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“Shut UP, Jingyi! Jiujiu will hear and then we’ll be in big trouble and we won’t get to go to Ocean Park and help get rid of those demons!”
A scornful laugh drifts out of the tent and through the open window. “You’re too little anyway, A-Ling, there’s no way you get to go.” There is a frenzy of rustling sleeping bags and soft, childish grunts as elbows connect with chests. “‘Sides, your uncle is too old. He can’t hear us.”
“Wha—my jiujiu is not too old! He’s not as old as your crusty old Hanguang-jun!”
“You take that back!”
“Take back what you said about my jiujiu!”
“A Lan must not tell lies, so I can’t!”
“You, you—“
Muffled curses take over the conversation.
“I’m going to break their legs,” Jiang Cheng groans as he presses the pillow over his eyes.
Huaisang lifts himself up from his comfortable spot draped over Jiang Cheng’s chest and peers out the darkened window, though he cannot see the tent in the yard from this angle.
“Aww, don’t you want Jin Ling to continue defending your honor?” he says, a smile evident in his voice.
“I want the little brats to go to sleep,” Jiang Cheng replies, louder as the scuffle outside increases in intensity.
“Give it a second,” Huaisang says. He sits up now, head cocked toward the window, as— “There we go.” The boys in the tent fall abruptly silent.
“Will you both lie down?” Sizhui’s sleepy voice is both fond and exasperated. “Or do I need to practice the binding spell that Baba’s teaching me?”
Jiang Cheng sits up now. “Wei Ying’s teaching the kids what now?”
“Shhh,” Huaisang says. He puts a hand on Jiang Cheng’s chest. “I’m sure it’s a harmless one. Wangji wouldn’t let Sizhui do anything untoward. He’s only eleven.”
“Don’t be so sure,” Jiang Cheng mutters, though he does allow Huaisang to ease him back against the mattress. They wait a minute more, but they hear only the rustle of little bodies snuggling into sleeping bags and then stillness and peace reigns over the backyard, disrupted only by the occasional snore as Zizhen sleeps on blissfully through the entire scuffle .
Jiang Cheng sighs and rolls onto his side. “Why did we agree to host this little sleepover again?”
Huaisang scoots down until he’s securely caught in Jiang Cheng’s arms and kisses his husband sweetly on the cheek. “Because we are the best uncles, remember?”
“Mmm.” Jiang Cheng sounds unconvinced, but he forgoes arguing to pull Huaisang tightly against him. “After tomorrow, we are taking a trip, somewhere far away from uncles and nephews and brothers.” He kisses Huaisang with far more fire than sweetness. “Somewhere we don’t have to whisper.”