Someone In The Crowd

Chapter - 22

               Wangji was probably calling Wuxian for the first time. Xichen asked him to while he was trying to find a parking spot for their car. On a holiday like the Christmas, it was not easy to find a parking around a family outing spot like the amusement park. It was nearly 10 minutes since they arrived at the park but were yet to find to find a suitable parking.

               The call rang away without any response from the other side. Wangji called again.

                Xichen had finally spotted an empty parking spot and sped up towards it before it get occupied. They were lucky. They got the spot.

               This time instead of Wuxian, his sister Yanli answered the call.

"Hello, Wangji?"

"Yes, Mrs. Jin? Are you all already here?"

"Nice to know that you can recognize my voice. Yes, dear we are already here, but still have not found a parking spot. You guys have reached?"

"We just found a parking. Then well go first and get the tickets? Is that okay with you all?"

"Yes. Thank you so much, Wangji."

"It's nothing to thank me for, Mrs. Jin. Please, we are going to spend the whole day together, don't go on thanking about small things."

"Yes, yes, I get it, Professor Lan. Then we'll see you at the entrance."

"Hmm... see you in a bit."

Wangji decidedly ignored the other's teasing tone towards the end.

               It was a 15-minute walk to the ticket counter from their parking spot. But another challenge presented itself. The line in front of the counter was sure to take at least 30 minutes.

               Wangji told Xichen to go towards the entrance and proceeded towards the line. Yuan did not want to leave his uncle alone there but his mother coaxed him away from there by using Jin Ling's name. They walked towards the entrance and saw that the line there was quite big as well. But fortunately, it was not one of the big parks and so the crowd would be a moderate one. None of them wanted to go to a big park with little kids.

               Xichen stood at the end of the line and kept an eye out for the other family. They were slowly advancing. After some 10 or 15 minutes they saw the Jin family coming towards the entrance. Qing signalled them with her hand and Yuan shouted at Jin Ling as loudly as he can. And Jin Ling too shouted back to his best friend with equal enthusiasm.

"Yuan yuan Merry Christmas."

Yanli greeted him with a sweet smile.

"Merry Christmas, uncle aunty."

The little kid greeted back with a large grin.

"Merry Christmas, Ling ling."

"Merry Christmas, Yuan yuan."

Both were equally happy and full of energy to spend the day with each other and their families. The happiness radiated from them and the adults present could not escape from the infectious smile of the children.

Wuxian looked around and after a moment a little hesitantly asked,

"Where is Wangji?"

Everyone else giggled at this question. The hesitation in the voice, to them was the cutest and the funniest thing.

"He is at the ticket counter."

Qing answered after controlling her giggling a little.

               At this moment Xichens phone rang. It was Wangji.

"Chen, stand at the line. I'm almost at the counter."

"Okay, Ji."

He cut the call and beckoned others to stand with him in the line as well.

               Lan Yuan and Jin Ling were on cloud nine for the whole time they were at the park. They, after quite a long time, got their uncles to cater to their each and every want. They really did not mind much about their parents. They were free to do whatever they wanted. All they wanted was the undivided attention of their uncles, and they were happy when they got it.

                Unlike what one would think about Wangji, he was very good with kids. To Wuxian, it was something to store away in his heart. The whole time he was surprised at how Wangji could so easily get the kids to listen to what he was saying to them. Even Jin Ling, who usually did not listen to anyone, became the most behaved kid around Wangji.

               It was nearing 4 pm in the evening. The kids were sound asleep on Xichen and Zixuan's lap. Wuxian and Wangji were simply sitting near them with Qing and Yanli. The ladies were chatting about something. They really did not pay any attention to it. Everyone was tired. They were waiting near the exit gate for Jiang Cheng, who suddenly vanished from the group after saying that he was going to the restroom for a minute. It has been 20 minutes. Wuxian grew worried. Wangji could sense it. He broke the unnoticed silence that Wuxian's worry has brought on them.

"Shall I go around and see. Mr. Jiang has probably lost the way back."

"He should have called us if he got lost."

Yanli answered. She was irritated at her own brother's irresponsible behaviour. They were getting late and staying outside anymore in this winter was not good for the kids.

"Still... let us go around and look. You guys can just call us back if he gets back before us."

Wuxian proposed, getting up from the bench. Zixuan nodded to him.

               Wangji and he moved along the way to the nearest restroom looking around for Jiang Cheng. Since the morning it was the first time that the two of them were alone. Wuxian wanted to talk to the younger but did not know how to open a conversation. The talkative Wei Wuxian was silent, at a loss. But the silence did not last long. Soon Wangji exclaimed,

"Is that not your brother Mr. Wei?"

Wuxian looked at the spot Wangji was pointing to. Yes, it was Jiang Cheng indeed. But someone else was with him and he was talking to that person with his back to them. Wangji was going to call him but Wuxian stopped him and signalled the younger to follow him quietly. He stealthily sneaked behind his brother to find out with whom was he meeting to completely forget about his family.

"I've got to go back else they would start looking for me."

"We really could not spend Christmas together huh?"

The stranger said.

Jiang Cheng's shoulders dropped at the comment.

"We could have if you were not so against meeting my family."

"I told you, I'm not yet ready. I'll meet them when I am. Stop forcing me."

"I need to get going. Text me after you reach home. Safe journey."

"Hmm... you too. I'll call you tonight. Bye."

"Good bye."

Jiang Cheng slowly bend his head and kissed the stranger.

               They broke free and the other person turned away to go towards another exit. Jiang Cheng looked at the other's retreating back for some time before turning away himself to return to his family. But he got the shock of his life when he saw his brother and his brother's co-worker standing there just behind him.

               Wuxian was shocked to see his brother kissing someone in the open. He was even more shocked about the fact that neither his sister nor he knew about this relationship. So, he was still staring agape at his brother when he turned around and that was the sight which greeted Jiang Cheng.