Red Light

Day 6 Part 7

Nie Huaisang was exhausted. Watching Yu Bin be in pain was one of the worst things he had ever experienced. He never wanted to do it again. Ever.

Yu Bin had been so brave. Even the shots numbing his hand had been excruciating for him. Nie Huaisang could tell from the fresh rivulets of sweat on the sides of Yu Bin's face. He had tenderly blotted his face and whispered to him small comforting words. Anything to distract him from the doctor's efforts. When Yu Bin had finally cried out, the doctor had looked at Nie Huaisang but he was focused on his... what? Not a friend. More than that. Boyfriend? Maybe too soon for that... Ultimately, as the thoughts passed through the back of his mind, Nie Huaisang decided that Yu Bin was his. Just as he was Yu Bin's. They could decide later if there was a name for how they felt. For some odd reason, in all the chaos, blood and pain, it made him feel better.

He was eternally grateful there would even be a later.

He had watched the doctor try to stop the bleeding before they decided surgery was the only option. They had discovered there were bone fragments. The fight for control of the knife had ground downward into the small bones in the wrist taking pieces out of them. Those would have to be removed as well. Wen Chao had made a mess of Yu Bin's hand. Nie Huaisang added that to the long list of items for repayment.

When they were ready to wheel Yu Bin off to surgery, Nie Huaisang had kissed his forehead. "I'll be waiting." he had whispered.

"I'll be back soon." Yu Bin had whispered back with a slur, already under the influence of the sedative they had given him in his IV.

Nie Huaisang had stood, watching, until they went through the doors and he couldn't see Yu Bin anymore.

-----

Jiang Yanli arrived at the ER to find her brother with his head in his hands. One hand had scabbed over knuckles. He looked drained.

"A'Cheng?" Her voice was soft.

"ShiJie?" He looked up and just put his head against her. She hugged him. "Tell me, A'Cheng. Everything."

"I don't know everything. What I do know is Wei Ying was in the red light district. He was... they said he was a prostitute." Jiang Cheng's voice choked to silence. Jiang Yanli froze.

"W-what?" She couldn't believe her ears. Her baby brother? He was a wild child in so many ways but not this. This was not her A'Ying. Whatever was going on, that is not a choice he would have made.

"What else, brother? Why is he hurt?" her voice was soothing to Jiang Cheng. It always had been. Even when they were small children, he had turned to ShiJie when he was troubled. Now was no different.

"He was stabbed. They thought his lung may have been punctured and was collapsing but the only update they've given me is he's in surgery. I was waiting here for you. Now we can go to the surgery waiting room."

She pulled away from him and cupped his face as he looked up at her. "Wei Ying is too stubborn to die yet. He will make it. You will see. Be strong, A'Cheng. A'Ying will need us."

"Wait. There's more. You should know he has a son."

"A son?" Jiang Yanli was flabbergasted. "How? Where is he? What is his name? Does he look like A'Ying?"

"How I have no idea. Right now, he is with Lan Wangji, the detective who found Wei Ying. He's not in good shape, ShiJie. He's around 8 or so, I think. Too skinny. And when they took Wei Ying back to treat him, the boy fell apart. Screaming and thrashing, telling Lan Wangji Wen Chao killed his mother and then killed Wei Ying. It was horrible to witness. I didn't try to take the boy away from Lan Wangji. I was afraid it would traumatize him further." Jiang Cheng sounded miserable. "I don't actually know what his name is. I asked the nurse where he had been taken and she said the detective was getting the glass off of him. That is everything I know."