Work Text:
“Are you sure you have everything?” Jin Zixuan asks, fussing over Jin Ling and checking his bag to make sure he has enough water and snacks for the trips. “Remember to stop for lunch, he gets car sick if he eats while you’re driving.”
“I know,” Jiang Cheng says, shaking Jin Zixuan’s hand off his arm. “I know how to take care of a toddler, especially this toddler. I’ve done it before, remember?”
Jiang Yanli gently places her hand on her husband’s shoulder, a smile playing at her lips.
“Don’t worry, A-Ling is going to be fine,” she tells him, fond amusement glittering in her eyes. “A-Cheng knows him even better than we do.”
Jin Zixuan looks doubtful, and Jiang Cheng resists the urge to roll his eyes at his brother-in-law, while he hears Nie Huaisang muffling laughter from behind him.
Jiang Cheng and Jin Zixuan don’t have the same animosity with one another that they had in their last life (watching him flail at trying to court Jiang Yanli a second time definitely made up for him being a total peacock, and it’s clear he loves his wife – which is more than enough for Jiang Cheng to at least tolerate the man), but for all intents and purposes Jin Zixuan is a first-time father, and sometimes gets on Jiang Cheng’s nerves.
Jin Zixuan worries.
A lot.
Though Jiang Cheng has to reluctantly admit that he’s a good father, having risen above the precedent set by his father to become someone who actually gives a damn about his son. Jin Ling is spoiled rotten by his parents, more than enough to make up for the fact that they hadn’t been able to do so last time, and surrounded by so much love.
Jiang Cheng couldn’t ask for anything else.
“We should get going,” Nie Huaisang says, stepping forward and wrapping his arm around Jiang Cheng’s waist. “Don’t worry, Yanli-jie, we’ll take good care of A-Ling.”
“I know you will,” Jiang Yanli says. “And I appreciate you taking him. He’s been asking for a puppy for months, ever since they brought one into the preschool.”
“Just remember he’s only allowed one,” Jin Zixuan says. “Just one. No matter how much he begs and gives you those puppy-dog eyes.”
“I know, I know,” Jiang Cheng says, actually rolling his eyes this time. “I have plenty of experience saying no to my nephew.”
Nie Huaisang snorts, and Jiang Cheng elbows him in the side.
“Something you want to say?” Jiang Cheng asks him.
“I don’t know what you mean,” Nie Huaisang replies innocently. “I don’t know anything.”
“Sure,” Jiang Cheng says. “A-Ling, are you ready to go?”
Jin Ling, who had been waiting in his mother’s arms, nods enthusiastically.
“Yeah!” he says.
“You behave for your uncles,” Jiang Yanli warns the four-year-old.
“I will!”
Jiang Yanli kisses Jin Ling on the head before passing the squirming toddler to Jiang Cheng.
“We’ll see you tomorrow,” she says. “Again, thank you for taking him.”
“You two are definitely overdue for some alone time,” Nie Huaisang says. “Have fun tonight, relax a little. We’ll bring your boy home safe and sound in the morning.”
Jin Zixuan says goodbye to Jin Ling, who’s all but vibrating with excitement, and the pair head off to the car with their nephew in tow.
-----
Spiritual dogs are few and far between in the modern era, but Jiang Cheng had been insistent that if his nephew was going to get a dog, he was going to get one that would live a long time and be able to protect him before he regained his memories.
Both of Jin Ling’s parents had agreed.
The drive to the farm was three hours, which included about half an hour of Jin Ling happily singing along to the radio before he promptly fell asleep. Jiang Cheng and Nie Huaisang spent the remaining time chatting quietly, and it was…nice.
It’s been too long since they’ve been able to have time to themselves during the day, with Jiang Cheng spending most of his time at YunmengJiang Industries, rebuilding the company that had suffered greatly after his parent’s deaths.
Jiang Cheng knows Nie Huaisang doesn’t mind, and he has supported him right from the start, but Jiang Cheng worries that he’s going to end up the same way he did in his last life – losing any meaningful relationships in his pursuit to drag his family legacy up from the ashes.
Before long, they arrive at the farm, and Jin Ling wakes up just in time to see a group of dogs excitedly running towards the car, their owner – a long-suffering cultivator Jiang Cheng has known for years – not far behind.
Jin Ling lights up at the sight, craning his neck to see out the car window to get a better look.
“Puppies!” he exclaims happily. “Can I pat them?”
“Soon,” Jiang Cheng says, laughing as he gets out of the car and opens Jin Ling’s door so the boy can scramble out.
They’re immediately surrounded by four dogs, all sniffing excitedly at Jin Ling, nuzzling at his hands, and licking his face. Jin Ling laughs happily, doing his best to scratch as many of them as he can with two very small hands. One of them, a large Labrador, decides to try for pats from Jiang Cheng, who happily crouches down to scratch him under his chin.
“Who’s a good boy?” Jiang Cheng murmurs, and the dog’s tail begins to wag enthusiastically.
“We’re not getting another dog,” Nie Huaisang says, stepping up to Jiang Cheng’s side with Jin Ling’s backpack in hand. “Two is plenty.”
“I know, I know,” Jiang Cheng says with a laugh, standing up just as the farmer reaches them.
“Jiang-gongzi, Nie-gongzi,” Liao Shi says warmly. “How have you been?”
“We’ve been good,” Jiang Cheng says, ushering Jin Ling in front of him. “This is my nephew, Jin Ling.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Jin-gongzi,” Liao Shi says, crouching down in front of Jin Ling. “I hear you’re looking for a new puppy?”
Jin Ling nods.
“Mama and Baba said I could get one,” he says proudly. “Because I’m a big boy now.”
“You are indeed,” Liao Shi agrees. “Would you like to come to meet the puppies then?”
“Please!” Jin Ling says, a grin breaking across his face as he turns to Jiang Cheng. “Can I?”
“That’s what we’re here for,” Jiang Cheng says, cocking an eyebrow.
“Well then, if you follow me,” Liao Shi says, and leads them around the side of his house to the barn where he raises the dogs.
Jiang Cheng’s first dog had come from Liao Shi’s, a black lab he’d named Love, and Jiang Cheng trusts that whatever dog Jin Ling picks will be well behaved and trained.
“I’ve got four litters at the moment,” Liao Shi says as he opens the door and ushers them inside. “The oldest are three months old, while the youngest are just over one month. There’s another litter that was born just a week or so ago as well, but for obvious reasons they’re not up for adoption yet.”
Inside the barn, over a dozen puppies run wild, and Jin Ling’s face lights up in delight.
“There’re so many!” he exclaims. “How am I going to pick?”
“Well,” Nie Huaisang says. “If you find a place to sit down, they can come up to you.”
Jin Ling nods, eyes wide, and sits down right where he was standing.
Jiang Cheng laughs.
“I suppose there will do,” he says, then he turns to Liao Shi. “We might be a while; I hope that’s okay?”
“Of course,” Liao Shi says. “Take as long as you need. I have a few things to do about the farm, but I trust you to keep an eye on things here.”
He leaves Jiang Cheng and Nie Huaisang alone with Jin Ling, who is having the time of his life with the puppies. He's chatting to them about everything, from what he had for breakfast to a movie he had watched with his parents the night before, and giggling whenever one of them barks, seemingly in reply.
“He’s so cute,” Nie Huaisang says. “They love him.”
“Of course they do,” Jiang Cheng snorts. “He’s a Jiang.”
“I think you’ll find he’s a Jin,” Nie Huaisang says, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
“Absolutely not. He’s definitely a Jiang.”
“If you say so.”
The two men sit down near Jin Ling, Nie Huaisang leaning against Jiang Cheng’s shoulder with his phone out, taking pictures of Jin Ling with the puppies.
“Are you sending those to Jiejie?”
“Yeah. Do you want them too?”
“Please.”
A few puppies decide they’re bored of Jin Ling and decide to come over and crawl all over Jiang Cheng and Nie Huaisang, barking and licking, and Jiang Cheng allows himself to simply enjoy the moment – enjoy the softness of fur under his fingers, the weight of his husband at his side, and the contented noises that come from Jin Ling.
-----
Jiang Cheng isn’t sure how long they’ve been there when Liao Shi returns and announces it’s time to feed the puppies.
Excited, Jin Ling asks if he can help, and when Liao Shi agrees he sets to his task with a single-minded determination that is all Jiang.
Jin Ling may look like his father, but he is a Jiang through and through – always was and always will be.
“Are there any you like?” Liao Shi asks Jin Ling while the puppies are eating, and Jin Ling nods.
“I like those two,” he says, pointing to two siblings. Jiang Cheng had noticed that the two had taken a liking to Jin Ling right from the beginning, and had stayed by his side the whole time. Jin Ling’s face falls. “But I’m only allowed to get one.”
“I’m sure you’ll be able to figure something out,” Liao Shi tells Jin Ling, who still looks conflicted.
Once the puppies have finished eating, most of them curl up in various places around the barn to nap, and the two that Jin Ling had his eyes on decide to make themselves at home on his lap.
“They’re so cute,” Jiang Cheng says, and Nie Huaisang gives him a Look.
“I can see you thinking,” he says.
“What?”
“You’re thinking about getting the other one, so they don’t have to be split up.”
Jiang Cheng rubs the back of his neck sheepishly.
“I might have been,” he says.
“We have two dogs already,” Nie Huaisang says.
“So what’s one more?”
“A-Cheng,” Nie Huaisang laughs, but Jiang Cheng sees him watching Jin Ling, and can see his resolve weakening.
Jiang Cheng goes in for the kill.
“How happy do you think Jin Ling would be?” he hedges, and Nie Huaisang sighs, though Jiang Cheng can see the smile on his face.
“Alright. I guess we’re getting a third dog,” he says. “You’re responsible for it though.”
-----
That night, Jiang Cheng is tucking Jin Ling into their spare bed, with both puppies snuggled close to his sides. Initially, Jiang Cheng was hesitant to let them stay in the same room, but Liao Shi had assured him that they were toilet trained and wouldn’t be any trouble.
So, just like he always does, Jiang Cheng caves to Jin Ling’s pleading while Nie Huaisang just stood in the doorway with a fond look on his face.
“Jiujiu,” Jin Ling says as Jiang Cheng kisses him goodnight.
“Yes, A-Ling?”
“I know what I’m gonna name her,” Jin Ling says happily, rolling over and burying his face in his new dog’s fur.
“Oh?”
Jin Ling nods.
“I’m gonna name her Fairy,” he says firmly, in a tone that says his mind is made up.
Nie Huaisang’s laughter is drowned out by Jiang Cheng’s own.
“Fairy,” he says. “I think that’s a perfect name.”
He’s definitely a Jiang.