So when Jiang Yanli and her husband dropped of their son at his uncleโs for their usual Friday night Uncle and Nephew quality time, Jin Ling did not expect he would be spending it with an additional person.
Jin Ling is always excited when Fridayโs approaches and this Friday was no different from all the others heโs spent with his Uncle. Jin Ling waves goodbye to his parents as his Uncle picks him up and brings him inside his apartment.
This weekend, Jin Ling and his Uncle are going to finish building the dinosaur lego set. He was so excited he couldnโt contain himself. That is when they reached the inside of his Uncleโs apartment, Jin Ling suddenly felt all his happiness fly away.
There is someone else here and Jin Ling doesnโt know who he is but he already doesnโt like him.
โJiujiu, who is that?โ The six years old asked clinging tighter to Jiang Cheng.
Lan Xichen was politely nervous to meet the owner who has occupied Jiang Chengโs heart since birth.
His biggest obstacle and need of approval wasnโt Wei Wuxian or Jiang Yanli but instead a six years old nephew who loves Jiang Cheng more than anything in his existence.
โA-Ling, say Hi, this is jiujiuโs boyfriend.โ Jiang Cheng said urging his nephew. Jin Ling scowls but greets the other man as instructed.
โHi, Jin Ling,โ Lan Xichen returns all too nervous. Jiang Cheng couldnโt help but laugh. Is Lan Xichen seriously nervous of a six years old?
โJiujiu...โ Jin Ling called, his voice low and buried in sadness. Jin Ling is not happy but he doesnโt know why. He suddenly wants to cry. โJiujiu boyfriend stay?โ
Jiang Cheng nods his head and Jin Lingโs little heart suddenly goes awry.
Jin Ling can feel the tears coming and wiggles out of his uncleโs hold and run towards his bedroom.
He throws his tiny body onto his bed and burry his tears into the bedsheet. He doesnโt like his uncleโs boyfriend. He doesnโt like that his boyfriend is here.
Why is he here? WHY?! Thatโs his jiujiu!
Jin Ling sobs his tinting heart out understanding that he does not want to share his uncle with anyoneโparticularly those who will take his uncle away from him.
โHe hates me.โ Lan Xichen frowns already defeated when he didnโt even get the chance to get to know Jin Ling.
Jiang Cheng approached his boyfriend and caresses his face with his hand leaning his body into his. โA-Ling doesnโt hate you. He is still learning about sharing.
Iโll go talk to him.โ Jiang Cheng pressed a soft kiss on Lan Xichenโs cheek reassuring him that everything will turn out okay.
โA-Ling?โ Jiang Cheng soft calls at the door. Jin Ling response with a mumbled reply refusing to lift his face from being burry deep into the bedsheets
Jiang Cheng sighs and takes a set on the bed next to Jin Ling. He can feel the bed dip into a heavier weight but he still refuses to lift his head.
โA-Ling, can you please look at jiujiu?โ Jiang Cheng asked softly as he placed a hand on his nephewโs back.
Jin Ling shook his head. โPlease?โ
Jin Ling knew it wasnโt polite to have someone beg so he finally lifted his head up and oh my gosh, Jiang Chengโs heart couldnโt help itself from hurting.
Jin Lingโs face was all red and his eyes grew puffy from his tears. Even though he tried very hard to stop crying, his little tears and sniffles says other wise. Jin Ling was really hurt and Jiang Cheng is so sorry.
Jiang Cheng wiped away his nephewโs tears and lifted the little boy onto his lap which made Jin Ling even more. Jin Ling wrapped his tiny arms around his Uncleโs neck and sobbed into his shirt, soaking it with his tears.
Jin Ling was crying so much he started to hiccup and had trouble breathing.
Jiang Cheng patted his back and gave him soothing assurance to allow him to cry it all out before they have a conversation. They stayed like that for thirty minutes before Jin Lingโs cries soften and he
was only hiccuping to catch his breath. His tiny hands still clinging a fistful of his uncleโs shirt, afraid he wonโt be Uncleโs favorite person anymore.
Jiang Cheng knew it wonโt be easy to introduce his boyfriend to Jin Ling. He had talked about this with his sister and both
her and her husband agreed it would be a great idea for Jin Ling to meet Lan Xichen. His parents wants Jin Ling to have a better understanding of sharing and what better way than to have that with his most favorite person in the world?
โA-Ling, can we talk?โ Jiang Cheng asked after carefully making sure his nephew wouldnโt cry again.
Jin Ling nodded his head.
โCan you tell Jiujiu why you cried?โ Jin Ling shook his head.
โIs it because jiujiuโs boyfriend is here?โ Jin Ling nodded his head and that made
Jiang Cheng presses his header closer to his chest.
โDo you not like him?โ Jin Ling doesnโt answer. Jin Ling wants to say yes but then that would make his uncle sad and he doesnโt want his uncle to be sad.
Jiang Cheng knows if he doesnโt get Jin Ling to talk it wonโt fix anything. His nephew is usually very vocal
but there are moments he keeps quietโit usually is when he is hurting.
โA-Ling, can you please talk to Jiujiu?โ Jiang Cheng begs again hoping this time his nephew will
be a good boy and comply. He canโt resolve the issue if he doesnโt know what part of this made his nephew upset.
โScared.โ Jin Ling mumbled.
โHmm?โ Jiang Cheng couldnโt make out what his nephew said.
โScared.โ Jin Ling repeats a bit louder.
โScared? Why is A-Ling scared?โ Jiang Cheng hadnโt thought Jin Ling would be this affected by his relationship.
โJiujiu no time for A-Ling anymore. A-Ling not jiujiu favorite anymore.โ Jin Lingโs tired voice confessed.
If seeing Jin Ling cry endlessly broke his heart, hearing this hurtful confession for his six years old nephew tore his heart into tiny pieces and then stomped on it.
By instinct, Jiang Cheng tighten his embrace around Jin Ling and moved his hand upward to gently pat the back
of his head. Jiang Cheng always knew he is Jin Lingโs favorite person but he didnโt think it was to this extent.
โA-Ling, jiujiu will always have time for you. Just because jiujiu has a boyfriend now doesnโt mean we canโt spend time together anymore.โ
Jiang Cheng explained trying to put his nephewโs sadden thoughts to a rest. โJiujiu always want to spend time with A-Ling. We always have so much fun together.โ
โBut today is A-Ling and Jiujiu but jiujiu brought boyfriend.โ
And then Jiang Cheng realized where he had made the mistake. The time he put aside to spend with Jin Ling every Friday and Saturday are special to his nephew and have always been just the two of them. He should have chosen a different day to introduce Lan Xichen to Jin Ling.
โA-Ling, jiujiu is so sorry,โ Jiang Cheng apologized. โI didnโt think it would have matter for you to meet someone very special to Jiujiu on our Uncle and Nephew days.
Jin Ling didnโt say anything and continue to rest his head on his uncleโs chest.
His tiny hands still a fistful of his uncleโs shirt.
Jin Ling was scared with someone else in Jiang Chengโs life, he will no longer have the time to spend with Jin Ling like usual. Maybe Jin Ling was being selfish. Does a six years old even know what being selfish is?
โMama says someday jiujiu will have special someone and A-Ling can have a cousin but A-Ling only want jiujiu.โ Jin Ling sniffled as the tears began to dwell again.
โA-Ling listen to me,โ Jiang Cheng finally said pulling his nephew away from his chest to face him.
His nephewโs eyes were beginning to swell. โA-Ling will always, always be special to Jiujiu and Jiujiu will always spend time with A-Ling. No one can take me away from you, understand?
Jin Ling pouts and rub his puffy eyes, nodding his head. โJiujiu promise?โ The little boy lift his pinky finger.
โI promise.โ Jiang Cheng hooked his pinky to Jin Lingโs and their thumbs kissed.
โโ
Jin Ling calmed down and agreed to meet Lan Xichen again. This time, Jin Ling did his best to be polite and allowed Lan Xichen to help them finish their dinosaur LEGOS
Lan Xichen tried to have small talks with Jin Ling trying to figure out what he likesโnot that Lan Xichen was
going to bribe a six years old into liking himโhe just merely wants to show the most important person to Jiang Cheng he is a good person.
โJin Ling, your jiujiu tells me you have a dog named Fairy.โ
โMmmmm,โ Jin Lin hummed stacking two pieces of leggos he finally matched. โSheโs a husky and A-Lingโs best friend.โ
Lan Xichen smiles. He is making small progress. Jiang Cheng rose from his seat to grab them some drinks and a juice box for Jin Ling.
The entire time Jin Ling didnโt break contact from his stack of LEGOโs putting his tiny hands and big brain to work.
Lan Xichen was about to say something when Jin Ling starts first. โDo you want to meet Fairy?โ
Lan Xichen smiles thinking his progress was furthing. โI trained her to bite people I donโt like.โ The little six years old proudly states actually sending a chill down Lan Xichenโs spine.
โMister, if you are not nice to my jiujiu, A-Ling will have Fairy bite you, okay?โ
Lan Xichen never knew how threatening a six years old can be. There was no doubt in his mind whatsoever this little child will indeed do as he warn.
โI promise to always love your jiujiu with my all.โ Lan Xichen pledge.
Jin Ling finally put his last piece of LEGO together and raised his head to look at his jiujiuโs boyfriend.
Jin Ling smiles at him and Lan Xichen knew Jin Ling accepted him.
โENDโ
Bonus:
(Four years later)
โJingyi!โ Jin Ling yelled at the top of his lungs and ran full speed tackling the other little boy to the ground. They both laughed hysterically, limbs tangled together.
Four years ago, Lan Xichen proposed to Jiang Cheng and have been married since. One year into their marriage, Lan Xichen and Jiang Cheng adopted Lan Xichenโs cousin to be their son after losing his parents in a tragic car accident.
Both were afraid Jin Ling wouldnโt take this easily considering Lan Xichen had to do a lot of work to gain Jin Lingโs attention and affection.
To everyoneโs surprised, Jin Ling and Lan Jingyi got along so well they became inseparable.
They did everything together and always wanted to be with one another.
Suddenly, Jin Ling realize that sharing isnโt so bad after all. He gained a best friend and a new brother thanks to Lan Xichen and Jiang Cheng.
He is still his Uncleโs favorite and so is his uncle. Except now, Jin Ling can add two more people into his life as people who are important to him.
