Author Notes: Hello again, everyone! Enjoy this final chapter :)

Beta: jeangirlmy

- Chapter Start -

Jiang ZiSuan's retelling of his adventures in Thunder City doesn't take long. He lapses into silence after that, recalling some of his happier memories with A-Ning. His mind keeps returning to the promises he made her... which in turn makes him remember how Wu Xie treated him after that. He even thanked him for helping Jia KeZi and Li JiaLe.

It's baffling that Wu Xie doesn't seem to have any trouble putting their past altercations behind him. In the wake of everything else that's happened - looking for his third uncle, fighting off Jiao and his assassins, finding his second uncle paralysed and unable to speak, getting miraculously healed - maybe Wu Xie considers that having someone actively trying to kill him is just part of the package.

Jiang ZiSuan on the other hand, can't wrap his mind around how nicely Wu Xie and the others treated him once they were back at Hotel Tianlin - almost like he's one of them now, like he hasn't tried his best to run Liu Sang, Wu Xie and Pang Zi off the road in that wild truck chase, or fought Jia KeZi and Li JiaLe, or tied Huo DaoFu up, or threatened to kill Wu Xie while Bai HaoTian hung over the cliff at the marionette theatre stage.

He only knows that if their roles were reversed, he'd have Wu Xie bound and gagged and handed over to the authorities as soon as possible.

Running a hand down his face, Jiang ZiSuan stands up and winces as his sore knees protest. He looks at his watch and realises that almost two hours have passed.

"I have to go now, Jie. I have... people waiting for me, but I'll visit again soon."

He makes his way back to the visitor hall which is a lot more crowded now. Jia KeZi and Li JiaLe are sitting at a small corner table with two empty cups of coffee before them. They look up at his approach and make no mention of his reddened eyes... which kind of mirror Jia KeZi's.

"Thanks for waiting," he tells them.

"No problem. So, where to now?" Li JiaLe asks, getting up.

"Off to meet our favourite doctor," Jiang ZiSuan quips. He raises an eyebrow when their eyes light up, even Jia KeZi's. Despite his bedside manners or lack thereof, the sarcastic doctor seems to have won them over.

- o -

To Jiang ZiSuan's surprise, the address Huo DaoFu texts him is a small but busy alley full of eateries. Breathing in the aroma of herbal soups, barbequed meats and fried bread, he looks around. There are no clinics or apartments in sight, not even on the upper floors.

"There he is." Li JiaLe nudges Jiang ZiSuan's arm and points to a corner eatery where a dozen people are queuing up for-

It's odd to see the snooty, well dressed Huo DaoFu wearing a pristine apron and wielding a pair of extra long wooden chopsticks before a wok bubbling with hot oil. He looks up as if feeling their scrutiny and nods.

"Trust you three to drop by during my peak period." He jerks his head at the eatery behind him. "Go inside and find a seat. I'll be with you in forty minutes."

- o -

Half an hour later, Huo DaoFu brings a platter of bread sticks - piping hot and sprinkled with sugar - to their table. He removes his apron and settles on one of the worn, wooden stools with a sigh.

"I ordered fresh coffee," he says and starts rolling his head from side to side, wincing a little.

"Getting old already?" Jiang ZiSuan can't help snarking. "Is frying a few bread sticks more strenuous than tearing after Wu Xie to keep him alive?"

Huo DaoFu narrows his eyes at him.

"Your grouchy exterior hides a Wu Xie-like sense of humour," he observes. "No, it's not anymore tiring than you tearing after Wu Xie to kill him."

Jiang ZiSuan blinks in surprise, not have expected that comeback. Huo DaoFu presses his lips tightly right after those words leave his mouth and looks vaguely apologetic.

"That was uncalled for. My-"

"No. It's fine," JSZ tells him and changes the subject. "Let's dig in. These smell good."

- o -

Jiang ZiSuan isn't surprised that all four of them end up having dinner together as well. Li JiaLe recommends a roadside stall not far from Warehouse 11 and says that Bai HaoTian once vouched for their meat skewers. She didn't seem too happy when she said that though.

- o -

The meat skewers and other dishes are delicious. One round of beer soon turns into two and then three and four.

Jiang ZiSuan and Huo DaoFu are careful to drink sparingly and exchange several heavy looks as Jia KeZi and Li JiaLe get progressively tipsier.

Two hours later, just as it starts raining, Jia KeZi starts crying silent tears, Li JiaLe begins muttering threats and Huo DaoFu lapses into a brooding silence. Another hour in, Jia KeZi swears off love and insists that all he needs is his best friend.

All three of them.

Flinging an arm around Li JiaLe's shoulders, he beams at Jiang ZiSuan and Huo DaoFu. Li JiaLe raises his bottle and clinks theirs in a drunken cheer. Huo DaoFu looks both surprised and pleased to be included and then horrified for the same reason. Jiang ZiSuan who's halfway swallowing his beer immediately chokes at the sight.

He stops drinking after the third bottle since he's the driver. Someone has to look after these two idiots and since he gave Huo DaoFu a lift earlier, he has to send him home as well.

By the time Jia KeZi slumps down on the table and Li JiaLe slumps over him, they're the only customers left.

"Right. Time to go." Huo DaoFu stands up.

Jiang ZiSuan does the same and pulls out his wallet only to see Huo DaoFu striding over to the patiently waiting proprietor and his wife.

"Wait, that's-"

"Mine," Huo DaoFu tells him with a smirk and nods at the other two. "Let's get these sleeping beauties back."

Jiang ZiSuan helps Li JiaLe to his feet and pulls his arm over his shoulder. Huo DaoFu does the same for Jia KeZi and they make their way to Jiang ZiSuan's truck. It's still drizzling and the cold droplets rouses Li JiaLe enough to mumble Warehouse 11's address before falling asleep again.

"I'll send them back first since it's nearer," Jiang ZiSuan says.

"Agreed. You'll need my help if they continue sleeping."

"We could just kick them out and let the rain wake them up."

Huo DaoFu turns around to survey the duo snoring in the backseat. Then he turns back and settles himself more comfortably.

"By which you mean we'll escort them right in." His voice is equally deadpan.

Jiang ZiSuan purses his lips and gives him a raised eyebrow.

"That's what you think."

"That's what I know."

The annoying thing is, he's right. Jiang ZiSuan isn't going to admit it.

- o -

Li JiaLe wakes up as Jiang ZiSuan pulls up in front of the gates of Warehouse 11.

"Thanks for everything."

"Huo DaoFu paid for dinner," Jiang ZiSuan told him.

"Oh. Thank you again," Li JiaLe says and winces. "Tomorrow's gonna be hell, I just know it."

Still, his expression softens when he looks down at Jia KeZi.

"Here. Take two each before sleeping. It'll help with the hangover." Huo DaoFu passes over a strip of white pills.

Jia KeZi stirs and mumbles something, but doesn't open his eyes.

"So we'll... see you two around, I guess?" Li JiaLe finally says.

Jiang ZiSuan and Huo DaoFu both nod.

"I'm glad," Li JiaLe says and opens the door.

"Two days," Jiang ZiSuan says.

Li JiaLe turns back to him.

"I'll apply for a job here in two days," Jiang ZiSuan explains.

"You will?" Huo DaoFu asks.

Li JiaLe smiles.

"Great! We'll see you then." He gets down and helps Jia KeZi out, keeping an arm around his waist.

Jiang ZiSuan waits for the two of them to walk past the gate before turning his truck around. The ride to Huo DaoFu's apartment is made in a not uncomfortable silence.

It's only when Jiang ZiSuan reaches home and sees the bottle of lotion on the passenger seat that he realises he's forgotten to ask Huo DaoFu for his bill. With a groan, he tips forward until his forehead thumps on the steering wheel.

- Chapter End -

A/N: Thank you for reading and a huge Thank You to everyone who left kudos and comments!

This concludes the first arc of my Promise series. A big, big hug to my wonderful beta because without her help, this would be nothing more than a string of chapters featuring teary eyed boys, cringeworthy confessions and sappy domesticity. Luckily for all of us, she also adores two sweet warehouse boys, one uppity doctor and one prickly hedgehog of an assassin :)

The second arc (yup, the warehouse 11 one) will follow soon so stay tuned and take care.