First Time For Everything [WangXian FF]

36

 
 

"So, is this a confession? Doesn't sound like it…"

Jiang Cheng was startled to hear the hoarse muffled voice, and he raised his head to see Sang looking at him.

Huaisang slowly removed his oxygen mask and smiled slightly. "I want a full confession, dinner, flower, champagne, the whole nine yards, before I accept you. You need to woo me."

"Jesus, Sang, you just woke up and that's the first thing you say? Typical." But he chuckled, and then his eyes turned serious. "Don’t you ever dare scare me again, like that!” Cheng admonished.

“It got the confession out of you…” Huaisang’s eyes twinkled mischievously.

Cheng had missed this. This happy go lucky, beautiful smile. “Idiot!” he scolded without any heat. He moved closer and placed a soft kiss on the other’s mouth. "Get better soon and we'll continue this."

"No take backs."

"No take backs."

Jiang Cheng pressed his forehead to Sang's and they held their position for a while before Cheng finally straightened. “Let me inform the doctor.” He pressed the button near the bed and then took his phone out to message in the GC.
 
 
---
 

It was late afternoon when he walked into the hospital bringing a modest bouquet of sunflowers from his own backyard, wrapped in a plain brown parchment paper tied with twine. It looked cheerful, hopefully they won't mock him for this simple bouquet, because it was the only thing he could afford.

He had come to visit him the day before as well but the man was still in a coma then. Today when he had called the hospital, he was told he had woken up. So he walked directly to the second level where he knew the man was admitted, and found some of the same people still lingering there. The tall one with the scary but sad expression, the good looking one with grief on his face, and two beautiful ladies, although one of them kinda looked scary.

He hesitated for a bit whether to continue walking or turn back when one of the women's eyes fell on him, and what a piercing gaze she had. He stood in place, unable to move for the next few minutes, until he finally decided to go closer, after all he had come this far.
 
"H-hello…" his eyes darted left and right, and the woman, the one with the piercing gaze, looked at him.

"Yes, how can we help you?" The woman with the nice face and beautiful smile, although sad, spoke to him.

"Ah..uhm, well, I-I.. I want to visit Mr. Nie… is this the right place?" He cursed his stutter, he always did that when he was nervous.

"Yes, are you Huaisang's friend?" She asked, not unkindly.

"No..no, I'm not his friend, I was.. I was the one who called the ambulance when he was hit and I just wanted to know if he's okay…" he spoke very fast, afraid if he stuttered more, he won't be able to speak.
"Oh!" She grabbed his hands, "so you're the good samaritan!" She looked at the big man and the good looking one. "Ming, Cheng, this is the guy who called the ambulance on Huaisang." They were all looking at him now, making him nervous. "What's your name, kid?"
"I-I.. my name is Xue Yang, and I work at a small convenience store near the site where the accident happened…"

The big man walked over and enveloped him in a bear hug. "Thank you so much, kid, that's my baby brother you saved." His back was patted and he felt so safe in those arms.

"Xue Yang, hi, my name is Jiang Yanli, and this is my girlfriend, Wen Qing, and that's my brother, Jiang Cheng, while this man who won't let you go, is Nie Mingjue, Nie Huaisang's big brother."

They were all taking turns hugging him tightly, and he heard Jiang Cheng whisper a low "Thanks" to him.
 
“Hey Xue Yang. Thanks for calling the ambulance that day. I am alive because of you.”

“I am glad..”

“You know if you hadn’t saved me, I wouldn’t be here to hear this idiot confess his feelings to me?” Huaisang grinned, wiggling his eyebrows in mischief.

“Sang… seriously?” Cheng chided him lightly.

“What? Am I lying?”

“No… but… ughh.. Whatever..”

“See? He’s such a tsundere!” He rolled his eyes for effect making everyone chuckle.

Xue Yang didn’t know what to make of it. They were talking as if they had known him for years. It felt weird but pleasantly weird.
 
"So, tell me about yourself, Xue Yang." Jiang Yanli took the bouquet and sat him down on the chair while she arranged the flowers in a vase. "Where's your home? Your parents? Where do you go to school? Tell me everything."

“Li.. Let the kid breathe…”

“Oh sorry, I am not intruding am I? It’s just that you saved Sang and that makes you our friend..” She gave him a genuine smile which made him feel all warm and happy.

Yanli took the role of a nurturer rather quickly, but something in this kid made all her motherly instincts kick in.
 

"Well, Ms. Jiang…"

"Call me Li-jie"

"...Li-jie, well, my parents... they died when I was 5, and I have lived in an orphanage since...”

He lowered his head, afraid of the mocking he was sure he was going to get. Just like every other time when people found out that he was an orphan. But the mocking never came, instead he felt soft, gentle arms going around him again, hugging tightly.
 

"Oh, poor baby, how old are you?"
 
She smelled like freshly baked pastries and clean linen… she smelled like… mom.
 
"16…"
 
“Tell me more, if you don’t mind that is…” she asked, voice ever so gentle.

“There’s not much to tell really, except, there are four more children who live with me there and I am like an elder brother to them. I don't go to school and I work at the convenience store to make ends meet.."

“A-Yang.. Can I call you, A-Yang?”

He nodded, unable to say anything more.

“A-Yang, I am so glad we met you.. I want to know more about you.. Like what do you like doing in your pastime, what do you like to eat and all that. Will you give me a chance?”

“A chance?” his voice wobbled, emotions making it hard for him to swallow.

“Yes, a chance. I was just planning to throw Sang a welcome back party after he gets out of the hospital, of course. I would like to invite you… is that OK?”
 
“I- I don’t know…”
 
“Think about it, alright? You can even bring the other children?”
 
“For real? You would want us to come to your party?” He couldn’t believe his ears.
 
“Mhm.. I really would like you to meet the others. I am sure they would like you!”
 
It had only been a few minutes that he had known them and yet these people, this woman, made him feel so welcome. He felt tears stinging his eyes, it overwhelmed him, it felt...it felt like home.