, okay, sorry, yeah?"

"Okay."

"I don't think Ge and your Ba are that different. They look after us, take care of us..."

"Nagging around, forcing us to do our homework..."

"Believe me, most of the time it's good for us that they do that."

She sat down next to him on the bed and looked at him from the side.

"You can't remember your ma at all?"

Jiang Mingyue shook his head.

"It would be nice if we at least had a photo."

"We have a few of my parents, but they're quite old."

"Do you have one here? Can I see it?"

"No, I don’t have any with me," Chen Keying replied.

"But we can go over and have a look."

Her suggestion met with Jiang Mingyue's immediate and complete approval.

"Ge?" she asked as she poked her head through the kitchen door two minutes later and looked at the backs of the two men, who were engrossed in preparing dinner and enjoying each other's company.

Chen Yuzhi turned around.

"Can Mingyue and I go back to our place for a few minutes?"

"Why? Dinner will be ready soon."

"I want to show him some of our old photos. It won't take long."

"Alright, then. But you two will be back here in fifteen minutes at the latest."

"Got it, Ge."

The kitchen door closed and shortly afterwards the men could hear the soft squeak of the front gate.

"Needs some oiling, huh?" Chen Yuzhi mentioned casually as he sliced the carrots.

"Well, it's not that bad and at least he won't be able to sneak out quite so easily."

"Is he doing that?"

"Not yet, thankfully, but he'll soon be of an age where I'd definitely wouldn’t put it past him. I hope he'll be a bit calmer by then."

"I still think you're very strict with him sometimes."

"Chen Yuzhi, you have no idea how exhausting..." Jiang Yuelou suddenly faltered and it was clear to see that he realized something essential.

"He's been different since we met you. Still cheeky and a bit overconfident, but he seems more balanced and... I haven't been summoned to the principal's office even once."

"Now you're exaggerating."

"No, honestly Chen Yuzhi. Ask my father how many times I had to answer the principal's calls while on duty. Weekly, no joke."

"I can't really imagine him being that mischievous."

"I'm sure you remember how he got on Keying's nerves shortly after she had entered the school. That's his true nature and I have no idea how you two did that."

Chen Yuzhi returned his gaze and the light shade of red that Jiang Yuelou loved so much graced the doctor's cheeks.

Now or never, a small voice whispered in Jiang Yuelou's head.

"Chen-"

Chapter Text

"Chen-" Jiang Yuelou started at the same moment the door burst open and Jiang Mingyue announced that they were back and that he now wanted to show Chen Keying some photos.

Jiang Yuelou was completely convinced that this had been, that one, tiny, perfect moment to tell him how much he meant to him, to ask him if those feelings were reciprocated, but Chen Yuzhi had already averted his eyes, looked at the door and said,

"I'd like to have a look too."

Jiang Yuelou's heart raced and beat hard against his chest. He had been on the verge of confessing his feelings to him and it had taken more courage than anything he had ever had to muster in his life. Too much to muster it a second time right now.

Instead, he put aside the knife he was holding and signaled him to follow him with a, "Why not?"

**

A few minutes earlier:

Chen Keying showed her guest the few photos they had of their parents and themselves when they were much younger.

"Your parents look nice."

"I'm sure they were. Ge says they were the best parents anyone could ask for. Ba was a doctor, like Ge. He'd had his own clinic too."

"And your mother?"

"Ma took care of the clinic supplies and the household and Ge when he was younger. Ge always says she knew more about the herbs, mushrooms, roots and other ingredients for the medicine than anyone else. Only Ba could hold a candle to her."

"Look here, Ba made this when I was just over a year old."

Jiang Mingyue had to smile briefly when he saw the picture. It clearly showed Chen Yuzhi, but he was perhaps fifteen or a little younger. It looked kind of funny. Like him and also not like him.

Chen Yuzhi had his sister on his shoulder and was holding her tightly. There was someone behind him who could barely be seen, also holding her. Her mother, Chen Keying explained. Chen Yuzhi grinned, but Chen Keying's expression was somehow indefinable, not really looking happy.

''We got one of Ba and me. Yeye took it the day after my ma left me here. It's the oldest photo there is of Ba and me. Come on, let's go back so I can show you before dinner."

"Alright."

The street wasn't too busy when the two of them ran from 58 Shou Xi Road back to the Jiangs' house.

"Ba, we're back," Jiang Mingyue called from the hallway after they had taken off their shoes and swapped them for slippers.

He stormed towards the kitchen door, yanked it open and announced,

"Ba, I'm going to show Ying-jie some photos of us."

He hadn't even realized that there was such a strange moment between his father and the doctor, but had already arrived in the living room when Chen Yuzhi let Jiang Yuelou know that he would also like to see the photos.

A minute later, the men were with the children in the living room. Jiang Mingyue had already taken the thick photo album, which was about two-thirds filled with photographs, out of the cupboard and placed it on the coffee table. He was flicking through the first few pages until he found what he was looking for.

"Here. I’m not even a year old yet in this one."

Chen Keying leaned over the photo album curiously and giggled.

"Yue-ge looks funny."

"That's what I thought earlier when I saw the photo of you and Chen-shushu."

"Which one did you show him, A-Ying?"

"A few of our parents and the one when I was sitting on your shoulders."

"That was so long ago," Chen Yuzhi murmured.

His slim fingers grabbed the photo album and he turned it to get a better look at the picture. Jiang Yuelou got goosebumps just from the sight of the doctor's hand on his photo album and the elegant movement with which he turned it. When Chen Yuzhi touched things that belonged to him, things that were important to him, it was almost as if he was touching him.

Chen Yuzhi looked attentively at the photo in silence and Jiang Yuelou was a bit overwhelmed by how emotionally moved he was, how his heart beat a little faster and a slight heat crept up his cheeks. A little embarrassed, he laughed and touched the picture.

"That was the morning after his mother had left him with me."

Chen Yuzhi had his eyes fixed on Jiang Yuelou, and his big dark brown eyes were filled with so much warmth and affection that it made Jiang Yuelou's heart skip a beat as he returned his gaze. The heat on his face became a little more intense.

"We should eat now," Chen Keying decided, getting up from the sofa and pushing past Jiang Yueou to the living room door.

Chen Yuzhi cleared his throat and looked as if he only now realized how intensely he was looking at the policeman.

"A-Ying is right," he remarked, and Jiang Yuelou thought he looked a little relieved to have an excuse to avert his gaze.

This was the second time today that something had kind of sparked between them, but right now it was making Jiang Yuelou more upset than happy because he just wasn't getting the chance to take advantage of it.

At dinner, both men were a little quieter than usual and Chen Keying did not miss the furtive glances they both cast in each other's direction, but she did not quite know what to make of it. She hoped that they hadn't argued, but somehow it didn't seem that way to her either, but there was definitely something between them.

And it became even more noticeable when she and her brother said goodbye an hour later. The two men stood at Jiang Yuelou's door, clearly undecided.

"Can I... can I have a look at the photos that A-Ying had showed Xiao Yue earlier?" Jiang Yuelou asked hesitantly and looked at Chen Yuzhi.

"Gladly. Why not now?" came a remarkably quick reply from the doctor.

Jiang Yuelou's eyes widened before he smiled timidly and then turned to his son.

"Go to the bathroom to wash up and brush your teeth, will you? I'm going with the Chens for a bit."

"Alright, Ba."

"Good night, Xiao Yue."

"Good night, Chen-shushu."

"Good night, Xiao Di, see you in the morning."

"Good night, Jiejie."

"I'll be back in a few minutes. Don't get into mischief, you hear?"

"Yes, yes, Ba."

Chen Keying went straight to the bathroom after they entered the house, wanting to take a bath before going to bed, while the doctor led Jiang Yuelou into the living room. He didn't have a photo album but a wooden box in which he kept the photos.

The men stood next to each other in front of the large bookshelf and looked at the pictures which Chen Yuzhi held in one hand and leafed through one by one with the other, their heads close to each other.

Jiang Yuelou paused at one and looked at it a little longer. His gaze wandered from the photo to Chen Yuzhi’s face and back again. It seemed to have been taken not long after the photo of Chen Keying sitting on her brother's shoulders. She looked a little older and taller, but Chen Yuzhi had hardly changed. The only noticeable change was a certain exhaustion in his features. He was leaning back against the head of the bed he was sitting on, with his sister sitting on his lap.

"That reminds me a lot of the picture of me and my son that my father took."

"Yes, I was thinking about that earlier too. It was about two months after our parents died. My aunt had taken it. I hadn't even noticed, and I don't think A-Ying had either. I had been quite tired that day and had fallen asleep with her on my lap.

We lived with our aunt, our mother's sister, for a while, but I went to work alongside school to earn at least a little money to support her. When I was 18, I was able to study with a scholarship. Our aunt took care of A-Ying until then and when I finished, we moved out. My sister was six at the time."

"It must have been hard for you."

"It wasn't always easy, but luckily we weren't alone."

"I'm so damn lucky with my parents, with my son and with..." Jiang Yuelou stared at a crease in Chen Yuzhi's jacket and had stopped talking.

"With what?"

Jiang Yuelou turned his gaze over Chen Yuzhi's shoulder and had an expression in his eyes as if he was looking into the distance instead of just at the wall that was about two meters away.

He stuffed his hands into his pants pockets, but Chen Yuzhi knew that he was just trying to hide his embarrassment and took a deep breath. In the end, Jiang Yuelou wasn't ready right now and kept silent.

Chen Yuzhi couldn't tell what it was, but something inside him stopped him from asking again. He had a hunch, but if he was wrong, it would have been silly, and if he wasn't, then he definitely needed some time to prepare, too.

So this evening passed with unspoken words and feelings kept secret. Such moments between them came and went, but somehow neither of them managed to say what they had on the tip of their tongues.

Jiang Yuelou found it silly and far too exhausting, so he decided to gradually increase the dose of ambiguity instead of simply telling him how he felt because, for some reason he didn’t quite understand, he couldn't manage it.

His own son helped or rather inspired him to take one of his next steps in the "project Chen Yuzhi" unintentionally. Quite a big step, Jiang Yuelou thought.

It was now fall, the weather uncomfortably cool and it rained frequently, so that puddles had formed everywhere and everything just seemed cold and clammy.

Jiang Mingyue went to the clinic with Chen Keying almost every day after school, even after he had finished the weeks of punishment work at school and in Yuzhi Tang. Jiang Yuelou was worried that he would disturb Chen Yuzhi's work, but the doctor vehemently denied it.

When the boy wasn't sitting upstairs with his sister doing homework, the two of them helped him a little in the clinic, cleaning, replenishing supplies or bringing medicine to his patients who couldn't come to pick it up themselves. Sometimes the children spent half the afternoon roaming around the city. Tanghulu were finally available again and they often brought two of them for Chen Yuzhi and Jiang Yuelou. From the sticky marks on their faces, the doctor could clearly see that they had also treated themselves to at least one each.

On one of these afternoons, when it was raining particularly hard, the children had just arrived from school in front of the clinic, whose warm light brightened up the gloomy atmosphere outside. Apart from her shoes, Chen Keying had stayed dry thanks to her umbrella, but the police chief's offspring looked completely soaked and a little dirty, despite his umbrella.

"Xiao Yue, what's happened?" Chen Yuzh asked, coming out from behind his desk immediately. There were no patients in the clinic at the moment, so he had taken care of ordering supplies.

"Nothing... I..."

"He had been typical Jiang Mingyue again, and he wasn't the only idiot."

"Jie...," Jiang Mingyue whined softly.

"I told him it was a stupid idea, but he wouldn't listen to me and wanted to prove himself to everyone else."

"What happened that you look so awful?" Chen Yuzhi asked again.

"They were on a dare. Him and some boys from fourth grade. He was goaded by them."

"I can't stand it when they make fun of the fact that I'm shorter than them. After all, they're a year older than me. I'm still growing and one day I'm guaranteed to be taller than them."

"Well, you're the shortest in your class too, aren't you?" Chen Keying deadpanned.

"Jieeeeeee!"

"Chen Keying, now is hardly the time to make such remarks."

"Sorry, Ge," she replied meekly.

Chen Yuzhi, who had leaned down to Jiang Mingyue, brushed a strand of his damp hair from his forehead and then took his hands worriedly.

"You're freezing cold. Go take a shower, Xiao Yue, and your clothes need to be cleaned and dried. A-Ying will help you with that, won't you?"

He had addressed his last words to his sister.

"He doesn't deserve it, but yes, and then we'll do some homework."

"Great. Thank you, A-Ying."

**

After his clothes had been cleaned and dried enough so that the traces of mud were not immediately visible, and it had already gotten dark outside, Jiang Mingyue left the clinic for a few minutes to walk to the small bakery a few houses away. It had stopped raining, but the streets were still wet.

He came back with a paper bag in his hand and, without thinking about closing the door, headed straight for Chen Yuzhi's desk and placed it in front of the doctor.

"For you, Chen-shushu."

"For me? Why?"

"I want to bribe you."

"Bribe? At least you're honest, but you shouldn’t do such things."

"But maybe you'll make an exception."

"What's the reason?"

"Can you not tell Ba about the dare? I don't want him to get mad at me or scold me."

"I didn't want to tell him anyway, you'd better do it yourself, don't you think?"

"He doesn't always have to know everything. Can't you just say that it's okay if he doesn't find out for once?"

"What did you bring as payment?"

Jiang Mingyue grinned proudly and opened the bag to take out some rather large cookies. Chen Yuzhi laughed and picked up one.

"Okay, you'll get me with this. But just this once."

Just as he was about to take a bite of the cookie, he noticed a shadow at the door and faltered. Jiang Yuelou was standing at the door, watching them with a smile on his lips. Chen Yuzhi didn't know whether he had been standing there for so long that his son's attempt at a bribe had been a complete failure from the outset, but the likelihood was pretty high.

"For what reason does my son want bribe our doctor, hm?"

Jiang Mingyue winced when he heard his father's voice behind him.

"Aah... haha, it's nothing, Ba. I just brought Chen-shushu some cookies."

"Is that so?"

Jiang Mingyue looked at Chen Yuzhi almost pleadingly and he nodded with a smile.

"Well then, I'll take your word for it. How about it, can we go home?"

His last words were for Chen Yuzhi.

"I'm done for the day," the doctor replied.

"Get your things son and tell A-Ying," Jiang Yuelou instructed his son and sat down on the edge of Chen Yuzhi's desk, as if there wasn't an empty chair right next to him.

"So, what did he do this time? He said something about a dare," he asked, looking after his son.

"I promised him I wouldn't say anything and it wasn't that bad, I can tell you that much."

"What if I promise not to scold him this time?"

Chen Yuzhi looked at him but continued to hesitate.

"I know what I can persuade you with," Jiang Yuelou said, jumping up from the desk and leaving the clinic, shouting, "I'll be right back," and was gone, only to return four minutes later with a paper bag that looked suspiciously familiar to Chen Yuzhi.

Chen Yuzhi raised his eyebrows skeptically, but then smiled as he realized once again with amusement how similar father and son often were.

He wondered what Jiang Yuelou had been like as a child. He still knew nothing of the traumatic experiences the policeman had had in his childhood. Jiang Yuelou was still keeping these things firmly under wraps.

The doctor knew that Bai Jinbo and Yang Siqi had adopted him, but they hadn't talked about the time before. However, Jiang Yuelou knew that he would tell him about it at some point if their friendship, their relationship continued to develop, which he was convinced it would, and he would never have been able to bear it if it wouldn‘t.

"Here. I demand that you let me get you as much as my son got you. I'll give you all the cookies too, not just one."

A delightful little laugh escaped Chen Yuzhi's lips and he took the bag from Jiang Yuelou's hand.

"Don't you feel a bit shabby trying to outdo your son?"

Jiang Yuelou looked at him dumbfounded for a moment before a cheeky grin stole onto his face.

"Okay, then we'll just raise the equivalent value to make it even."

Chen Yuzhi furrowed his eyebrows.

"How are you going to increase the equivalent value? What are you asking for the whole bag of cookies?"

"A dinner."

"A what?"

"Dinner."

"But we eat together every night anyway. If you want me to cook, all you have to do is ask, you don't have to bribe me with cookies."

"I don't want you to cook."

"But... Your cooking isn’t that bad. I don't need a bribe to eat this."

"I don't want to cook either."

"You're talking in riddles, Jiang Yuelou."

"I don't want the children to be there either. Just you and me. Let me take you out to dinner, to a restaurant."

Now Chen Yuzhi stared at him and it took him a few seconds to understand.

"I-"

Rumbling footsteps could be heard on the stairs before Jiang Mingyue called out to them, "We're done."

Jiang Yuelou grumbled softly, because his son had apparently developed a great talent for appearing at the most inopportune moments. He was somewhat conflicted, because of course he loved his son, but recently there had been situations where he wouldn't have minded not hearing from him for a few minutes.

"Let's talk about it later, shall we?" Chen Yuzhi asked and hurried away, almost fleeing, to get his coat.

The policeman looked after him. He still wasn't sure whether he would manage to get the doctor to say yes, but he hadn't said no straight away. At least that was something. He would wait and see, but if he took too long to answer, he would just ask him again, armed with another bag of cookies if necessary.

**

The next evening, Jiang Yuelou and Chen Yuzhi walked through the city center together. The children were at a school event, which would end in about half an hour. Going to school in the evening, and then not to do lessons but to go to the museum, was something that even Jiang Mingyue really had no objections to.

The two men were slowly strolling through the streets on their way to pick up the children. Jiang Yuelou had stood in front of Yuzhi Tang at six o'clock and helped the doctor close the clinic.

Shortly after leaving the market, they passed a small store selling gramophones and records and stopped to look at the displays.

"We still have some time. Shall we go inside and listen to something?" Chen Yuzhi asked after looking at his wristwatch.

"Sure, why not."

They entered the store, whose interior and even the floor were made of wood and comfortably lit, and were greeted by a pleasant smell, somewhat reminiscent of a bookshop, and the melody of an opera playing from a gramophone in the back.

Half interested, half overwhelmed, they looked around and didn't know where to start.

Jiang Yuelou's gaze fell on a record featuring what appeared to be an American singing group. The most striking thing was the title, which immediately appealed to something in Jiang Yuelou.

"Do you know them?" he asked Chen Yuzhi as he walked towards the record and picked it up.

"The Ink Spots. No, do you?"

Jiang Yuelou shook his head.

"I don't want to set the world on fire," Chen Yuzhi read out the title and grinned.

"Why do I have to think that you would say something like that after you've done something wrong."

"Wha-... Why me? My son, maybe."

"Yeah, I guess that fits even better, at least according to some stories I’ve heard about him now and then."

The two of them laughed quietly.

"Good evening, gentlemen," an elderly man, the store owner, greeted them.

"Good evening, Lao-ban," the two replied in unison.

"Have you found anything you like?"

Jiang Yuelou looked at the record he was holding.

"Can we listen to it?"

"Sure, follow me."

The man went to the gramophone, which had fallen silent in the meantime, and took the record from it. Then he gestured to Jiang Yuelou to give him the record he was holding. A shellac record, which the policeman carefully took out of its case, because he knew how fragile they were, even if they didn't look that way at first glance, but the material was comparatively brittle, a bit similar to porcelain.

Chen Yuzhi plucked at the empty case in Jiang Yuelou's hand while the shopkeeper had placed the record on the gramophone and was now gently moving the needle over it to play the music.

"Let me see, I want to read the lyrics."

"It's in English, isn't it?"

"So what?"

Jiang Yuelou looked at him, slightly irritated that he assumed, that it was the most natural thing in the world, to know English well enough to read the lyrics.

The first notes, plucked chords on a guitar, resounded from the bell of the gramophone and both men turned their attention to the music. A powerful tenor voice began after a few bars and the title line of the song could already be heard.

"I don't want to set the world on fire, I just want to start a flame in your heart."

Jiang Yuelou understood that much in any case and his hesitant gaze fell on Chen Yuzhi.

He had closed his eyes and seemed to be concentrating fully on the music. A slight smile played around his lips.

There was something cozy about the typical light rustling and scratching in the music, which Chen Yuzhi found extremely fitting for the weather outside. He could very well imagine listening to it at home, in his living room, while it was raining or maybe even snowing outside. And he could very well imagine Jiang Yuelou on his couch next to him with a cup of steaming tea in his hand.

"Do you like it?"

Chen Yuzhi opened his eyes and returned Jiang Yuelou's gaze, the smile still on his lips, and nodded a few seconds later.

"Then why don't you buy the record?"

With a slight regret, he shook his head and lowered his gaze.

"You've been to our house so often. Have you seen a gramophone?"

Jiang Yuelou's eyes widened and he thought hard for a few seconds. He couldn't remember seeing such a device in Chen Yuzhi's house. A radio, yes, but not a gramophone.

"Then we'll buy one."

"What? Do you have any idea how much it costs?"

"To be honest, no."

"I have various models on offer, perhaps there's something suitable for you, young man," the shopkeeper joined in the conversation.

Chen Yuzhi looked at him a little uncertainly.

"N-no, that's alright. Maybe another time. I can't rush into a purchase like this. It would be very nice to have a gramophone at home, but let me think about it for a while first."

"Your choice, young man. But bear in mind that the pieces won't be here forever."

"Thank you, but still, not today."

When Jiang Yuelou heard these words, he added a but tomorrow in his mind without hesitation.

Chapter Text

And by tomorrow, Jiang Yuelou meant the next morning. He had left the station around half past nine to be at the shop at ten o'clock sharp right the minute when it opened. He couldn't leave anything to chance, couldn’t take not even the slightest risk of someone snatching the record from under his nose.

The shopkeeper, who recognized him immediately, looked at him in surprise, but then smiled and approached him shortly after Jiang Yuelou had entered the store.

"Lao-ban, good morning."

"Good morning, sir. Can I possibly be of any help to you today?"

"Yes, you can indeed. I want to buy a gramophone... Oh yes, and the record we listened to yesterday. It's still for sale, isn't it?"

The older man smiled.

"Don't worry, Jiang-kezhang, it's still available. You can definitely win over the lady of your heart with this fine piece of music."

An irritated expression crept into Jiang Yuelou's face for a moment and the shopkeeper seemed to have decided not to pursue the subject any further.

"Come on, I'll show you some of the gramophones."

"Thank you."

Jiang Yuelou followed him into the adjoining room, which he had only taken a very brief look at yesterday. There were gramophones and radios for sale. He walked past the devices and tried to imagine what this or that would look like in Chen Yuzhi's living room, but somehow none of them really fit and he didn't know how to bring one of such size to the doctor’s home without him noticing.

However, suddenly one of the gramophones caught his attention. It stood on a small wooden stand and looked like a suitcase from the outside. Jiang Yuelou walked towards it.

"Oh, you want something you can take basically anywhere? Then this is just the thing," the shopkeeper now babbled in full salesman mode.

"Is it complete?" Jiang Yuelou asked skeptically, wondering why there was no sound funnel to be seen.

"Yes. Just put the record on and you can listen to music."

"Fascinating. So much technology in such a small space."

"Isn't it? One of the most modern devices."

Jiang Yuelou instantly knew that this was the perfect gift for Chen Yuzhi, along with the record. A few minutes later, he left the store, but without the device, which would be delivered to his home that evening. He had to make sure that Chen Yuzhi didn't notice. He could certainly use his son to distract him somehow. On his way back to the precinct he started making plans how to sneak the gift into Chen Yuzhi's home.

What actually caused Jiang Yuelou headaches was something else. He spent the rest of the day pondering when the right moment would be to give him the present. His birthday was still a few months away and he didn't want to wait that long. There was a very serious risk that the doctor would have bought himself a gramophone by then and then it would all be pointless. He mustn’t wait too long.

There was also the matter of the dinner date. He had to at least wait until Chen Yuzhi had replied to his invitation before giving him the gramophone and the record.

What if he declines? Jiang Yuelou thought, and suddenly he felt a bit silly for having bought the gramophone so hastily.

**

One afternoon, a few days later, before Jiang Yuelou could even make another approach and bring the subject of dinner back into Chen Yuzhi's focus, it was someone else who also began to understand what the young doctor actually meant to the policeman.

An expensive car stopped right in front of Yuzhi Tang's door. The driver, a man in his mid-fifties and a woman in her forties, got out. The man opened the rear door and with careful movements and a face slightly contorted in pain, an elegantly dressed woman slightly younger than the driver got out.

Her two companions immediately grabbed her under the arms and supported her the few steps to the door of the clinic. She was limping noticeably, apparently unable to use her left foot.

The door to Yuzhi Tang opened, causing the small chime at the top of the door frame to ring

Chen Yuzhi looked up from his desk and jumped up in the next second to help the patient.

"Yang-taitai," Chen Yuzhi said anxiously and reached under her free arm, which had just been held by the driver. He knew, of course, that she was Jiang Yuelou's adoptive mother and thus also Jiang Mingyue's grandmother, and she, like her husband, was one of his patients, but he hadn't had much more relations to with them. Little did he know that this would soon change.

"What happened?"

"Oh, I was clumsy and twisted my ankle on the stairs. It hurts like hell, Chen-yisheng, and it made a terrible sound. I hope I didn't break anything."

"Here, have a seat. I'll take a look at it right away."

The doctor led Yang Siqi to the chair in front of his desk and waited for her to sit down.

"Please, take off her stocking and shoe," Chen Yuzhi asked the woman who accompanied her, obviously one of her employees.

The woman did as she was told. Chen Yuzhi knelt down in front of the chair, but then thought it would be better if Yang Siqi sat down on the examination table in the adjacent room at the back. The driver, who had been waiting at the door until now, came to them at Chen Yuzhi's request and helped him take her to the examination table.

After the man had returned to the front area, Chen Yuzhi began to examine Yang Siqi. There was already a visible swelling on her ankle. He palpated the injured area as best he could and Yang Siqi was brave, but it was clear to see how much pain she was in.

Chen Yuzhi applied a pain-relieving ointment and a supportive bandage.

"You shouldn't put any weight on your foot for the next few days. I will prescribe painkillers and some of the ointment. But make sure you take it easy. I'll come to your home tomorrow and examine your ankle. If the swelling has reduced enough by then, I may be able to determine whether it's just a sprain or a more serious injury."

"Thank you Chen-yisheng."

"You're welcome, that's what I'm here for."

The door opened, letting the little bells ring.

"Good afternoon," he heard his sister's voice and shortly afterwards another "Good afternoon," from Jiang Mingyue, who had come from school with her. The two of them had greeted Yang Siqi's driver and the employee waiting in the front room of the clinic.

"Excuse me for a moment, Yang-taitai, I just need to greet the children."

"No problem, Chen-yisheng, and send the little rascal to me."

"I will, Yang-taitai."

Chen Yuzhi then left Yang Siqi alone for a moment to greet his sister and Jiang Yuelou's son, and Yang Siqi used the time to put her stocking and shoe back on.

"A-Ying, Xiao Yue," Chen Yuzhi called because he couldn't see them immediately.

The two of them, who had already disappeared to the second floor to put their stuff away, came running down the stairs.

"Don't run," Chen Yuzhi reprimanded softly.

"Hello Ge," Chen Keying greeted him and gave him a brief hug

"Chen-shushu," Jiang Mingyue, who had come down the stairs behind Chen Keying and was now running towards the doctor and throwing his arms around his neck, exclaimed enthusiastically

Chen Yuzhi got goose bumps when he lifted him up for a few seconds and returned his hug. It touched him that the boy had taken him so much into his heart.

After he had put him back on the ground, he looked at him carefully. His hair was disheveled and some dirt stuck to his cheek.

"Jiang Mingyue, if your father saw you like this."

"You're not going to tell Ba, are you?" Jiang Mingyue asked, almost a little whiny.

Chen Yuzhi grinned and tousled his hair, shaking his head slightly.

"Go comb your hair and wash your face... and your hands."

"Thank you, Chen-shushu. Oh yes, Nainai is here, isn't she?" the boy asked, looking around but was unable to see her behind the curtain that separated the back room from the front area.

"Where is she?"

"In the back room."

Jiang Mingyue leaned over to Chen Yuzhi and whispered,

"She didn't see me, did she?"

Chen Yuzhi laughed softly.

"You rascal. I don't think so."

"Okay, then I'll go to the bathroom first and then I'll greet her."

"Alright, but hurry up, don't keep her waiting too long."

"I promise."

Even though Jiang Mingyue hadn't seen her, Yang Siqi had been able to observe her grandson and Chen Yuzhi from the room in the back. She had pushed the curtain aside a little, giving her a good view of the two of them.

There was no doubt that her grandson liked the doctor, and that he trusted him and the smile on Chen Yuzhi's face told her unmistakably that he also had a strong affection for the boy.

A doctor, I can tell you that much, Yang Siqi remembered her son's words.

A sudden realization struck her.

So that's why all this secrecy, that's why he didn’t want to tell me the name.

A slight warm smile played around her lips when Chen Yuzhi came back to her.

"How are you, Yang-taitai?"

"Fine, Chen-yisheng. The foot hurts, of course, but it's already eased a little."

"Your grandson will be here soon."

"I heard," Yang Siqi replied and grinned.

"Just don't spoil him too much, Chen-yisheng," she added.

"I... what?"

It wasn't that he didn't understand her question, it just came completely unexpected.

"Don't be too easy on him. He can be the sweetest child in the world and when he's visiting us with his father, he always is, but he drives Lou-er crazy sometimes."

"I've heard about that, but he's always on his best behavior with me too. Yuelou has told me one or two stories though, but honestly, some of them are really hard to believe."

Suddenly, Chen Yuzhi faltered as he realized how casually he had just talked about Jiang Yuelou.

"I... Um."

Now he was getting those adorable red cheeks again, which Yang Siqi found very amusing and endearing.

"I mean, Jiang-kezhang."

"It's fine, don't worry. I'm glad my son has found a friend. He needs that, someone like you, and believe me, there's no mistaking that you're good for him."

"What do you mean?"

"My son has changed, he's more balanced than he used to be and often unusually cheerful and our little rascal has become much calmer. Lou-er told me he hasn't been asked to come to the principal's office in a long time and that's never happened before, more than a week without that kind of visit to the school."

"But what does that have to do with me?"

Yang Siqi snorted softly and looked at him as if he had just asked an extremely stupid question.

"I suggest you answer that question for yourself, Chen-yisheng."

There was a rustle as the curtain opened and Jiang Mingyue entered with combed hair and a washed face.

"Hello, grandson," Yang Siqi greeted him and signaled him to sit next to her on the examination table.

"Nainai, what are you doing here? Are you sick?"

Jiang Mingyue looked at his grandmother with genuine concern.

"No, Xiao Yue, I just hurt my foot a little. Nothing serious."

"Phew, I'm glad about that," he replied.

"And what are you doing here? You don't look sick or injured."

"Ying-jie and I want to do some homework together and then visit a few of Chen-shushu's patients and bring them their medicine."

"Oh ha, that sounds great. A very responsible task."

Jiang Mingyue nodded proudly and turned his gaze to Chen Yuzhi.

"He's doing it very conscientiously," the doctor added.

"I'm very proud of you, Jiang Mingyue. Keep up the good work and be good, you hear?"

"I am, Nainai."

"And now go and do your homework. The sooner you start, the sooner you'll finish."

"Alright."

He hugged his grandmother and hopped off the examination table.

Chen Yuzhi looked after him and had a slight smile on his lips again, which he didn't even notice.

"I'll leave now, Chen-yisheng."

Chen Yuzhi nodded and went to the front area to let Yang Siqi's driver and the servant know that they could take her to the car.

**

More days went by, during which Jiang Yuelou tried to bring up the topic of having dinner together, just the two of them, several times, but something always came up, and it was usually one of the children.

And then something happened that brought everything to a halt, making Jiang Yuelou even forgot about the dinner with Chen Yuzhi and the gramophone he wanted to give to him.

**

It was a mild late fall day with lots of sunshine, but the air was so cold that the fingers got a little stiff if they weren’t covered with gloves or buried deep in the coat pockets. Jiang Mingyue hadn't gone to Yuzhi Tang with Chen Keying after school today, but had met with three of his classmates to play at the old docks.

Chen Keying had a bad feeling and warned him not to do anything dangerous or stupid and to take care of himself, but he of course dismissed it with a wave of his hand. At first she wanted to leave it at that, but after seeing him walk past from the window of the clinic with the three other boys on the other side of the street, she became suspicious again and also a little curious.

She grabbed her jacket, called after her brother to tell him that she wanted to go outside for a while and left the clinic.

She had initially lost sight of the four of them on the street, but if they hadn't changed their plans, she knew where to find them. The docks were only about a ten minutes walk away from Yuzhi Tang, but she knew that she shouldn't stray that far from the clinic when she was alone and her brother didn't know where she was. She convinced herself that, strictly speaking, she wasn't alone, even if Jiang Mingyue didn't know she was following him, but she thought it was sufficient.

Just as she arrived at the docks, she saw a corner of a jacket that looked suspiciously like Jiang Mingyue's disappear behind the gate to one of the warehouses.

That little idiot. He knows better than to play in the abandoned warehouses, Chen Keying scolded in her mind and was about to turn back to tell her brother or perhaps call Jiang Yuelou immediately.

However, two things stopped her from doing so. Firstly, she didn't want to look like a snitch, and secondly, it could prove advantageous for her if she snooped after him a little longer. Who knows what good it might do to have a little leverage over him.

And so Chen Keying sneaked after the boys, peeked through one of the building’s windows and tried to catch a glimpse of what they were up to. The windows, not large panes but smaller segments of squares of glass, were dirty, and what's more, it was darker inside the building, so it was impossible to get even a glimpse of the inside.

But she was lucky as one of the small segments had been broken and a piece of glass was missing, allowing Chen Keying to take a look inside. At first she saw nothing, but then she recognized the boys crouching next to the opposite wall, near the back gate. However, she couldn't see what they were doing. She could hear them talking quietly to each other but couldn't understand anything.

Something flickered for a second.

Chen Keying immediately recognized that it was a lighter.

"Are you crazy?“

"Jie?"

"Jiang Mingyue, get out of there right now and stop playing with the lighter."

"Oh, don't be like that."

"That's dangerous."

"Nonsense."

The moment he said nonsense, the lighter flared up again and set fire to something lying on the ground.

"Jiang Mingyue! Put out the fire! Now!"

Chen Keying ran to the gate at the back, but it was locked, so she had no choice but to run to the opposite entrance. The building was long and even before she reached the other gate, she noticed the glow inside, through the windows. Inside the warehouse, it was no longer dark at all. Parts of the structure seemed to have caught fire alarmingly quickly.

"Those idiots," she cursed quietly and felt panic rising inside her.

Frightened, she quickened her pace and opened the gate. Heat and smoke billowed towards her and behind the flames a few meters away, she could see the boys desperately trying to get out.

The fire must have spread so quickly that the four of them, having realized that the back gate was locked, now had their way completely blocked by the fire.

"Chen Keying, what-"

Chen Yuzhi came running towards her and was about to say a few reprimanding words, but they stuck in his throat when he saw the fire.

"Xiao Yue is in there and his friends, too."

"WHAT?" Chen Yuzhi asked in shock and ran inside without hesitating even a split second.

Others had now also become aware of the fire and came closer. Four dock workers came running and entered the warehouse behind Chen Yuzhi.

"Xiao Yue," Chen Yuzhi shouted, because the children could no longer be seen behind the flames, which had grown even bigger in the meantime.

"Chen-shushu, we're here."

Relieved, Chen Yuzhi ran towards the place where the voice came from. Jiang Mingyue seemed to be unharmed. A few seconds later, the other men had caught up to Chen Yuzhi and then they were with the children, managing to push aside enough of the burning parts with a few minor burns so that the terrified boys could be taken outside.

Chen Yuzhi had lifted Jiang Mingyue, who had stared at him in utter shock with tears in his eyes, up and ran after the others to the exit.

"It's alright, Xiao Yue," he tried to calm the boy.

"I'm sorry, Chen-shushu."

"We'll talk about this later, alright? We have to-"

A loud crack above his head caused Chen Yuzhi's gaze to shoot to the ceiling, just in time to catch sight of the thick beam that had also caught fire and was now falling towards him. He pushed Jiang Mingyue away before he felt a dull thud on his back that felt like a train had hit him, and then something incredibly heavy that pushed him to the ground and took his breath away.

It became hot and smelled of singed hair and then also of burnt flesh.

"Xiao... Xiao Yue... Are you alright?" he groaned, trying to move his head.

"Chen-shushu," he heard the boy's desperate voice.

Jiang Mingyue, who had landed on the ground about a meter and a half away, came crawling towards Chen Yuzhi, closing his hands around his forearm and trying to pull him out from under the beam.

"Go, Jiang Ming-"

Chen Yuzhi's words were interrupted by a heavy cough.

"Take... get yourself to safety... Go!"

"No," Jiang Mingyue cried, continuing to pull on his arm, not wanting to accept that he didn't have the slightest chance of saving the doctor.

Voices could be heard, one in particular stood out, first sounding worried and then clearly panicked.

"Mingyue... Chen Yuzhi."

Jiang Yuelou, who had heard about the fire at the docks and that his son was supposed to be there, had left the station immediately. A queasy feeling had spread through him during the car ride and he fervently hoped that nothing had happened to his son.

Under no circumstances could he have been prepared for the picture he now saw. His son was crouching on the ground in panic, desperately tugging at Chen Yuzhi, who was lying under a burning wooden beam, to get him out from underneath.

"Get my son out," Jiang Yuelou barked before rushing towards Chen Yuzhi, completely ignoring the flames and somehow trying to push the beam away.

''Yuelou,'' Chen Yuzhi gasped softly before falling unconscious.

Others came to Jiang Yuelou's aid, a few buckets of water were brought to extinguish the beam, which stopped burning for a short while but was still scorching hot.

The smoke began to scratch in Jiang Yuelou's throat and, even if he didn't realize it, his palms were badly burned.

After some pushing and pulling, the beam released Chen Yuzhi and he could be taken outside to safety. The sirens of the fire department and ambulance could already be heard in the distance.

Jiang Yuelou slumped powerlessly to the ground, breathed in the fresh air greedily and held Chen Yuzhi in his arms, trying to touch as little of the burnt skin on his back as possible, his destroyed jacket and shirt revealing a terrible sight.

Chen Keying stood sobbing next to them calling softly over and over again, "Ge," and next to her Jiang Mingyue, who stared silently at Chen Yuzhi,

"Everything will be alright, A-Ying," Jiang Yuelou tried to comfort her and himself in a weak, raspy voice, unsuccessfully trying to suppressed a cough.

The paramedics and the emergency doctor arrived and immediately took Chen Yuzhi into the ambulance to examine and treat him. Jiang Yuelou sat in the open doors of the ambulance and let one of the paramedics treat his burnt hands. When the man had finished, Jiang Yuelou instructed two of the policemen - a whole squad had arrived in the meantime - to take his son and Chen Keying to his parents' house and inform his father, the commissioner.

He watched the car in which his son and Chen Yuzhi's little sister drove away. His son had clearly been traumatized, had not said a single word to him and he hoped that he was wrong and it was not guilt that made him behave like this. He sincerely hoped that his son had not been responsible for the fire.

Chapter Text

The ambulance took Jiang Yuelou and Chen Yuzhi to the municipal hospital, where the young doctor was immediately taken away to be examined and treated. Another doctor took care of Jiang Yuelou’s hands. He cleaned everything and examined the wounds.

"You're really lucky, Jiang-kezhang. The burns are quite deep, but the tissue hasn't died. The palms are very sensitive parts of the body and they are moved a lot, even unconsciously. But there shouldn't really be any scars left, or at most a few inconspicuous ones."

Jiang Yuelou only listened with half an ear, as his thoughts were solely on Chen Yuzhi. The wounds on his hands were a joke compared to what he had seen on his back. He estimated that the wound was about the size of two sheets of paper at least, which may not have sounded like much, but he knew enough about burns to know how deep they went and how difficult it was to treat such injuries.

The doctor applied a healing and cooling ointment and bandaged Jiang Yuelou’s hands. By now, the shock had worn off somewhat and the wounds had started to hurt like hell.

However, he certainly did not follow the doctor's advice to go home and rest, but as soon as his wounds were dressed went straight to the room where Chen Yuzhi was still being treated.

He paced restlessly in front of the double doors and sat down at one point, only to get up again less than a minute later. The waiting and the pain in his hands were driving him mad, and the rattling of the bottle with painkillers in his jacket pocket didn’t made it any better. He took out the small bottle and threw two of them into his mouth to swallow dry.

He noticed someone coming towards him and focused his gaze on the movements. Sun Yongren and Song Rong had found out what had happened in the meantime and had taken the shortest route to the hospital. They had only met Chen Yuzhi a few times, but they both had some idea of how important he was to their superior, and of course they were also worried about Jiang Yuelou after hearing that he had been injured, too.

"Boss, how are you," Song Rong asked, looking at him with concern, then let his gaze wander to Jiang Yuelou's hands.

"Everything's fine," Jiang Yuelou snapped.

"Boss-"

"What time is it? My watch stopped working, probably because of the heat."

"Just after five."

Jiang Yuelou looked out of the window in surprise. He hadn't even noticed that dusk had already fallen.

"Have you spoken to the Commissioner?"

"Yes. He's quite worried, you should call him, Boss."

"I... I can't do that. I can't leave here. Take care of this, Song Rong. Tell him I'm fine and tell him I've sent the children, Chen Keying and my son to his house."

"Will do Boss."

"And then you can go. I need some quiet while he's still in there and I don't know how he's doing."

"Alright. Goodbye, Boss."

"See you tomorrow, Boss," came from Sun Yongren, who, contrary to his usual nature, hadn't said anything at all until now.

And just as quickly as the two had appeared, they left and Jiang Yuelou was once more alone with his thoughts, his fears and the suspicion that his son and his friends had been the arsonists kept flitting through his mind.

He couldn’t find much peace after the two policemen had left and his heart was pounding painfully in his chest when the door next to him opened and a nurse came out looking around with a searching gaze.

"Jiang-kezhang," she said, somewhat surprised when she saw him.

"Are you here because of Chen-yisheng? Is he part of your family?"

"Y- No, but we're close friends. He has no family here in Jingcheng, just his little sister. How is he?"

The nurse looked around and since there was no one in the corridor, she decided to roughly inform Jiang Yuelou about Chen Yuzhi's condition. His injuries were not life-threatening, but he would have to stay in hospital for at least a week until the wounds had healed enough to prevent them from rupturing or becoming infected.

"When can I see him?"

There was no mistaking his impatience.

"He'll be taken to a room shortly, but he'll probably be asleep for a while. The anesthetic will still be working for a while."

At that moment, the door opened again and a bed on which Chen Yuzhi was lying was pushed out into the corridor by two nurses.

"Come with me Jiang-kezhang," the first nurse said, signaling him to follow her.

It was about fifty meters across the corridor and up the elevator two floors before they reached the hospital room that would be Chen Yuzhi's home for the next week. Jiang Yuelou waited in the corridor until the nurses had finished their work before he entered the room, grabbed a chair and sat down next to the bed.

Chen Yuzhi was connected to a drip that supplied his body with sufficient fluids. He was lying on his stomach, which didn't look particularly comfortable in Jiang Yuelou’s eyes, but there was no other option at the moment. He pulled the blanket up a little more to cover Chen Yuzhi's shoulder so that he wouldn't get cold and wanted to put his hand on his forearm, whose contours were visible under the blanket, but then flinched when the slight pressure on his palms caused not only a slight pain.

He couldn't imagine how severe Chen Yuzhi's pain would be when he woke up. He felt like he couldn't bear to see him in pain and not be able to help him much.

And once again he sent a prayer to the gods that his son was not responsible. He decided to ask him tomorrow what exactly had happened. He was too exhausted now and the pain in his hands and Chen Yuzhi's condition were sapping his strength.

He closed his eyes and when he opened them again, he knew exactly that he had dozed off, but not for how long. Out of habit, he glanced at his left wrist before remembering that his watch had stopped working and he had put it in his pocket.

It was dark outside but he couldn't estimate what time it was, so he decided to look for a nurse or at least a clock and a phone. A nurse wasn't hard to find. It was the same one who had informed him about Chen Yuzhi's state of health earlier and had accompanied him to his room.

It was already half past eight in the evening. Visiting hours were actually over, but the hospital made an exception for the police chief and so he was allowed to stay the night. He also found a telephone on the first floor. It was already very quiet and apart from a few nurses, orderlies and doctors, there was no one else in the corridors.

Jiang Yuelou dialed the number of his parents' house and listened to the ringing before Miss Lei, the housekeeper, answered the phone.

"Hello Lei-ma."

"Dashaoye? How are you? Where are you?"

"I am fine. I'm still at the hospital, with Chen-yisheng. I'm going to stay here tonight."

"But you're alright, Dashaoye?"

"Yes, don't worry. Can I speak to my mother?"

"Oh, yes, of course. I'll go and get her. Just a moment."

He had to wait about a minute before he heard a rustle and then his mother's voice.

"Lou-er, Son, are you alright?"

"Yes, Ma. Everything's fine."

"Your father told me you were hurt in the fire."

"I burned my hands a little, but I’m fine."

"Son, you really need to be more careful."

"I didn't have a choice, Ma. I'm sure he would have been hurt a lot worse if we hadn't helped him right away."

"Him? Chen-yisheng?"

"Yes."

It didn't escape Yang Siqi's notice how soft his voice had suddenly become.

"How bad is it? He's going to pull through, isn't he?"

"Fortunately, yes Ma, but he has a severe burn on his back. He saved Xiao Yue's life, Ma. He just ran in and got him out of there."

"He's a good man, Lou-er."

"The best I know, Ma."

After a short silence, Jiang Yuelou asked how the children were doing.

"Quite well so far, I think, but they were both very quiet, have hardly said anything. It must have affected them terribly."

"Can you get A-Ying on the phone?"

"I've already put them both to bed. I've given her your room."

"Can you see if she's still awake. If so, I'd like to talk to her for a moment."

"Wait a minute, will you?"

"Sure."

This time it took a little longer before he heard a soft, "Yue-ge, hello."

"A-Ying, sweetheart, how are you?"

"I... I think ok, I'm a bit tired, but I can't fall asleep."

"You're worried about your brother, hm?"

"Yes. How is he?"

"He'll be fine, I promise. He's sleeping right now, but you can visit him tomorrow for sure."

"Nainai said we don't have to go to school tomorrow."

"Would you like that?"

Jiang Yuelou didn't let it show, especially since he had the feeling that now was simply not the right time, but it had warmed his heart when she had called his mother Nainai.

"I think so. I want to get some rest."

"How is Mingyue?"

"I don't know. We haven't talked much."

"We need to talk. About what happened, A-Ying. I want to know exactly how the fire started. Did you see it?"

"Yes," she replied somewhat reluctantly.

Jiang Yuelou forced himself not to ask now whether his son had been the arsonist, but the question was already on the tip of his tongue.

"I'll come tomorrow morning, after breakfast, and then we'll go to the hospital together, alright ."

"Alright. Yue-ge?"

"What is it, sweetheart?"

"I don't want him to come with me."

"Who, Mingyue?"

"Hm."

"Okay, look, we'll talk about everything tomorrow, okay?"

"Yes, okay."

"Now go to bed and try to sleep, A-Ying. Everything will be fine, trust me."

"I will, Yue-ge. Good night."

"Good night."

Chen Keying handed the phone to Yang Siqi, wished her a good night once more and went back to bed. She slept fitfully and woke up a few times in the middle of the night with an uneasy feeling, but at least she got a few hours of sleep. This was in stark contrast to Jiang Mingyue, who didn't sleep a wink that night.

He kept thinking about how scared he had been when the fire had broken out and how much more shocked he had been when Chen Yuzhi had been buried under the burning beam. He almost felt sick with guilt. He felt miserable and was afraid of how his father would react. He knew that the doctor was his father's best friend and that he was important to him and that he would not forgive him so easily for hurting him.

Tears ran down his cheeks, even after hours, although he was completely exhausted and had a terrible headache. He tossed and turned in bed all night, the worst night of his life, and watched gloomily as the sun slowly rose and it became day.

He wished that the next day would not dawn and that he could just stay in bed for a long time. A wish that was finally granted, as he developed a high fever in the early hours of the morning, so after taking his temperature, his grandmother ordered bed rest and prepared some tea for him.

Yang Siqi was pretty sure that he hadn't caught a cold, but that it was related to the events of yesterday. She didn't know exactly what had happened either and thought it was better to leave it to her son to talk to the children about it.

Bai Jinbo had already left for the police station more than an hour ago when Yang Siqi was sitting at the breakfast table with Chen Keying, watching the girl with a smile on her lips as she devoured a second portion. She had eaten next to nothing since yesterday’s lunch and was understandably quite hungry now. She also seemed to have come to terms with yesterday's shock somewhat, as she was a lot more talkative this morning than yesterday. The late phone call with Jiang Yuelou had probably also contributed to this, because at least she could be sure that her brother's life was not in danger.

Chen Keying told her a little about her family over breakfast, about how her parents had died a long time ago and that her brother had raised her. Yang Siqi was almost moved to tears and stroked her head.

"You're welcome to visit us anytime, my husband and me, if you want to, A-Ying, would you like that?"

"Honestly, Nainai?"

Yang Siqi nodded.

"I'm sure my son and grandson won't mind, and you should bring your brother."

"If Jiang Mingyue is here, I don't want to be here," Chen Keying replied defiantly, which rather surprised Yang Siqi.

"Child, why are you so angry with him?"

Chen Keying didn't answer, but stared angrily at her bowl, and the extreme change in her mood was impossible to miss.

"Is it because of yesterday?"

"Hmm, but... I don't want to talk about it. Not now, is that alright?"

"Of course it is. But don't keep it bottled up inside. Tell me if you need someone to listen to you."

"Thanks Nainai."

The doorbell rang, which could be heard quietly but clearly even here in the dining room.

"That should be my son."

Miss Lei hurried to the door and Yang Siqi was proved right, because it was indeed Jiang Yuelou standing in front of it. He looked terrible, to say the least. Last night had obviously been no less restless for him than it had been for his son, but at least nowhere near as depressive.

**

A few hours earlier, around a quarter to nine in the evening:

About an hour after Jiang Yuelou had finished the phone call with his mother and Chen Keying, Chen Yuzhi woke up from the anesthesia and was still quite dazed at first.

"Yuzhi," Jiang Yuelou said softly and slid a little closer to the bed to reach for Chen Yuzhi's hand when he realized that he was waking up.

"Yuelou?" Chen Yuzhi asked and smiled, making Jiang Yuelou's cheeks blush slightly as the doctor immediately recognized his voice before he was even able to open his eyes.

"How do you feel?"

"Like I've been hit by a carriage or a car. My eyelids are as heavy as lead."

"That's from the anesthetic."

"I'm dying of thirst," Chen Yuzhi said and turned onto his side, but not without contorting his face in pain. With a lot of effort he managed to open his eyes, but it looked like they would fell shut again at any moment.

"Be careful, Yuzhi. Wait a moment."

Jiang Yuelou stood up, poured some water from the carafe on the bedside cabinet into a glass and carefully handed it to him.

"Thank you."

After taking a few sips, Jiang Yuelou took the glass from him and sat back down on the chair next to the bed.

"Do you know what happened, Yuzhi?"

"Not really, not yet, but I can feel the memories slowly coming back. A fire had broken out at the docks and... XIAO YUE..." he suddenly said a lot louder, opening his eyes wide, looking as if the effects of the anesthesia had completely worn off and trying to support himself, but lacking the strength to do so.

"How is he, Yuelou? Is he alright?"

The feeling rising in Jiang Yuelou's chest almost overwhelmed him and his eyes were suspiciously moist. Chen Yuzhi managed to etch himself deeper into his heart over and over again.

"He's fine... thanks to you."

"You’re exaggerating, I-"

"No, Chen Yuzhi, I'm not going to accept any back talk, not this time. Without you, he might have died. I am deeply, very deeply in your debt, Yuzhi. You risked your own life for my son's. I will never be able to make up for that."

"There's nothing to make up for, Yuelou. What else could I have done? I couldn't have stood idly by while your son's life was in danger and, as you can see, I didn't risk my own life in the end."

"You don't seem to realize how close it was. The beam that fell on you was on fire and if we had arrived just a little later, we might not have been able to free you."

Chen Yuzhi's gaze fell on Jiang Yuelou's bandaged hands. He stretched out his hand a little and gently touched the bandage.

"Did you burn your hands?"

Jiang Yuelou looked at his hands and looked like he had completely forgotten about his own injuries before nodding.

"How bad is it?"

"Not very bad, it just hurts like hell, despite the painkillers. But it's nothing compared to the wound on your back.

"I don't notice much right now as long as I don't move, but that's probably from the anesthetic. Gods, I'm already dreading the next few days."

"The wound is not as big as it first appeared, but it will probably remain a scar. A bit of your skin has been burned too badly. A bit bigger than two palms and a larger area around it, which was also burned, but the doctor said that these areas will heal with no or only very light scarring at best"

Chen Yuzhi took a very concerned look at Jiang Yuelou.

"You've risked far too much. What if more of the woodwork had come down and buried you as well?"

"Chen Yuzhi... honestly... I don't know whether to laugh or seriously scold you now. How can you even consider saying such a thing after literally walking through fire for my son? Burning my hands to save you was nothing, nothing at all compared to what you did."

"I'm just glad your son is safe and I'll get through this."

"Can I ask you something, Chen Yuzhi?"

"Of course."

"You don't know what happened before the fire. How it came about, do you?"

"No."

"Why were you there in the first place?"

"One of my patients had seen A-Ying walking around alone at one of the old warehouses. I went to get her. She knows she shouldn't just go anywhere on her own, especially not when I don't know where she is and certainly not to the docks."

"But your patient was only talking about her, not my son?"

"No, and I don't think he saw them together, otherwise he would certainly have mentioned it."

"And when you arrived, the warehouse was already on fire?"

"Yes. The four boys were trapped behind the flames."

Jiang Yuelou was silent for a minute, staring thoughtfully at Chen Yuzhi's bedspread.

"What are you thinking about, Yuelou."

"What... ah... I'm just... I... Don't you think it's pretty obvious what happened?"

"No, I don't. What do you think?"

"The four of them most likely started the fire."

"Do you really think so?"

"I'm still hoping it wasn't my son who's responsible for your injuries, but I'm a police officer and my instincts tell me the four of them are the arsonists. My instincts are almost never wrong. Yuzhi..."

Jiang Yuelou looked at him with a look tinged with sadness and guilt.

"Yuzhi... If my own son did this to you-"

"Stop, Jiang Yuelou. Don't say that. Even if he and his friends caused the fire, you can't think about it like that. He didn't do this to me. He certainly didn't intend to set the entire warehouse on fire, and he certainly didn't want me to get hurt. It was reckless, dangerous yes, but it was an accident, Jiang Yuelou. If he's responsible, he didn't do it on purpose."

"He has often done things that have driven me to the brink of despair, but never anything of this magnitude."

"We don't even know if he's to blame yet."

"I'll bring your sister with me tomorrow. She and Mingyue are with my parents. I spoke to her on the phone earlier. It's really taken its toll on her, but if she's okay with it, I'd like to talk to her about what she saw. Do you have any objections?"

Chen Yuzhi shook his head slightly.

"If it's alright for her, then go ahead and ask her. What about your son? Is he coming too?"

"I don't think so."

"What do you mean you don't think so?"

"Your sister told me she doesn't want him to come."

Chen Yuzhi's eyes widened.

"Why?"

"She didn't tell me, but it's a pretty good guess that it has something to do with the fire and your injuries. That's another reason why I'm quite sure he set the fire or one of his friends did."

"And you won't take him with you if she doesn't want you to?"

Jiang Yuelou shook his head.

"No. You're the most important person in her life. If that's her wish, I'll respect it."

Chen Yuzhi's stomach growled softly, which made both men smile, but also made the doctor a little embarrassed.

"I'm sure it's far too late to get anything to eat now," he remarked somewhat wistfully.

Jiang Yuelou got up and went to the small table next to the wall under one of the windows and picked up a brown paper bag.

"They're already cold, but I'm sure they're still edible."

"What have you got there?" Chen Yuzhi asked, his stomach growling a second time and much louder at the mere thought of food.

"Baozi with meat and vegetables. I bought them earlier after talking to A-Ying and my mother on the phone, but I only managed to get one down."

"Do they taste that awful?"

"No," Jiang Yuelou replied and laughed softly.

"I just don't have an appetite."

"How many are left?"

The policeman looked into the bag.

"Five."

"That's enough for both of us, don't you think?"

"You can have them all."

"Come on. Let's eat together. I don't want to eat alone, and it certainly won't hurt if you eat something too, at least one. I'm injured, you can't deny me this wish."

Jiang Yuelou looked at Chen Yuzhi for a moment and had a slight smile on his lips.

"Thank you, Yuzhi."

"What are you thanking me for now?"

"For being here. Just talking to you made me feel a little better, and I'm supposed to be the one taking care of you, but as soon as you wake up, you're doing just that for me."

"Yuelou, I... that goes without saying. I'm always there for you when you need someone to talk to, you know that."

"I know, but I don't take it for granted. None of the things you've done for me or my son."

"If you want to return the favor, there's something," Chen Yuzhi replied with a smile.

Jiang Yuelou raised his eyebrows questioningly and looked at Chen Yuzhi. He didn't even begin to know what the doctor was getting at.

"I haven't given you an answer to your invitation to dinner yet."

Chapter Text

The questioning look in Jiang Yuelou’s eyes gave way to realization and joyful anticipation.

"So, what's your answer?" he asked when Chen Yuzhi still hadn't said anything after half a minute.

"I accept the invitation, Jiang Yuelou."

A few careless words almost escaped the policeman's lips and he felt a strong urge to kiss the doctor, but managed to hold back at the last moment. The cheerfulness in his eyes and the smile on his lips, however, gave Chen Yuzhi enough reason to feel that certain expectant tingle once more and he too would not have been at all averse to a kiss just now. Unfortunately, neither of them knew what the other was thinking, not to mention that Chen Yuzhi wouldn't even dare to kiss him, not yet, not at this moment, not in public.

They continued to talk for quite a while, but at some point Chen Yuzhi couldn't stop yawning and then he infected Jiang Yuelou, who bravely clenched his jaw to suppress it.

"You should go home, Yuelou, and I should go to sleep now."

"I'll stay here tonight. The doctor had given his ok."

Chen Yuzhi looked around the room, but more out of embarrassment than looking for anything in particular.

"Why do you want to stay here? Where do you want to sleep?"

"The chair is sufficient. What do you want me to do at home? I don't want to be alone right now and I don’t want to drive to my parents' place to at such a late hour."

Jiang Yuelou looked at Chen Yuzhi as he spoke the last sentence and his gaze made it impossible for the doctor to tell him again to leave. That very pleasant slightly nervous feeling that he often felt around Jiang Yuelou spread through Chen Yuzhi's chest once more.

"As your doctor, I should actually remind you how unhealthy it is to sleep sitting on a chair."

"My doctor?" Jiang Yuelou asked skeptically with a raised eyebrow, but Chen Yuzhi could see the slight twitch around his mouth.

"No?"

"I don't know. You haven't treated me yet... but my son, so it would make sense that if I ever needed a doctor, I would come to you. So yes, 'my doctor'.

Chen Yuzhi started to smile, because he really really liked that sound but only an instant later he needed to suppress another yawn, which of course didn't escape Jiang Yuelou's notice.

"You should sleep, Yuzhi."

"But I have to brush my teeth first."

"Is that possible? Can you get up?"

"I don't think I should do that, at least not today"

"I can bring you anything you need."

Chen Yuzhi's cheeks turned a little red, but even though this intimacy made him quite nervous, he had little choice if he didn't want to give up on brushing his teeth.

"Okay. Thanks."

"You're welcome. I'll be right back."

Jiang Yuelou had brought him everything he needed from the small adjoining bathroom, and then had left the room for a few minutes to look for someone who could give him a blanket, which he had announced clearly to Chen Yuzhi, to avoid even the slightest chance for being misunderstood. There was no mistaking that his main motive was to give Chen Yuzhi some privacy, for which the young doctor was very grateful.

After getting hold of a blanket, a rather thick one, even though the building was heated, it got a lot cooler at night, except in the rooms of the patients who absolutely needed warmth, Jiang Yuelou walked back to the room conspicuously slowly. He had of course noticed how embarrassed Chen Yuzhi had become and didn't know exactly how much time he needed to get everything done. After standing outside the room for a few more minutes, he knocked timidly.

"You can come in," Chen Yuzhi's voice sounded from behind the closed door.

With a smile on his lips, Jiang Yuelou slipped through the half-opened door - it was already uncomfortably cold in the corridors - and closed it immediately, as he wanted to waste as little of the warmth in the room as possible.

"Are you alright?" he asked as he approached the bed and placed the blanket on the chair.

"At least you have a blanket now, but I'd rather you slept in a bed and not on a chair."

"Then we'd have to share your bed."

"Jiang...," Chen Yuzhi looked genuinely shocked, the matter-of-fact, yet slight, mischievous glint in his eyes while Jiang Yuelou had said this completely overwhelmed the doctor for a moment.

"Don't talk nonsense. I'm injured, did you forget?"

"I guess that's true," Jiang Yuelou said, and Chen Yuzhi didn't know whether he had meant the suggestion seriously or not, much less which he himself would have preferred.

Then Jiang Yuelou's eyes seemed to light up a little and he grinned at Chen Yuzhi.

"So if you hadn't any injuries..."

"Jiang Yuelou. You really shouldn't talk such nonsense and it's late, we should be sleeping," Chen Yuzhi grumbled softly.

"You're right, Chen-yisheng," Jiang Yuelou replied, still sporting a small smile, before taking the chair and placing it a few meters away by the window.

"Good night, Chen Yuzhi."

"Good night," the doctor muttered.

He would have liked to turn around, but he couldn't with his back injury, so his only way out of Jiang Yuelou's attention was to close his eyes and try to distract himself from his presence.

Unfortunately, that didn't work at all. On the one hand, he simply sensed that he was in the room and on the other, the other man occasionally made very quiet noises and in addition to that he kept thinking about the last words they had exchanged. Jiang Yuelou walked a thin, a very thin line, right now and this excited Chen Yuzhi, but at the same time made him feel very embarassed and, if he was honest with himself, even scares him a little.

He couldn't ignore the heat creeping up his cheeks and couldn't help but imagine that Jiang Yuelou was looking at him right now and noticing his burning face, at least that's what it felt like to Chen Yuzhi, which made everything much worse.

Fortunately, he was tired enough to fall asleep after not too long, despite his nervousness.

Jiang Yuelou listened to his regular breaths and looked at him. The lamp by his bed was lit, so he could see part of his handsome face clearly. Now that he was asleep and it had become quiet, Jiang Yuelou's thoughts returned to the afternoon.

Seeing Chen Yuzhi lying unconscious under the burning beam had shocked him so much that even now, his stomach turned at the mere thought of it. But now he also knew that he couldn't wait any longer. He had to tell him how he imagined a future with him, how much he couldn't imagine a future without him.

When the dust had settled, when he knew how the fire had come about and when he had spoken to his son, he would take the gramophone and the record...

Jiang Yuelou's train of thought stopped abruptly when he thought of the title of the song.

I don't wand to set the world on fire, it flashed through his mind. Chen Yuzhi certainly would be convinced that he was making a bad joke if he gave him this record now, after everything that had happened.

Damn.

The perfect gift was ruined. Well then, he would have to find something else, he would manage somehow.

He turned his head, pushed the curtain aside a little and looked out of the window. It was cloudy, but the cloud cover wasn't closed, so he could see a bit of the moon.

Jiang Yuelou would never have considered himself a romantic, but right now, thinking about the steps he wanted to take when everything had calmed down and Chen Yuzhi had recovered, he felt like the biggest romantic who had ever walked earth. When he thought of walking with him under such moonlight, talking, laughing softly, flirting shamelessly and then finally, when he could be sure they were alone, stealing a kiss.

The tingling in his stomach and the expectant excitement pulsing in warm waves in his chest made him a little anxious and impatient, but he knew he couldn't rush things and had to settle a few things before he could concentrate fully on Chen Yuzhi.

He turned his gaze back to Chen Yuzhi, smiled thoughtfully and stood up quietly, grabbed his chair and placed it as silently as possible next to the bed. He felt more comfortable here than by the window.

Jiang Yuelou didn't know exactly when he had fallen asleep.

**

The next morning, he woke up to a slight unrest right next to him. With a deep inhale, he twitched slightly and opened his eyes to look around for a moment, disoriented. As soon as Chen Yuzhi moved into his field of vision, he remembered where he was.

The doctor squirmed a little in bed and it took Jiang Yuelou a few more seconds to register what he was actually doing.

"Yuzhi," he said, sounding almost a little shocked, and jumped up.

Chen Yuzhi, who was trying to pour himself a glass of water despite the pain, which was many times worse today than yesterday and therefore severely restricted his mobility, had only just managed to somehow prop himself up on the side table, but not to lift the carafe. He flinched slightly when he heard Jiang Yuelou's voice.

"Ah...Yuelou..."

He hissed softly as the careless movement drove more pain through his body.

"Sorry, did I wake you up?"

"As if it matters now," Jiang Yuelou grumbled, helping him sit upright in bed.

"Wait a moment," he said and took his blanket, folded it up a little and placed it behind Chen Yuzhi in front of the headboard so that he could lean against it carefully.

But even the light touch was too painful and so Chen Yuzhi remained seated without leaning. Jiang Yuelou handed him a glass of water, waited until he had finished it and put it back on the bedside table.

"You should lie down again, Yuzhi."

"Will you help me?"

Jiang Yuelou's lips curled upwards, barely visible.

"Always."

Chen Yuzhi had no choice but to lie on his side, but since he had already been lying on one side all night and his body ached in some places, this time he lay on the other and was now facing the wall where the door to the room was located

Jiang Yuelou placed the chair on the other side of the bed and left the room to look for a nurse or a doctor. It was just before eight in the morning and the nurses were already on their morning rounds, so it didn't take long for him to find one who told him that someone would check on Chen Yuzhi in a few minutes.

Breakfast, was the next thing on his mind. Chen Yuzhi would get something at the hospital, but he had to look after himself. Baozi were the most practical thing to eat, even though he had eaten some last night and would have preferred something else now.

He hurried to one of the stalls that lined the street near the hospital and bought six of them, just like yesterday. Now they were still hot and their aroma caressed Jiang Yuelou's nose, making his mouth water.

When he entered the corridor where Chen Yuzhi's room was located, a nurse was closing the door to that very room, from which Jiang Yuelou concluded that the morning examination had already been completed. He nodded to her as she walked past him and greeted him quietly.

With the bag of baozi still steaming in his hand, he knocked and waited for Chen Yuzhi to invite him in.

"Baozi again?" Chen Yuzhi asked, clearly showing his displeasure with Jiang Yuelou's one-sided diet.

"I didn't want to walk around the hospital with a bowl of soup or noodles, they're just more convenient. Besides, I'm going to my parents' house later. I promise I'll eat something else then."

Jiang Yuelou's slightly cheeky smile made it impossible for Chen Yuzhi to reprimand him further.

"Alright. A healthy diet is important, don't forget that."

"I won't, Chen-yisheng."

There was a knock and a nurse brought breakfast for Chen Yuzhi and somehow it all ended with the two of them simply sharing everything, his food and the baozi, so Jiang Yuelou still got quite a varied breakfast before heading off to his parents‘ place.

Chen Yuzhi had an examination in the morning and the bandages needed to be changed, so Jiang Yuelou wanted to come back for lunch with Chen Keying. She would certainly enjoy eating with her brother.

The cab ride to his parents' house took about twenty minutes. A small patch of blue sky flashed through the gray clouds every now and then. It wasn't raining, but the streets were damp and the air was chilly, already showing the first signs of the approaching winter, making it quite uncomfortable.

His mother welcomed him with a warming cup of tea. Jiang Yuelou was a little surprised that only Chen Keying was in the parlor with her and asked about his son. The girl didn't respond, which immediately reminded Jiang Yuelou that he absolutely had to talk to her about what had happened yesterday.

"He has a fever and is trying to sleep," his mother replied.

"Fever? Is it bad?" Jiang Yuelou asked worriedly.

"I'm not a doctor, but I don't think it's anything serious. I think if you go and talk to him right away, he'll feel better soon."

"I'll do that right away."

Jiang Yuelou downed the rest of the tea and went upstairs to his son's room. Slowly, he opened the door. His son seemed to be asleep, at least he didn't respond to him.

With a worried look, he approached the boy's bed and looked down at him. He was indeed asleep and looked terribly exhausted. His eyes looked like he had been crying all night and suddenly a strong compassion gripped Jiang Yuelou's heart.

He was even more convinced that his son and his friends had set the fire that had injured Chen Yuzhi so badly. He knew his son very well and if he was responsible for the fire, then now that this had happened to Chen Yuzhi and he himself had witnessed it first hand, he must be feeling an incredible amount of remorse and guilt, and he was certainly terrified.

He remembered how his son had tried to pull the doctor out from under the beam and was sure that Jiang Mingyue had already understood very well at that point what he had done.

Jiang Yuelou squatted down in front of the bed and gently stroked his son's cheek. He knew exactly how bad he felt, but still a feeling that reminded him of anger, even if it wasn't exactly the same, welled up inside him at the fact that his son, who was cheeky but by the gods not stupid, had done something so reckless and dangerous, putting not only himself but also other people's lives in danger.

He was so utterly disappointed in his son and he couldn't forgive him for scaring him so much that it wasn't just anyone whose life he had put in danger, but someone who had become so incredibly important to him. He should have known better. A simple office detention was not enough this time.

For the time being, however, he put these feelings and thoughts aside; right now, his health was more important.

Jiang Mingyue stirred and opened his eyes, widening them in shock as he noticed his father's bandaged hands.

"Ba," he said softly, and Jiang Yuelou could see the tears threatening to fall at any moment.

"Hey," Jiang Yuelou replied softly.

"Ba, I..."

Jiang Mingyue swallowed and started crying softly.

"Hey, shh. Mingyue, look at me."

The boy turned his gaze to his father and sniffled softly

"I know there are things we need to talk about, serious things my son, but right now it's more important that you get better, you hear."

He nodded.

"What..." a slight hiccup interrupted him and then a few more tears rolled down his cheeks.

"What about Chen-shushu?"

Jiang Yuelou's expression became a little more serious. He would prefer not to talk to his son about Chen Yuzhi right now, but not telling him that he wasn't that bad, at least not in a life-threatening condition, seemed completely wrong.

"He's injured, badly, but he'll get better. We've all had a stroke of luck. And son, I'm incredibly glad that nothing happened to you. You can't do that-" Jiang Yuelou faltered.

No, not now.

He wouldn't talk to him about it now.

"Sleep, get some rest. I'm going to the hospital with A-Ying."

"Mh," Jiang Mingyue replied monosyllabically and looked at the wall opposite his bed.

Jiang Yuelou kissed him on the forehead. He felt the heat radiating from his skin on his lips.

"Sleep now and listen to Nainai until I get back."

"Yes," Jiang Mingyue replied quietly, closed his eyes and shortly after his father had left the room, he fell into a deep sleep.

The conversation with his father had stirred him up at first, but then calmed him down extremely and his exhausted body now took merciless advantage of this. Confused dreams, a little frightening but not yet real nightmares, accompanied his sleep for a while, but eventually his mind also came to rest.

Jiang Yuelou ate a small portion of the breakfast that the cook had prepared and warmed up for him and, after talking to his mother for a while, drove to the hospital with Chen Keying.

In the car, one that he had borrowed from his mother, he took the chance that they were undisturbed and asked Chen Keying, who was sitting next to him in the passenger seat, about what had happened yesterday after he had made sure that it was alright for her to talk about it.

She described what had happened and took the liberty of angrily calling Jiang Mingyue an idiot twice. Jiang Yuelou understood her well.

"Do you know how scared I was, Yue-ge? First he’s stuck behind the flames and I don't know how to help him, and then Ge. If he... If he...."

Chen Keying angrily clenched her hands into fists and stared out the window. Angry tears stood in her eyes.

"Don't, A-Ying. Don't think like that. We've all been very lucky, that's all that matters."

"I'm still mad at him. I told them to leave it alone before the fire even started, but Xiao Yue didn't take me seriously at all."

"He's certainly learned his lesson."

"But I'm still angry."

"I understand that A-Ying and that's your right too, but you two will have to talk about it sometime, promise?"

"At some point. In a hundred years or so."

"Better than nothing," Jiang Yuelou replied with a smirk, but not really happy, which he tried to hide from her as best he could.

He was afraid that it would take him much longer to forgive his own son than it would take Chen Keying. He assumed that it wouldn't take her a hundred years before she forgave him, but he wasn't so sure about himself.

In the hospital, Jiang Yuelou headed for the stairs leading to the upper floors without paying a second's attention to the nurses at the reception. After a few steps, he felt Chen Keying's small hand slide into his.

Surprised, but with a gentle expression in his eyes, he looked down at her. She returned his gaze with a tentative smile and he squeezed her hand a little, not hard enough for his wounds to hurt, but enough for her to know that it was okay for her to hold it.

Hand in hand, they walked the rest of the way to Chen Yuzhi's room.

He knocked, waited again for his, "Come in," and then, still holding Chen Keying's hand, opened the door.

Chen Yuzhi was sitting upright in bed, even able to lean against the head of the bed a little, reading a book he must have borrowed from someone.

"Ge," Chen Keying exclaimed, letting go of Jiang Yuelou's hand and rushing towards his bed, but stopped, rooted to the spot, when she remembered that he was hurt and she couldn't fall around his neck as stormily as she would have liked.

Chen Yuzhi put the book aside and looked at his sister with a smile.

"A-Ying, what is it? Don't you want to say hello to me?"

"Ge, can I give you a hug?"

"Sure, if you're a little careful."

Chen Keying climbed onto the bed and snuggled up to her big brother.

"I'm so glad you're okay, Ge," she sniffled softly.

Her brother stroked her back reassuringly.

"When are you coming home?"

"I'm supposed to stay here for about a week."

"That long?"

"Hm. We'll have to find a place for you to stay, until I get home."

"I can stay at home. I can manage that."

Chen Keying straightened up to look at her brother and actually sounded a little indignant.

"No, A-Ying. I don't want you to be alone for a week, especially not at night."

"I might know a place for A-Ying to stay," Jiang Yuelou interjected before Chen Yuzhi could even think of asking him for help.

"I don't want to stay with you, Yue-ge, Jiang Mingyue is there too and I can't stand having him around all the time."

The two men looked at each other with some concern at the sincerity of Chen Keying's words. They realized that a lot of work needed to be done to get the children to get along again.

"I have another idea," Jiang Yuelou added

The two Chens looked at him expectantly

"A-Ying could live with my parents. I'll have to ask them, but I don't think they'll mind."

"What do you think of that, little sister?"

Chen Keying seemed to like the idea very much and nodded enthusiastically.

"Then I'll call my mother right away. She stayed at home today to look after my son."

"What's wrong with him?" Chen Yuzhi asked, concern evident in his voice.

"He's got a fever and I suspect he hasn't slept all night."

"Poor little one," Chen Yuzhi replied sympathetically.

"I don't feel sorry for him," came the miffed reply from Chen Keying

"A-Ying, we really need to talk," Chen Yuzhi said, looking at her with a serious expression in his eyes.

"I'll call my mother."

Jiang Yuelou could roughly imagine what Chen Yuzhi wanted to talk to his sister about and thought it best to give them some privacy. His consideration was immediately rewarded with a small smile from Chen Yuzhi and a quiet thank you, which made Jiang Yuelou's stomach tingle again.

Even before the door closed behind Jiang Yuelou, he could hear a soft 'A-Ying', with which Chen Yuzhi began the conversation with his sister.

Chapter Text

"A-Ying."

"Hm?" Chen Keying replied.

She was still sitting next to her brother in bed and looking at him.

"I have a feeling that you're quite upset with Xiao Yue."

"Are you surprised?"

"Of course."

"After everything he's done?"

Chen Yuzhi's eyes widened, and although Jiang Yuelou had talked about the possibility that his son had been responsible for the fire, he just couldn't imagine it, maybe didn't want to.

"What did he do, A-Ying?"

"Oh yes, you don't even know what happened."

Chen Yuzhi shook his head.

"It was his fault that the fire broke out," Chen Keying said in a low, angry voice.

Shock stood in Chen Yuzhi's eyes for a moment before he said, "No," in disbelief. He simply couldn't believe it.

"He didn't do that, A-Ying, did he?"

"He wasn't alone and one of his friends started the fire, but he was there and completely ignored me when I told him they shouldn't play with the lighter. I told him it was dangerous, but he just said that I was talking nonsense."

"You were there?"

"I was watching them through a broken window."

"Why were you at the docks in the first place? You're not supposed to be that far away if I don't know where you are. And at the docks of all places."

"I knew he was going to the old docks with his friends. When they walked past the clinic, I was curious and I had a strange feeling."

"Why didn't you tell me anything?"

"You were busy with a patient and besides, would you have come with me just because I had a suspicion? Would you have closed the clinic for that reason?"

"Probably not, but at least I would have known where you were going."

"But then you wouldn't have come to the docks to get me."

"I would have forbidden you to go there in the first place if you had told me."

"But then you wouldn't have gotten there on time either."

"You're right, Xiao-mei. I mean, this time, it was our luck that you were there. Without you, I wouldn't have found him so quickly and who knows what would have happened if it had taken just a few seconds longer to get him out of there."

"You call that luck?"

His sister eyed him skeptically.

"Just imagine if I hadn't gotten there in time.

Chen Keying snuggled tightly against her brother again and murmured, "I'm just glad nothing worse happened to you, Ge."

Chen Yuzhi's hand stroked his little sister's back one more time.

"A-Ying?"

"Huh?"

"I need you to help me with something."

"With what?"

"Mingyue."

Chen Keying looked at her brother with some irritation.

"I don't understand what you mean."

"Sweetheart, I know you're really angry with Xiao Yue right now and I understand, but promise me you'll make up with him soon."

"Why should I do that, Ge? First he didn’t take what I told him seriously, even though I'm almost two years older than him, and then it was his fault that you got hurt so badly."

"I told you, I understand. He was terribly reckless and he should have listened to you, but he didn't mean for all this to happen, you realize that, right?"

Chen Keying nodded.

"Still, Ge. I need to think about it for a while."

"You can do that when you stay with Jiang Yuelou's parents. You won't see him for a while then."

"But at school."

"That's right. Don't begrudge him, okay? Talk to him, tell him how you feel and that you need some time before you can forgive him. I'm very sure he's been punished enough already. He will feel terrible because he knows exactly what he has done wrong. If everyone is angry with him now and no one talks to him, it will be even worse for him."

"But that’s exactly what he deserves."

"A-Ying," Chen Yuzhi replied again with reproach in his voice.

"He doesn‘t. Try to put yourself in his shoes. How would you feel?"

Chen Keying went into herself for a moment and did as her brother had told her.

"I would feel like the worst person in the world and want to try to make up for everything as best I could. But if everyone ignored that... that would be really awful."

"You see. He has to deal with what he's done anyway, with his own feelings. That's really hard enough."

"I promise Ge. I'll think about everything, but I don't know yet when I'll be able to forgive him. Yue-ge told me the same, by the way."

"What?"

"That I should talk to Jiang Mingyue."

"Did he actually?"

Chen Keying nodded and Chen Yuzhi's gaze wandered to the door of the room. He smiled slightly. He was worried about how harshly Jiang Yuelou would punish his son and whether he might be a little too hard on him, but he thought that it was a good sign that he had told his sister to get along with Jiang Mingyue soon.

Actually, Chen Yuzhi only wished for one thing. Peace and quiet. Peace for everyone. He hugged his sister a little tighter and closed his eyes. A few seconds later, there was a knock.

"Come in," Chen Yuzhi answered and Jiang Yuelou entered the room, wearing a smile on his lips as his gaze fell on the siblings.

Chen Keying straightened up and looked at him expectantly.

"What did Nainai say?"

"Nainai?" Chen Yuzhi asked before he understood who his sister meant.

An intense shiver made every fiber of his body vibrate for a moment as he was suddenly overcome by a strong feeling of family.

"She would be very happy if you stayed with her and my father for a few days. You can have my room, even though it might not be perfect."

"Thank you Yue-ge," Chen Keying replied, getting out of the bed and hugging him.

"Your room is great. The view of the trees in the garden is awesome."

There was a knock and a nurse bringing lunch entered the room. She brought a kind of tray with short legs, which Chen Yuzhi could eat from without having to get out of bed.

Her eyes fell on the visitors and she left the room, but returned a few minutes later with two more portions, just as Jiang Yuelou was about to go outside to get something for himself and Chen Keying to eat. Chen Yuzhi smiled as Jiang Yuelou thanked the nurse somewhat embarrassedly and emphasized that it really wasn't necessary.

The policeman sat down with Chen Keying at the table by the window and then there was silence for a few minutes, interrupted only by a few slurping noises and the sound of the chopsticks hitting the porcelain of the bowls. It was a solid meal, not overly spicy, which was no doubt due to the fact that it had to be tolerable for as many patients as possible, but all in all, not bad.

About half an hour later, the nurse came back and took the dishes and chopsticks.

Jiang Yuelou noticed how exhausted Chen Yuzhi, who was obviously having difficulty keeping his eyes open, was. He leaned over to Chen Keying, who was sitting next to him on one of the two chairs beside the hospital bed, and said to her quietly, but loud enough for her brother to hear,

"I think your brother needs some sleep."

Chen Keying looked at Chen Yuzhi, who smiled tiredly.

"I am indeed quite tired, A-Ying. How about I rest now and you come visit me tomorrow, after school, mh?"

There was no mistaking that she wanted to protest at first, but she realized that her brother needed to rest. Waiting a whole day before she could see him again would certainly still be difficult for her.

Before they left the hospital, Chen Keying had to go to the toilet urgently and Jiang Yuelou used the short time alone with Chen Yuzhi to asked permission from him to visit him again in the evening for an hour or two. The doctor, however, had few objections to this anyway, as the slight smile on his lips revealed.

First, Chen Keying and Jiang Yuelou went to Shou Xi Road to pick up some of their things. Then they went on to Bai mansion, where Yang Siqi was already waiting for them with tea and some sweets and snacks. Jiang Mingyue was still asleep, so Jiang Yuelou decided to check on him later.

With a worried look on his face, he climbed the stairs to the second floor an hour later and headed for his son's room. He hoped he was feeling better, but he was also aware that as soon as his son had recovered, he would have to talk to him. His role as a father had never felt so serious when he thought that he would not be able to avoid punishing him and that he could not be lenient with him for some time, however hard it might be.

When he entered the room, his son was lying in bed with his back to the door. Jiang Yuelou couldn't tell whether he was asleep or not, so he approached him quietly.

"Mingyue?" he whispered and received a quiet, melancholy, "Mh," in reply.

Jiang Yuelou sat down on the bed next to his son and looked at him before placing a hand on the blanket where his arm was.

"How are you?"

"I'm okay," Jiang Mingyue replied quietly, but didn't look at his father.

"Are you hungry?"

The boy shook his head, but his stomach tightened, on the verge of growling when his father spoke of food.

"You need to eat something though and turn around, I want to check if you still have a fever."

"I'm okay, Ba, really."

"Still."

Jiang Mingyue relented and turned on his back to look at his father, closing his eyes when he felt his father's hand on his forehead.

"That feels better. I'll get you something to eat and a cup of tea."

"Okay," came the boy's quiet reply.

Jiang Yuelou left the room and was back ten minutes later with soup and a cup of tea. Jiang Mingyue lay on his side again and looked out of the window, although he couldn't see more than the light gray cloud cover.

When he heard the clatter that the bowl made as his father placed it on the bedside table, he turned and looked at his face. It was nice that he was taking care of him, but he knew full well that he wasn't going to get away with what he had done. He was aware that he was not the one who had started the fire, but he knew very well that he could have, even should have, prevented it, especially after Chen Keying had caught him doing it.

While he obediently ate the soup and drank the tea, Jiang Yuelou sat on the edge of the bed and told him that Chen Keying would be staying here for a few days and that they would both be staying with his grandparents tonight. He wouldn't be going to school tomorrow, but would be recovering at home.

His father thought it best that he tried to get some sleep after eating and, after covering him up, left the room with the dishes in his hand. Physically, Jiang Mingyue felt a lot better than this morning, but his mind was restless. Images of the fire, of Chen Yuzhi lying under the burning wooden beam and thoughts of what was to come in the next few days kept flashing through his mind. He lay awake for a long time, tossing and turning in bed, before falling into a restless sleep.

The afternoon passed quietly. It had started to drizzle and the housekeeper had lit a fire in the fireplace in the living room, in front of which Chen Keying was now sitting, reading a book that Yang Siqi had given her. Jiang Yuelou was sitting with his mother in the conservatory and had meanwhile told her what had happened yesterday.

She was similarly torn between being shocked that her own grandson had done something so stupid and dangerous and the compassion she felt for him, as she also realized how much the boy was suffering from what he had caused.

Shortly after dinner, which he ate with his son in his room, Jiang Yuelou made his way back to the hospital. He needed Chen Yuzhi, he felt that very clearly, even though he was supposed to be the one taking care of the doctor, he needed him to ground him at least a little.

Around seven o'clock, he was sitting next to Chen Yuzhi's bed and had just told him about how his son was doing and that his sister had found great pleasure in an old novel his mother had dug out. Jiang Yuelou had also talked about how he had to do something to make his son understand how reckless and dangerous what he had done was.

"Don't be too hard on him," Chen Yuzhi said in a gentle voice.

"I can't do nothing, Chen Yuzhi. I have to think of something that will leave a lasting impression. Scolding is not enough, I've had to do that many times and it didn't stop him from setting an entire building on fire. He should have known better. He's old enough to understand how dangerous it is to play with fire and yet he did it. I won't lay a hand on him and beat him up, definitely not, but..."

Jiang Yuelou paused for a moment and looked as if he was deep in thought for a few seconds.

"I will never beat him, no matter how harsh the punishment he deserves, but I it has to be something to make him understand that what he did was wrong and that something like this must never happen again."

"Don't forget that he's already been punished enough," Chen Yuzhi said, reaching out and lightly touching Jiang Yuelou's bandaged hand.

When the policeman lifted his gaze and looked at him, Chen Yuzhi had the impression that he looked not only angry, but also a little scared and desperate.

"You know you can talk to me about anything if you want, Yuelou."

A slight, kind of sad smile crept onto Jiang Yuelou's face.

"There are things that have made me the man I am today. You know my parents. They had a big influence on me and you also know that I'm adopted, but there's an important chapter before that. A dark one, Chen Yuzhi."

"The man I see is obviously not broken by it, though."

The doctor carefully closed his hand around Jiang Yuelou's and as the two looked into each other's eyes, the mood in the room changed significantly. An excited calm accompanied by something warm filled the space between them.

Jiang Yuelou really would have liked to just kiss him now, and the way Chen Yuzhi was looking at him, Jiang Yuelou estimated the chance that he wouldn't give him a resounding slap afterward, at least not to zero, but it wasn't the right time. He wanted to do this right and be able to focus on him alone. He needed to sort everything else out first.

"Yuzhi... I want..."

He had to pause, because the feelings he had for Chen Yuzhi were getting a little out of hand at the moment. His heart was beating fast and strong and he still felt a strong urge to want to kiss him, to feel his lips on his own. He placed his other hand on Chen Yuzhi's and stroked it lightly with his thumb.

"I'll tell you everything. I want you to know exactly who I am. And I want to know who you are. But now is not the time. I...." he laughed softly and turned his gaze away from the doctor.

"I need peace and quiet in my head and there's a full-blown storm going on right now. I need to sort this out with my son before..."

His eyes wandered back to Chen Yuzhi and the smile on his lips assured Jiang Yuelou that he had understood what he was trying to tell him.

"Take as much time as you need. I'm here when you need me and when you're ready to tell me about yourself. I want to know who Jiang Yuelou is and I want to show you who I am."

Jiang Yuelou couldn't contain the desire after hearing his words, stood up and leaned towards him, so close until only a centimeter or two at most separated their lips. But before he could close the gap between them, he turned his face away and laughed softly, embarrassed.

"Not now," he murmured and sat back down on the chair before turning his gaze to Chen Yuzhi.

The doctor looked at him with wide doe eyes and frozen features. His whole face had turned deep red from his neck to his forehead.

"Yuzhi?" Jiang Yuelou asked somewhat worriedly when Chen Yuzhi hadn't moved a centimeter even after almost ten seconds and was still staring at him.

Chen Yuzhi blinked and the red on his cheeks even deepened a few more shades, utter embarrassment written allover his face. Jiang Yuelou scolded himself for acting so rashly and now felt terribly guilty for putting Chen Yuzhi in such a situation.

"Sorry, Yuzhi."

Chen Yuzhi averted his gaze and his fingers began to play with the bedspread slightly nervously.

"Jiang Yuelou," he said softly, but didn't look at him.

''You can't just do that. Without warning. What if someone had come in?"

"Really, I'm sorry."

Chen Yuzhi took a deep breath and had calmed down enough to return Jiang Yuelou's gaze.

"Don't do something like that again."

The corners of Jiang Yuelou's mouth pulled up slightly and he nodded. He knew Chen Yuzhi didn't mean kissing per se and next time he would make sure the time and place were perfect and they were definitely undisturbed and he would give him a heads up somehow.... Maybe. He had taken a great liking to Chen Yuzhi's embarrassed side and definitely didn't want to have seen it the last time.

A strange tension lingered between them for a short while before they found their way back to a lively, casual conversation and Jiang Yuelou took his leave around half past nine, but not without promising to come back the next day, in the evening after work. Jiang Yuelou disliked having to leave Chen Yuzhi alone for so long, and made this unmistakably clear, and the smile he got in return from Chen Yuzhi accompanied him on his way home.

Chapter Text

"Out of the question, son," Bai Jinbo's stern voice could be heard from behind the ajar door of his study. Just before going to bed, he had planned to look through some letters and perhaps even answer one or two of them.

Jiang Yuelou had just come home and was sitting on the upholstered chair on the other side of the large wooden desk, opposite his adoptive father.

"Why not?"

"Because you're injured? Have you forgotten already?"

"No, but I can still work."

"No, you're on sick leave for a week. If Chen-yisheng wasn't in hospital, I would have called him already, so he can tell you how important rest is, and had him put you on sick leave. Use the time to look after him a bit. After what he did for Xiao Yue, it's the least you can do."

Much to Bai Jinbo's astonishment, Jiang Yuelou suddenly raised his eyebrows, leaned back and returned his father's gaze. As always, the older man would have expected his son to argue until he gave in and let him get to work, but something was different this time.

"Alright, Father. I'll listen to you. One week you say?"

Bai Jinbo nodded and looked at his son in complete surprise. He had to discuss this with his wife, preferably tomorrow, this strange behavior.

**

Jiang Yuelou slept in the guest room that night, firstly because he thought it was best if Chen Keying didn't have to sleep in different rooms all the time and, crucially, when he had come back from the hospital, she was already asleep and his mother would have grounded him, no matter how old he was, if he had woken the girl up so he could sleep in his room.

The atmosphere at the breakfast table, he had been left alone with the two children as his mother had a very early appointment at the city government and his father had also already left for work, was icy to say the least.

Chen Keying felt strange because she was still angry with Jiang Mingyue, but found the silence at the table just as awful as the others. Jiang Mingyue was eating small bites, his eyes fixed on his bowl, feeling like he would either burst into tears or vomit at any moment.

On the one hand, Jiang Yuelou was a little overwhelmed by the situation and wished Chen Yuzhi or his mother were here to lighten the mood at least a little, and on the other hand, he was preoccupied by the fact that he had to deal with his son and preferably should do so today.

After breakfast, he took Chen Keying to school and promised to pick her up in the afternoon. He then took Jiang Mingyue to Shou Xi Road and sent him to his room without another word. As was to be expected, the boy obeyed without any objections. He had been silent all morning and had hardly touched his breakfast.

Jiang Yuelou paced around the house, but still didn't know how to broach the subject that was bothering him and certainly his son. At some point, he remembered that his son had not yet visited Chen Yuzhi in hospital. Perhaps now was the right time to do so.

It would reassure his son that Chen Yuzhi was fine, but it would certainly also make him realize once again how dangerous what he had done had been.

"Jiang Mingyue," he called out with a stern tone in his voice and it wasn't long before he heard the door to his room slowly open and he came quietly across the corridor into the kitchen, where Jiang Yuelou was sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of tea in front of him.

"Yes?" the boy asked timidly.

"Do you want to visit Chen-shushu?"

Jiang Mingyue had actually expected his father to punish him now and tried to prepare himself as best he could, but he was not prepared for this and so it took him a few seconds before he responded.

"Yes... I'd love to. Does he even want to see me? He's probably even angrier at me than Ying-jie or... you."

He had spoken the last word very quietly. Jiang Yuelou's features softened for a moment.

"He's not angry with you."

"He definitely is," Jiang Mingyue sobbed, big tears rolling down his cheeks again.

Jiang Yuelou stood up, walked towards his son and knelt down in front of him so that he was now even slightly shorter than him, put his hands on his upper arms and made him look at him.

"You can believe me that, although he would have most reason to be, he is not angry with you. He said it himself. He knows it was an accident and no one thinks you and your friends did it on purpose. However, A-Ying has every right to be angry with you for not listening to her and so do I... you're my son. I'm a police chief and my job is to protect the people of Jingcheng from harm, you know that and yet you did something like that. You know I can't just let you get away with it."

His son nodded, having stopped crying, but his eyelashes were still wet with the remnants of tears.

"We'll talk about it later. Chen-shushu is more important now. Get your coat and then we'll go to the hospital."

Jiang Mingyue nodded again, left the kitchen to put on his shoes and coat and waited for his father in the hallway for two or three minutes. He kept his eyes on the tips of his shoes and thought of Chen Yuzhi.

He was the most lovable and patient person he had ever met in his life, someone who had become very important to him, who understood him, and had already spared him a scolding or two from his father, and of all people, this person was now in hospital because he had been reckless and had not listened to Chen Keying. The thoughts brought tears to his eyes again, but he tried to calm down as quickly as possible. He didn't want his father to see him crying again.

"Ready?" Jiang Yuelou asked after he had gotten dressed and now with a scrutinizing gaze looked at his son.

Jiang Mingyue looked at him hesitantly and nodded. The way he felt, he would have loved to grab his father's hand, but that was certainly the last thing he would want right now, at least in his mind. The thought of it made him a little sadder still and, gloomily, he followed his father to the cab rank on the main street.

Even though he was still young, he could clearly feel the tension between him and his father and he understood why. The worst part was that he didn't know how to fix it and wished he could turn back time and undo it all. The fact that his father was much more silent than usual weighed heavily on his little heart. He kept looking longingly at him, but had no idea how to bridge this almost tangible distance.

In the cab, Jiang Yuelou had a brief conversation with the driver, but spent the rest of the drive looking out of the window without saying a word. When they arrived at the hospital, he paid the driver before getting out and opening the door for his son. Jiang Mingyue got out and looked up in awe at the multi-story hospital. Even though it was by no means the tallest building in Jingcheng, it was one of the largest and most imposing.

He flinched in surprise when his father grabbed his hand and started moving towards the entrance. Jiang Mingyue had the feeling that his father was barely using any strength to hold his hand and then he remembered the burns on his father's hands and any joy at this small touch dissolved into nothingness, giving way to a burdensome sadness.

"Stay by my side, you hear," Jiang Yuelou admonished him as they climbed the stairs that led to the different floors.

"Hm," Jiang Mingyue replied and looked up at him briefly, but he had his gaze fixed ahead and didn't even notice.

Jiang Mingyue did the same.

A few people smiled as the two of them walked down the corridor, because they looked so much alike, both with that somewhat strained expression on their faces, that no one could have denied that they were father and son. And to see the father's almost stern expression on the face of such a handsome nine-year-old was too endearing not to smile at.

Jiang Mingyue's heart began to beat faster when Jiang Yuelou stopped in front of one of the rooms and then knocked shortly afterwards. The heat rose to the boy's face and he felt terribly uncomfortable again. What if his father had lied and Chen Yuzhi was angry with him after all?

"Come in."

An unpleasant shiver ran down Jiang Mingyue's spine when he heard Chen Yuzhi's voice. His father opened the door and greeted Chen Yuzhi, who was sitting in bed leaning against the pillows in front of the headboard and reading the book again. The policeman briefly explained to him that the commissioner had banned him from the station for a whole week. Jiang Mingyue sought cover behind his father out of shame, but of course it was impossible to avoid the doctor seeing him.

"Hey, Xiao Yue," Chen Yuzhi greeted him and Jiang Mingyue looked at him for a split second before turning his gaze to the ground in shame.

He couldn't get a word past his lips. It was terrible to see Chen Yuzhi sitting in a hospital bed, knowing exactly that this was his fault.

"Yuelou?" Chen Yuzhi asked after a few seconds of silence in the room.

"Yes?"

"Can I talk to him alone for a minute? Would that be alright with you?"

Jiang Yuelou looked puzzled at Chen Yuzhi and, after understanding what he meant, at his son. He nodded and put his hand on the boy's head.

"I'm going to look for some snacks outside."

Jiang Mingyue stood stiff as a poker, feeling that Chen Yuzhi was staring at him and his gaze was burning holes in him, so he couldn't even bring himself to look after his father as he left the room.

He heard rustling and realized that Chen Yuzhi was moving. He still didn't dare to look at him and felt as if his body had turned to stone.

"Xiao Yue."

Chen Yuzhi's voice sounded gentle and Jiang Mingyue felt something inside him relax a little.

"Look at me, hm? Will you do me that favor?"

Jiang Mingyue felt so much shame and remorse for what had happened that no matter how hard it was for him now, he couldn't not do him a favor. He timidly lifted his head, his hands buried deep in the pockets of his coat, and looked at him.

There was no trace of anger or contempt on his face. A smile on his lips that immediately made Jiang Mingyue’s heart feel much warmer and he felt new tears coming. Those eyes that looked at him with so much compassion, even though he didn't deserve it, without effort brought down the fragile barrier he had built up inside.

"Chen-" he sobbed in an uncertain voice choked by the impending tears.

"Hey, hey, hey, Xiao Yue. You don't have to cry. Come to me, will you? Here, on the bed.

Jiang Mingyue didn't understand why Chen Yuzhi wanted him to, why he didn't scold him and send him away, but he followed his request and climbed onto the bed, knelt down in front of him and looked at him. Two tears were streaming down his cheeks and it was visible how much more he was straining to hold back.

Chen Yuzhi held out his arm invitingly and even though the boy still didn't understand why, he knew that it would help him, that he would feel much better if he could just hug him. All strength left him and he let himself fall into Chen Yuzhi's arms, crying, snuggling tightly against him as he shed bitter tears. The doctor stroked his back and little by little he calmed down until the crying had subsided to a soft sniffle.

The doctor searched for a handkerchief in his bedside cabinet and handed it to Jiang Mingyue.

"Do you think we can talk now?" Chen Yuzhi asked him after the tears had stopped and Jiang Mingyue looked at him with glassy eyes and red cheeks.

The boy nodded and sat up straight, his cheeks still a little wet, and even though the tears had dried up for now, Chen Yuzhi knew that just one wrong word, one thoughtless remark, was enough to make him cry again.

Slowly, he reached out his hand and gently stroked the boy's cheek with his thumb, just as Jiang Yuelou had done countless times before. Jiang Mingyue closed his eyes for a moment and relaxed under this gentle touch.

Once he had opened his eyes again, he looked at the doctor with a much calmer expression.

"Take off your shoes, then you can sit next to me more comfortably and not accidentally get anything dirty."

"Why aren't you angry with me, Chen-shushu?" the boy asked after he had taken off his shoes, placed them neatly in front of the bed and sat down on the bed next to the doctor

Chen Yuzhi put his arm around his shoulder and smiled at him.

"Why should I be angry with you?"

"Well, because..."

Jiang Mingyue faltered in mid-sentence because, on the one hand, it was quite obvious why he should be angry with him and he found it strange to have to say it out loud and, on the other hand, the guilt was choking him. Helplessly, he averted his eyes and searched for meaningful words.

"Xiao Yue, look at me."

Slowly, Jiang Mingyue's gaze wandered back to Chen Yuzhi.

"You do trust me, don't you?"

The boy nodded.

"Then trust me when I tell you that I know you didn't mean for the fire to spread like that and I would never, really never, think that you wanted me to get hurt. It was an accident, Xiao Yue, and I know you've learned from it. I can well imagine that you're feeling terrible right now."

Jiang Mingyue nodded again and tears welled up in his eyes.

Chen Yuzhi stroked his hair gently.

"I promise, everything will be fine. Don't worry about me being angry with you and with A-Ying, everything will be fine too."

The boy averted his eyes again and stared at the bedspread. Two three tears dripped from his nose and he wiped away the remnants with the handkerchief he was still holding.

"Ba... He's the most angry with me."

"I know your father isn't happy about what had happened at all, but that'll be sorted out too, believe me. It won't be easy for you, knowing your father, but he loves you, never forget that. He loves you more than anyone else in the world. I'll try to talk to him so he doesn't punish you too harshly, alright?"

Jiang Mingyue stared at him in disbelief.

"Would you really do that, Shushu?"

"Sure. You've already been punished enough, I'm convinced of that. I don't know if your father will listen to me, but I'll try. I promise."

"Thank you Shushu, you're the best," Jiang Mingyue replied and hugged him a second time.

Chen Yuzhi gently combed his fingers through his hair. A muffled sniffle could be heard and a feeling of fatherliness, just like the young doctor felt for his sister, filled him as he held the boy in his arms and then suddenly he thought of Jiang Yuelou and knew that he had to talk to him as soon as possible.

He realized that it wasn't just about Jiang Yuelou, no. It was about this, this was the missing piece that was always tangibly weighing on his and his sister's hearts. They had to become a real family, the four of them, and Chen Yuzhi felt he couldn't do without it much longer.

And as if he had sensed that he was just thinking of him, there was a knock, which Chen Yuzhi instantly recognized as Jiang Yuelou‘s, and shortly afterwards the policeman entered. The bag he was holding was slightly steaming and a pleasant smell spread through the room. Chen Yuzhi's stomach began to growl, even though he, like everyone else, had eaten breakfast. He looked longingly at Jiang Yuelou.

"What did you bring? That smells delicious."

"Roasted sweet potatoes*." (*烤红薯 Kǎo hóngshǔ)

From the moment his father entered the room, Jiang Mingyue felt intimidated again, but he couldn't help but stare at the bag, his mouth watering at the thought of hot, crispy grilled sweet potatoes.

Jiang Yuelou took three smaller bags, one portion of diced sweet potato each, from the larger one and handed them to his son and Chen Yuzhi before taking one of the chairs at the table and placing it next to the bedside, just as he had done yesterday and the day before.

The guilty conscience that Jiang Mingyue still had, and which he would probably have to live with for some time to come, meant that the snack didn't taste as good as usual, but he held on to Chen Yuzhi's words, to the promise that everything would be alright.

While the three of them snacked on the sweet potatoes, Jiang Mingyue was still sitting on the bed next to Chen Yuzhi, snuggled up close to him. His warmth reassured him and he didn't miss the slight smile on his father's lips as his eyes lingered on him and Chen Yuzhi for a few seconds.

Jiang Yuelou found the image of his son and Chen Yuzhi, so close together, simply adorable and for a moment he indulged in thoughts of what it would be like if it was like this every day. Not that Chen Yuzhi was hurt, but that they could be together like this. Like a family.

He had never even dreamed of such things. Before he had met the doctor, there had never been anyone who had caused such thoughts to flourish in him. And they flourished at an incredible speed.

"Are you sitting comfortably, Yuzhi? Doesn't he bother you?" Jiang Yuelou asked, hoping it didn't sound like he had any objections to his son being as close to someone else as he usually was only to him.

"Xiao Yue doesn't bother me. Never."

"Have you two talked?"

"We have, haven't we?"

The question was directed at Jiang Mingyue, who, holding the small wooden skewer with a piece of sweet potato skewed on it, looked first at his father and then at Chen Yuzhi before nodding.

"That's good," Jiang Yuelou replied with relief and turned his attention to the bag in his hand to fish for a piece of sweet potato as well.

After about an hour of chatting, with Chen Yuzhi wanting to know how his sister was doing and whether she had settled in at Jiang Yuelou's parents' house, it was time to pick Chen Keying up from school.

"My mother will drive her to school tomorrow and next week, and I will pick her up and then come straight to the hospital with her every day."

"Thank you Yuelou. You're all going to far too much trouble."

"It's the least I can do and I'm grateful that my parents are supporting me."

Before Jiang Yuelou drove to school to pick up Chen Yuzhi's sister, he took his son home. In the cab this time, he sat with his son in the back seat and took advantage of the fact that this vehicle was one of those where a thin wall of wood and glass between the front and rear seats provided some privacy so that he could talk to him undisturbed.

After closing the small window in the middle, he turned his gaze to his son, who was clearly uncomfortable.

"Son," he began the conversation to get the boy's attention, who looked at him hesitantly.

"You like Chen-shushu."

Jiang Yuelou didn't ask a question, but simply stated a fact.

Jiang Mingyue nodded and had tears in his eyes again. His father's tone told him very clearly how serious the conversation was going to be.

"I like him too, Mingyue, very much in fact. He's important to me and I'm sure he's important to you too. It hurts to see him injured and it hurts me even more that it's your fault. Son, something like this must never happen again. You both could have died, are you aware of that?"

Of course he was aware, but it hit him unexpectedly hard when his father said it. He nodded and averted his eyes ruefully. Hot tears ran down his cheeks.

"You must never do things that put others in danger, do you understand that? If you were an adult, you would definitely have been put in prison for this and if something had happened to you... Can you at least try to understand how I would feel, or your grandparents, or A-Ying and Yuzhi?"

The only answer Jiang Mingyue was capable of was a silent nod, although he wasn't entirely sure if he really understood how the people who cared about him would feel.

"Think before you do anything, think very carefully. I know you can do that."

Jiang Mingyue was so incredibly sorry for everything that had happened, and what scared him the most was that Chen Yuzhi had been hurt. He thought of how he had rushed into a burning building just like that to save him. He could have actually died, just like his father had said.

"I'm sorry, Ba," he whispered so quietly that it was barely audible over the noise of the cab, but Jiang Yuelou understood him and he knew that he meant it.

They spent the rest of the ride in silence and Jiang Yuelou immediately sent his son back to his room to head straight to school. Class would end in about fifteen minutes and he didn't want to keep Chen Keying waiting.

While Jiang Yuelou spent the afternoon with the Chens at the hospital, Jiang Mingyue stayed in his room most of the time, brooding over the heavy feelings weighing on his heart and mind. For a short while, he played with Xiao Bai, which cheered him up a little, and gave him food and water. He assumed that his father expected him to stay in his room, even if he hadn't explicitly said so, and so Jiang Yuelou found him sitting at his desk just before dinner, apparently busy doing some studying.

Chen Yuzhi hadn't gotten another chance to talk to Jiang Yuelou that afternoon about his intent to punish his son, and so hadn't even been able to make an attempt to prevent what was about to happen this night.

Chapter Text

In the meantime, Jiang Yuelou had decided on a punishment that he thought was appropriate and he was pretty sure that he knew what Chen Yuzhi would think of it.

The doctor would certainly have tried to talk him out of the idea, but Jiang Yuelou was determined and he didn't want to risk an argument with him. He was aware that his decision could be seen as extreme, but he still thought it was appropriate compared to the inflicted damage.

He had just prepared dinner, but instead of serving the food, he placed a portion of rice and vegetables, no meat, no tofu, not even mushrooms, in a small container designed to carry hot food.

"Jiang Mingyue," he called out after he had finished.

His son appeared in the kitchen a few seconds later, assuming that dinner was ready. He looked somewhat irritated at the closed metal container standing in the middle of the table.

"Get dressed," Jiang Yuelou ordered him.

"Ba, what-"

"Don't dawdle, get dressed. We're leaving in five minutes."

Jiang Mingyue knew better than to try to get an explanation from his father and left the kitchen without a word to put on his boots and coat.

Jiang Yuelou had driven home in his father's car after taking Chen Keying to his parents. He was grateful that she seemed to get along well with them and his parents seemed to enjoy having her around for a few days.

The car was parked on the main road, so the two of them had to walk for a few minutes. Jiang Mingyue still hadn't gotten any explanation as to where they were going so late in the evening. He walked beside his father with a queasy feeling in his stomach. The metal container of food that his father had asked him to carry felt strangely heavy in his hand.

A few minutes after they had set off, Jiang Mingyue had the feeling that his father was driving to the part of the city where the police station was located. But he couldn't imagine why they were going there at this time of day. His father barely spoke to him and seemed to be busy thinking about something.

To Jiang Mingyue's surprise, their destination was, contrary to his assumption, indeed the police station. Jiang Yuelou took him to his office and told him to wait for him. The queasy feeling that the boy was experiencing had intensified. The atmosphere was strange, not like it usually was.

He hadn't thought about the precinct in a particularly positive or negative way so far, only the cellar with the prison cells scared him a little. Here was simply the place where his father worked. He still had no idea what he wanted to be when he grew up, but perhaps he would become a policeman. He was at least very proud that his father and grandfather were policemen.

It was just over a quarter of an hour before his father came back. Jiang Mingyue had the feeling that he was somehow stressed.

"Come with me," Jiang Yuelou said curtly.

"Take the food with you!" he added almost commandingly.

Jiang Mingyue stood up and grabbed the container to follow his father, who walked to the stairs in silence, his eyes fixed grimly ahead.

"Ba, where are we going?" Jiang Mingyue asked quietly and somewhat intimidated.

"You'll see in a moment," was Jiang Yuelou's meaningless reply, which even worried his son a little more.

At the next landing, Jiang Mingyue stood rooted to the spot. He knew that the cellar was one floor below, because the stairs were no longer made of wood but of metal and made a penetrating, almost threatening sound when someone went up or down.

"Ba?" he asked.

Jiang Yuelou, who had already gone down a few steps, stopped and turned around.

"What is it?"

"I don't like the basement. I don't want to go down there."

Jiang Yuelou closed his eyes for a moment, and the little inner struggle he was having just seeing his son standing there looking so pitiful made him lower his head a little and massage the base of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. He knew he was a bit afraid of the basement. A short, soft sigh escaped his lips.

"Jiang Mingyue, today is definitely not about what you want. You will follow me now, no arguments. I don't care if you like the basement or not."

His words hurt Jiang Mingyue and made him angry, which in turn helped him a little against his fear and so he trudged after his father, now with a defiant expression on his face. However, his courage did not last long. By the time his father approached one of the cells at the end of the corridor, he was completely terrified, partly because he was beginning to suspect what he was up to.

They passed empty cells and an officer sitting at a simple desk.

Jiang Mingyue stopped behind his father when he stopped in front of the cell door, which was no more than a bar with a lock.

"Ba... I..."

He was so scared that his throat tightened and he started crying again.

"I... promise....," he sobbed through tears.

Jiang Yuelou looked at him, and once again a wavering flitted across his face.

"What do you promise?"

Jiang Mingyue sobbed for a few seconds before he could bring himself to speak again.

"That I will... never do that again."

"But that's not enough, not this time. You'll stay here tonight."

His son's sniffling, the thick tears and his desperate shaking of his head threatened to soften him and he had to remind himself not give in.

"This is what happens to criminals, but not just for one night, sometimes for years. I hope you learn your lesson, Jiang Mingyue. If something like this ever happens again, then... then..."

Jiang Yuelou didn't know what to say. He was so angry at his son, angry that he had put his life in danger and that he was responsible for one of the people he cared about most being hurt so badly, and yet, he almost didn't have the heart to leave him here alone.

It pained him to see how much his harsh words hurt his son, but he didn't know what else to do. He hated being angry with him, but at the moment there was nothing he could do about it.

Jiang Mingyue had gone silent in shock at his words and the confirmation that his father actually wanted to lock him up here. A horror that he couldn't quite grasp just yet spread through him.

Without another word, Jiang Yuelou opened the door and held it open. Jiang Mingyue took two steps, stopped and looked at his father. The tip of his shoes were just a millimeter away from crossing the invisible threshold.

"Ba?"

"Go on now, get inside. The longer you delay, the harder it will be."

Jiang Mingyue knew that there was no way to change his father's mind, so he resigned himself to fate. The tears had been streaming down his cheeks for minutes and he was starting to get a headache.

There was a bed and a small table with a straw cushion on the floor.

The policeman knelt down in front of his son and pressed a handkerchief into his hand.

"Dry your tears. You should have listened to A-Ying, you shouldn't have had the idea of playing with fire in the first place. I'll pick you up tomorrow morning. Nothing will happen to you here. Officer Wang looks a bit scary, but if anything is wrong, call for him. He'll look after you tonight."

"I don't want to stay here, Ba."

"You'll get through one night and a sufficient punishment is needed. When I'm gone I want you to eat your dinner. Here."

Jiang Yuelou took out a small bag containing a pair of chopsticks and also a toothbrush and toothpaste.

"Tell Officer Wang to bring you some water and a cup so you can brush your teeth later and then go to sleep."

The clink of the bunch of keys as Jiang Yuelou locked the cell door from the outside frightened Jiang Mingyue, who was still standing motionless in the middle of the cell, and he ran a few steps after his father until the cell bars stopped him.

"Ba," he called after him and for a second he was hopeful when Jiang Yuelou stopped in mid-stride, but was bitterly disappointed when his father continued on his way.

He could hear the metallic sound his boots made on the stairs on the way up and with each step he felt a little lonelier. Saddened, he shuffled to the table, placed the metal container on it and put the bag his father had given him on the bed.

The dim light shining into his cell from a dirty ceiling lamp a few meters away was just bright enough for him to find his way around. A shiver ran down his spine and only now did he realize that it was a lot cooler here than at home. Not icy, but a little uncomfortable.

He didn't expect Officer Wang to put a bowl of coals in his cell if he asked him for one, so he didn’t even try. He was already dreading having to ask him for water later anyway. Officer Wang had looked scary when he had walked past his desk earlier and the man had stared at him with a very stern look.

He certainly didn't have an appetite, but he didn't want to disappoint his father even more by not finishing his dinner. However, it made him a little grumpy that none of the chicken his father had prepared for dinner was in the metal container.

Listlessly, he shoved small morsels of rice and vegetables into his mouth. The meagre food had literally lost all flavor and Jiang Mingyue felt like he was chewing on paper. His fingers were a little cold.

It took him a few minutes to muster up enough courage to call for Officer Wang. In the end, however, it turned out that although Officer Wang could look rather grumpy, he was one of those 'hard shell, soft core' types.

"Here, brat," Officer Wang said as he brought him a bowl of water and a cup.

After brushing his teeth and washing his face and going to the toilet, Officer Wang brought him a pot of plain green tea to drink if he got thirsty. The warmth of the cup in his hand made it a little more bearable for Jiang Mingyue as he sat alone in the cell again.

He still felt uncomfortable and lonely and he missed his father. Not knowing what else to do, he lay down on the bed and covered himself up. It was no comparison to his cozy bed and the soft bedding at home. The mattress was hard, seemed to be made only of straw and the gray comforter was scratchy. His feet were cold, and since they just wouldn't get warm, Jiang Mingyue got up after a while and picked up his coat, which he threw over the comforter.

It took him a long time to fall asleep. The unfamiliar atmosphere and the numerous noises he didn't know kept him awake. Once, after finally falling asleep, he was startled awake by loud noises in the middle of the night.

A drunk young man who had been rioting in the street and had caused some damage to property was aggressively and loudly fighting the three police officers, who put him in a cell to sober up. Officer Wang made sure that he was put in the cell furthest away from the one where Jiang Mingyue was trying to sleep, but the noises down here echoed in every corner, so the policeman could not avoid waking the boy.

The next morning, Jiang Mingyue was awakened by a clanging sound as the lock on the cell door was opened. As he had promised, his father had come to pick him up. No matter how tense everything was between them at the moment, he was just happy to see him, jumped out of bed and ran towards his father to give him a tight, clingy hug.

"Ba, you're finally back," came muffled by Jiang Yuelou's clothes from his lips.

Jiang Yuelou stroked his head, released himself from the embrace and knelt down in front of him. Without warning, Jiang Mingyue threw his arms around his father's neck and snuggled up to him.

"I assume you never want to spend the night in a prison cell again, right?"

Jiang Mingyue nodded before letting go of his father and looking at him.

"Never again."

"Then let's go home and have breakfast, otherwise you'll be late for school."

The boy's eyes grew wide.

"School?"

"What, did you think you didn't have to go to school today?"

"Somehow..."

"There's no such thing as skipping school. You're not sick, so you can go to school."

"But I didn't sleep that well."

"That's no reason not to go to school. You've already missed two days anyway."

Jiang Mingyue didn't think it was a good idea to discuss the subject of school attendance with his father, so he got dressed, packed up his few things and left the police station, this time holding his father's hand.

Every step that took him away from the cellar and the horrible metal steps of the staircase made his heart feel a little lighter and his father's mood seemed to have improved. On the car ride home, he even mentioned in praise that Officer Wang had told him that he had behaved in an exemplary manner.

At home on Shou Xi Road, Jiang Yuelou sent his son to take a shower while he prepared breakfast. Jiang Mingyue still felt like he was walking on eggshells and was very reserved towards his father, but things had relaxed a little and his father talked to him a bit more, even though he made it clear that this was not all punishment he would receive.

At the breakfast table, Jiang Yuelou explained to him what his daily routine would be for the next four weeks. He would spend two hours every afternoon after school helping his grandmother clean the children's home she ran. Nainai had already been informed and had no objections to this kind of punishment. Secretly, she was also a little pleased to be able to see her grandson every day and perhaps she wouldn't be quite as harsh on him as Jiang Yuelou expected, but of course she didn't tell her son.

After that, he had to come to the station and do his homework and then go straight home, where it was his job every evening to set the table and wash the dishes and then he had to go to bed. No book, no radio play or simply spending some time with his father in the living room. Even though Jiang Mingyue was certainly not happy about it, he was far too afraid that his father might decide to put him in prison for another night, and so he resigned himself to his fate once more without any objections.

The two Jiangs made it to school just in time, which made Jiang Mingyue feel quite relieved. He had no idea whether and, if so, how much his classmates knew about the incident on Tuesday, nor whether the three other boys with whom he had set the fire would be at school today, and this uncertainty was enough to make him feel more than a little uncomfortable. If he had been late on top of that, it would have made everything even worse.

With a furtive glance, he sneaked through the school building, looking up every now and then for a few milliseconds, only to realize that the other students were no more interested in him than usual. He felt a little more relieved.

Luckily he hadn't run into Chen Keying, he probably wouldn't have been able to cope with that at the moment. He wished that everything would go back to normal - he liked her very much, but he also knew her well enough by now that he would rather not meet her right now.

When he opened the door to the classroom, some of his classmates looked at him, but others showed no interest in knowing who had just entered the room. Just like always, really. Two of his friends who had been to the docks with him on Tuesday sat at their desks and greeted him.

Somehow, Jiang Mingyue's heart felt lighter and he approached the one sitting closer. The third one joined them and it was obvious how much the whole incident had shocked all of them.

"Are you alright?" Li Xiaohu, the one at whose table the three had gathered, asked. He was the oldest and tallest of them.

Jiang Mingyue nodded, as did Chu Min.

"Where is Zhu Jian?" Jiang Mingyue asked.

"His father sent him to a military school yesterday," Li Xiaohu replied.

"Damn. Really?"

The other two nodded.

"And I thought my punishment was the worst."

"Why? What did your father come up with? A year's office detention?"

It was Li Xiaohu who asked again. They knew each other well enough for him to know what punishments often awaited the police chief's son.

Jiang Mingyue looked down at the ground in shame, because he still remembered last night far too well.

"That would be almost nice. My father put me in jail yesterday."

"Woah, really?" the other two asked as if from the same mouth.

Jiang Mingyue nodded.

"That's... pretty tough, but also kind of impressive," came from Chu Min.

"It wasn't impressive at all, not in a good way. It's cold and uncomfortable and I only had plain rice with a few vegetables for dinner. And I had zero privacy. There were no walls on two sides, just bars, but that wasn't even the worst of it."

The other two boys stared at him expectantly.

"There was a hell of a racket in the middle of the night when a drunkard was brought into one of the other cells. He was shouting so loudly that I couldn't go back to sleep for a long time."

"My father gave me a good beating," Li Xiaohu replied somewhat tearfully and seemed to be in pain at the mere thought of it.

"My parents didn't do anything. My ba was drunk again and my mother was ranting the whole time about how it was everyone else's fault but mine."

"Yet you were the one who brought the lighter and started the fire," Jiang Mingyue said, almost reproachfully, as if he wasn't just as much to blame for everything that had happened."

"Let's not argue," Li Xiaohu interjected placatingly.

"We really messed up and this isn't over yet, don't forget that. I have to work for at least a year after school to earn enough money to support my parents. Our parents will eventually have to pay for the damage we've done, not to mention how embarrassing the whole thing is for them. Remember, Xiao Di, your father is a police chief and your grandfather is the commissioner. What do you think it's like for them that their son or grandson and his friends burned down an entire building and Chen-yisheng was seriously injured? We all share the same guilt."

"Mhhh, I guess you're right, Hu-ge," Jiang Mingyue grumbled, more out of embarrassment than displeasure, trying to hide from his friends as best he could how heavily Chen Yuzhi's injuries weighed on his heart.

"Good morning, children. Take your seats," came the voice of the teacher, who had just entered the classroom, bringing the three boys' conversation to a standstill for the time being.

Writing and reading were on the curriculum. The teacher had brought a copy of today's newspaper for everyone and the students were asked to pick out an unknown character, which the teacher then talked about the origin and meaning of. The second half of the lesson was reserved for writing exercises.

Jiang Mingyue took every possible opportunity to avoid the corridors and the schoolyard that day and every time he couldn't avoid it, he looked around vigilantly, like one of those small, nocturnal jungle animals.

There was one person he least wanted to meet, but at the same time he had the strongest need to talk to, to apologize, to make amends. He didn't really know why it was so important to him that she forgave him, otherwise he had never been interested when a girl was angry with him. But it was different with her.

Over the last few months, he had become very used to having her around so often, and not just her, but her brother too. He felt safe when the four of them were together. It was like being with his father, but because his father was a part of it, it felt somehow bigger... Somehow complete, as if the two of them filled a gap whose presence he had always felt, but which he didn't deal with very often because he felt he couldn't change it anything anyway.

Then he thought of how Chu Min talked about his older sister, Chu Ran, and even though they seemed to be very different in character, he saw certain parallels to how he saw Chen Keying. She had just burst into his life like that and he had somehow become so attached to her that her presence had occupied a significant part of it.

The feeling that she now hated him and would never speak to him again depressed him deeply.

He managed to avoid her until the following Monday, even though he longed to finally get rid of this burden. He realized that there was no point in not talking to her. He hated waking up every morning and the first thing he thought about was how she was feeling and what she was thinking about him.

He was so unfocused during the day that he tested his father's patience several times over the next few days, simply because he hadn't listened properly or because his father had to talk to him two or three times before he even responded.

On Monday morning, he was at the school gates earlier than most of the other pupils, because since the incident, he preferred to be one of the first to arrive so that he could avoid as many people as possible and prepare for the school day as best he could.

He had made a decision that night because he hadn't been able to fall asleep for a long time. He would ask for her forgiveness, explicitly and honestly. He knew, of course, that the chances that she would simply ignore him or yell at him or do something else unpleasant were not exactly small, but he had to at least try.

Soon Chen Yuzhi would be discharged from hospital and he wanted to have this sorted out somehow by then. He didn't have much time left. He missed having dinner with his father and the Chens and he didn't want to go without it any longer than absolutely necessary. He also realized that if he did nothing, Chen Keying would certainly not feel like it, and would probably even ask her brother not to meet up with him and his father.

Again and again he had imagined how he wanted to go about it, when was the best time and where was the best place to approach her. In his opinion, the lunch break was the only option. The other breaks were too short and he wouldn't have had the opportunity after school. He knew her timetable and knew that she finished an hour earlier than him today.

After school, he had to help his grandmother and then do his homework straight away. If he had asked his father or grandmother if he could meet Chen Keying instead of doing his chores, they would certainly have doubted his seriousness. They would have thought that although it was such a serious issue, he was just looking for an excuse not to have to clean or study. Besides, it was better if he dealt with it on his own without telling his father.

His coat buttoned up to his chin, a highly concentrated look in his eyes, his hands clenched into nervous fists in his pockets, he trudged towards the small group of girls during the lunch break, one of whom was Chen Keying, who had her back turned to him.

He stood silently behind her and cleared his throat to gather his courage before saying, much more quietly than he intended, "Jie?". He was heard nonetheless, because in the next second Chen Keying turned and looked at him, as did her friends. A complicated expression crossed her face before she turned back to the other girls.

"I need to talk to him for a minute. I'll be right back."

The other girls knew that she and her brother spent a lot of time with Jiang Mingyue and his father, and they had gotten used to the two of them acting almost like siblings.

What Jiang Mingyue didn't know, however, was that Chen Keying had told them almost nothing about the fire. Although they had all gradually learned what had happened, they knew nothing about her seeing him and trying to stop him. She hadn't told them how badly her brother had actually been injured. She had told them little more than what everyone knew anyway from the papers or the gossip of some of the witnesses at the scene. She didn't think it was necessary to talk about it.

It wasn’t anyone's business what had happened between them, it was only between him and her. She had thought about her brother's words and she knew and understood that he was right and, in that respect, she felt the same as Jiang Mingyue, she missed the times they spent together. The days with Jiang Yuelou's parents were great, but she wanted to go back home to her brother and eat wontons with him or visit the Jiangs or sit with them at Aunt Luo's.

Jiang Mingyue walked across the schoolyard, past the side of the school building, to the back. They were not allowed to be here during the break, but that was exactly why they were undisturbed. He couldn't back out here either.

He stopped a few meters from the back entrance, but needed a moment before he could turn to her. She was a little taller than him anyway, but today she seemed a even taller and radiated something slightly threatening. She didn't really look angry, which surprised him a little, but it was clear that she wasn't happy.

"What do you want, Jiang Mingyue?"

Chapter Text

Chen Keying's voice sounded colder than intended and when she saw the uncertainty in Jiang Mingyue's eyes, she would have liked to take back her words and start all over again. She definitely wanted to forgive him and tell him so, but she couldn't pretend that nothing had happened and that the disappointment over his behavior didn't affect her.

Just like Jiang Yuelou, she wanted to make it clear to him that something like this should never happen again, but she didn't really know what the right way to go about it was. She had thought about it a lot over the last few days and in the end had decided to take it one step at a time and see what will happen.

She didn't have a grand all-encompassing plan, but she had a goal in mind. To prevent Jiang Mingyue from ever having such a stupid idea again and to make sure that everything would return to how it had been before the incident.

"I..."

Jiang Mingyue scuffed his foot on the ground, his gaze cast downwards. Now that he was facing her, he had lost his courage after all.

"Xiao Di."

Chen Keying paused and waited for his reaction. But when he still couldn't manage to raise his eyes, she continued.

"Look at me."

Jiang Mingyue had little choice, because he suddenly felt silly staring at the ground like that, as if she somehow wouldn't see him if he didn't look at her. His eyes met hers and even though it was hard for him, he withstood.

"Say what you have to say, Jiang Mingyue, I'll listen to you. The sooner you get this over with, the better for you... and for me too."

A small, hopeful tug went through Jiang Mingyue's heart.

"Jie... Chen... Chen Keying. I..."

It was hard for him to say the words that needed to be said. He knew exactly what he wanted to say, but it was as if something was paralyzing his throat. He knew, of course, what it was that was practically sealing his lips. Guilt, especially towards her, because she had warned him and he simply hadn't taken her seriously, because her brother, who he knew was as important to her as his father was to him, had been badly hurt and because it would have been so easy to prevent.

"To be honest, I like it better if you call me Jie," Chen Keying suddenly said.

She had understood that it was very difficult for him to say the things that were weighing on his heart and wanted to give him a little nudge in the right direction.

"Jie... I... I'm sorry. I'm sorry that your Ge is in the hospital, I'm sorry that I came up with such a stupid idea in the first place..."

"And?"

"And I'm sorry I didn't listen to you."

"I didn't say that to annoy you or to play big sister, after all, I'm not... not really."

"I know that," Jiang Mingyue replied ruefully.

"I was worried that something could happen to you. I'm sure you can't imagine how happy I am that you're okay."

The seriousness in her voice and the calmness with which she said the words, not a trace of reproach, touched something in Jiang Mingyue and he realized that he was on the verge of crying, which he could only suppress with difficulty.

"But your Ge has been so badly injured."

"That doesn't change the fact that I, that we're all glad that nothing happened to you."

"Ba certainly doesn't care."

"Jiang Mingyue!"

Her voice clearly sounded angry.

"How can you say something like that? Don't you know your own father at all? Of course he cares."

"He put me in jail last night. He didn't care that I begged him not to leave me there alone."

"Oh."

Chen Keying was honestly perplexed. She definitely hadn't expected such a reaction.

"But still, Xiao Di, that doesn't mean he doesn't care if you were hurt or not. I'm sure he's at least as angry with you as I am, but he's your Ba. You're more important to him than anyone else."

"That's what your Ge said, too," Jiang Mingyue replied quietly.

"And he's right, and do you know why I know that?"

Jiang Mingyue shook his head.

"Because my Ge is more important to me than anyone else, and I'm more important to him than anyone else. It's exactly the same with you and your Ba."

"You think so? Chen-shushu is very important to Ba. I know he's also angry with me because he got hurt, because he could have died."

"Of course Ge is important to him, there's no mistaking that, but you're still the most important."

"Your Ge is important to me too and... you too. I'm really sorry about what happened, Jie."

Chen Keying's reply consisted of a smile and then she took two steps towards Jiang Mingyue to tousle his hair. She knew it annoyed him a little when she did that, but he put up with it this time without talking back.

"I haven't completely forgiven you yet, Jiang Mingyue. For that, you'll have to come up with something really special and you'll have to convince me that you'll listen to me from now on and that nothing like this will ever happen again."

"You certainly sound like a real big sister," Jiang Mingyue grumbled, but he promised to listen to her and somehow he liked the idea of a big sister.

The school bell rang, announcing the end of the lunch break. The two of them flinched briefly and hurried back to avoid being caught by one of the teachers. They were lucky and were able to mingle inconspicuously with the other students streaming into the school building.

Chen Keying called out a quick, "See you later, Xiao Di," to Jiang Mingyue as they parted ways and she had to go to another floor to get to her classroom.

"See you later, Jie," he replied and set off for his class.

That afternoon, while they were cleaning the entrance to the children's home together, his grandmother told him that Chen Keying had told her about his apology.

"I'm very proud of you, Xiao Yue."

"Thank you, Nainai, but it was something I had to do. It's not something to be proud of."

"Still, I'm proud that you did it."

"Nainai, it's my fault that her brother is in the hospital. I know he's as important to her as Ba is to me. If something were to happen to Ba... that would be terrible. But it's just as terrible that Chen-shushu was injured so badly."

"Chen-yisheng must be important to you, isn’t he?"

Yang Siqi had stopped sweeping, held the broom in one hand and looked at her grandson.

"Of course he is," Jiang Mingyue replied as he continued to wipe the dresser with the cleaning cloth, not even noticing that his grandmother was watching him.

"Stop that for a moment, Xiao Yue, and come to me."

"Hm?" Jiang Mingyue, somewhat irritated, asked but followed her request.

"Let's take a little break and go to the kitchen, have some tea and I want to ask you something."

"Alright, Nainai."

Obediently, Jiang Mingyue followed his grandmother into the large kitchen of the children's home. It was empty now in the afternoon, but in about an hour and a half the cook would come and start preparing dinner. Yang Siqi wanted to take advantage of the quiet to talk to her grandson about something very personal.

"Sit down, Xiao Yue. I'll be with you in a moment with the tea."

There was always a large pot of warm tea in the kitchen in case one of the children got thirsty and didn't just want to drink water. Especially now, in the cold season, warm tea was always welcome with the children. It was no longer quite fresh, but it was a type of green tea that still tasted excellent, even if it had been brewed some time ago.

Yang Siqi came to the table with two large cups and sat down opposite her grandson. He sipped the warm liquid a few times before turning his gaze to his grandmother.

"What did you want to talk to me about, Nainai?"

She looked at him for a moment and smiled.

"What do you think about Chen-yisheng?"

"What do you mean?"

"You and your father spend a lot of time with him and his sister, isn't that right?"

Jiang Mingyue nodded and smiled now too.

"It's nice when we are together. What I like most is when we have dinner or sometimes lunch together and that Ba is always in a much better mood when Chen-shushu is around."

"Have you noticed that, little one, hm?" Yang Siqi asked, more rhetorically than expecting an answer.

"Sure, you can't miss it-"

Suddenly, Jiang Mingyue paused in mid-sentence and stared at his grandmother.

"What’s the matter, Xiao Yue?"

"Do you know that Ying-jie said that too?"

"What?"

"That it’s not to miss that Chen-shushu is important to Ba."

"I think A-Ying is absolutely right about that."

"I think it's good that Ba and he are friends. I really like it when they're together. Nainai?"

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Do you think..."

Yang Siqi waited for him to continue speaking.

"You must think it's weird."

"Tell me, Xiao Yue. I'm your grandmother. You can tell me anything."

"I don't know."

"Don't you trust me? Then I would be very disappointed."

"What? No, Nainai. That's not what I meant. Okay, I'll tell you, but you can't tell Ba about this."

"I promise I won't tell him."

"Okay, pinky promise," Jiang Mingyue replied, holding out the little finger of his right hand to his grandmother.

Yang Siqi laughed softly, did the same and interlaced their fingers.

"Now tell me, will you?"

Jiang Mingyue nodded.

Yang Siqi grinned. Even if he had expressed himself a little awkward, she was sure she knew what he was getting at. Since that was exactly what she wanted to discuss with him anyway, she decided to let him talk, to put his thoughts and feelings into words. If she was right in her assumption and her son was, in an admittedly unusual way, about to finally have a complete family, it was a very big deal for her grandson too and the more comfortable he felt about it, the better.

"Sometimes it looks like they're not just friends, Nainai."

"What do you mean?"

"Well... sometimes they act like Ying-jie and I aren't even in the same room, like they've completely forgotten about us. And sometimes, they are a bit like you and Yeye. Like they're married."

Yang Siqi couldn't help but laugh a little, but Jiang Mingyue didn't quite understand.

"Would it be bad if they were like your grandfather and me?"

Jiang Mingyue's eyes widened and he shook his head with conviction.

"Not at all, Nainai. I think it would be much better if they were and if they finally would talk."

"Do you think they haven't done that yet?"

"Of course not."

"What makes you think that?"

"Well, if they like each other like you and Yeye do, it would be like a family. Parents and children."

"That's true, although it might not be quite the same."

"Two Bas instead of one Ba and one Ma."

"A-Ying is Chen-yisheng's sister."

"Yes, that's true, but she said so herself, that she and her Ge are just like Ba and me."

"But I still don't know why you think they haven't talked about it yet."

"That's totally logical, Nainai."

"Is it?" Yang Siqi replied, raising her eyebrows.

She was more than eager to hear her grandson's explanation.

"Very simple. A family lives together in one home."

A simple but perfect explanation.

"Is that what you want?"

Jiang Mingyue's eyes began to shine a little as he nodded.

"Maybe you should tell your father."

"I don't know," he replied, no longer looking as happy as he had a few seconds ago.

"It's his business. It doesn't matter what I think about it."

Yang Siqi stood up, sat down next to him and put an arm around his shoulder to give him a gentle squeeze.

"It does matter much more than you can imagine, Xiao Yue."

"Why? Ba won't care about that."

"Why would you think that?"

"He's still angry with me, especially because Chen-shushu got hurt. Why should he care if I think it would be nicer if we were like a family and besides..."

Jiang Mingyue faltered and sniffled softly before looking at his grandmother with tear-filled eyes.

"Talk to me, Xiao Yue."

"Chen-shushu definitely doesn't want us to be a family."

After he said it, he started crying bitterly again and Yang Siqi's eyes welled up with tears of sympathy.

"Hey hey, Xiao Yue. If you're so sad, I'll be sad too."

Startled, he looked at her and tried to stop the tears, but he didn't really succeed.

"I... I don't want you to be sad, Nainai."

"Then you shouldn't be sad about something like this either, hm. What makes you think that Chen-yisheng wouldn't want all four of you to become a family?"

"Who would want to with someone who has hurt them so bad?"

"Did he say anything that would make you think that?"

Jiang Mingyue remained silent and it was obvious that he was thinking hard.

"I don't think so."

"Did you talk to him about what happened?"

"Hmm."

Yang Siqi realized how much she admired Chen Yuzhi in this very moment. Like he knew exactly, what her grandson needed the most, as if he wholeheartedly cared for him.

"I wasn't there, but I bet he said he knew you wanted nothing of this to happen."

Jiang Mingyue nodded.

"He did, Nainai. How do you know that?"

"Shall I tell you a little secret?"

Jiang Mingyue nodded again.

"Can you remember when I was with him in his clinic when I sprained my ankle?"

"Yes?"

"I was secretly watching you."

Jiang Mingyue's eyes widened. That wasn't like his grandmother at all.

"Really?"

"Yes, and do you know what I saw?"

"No."

"I saw the way he looked at you, the way he took care of you, and it reminded me a lot of your father. Of course, it's up to him and your father to decide, but I know that what you and A-Ying think about it is also important to them."

"It would be nice if what you said was true."

"Wait and see, Xiao Yue. But now we should drink our tea and then do some more cleaning."

"Mhh," Jiang Mingyue grumbled.

"No back talk, young man. You deserve your punishment, you know that."

Jiang Mingyue, of course, didn't object, emptied his cup and then set about cleaning the rest of the entrance area with his grandmother. When the cook arrived, he helped prepare the food for the children who lived here, which his father, who picked him up about an hour later to go home, praised with a nod. He still looked far too stern, for Jiang Mingyue’s liking.

He missed the side of his father that was warm and caring and good-humored. He had hardly smiled since the fire and Jiang Mingyue had the feeling that he had grown a little distant from him, not only mentally but also physically. He missed the strong hand on his shoulder or when it tousled his hair, the arms he could sink into and feel safe. He even wished he could feel that hated peck on his cheek.

Jiang Mingyue simply felt lonely. Even though he had more or less made up with Chen Keying, he missed being close to his father. It would certainly have helped him if he could have told Chen Yuzhi about this, but he was still in hospital. He was looking forward to the day when the doctor would come home again and was firmly convinced that also his father's mood would improve considerably.

Chapter Text

Two more days and Chen Yuzhi would be discharged from hospital.

Jiang Mingyue told himself that he would get through these two days and then everything would get better, would get back to normal. Tuesday was exhausting, but Jiang Mingyue made it. The thought that Chen Yuzhi would be back home tomorrow, that he was well enough to be discharged from hospital, made everything a lot easier for him.

After the conversation with his grandmother on Monday, he had thought about Chen Yuzhi's words, how he had held him in his arms and told him that he knew it had all been just a terrible accident, and tried to convince himself that Chen Yuzhi had long since forgiven him, or rather, had never held a grudge against him. Once the doctor was back home, he would be able to summon up enough courage to repair his relationship with his father.

On Wednesday, he and Chen Keying were at school when Chen Yuzhi was discharged from hospital.

Jiang Yuelou had organized a car and took it upon himself to carry the suitcase with Chen Yuzhi's belongings when they left the hospital. Chen Yuzhi took a deep breath of the cool late fall air. He felt like he was finally back under the open sky after an interminably long time of being locked up.

He closed his eyes and sniffed.

"It smells like snow, Yuelou, don't you think?"

Jiang Yuelou did the same and breathed in deeply through his nose and indeed, there was something icy in the air, a tiny breeze of winter wind.

"I'm sure it won't be long before the first snow falls."

"Do you know what I'd like to do?"

Jiang Yuelou looked at him questioningly.

"A winter vacation. Somewhere far away from the big city, in a small village, maybe in the mountains. Somewhere quiet."

"I'm sure your sister would like that."

"I'm sure your son would too.

"My... Why my son?"

"Why not? Wouldn't you want to take him with you?"

"Me? Take him with me? You mean... you mean a winter vacation with the four of us?"

"Of course."

"Oh... I..."

Suddenly Chen Yuzhi blushed and began to look around nervously for the car. He thought it went without saying that he had meant all four of them when he had talked about the vacation, and the fact that Jiang Yuelou had apparently not was quite embarrassing.

Jiang Yuelou didn't look much less embarrassed when he realized how silly this situation was right now. He couldn't have wished for anything better than for Chen Yuzhi so easily to talk about a vacation for four.

For the next few minutes, there was a silence between them that annoyed both of them quite obviously, but neither of them really knew how to breathe new life into their conversation.

When they were sitting in the car and Jiang Yuelou was about to start the engine, he paused and looked straight ahead, but turned his gaze to Chen Yuzhi a second later. The doctor noticed his head movement out of the corner of his eye and reacted instinctively by looking at him.

"Yuzhi..." Jiang Yuelou paused to search for the right words and looked deep into his eyes.

"Yuzhi, I think the idea of a vacation for four is great. I haven't been out in nature with my son for a long time and we used to do it a lot before he went to school. It would be good for the children and I'm sure for you and me too."

Chen Yuzhi's tension gave way to a soft smile.

"I really like the idea, Yuelou. A vacation, the four of us. I think it could be very nice."

"But first you have to be fully recovered. What do you think? In a month or two?"

"Sounds good," Chen Yuzhi replied

Jiang Yuelou grinned from ear to ear as he started the car's engine and drove towards Shou Xi Road.

He helped Chen Yuzhi put his stuff away, picked up the bag of worn clothes and took it to the laundry before driving to school to get Chen Keying and his son. The two of them finished school at the same time today and Chen Keying had assured him that it was fine for Jiang Mingyue to be in the same car as her.

She had leaned towards him and whispered conspiratorially in his ear that she had forgiven him, but that he still had to prove that he would listen to her from now on and never would do such dangerous nonsense again.

His son was noticeably quiet when they sat in the car, but he had been since the fire anyway, and it seemed that everything was basically back to normal between the children. Jiang Yuelou was glad about that.

With Chen Yuzhi's return, normality was slowly returning to their lives and Jiang Yuelou reminded himself not to be quite as strict with his son any longer. He had behaved in an exemplary manner over the past few days and he knew that he regretted everything that had happened. However, he still thought that there was a significant risk that, if he became too lax with him straight away, he might not take the punishment seriously enough.

As he drove to the children's home, he pondered how he should behave towards him. He had to make sure that his son didn't forget how dangerous what he had done had been for him and others, but it also hurt his own heart to see him so gloomy so often. He couldn't remember the last time he had seen him laugh.

A child should laugh as often as possible, it shouldn't be unhappy, at least not for too long, even if it had messed up.... and he missed his cheeky side, just as much as the quiet moments when they were together, when he came to him, just snuggled up to him.

He realized that the only reason his son didn't do this was because he showed such a strict and unapproachable attitude towards him, and of course also because he still felt guilty. He would soon, perhaps tonight, put things right, talk to him and make it clear to him that he still had to serve his sentence, but that he was no longer angry with him.

A few minutes later, the children's home came into view. Yang Siqi was already waiting for them at the entrance to welcome her little helper.

"Ma, you look far too cheerful for this to be a punishment for Xiao Yue," he said to her after they had sent the children to the kitchen to warm up with some tea.

"Oh, Lou-er, what should I do about it? I'm just so glad to have him around a little every day."

"He behaves?"

"He does. You know he'd never mess with me."

"You're one of two lucky persons with whom he's always on his very best behavior."

"There's someone else?" Yang Siqi asked with feigned dismay.

"Yu-"

"You mean your doctor?"

Jiang Yuelou blushed, swallowed and nodded.

"When are you bringing him*?"

(*Jiang Yuelou assumes that his mother is talking about a woman. He doesn't know that she already knows who this special doctor is that was able to tame her son and her grandson).

"Maybe soon, Ma."

"Is there any progress?"

"Hm, yes... somehow."

"What do you mean by 'somehow'?"

Instead of answering her question, he looked at his mother with an almost pleading look

"Ma, promise me you'll accept the person I want to spend the rest of my life with, no matter who it is. You have to promise."

"So you're that serious?"

Her voice had become noticeably gentle.

"What about Xiao Yue's mother?"

"I don't know her Ma. It was a mistake to sleep with her, yes. It shouldn't have happened like that, but I don't regret it Ma. Ever since he came into my life, I haven't regretted it for even a second."

Jiang Yuelou looked at the door leading to the kitchen.

"But still, I don't know her, and even if I'd meet her now, I wouldn't be able to love her the way she deserves. If I marry her just for this one reason, because she's his mother, we all wouldn't be happy. We could pretend, but-"

"It's okay, son, I know what you want to say. I just wanted to make sure you'd thought about it. Your words are reasonable. I promise you that whoever you choose, I will welcome into our family, no matter who it will be. I know you wouldn't jeopardize your son's happiness or your own for a rash decision, I know that person will be worthy of your feelings. I know you will choose a great person."

"You almost talk like you know who I'm talking about."

"Oh, nonsense, Lou-er. It's just maternal instinct," she replied with a sly grin and turned away to walk to the kitchen.

About a quarter of an hour later, Jiang Yuelou and Chen Keying, this time with her in the passenger seat, were back in the car and on their way to Shou Xi Road. She was a little excited and just a second after the car came to a halt, she yanked open the door and ran to the front gate.

"Ge," she shouted and had already run inside before Jiang Yuelou had even closed the gate behind him.

He was holding her satchel, which she had left in the car, and smiled when he heard Chen Yuzhi and Chen Keying's muffled voices from the living room. She peppered him with all sorts of questions and information, first asking how he was, then moving on to tell him what had happened in the last few days. She had so much to say that one could get the impression that Chen Yuzhi had not been home for months, instead of just a week.

Jiang Yuelou stayed with the Chens for another two hours before heading back to the children's home to pick up his son, but not without instructing Chen Keying to make sure that her brother did not overexert himself. He made him promise that he would not start preparing dinner until he was back.

"I'll take care of it tonight and in the next weeks too, Yuzhi."

"I'll help Yue-ge."

"But I can-"

"No buts Yuzhi. You rest and recover fully and we, including my son, will take care of everything else."

"That's not a request, Ge," Chen Keying added with a serious look.

"Okay, okay, I'll give in."

"Alright, see you later then."

Before Jiang Yuelou closed the gate behind him, he stuck his head through once more and called out, "And no chores, Chen Yuzhi, you hear."

"Yes yes," came a very quiet reply from inside the house.

As he sat behind the wheel of the car, Jiang Yuelou whistled a soft tune. It had probably been as long since he had last whistled as it had been since he had heard his son laugh. Today, his overall mood was so much better than in the last few days. Chen Yuzhi was home and the four of them would be having dinner tonight. Everything would be fine now.

Jiang Mingyue was putting away the cleaning bucket and mop when his father entered the children's home. He could hear his grandmother greeting him. He sounded very different and Jiang Mingyue realized that he sounded somehow cheerful. He hurried to put down the cleaning utensils and made his way to the kitchen.

He could hear his father and grandmother talking through the ajar door. They were talking about Chen Yuzhi being discharged from hospital. Instead of entering, the boy listened to them.

"Do you know how long he won't be able to work?"

"Not exactly, but at least a week or two, the doctor at the hospital said. Chen Yuzhi is not very happy. He would like to reopen the gates of Yuzhi Tang rather today than tomorrow."

"He should rest as long as possible, but I'll be happy when he can go back to work. Although he's still so young, he's the best doctor I..."

Yang Siqi paused in mid-sentence and looked intently at her son. She suddenly felt the need to tease him a little and was satisfyingly successful. Jiang Yuelou looked at her, first puzzled, then adorably embarrassed, cheeks literally on fire and eyes wide.

"Ma... I..."

She enjoyed seeing him so speechless and the realization that, without saying a single word about it, he had confirmed to his mother, who clearly seemed to have already known, that it was Chen Yuzhi, who had captured his heart, was clearly written on his face.

"Ma..."

"Why so shocked, son?"

"You already know it was him I was talking about?"

She nodded and her grin had turned into a warm smile.

"Since when?"

"Since the day I sprained my ankle."

"That long and you didn't tell me?"

"I wanted to give you time until you were ready for others to know. You seem to have needed it."

"And now you think I don't need it any longer?"

"You should see yourself in the mirror, how you look when you talk about him. How happy you are right now that he's back home."

His expression relaxed and he smiles slightly.

"From the looks of it, I guess I don't have to worry about what you think about it."

"No son, not at all. He's an incredibly loving and kind person, Yuelou, and he matches you, even if I will feel a little sorry for him if he gets involved with you and Xiao Yue."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jiang Yuelou asked, unmistakably a little indignant.

"I don't have to tell you that you two can be a bit of a handful sometimes, do I?"

Jiang Yuelou replied with a meek, "No, Ma, you don't have to."

Jiang Mingyue, who was starting to get cold in the hallway and, although he had some idea, didn't really understand what his father and grandmother were talking about, decided to enter the kitchen after all, unintentionally giving Jiang Yuelou the opportunity not to have to continue the conversation.

Both adults looking at him, his father still with remnants of embarrassment in his face his grandmother with a small smile on her lips.

"Have you stashed everything away, Xiao Yue?"

"Yes, Nainai."

"Then wash your hands."

"When you're done, we'll go home," his father added.

"Okay," Jiang Mingyue replied and trotted to the sink.

Jiang Yuelou emptied his tea cup and stood up. Yang Siqi accompanied the two of them to the front gate of the property and looked after their car until she could no longer see it. She was excited to see what the next few days and weeks would bring and was convinced that she would soon be able to welcome two more people into her family.

She wondered how her husband would take the whole thing and thought that it certainly wouldn't hurt if she supported her son a little and gently prepared his father a bit.

With the best will in the world, Yang Siqi couldn’t imagine that this would become a permanent problem. Her husband was very convinced of Chen Yuzhi's skills as a doctor and he had remarked more than once what a friendly, polite, simply kind-hearted man he was and he had also noticed that the friendship with his son was very positive for the latter.

Bai Jinbo liked Chen Yuzhi, Yang Siqi was convinced of that, and everything else would work out, which she was convinced of just as much.

**

After they arrived home, Jiang Yuelou sent his son to his room to do his homework.

"Dinner will be ready in an hour and a half. I want you to finish your homework by then. I'll go over to the Chens' and prepare dinner together with A-Ying. I'll pick you up when we're done."

Just before Jiang Yuelou closed the door, it swung open once more.

"And no snacks. We were just talking yesterday about that they're off limits for you for the next weeks. Until I'm sure you've earned them."

Jiang Mingyue heard the soft squeak of the gate as his father left the house and sat down at his desk. He definitely wanted to finish his homework before he came back.

After spending an hour doing math homework and practicing writing a particularly difficult character, he felt a slight pang of hunger rise up inside him. His father's words echoed in his head. No snacks and suddenly he thought of the jar of nuts and dried fruit sitting on one of the kitchen cupboards.

He was sure that his father wouldn't catch him if he just grabbed a few now. It would probably still be a while before he got home.

Aware that his father would not approve of this at all and with a guilty conscience that was unfortunately not big enough to stop him, he went into the kitchen and set his sights on his goal. It shouldn't be too difficult to get the glass down.

He grabbed a chair and climbed from the seat onto the worktop of the cupboard. If he stood upright, he could reach up far enough to get the glass from the top of the cupboard comfortably. However, when he bent down to place it on the worktop, it slipped out of his hand, fell onto the tiled kitchen floor and shattered into a thousand pieces.

The loud noise the glass made as it hit the floor and the icy shiver that ran down his spine made him freeze and look at the chaos in shock for a few seconds. Then he felt hot and knew he had to hurry to clean up the traces of his disobedience. He realized that his father would notice the missing glass at some point, but maybe he could buy himself a few more days.

He was so engrossed in sweeping up the broken pieces and the nuts and fruit, which had now become inedible, that this time he didn't even notice the soft squeak of the gate. Nor did he hear his father opening the kitchen door or the soft crunching sound that the nut he stepped on made under his shoe.

"What...?" Jiang Yuelou asked, looking around the room before his gaze lingered on his son, who was squatting on the floor and sweeping some of the broken pieces and snacks onto the dustpan with a hand brush.

Completely shocked, Jiang Mingyue paused and stared at his father as he slowly stood up.

"What happened?"

"I..."

"Why are there broken pieces and nuts all over the floor and why aren't you in your room?"

It was clear from his tone of voice that he had realized what his son had done. Disappointed, he looked at him and said quietly,

"Jiang Mingyue, don't you think you've caused more than enough trouble already? How can I be sure that you won't cause another disaster? I told you that there are no snacks for you and you just ignore it?"

"Ba-"

"You call me Ba, but apparently that has no meaning for you at all. I must be a very bad father if you just go against my words like that, if you don't respect me in any way."

"Ba, no-"

Jiang Mingyue had tears in his eyes. The last few days had been exhausting for him, that terribly lonely night in prison was still deep in his bones and now, these harsh words from his father hit him right in the heart.

"Quiet," Jiang Yuelou ordered his son.

"Clean this up and go to your room. I don't want to hear any more from you today. No dinner for you tonight."

With these words, he turned around, left the kitchen and slammed the door so hard that the bang made Jiang Mingyue flinched, Distraught, his cheeks wet from his tears, he cleared away the broken glass and its contents and went to his room.

He berated himself for simply ignoring his father’s ban, even though he knew full well it was wrong. He suddenly realized that his father still hadn't forgiven him for what had happened to Chen Yuzhi, otherwise he wouldn't have reacted like that now, wouldn't have denied him dinner.

His father had never done that before. No matter how harshly he had punished him so far, he had never let him go to bed hungry, not even once. Another thought formed in Jiang Mingyue's mind. His father would probably never forgive him for what he had done, and now that he had also disobeyed his ban, which was perhaps not so bad in itself, but had taken on immense significance right now, he would certainly no longer want him as his son.

He had made it clear to him that he believed his own son did not respect him as a father. Just thinking about these words brought more tears to Jiang Mingyue's eyes.

Of course it wasn't like that, of course he respected and loved his father, but his father probably didn't love him anymore. Probably a lot of it had already been lost after the fire broke out, but now at the latest there was certainly nothing left in his father's heart, not for him.

His young mind could not fully comprehend how wrong he was with this assessment and could not properly deal with everything that had happened, the fire, Chen Yuzhi's injuries, the terrible night in prison, the absence of his father's cheerfulness.

All of this led him to a momentous decision.

**

After Jiang Yuelou slammed the kitchen door and left the house, he took a deep breath. He felt miserable. It was completely wrong to be angry with his son, but he had hardly been able to believe it when he had noticed the mess on the kitchen floor and realized what his son had done. Despite his admonishing, unambiguous words, as if he was deliberately trying to provoke him. He didn't understand why he seemed to be making everything so difficult for him right now.

Depressed, he walked back to the Chens house. He knew that Chen Yuzhi would immediately realize that something was wrong and would ask questions, not giving up until he got answers.

Jiang Yuelou didn't really feel like it, but he didn't know where else to go and besides, he knew it was best to talk about it right away and somehow get a handle on the problem, find a way to get his son back on track and he was convinced Chen Yuzhi could help him deal with it more calmly.

Not only Chen Yuzhi, but also Chen Keying, who opened the door for him, noticed that something was strange. He had returned without his son and his unhappy expression could not be overlooked.

"Yue-ge, what's wrong? Where is Xiao Yue?"

"He won't be having dinner with us tonight," Jiang Yuelou replied somewhat weakly.

"Why? What happened?"

"Let's talk about it later-"

"I think we should talk about it right away, Jiang Yuelou."

Chen Yuzhi, who had come out of the kitchen, looked at him with an expression in his eyes that clearly said he wouldn't take no for an answer.

"A-Ying, dear, do me a favor and go to the kitchen. Eat something before it gets cold. We'll be with you in a moment, but I need to talk to Yuelou alone for a minute."

"Alright, Ge," Chen Keying replied and disappeared into the kitchen.

"You have no idea how much I envy the fact that your sister is so well-behaved and uncomplicated."

"You know us both well enough, you know she's not always like that."

"But she's never as exhausting as my son."

"Come on, let's go into the living room and then you can tell me what happened."

"I suppose saying no won’t get me far?"

"No."

Jiang Yuelou followed Chen Yuzhi into the living room and was happy that he existed, that his presence alone made him feel that everything would be alright again in no time.

"And now I want to know why your son isn't here," Chen Yuzhi began their conversation without further ado after they had sat down on the sofa.

"He disobeyed a clear instruction, after everything he's already messed up, he just ignores what I tell him and even puts himself at risk of getting hurt."

"What?" Chen Yuzhi asked anxiously.

"What has he done? Is he hurt?"

"No, don't worry. I've banned him from snacks and nibbles for the time being. He should earn that back first."

"And he still snatched some when you weren't there."

"That's right."

"Children that age are often like that."

"I know that and if it had been just that, then I would certainly have just told him to tidy up."

"What did he do?"

"Oh... he got the jar of nuts and fruit from the kitchen cupboard, I wasn't back yet, but it must have slipped out of his hand somehow. Anyway, when I came into the kitchen, there was broken glass all over the floor and the nuts and fruit in between."

"Hm, he really shouldn't have done that."

"I don't know why he's behaving like this. He's never been this disobedient before."

"Maybe the whole situation is overwhelming him right now. He's probably still a little traumatized by the fire. Maybe he doesn't even know exactly why he did it."

"I thought the night in prison would have been punishment enough and that he would behave in an exemplary manner for the foreseeable future."

"The what?" What night in prison? Was he in prison?"

Chen Yuzhi sounded alarmingly shocked and looked at Jiang Yuelou with wide eyes, which immediately made the latter feel uncomfortable, as if he had done something completely wrong.

"Yes. It was his punishment. I told you he needed a much harsher punishment than the what he'd gotten for all the other nonsense he'd done before."

"You seriously put him in jail for a night? Jiang Yuelou, he's only nine. He's not a criminal."

"I know that, but he should know what it would be like if he did something that bad again in the future."

Jiang Yuelou squirmed a little under Chen Yuzhi's words and suddenly wasn't so convinced that he had done the right thing. Even though this was about his son's upbringing and Chen Yuzhi was definitely not his father, it didn't occur to Jiang Yuelou for a moment to tell him not to interfere.

He had an unmistakable feeling that Chen Yuzhi was very good at judging what was right or wrong in this situation and that he should have talked to him about it before he had put into practice the ill-considered idea of locking his son in a prison cell for a night.

 "Jiang Yuelou, I know I don't really have the right to judge, but you and your son are very important to me and my sister, I think you realize that."

The policeman nodded and looked at Chen Yuzhi somewhat ruefully.

"I think that was too harsh. Couldn't you have talked to me about it beforehand? I thought we'd reached a point where you'd confide in me if something was bothering you that much."

"It was an impulsive decision."

"I couldn't keep my promise to him."

Jiang Yuelou looked at Chen Yuzhi puzzled.

"What promise?"

"The day you two visited me in the hospital, I promised him to talk to you about his punishment, so maybe it won't be quite so harsh."

"Do you really think it was? Too harsh."

"Can you remember what you were like when you were nine years old?"

Jiang Yuelou closed his eyes for a moment and tried to remember, but it wasn't easy for him.

"I don't know. It's not exactly easy to remember."

"Why don't you try to think of something from that time, remember something you experienced back then?"

Jiang Yuelou looked searchingly at the table in front of him before he seemed to have found something.

"What do you remember?"

"My mother, my biological mother. She's sitting in an armchair in the living room, embroidering. The gramophone is next to her and a light piano piece is playing. I'm sitting on the couch practicing a few characters I learned at school."

"Are you feeling comfortable?"

Jiang Yuelou nodded and had a slight smile on his lips that he didn't even notice.

"Tell me what you feel?"

"I feel safe and happy. There were often afternoons like that, especially when it was getting on towards winter, when it was too cold to play outside or sit in the garden. Those were the best times of my childhood, Chen Yuzhi."

"Now imagine if your father had punished you like that back then for something wrong you did. Put you in prison or done something else that would have taken away that sense of feeling safe, if only for one night."

Jiang Yuelou fell silent. He knew exactly what it felt like to lose those things, even if it was for completely different reasons which Chen Yuzhi didn't know yet.

''It's a terrible feeling, Chen Yuzhi. The worst thing that can happen to a child, even if it's just for a few hours."

"Did you talk to him about it afterwards? About how he feels?"

Jiang Yuelou shook his head.

"I didn't think it was necessary."

"So you don't know how much it bothered him in the days afterwards."

"No. He didn't seem like he needed to talk about it. ... Maybe ... Maybe I really am a bad father."

"Wait, no, Jiang Yuelou, don't say things like that. You're a great father. No one is perfect, we all make mistakes. The punishment was really very harsh and I think it would have been good if you had talked to him about the night in prison, but it's not too late for that. He is a wonderful child, Jiang Yuelou, because he has a wonderful father."

"I feel anything but wonderful right now," Jiang Yuelou muttered, feeling a little embarrassed by Chen Yuzhi's words.

"Then we should do something about it as soon as possible."

"What are you thinking about?"

"The first thing is to go over and get your son so the four of us can have dinner. We'll think about the next step later. I hope A-Ying hasn't eaten too much yet."

Jiang Yuelou once again had the irrepressible urge to kiss Chen Yuzhi, but that would have been even more inappropriate at this moment than in the hospital, so he held back from making any further advances.

After Chen Yuzhi had told his sister that they would be leaving the house for a few minutes, the two men went to the Jiangs' house. Upon entering, Jiang Yuelou for a second found that it was unusually quiet, but didn't think much of it, after all, he had sent his son to his room.

However, he was very surprised to find it empty when he opened the door. Perplexed, he looked at Chen Yuzhi, who was standing behind him.

"Where could he be if not in his room?"

"Maybe he's in the bathroom?"

"Possibly. Let's go and have a look."

In the bathroom, however, it was dark and there was no sound at all. Jiang Yuelou knocked and called for his son, but was not surprised when he got no answer. A very queasy feeling spread through his chest and he exchanged a worried glance with Chen Yuzhi before, following an unpleasant premonition, he went into the hallway where the shoe cupboard and wardrobe were located.

Now that he knew what to look for, he immediately noticed that his son's scarf and thick coat were missing. He hastily opened the shoe cupboard and there was a gap where his winter boots should be.

It became certain that his son had run away when the two of them went back into his room and neither his backpack nor his pillow were to be found and some of his clothes were missing, too.

With a shuddering sigh, Jiang Yuelou sat down on the bed and ran a hand through his hair.

He felt the mattress dip slightly as Chen Yuzhi sat down beside him and then his hand rested reassuringly on his shoulder.

"What are we going to do now, Chen Yuzhi?"

Chapter Text

Jiang Yuelou had an expression in his eyes that the young doctor had never seen before. Tears mingled with despair.

"Let's go outside and look for him. I'm sure he's not far away. You'll see, we'll find him in no time."

"He's really driving me to despair."

"Maybe that's exactly how he feels. Desperate and doesn't know what to do. I'm sure it was just a knee-jerk reaction. Maybe he'll come back home in the next few minutes because he's realized it was a stupid idea. We'll leave him a note on the table saying that we've gone to look for him and that he should go to A-Ying if he gets back here before us."

"Thank you, Yuzhi."

Jiang Yuelou hugged him, didn’t move for a few seconds, and it seemed like he was holding his breath. He didn't know exactly what he was thanking him for, but it was far more than what he had just said. Tears pricked the corners of his eyes, which did not escape Chen Yuzhi's notice.

"Come on, let's not waste any time. The sooner we find him, the sooner we can have dinner,'' Chen Yuzhi said as he first looked Jiang Yuelou in the eyes, took his hand and stood up.

Jiang Yuelou first looked up at Chen Yuzhi, then at their hands.

"We really need to talk, Yuzhi."

"Absolutely, but first we have to bring him home. Come on."

Chen Yuzhi tugged at his hand. His warm, encouraging smile was exactly what Jiang Yuelou needed right now.

Outside on the street, it was severely cold, they decided to search for Jiang Mingyue separately to increase their chances of finding him as soon as possible.

"We meet back here in an hour, whether we've found him or not, agreed?"

Chen Yuzhi nodded and looked at his wristwatch.

"Alright, in an hour. I'll let my sister know and then I’ll start searching."

"See you in a bit. I hope we find him."

"We will, Yuelou."

**

An hour later, a great disappointment and an even greater worry for Jiang Mingyue in their eyes, the two stood facing each other in front of the gate to the Jiangs' house.

"You didn't find him?" Jiang Yuelou asked, although it was obvious that Chen Yuzhi was alone.

The doctor shook his head and asked, "Have you been to the docks?"

This time, it was Jiang Yuelou who shook his head.

"Then let's look for him there together."

But Jiang Yuelou's son was nowhere to be found at the docks either. Chen Yuzhi knew that Jiang Yuelou wasn't ready to give up looking for him yet, he could see it in his eyes, so he suggested searching the side streets nearby and asking the street vendors and passers-by about the boy.

In one of the small alleys that branched off here and there from the main street, more than another hour had already passed, Jiang Yuelou suddenly stopped in mid-stride and lowered his gaze to the ground in front of him. Chen Yuzhi only realized a few seconds later that he was no longer beside him, turned around and took a few steps back.

Jiang Yuelou's whole body was trembling. The doctor put a hand on his shoulder to calm him down, but the other did not react. Only at second glance did he notice Jiang Yuelou's hands clenched into fists, so hard that the knuckles had turned white.

Chen Yuzhi lowered his hands and took Jiang Yuelou's. He could feel how much he was trembling.

"Yuelou," he said softly, trying to calm him down at least a little.

"We'll find him."

Jiang Yuelou didn't reply, but an even stronger shiver ran through his body. Then he lifted his head and looked Chen Yuzhi in the eyes. Tears ran down his cheeks. The sight of this strong, proud and stubborn man, so wounded, without any cover, stung his heart. He had to help him, by any means necessary.

"It's all my fault."

Jiang Yuelou's words were little more than a whimper.

"Oh no, Yuelou, don't go there."

"I was so angry with him. You could have died... Chen Yuzhi, if you..."

Jiang Yuelou felt so miserable and completely overwhelmed by all the feelings that just rolled over him. He had been angry at his son for putting another person and himself in mortal danger. He was in a complete panic because his son had run away because of it and he was standing here, almost confessing his feelings for Chen Yuzhi at the worst possible moment. Why did everything had to be like this?

Chen Yuzhi ignored the unfinished sentence, looked at Jiang Yuelou and smiled. The policeman‘s hands relaxed a little.

"Yuelou, I understand that you were angry with him."

"Let's go to the precinct. We're both exhausted. The other policemen will definitely be looking for him all night. That's all we can do right now. You need a rest, a few hours of sleep and then we can keep looking for him, if he hasn't been found by then. He's a tough little fellow. You'll see, everything will be fine."

Jiang Yuelou agreed. Even though he was reluctant to leave the search for his son to others, Chen Yuzhi was right. He was completely exhausted, not just physically.

After they had been to the police station and the news of Jiang Yuelou's son's disappearance had alarmed half the staff, one of the policemen drove them back to Shou Xi Road. Jiang Yuelou tried to cling to the small hope that his son had returned, but was once again greeted by an eerie silence in his home.

Chen Yuzhi suggested that he should go with him, but Jiang Yuelou didn't want to leave the house. He wanted to be here in case his son showed up. He had not yet given up hope that he would suddenly just be standing in the doorway. However, he could hardly bear the silence that fell immediately after Chen Yuzhi had left and after less than five minutes, feeling like he was going mad with worry and anxiety.

Fortunately, he didn't stay alone for long, because a quarter of an hour later there was a knock and the Chens were standing in front of his gate, carrying the dinner they had prepared earlier.

"Yuzhi, A-Ying, what…?"

"You completely forgot about dinner, Yuelou. You must be starving, at least I am. Now don't leave us standing outside the door."

"Oh… yes, come in."

In the kitchen, Chen Yuzhi and Chen Keying placed the food on the table and the latter immediately went in search of Xiao Bai.

"Thank you, Yuzhi. To be honest, I felt like I was going crazy, I could do with some company right now."

"I think it's better if we stay with you tonight. A-Ying could sleep in your son's room, if that's alright with you."

"And what about you?"

"Sofa."

"You? You want to sleep on the sofa?"

"Yes. Why not?"

Jiang Yuelou huffed in disbelief and almost a little indignant.

"First of all, you're much too tall."

"You slept on the chair in the hospital, that was even more uncomfortable than your sofa."

"That was something completely different," Jiang Yuelou slipped out unintentionally.

"In what way?"

"Well, because..." Jiang Yuelou struggled for believable words, because the reason why he would never accept Chen Yuzhi sleeping on the sofa and spending an uncomfortable night was something he couldn't tell him, not now.

"Because... because you're hurt. You can't sleep on the sofa."

"Do you have a better idea?"

"You'll sleep in my bed."

"And you on the sofa? You may be smaller than me, but you're still too tall to sleep comfortably on it."

"But I'm not injured, at least not as badly as you are. You're a doctor, you know I'm right."

"You're so terribly stubborn, Jiang Yuelou."

The stubborn man nodded, which brought a small smile to Chen Yuzhi's lips.

"But you're right. Still, it feels wrong to me that you're sleeping on the sofa and I'm sleeping in your bed."

"There's absolutely no reason for that, my dear. You're a guest here and you're hurt. What kind of host would I be if I let you sleep on the sofa?"

"Very well, I can't change your mind anyway."

"You can't, no."

"Then we've settled that and now I want something to eat. I wasn't joking when I said that I’m starving."

Having dinner with Chen Yuzhi calmed Jiang Yuelou down, and after Chen Keying had brushed her teeth and showered, she went to bed while the two men prepared the bedroom for Chen Yuzhi and brought bedding into the living room for Jiang Yuelou.

The policeman didn't feel ready to make an attempt to sleep yet, and Chen Yuzhi suggested that they talk for a while. When he asked if he had anything to drink in the house to calm his nerves, Jiang Yuelou replied in the affirmative, "A good West Phoenix," and two minutes later, a half-filled bottle and two cups of liquor were on the table in front of them.

"Everything will be fine, Yuelou," Chen Yuzhi said once more as their cups clinked.

"Everything will fine," Jiang Yuelou repeated, trying to believe it, but the worry about his son remained, especially as it was by now very late.

Usually, his son was already in bed and asleep at this time of night. Jiang Yuelou couldn't stop himself from wondering where he was, whether he was at least warm and not freezing somewhere outside in the cold.

Chen Yuzhi understood the state Jiang Yuelou was in, he himself was very worried about Jiang Mingyue, but he tried to give him support, to be a kind of rock in the surf of emotions that were threatening to overwhelm the other man.

He took the empty cup that Jiang Yuelou was still holding from him, snapping him out of his brooding and returning his gaze with as much confidence and assurance as he could muster. He hoped it was enough to support him.

Jiang Yuelou's desperate look told Chen Yuzhi quite clearly how much the other needed him right now and without thinking about it, he slid as close as he could to him on the sofa and put his arms around his shoulders so that he could hug him.

The policeman felt stiff in his arms for a second or two, but when he literally let himself fall against his chest, as if all strength had left his body. Chen Yuzhi wasn't surprised by the light, muffled sobs, but what surprised him a bit was how much he was touched because Jiang Yuelou was suffering.

He didn't know what he could say to calm him down. He felt it unnecessary to mention one more time that everything would be fine, so he kept silent, letting Jiang Yuelou run his hands over his back before the policeman hugged him so tightly that they were closer than they had ever been before.

Chen Yuzhi tried to keep the surging embarrassment at bay, for now other things were more important than thoughts of the things that could cause such embarrassment in the first place. Now was not the time for such things.

He hugged Jiang Yuelou tighter and began to run his hands over his back. He could literally feel how the policeman gradually relaxed and surrendered to his tender touch.

In the end, Chen Yuzhi couldn't say how long they sat so close together on the sofa. He almost felt a little dizzy when he opened his eyes and gradually returned to reality.

"Thank you, Yuzhi," Jiang Yuelou murmured softly.

"Thank you for being here."

"You know I'm always here for you if you need me," Chen Yuzhi replied, also very softly, on the verge of whispering.

"Why, Chen Yuzhi?"

The doctor let out a very light short laugh and hugged Jiang Yuelou a little tighter once again.

"You're important, you're important to me. If you need help, let it be my outstretched hand that you grasp. If you need a shoulder to lean on, it should be mine that you lean on. When you're cold, I want to be the one who warms you."

"I'm sure you don't realize how such words make me feel," Jiang Yuelou replied.

Chen Yuzhi released himself from the embrace but let his hands linger on Jiang Yuelou's upper arms, looked him in the eyes and smiled.

"Once Xiao Yue is back home safe and sound, we'll talk, okay?"

Jiang Yuelou returned Chen Yuzhi's gaze and nodded. Since the hospital, he had felt the urge to lean in and simply kiss him whenever they were close enough, and even now it would only have taken a small movement of his head to feel him on his lips, but the concern for his son pushed even such desires into the background.

"Another drink?" the doctor asked.

"Hm."

Chen Yuzhi filled the cups a second time.

"Two will do, but, after all, tomorrow is a working day."

"I think you should take some more days off. I'm sure your father will agree. This is an exceptional situation after all."

"You're right, Yuzhi. I'll call him as early as possible tomorrow if my son isn't back by then and tell him what happened. He'll then forbid me to come to work anyway."

"We'll take A-Ying to school and then we'll search the city. It's easier when it's light outside, maybe we'll find him."

The warm and comforting feeling of not being alone in this brought a small smile to Jiang Yuelou's lips.

They sat in the living room for quite a long time, eventually decided to have a third cup of West Phoenix and talked about all sorts of things. Jiang Yuelou told Chen Yuzhi about his childhood and even though the young doctor had already had an inkling that his more than best friend had gone through a difficult time, the reality brought tears to his eyes, which he furtively wiped away with a soft "Sorry".

It was no surprise that Jiang Yuelou made it clear to him that he certainly didn't have to apologize, and with a few anecdotes about his life after Yang Siqi and Bai Jinbo had taken him in, he managed to elicit the smile from Chen Yuzhi that he loved so much.

Well after two o'clock in the morning, Chen Yuzhi's eyes filled with tears again, but this time not out of sympathy for another sad story Jiang Yuelou had told, but out of simple tiredness. One yawn chased the other and it was hard for him to concentrate, which Jiang Yuelou also noticed.

"Go to sleep, Yuzhi."

"I have to admit that I can barely keep my eyes open, but is it okay for you if I leave you here alone?"

"I'm not alone."

The corners of Chen Yuzhi's mouth curled upwards in embarrassment before he got up from the sofa. Jiang Yuelou did the same and accompanied him to the bedroom. He wanted to stall the moment having to part with him for a few more minutes.

The door remained ajar after Chen Yuzhi entered the bedroom and Jiang Yuelou heard a soft rustling sound, followed by soft footsteps approaching the door. When it opened, the doctor was standing behind it, holding a small bag in which he kept his toothbrush and some other toiletries.

"Um..." he said, looking a little sheepish.

"I seem to have forgotten my toothpaste."

"No problem," Jiang Yuelou replied and started moving towards the bathroom, which he entered before Chen Yuzhi.

He took a tube of toothpaste from a cupboard hanging on the wall next to the large mirror above the washbasin and put it in Chen Yuzhi's hand.

"There's enough here."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"Good night, Yuelou."

"Good night, Yuzhi."

"I'll see you for breakfast then."

The word breakfast caused a small smile to flit across Jiang Yuelou's lips before he closed the door and walked back into the living room. He listened, but the sounds from the bathroom did not penetrate through the closed living room door. What he did hear was the bathroom door opening and Chen Yuzhi quietly walking into the bedroom.

When he heard the bedroom door close, Jiang Yuelou went into the bathroom. Since he still had the feeling that he couldn't sleep, and now that he was by himself, his thoughts were once again constantly preoccupied with the question of where his son was and whether he was alright, he decided to take a shower.

The hot water hitting his head actually made him a little tired, but after half an hour of lying down on the sofa he still hadn't slept a wink, so he pushed the blanket off with a quiet, dissatisfied sound on his lips and got up, went to the floor lamp and switched it on.

A warm, not too bright light spread through the living room and Jiang Yuelou walked towards the shelf where the photo album stood. With deliberate movements, he pulled it out and opened it. Looking at the photo on one of the first pages, the first one of him and his son together, he walked back to the sofa and sat down.

Tears filled his eyes as he gently stroked the picture with his fingers.

Where are you?

Chapter Text

Jiang Yuelou was the last to fall asleep that night and after almost three hours, the first to wake up. It was still dark outside and he initially thought that he had only dozed off for a moment, but a glance at his watch told him that it was already just before half past six.

The photo album lay open on the table. It showed the last photo that had found its way into it so far, only a few months old. That was after they had met the Chens and Jiang Yuelou suddenly decided that the next photo should be one that showed all four of them. When his son was back, he would take them all to the photographer.

It made his heart a little lighter when he realized how great the hope was that his son would soon be found and back home, and he was far from giving up on that.

After breakfast, the two men took Chen Keying, who had initially protested and would much rather have joined them in looking for Jiang Mingyue, to school and then made their way to the police station to talk to Bai Jinbo. Jiang Yuelou had already spoken to him on the phone early in the morning, but the commissioner still wanted to see them.

Jiang Yuelou reviewed last night and told his father everything he could remember. Bai Jinbo had already deployed a new search team in the morning to relieve the police officers who had been searching since last night.

"We'll find him, Yuelou," Bai Jinbo, placing a hand on his son’s, said after Jiang Yuelou had finished talking and looked at him a little helpless.

"Thank you Ba," Jiang Yuelou replied, and he was truly grateful for the confidence his father exuded.

"Our men are reliable, you know that, son, and you two," Bai Jinbo's gaze shifted to Chen Yuzhi, who was sitting next to Jiang Yuelou on the sofa, "will also do everything that’s possible, I know that."

Chen Yuzhi nodded with a determined expression on his face and turned his gaze to Jiang Yuelou. Jiang Yuelou was even more grateful for this than for his father's confidence, for the certainty that Chen Yuzhi would indeed do everything possible to find his son.

After the teacups had been emptied, Jiang Yuelou and Chen Yuzhi left the precinct and were on the streets until noon. They had a small lunch at a roadside stall on the other side of town and then continued their search until Chen Keying's last lesson had ended.

In the afternoon and also after dinner, they roamed the city again and only returned home when it had become too cold and both were on the verge of exhaustion. The police had also put together a small team to search for the boy, but they were just as unsuccessful as Jiang Yuelou and Chen Yuzhi.

The Chens stayed with Jiang Yuelou on the following days too, and after an extremely awkward and embarrassing conversation on the third evening, Jiang Yuelou no longer slept on the sofa, but next to Chen Yuzhi in his bed. He almost backed out on the first evening and fled to the living room even without bedding, because as much as he tried to convince himself that it was perfectly normal for two men to share a bed in this situation, it just didn’t feel like normal.

Chen Yuzhi's red cheeks and his shyness, which could not be overlooked under any circumstances, did not make it any easier for him to regard all this as even remotely normal and not as a reason for a heart rate well over 100. It took him a few minutes before he was able to relax enough to dare to lie down reasonably comfortably and it didn't escape his notice that the man next to him wasn't feeling any better.

"Are you sure you're okay, Yuzhi?"

"Of course."

"But you don't seem like it. I can go into the living room. I don't mind sleeping on the sofa."

"But I do. I'm just not used to sharing a bed with someone, but I'll get used to it.... I... I mean... if... if... not forever... you know."

Jiang Yuelou chuckled softly.

"I know what you mean, but maybe we can talk about it later... about the 'not forever'."

"Oh... I... I didn't mean it like that either."

"It's okay, Yuzhi. Just relax. Let's get some sleep."

"Okay, then sleep well, Yuelou."

"You too."

On the morning of the following day, Jiang Yuelou had driven Chen Yuzhi to the hospital for a check-up. The doctor was not at all pleased that Chen Yuzhi was obviously not resting enough, as the wounds were not healing as well as he had expected.

Chen Yuzhi's shock that he, a grown man and a doctor, had been scolded like a naughty schoolboy by another, admittedly much older, colleague, was clearly written all over his face, so he couldn't avoid Jiang Yuelou asking about what the doctor had said. What Chen Yuzhi had not expected was that Jiang Yuelou, after he had told him, immediately forbade him to accompany him on his daily search for his son.

A small dispute broke out at the breakfast table the next morning, which the policeman, stubborn as he was, decided in his favor. Chen Yuzhi had no choice but to give in.

He didn't like the idea of Jiang Yuelou wandering around the city alone looking for his son, but Jiang Yuelou refused to be swayed and kept pointing out that he urgently needed some rest. Jiang Yuelou was able to appease him by promising to come home for lunch and eat with him and his sister.

That evening, Jiang Yuelou went out again after dinner to look for his son and again he returned home discouraged. His hope had dwindled a little more with each passing day and that evening he was particularly restless. He even snapped at Chen Yuzhi's attempt to calm him down with words. For a moment, the doctor felt a little pang in his heart, but then he reminded himself not to be childish.

"I know what will help you," he said suddenly, leaving Jiang Yuelou standing in the kitchen with his bad mood without further explanation.

He hurried to 58 Shou Xi Road and came back a few minutes later with a small bag, one of those in which he kept various herbs. Jiang Yuelou had meanwhile sat down at the kitchen table and looked out of the window. He seemed a little calmer, but Chen Yuzhi still thought it would be a good idea if he drank some soothing tea.

He silently entered the kitchen, directed his gaze at Jiang Yuelou, who looked a bit like he was pouting and pretending to ignore him, grinned slightly at this and went to the kettle.

While he was busy preparing the tea, Jiang Yuelou turned his gaze away from the window and let it wander to Chen Yuzhi. His bad mood visibly evaporated as he watched the other man pour the hot water into a small pot in which he had previously placed some leaves and roots and then waited with a concentrated look at the clock until the leaves and roots had soaked sufficiently and distributed their active ingredients in the water.

Jiang Yuelou couldn't hide the smile that played around his lips quickly enough and so Chen Yuzhi caught a glimpse of it as he turned around with the large cup in his hand and responded with a brief, barely visible twitch of the corners of his mouth.

"Here, drink this," he asked Jiang Yuelou and placed the cup on the table in front of him.

"What is it?"

"Something that will calm you down."

"I am calm."

Chen Yuzhi looked at him with raised eyebrows and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"It certainly won't hurt," Jiang Yuelou muttered meekly and reached for the cup.

"Smells a bit funny," he remarked after lifting the cup and bringing it to his mouth.

"Now drink up."

It tasted a little funny too, but Jiang Yuelou stifled the remark.

"We should go to bed," Chen Yuzhi said after the policeman had emptied the cup.

"The tea works best if you lie down and get as much rest as possible, and it won't do us any harm if we don't go to sleep until after midnight at least for once."

Jiang Yuelou, who firstly knew that there was no point in arguing with the doctor right now anyway, and who needed Chen Yuzhi's closeness more than ever right now anyway, did not raise any objections.

**

A loud noise that slowly penetrated Jiang Yuelou's consciousness the next morning woke him up. Only after the third time did he realize that someone was knocking on the gate of his house with great force. His eyes popped open and the next moment he was sitting up in bed and a second later he had already put on his slippers.

The knocking repeated and he could hear someone calling his name. His steps quickened a little more. He recognized the voice. It was one of the younger police officers.

"Jiang-kezhang," the young man greeted him after Jiang Yuelou had opened the gate.

"What is it?" he asked, far too excited to bother greeting him.

"We've probably found him."

Jiang Yuelou blinked and stared at him for a second or two before he understood what the policeman had just told him.

"Come in," he replied, making some room for him to enter.

"What do you mean you've probably found him?"

"It's best if you come with me to the station, then my team leader can explain everything to you in detail."

"How is he? Is he injured?"

"We don't know that."

The young man noticed the uncertainty in Jiang Yuelou's gaze and tried to reassure him somewhat by saying that they didn't know much so far, weren't even entirely sure whether the boy who had been spotted on one of the ships due to leave for Shanghai in the next few hours was actually his son, but there was also no confirmation that the child was injured.

Chen Yuzhi, who had woken up when Jiang Yuelou had left the bedroom as if stung by a bee, heard the faint voices and waited until he could be sure that the visitor had left. It would certainly have led to a very strange situation if he had suddenly appeared in his pajamas and none of them needed that right now.

He was sitting on the edge of the bed when Jiang Yuelou returned to the bedroom and immediately jumped up and rushed to him.

"What's wrong? Did they find him?"

Jiang Yuelou looked at him but hesitated to answer.

"Maybe."

"What do you mean maybe?"

"A boy was taken onto a ship earlier, which is due to leave for Shanghai today. In three hours."

"Don't they know if it's Xiao Yue?"

"Not one hundred percent. One of the sailors had seen him and he had probably seen one of the pictures of Xiao Yue that had been distributed all over the city during a shore leave. But he wasn't entirely sure if it was him."

"You said 'taken onto a ship'. By whom?"

"That's all I know. I want to get to the station right away to get all the details."

"I'm coming with you."

"No, take care of A-Ying. You can come after you've taken her to school."

"Ok-"

"It's okay, you can go, Ge."

Both men turned their eyes to the bedroom door, where Chen Keying was standing in her nightgown, looking at them. The noise had also woken her up and when she had realized that it was almost time to get up anyway, she had refrained from closing her eyes again.

"A-Ying, why are you awake already?" came from Chen Yuzhi's lips.

"The knocking woke me up. Has Xiao Yue been found?"

"We don't know yet. They found a boy who is on a ship at the moment. It could be him."

"On a ship?" Chen Keying asked worriedly.

"What's he doing on a ship?"

"We really don't know much yet. It's best if you go to the bathroom now and I'll make you breakfast."

"That's alright, Ge. Go to the station with Yue-ge. I can make my own breakfast and go to school. I'm not a little kid anymore."

"No, A-Ying," Jiang Yuelou interjected, and there was no mistaking the tension in his voice.

"I won't let you go to school alone. If something happens to you too, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself. Your brother will stay here and take you to school and then he'll come to the station. Alright, Yuzhi?"

Jiang Yuelou had addressed the last sentence to Chen Yuzhi, who looked at him with a strange, intense gaze and only responded after a few seconds by nodding.

While Jiang Yuelou was already in a cab heading to the police station, the two Chens were sitting at his kitchen table eating breakfast. The mood was subdued, but at the same time there was hope that Jiang Mingyue would soon be sitting at the table with them again.

Chen Yuzhi was worried that he had apparently fallen into the hands of strangers and hoped that he was alright. The only reason he could think of for any strangers boarding a ship to Shanghai with Jiang Yuelou's son early in the morning scared him. If they were human traffickers, they certainly belonged to one of the criminal organizations operating in Jingcheng and other cities.

Some time ago, Jin Ma Tang had become the focus of police investigations and it seemed to be primarily about drug trafficking, arms smuggling and human trafficking. Chen Yuzhi sincerely hoped that he had not fallen into their hands.

After breakfast, he took his sister to school and then caught a rickshaw to the station. The cold wind whistled around his nose and only now did he realize that he had forgotten his gloves. Shivering, he wrapped his arms around his torso and pondered as the city center passed him by.

When he arrived at the station, he went to the reception desk to ask for Bai Jinbo, but the two policewomen on duty sent him straight to the commissioner's office after he had said his name. Jiang Yuelou had made sure that they knew the doctor would show up later and that he was let through to the commissioner immediately.

Bai Jinbo was sitting at his desk with the phone to his ear, talking to the harbor master to make sure under all circumstances that the ship was not allowed to leave. He signaled Chen Yuzhi to come in with a wave of his hand and ended the conversation after a few more sentences.

"Dr. Chen, good morning," Bai Jinbo greeted him and, in contrast to the serious and worried face he had worn during the phone call, now had a smile on his lips.

"Good morning, Commissioner," Chen Yuzhi replied somewhat stiffly.

This was the first time he had been alone with the Commissioner like this. It wasn't the first time he'd been alone with him, but the other times the older man had been a patient in his clinic, that had been something completely different.

Now it was about something much more personal, something that concerned his family and that Chen Yuzhi had become a part of in a way he couldn't quite put into words.

"Come on, sit down. I'm sure you want to know what we've already found out."

"Yes, but... isn't this a police investigation? Am I even allowed to know anything about it?"

"Usually not, but this is different. You are a close friend of my son, almost like family, I would say, judging by the way my son and grandson talk about you."

Chen Yuzhi blushed and cleared his throat in embarrassment.

"Besides, my son told me to tell you everything before he left for the harbor. He should have arrived there by now," Bai Jinbo paused for a moment before taking the report on the desk and asking Chen Yuzhi to sit down on one of the sofas.

Bai Jinbo poured Chen Yuzhi a cup of tea before explaining to him exactly what they had already found out.

Early that morning, a sailor had let two men and a boy Jiang Mingyue's age onto the ship after checking their tickets. The boy was asleep and one of the men carried him in his arms. He looked unharmed and he had not noticed anything else unusual. He added that he thought they were relatives because the two men looked like brothers or cousins, but he had not been able to see the boy's face clearly.

"Somehow I hope it's Xiao Yue and somehow I hope it’s not him,“ Chen Yuzhi slipped out and looked at Bai Jinbo, slightly startled.

"It's okay boy, I know what you mean. It's good to have perhaps found a sign of him, but who knows what sinister men it were that seem to have kidnapped him."

Bai Jinbo looked at Chen Yuzhi seriously.

"My son trusts you, Dr. Chen, more than anyone else and he needs you, now more than ever. Promise me that you will stand by him, no matter what happens."

"I promise, Commissioner, and I haven't given up hope that everything will turn out well."

The corners of Bai Jinbo's mouth turned up in a slight smile.

"That's what he needs now. Go and see him, Dr. Chen. A car is already waiting for you downstairs to take you to the port by the quickest route."

"Thank you, Commissioner."

"Not for that, Dr. Chen, it's my family after all. I must thank you for taking such devoted care of them."

"That goes without saying, and Yuelou and Mingyue look after me and my sister just as much. They have taken an important place in our lives and I will do everything I can to ensure that Xiao Yue returns home safe and sound."

"That reassures me a little, Dr. Chen."

Chen Yuzhi smiled and then followed Bai Jinbo to the car parked right outside the main entrance of the precinct, already waiting for the doctor. He pushed back the curtain in front of the window at the back of the car and waved to the Commissioner, who was standing a few steps away from the car, before the car started to move.

The drive to the harbor, during which Chen Yuzhi tried to imagine what would await him there, did not take long. The car stopped some distance from the dock to avoid anyone who shouldn’t notice seeing the official car or even the doctor.

Nobody knew who the men the boy was with were. Nobody had even the slightest information about how much the men knew about Jiang Mingyue's family and the Chens. If one of them had recognized Chen Yuzhi and the boy was indeed Jiang Yuelou's son, his presence could potentially put his life in danger. Any risk, whether the boy was Jiang Mingyue or not, had to be avoided.

Chen Yuzhi looked around and spotted the hiding place where Jiang Yuelou and the other policemen were supposed to be and quickly walked the few meters from the car.

He cautiously entered the building and everything went dark for a moment until his eyes adjusted to the shadowy surroundings inside. He could hear faint voices coming from a room whose windows faced the harbor, right towards the ship where the boy and the potential kidnappers were supposed to be staying. Chen Yuzhi headed for the door and opened it, but before he could enter, Jiang Yuelou, who had heard the soft noises Chen Yuzhi had made, came up to him.

Without giving the slightest thought to the fact that they weren't alone right now, Jiang Yuelou hugged him. Chen Yuzhi could clearly feel the worry that was stirring his insides and placed a hand on his back, hoping to calm him down a little.

"Have you found out anything yet?" the doctor asked after Jiang Yuelou had finished the embrace.

"Not much. Two of our men have just gone on board disguised as passengers to scout the ship. They should be back in twenty minutes at the latest to give an initial report on the situation."

They stood close to each other and talked quietly. The intimacy was hard to miss and it seemed as if it had grown over the last few days. One of the policemen watched them somewhat skeptically, but then turned back to his actual task of observing the ship.

Chen Yuzhi accompanied Jiang Yuelou to one of the windows and asked him to explain the little they had already found out. It wasn’t a lot, rather a bit of peripheral information that was not directly useless, but not really helpful in the search either.

The time until the return of the two disguised officers dragged on like tar sticking to the soles of shoes on a hot summer's day. Chen Yuzhi felt a slight jolt go through Jiang Yuelou's body when he saw one of them on the jetty.

The doctor placed a hand on his forearm, which immediately had a calming effect on Jiang Yuelou. The two looked at each other for a few seconds and it almost seemed as if they were talking to each other without a word passing their lips. A slight, encouraging smile flitted across Chen Yuzhi's lips.

"Thank you," Jiang Yuelou's lips formed, and although no sound could be heard, Chen Yuzhi understood and squeezed his arm ever so lightly, as if to reassure him that he was there for him if he needed him.

The door to the house that served as the police team's hiding place opened and the two men entered one after the other. The taller of them headed straight for Jiang Yuelou. He had an indefinable look in his eyes.

"What is it? What did you find out?" Jiang Yuelou asked, having to make an effort not to raise his voice too much and possibly draw attention to himself.

"The boy on the ship is your son, Jiang-kezhang."

Chen Yuzhi jerked his gaze to the policeman, stood up and hurried to Jiang Yuelou.

"Are you completely sure?"

Jiang Yuelou sounded calm, only Chen Yuzhi recognized the very slight tremor in his voice and knew how tense and nervous he was right now.

The policeman nodded at the question and took out the photo that Jiang Yuelou had given him earlier.

"I'm absolutely sure it was him and I would have recognized him immediately even without the photo. I've seen him around the station a few times and, well, it’s obvious he's your son."

"Okay, let's make a plan now."

Jiang Yuelou had turned around and looked at the other men in the room.

Chapter Text

"One thing is for sure," Jin Dacheng, an officer of the same rank as Jiang Yuelou, interjected.

All eyes were on him, which the policeman enjoyed a little and which every officer in the room knew full well. He paused a little too long, and if the matter hadn't been so serious and Jin Dacheng hadn't been such a good cop despite his character flaws, Jiang Yuelou would probably have rolled his eyes and thrown some borderline rude words at him.

"Neither of you two," Jin Dacheng pointed alternately at Jiang Yuelou and Chen Yuzhi, "are coming with us, not even near the ship. I bet the kidnappers at least know who the boy's father is, and maybe they know you too, Chen-yisheng."

Chen Yuzhi immediately realized that Jin Dacheng was right, but he also clearly sensed the restlessness in Jiang Yuelou and when he opened his mouth to say something, the doctor knew very well that he wanted to protest.

"I will definitely not-"

"Jin-kezhang is right, Jiang Yuelou," Chen Yuzhi interrupted him.

"But..."

"No buts. Let the men do their job. You know you can trust them."

"Listen to Chen-yisheng, Jiang-kezhang. I will personally see to it that your son comes back safe and sound," Jin Dacheng added with a nod.

Without waiting for a reply from Jiang Yuelou, he signaled a total of five men to follow him. They were all wearing civilian clothes so as not to attract attention on the way to the ship. Jin Dacheng and three officers went straight to the bridge to talk to the captain, while the other two were to take up positions somewhere near the cabin where Jiang Mingyue was held captive.

After Jin Dacheng had shown the captain his badge and explained everything to him, he sent two of his men to the chef to disguise themselves as two kitchen helpers. One of the sailors accompanied them to explain the situation to the chef.

Jin Dacheng and the officer who had stayed with him were led by one of the sailors to a kind of reception desk, where they were given a key to one of the cabins not far from the one where the boy was kept.

On the stairs leading to the corridor where their destination was located, they were met by two men who perfectly matched the description of the kidnappers. Of the two policemen who had been the first to scout the ship, one was at Jin Dacheng's side. He looked at him and his slight nod of acknowledgement was enough to signal that they had found their targets.

When he could be sure that the men were out of sight and earshot, he sent the two officers who he had sent down here first, after them.

"But be careful," he warned them in a whisper, even though it wasn't really necessary, but he preferred caution.

He and the officer at his side made their way to the cabin to which they had been given the key, but before they entered it, he paused.

"The boy should be alone in the cabin now, shouldn't he?"

"Probably yes, Jin-kezhang."

"We could break down the door and get him out, right now."

"That’s probably not that easy. Take a look at the doors."

The man knocked lightly on the door of the cabin. Metal.

"Hm, that's right. They're not as easy to break open as wooden doors and I don't have any tools with me to pick the lock, which in hindsight is pretty imprudent. Okay, let's go into the cabin and make a plan. We still have some time before the ship is due to sail. Maybe we can get this sorted before then."

**

The moment Jin Dacheng entered the cabin, Jiang Yuelou was pacing back and forth restlessly in the hideout, repeatedly turning his gaze to the ship, only to find that it only made him more restless.

Chen Yuzhi watched him anxiously, but didn't really know how to calm him down. Just as he was about to get up and go to him, Jiang Yuelou's eyes widened and he ran to the window, apparently having completely forgotten that he was not supposed to be seen.

"Yue-"

"I can see him, Yuzhi."

"What?" Chen Yuzhi asked in disbelief, following Jiang Yuelou.

He too was wide-eyed when he saw the open porthole from which unmistakably Jiang Mingyue was looking out. The boy's gaze turned briefly to the inside of the cabin and then he seemed to have climbed onto something, because now his entire upper body appeared in the window.

He looked out again, and suddenly a wave caught the ship and caused it to rock noticeably, not very much, but enough for Jiang Mingyue to lose his footing and balance and topple out of the window.

"I have to get him," Jiang Yuelou exclaimed and stormed out of the house, heading straight for the edge of the dock.

Chen Yuzhi hurried after him after a moment of shock. Jiang Yuelou was already a few meters away, heading for the railing of a ladder embedded in the concrete that led to the surface of the water. He looked down and, having failed to find what he was looking for, let his gaze wander to the right and left.

The ladders had been placed at regular intervals and a small boat was tied to the next but one. Without paying attention to his surroundings, he ran towards the ladder and climbed down.

"Wait for me, Yuelou," Chen Yuzhi, who had just reached the top of the ladder, shouted.

Surprised, Jiang Yuelou looked up, but then shook his head.

"Stay on land. If anything happens, you can get help immediately," he called out to him.

"Are you sure you can do this on your own?"

Jiang Yuelou smiled and nodded.

"Then be careful."

"I promise, Yuzhi."

Jiang Yuelou picked up the paddle, turned his gaze to the ship and rowed off. His thick coat was not the most suitable piece of clothing in this situation, as it hindered his movements and he became quite warm after a short time, drops of sweat forming in his forehead, despite the frosty temperatures. Clenching his teeth, he put all the strength he could muster into the movements of his arms.

Fortunately, he reached the ship before his son, who was still clinging to the window frame, lost his strength. Falling from this height was unpleasant but not necessarily life-threatening, especially since Jiang Mingyue was quite a good swimmer, but still, the dark water several meters below seemed threatening and the boy knew how cold it was.

"Xiao Yue," Jiang Yuelou called out to him.

Jiang Mingyue looked at him in surprise.

"Ba," he called out.

"Mingyue. Hold on for a few more seconds. I'll be with you in a moment."

"Ba. I'm scared."

"Look at me."

The boy's eyes searched for his father and his gaze locked onto his face when he saw him.

"I'm right below you, see?"

Jiang Mingyue nodded.

"Do you trust me?"

Jiang Mingyue nodded again.

"If you let go, I'll catch you."

Fortunately for them, the waves were not particularly strong and Jiang Yuelou was confident that he would be able to catch his son if he fell. He was aware that this plan carried a certain amount of risk, but firstly, his son could swim and if the worst came to the worst, he could pull him out of the water immediately and secondly, he could not risk the kidnappers coming back and realizing that he had climbed out of the window. Jiang Yuelou had no idea what would happen if the two men realized that his son was trying to escape.

"Let go Xiao Yue, I'll catch you, I promise. On the count of three, ok?"

"Okay."

"Let's count together."

The boy nodded again.

"One."

"Two."

"Three."

Without hesitation, Jiang Mingyue let himself fall. He had closed his eyes and tried to prepare himself for the worst-case scenario of landing in cold water.

He felt the warmth all the more intensely when his father's arms caught him.

"Xiao Yue," Jiang Yuelou gasped softly and hugged his son tightly, feeling like he would never be able to let go.

"Ba," the boy replied, sobbing into his father's clothes.

Jiang Yuelou couldn't stop the relieved tears and for a few seconds he felt completely overwhelmed. He had closed his eyes and so he did not notice the man looking out of the porthole and the gun he had pointed at them.

The slight rocking of the small boat was their luck, because the shot the man fired missed them, if only by a hair's breadth. Shocked, Jiang Yuelou looked up and recognized the man's face. He immediately noticed the resemblance to his son, but he could not pursue his train of thought any further, because the man pulled the trigger again and fired a second time.

Jiang Yuelou reacted immediately and wrapped his whole body around his son. A sharp pain shot through his left shoulder and he mentally prepared himself for the man to shoot a third time, but fortunately it didn't happen.

"Have you gone mad? You can't shoot at them. What if you hit the boy? Father would kill you," Jiang Yuelou could hear quietly from the window a few meters above him.

A second man, who looked unmistakably like the first, had come up and snatched the gun from the first man's hand and slapped him across the face.

"Da-ge..." the shooter moaned.

Jiang Yuelou could not follow what happened next. He saw both men flinch and disappear out of the window shortly afterwards. He took a deep breath and released the embrace in which he was still holding his son, who was whimpering softly.

"Ba," Jiang Mingyue sobbed, looking at his father with tear-filled eyes.

"It's okay, they're gone."

He looked at his son and gently stroked his tear-streaked cheek.

"Everything’s fine now, Xiao Yue."

"Ba," came from the boy's lips again and he wanted to hug his father once more, but the soft hiss from his father's mouth made him freeze and then he saw the blood dripping from the left sleeve of his coat.

"Baaa, you're hurt," Jiang Mingyue wailed, momentarily overcome by fear and panic.

"Yuelou," Chen Yuzhi's voice, which sounded only slightly less panicked, could be heard from the docks a few meters away.

Jiang Yuelou waved to him briefly, hoping to convince him that everything wasn't that bad, before turning back to his son.

"Xiao Yue, everything's okay. It's not as bad as it looks. I know all about getting shot, you know that."

Jiang Mingyue sniffled and looked at his father.

"Really?"

Jiang Yuelou smiled.

"Really."

Only now did Jiang Yuelou fully realize that his son wasn't wearing a coat. The slight quivering of his lips told him that he must be quite cold.

"Here, put on my coat," Jiang Yuelou said, trying to take off his coat but not succeeding due to the pain caused by the gunshot wound.

"It's fine, Ba. I'm old enough. I don't mind a little chill."

A small wave of pride ran through Jiang Yuelou and then he took the paddle to row to the docks, but he found it difficult to use it with only one hand.

"I'll do it, Ba," Jiang Mingyue said, taking the paddle from his hand.

It was obvious how exhausting it was for the boy, but it was just as obvious that he wanted to do this, was convinced that he had to do it. He had to show his father that he could take responsibility, that he could rely on him.

Jiang Yuelou looked back at the porthole, but it had been closed in the meantime. The danger seemed to have been averted, so he let his son steer the small boat to the nearest ladder.

Chen Yuzhi threw Jiang Yuelou a rope when they were only about a meter away. The policeman held it tightly in his right hand and Chen Yuzhi began to pull them towards the dock.

Jiang Mingyue put the paddle aside and now also grabbed the rope to support his father. The urge to prove himself even went so far as to insist that his father leave the small boat first, but Jiang Yuelou vehemently refused.

Father and son were so stubborn that only Chen Yuzhi's rebuking remark that now was really not the place or the time for such a discussion got them to end it. In the end, Jiang Mingyue conceded defeat and climbed up the ladder first.

Jiang Yuelou followed him, but had some difficulty climbing up the ladder with only one hand. Chen Yuzhi helped him up the last rungs by holding out his hand and supporting him.

Jiang Mingyue looked anxiously from one man to the other and was relieved when his father finally stood with both feet on solid ground and simply sank into Chen Yuzhi's arms for a few seconds.

"Come here," Jiang Yuelou urged his son, squatting down and gesturing with his right arm when he had gained enough strength.

The boy took a few steps towards him and threw his arms around his neck. Jiang Yuelou stroked his back with the hand of his unwounded arm and waited until his son ended the embrace.

He looked him up and down attentively.

"Everything's fine, you aren't hurt?"

"No, Ba," Jiang Mingyue replied, shaking his head.

"I'm so glad you're back," Jiang Yuelou said quietly.

He looked at his son, stroked his cheek and stood up, or at least he tried to, but a moderate dizziness caused him to lose his balance for a moment. Chen Yuzhi did not miss the swaying and he quickly put his arm around the policeman's waist to prevent him from falling.

"You should sit down."

A commotion at the edge of their field of vision caught the attention of the three.

Jin Dacheng, followed by his men who were dragging the two kidnappers along in handcuffs, approached them at a brisk pace.

"Jiujiu," came softly from Jiang Mingyue's lips.

"What did you say?" Jiang Yuelou asked

Because there was nothing nearby to sit on, he leaned somewhat weakly against Chen Yuzhi, whose arm was wrapped around his shoulder to support him.

"Jiujiu?" Chen Yuzhi asked, his voice filled with realization as to the meaning of the word.

"They're Ma's brothers," Jiang Mingyue said, looking at the two men.

"Hence the resemblance," Jiang Yuelou murmured, and Chen Yuzhi also noticed at that moment that the men, especially the younger one, and the boy looked so similar that it was hard to deny their kinship.

The two men had their eyes fixed on Jiang Mingyue, everything else around them seemed to be of no interest at the moment. Jiang Yuelou looked at them attentively. They didn't exactly look happy, which wasn't surprising under the circumstances, but he had to admit that they didn't look like felons either.

"Jiang Yuelou," Jin Dacheng called out to him before he had even reached them.

"Damn," he cursed when he saw the blood dripping down Jiang Yuelou's left hand.

"You two," Jin Dacheng spoke after turning to his men and pointing at two of them, "get the car. We have to take him to the hospital immediately."

"Nonsense, I don't have to-"

"Jiang Yuelou," Chen Yuzhi grumbled beside him, causing Jiang Yuelou to wince ever so slightly and grin visibly embarrassed the next moment.

"Maybe it's not such a bad idea."

Jin Dacheng and Chen Yuzhi took Jiang Yuelou to the car, which had been parked a few meters away by now, and sat him into the back seat. Jin Dacheng took the passenger seat and wanted to instruct the driver to drive to the hospital immediately, but Jiang Yuelou held him back.

"Let my son and Chen Yuzhi go with us."

Chen Yuzhi, who was standing next to the open car door, looked inside and shook his head.

"If both of us sit in the back seat with you, it will be far too cramped. I don't want to risk making your injury any worse. You go ahead, Xiao Yue and I will follow."

"Are you sure?"

Chen Yuzhi nodded.

"I'll go home with him. Then he can take a quick shower and put on some fresh clothes," the doctor said, smiling at him and closing the door.

He and Jiang Mingyue looked after the car when it left shortly after.

The boy had stood next to him in silence, watching the two men, his uncles, as they were taken into the second police car. An icy shiver had run down his spine as he had thought that the two of them would certainly be taken to one of those awful prison cells in the basement of the police station.

Now that everyone had gone, things had calmed down. Jiang Mingyue looked up at Chen Yuzhi and grabbed his hand. He needed this right now, the safety this little touch gave him.

Chen Yuzhi looked at him in surprise and smiled before squatting down in front of him and examining him carefully.

"Are you alright, Xiao Yue?"

Jiang Mingyue nodded.

"That was pretty thrilling, wasn't it?"

The boy exhaled audibly.

"You can say that again, Chen-shushu."

"The most important is that you're fine and your ba will definitely recover from the injury quickly."

"I'm sure he will. It's not the first time he's been shot."

Chen Yuzhi let out a surprised, "Oh," before standing up and taking off his coat to hand it to Jiang Mingyue. However, the garment was way too big, so it dragged on the ground, but that didn't stop Chen Yuzhi from grinning briefly. Jiang Mingyue looked damn cute in that oversized coat.

"Come here, I'll carry you."

Chen Yuzhi had crouched down in front of the boy and was now asking him to climb onto his back. Jiang Mingyue wanted to refuse and give him back his coat, but the doctor could be almost as stubborn as his father and wouldn't let up until he gave in.

As soon as he sat on Chen Yuzhi's back, he snuggled up to him and closed his eyes for a moment. Finally, at this very moment, he felt safer and more secure than he had for days.

A cab to take them to Shou Xi Road was quickly found here at the harbor, and while Jiang Mingyue took a shower, Chen Yuzhi prepared tea for him and himself. Something a little soothing and that strengthened the immune system. They had both been exposed to the cold today without sufficient clothing, so the doctor thought it best to take some precautions.

About an hour later, they entered the municipal hospital. Jiang Mingyue had grabbed Chen Yuzhi's hand as if it was the most natural thing in the world, eliciting a smile from the young doctor, which he was still wearing when they reached the emergency room.

Jiang Yuelou was still being treated. Although surgery was not necessary as it was only a graze, the wound was very deep and needed stitches. Jiang Mingyue and Chen Yuzhi had no choice but to wait, so they took a seat in the waiting area.

A nurse came and assured them that the policeman was doing well under the circumstances and that his treatment would soon be over.

"I'll be glad when we're finally all back home," Chen Yuzhi said when the nurse had left.

"Me too, Chen-shushu."

"We were terribly worried when you suddenly disappeared, Xiao Yue."

Jiang Mingyue was silent for a few seconds and looked at the floor.

"I'm sorry, Chen-shushu, that I caused you and Ba so much trouble."

"It's okay, you don't have to apologize. I think I can understand a bit how awful you felt that night and why you ran away."

"Did Ba tell you what happened that evening?"

Chen Yuzhi nodded.

"It was stupid of me not to listen to Ba."

"Do you know why you did it?"

Jiang Mingyue looked into the room and it was obvious that he didn't really know the answer to this question himself.

"I was a little hungry and I just couldn't stop thinking about the snacks. I knew I shouldn't, but... I don't know. I didn't think Ba would notice if I grabbed a handful of the nuts."

"I think you both made a mistake, but that's okay, everyone makes mistakes. Your Ba just as much as you or me or A-Ying. I promise you that your father won't be angry with you anymore. We talked a lot. He also told me that he locked you up in prison for a night."

"That was terrible, Chen-shushu," Jiang Mingyue replied quietly.

"I think he was a bit too strict with you and I told him so. I'm very sure he understood that the punishment was too harsh. It was a hard time for him and he overreacted, but he knows that now."

"I know why he was so angry with me."

"Yes?"

"Mn."

"Do you want to tell me?"

"He was scared."

"Scared?"

"For you and for me and he was angry because you were hurt so badly. He told me that you are very important to him."

"He did?"

"Yes, he-"

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of a wheelchair stopping right in front of them.

Jiang Yuelou looked a little worse for wear, which, as the nurse who had pushed the wheelchair explained, was due to the local but relatively strong anesthetic the doctor had used.

"Chen-yisheng, Dr. Qiu already told him, but he wouldn't listen. He should stay in hospital for at least another day."

"Nonsense," Jiang Yuelou interjected, sounding a bit like he was drunk.

"I have my doctor at home, I don't need anyone else."

The nurse found it hard to stifle a grin.

"I guess that means you, Chen-yisheng."

Chen Yuzhi, whose cheeks had acquired a slight pink flush, looked first at the nurse and then at the policeman, who returned his gaze, smiling a little absently.

"I can take him to a hospital room if you, as his doctor, instruct me to."

"What? Oh... no, it's alright, that's not necessary. I'll take care of him at home."

"You see, nurse? I'm very well looked after."

"Alright, but on your own responsibility," the nurse replied.

"Can he walk?"

"If you support him a little, he'll be fine. Just think of it as if he's had a few too many cups of rice wine."

"What about his injury? Can I take care of it at home?"

"As a doctor, you certainly can. The bandage needs to be changed regularly and the wound needs to be kept dry and clean. And he mustn't put too much strain on the arm for the time being."

"Routine, actually. We can manage that, Xiao Yue, can't we?"

Jiang Mingyue, whose gaze wandered from his father to Chen Yuzhi, nodded.

"Great, then I'll leave him in your care now. It's best if you push him in the wheelchair to the entrance, then it'll be easier. Just leave the wheelchair at the door, someone will take care of it."

"Alright, Nurse, and thank you for everything."

"Nothing to thank me for, Chen-yisheng. Here's the examination report."

She pressed a few pages of paper into Chen Yuzhi's hand, bidding him and Jiang Mingyue goodbye and left the three of them.

Jiang Mingyue carefully approached his father, who smiled at him and ruffled his hair a little with erratic movements.

"I'm glad you're back with me, son."

"I'm glad nothing worse has happened to you, Ba."

"Let's just go home," Chen Yuzhi remarked, which met with both Jiangs' complete approval.

The three of them, Chen Yuzhi pushing the wheelchair in front of him, Jiang Mingyue walking alongside and holding his father's hand, headed straight for the exit. Each of them just wanted to get home and rest as quickly as possible.

Chapter Text

The cab ride, though not turbulent, was anything but calm.

The anesthetic actually had an effect on Jiang Yuelou that reminded Chen Yuzhi of a half-drunk. He didn't slur his words, but he had such a stupid - Chen Yuzhi immediately apologized to him in his mind - smile on his lips the whole time, and he insisted that all three of them sit in the back seat. This time, he didn't let Chen Yuzhi change his mind and refused to get into the cab until Chen Yuzhi gave in.

To avoid the risk of Jiang Yuelou's wound being affected by a jolt during the ride, Chen Yuzhi thought it best that Jiang Mingyue sat on his left and himself on his right.

"Between my favorite men," Jiang Yuelou announced with a grin as they sat in the car, patting both of them on the thighs a few times.

The cab driver gave Chen Yuzhi a skeptical look in the rear-view mirror, but refrained from making any comments, for which the doctor was extremely grateful.

Jiang Mingyue felt a little torn. Since he was back with his father, he felt more than happy, because it was obvious that he had finally forgiven him completely, but the way he tousled his hair, grinned at him and kept repeating how glad he was that he was back was just embarrassing for the nine-year-old

"Ba," he said quietly, taking his hand, which Jiang Yuelou wanted to run through his hair for the umpteenth time.

"When the effects of the anaesthetic wear off, he'll behave normally again," Chen Yuzhi explained.

"I am normal," Jiang Yuelou protested.

"I hope it wears off soon," Jiang Mingyue muttered, squeezing his father's hand lightly. No matter how embarrassingly he was acting at the moment, the feeling of being able to hold his hand was great.

The cab driver maneuvered through the narrow streets and brought them right to the front door. Chen Yuzhi paid, even though Jiang Yuelou wanted to protest again and rummaged awkwardly through the pockets of his coat and jacket, but couldn't find his wallet quickly enough.

The doctor just silently accepted the change, got out and waited until Jiang Yuelou and his son had also left the car. The policeman was already a lot more stable on his two feet than he had been in the hospital, so it was enough to use Chen Yuzhi’s arm to support himself.

Jiang Mingyue took the front door key from his father's coat pocket and opened the gate, waited until the two men had gone through and locked it behind them. Chen Yuzhi led Jiang Yuelou into the living room, made him sit down on the sofa and took off his coat before removing his own street clothes and slipping into a pair of slippers. Jiang Mingyue had already brought his father's pair of slippers into the living room.

After leaving the room to put his father's boots in the shoe rack, Chen Yuzhi stopped him in the hallway.

"I think it's best if we tuck your father into bed and then we'll both have something to eat, what do you think?"

"Ba must be hungry too."

"I'll ask him. Here," Chen Yuzhi pressed some banknotes into the boy's hand.

"Get three portions of wontons from Aunt Luo. When A-Ying gets out of school, we'll have a proper lunch, but for now, the wontons will do."

Jiang Mingyue put the money in his pocket and made his way to the wonton stand.

"Put on your coat, Xiao Yue," Chen Yuzhi called after him just in time before he left the house.

Jiang Mingyue, who was about to open the gate, immediately turned around and picked up his coat. There was something in the Jiangs' genes that often made it impossible for them not to listen to Chen Yuzhi. This applied equally to father and son.

Exactly eight minutes later, there were three bowls of wontons on the kitchen table. Jiang Yuelou was no longer acting like he was drunk, but had become calm and looked rather tired.

Chen Yuzhi and Jiang Mingyue both kept a watchful eye on the policeman as they sipped their wontons.

"After dinner, you go to bed, Jiang Yuelou."

"I will Chen-yisheng."

Chen Yuzhi raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"No back talk?"

"I'm tired and I just need some rest, you don't need to convince me that bed is just the thing right now."

"That's very insightful of you. When you're asleep, I'll pick up A-Ying from school and then we'll have a more decent meal.

"You can let me sleep. I definitely need more than just half an hour or three quarters of an hour's sleep. The anesthetic is really sapping my strength."

"Alright. If you're asleep, I won't wake you."

Then Chen Yuzhi turned to Jiang Mingyue.

"Do you want to come with me, Xiao Yue?"

Jiang Mingyue shook his head.

"I can prepare some food for lunch and look after Ba until you get back."

"Good idea, but you just chop some vegetables and get the rice ready, we'll take care of the rest together later."

"Understood, Chen-shushu."

"Be careful with the knife, will you? I don't want you to hurt yourself."

"Mn," Jiang Mingyue replied and nodded.

Chen Yuzhi took Jiang Yuelou to the bedroom, said goodbye to Jiang Mingyue and left for school.

After about fifteen minutes, Jiang Mingyue had cut the vegetables, washed the rice and put the food in a pot and pan on the stove. He estimated that Chen Yuzhi and Chen Keying wouldn't be back for another twenty to thirty minutes.

He quietly walked to his father's bedroom and opened the door. He was asleep and did not wake up when his son approached the bed, carefully climbed in and slipped under his covers.

Jiang Yuelou woke up for a few seconds, which he would not be able to remember later, when his son cuddled up to him. He put an arm around the boy and pulled him a little closer.

"Sorry, Ba," Jiang Mingyue said softly, but his father had already fallen asleep again.

Chen Yuzhi found the two of them sleeping arm in arm a little later and decided not to wake them, but he found father and son sleeping so adorable that he fetched his camera and took a photo of them. He would give it to them as a gift when the time was right, perhaps when they went on that winter vacation he and Jiang Yuelou had talked about.

As he sat at the kitchen table eating lunch with his sister shortly afterwards, he mentioned that they would probably both be returning to their own home tonight, now that Jiang Mingyue was back home.

"But we'll still have dinner together, won't we?" Chen Keying asked between bites.

"Maybe Jiang Yuelou wants to spend some time alone with his son today."

"Hmm, that could be the case."

"Let's pack our things, at least the ones that aren't in the bedroom, and take them home."

"Okay, Ge."

At some point, while the Chens were still busy stowing their belongings in the two travel bags that Chen Yuzhi had unceremoniously fetched from 58 Shou Xi Road, Jiang Yuelou woke up. He had slept for about two hours.

Even before he opened his eyes, he noticed that it was unusually warm and then he realized that he was not alone. He opened his eyes and saw a mop of black hair that he knew all too well. An affectionate smile played around his lips and he stroked his son's cheek, but his face briefly grimaced because he had forgotten about the injury and had moved his arm carelessly.

He kissed his hairline tenderly before quietly saying his name.

"Mingyue."

No response.

"Hey, Son," he said a little louder and stroked his cheek again.

The boy moved and a soft sound escaped his lips, making Jiang Yuelou smile.

"Wake up."

Jiang Mingyue, who had actually woken up now, wrapped his arms around his father a little tighter and murmured, "Not yet, Ba."

Jiang Yuelou moved his right arm a bit to have a little more room to move and gently stroked his son's back.

"The Chens are probably still here, waiting for us."

"Okay, in a moment... two more minutes."

Jiang Yuelou gave his son those two minutes, or actually five, but then he couldn't be stopped from getting up.

"Come on now, sleepyhead," he said to his son, laughing softly, throwing one of the pillows at him when he still made no move to get out from under the covers.

"Baaa," Jiang Mingyue scolded, straightened up and threw the pillow back at his father.

Jiang Yuelou, grinning somewhat mischievously, walked back to the bed, sat down on it and began to tickle his son, who was laughing loudly in his arms.

"Ba... don't... Ba," Jiang Mingyue gasped, laughing and trying to free himself from his father's grip.

"Ba... stop... stop..."

"Only when you get up."

"Ba..."

Only now did Jiang Yuelou fully realize how much he had missed the sound of his son’s laughter.

The door opened, which neither of them noticed at first, and Chen Yuzhi stood in the doorway with a broad grin.

"Glad to see you're awake."

Surprised, father and son looked at the door, both with the same slightly startled expression on their faces.

"Come on now, get up," Jiang Yuelou urged his son a second time and got up from the bed.

"Are you hungry?" the doctor asked, to which both Jiangs responded with an unambiguous nod.

"Great, then I'll heat up lunch. It'll be ready in ten minutes."

"We'll be right there," the Jiangs called after Chen Yuzhi as if from one mouth, which elicited another grin from him on the way to the kitchen.

**

At the late lunch, at which Chen Keying joined them for a second portion, she was surprisingly quiet and kept glancing at Jiang Mingyue, which did not escape the notice of the two men. Chen Yuzhi therefore ushered Jiang Yuelou out of the kitchen after lunch and let the children take care of the dishes.

"I think it's good if we give them a few minutes together," the doctor said quietly after the kitchen door had closed behind them.

Jiang Yuelou agreed and the two of them went into the living room to discuss how they would proceed this afternoon.

The plan was to go to the police station with Jiang Mingyue and talk to the two men who had kidnapped him. They also wanted to fetch his belongings, which the police had brought from the cabin to the station.

In the kitchen, Chen Keying stood at the sink washing the dishes, Jiang Mingyue beside her with a towel in his hand.

"Are you alright, Xiao Di?" she asked timidly after a few minutes of silence.

Jiang Mingyue raised his head a little and looked at her.

"Hm."

"I'm glad you're back home. You gave us all quite a scare when you just ran off."

"I know. I'm honestly sorry, Jie."

"I won't be angry with you this time, but this is the only time. If you have such stupid ideas again, I won't forgive you so easily."

Jiang Mingyue was young, but he understood that Chen Keying's behavior was just an act and that she had meant it when she had said that she was glad he was back home.

She had turned back to the dishes and was washing one of the bowls. Jiang Mingyue smiled and grabbed another bowl that had already been washed to dry it.

It took them ten minutes to wash the dishes and then Chen Keying went to 58 Shou Xi Road to do her homework while the men went to the precinct with Jiang Mingyue.

In the cab, with Chen Yuzhi in the passenger seat and Jiang Yuelou and his son in the back seat, the policeman turned to his son.

"I want to talk to the two men who kidnapped you. Do you want to come with me?"

"To the cellar?"

Jiang Mingyue's eyes widened and he stared at his father.

"What? Uh... no. I can talk to them in my office too."

Being reminded that he had given his son quite a scare made Jiang Yuelou a little embarrassed. He vowed to always ask Chen Yuzhi for advice from now on when it came to something that important.

Chen Yuzhi, who found it inappropriate to be present at the interrogation - after all, it was part of the police investigation, no matter how personal it was - had the cab driver drop him off at his clinic.

"I just want to make sure that everything is in order. I'll be at the station in an hour."

"But don't overexert yourself, Chen Yuzhi."

"I won't, I promise."

"See you soon."

"See you soon, Chen-shushu."

"See you both in a moment."

The cab took the two Jiangs to the police station, where Jiang Mingyue had to wait in his father's office for about twenty minutes. He was bored and was standing at the window, looking down at the street below, when the door opened.

He came out from behind the blinds and looked at the five men who had entered the office. Two policemen, Song Rong and Sun Yongren, whom he had known all his life, his father and his two uncles, whose hands were in cuffs.

Song Rong handed Jiang Yuelou the keys to the handcuffs and left the office with Sun Yongren.

Jiang Yuelou walked past them, perhaps a little too theatrically, to his desk, where a thin paper file lay. He picked it up and leafed through it.

"Zhang Junren, Zhang Luyi. So you thought it was a good idea to kidnap my son?"

A purely rhetorical question.

"He is family, he belongs to us," Zhang Junren, the older one, replied.

"I'm his family," Jiang Yuelou snapped at him.

Jiang Mingyue stared at the three men. The atmosphere in the room scared him a little right now. He didn't want his father to get so upset and he couldn't judge the other two men, even though he had spent a few days with them.

They hadn't treated him badly, apart from the occasional tying and gagging and drugging, but they still scared him. He didn't want to go to Shanghai, he wanted to stay with his father and, despite the handcuffs, the two of them exuded a certain menace, as if they could grab him at any moment and drag him away.

"His mother entrusted him to me. He is my body and blood, he belongs to me. Whoever dares to lay a hand on him should be prepared to face the consequences.“

The two men felt nowhere near as threatening as their were in Jiang Mingyue’s imagination, in fact they felt rather helpless being handcuffed like this, exposed to this clamoring man who was smaller than them but sufficiently armed.

"What were you going to do with him in Shanghai?"

"Take him home," Zhang Junren replied.

"His home is here."

"But his grandfather thinks it's best for him to grow up under our roof."

"I don't care what his grandfather thinks is best. Who is he anyway, that he doesn't even think it's necessary to talk to his grandson's father about it."

"He's a man who cares little for the opinions of others. I'm sure you're familiar with the Shanghai Zhang family."

"The... WHAT?"

Zhang Junren nodded, knowing full well that Jiang Yuelou had understood which Zhang family he was talking about.

"Triads? His mother is the daughter of a Triad leader?"

The two men exchanged a look, but then nodded.

"What does she say to you trying to kidnap her son? Why isn't she here?"

"She can't, she-"

Zhang Junren paused in mid-sentence and looked at Jiang Mingyue.

"He'll find out sooner or later anyway," he muttered, before turning his gaze back to Jiang Yuelou.

"She has died."

"What?" father and son asked at the same time, staring at him.

"Ma-... ma is dead?" Jiang Mingyue asked quietly, coming a little closer now.

The two men suddenly no longer seemed so threatening to him.

Zhang Junren nodded.

"How?" Jiang Yuelou asked.

The mood in the office had clearly shifted, to something calmer tinched with sadness.

"A strange illness. It's been a long time, more than eight years."

"So practically just after she left him with me."

"About three months later," Zhang Junren confirmed.

Jiang Mingyue stood next to his father and sniffled softly. The men immediately turned their attention to him, Zhang Junren knelt down in front of him and made a move as if to hug him, but the handcuffs stopped him.

Jiang Yuelou eyed him skeptically as he turned his gaze on him.

"You don't do anything stupid, understand, then I'll take the handcuffs off you."

"I promise. We can't get out of here easily anyway. Our family's influence definitely doesn't reach that far, not as far as Jingcheng."

Jiang Yuelou took the handcuffs off both of them and Zhang Junren knelt down in front of Jiang Mingyue again and put his hands on his shoulders.

"Your ma was a great, beautiful woman and she would certainly have been proud of you, and she certainly wouldn't have wanted you to cry because of her. She gave us a present for you. I was going to give it to you as soon as we left the harbor."

Zhang Junren looked at Jiang Yuelou again.

"Among the things your men have secured must be a metal box, light blue, with decorations. Give it to him, please."

Jiang Yuelou nodded.

"I suggest we sit down and you tell us all about his mother and your family. After that, we'll talk about what to do with you two."

The brothers looked at each other, slightly unsettled, but followed the police chief's request and sat down on one of the sofas. Jiang Mingyue and Jiang Yuelou sat down opposite them and the latter filled four cups with lukewarm tea.

And then Jiang Yuelou let the two of them talk. His son interrupted them from time to time and asked questions, and the policeman let him get on with it because he thought it was important that his son dealt with it.

A knock about forty minutes later ended the conversation for a moment.

Jiang Yuelou opened the door and let Chen Yuzhi wearing a slight smile on his lips. The doctor faltered when he realized who the two men were and he exchanged a glance with Jiang Yuelou.

"Is it okay if I'm here?" he asked in a whisper.

"Yes, don't worry about it," he replied to him, also whispering, and explained to him in short sentences what had happened so far.

When he mentioned Zhang Xinyue's death, Chen Yuzhi immediately turned his gaze to Jiang Mingyue.

"Poor little guy."

"I think he's taken it quite well so far. Maybe it's because he can't remember her at all."

"His grief won't be about what he's lost, but about the moments he'll never have. In all the turmoil, he will surely have had hopes of meeting his mother as soon as he had realized who the men are. Let's talk about her when we get home."

"We'll do that Yuzhi."

Without further explanation, Jiang Yuelou introduced Chen Yuzhi to the two Zhangs as Chen-yisheng, a family friend, and let them finish the conversation with his son.

When the topic of handling the kidnapping case came up, Chen Yuzhi thought it would be better if he and Jiang Mingyue left the office and suggested visiting the commissioner for a few minutes if he had time.

When the two had left the office and Jiang Yuelou was alone with the Zhangs, he sat down on the sofa opposite them again and looked from one to the other.

"Normally, I would put you in custody until you can be brought before the judge."

"Is there any way to avoid that?" Zhang Junren asked, although he had little hope of getting special treatment.

"The Commissioner could possibly arrange for your trial to take place tomorrow or the day after."

"You know, prison isn't the problem, it's not the first time for us, but our father. He won't be too pleased if we come back without his grandson anyway-"

"Does that mean you've abandoned your plans?"

Zhang Junren looked at him somewhat uncomprehendingly.

"Of course."

"Why should that be self-evident?"

"Jiang-kezhang, the only thing we knew when we were sent to Jingcheng was that the boy's father was a police chief. We thought it was risky to mess with the police as it was, but our father thought it was worth the risk. But even he won't dare messing with the commissioner of the Jingcheng police, definitely not."

"So that means I don't have to keep expecting you to try to kidnap him again in future?"

"No."

"Maybe there's a chance that we could drop the investigation. Family relations could have a positive effect on such a decision, especially if the victim, my son, agrees."

"We would be extremely grateful if that could be arranged," Zhang Junren replied, exchanging a hopeful glance with his brother.

Although Bai Jinbo expressed some displeasure at this approach, he ultimately let his son go ahead if his grandson agreed to it. The Zhang brothers were able to leave Jingcheng the very next day. It was not to be the last time that the Zhangs and Jiangs would cross paths, but that is another story for another time.

After Jiang Yuelou had his son's stuff and the metal box that Zhang Junren had mentioned handed over to him, he picked up Chen Yuzhi and his son from the commissioner's office and headed straight home, without any detours or interruptions.

The whole day today had been exhausting and chaotic, too many new things. All he wanted to do now was sit on the sofa, drink a cup of tea and spend time with his family. Only the faint smile on his lips betrayed the tingling feeling he felt at the mere thought of this word, family.

The sofa he relaxed on a little later wasn't his, but the one at 58 Shou Xi Road was at least as good, so he didn't mind in the slightest. Chen Yuzhi had just gone into the kitchen to make tea. Chen Keying had gone to meet a friend after she had finished her homework and had not yet returned.

Jiang Mingyue sat next to him and opened the metal box. His gaze lingered on the contents before he reached in and pulled out a letter.

"It has my name on it, Ba," Jiang Mingyue remarked.

"Your uncle said that the box was a gift from your mother, so the letter is certainly from her too."

"Should I open it?"

"Sure."

He carefully opened the envelope, taking meticulous care not to damage it.

It contained a short letter, just one page, which turned out to have been written just a few days after the day Zhang Xinyue had left her son in his father's care.

Jiang Mingyue began to read. He read the first few lines aloud, about how proud she was of him and how she was convinced that he would grow up to be a decent young man, but then he fell silent and stared at the sheet of paper. Tears rolled down his cheeks.

Jiang Yuelou had some idea of what the last lines of the letter were about. She explained to her son, something she had not told Jiang Yuelou herself, why she had left him with his father. She knew that she was sick and did not have long to live. The letter concluded with the following words,

When I am gone, I wish for you to live a decent life, to grow up far away from the burdens of my family. I know that your father can offer you this life. Be good to him. I love you.

"I love you too, Ma," Jiang Mingyue said softly and folded up the letter.

After putting it away, he climbed onto his father's lap without another word and snuggled up to him.

"From now on, I won't cause you any trouble, Ba," he said, enjoying the warmth of his father's arms.

"Let's wait and see, Son," Jiang Yuelou replied and grinned.

After two or three minutes, Jiang Yuelou leaned forward a little and picked up the metal box from the table.

"Surely there's more in there than just a letter."

"Photos."

"Let's look at them, hm?"

Jiang Mingyue nodded. Jiang Yuelou put the box next to them on the sofa and took out some of the photos.

A few showed a girl, Zhang Xinyue, at different ages, sometimes alone, sometimes with other children, including Zhang Junren and Zhang Luyi.

"They're probably all uncles and aunts of yours," Jiang Yuelou remarked.

"I'd like to get to know them."

"We'll talk about that later. Maybe one day, when you're a bit older, you'll have the chance."

"Look here, Ba," Jiang Mingyue exclaimed as he pulled out another picture, apparently not really listening to him.

Jiang Yuelou picked up the picture and smiled when he realized that it showed his son, apparently just a few days after his birth.

"You were so small," he said, stroking the photo.

"There are more here."

Jiang Mingyue had dug out a small pile of about ten photos that showed him and also often Zhang Xinyue. Jiang Yuelou's gaze lingered on each picture for a few seconds.

"I don't remember her at all," Jiang Mingyue said, handing him the photo he had just looked at.

"I'm afraid I can't tell you much about her, I hardly knew her. But I am convinced that she was a wonderful woman and she was indeed beautiful."

Jiang Minyue sat up straight and looked his father in the eyes.

Chen Yuzhi, who was about to enter the room, stopped in the doorway and directed a warm look at the two of them, a small smile on his lips. Jiang Yuelou, who had noticed him, returned his gaze and the smile.

"Ba?"

"Hm? What is it?"

"Who do you think is prettier? Ma or Chen-shushu?"

Chapter Text

If Jiang Yuelou had seen the grin on his son's face, he would have known that he knew for a fact that Chen Yuzhi had returned. The latter's amused and questioning look told Jiang Yuelou that his son wasn't the only one who was interested in the answer to this question.

"I... uh... they... they're both pretty."

"But who's prettier."

"They're differently pretty."

"Why differently, Ba?"

"Well... your ma was a woman and Chen-shushu is a man."

"So what?"

Jiang Yuelou didn't know what to say to that at the moment. It was obvious that he found Chen Yuzhi much more attractive, but he couldn't muster the courage to just say that. He needed some peace and quiet for that, and preferably he wanted to be alone with Chen Yuzhi when he told him that he’s the prettiest of all.

Chen Yuzhi, who had entered the room in the meantime and placed the tea and three cups on the table, seemed to recognize his dilemma and took pity on him. When he had sat down on the sofa next to Jiang Yuelou and Jiang Mingyue, he looked at the boy.

"Why am I actually shushu? Your father is older than me, but my sister calls him ge."

Jiang Mingyue looked at the doctor and shrugged his shoulders, as it just felt right for him to call him shushu.

"Should I call you ge too? Yuzhi-ge?"

Chen Yuzhi smiled and nodded. He definitely seemed to like that better.

"Jealous?" Jiang Yuelou, who had leaned a little towards him, asked with a cheeky grin.

"Nonsense, I just don't feel like a shushu. I prefer Ge, I'm used to that from my sister."

The doctor leaned forward and filled the three tea cups with the hot, steaming liquid.

"Son," Jiang Yuelou turned to Jiang Mingyue.

The boy looked at him questioningly.

"Now we finally have some peace and quiet. Do you want to tell me what happened to you during the days you were missing?"

Jiang Mingyue nodded.

"I'd better give you some privacy so that you can talk," Chen Yuzhi remarked and was about to stand up.

"Wait," came from both Jiang Yuelou's and Jiang Mingyue's lips at the same moment.

Chen Yuzhi paused in mid-motion, directed his gaze at the two of them and sat down again.

"You don't have to give us privacy, Yuzhi, isn't that right, son?"

"That's right. You're part of our privacy after all."

Chen Yuzhi felt a lump forming in his throat. He cleared his throat and looked at the two of them sheepishly.

"If that's what you want," he murmured quietly and averted his eyes.

The tension he was under was almost palpable.

Jiang Mingyue looked at his father, somewhat perplexed, but he only smiled slightly and gestured with his head that he should help the doctor a little. The boy immediately understood what Chen Yuzhi needed most at the moment and turned to him.

"Yuzhi-ge."

Chen Yuzhi looked at him.

"Did you know that A-Ying had told me that you are the most important person in her life?"

Chen Yuzhi shook his head slightly.

"Ba is my most important person, but he's not the only one anymore."

"What... what do you mean, Xiao Yue."

Chen Yuzhi stuttered a little and Jiang Yuelou felt so wrong finding his handsome face, his cheeks as red as ripe hawthorn berries, so adorable, but he couldn't do anything but sit next him and his son and smile rather broadly.

"You're also my most important person now..."

Jiang Mingyue was now a little embarrassed himself, because only now did he really realize what he had just said to Chen Yuzhi, how big this actually was.

Chen Yuzhi stared at the boy with his mouth slightly open for a few seconds before he caught himself, spread his arms a little and said in a soft voice,

"Come here."

Jiang Mingyue wrapped an arm around Chen Yuzhi's neck, who hugged him and pulled him a little closer.

"This means so much to me, Xiao Yue."

Chen Yuzhi's voice was somewhat muffled by the boy's clothes and at the moment he was very glad that he couldn't see Jiang Yuelou's face, even though he could clearly feel his presence just a few centimeters next to him. He knew exactly what this one sentence meant, not only for Jiang Mingyue, but also for his father, and he knew that there was no turning back now.

"I'm glad, Yuzhi-ge. I didn't know if you wanted this."

Chen Yuzhi loosened his embrace and pushed Jiang Mingyue a little away from him to look at him with a questioning expression in his eyes.

"Where did you get the idea that I don't want this. You're not still thinking about the fire in the warehouse, are you?"

"Yes, I am."

"You don't have to, honestly. Trust me."

Jiang Mingyue grinned and nodded.

"I want you to stay here. I want you to know what happened just as I want Ba to know."

"Okay," Chen Yuzhi replied with a smile.

Jiang Mingyue sat down on Chen Yuzhi's lap, and Jiang Yuelou wouldn't be Jiang Yuelou if he hadn't seized the opportunity and scooted closer to the doctor. Chen Yuzhi's red cheeks and the obvious intent with which he didn't look at him were reward enough, for now.

After another sip of tea, Jiang Mingyue began to recount the days he had spent away from his family.

Contrary to one of Jiang Yuelou's worst fears, he had not been out in the cold at night and almost frozen to death, but rather the Zhang brothers had caught him a few hundred meters from Shou Xi Road, in the small park nearby.

He hadn't actually wanted to run away as he had realized a few minutes later, but just as he had been about to turn around and go back home, he had heard footsteps approaching him and then a cloth had appeared in front of his eyes. The next thing he could remember was a hotel room. He didn't know which hotel, but that was where the Zhangs had locked him up for several days.

"Did you try to call for help?" Jiang Yuelou asked.

"Yes, once, but they convinced the staff that we were family and that I often say things like that and don't mean it seriously. They probably believed them because we look so alike. After that, they always tied me up and gagged me when they weren't in the room. In the beginning, they only took the gag off when I was supposed to eat something. They said that something bad would happen to you Ba if I called for help again or tried to run away. They got a bit nicer after the first few days and told me a bit about Ma and the family, but they still scared me, especially when they said they were going to take me to Shanghai. Ba, I was so scared that I would never be able to see you again, or you Yuzhi-ge and A-Ying."

Chen Yuzhi stroked his back gently, faltered briefly when he felt Jiang Yuelou put his arm around his shoulder, but couldn't and wouldn't help the shy smile that spread across his lips.

"You don't have to be afraid anymore, Son."

"I'm not. Not anymore ."

"Do you remember how you got on the ship?"

"No. They put a cloth over my mouth that smelled pretty funny and then I don't remember anything. I remember waking up in the cabin on the ship, but they weren't there. They forgot to tie me up, but the door was locked."

"What were you doing at the window?"

"I wanted to see if I could climb out. Ba, I didn't want to go to Shanghai for anything in the world, I had to at least try to find a way out. You know the rest. I'm so glad you were both there."

Jiang Mingyue's stomach growled, only softly, but Chen Yuzhi had heard it and looked at the clock on the dresser next to the sofa.

"I guess it's about time for dinner," he remarked quietly and wanted to get up.

However, the strong hand exerting a little pressure on his shoulder stopped him. Irritated, he looked at Jiang Yuelou. He smiled at his son – a smile that made Chen Yuzhi a bit skeptical – and asked him, with a deceptive innocence in his voice, if he want to pick up Chen Keying from her friend's house while he and Chen Yuzhi took care of dinner.

Jiang Mingyue thought the suggestion was great and put on his coat and boots in a flash, said goodbye and left the house. So quickly that Chen Yuzhi could think of no reason to hold him back.

Now that he was alone with Jiang Yuelou, Chen Yuzhi looked a little stiff and stared at something on the opposite wall. He was very aware of the small noises Jiang Yuelou was making. His clothes rustled softly as he moved and the springs in the sofa seats creaked a little.

"There's something we need to sort out, Chen Yuzhi, as soon as possible, don't you think?"

Jiang Yuelou's voice had gotten a little closer.

The doctor cleared his throat and lowered his gaze to the table. His cheeks were so hot that he knew Jiang Yuelou couldn't have missed the red tinge under any conceivable circumstances.

"Does it... I mean... does it have to be now?... Today?"

"Absolutely, Yuzhi."

"But..."

"But what? Look at me."

"I can't."

"Why?"

"It's so embarrassing."

"Nothing is embarrassing, not when it's about us. Look at me, Yuzhi."

Slowly, very tentatively, Chen Yuzhi turned his head towards Jiang Yuelou, but before he had finished the movement, he felt the latter's right hand on his cheek.

For a second or two, he lost himself in Jiang Yuelou's dark brown eyes, before turning his gaze a little further down, somewhere on Jiang Yuelou's tie. He felt so incredibly silly, especially since there was clearly no reason to be unsure of the other man's feelings, no reason at all to feel insecure in his presence.

Jiang Yuelou's lips, which he felt on his forehead two seconds later, caused his heart to stop beating for a moment, but then he simply closed his eyes and surrendered to the touch. The lips moved to the tip of his nose and suddenly Chen Yuzhi only wanted one thing; to feel them on his lips.

He put his right arm around Jiang Yuelou and applied light pressure to the back of his head with his hand as he lifted his face a little and pressed their lips together. The tension vanished and something else took possession of him. It felt as if he had thrown off invisible shackles and was now able to enjoy the tender touch to the fullest and to demand even more of it.

The kiss was long and intense and Chen Yuzhi had the feeling that he would never be able to end it. He had never experienced anything that felt so good. His warmth, his very specific smell, something warm and slightly tart that Chen Yuzhi found so pleasant, everything was perfect at that moment.

"You have no idea how much I've longed for this," Jiang Yuelou whispered with his mouth so close to Chen Yuzhi's ear that he could feel his breath on his skin.

"I think you might be wrong with that assumption," the doctor replied and dived into a second kiss.

At least ten minutes had passed before the two pulled away from each other and leaned back on the sofa, somewhat intoxicated by the kiss.

"To put it bluntly, you used your son to elicit a confession from me," Chen Yuzhi said with feigned reproach.

"I didn't use him. It's not as if I put the words in his mouth. I would much rather call it a most fortunate twist of fate that you answered the question of whether you would allow me and my son to be part of your family, almost without me having to do anything, and before I could even ask."

"Your son more or less asked that question though."

"He loves you too, but obviously it's different from me, and you haven't even heard my declaration yet."

"But I felt it, even if it could have been a little more."

"Just a little?"

Jiang Yuelou had come very close again and lowered his voice to a whisper.

"A lot of a little more," was Chen Yuzhi's reply before he claimed Jiang Yuelou's lips one more time.

Just in time before Jiang Mingyue came rushing into the living room to announce that he and Chen Keying were back, he managed to bring himself to end the kiss. He had never felt addicted to anything before, but Jiang Yuelou was probably the one drug that could break his will.

Both children looked at them somewhat skeptically when they realized that the men hadn't even started preparing dinner, looking even more suspicious when they couldn't give the children a convincing explanation.

As an excuse or a distraction, depending on which way one looked at it, Jiang Yuelou suggested they eat dinner in a restaurant.

"Dinner for two is still on the menu, though, Yuzhi,“ he murmured to Chen Yuzhi on the way from the cab to the restaurant. The children, both dressed in their best clothes, walked a few steps ahead of them.

Chen Yuzhi looked at him and furrowed his eyebrows.

"Of course. This isn't the same. You promised me dinner just the two of us, and of course I demand that you fulfill that promise."

"Alright. What do you think about Saturday? The children can sleep over at my parents', then we'd have the evening to ourselves..."

He paused for a moment before adding, an intense yet cheeky look in his eyes, "...and the whole night."

Chen Yuzhi suddenly turned red and looked around, as if he was afraid that someone might have heard Jiang Yuelou.

"You're impossible, Jiang Yuelou," the doctor hissed softly after realizing that he was the only one acting conspicuously and that Jiang Yuelou had been dead set to achieve exactly that.

And because Chen Yuzhi didn't know how else to help himself, he quickened his steps a little to put some distance between himself and Jiang Yuelou to catch up with his sister and Jiang Mingyue.

**

The children actually slept at Jiang Yuelou's parents' the next Saturday.

His words about having the whole evening and night to themselves had stuck in the young doctor's mind and made him more nervous that Saturday night than he had ever been in his life.

Dinner with Jiang Yuelou wasn't a disaster, but Chen Yuzhi could barely finish his meal, which prompted Jiang Yuelou to ask him anxiously if he was sick. Chen Yuzhi denied it, but remained very quiet and tense for the rest of the evening.

This was certainly not how Jiang Yuelou had imagined this evening would go and he was extremely dissatisfied with the way their date had gone so far, which was practically over by now as the cab had almost reached the main road near Shou Xi Road.

Jiang Yuelou thought Chen Yuzhi looked almost a little unhappy as he left the cab and waited for him to pay. The doctor hadn't uttered a word of protest this time, which made Jiang Yuelou even more suspicious, because Chen Yuzhi always did that when he pulled out his wallet.

After the cab had driven off, the two of them turned silently to the narrower side street that connected Shou Xi Road with the main road. There was not a soul on the street. Only the lights burning here and there in the apartments and houses showed that the district was not deserted.

"Are you cold, Yuzhi?"

"No, not really."

Chen Yuzhi had relaxed a little, but it was obvious that something was bothering him. Jiang Yuelou was determined to get him to tell him what was wrong with him, and he wouldn't give up until he achieved that goal.

"I don't want to go home yet. What do you say we take a walk in the park?"

"Sounds good, I'd love to."

"Come," Jiang Yuelou said with a smile on his lips and held out his gloved hand.

Chen Yuzhi looked around furtively.

"I don't think we'll run into anyone at this hour."

Embarrassed and intimidated, he reached for his outstretched hand and intertwined their fingers. Jiang Yuelou remained silent until they reached the park, although Chen Yuzhi had the impression a few times that he wanted to say something. They walked side by side in silence for another hundred meters or so before Jiang Yuelou stopped and took a deep breath.

"Yuzhi... what's wrong with you? And don't say 'nothing'. I let it slide at the restaurant because I don't want to bring up something like that when we're in public and I know you feel the same way, but now we're alone. I imagined the whole evening to be completely different and we've hardly had a moment to ourselves since the day my son returned home."

Jiang Yuelou was not exaggerating, they had indeed hardly been able to spend time just the two of them and the few kisses they found time for, which made Chen Yuzhi blush every time, were not nearly enough for the policeman.

"I'm sorry, Jiang Yuelou."

"What?"

He certainly hadn't expected an apology.

"What, what are you apologizing for?"

"For this, the spoiled evening. I was honestly looking forward to it, but..."

Chen Yuzhi's indecision left an uneasy feeling in Jiang Yuelou's chest.

"But what? Is it because of me? Did I do something wrong? Do you want us to end this? Do you think this whole thing was a mistake?"

"What?!? No, where did you come up with such nonsense?"

"I don't know either. A lot of things have just crossed my mind that could be the reason why you're behaving like this today, so distant, somehow insecure."

"You haven't done anything wrong, at least not really."

"What do you mean, not really?"

"It's just that... everything’s overwhelming me. Just a little, but it's a bit hard to deal with… you. You're driving me a little crazy."

At the last words, Chen Yuzhi laughed softly, still unmistakably embarrassed.

Jiang Yuelou let go of his hand, took off his glove and cupped Chen Yuzhi's cheek, letting his thumb lightly stroke the cold smooth skin.

"Now we're alone, there’s no need to be embarrassed."

"That doesn't make it any easier for me, though."

Jiang Yuelou took his hand off his cheek and put a little distance between them. He looked around for a moment and let out a small, soft laugh.

"What is it?" Chen Yuzhi asked.

"I was just thinking about the night I stayed over at the hospital. The weather was similar to today, a little warmer, but the moon was shining from the sky, accompanied by a few clouds just like tonight. I had imagined going for a walk with you under a moon like that when you were discharged from hospital and everything had cleared up and calmed down."

Jiang Yuelou turned his gaze back to Chen Yuzhi. The moon was reflected in his eyes and Jiang Yuelou felt like he was sinking into them for a moment. It made the whole thing so intense especially because Chen Yuzhi wasn't in good control of himself right now and certainly wasn't looking at him so intensely on purpose. This innocence and embarrassment, interwoven with a longing... a longing for him that the doctor couldn't hide, at least not from him, awakened something in Jiang Yuelou that he hadn't known before.

"I wanted to make you laugh, but... I guess it didn't quite work out."

His words and his uncertainty made it a little easier for Chen Yuzhi. He had long since realized that Jiang Yuelou, even though he was very good at hiding it, was quite the romantic, but only now did he understand that this side of the policeman was only for him, for no one else, for no one else would he be like this, romantic.

"Maybe a kiss will help."

Chen Yuzhi's voice was just a gentle whisper and he gave a half-embarrassed, half-brave smile. Jiang Yuelou grabbed him by the lapels with both hands and pulled him as close as he could. He inhaled deeply through his nose as their lips touched and then he applied a firm, demanding pressure with his.

The kiss helped, partially. It helped Chen Yuzhi to admit to himself that he definitely wanted more, to grab Jiang Yuelou by the hand and take the direct route home. However, Chen Yuzhi's courage lasted right up to the moment when the gate to 58 Shou Xi Road slammed shut and it was just him and Jiang Yuelou. Even if there had been no one else out on the street, it was different to be alone with him behind closed doors, especially after a kiss like that.

Jiang Yuelou literally pounced on him that night, stealing his mind and making him feel things he had never felt before, things that turned his face a deep shade of red just thinking about it.

He would need a few more evenings together like this to come to terms with it, with Jiang Yuelou's hands gently but determinedly opening his shirt to touch his bare skin, his mouth pressing him gently but demanding into the pillow, his tongue, his mouth, caressing his sensitive parts, his knee between his legs as he attended to his belt and the zipper of his pants, the moment when his entire being embraced him, when there was nothing else but the two of them.

**

After the first night, Jiang Yuelou made the decision at the breakfast table to tell his parents about their relationship as soon as possible.

"Do you think that's a good idea?" Chen Yuzhi asked, before shoving the noodles he was holding between his chopsticks into his mouth.

"I like your parents, a lot and A-Ying loves them, I don't want that to be put in jeopardy. What if they don't accept us."

"My ma already knows."

"She knows?"

Chen Yuzhi sounded a little displeased.

"Well, not that we're in a relationship, but she's known for a while that you're the one who stole my heart."

"I didn't expect you to talk to her about it."

"Well, actually, it's more that she has a special gift for getting people to talk. No one can escape it."

"I'll take your word for it. And how does she feel about it?"

Jiang Yuelou smiled with great satisfaction and gave Chen Yuzhi a kiss on the cheek.

"She thinks you're great, but she also feels a little sorry for you."

"Sorry? Why? Because I willingly get involved with you?"

Chen Yuzhi had only meant it as a joke, of course, but he couldn't help the wide grin that spread across his face when Jiang Yuelou's dumbfounded expression told him that he had hit the mark perfectly.

"Honestly... haha... did she say that?"

"Something like that, yeah," Jiang Yuelou grumbled.

"What about your father? Do you know how he feels about it?"

"No. It's not exactly a subject to generally talk about. He probably hasn't thought about it at all, like most people, because it just hasn't been necessary for him to think about it. I don't know if he would just accept it. Even if I don't care, he will certainly think about my reputation, and possibly yours too. He's a commissioner through and through, he knows how to act in front of the most important people in Jingcheng, he knows the rules of the game inside out."

"And we probably don't play by them," Chen Yuzhi replied, somewhat disheartened.

"Definitely not. But I don't care, Yuzhi. I don't care what other people think about it."

"So do I, but it would be nice if we could at least be open about it with your parents."

"We'll talk to my ma first, that'll be easy. She's practically just waiting for me to bring you along, and not as a doctor or a mere friend."

"I think that's a good plan."