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Steps Forward

Liu Tingyu looked at the hospital entrance. It looked deceptively calm. Surely, there had been no assassination attempts behind its hallowed doors. 

But there had. 

It was hard to believe.

She pulled her phone out and sent Nie Huaisang a simple text. 

‘We're here. Main entrance.’ 

The reply was fast.

‘On my way. Wait near gift shop.’ 

She slipped her phone back into her enormous bag and looked at Jiang Cheng. 

“He'll meet us near the gift shop, A'Cheng.” she told him.

The inspector gave her a startled look. 

“We should look at a card or flowers for your Uncle. My brother has always enjoyed funny cards.” she said casually. 

Her look reminded him they were not there in an official capacity. 

He gave her a lopsided grin, careful of the bruises on his face. 

“Good idea, Gugu**.” 

She laughed. 

“We should also get something to eat. I'll go grab us something simple. Please wait here for your cousin.”  As she started walking toward the refrigerated cases in the small convenience shop, she heard Jiang Cheng scoff behind her, then give a small chuckle. 

‘Good.’ she smiled to herself. 

It bothered her seeing him as anything other than his usual hale, hearty, annoyed self. The bruises. The bloody knuckles. The aching fatigue. As soon as the worst of this was over, she was going to insist he take time off. Take time off and sleep himself out.

Until then, all they could do was keep going. Interrogate the prisoner and protect their witnesses. 

—--

Nie Huaisang was walking directly behind his brother and Yu Bin's sister. Nie Mingjue was congratulating Yu Qing on Wen Chao's black eye. Passing on the greetings and respects from the officers on Wen Chao's guard detail. 

He was surprised to see the back of her neck flush pink. 

“I don't normally approve of violence, but if anyone deserves it, it is that waste of flesh. No one hurts my didi and gets away with it.” Yu Qing almost growled. 

Nie Mingjue was enchanted.

“I can only hope my contribution blacks his other eye. After what he did to A'Sang, I've wanted to do that for over a decade.” he said with a great deal of satisfaction. 

As they fell to discussing the situation, Nie Huaisang began paying closer attention to them than to the fury making him feel slightly charred around the edges. 

‘Are they flirting over punching Wen Chao?’ he thought somewhat incredulous. ‘Who the hell does that?’ 

A giggle escaped him that turned into a laugh, which became him laughing so hard he was leaning against the wall crying. 

Nie Mingjue and Yu Qing stared at him in confusion.

“Didi? Are you okay?” Nie Mingjue asked tentatively. 

Which only made Huaisang laugh even harder. He'd reached the point he was barely making a sound as he clutched his stomach with one hand and the wall with the other. 

“I think he may have snapped.” Nie Mingjue said softly to Yu Qing.

Nie Huaisang waved a hand indicating ‘No’ in a general way. Another loud laugh escaped him.