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."

Jiang Yanli just stood there for a moment.

It was a lot to process.

"First, let's go to the surgery waiting room. We may be able to get more information from them than we can here. Then we will find our nephew." Her voice was firm. If he was Wei Ying's son, he was theirs. Their family. And she would do whatever she could to help him.

"Agreed."

-----

With no additional help, it took Lan Wangji longer than he expected to get the glass out of his hair. He kept peeking out of the shower to make sure A'Yuan was okay. Talking to him so he remembered he wasn't alone. That he was safe.

He dried off and dressed in the shower stall. As he exited, he found A'Yuan sound asleep on the floor. He gathered the glass laden towels and put them into a garbage bag. He gathered their glass covered clothes and put them in another bag. They might be needed as evidence. He threw the other used towels in the hamper.

Carefully, he gathered A'Yuan off the floor. He held him like a small child. So light for his height and age. He soothed him when the sleeping boy scrunched his brows. "It's me, A'Yuan. You are safe. I will allow no harm to come to you." At his voice, the child slid back into deep sleep.

Lan XiChen was waiting when his brother came out of the shower room.

"I came to take care of you and the child. I was told you have cuts, Di-di."

"Take care of him first. While he sleeps. It will be easier on him. Someone has hurt him badly, Ge-ge." Lan Wangji carefully pulled up the edge of the pajama shirt revealing Wei Yuan's bruised ribs. "I don't know if any of them are broken."

Lan XiChen took in the bruised ribs, the black eye, the split lip. His brow furrowed.  "I have a pain relieving cream. Let me put some on his ribs. While it takes effect, I'll treat the cuts on his legs. Do you think he'll let us take x-rays of his ribs?"

"I don't know, Ge-ge. He didn't want me to leave him for even a moment. Maybe if I went in with him? Held his hand?"

"Then we will try that. First, let us care for his ribs and his cuts while he sleeps. You already washed them?"

"Mn."

"So it's just a matter of antibiotic cream and bandaids. Hopefully, it won't wake him."

Lan Wangji sat down in one of the chairs in the doctors' lounge. Lan XiChen began gently rubbing the ointment on the boy's ribs before taking care of his cuts. He noticed his brother never tried to put the boy down.

"How is Wei Ying?"

"In surgery. I would suggest you go to the surgery waiting room after we get you and the child taken care of."

"Wei Yuan. His name is Wei Yuan, Ge-ge."

Lan XiChen smiled. His brother, so often distant, was acting as if the boy was his own.

"Wei Yuan is a good name."

-----

Nie Huaisang had turned on the charm again. He had requested the use of a shower and a change of clothes from a nurse. Why was painfully obvious. He was covered in Yu Bin's blood. She had gone pink and taken him to a shower and asked him to wait a moment. He had smiled and thanked her.

When she had returned with a set of scrubs, she had shyly said, "If you need any additional help, Inspector, there is a red cord. Just pull it and I will come."

He smiled and thanked her again. Profusely. She had been giggling when she left. He mentally tucked her name away. He never knew when it would be useful.

He entered the shower room and locked the door. There was no way he wanted her in the shower with him. Yu Bin? Well, that was another matter, wasn't it? When he was over the surgery, healed up and they were ready... anything was possible. He had no doubts Yu Bin would come through the surgery just fine. He refused to think any other way. He couldn't. Together, they would face any difficulties that arose.

He frowned. What about Yu Bin's family? He finished his shower and dried off. Standing with the towel slung around his hips, he called his secretary.

"Wei?"

"Ouyang Zizhen, I need Yu Bin's emergency contact information. Text it to me."

"But Boss, that's a Personnel item. They'll -"

"I don't care what they'll do! Go down to the girl you've been giggling with in Records and get it!"

Ouyang Zizhen was stunned. Nie Huaisang had never snapped at him. Ever.

"Yes, Boss."

"Thank you. I appreciate it." and Nie Huaisang hung up.

Three minutes later, he had the name, relationship and number.

-----

Jiang Yanli was pacing the waiting room with her brother. No one knew how Wei Ying was doing and no one knew where Wei Ying's son was. They said Lan Wangji had taken the boy and that was all they knew. She was about to get firm with someone until he was found.

As she started to walk up to the desk, the door opened. A doctor was holding it open for a man in scrubs cradling a sleeping child.

"I need to go but I will let you know about the x-ray as soon as possible, Di-di."

"Thank you, Ge-ge."

The doctor left and the man sat on the sofa, still holding the child.

Jiang Cheng turned to walk back and suddenly rushed forward.

"Lan Wangji! Where have you been? Is he okay?" Jiang Cheng asked anxiously.

"Speak quietly. He is exhausted. We think he is okay. We'll know soon if his ribs are broken."

Jiang Yanli had joined her brother. "His ribs might be broken? What happened? What is his name?"

Lan Wangji looked at the woman and then at Jiang Cheng.

"This is my sister, Jiang Yanli. If you are right, he is our nephew." Jiang Cheng was almost whispering in his efforts not to use his normally loud voice.

A nod. "His name is Wei Yuan." He pulled back the edge of the warm blanket they had wrapped him in after the x-rays he had mostly slept through.  Beneath the blanket was a child who looked spent. His face almost gaunt with a black eye and split lip. Jiang Yanli wanted to cry but wouldn't. A'Yuan would need serious care both mental and physical. Just like his father. She would make sure they had it.

"What happened to him?" she asked quietly.

"I don't know. I think Wen Chao had something to do with it. He is malnourished but the nutritionist said as long as we feed him well with healthy foods, there shouldn't be any lasting effects. As for his ribs, they are horribly bruised. We managed to get x-rays of them and are just waiting for the results." Lan Wangji softly brushed the boy's bangs to the side. "I don't know what he has been through but he will need all our help to recover."

Jiang Cheng had growled again at the name of Wen Chao but he was also surprised. He had never heard the detective talk this extensively about anything.

"Right now, he doesn't want me to leave him. My apologies but Wei Ying gave him to me to care for. I will do so but I would appreciate if it was with your help." Lan Wangji was an honorable man. He wouldn't keep A'Yuan from his family but he would uphold his obligations.

"Of course we will help you. I will arrange for food. None of us may feel like eating but it is a necessity. Especially for A'Yuan. Does he have belongings that you are aware of? Clothes? Anything?"

"His clothing is worn thin, too small and covered with glass. It is in a garbage bag in my brother's office in case it is needed for evidence. He has exactly what you see."

Jiang Yanli's jaw firmed. "I will take care of it. Do you have any food allergies I should be aware of, Lan Wangji?"

"I do not tolerate spice well." Lan Wangji answered.

"That is not a problem. Excuse me." Jiang Yanli gently replaced the blanket on her nephew. She walked out into the hall and began to make calls.

-----

Nie Huaisang was in a set of scrubs. His bloody clothes were in a bag for evidence. In another evidence bag, he tucked his favorite fan, as well as the tie and the flute he had used to make the tourniquet. The doctor said it had save Yu Bin's life. Those he would hold on to for now.

He pulled out his phone and called the number his secretary had sent.

"Wei?"

"Hello, is this Yu Qing**?"

"Yes, who is this?"

"I am Inspector Nie Huaisang. I'm calling to inform you your brother is in the Gusu-Lan Hospital. He is currently in surgery for an injury to his hand."

There was a click and the call was disconnected.

Nie Huaisang was slightly confused. Who hangs up when they are told their brother is in surgery?

He continued up to the surgery waiting room.

-----

Yu Qing was running down three flights of stairs as if her life depended on it. Yu Bin was her baby brother and she adored him. When he had decided to be a policeman, she had fought against the idea. The job was dangerous. She was afraid something would happen to him and now here he was, hurt. 

She tried to be supportive when he made it clear this was what he really wanted. She knew he loved it and was good at his job. It was just very hard to remember her brother was a grown man and not the little boy who had followed her everywhere.

As she came tearing out of the stairwell door, she almost ran into a man. Shorter, slender and also headed into the surgery waiting room.

"Excuse me."  she called as she dashed through the door.

Nie Huaisang looked at her for a moment and followed her in. She was already at the desk speaking to the staff.

"I've been told my brother is in surgery here. I need all the details. His name is Yu Bin."

Nie Huaisang smiled. Yu Bin was well loved by his sister. Then he did what he did so often, stood to the side and listened.

"Dr. Yu, the last report we have says he is in surgery currently. If you wish, I'm sure you can go to the surgery's observation room. You can see everything from there." the receptionist said.

"Thank you." and the small woman bolted back out the way she came. Nie Huaisang was right behind her.  Not much further down the hall, she swiped her hospital id past a key card lock. A click and she rushed through.

A foot in the door stopped it from closing. Nie Huaisang was in. There were several stairs that lead to a sort of theater. There were seats where Nie Huaisang assumed students watched surgeries. Dr. Yu was at the window staring down at her brother.

"Dr. Yu?" Nie Huaisang called quietly but she still jumped.

She looked at him and noticed no badge.

"You aren't a hospital employee. Get out or I'll call security." her voice was demanding, imperious.

"I'd prefer if you didn't, doctor. I called you concerning Yu Bin." Nie Huaisang was trying to be nice about things. He understood it had been a stressful evening.

"Thank you. Now get out." her voice was flat.

"I'm also the man who saved your brother's life today. Twice. So let's be a little nicer perhaps." Nie Huaisang's voice was casual. His eyes were steel. He would never ask Yu Bin to choose between him and his family but he wouldn't take anything off this doctor either.

She looked startled. "Who exactly are you?" She noticed his eyes. Hard and unrelenting.

"I am Inspector Nie Huaisang. Your brother and I are... close. I merely want to know how the surgery is going and you may be able to tell me that. Can you?" He smiled slightly. He was still clutching the bag with the items that had saved Yu Bin's life. He would find out how his Yu Bin was if he had to get his favorite fan out of evidence to do it.

Yu Qing was a hard woman. She'd had to be but this man would bury her and smile while he was doing it.

"How close?" she whispered.

"I will do whatever is necessary to protect and care for A'Bin." There was no doubt of his sincerity. She believed him.

She turned back to the window. "His vitals are good. I can't tell how bad his hand is from up here or how far along they are in the procedure but he's stable and that's a good sign." She paused awkwardly. "Thank you for saving him."

"I am just grateful that I was there in time." It was a moment of raw honesty.

A small, brief smile was shared between them before they turned back to the window.

-----

Jiang Yanli was pleased with the meal. There was a hearty soup for A'Yuan that would be easy on a stomach that may have been empty for some time. When they had woken him, he had cringed further into Lan Wangji.

"I am your Gu-gu**, A' Yuan." her voice was smooth, steady, soothing. He glanced up at her but didn't loosen his hold on Lan Wangji. "I am Wei Ying's older sister, Jiang Yanli. This is your Shushu**, Jiang Cheng. Wei Ying's older brother. That makes you our nephew." His eyes flicked to Jiang Cheng then back to his aunt.

She smiled at him. "Are you hungry, Zhizi**?" She opened the soup and placed a steamed bun beside it. "I hope you like it."

Wei Yuan was hesitant. Looking at the food and then at his aunt and uncle.

"The soup is for you, A'Yuan. You are safe here. We will not let anyone harm you." Lan Wangji whispered to the boy. He looked at Lan Wangji then nodded. Jiang Yanli handed him a spoon.

"Be careful, it is warm." she carefully blew on it stirring it slightly. Wei Yuan was rather amazed by this treatment.

"T-thank you." his voice could barely be heard but he was talking. Lan Wangji almost heaved a sigh of relief. He was afraid the boy had withdrawn into himself far enough that he wouldn't speak. Simply too much trauma.

"You are welcome, Zhizi." She smiled. There was just something about Jiang Yanli that spoke of kindness. Comfort. Acceptance. All of that reached out to Wei Yuan's lonely heart. He wasn't sure what to think of his Shushu yet but his Gu-gu was alright in his book.

He began to eat quickly and Jiang Yanli slowed him down. "We don't want your stomach to be upset." He looked at her smile and at the food.

Lan Wangji whispered to him again. "No one will take it from you, A'Yuan. You are safe with us. Eat slowly and it will make your stomach feel better. All of it is yours. If you finish it, there are other things to eat. You do not have to be hungry anymore."

Wei Yuan's eyes went glassy with tears as he looked at Lan Wangji. He looked at his aunt and uncle. They nodded agreement. He gave them a tiny smile and began to eat slower.

-----

They had been in the waiting room over four hours. Wei Yuan had eaten a full meal and promptly fell asleep in Lan Wangji's arms.

The x-rays results came back negative for current broken ribs but it was apparent he had had at least one broken rib in the past. Possibly two. Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji were both privately plotting Wen Chao's death if he had anything to do with it.

Jiang Yanli had received a call and left briefly. She returned with two large bags.

"I had clothing delivered for him. I'm not sure on the size but as they are all t-shirts, sweat pants and sweat shirts, if they are too big it will still work. His underthings I picked up in two sizes, just in case. As for shoes, slides will do nicely until he is ready to go shopping." She settled in and began to remove the tags.

No one mentioned it but every time a door was opened, the three adults froze. 'Family of Wei Ying' was never called and the tension was beginning to get heavy. Lan Wangji had tried to contact his brother but was told he was handling another emergency surgery and was unavailable.

Nie Huaisang came back after his previous in and out stay. He said Yu Bin was doing well and in recovery. They probably wouldn't know how successful the surgery was for several days because of swelling but he was out of danger.

"Nothing on Wei Ying yet?" he asked.

"Nothing. Every time we ask, we get the same answer, 'We have no additional information. He's still in surgery.'" Jiang Cheng wasn't happy and he was about to explode on someone if they didn't get some answers soon.

"Wait just a moment." Nie Huaisang pulled out his phone and had a quiet conversation with someone before he hung up. "Hopefully, that will get us something. They'll try at least."

It was another twenty minutes before his phone rang again. The other three people were staring at Nie Huaisang as if the conversation would be written on his forehead. "Wei?" he answered and quietly listened to the information. "Thank you. I appreciate your efforts, doctor."

Lan Wangji's eyebrow raised. Was there no where this man didn't have connections?

"Currently, he is stable. He lost a lot of blood and they had to repair the damage to his lung. The doctor who checked on it said they should be finished within the hour if there are no unforeseen complications. After that, he will be in recovery with Yu Bin. They didn't know how long before they would be in rooms and be available for visitation."

Jiang Yanli gave a heavy breath out. "Thank you, Inspector."

Lan Wangji and Jiang Cheng looked relieved.

It was just over an hour when the surgeon finally came out. They were the last people in the waiting room. "Family of Wei Ying?" he asked.

"Yes. How is he?" Jiang Cheng's voice was back to its normal volume.

"He's in recovery and doing well. He should be in a room in several hours." He glanced at the clock. "Around one most likely. He'll be on oxygen for several days just to be sure. We don't want a lot of movement for at least the next twenty-four hours. The tissues will be tender and we don't want any risk of stitches being ripped out. Other than that, barring infection, he should be fine given time, care and some breathing therapy."

All three of them thanked the doctor. He smiled and left.

"Now what?" Jiang Cheng asked.

"We sleep if we can." Lan Wangji answered. "For at least the few hours we have before he is in his room."

"After that?" Jiang Yanli asked.

"We make sure he has anything and everything he needs." Lan Wangji stated it as a fact. He would allow no further harm to come to Wei Ying or A'Yuan.

The gods help anyone who tried.

~♡~♡~♡~

I chose to change Wen Qing to Yu Qing to make the relationship more clear between the siblings while not confusing their identities with the Wen Clan or Wen Chao.

Gu-gu is Aunt, father's sister.

Shushu is Uncle, father's brother.

Zhizi is nephew, brother's son.

Thanks, AuliaSutejo, and edith343redwood for the language help!

I want to thank everyone who has recommended, read, voted and commented on Red Light. The story has now reached over 4K reads and 1K likes. I am dumbfounded, touched and so grateful for your time and efforts to read my scribbles!

May today bring a smile to your face! Now, go have a piece of chocolate! 😊

❤️🍫🫖❤️