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Jiang Cheng gives Lan Xichen another five minutes to save the conversation before he’s going to step in. It’s Jin Guangyao who is doing most of the speaking right now, but from him Jiang Cheng expects nothing, so his only hope is Lan Xichen.
At least if Jiang Cheng wants to keep his temper and with every word that comes out of Jin Guangyao’s mouth and with every inch Nie Mingjue sinks further into himself that seems more and more unlikely.
“Da-ge, we really should meet for lunch more regularly,” Jin Guangyao pleasantly says and Jiang Cheng wants to wring his skinny little neck.
They shouldn’t spend any time together at all, not after what Jin Guangyao did to Nie Mingjue, but he’s keeping his tongue.
For now.
Last chance for Lan Xichen to speak up.
“A-Yao is right,” Lan Xichen says in that moment and Jiang Cheng is almost surprised that no one seems to hear how his patience simply snaps.
“That’s enough,” Jiang Cheng says, finally stepping forwards until he’s shoulder to shoulder with Nie Mingjue where before he was silently supporting him while standing a step behind.
Nie Mingjue flinches minutely at his tone but then some of the tension leaves his shoulders and Jiang Cheng reassuringly presses their arms together.
Jiang Cheng warned him before this function that he might reach the end of his rope today, depending on how Lan Xichen and Jin Guangyao conducted themselves today and Nie Mingjue had seemed relieved to hear it.
And now that Jiang Cheng is standing right next to Nie Mingjue he finally sees just how miserable he looks.
The fact that Lan Xichen doesn’t seem to notice it and that Jin Guangyao seems to be wilfully ignoring it only fuel Jiang Cheng’s anger.
“Excuse me?” Jin Guangyao says, his most polite smile plastered on his face and Jiang Cheng scowls at him.
“You heard me.”
“You were very loud, yes,” Jin Guangyao gives back and if Jiang Cheng were still the same insecure boy he used to be before he met Nie Mingjue then he might have cowered with just those four words but not anymore.
“Then I don’t see the problem. Was I unclear somehow?”
Nie Mingjue has turned slightly towards Jiang Cheng as if he’s glad that he no longer has to face Jin Guangyao–and by extension Lan Xichen–on his own and Jiang Cheng hates how uncertain he always seems in face of Lan Xichen.
Jiang Cheng knows better than anyone that Nie Mingjue can stand his ground against almost everyone except his best friend.
And Jiang Cheng hates how Jin Guangyao is always using that against him.
“I fail to understand how you are a part of this conversation, but I am sure you will enlighten me about that in a second,” Jin Guangyao says, his voice still as pleasant as his smile but Jiang Cheng can see the tension in his shoulders.
“Oh, you’re damn right I will,” Jiang Cheng promises him. “I am a part of this conversation because Mingjue is clearly uncomfortable, yet neither of you seem to notice. Or more accurately, neither of you seem to care.”
At his words Lan Xichen turns concerned eyes on Nie Mingjue and it’s only then that he seems to notice the defensive stance Nie Mingjue is in.
“Da-ge?” he unsurely asks and Nie Mingjue works his jaw.
Jiang Cheng knows that he’s not going to say anything, not even now, because his own discomfort is nothing compared to how much he hates to disappoint Lan Xichen.
Jiang Cheng isn’t sure when their friendship turned out like this or what Lan Xichen did to cause such a reaction in Nie Mingjue but he knows that he’s no longer going to allow it.
And if he has to speak up for his heart, then he’ll gladly do it.
“You’re exaggerating, surely,” Jin Guangyao says, the smile now noticeably dimmer as he watches how Lan Xichen can’t seem to turn his eyes away from Nie Mingjue. “Da-ge would have said something.”
“No, he wouldn’t have. And how the hell can you think that Mingjue actually wants to speak to you, let alone spend any more time with you than is strictly necessary?”
“Jiang Wanyin, that incident is behind us!” Lan Xichen chastises him and Jiang Cheng wonders if this is the loudest he ever gets.
“Do you really think such an incident can be forgotten? Jin Guangyao didn’t even apologize to him! And he nearly ruined Mingjue’s company and he got Nie Huaisang almost fatally hurt! Such a thing is not easily forgotten, especially not when the police is still investigating.”
At that Lan Xichen freezes and Jiang Cheng smells blood.
“Oh, you didn’t know? Did Jin Guangyao not tell you?” he sweetly asks and watches how Lan Xichen turns towards Jin Guangyao who immediately tries to minimize the damage.
Jiang Cheng blends him out, though, because it doesn’t matter what kind of platitudes and lies Jin Guangyao spouts. The only thing that does matter at the moment is Nie Mingjue.
“My soul?” Jiang Cheng lowly asks and leans further into Nie Mingjue’s side. “How are you doing?”
“Thank you,” Nie Mingjue mutters and leans more heavily against Jiang Cheng. “I couldn’t have—I know you don’t understand but I can’t argue with Xichen like that,” he admits and Jiang Cheng sighs.
“You’re right. I don’t understand. But as long as I can help you like this I’m going to have your back anytime, no matter what. You know that, right?”
“I love you,” is the only answer he gets for that and Jiang Cheng supposes that is an answer too.
“I love you, too,” he whispers back, just in time to tune back in when Lan Xichen and Jin Guangyao turn their attention back to them as well.
“It’s all just a misunderstanding, surely you know that,” Lan Xichen says to Nie Mingjue who shakes his head and then actually speaks up.
Jiang Cheng has never been this proud of him.
“I don’t, actually. And things like that are not so easily forgotten. I certainly can’t look past them,” Nie Mingjue says, despite the way Lan Xichen’s face falls though Jiang Cheng can feel how he tenses at his side again.
“And with that this conversation is now over,” Jiang Cheng decides, because he knows there’s only so much Nie Mingjue can take before he either loses his temper of breaks down and Jiang Cheng is not keen to see either of that happen in public. “He will not spend any more time with Jin Guangyao than he has to and that’s that.”
“Da-ge, you let him speak for you now?” Jin Guangyao asks and just for his tone alone Jiang Cheng wants to punch him in the face.
“I am speaking on behalf of him,” Jiang Cheng coolly corrects him. “And I am just saying what he can’t.”
“Surely da-ge can speak for himself,” Lan Xichen cuts in as well and Jiang Cheng levels him with a look.
“Not when it comes to you, because he cares too damn much about your feelings. And he hates disappointing you, which you perfectly well know. But I don’t have the same problem. I don’t care about you or your feelings.”
“So you’re doing this to deliberately hurt our relationship,” Lan Xichen sums up and Jiang Cheng almost sneers at him.
“Do not put words into my mouth. I am saying this because it’s what Mingjue has been thinking for a while. He just cares too much about you to simply say it to your face. Or maybe he’s just too polite.”
“Da-ge, surely you won’t let him—” Jiang Cheng huffs out a laugh at the judging look he gets “—decide what’s best for you,” Jin Guangyao says and it’s clear that he expects Nie Mingjue to crumble just like he always does when it comes to these two.
“Actually, I think I will,” Nie Mingjue says, to the surprise of all of them, including Nie Mingjue himself it seems. “Wanyin is not wrong when he says that I can’t say to Xichen what I want because of—exactly that,” he breathes out and Jiang Cheng tears his eyes away from Nie Mingjue to catch the disappointed and hurt look on Lan Xichen’s face.
It’s a face he wants to punch because it caused Nie Mingjue so much grief already.
“Tell me then,” Jiang Cheng says on impulse and tugs Nie Mingjue around to him. “Tell me what you would like to say to Lan Xichen. Maybe that’s easier.”
For a second Jiang Cheng thinks Nie Mingjue is going to laugh at his idea but then he fully faces him and takes a deep breath.
“I hate dealing with Jin Guangyao. I can’t sleep most days I have to and I do not want to spend any time with him at all. And the fact that you take his side over mine over and over again feels like a new betrayal every time. I’m not sure I can do it anymore, and I would actually like to put some space between all of us.”
Jiang Cheng notices the minute shaking of Nie Mingjue’s voice as he speaks but he has never been more proud of him than in that moment.
“Da-ge,” Lan Xichen starts but falls silent when Nie Mingjue shakes his head.
“No. You’re going to say something that makes me doubt my own feelings and then you’re going to look at me again with that face, the one that makes me want to crawl away with shame and I can’t do that anymore, Xichen. You make me doubt myself and you encourage him hurting me and I am done with that.”
Nie Mingjue turns around to Lan Xichen even as he desperately searches for Jiang Cheng’s hand, who more than readily offers it up.
“I am done with both of you for a while, I think. I want the investigation to be complete before I talk to you again and I think I will require a sincere apology as well. And before that happens, I am no longer available for either of you.” With that he turns around to Jiang Cheng. “Can we leave now?” he asks, more quietly than before and Jiang Cheng doesn’t have to be a mind reader to know that Nie Mingjue is this close to a break-down.
“Of course, my soul,” he immediately agrees and tugs Nie Mingjue away from Lan Xichen and Jin Guangyao without even a word of goodbye.
He thinks Nie Mingjue did a pretty good job and he’s not going to ruin it by offering some polite platitudes.
“You did really well, my soul,” Jiang Cheng says once they are safely in the car and well on their way home. “And I am really proud of you.”
“This sucks,” Nie Mingjue breathes out and when Jiang Cheng glances over he’s not at all surprised to see tears stream down his face. “It sucks so much. Why can’t he ever take my side? Why does it always have to be him?”
“I don’t know,” Jiang Cheng honestly says and threads their fingers together.
It’s unfathomable to him how anyone can pick Jin Guangyao over Nie Mingjue.
“I’m sorry it is like that,” he then weakly offers and Nie Mingjue raises their hands to his lips, so he can press a kiss to the back of Jiang Cheng’s.
“I love you. I wouldn’t have been able to say that to him without you. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, my soul. I’m just sorry you had to do it at all.”
“Yeah, I’m sorry about that, too,” Nie Mingjue mutters as he rests his head against the window.
It can’t be comfortable, not with how bumpy the road is, but it’s not as if Jiang Cheng can offer him to rest his head on his own shoulder.
He does still need to drive.
“You would tell me if I overstep, right?” he asks into the silence, Lan Xichen’s words still echoing in his mind and Nie Mingjue snorts.
“You’re my heart. If anyone can speak for me, it’s you. I don’t mind at all, and you didn’t overstep. I doubt you could.”
“That’s too nice,” Jiang Cheng grumbles, though he can tell that his face is on fire.
Nie Mingjue can still disarm him with barely three sentences and it would be absolutely infuriating if Jiang Cheng wouldn’t love him so much.
“Let’s just go home, alright? I’m tired,” Nie Mingjue mutters and now it’s Jiang Cheng’s turn to press a kiss to his hand.
“Of course, my soul. Whatever you want.”
Jiang Cheng knows that ‘whatever you want’ will end in cuddles on the couch because Nie Mingjue is just a big teddy bear who needs physical touch more than anything and it’s not as if he’s going to mind.
It does seem like a good ending to a somewhat bad evening. And that is really all Jiang Cheng can ask for.