#Jiang Cheng honey too honest

[slythmultishipper]

Jiang Cheng: a-die. Why does a-niang wear makeup?

Jiang Fengmian: to look pretty.

JC: but she's already pretty.

JC: a-die you should wear makeup.

[kurowrites]

“I hit you with my car and was the only one to visit you in the hospital” AU Prompt for Wangxian, if you like?

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

---

When Wei Ying woke up, he had to blink a few times to adjust his vision to the bright glare of the lights overhead, momentarily blinding him. Something was weird. This definitely wasn’t his own bedroom, whose lighting was rather dim and most definitely off when he was sleeping.

He blinked a few times more and then turned his head to examine the room he was in.

It took him far too long to understand what he was seeing, but once his brain actually started processing it, there was no doubt. He was in a hospital room, complete with barren walls and the strong smell of disinfectant. But he had no memory that could explain why he would be waking up in a hospital bed. In fact, now that he thought about it, he had no idea what he’d been doing before he’d woken up here, or even what day of the week it was.

Impatient to have his questions answered, he tried to wriggle around and slip out of bed, but his body felt oppressively heavy, and his vision started to swim as soon as he lifted his head off the pillow.

Exhausted and distressed, he fell back into bed. What the hell had happened to him? Why was he feeling so terrible?

Just that moment, the door of the hospital room opened, and a nurse stepped in.

“Oh, you are awake,” she said. “Good.”

She moved up to the bed and started to check his vitals – or harass him, Wei Ying couldn’t really tell which one it was. She was probably around fifty and had a distinct aunt-y vibe that made Wei Ying lay still on danger of getting stabbed with a needle.

“Do you know why you’re here?” she asked, after she had apparently determined that he was conscious and held it together enough for conversation.

“No,” Wei Ying croaked, and immediately started coughing. His throat felt terribly dry.

The nurse went to his bedside table, where a cup and a pitcher of water had been placed, and filled the cup for him. Then she made him drink.

“You’ve been in a traffic accident,” she told him without ceremony. “You got hit by a car and had to be brought here in an ambulance.”

Shit. Could that be true?

He didn’t remember any of that.

“I don’t remember,” he told the nurse.

“Honey, it’s probably better if you don’t,” she said, patting him on the arm absent-mindedly. “That’s your brain protecting you. You’re also on painkillers right now,” here, she pointed at one of the drips that went into his arm, “and they tend to make your brain a little foggy. You only need to focus on getting better right now.”

That wasn’t particularly comforting to Wei Ying. He’d been lying here, doing–

“My work!” he suddenly remembered.

“Oh, don’t you worry about that!” the nurse said, shaking her head. “I think that nice Mr. Lan has taken care of all that.”

She checked her watch.

“It’s almost time for him to visit, too. Such a nice young man, if only youngsters nowadays were a little more like him.”

She sighed, patted Wei Ying’s arm again, and then left, hopefully to tell someone else that he had gained consciousness again.

Wei Ying sighed and stared at the ceiling. He wasn’t sure what the nurse had meant with “that nice Mr. Lan,” because he didn’t know anyone with the last name Lan. Certainly no one who would visit him at the hospital. Had she gotten his visitor’s name wrong? He tried to think of a different possibility, but couldn’t think of anyone. Wen Ning was away. And Jiang Cheng still wasn’t speaking to him, not to mention that no one in their right mind would ever call Jiang Cheng a ‘nice young man’ if they had spent more than 30 seconds in his presence.

He wasn’t kept in suspense about the identity of his visitor for very long, though. Only minutes after the nurse had left, the door opened again, and through came a man that Wei Ying had never seen in his life. He would have definitely remembered meeting him, Wei Ying was sure, because the man was a devastating combination of tall, handsome and well-dressed. Very memorable. Even in his current drugged-up state.

The man hesitated for one small moment when he saw Wei Ying looking at him, but then continued his progress through the room with a measured pace, finally arriving at Wei Ying’s bedside. He did not speak, but silently placed several items onto Wei Ying’s bedside table. Wei Ying saw a book, what looked to be some healthy snacks, as well as… his phone? It looked terribly beaten up, but a traffic accident might do that to a phone. He should probably be glad if it still worked.

The stranger must have noticed the direction of his gaze, for he finally opened his mouth.

“I have taken the liberty of contacting you place of work.”

“Thank you,” Wei Ying said, sending the stranger an ironic smile. “What I’d rather like to know, though… who are you?”

The stranger bowed slightly, as if to apologise for his rudeness.

“Lan Zhan,” he said. “I was the one… who hit you with my car.”

“Oh, I see,” Wei Ying said, several things suddenly becoming clear to him. “This is a ‘I’m feeling guilty’ visit. Don’t worry about that. It’s fine. I’ll be out of here in no time.”

The stranger, Lan Zan, frowned at Wei Ying’s words.

“It is not guilt that has made me come here,” he said.

Then he was silent again. Wei Ying waited for a moment, but when nothing else happened, he raised his eyebrows at Lan Zhan, encouraging him to go on. Lan Zhan looked as if he’d rather do anything else than open his mouth again, but eventually, thanks to Wei Ying’s pathetic wheedling, he conceded.

“The one responsible for your accident was the driver who suddenly came out of a side street and nearly ran you over,” Lan Zhan explained. “You ended up in front of my car because you were trying to escape his path of collision. He also crashed into my car, nearly hitting you a second time. I have no guilt to speak of, but I am grateful that you survived. I was worried, however, when your family could not be contacted.”

“Oh, uh, well,” Wei Ying stuttered. “Honestly, that shouldn’t be any concern to you. I’ll be fine. My family… well, it doesn’t matter.”

“Your family should care for you if you are injured.”

There was a stubborn set around Lan Zhan’s mouth, and Wei Ying suddenly found himself smiling. He wasn’t sure if he should call it fortune or misfortune, but this Lan Zhan was clearly an incredibly stiff man with very strict notions of propriety, to the point where he involved himself into the affairs of others.

“Ah, Lan-gege,” Wei Ying sighed. “Not to say I’m not very grateful for your help, which I am, but let me assure you that you have officially fulfilled your obligations and are free to leave. You have already done more than I can ask for. If it is as you say, I have no ill feelings towards you. Feel free to go on with your life, and sorry about the car. I think I need to sleep again, I feel very tired.”

He was, in fact, feeling very tired, and it was getting harder to keep his eyes open by the minute.

Lan Zhan seemed to realise that that was the case. He said his goodbyes, but before he left the room, he announced, “I will come again.”

Wei Ying wanted to object, but Lan Zhan was already gone, and Wei Ying’s eyes were closing.

---

The next few days passed in the monotony of sleeping, check-ups by doctors and nurses, terrible hospital meals, and occasional visits from Lan Zhan.

As handsome as he might have been, at first Wei Ying really didn’t want Lan Zhan to come back again. He quickly learned to be grateful for his frequent visits, however. Staying in the hospital was extremely boring, even with the books that Lan Zhan brought him, and everything was much better once he trained Lan Zhan to bring him spicy snacks.

After a few excessively boring days in bed (more than he cared for, certainly), he was finally allowed to walk around a little in order to regain his strength, and Lan Zhan would take him outside into the garden whenever he visited. Wei Ying was extremely grateful for that, since the nurses didn’t allow him to go alone.

Wei Ying quickly learned on their little excursions that Lan Zhan rarely spoke, but was an extremely attentive listener who would prove said attention in the most unexpected moments. It was almost shocking sometimes; Wei Ying would ramble on about something, and Lan Zhan would suddenly say one thing or another that made clear he had been paying attention when most people would have tuned out already. It was… flattering, to say the least. To have someone pay attention to him so much. Definitely something Wei Ying could get used to.

Lan Zhan was also very attentive to Wei Ying’s physical state. More than once, when Wei Ying felt his own strength lagging, he suddenly found Lan Zhan’s hand at his elbow, steadily and unobtrusively making sure that he didn’t fall over his own clumsy feet. Lan Zhan seemed to know that he needed support almost before Wei Ying himself realised it.

Normally, he would complain about being thought a weakling, but if Wei Ying were honest, he would admit that sometimes, he really needed the support. And well… he couldn’t really bring himself to mind being spoiled by a handsome man. If he were really honest, he would confess that he simply liked Lan Zhan’s hands on him, and any excuse that provided him with an opportunity was good enough, even if he had to play up his weakness.

“Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying said when they were on one of their garden excursions one day, eating little cups of mango panna cotta that Lan Zhan had brought with him today on a bench. “I will be released tomorrow. You don’t have to visit me here any longer after today.”

“Hn,” Lan Zhan agreed. “What time?”

“Around ten, I think? Why do you ask?”

“I will pick you up.”

Wei Ying sighed deeply and swallowed the last spoonful of dessert.

“Lan Zhan, ah, Lan Zhan. I can ask a friend to pick me up. You shouldn’t do so many things for me. If you are too nice, people will end up misunderstanding. Well, I will end up misunderstanding. You wouldn’t want that to happen, now would you?”

He directed his best salacious grin at Lan Zhan.

“Nn,” Lan Zhan replied noncommittally. “I will pick you up.”

Wei Ying stared at Lan Zhan for a moment. Could it be that Lan Zhan was that thick? That he didn’t realise what Wei Ying was getting at? Did he have to spell it out for Lan Zhan? That he meant misunderstanding in the sense of kissing and possibly getting naked with each other?

“Lan Zhan, I’m serious,” Wei Ying complained, tugging at Lan Zhan’s sleeve to make him look at him properly. “I will misunderstand.”

Lan Zhan looked at him, and it struck Wei Ying again how beautiful Lan Zhan’s eyes were. He had thought that Lan Zhan was pretty much expressionless when they first got to know each other, but that had been patently untrue. His perpetually serious eyes were the source of so much deeply felt emotion. Everything Lan Zhan felt, he felt with his entire heart. So when Lan Zhan looked at him, Wei Ying automatically felt his pulse speed up and his cheeks start to grow hot. That was the effect Lan Zhan had on anyone he really directed his attention towards.

“I will pick you up,” Lan Zhan repeated once again. Stubbornly, insistently. Mulishly.

Without breaking their line of sight even once. Just serious. And steady.

“Oh,” Wei Ying whispered.

Oh. Lan Zhan didn’t want him to misunderstand. Lan Zhan wanted him to understand.

Wei Ying shot up from the bench they had been sitting on and walked over to the trash can close by, to throw away his empty cup of panna cotta. Lan Zhan followed him, throwing his own cup into the trash. As he did it, he looked about as disquieted as Lan Zhan ever did, but right now, Wei Ying was unable to handle anything.

Could he be right? Did Lan Zhan – that Lan Zhan –

As he stood there, he slightly tilted to the side – and there he was, Lan Zhan was right at his side, steadying him. But right now, Wei Ying didn’t want to be steadied. He leaned further into Lan Zhan’s side, putting most of his weight on Lan Zhan right until his head a found a home in the crook of Lan Zhan’s neck.

“Ah, Lan Zhan,” he sighed. “Taking advantage of the weak and injured, I see. Do you always flirt like that? Picking people up at the hospital?”

He looked up at Lan Zhan and smiled.

Lan Zhan didn’t answer, but one of his arms most definitely found its way around Wei Ying’s waist, holding him securely to Lan Zhan’s side. It was… intimate.

It was answer enough.

“This is the part where you’re supposed to say ‘No, Wei Ying is the only one for me,’” Wei Ying pouted.

“Wei Ying is the only one for me,” Lan Zhan intoned seriously.

Wei Ying had to bury his face in his hands and scream a little.

“You can’t say things like that out of the blue!” he complained. “My poor, beaten body won’t be able to take it!”

Then he peeked out between the gaps between his fingers, up at Lan Zhan.

“Say it again.”

 (When Lan Zhan picked him up the next day, he received a kiss for his efforts.)

(One kiss, or many.)

(Who was going to count.)

[wangxiandecoded]

Episode 10

Previous Episode | Next Episode

(Spoilers for the whole show ahead!)

Going to draw a heart over Wangxian to keep track of every time the camera shows someone third wheeling them from now on.

Wei Ying uses his Binding/Bonding talisman on Xue Yang to show Lan Zhan it’s a dynamic tool that doesn’t deserve to be named “Boring”. Even though there’s a serial killer on the loose, Lan Zhan’s opinions on his inventions matter a lot to him. Standard Wei Ying stuff.

Wangxian’s Mirrors

At this point of the show, I could not believe there was a couple who directly mirrored Wangxian. And surprise! They were two men who dressed in black and white and came together for their common vision exactly like Wangxian did. Wei Ying cannot help but connect the dots and Lan Zhan is already aware of their eminence.

Xue Yang Fancies The Yiling Laozu 

Xue Yang’s introduction makes the story take a darker turn but also a gayer one. The homoerotic subtext between him and Wei Ying literally jumps out of the screen.  

(This episode had a lot of moments that were just begging for alternate dialogues to be written. I just wanted to have fun with the subtext that’s already present.)  

Wei Ying doesn’t want Lan Zhan to waste his precious breath interrogating the bad guy. He protectively steps up (something he does quite a lot) and puts some distance between the both of them.

But he wants Lan Zhan to hold his sword while he does that.. and if that act wasn’t necessarily considered to be intimate or romantic before, it just became that after Lan Zhan refused to do it in front of everyone.

Wei Ying has uttered many conspicuously gay things on the show but most of them are with reference to Lan Zhan. Therefore, this is possibly the gayest dialogue he has ever said in a strictly non-Lan Zhan context.

His tone is all, “Honey, you've been existing for 5 minutes, I'm the queerest person the cultivation world has seen in a millennium. You think frisking a guy is going to make me feel scandalized?” This is nuts to me because Xue Yang is arguably the most blatantly coded gay character on the show.. and here is Wei Ying all but saying he can outgay him. That he shouldn’t come after his job. And Lan Zhan just looks like..

It is curious how Lan Zhan says no to something that would require Wei Ying to go near Xue Yang again.

We get it, Lan Zhan. It was hard to see your guy giving attention to someone who wasn’t you.

When Lan Zhan is unsure what's happening back home, the first person his eyes seek is Wei Ying, his source of strength and reassurance.

SongXiao Help WangXian Fall Deeper In Love

Wei Ying is euphoric to meet another pair of Soulmates™. (The same kind of glee that queer people feel when they meet a celebrity queer couple.) His relationship with Lan Zhan just gained supreme validation and a boost to the power of infinity!

He sees everything he has with Lan Zhan reflected in SongXiao’s relationship. He admires them and is delighted that people like them who aren’t concerned with clan drama can walk the wider path of justice, and also lead successful, honourable lives. He looks to Lan Zhan for confirmation but Lan Zhan doesn’t seem too eager to publicize the super sweet promise they made at the lantern ceremony or the fact that he’s been secretly enjoying Wei Ying’s companionship on this expedition. And let’s be honest, it would’ve been more shocking if Lan Zhan did confirm any of that here.

Cheer up, Wei Ying! Lan Zhan will get plenty more opportunities to prove his love for you and he'll ace every single one of them.

No one asked for this but thank you NHS for declaring your ideal type is beautiful gentlemen who fight crime together and unapologetically go their own way.

The parallels between the two pairs write themselves. More importantly, it is while watching SongXiao leave together that Lan Zhan stumbles onto an epiphany.

This is such an underrated moment in the show. The sorrowful music and slow-motion shot of Lan Zhan looking at Wei Ying with vulnerability all over his face once again drives it home that Wei Ying is The One for him, and he is his. He was already getting tired of denying that Wei Ying is his soulmate in every sense there is, and he feels his pain and sadness in this moment. It is enough for Jiang Cheng to feel sorry for him and move on but not for Lan Zhan who feels all that his soulmate feels. 

It is overwhelming and brand new information to Lan Zhan himself that he can feel it because Wei Ying is not in impending danger right now, so this need he feels to protect him and be there for him can only mean that he loves him beyond the shadow of a doubt. Wei Ying seems upset thinking about his mother and Lan Zhan gets it, without Wei Ying having uttered a word the whole time. His face shows a kind of defeat in this scene; he surrenders to everything he has known and felt for some time now : He's in love with Wei Ying and would tear down the universe without a second thought if it means it would rid him of his unhappiness. And he isn't able to do that in this moment. But thanks to Song Lan and Xiao Xingchen, he’s found comfort in the truth they have each other at the end of the day, even if they have nothing left in this world. He cannot give back to Wei Ying what he has lost but he can accompany him in his sadness, and it will have to be enough. And it is, because Wei Ying can overcome just about everything as long as Lan Zhan walks by his side.

Wei Ying Says Lan Clan Deserves Rights

Wei Ying has many nice things to say about the Lan clan who he found exhausting a few months ago. Love brings about miraculous changes in a person, y’all.

Wei Ying gravitates towards Lan Zhan as if it's second nature to him and it really is.

Jiang Cheng spends a lot of time trying to get Wei Ying to spill the Top Secrets about the Yin Iron and Wei Ying is like, "Sorry, I’m bound by the Soulmate laws to tell you absolutely nothing."

Wei Ying is already embracing the idea of controlling the Yin Iron and people are rightfully getting offended by his suggestion.

What did you expect, Wei Ying? Not everyone is your lifetime confidant to give you the benefit of the doubt and reciprocate it with compassion, trust and open-mindedness.

Wangxian’s Temporary Separation

What was that, Wei Ying? Did we hear you admit that the Gusu Lan roof is softer than the one in Qinghe? Could this have anything to do with a certain law enforcer in Cloud Recesses you fell in love with at first sword fight? 

There is a delicate, bittersweet air to this separation, and even the casual watcher is going to be wondering, “When did I get so invested in Wangxian that WuJi makes me want to cry?”

It's cute how Lan Zhan is like, “Okay, I’ve seen the love of my life for one last time, I’ll quietly take my leave so he doesn’t know I was waiting for him to come back.”

Turns out, "I'll sleep on your roof tonight," is one of the most romantic things we could tell the person we love. Isn't it brilliant that just few seconds ago Wei Ying had said he will take whatever ground he finds as his home for the night, and how utterly beautiful is it to have followed it up with this dialogue? “Lan Zhan, I'll sleep on your roof tonight.” Because the world is big but my home is wherever you are. That’s where I’m happiest, I'll sleep on this rugged roof and walk through thorns if it means I get to be by your side. I won't mind it at all. And how unbelievably romantic is it that Wei Ying makes a philosophical statement about life, which ends up being about Lan Zhan?

Lan Zhan hears the implications in his voice. And he openly yearns to stay behind a little longer and commit to his memory what Wei Ying looks like when he is drunkenly proclaiming his love for him under the moonlight. It is pleasantly surprising that Lan Zhan is willing to express his emotions when he knows he is safe from Wei Ying hearing them, that he doesn't mind telling him goodbye when he thinks Wei Ying won't remember it. 

But the audience can hear his voice and we are going to remember it. How, "Wei Ying, I have to go," is uttered in a cadence so sweet we did not know Lan Zhan was capable of before this. And the choice of words do not simply mean that he’s going to leave, but that he has to, and most certainly not because he wants to. And how it really means, “I’m worried about everything, but especially you, and I'm sorry I have to go. I have to trust that we'll both be okay on this path. Please know that I don't wish to leave you, and forgive me for it. Wei Ying, I love you."

Even their temporary separation hurts so good. If they were meant to be best buddies, this scene wouldn't have been shot so poignantly. But we got used to seeing them together and every frame is designed to dig deeper into your heart and instil the fact that these soulmates are parting, and we don’t know when they’ll see each other again. This is the melancholy of a man who does not wish to be away from his lover but is forced to for the sake of the greater good. Anyone can see that.

The rooftop and moonlit night come as a callback to their first meeting, only Lan Zhan no longer wants to point the tip of his sword at Wei Ying, it gives him far greater satisfaction to place Wei Ying behind his sword.

I haven’t counted the number of times people acknowledge Wangxian’s relationship and/or know that they are inseparable, but it’s safe to say almost every character does that at some point. And some even know how to exploit their weakness, that in order to hurt one of them, the surefire way is to simply aim for the other like Wen Chao does here.

To summarize, Episode 10 saw Lan Zhan showing us his true colors : When he isn’t occupied with being the esteemed, intimidating Lan Wangji, he’s busy being a regular, sweet, romantic guy in love. And Wei Ying did that. He single-handedly exposes the soft side of Lan Zhan that nobody sees to the audience now and the world later on. 

This episode also gave us this : Two soulmates chilling shoulder to shoulder zero feet apart because they’re falling in love.

[teamsarawatshusband]

Day 11 - Favorite Friendships / Squads

Many... many many many.

1) Emma and Rome in Puppy Honey

Because they have each others’ back like whoa. They are completely honest with each other, tell each other everything. They also really understand each other so well, and they full on support the other whenever needed. They both lend shoulders to cry on, give advice or just listen - whichever one is needed more. They are the perfect best friends!

2) several friends groups in SOTUS

Starting with the girl trio who are just great and always support each other, be it about boys, about surviving the hazing or when one of them comes out to the others. Squad goals tbh.

Also the seniors who are all very different, but they work together to get out of trouble and to give their juniors a great trip and a better future.

And, obviously the entirety of the juniors who work together to figure out the riddles on the day of the binding ritual. And, not just together with each other, but also together with the senior-seniors and in the best interest of their seniors. Everybody is just really supportive in this one. And it’s beautiful.

3) Wen Ning and Wei Wuxian in the Untamed

They always had each others’ back from day one. Starting with Wei Wuxian helping young Wen Ning to improve his bow and arrow skills, then when Wen Ning helped rescue Jiang Cheng, then when Wei Wuxian saved the innocent Wen survivors and finally, when Wen Ning came back as the ghost general to protect Wei Wuxian whenever needed. This is true friendship.

3b) The chaos trio of the Untamed

These are in this list for pure entertainment. You just know that wherever they are, that’s where the party is. They are the perfect combination of troublemaker, mom-friend and secret instigator with all the connections. If you were part of this group, you’d definitely get slapped. Either by the elders for whatever shenanigans you were part of, or by the trio themselves for being too much of a goody-two-shoes, too much of a risk-taker or too much of a blabber mouth. And you’d love every second of it.

4) Literally everybody in YYY

I’m sorry I could only get a behind the scenes picture of the rooftop goodbye party, but this is the mentality. I love how supportive they all were of each other. Even if they didn’t always get along, even if they fought with each other before, they always came around in the end and had each other’s back. Even the annoying landlady, even the ex-girlfriend, even the crazy actors, even the perverted guy, even the bitchy girl-squad... all of them. And that’s how it should be. People should strive to be there for each other and to be this awesome.

[franniebanana]

CQL Rewatch - Ep 25

Every time I start these things, I say something stupid or controversial right away that probably turns people off. Honestly, it's not my fault how weird the cuts are on these CQL episodes! If you're on the fence about reading this, I mostly babble and gush about wangxian, so just ignore the other stuff, okay?

Maybe it's because I'm old and have no patience, but Wei Wuxian really needs to get over the whole Jin Zixuan thing. He wears such a scowl when the guy shows up, but at a certain point, he needs to just move on. His shijie is totally into the guy, so just accept it and move on with your life! Yes, it's all very dramatic and makes for fun television, but it's a little old. I think maybe I've seen this show too many times haha.

And I can't help myself, but it's adorable how excited Jin Zixuan gets when Jiang Yanli accepts the invitation to watch. I don't know when or how this happened, but he's suddenly head over heels for her. I'm not going to over-analyze the whens and hows of that relationship, though, because I don't think it matters. Jin Zixuan is one of those characters who I think is mostly there to move the plot forward, which is totally fine. I'm just saying I don't think there's any deep meaning to why he suddenly fell for her, so I'm going to continue thinking they are cute and adorable in this whole puppy love phase.

And it's a little annoying how Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng keep looking at her. They both know (Jiang Cheng said it in the last episode) that she's in love with Jin Zixuan, so it should be no surprise that she's accept the invitation. Again, it's like Jiang Cheng just is obsessed with keeping people at his side. Honey, there's nothing for Jiang Yanli in Lotus Pier. She's going to get married and move away, period. That's the whole thing with patriarchal societies--she's not gonna marry her brother, and obviously Wei Wuxian is out of the question. It's just--why the surprise?

Seriously, man, you're being such a dick! He will not let anything go with Jin Zixuan, he just keeps holding those grudges until the day Jin Zixuan dies! Maybe this is a hallmark of Wei Wuxian's first life, though. When he is resurrected, he learns to let a lot of this emotional baggage go. But right now, he's just being an ass, stepping in front of Jin Zixuan, not allowing him to say anything else, not letting Jiang Yanli walk him out alone--like, why are you accompanying her?! Wei Wuxian barely attends to any duties at Lotus Pier, but because he sees Jin Zixuan as this villain, he won't let his shijie be alone with him. Of course, there is propriety to consider, but then why couldn't Jiang Yanli have been accompanied by her handmaidens or something? I'm just saying, there were other ways. And also, this whole episode centers around Wei Wuxian clashing with the Jin Clan, so why did we need more of that here?

I don't have a terrible about to say about this, but everyone outside of the Jin Clan is shocked by the Wens being hauled out on a chain gang at the Phoenix Mountain hunt. Obviously Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian are shocked and horrified, but also Jiang Cheng, Lan Xichen, and Nie Mingjue are also shown to be disturbed by this. At least upon first glance, it looks like they all think the Jins have gone a bit too far. And of course they have! It's no wonder that Wei Wuxian does that OP move where he shoots all the targets. He doesn't want to see less-skilled archers accidentally (or even purposefully) shoot the Wen prisoners.

I like that Jin Zixuan also does the jumpshot move. Like father, like son, I guess!

Hahaha that pout! But seriously, how does Wei Wuxian intend to use Lan Wangji's headband to cover his eyes? That thing is way too thin. Though he's probably serious here, it's nice to see that teasing side again, after seeing angry eyes Wei Wuxian for a while, now. Also fun to see Lan Wangji just not having it, and just ignoring him.

Iconic. Not much I can say here, other than he's sexy and he knows it. I noticed Lan Wangji kind of smirking as Wei Wuxian is putting on the blindfold, and I find myself wondering if that's really Lan Wangji or Yibo. Either way, I think it's safe to say that he's proud of Wei Wuxian for sticking it to the man.

The weird thing here is that he agrees to be blindfolded for the entire hunt, but then just...doesn't. It's strange that he would even agree to it, and then there's no mention of it again. Novel readers of course remember this for the infamous kiss scene (personal favorite of mine). This was cut for obvious reasons, but it's a damn shame because that's the hottest kiss I've ever read, I kid you not. Of course the reader can guess who it is--it's fairly obvious--but it's great because Wei Wuxian has no idea. He thinks it's some shy girl who just doesn't want him to know! Honestly, his cluelessness there is probably why people seem to think he's dumb. Instead of dumb, I'd say he's naive. It doesn't occur to him at all that Lan Wangji harbors any romantic feelings for him, because if it had, Lan Wangji's reaction to being seen definitely would have tipped him off. Plus the guy either punches a tree in half or cuts it--the translations vary and I obviously can't read Chinese.

I love how his expression changes when he sees Lan Wangji. It's like there's an inward gasp, and then relief. I don't want to read too much into things, but they are also alone in the woods together. Wei Wuxian doesn't have to perform for the crowd of people, he doesn't have to put on airs--he can just be himself. We get so many nice, candid moments between the two of them, but it's been a couple of episodes, I think. A good amount of time has certainly passed since they've seen each other. I'm sure Wei Wuxian looks forward to these moments as much as Lan Wangji does.

Ugh, and then he gets totally crushed, recalling what Lan Xichen said about being careful not to hurt those who care about him. And again, I think he wishes to distance himself from Lan Wangji. If there is distance, it means he cannot be harmed. Of course, Wei Wuxian thinks of Lan Wangji first because the warning came from his brother, but it can just as easily be applied to any of those who are close to him. He doesn't ever hesitate around Jiang Cheng or even Jiang Yanli, but it seems he's more protective of Lan Wangji. Some of that may have to do with the Gusu Lan principles and that he's not from the same clan or family--in that way, it's easier to put distance in between them. But maybe he doesn't realize that Lan Wangji feels the same closeness (indeed much more) than if Wei Wuxian were a fellow Gusu Lan disciple. Their relationship with each other pays no attention to clans or sects--it's just the two of them and how they feel about each other. And if Wei Wuxian doesn't realize this or perhaps chooses to ignore it, he'll think that distance is the answer. Unfortunately for him, Lan Wangji won't accept that.

I think there's a little bit of, "Shit! He's seen me!" and also "Thank God he's seen me." Wei Wuxian seems to be both panicked and relieved that Lan Wangji didn't just keep on walking. This scene does hurt my heart, because Lan Wangji is so sure of himself, so absolutely sure that he loves Wei Wuxian and wants to stay beside him, but Wei Wuxian just isn't. He's very conflicted about what his place is--at home and among the rest of the clans. He already feels ostracized because of the unorthodox cultivation, he is constantly arguing with Jiang Cheng, and he has Lan Wangji on his back all the time about coming to Gusu to be retrained. And on top of that, we're seeing his views about the Wens changing. Perhaps if he didn't see Wen Qing on that road, he would have let it all go, but once he sees her, everything changes. I tend to think that he would have done something sooner or later, because that's just who he is. Seeing Wen Qing and finding out what happened to Wen Ning only forced him to act sooner.

He says, "What do you take me for?" echoing Wei Wuxian's question, and he can't even look him in the eye. This is Lan Wangji, someone who doesn't back away from anything, yet this question has him retreating. I think he's very much afraid of the answer, maybe even regretting asking it in the first place. But I think it was done in the heat of the moment. His question, though it is the same words, is completely different than Wei Wuxian's. Wei Wuxian is exasperated, feeling stifled by Lan Wangji's attempts to help him. His question is off-hand, "Come on, I don't need this? Why are you so obsessed with figuring out how to change me?" Lan Wangji's is more serious, earnest, honest: basically questioning their entire relationship. Are they best friends? Are they even friends? Does Wei Wuxian see him as just some guy he used to know or some kind of pest? Lan Wangji makes himself really vulnerable here; his question suggests that he considers Wei Wuxian to be a very important person, he considers them close. To him, there's no question if he'll help him--he'd do anything to help him. But his fear here is that Wei Wuxian doesn't return those feelings in the slightest.

Wei Wuxian doesn't quite know what to do here. Unbeknownst to everyone else, his only path to cultivation is through unorthodox methods. If he agrees to let Lan Wangji truly help him, he knows that would mean giving up cultivation altogether. Chenqing gives him power, the amulet gives him power--without those, he has nothing. And for someone who wants to help the weak, etc., being powerless is not an option. I think he feels like he has to choose between demonic cultivation and Lan Wangji here, and he desperately doesn't want to make that choice.

I want to see that fucking snake!!!!! SHOW ME A MONSTER!!!!!!!!! But most of all, the Stature Measuring Snake, because that just sounds hilarious and terrifying.

Lots of deep questions being asked in this episode between our couples. "Do you dislike the hunt, or dislike being with me?" I mean, I get that he has to ask that. Essentially, should he continue to pursue this relationship or not? He has to know, otherwise he's just wasting his time. If Jiang Yanli doesn't like him, then there's really nothing he can do to make her. Still, my heart squeezes a little bit for him. I'm a sucker for unrequited love ALWAYS, and he feels like his love is unrequited here.

This part bothers me. We've already established through Jiang Cheng that they basically are leaving the decision of marriage up to Jiang Yanli. That happened in the last episode. So, why is Wei Wuxian blowing in here, saying that Jiang Yanli won't have any other associations with Jin Zixuan anymore? He's totally overstepping for his position--like, she's not his sister! He has no control over what she does. Even though I don't agree with it, Jiang Cheng could probably come in here and say the same words, but at least from him, it's okay. I mean, it's not okay, but you know what I mean. It's not unorthodox for him to do that. But Wei Wuxian is basically nobody. He doesn't get to make those decisions. Even though Jin Zixuan's mother is overbearing, she at least wants to speak with Jiang Yanli about it, and nobody else.

I hate myself a little for saying this, but I think I agree with Jin Zixun--IN PART. It was unfair for Wei Wuxian to capture/kill 30% of the prey, using magic. It was unfair that he spoiled the hunt for the others. I agree with him there. And I think Lan Wangji and Jiang Yanli do as well. Jiang Yanli stands up for him, of course, because he's like her little brother, and while what he did was wrong, he didn't deserve the slurs and hatred that came at him because of it. Lan Wangji, I'm afraid, probably feels it's not his place to speak up. The clans are their barriers and this truly is not a Gusu Lan Sect matter. At the same time, he wants to keep Wei Wuxian from blowing up and killing everyone here.

I just want to point out that Lan Wangji barely takes his eyes off of Wei Wuxian this entire time. While all the other people are arguing, his focus is just Wei Wuxian. While it's insane to me to even imagine what Wei Wuxian is going through, the constant challenges, vitriol, horrible language that's being thrown at him--being in Lan Wangji's shoes is not an enviable position either. It must be hard to watch this and be unable to really do anything to stop it. His uncle and brother both see what has happened to Wei Wuxian, and they don't like what they see either. Lan Qiren barely tries to understand and instead just tries to give Lan Wangji busy work to distract him from thinking about Wei Wuxian. He drills the disciplines into him over and over again to make him remember what his priorities are. Lan Wangji is torn between helping his best friend and violating his family's rules. And when he does choose Wei Wuxian, he gets punished. I think it's obvious that Lan Wangji would choose Wei Wuxian any day, but that doesn't change the fact that he still has to go home and face his uncle and brother. He can't just abandon his sect--he has a responsibility to them too.

This is probably a top moment for me for Jiang Yanli's scenes. She is deliberate and assertive, and uses the facts to take Jin Zixun down a peg. She recognizes that Wei Wuxian acted unfairly, but she also points out basically that he's being a big crybaby, and it's not anyone's fault but his own if he can't hunt anything. This is the nature of competition: some people are just better than others. And also hearing her talk about Wei Wuxian as a brother of course makes me happy inside.

Yeah, but this scene, it's like a big "FUCK YOU!" and it's great.

Again, I hope I'm not reading too much into this, but Lan Xichen says, "Wangji, what are you doing here?" and he sounds pretty concerned. I mean, he knows Lan Wangji is participating in the hunt, so…? Maybe he doesn't see the other Lan disciples, and wonders why he's off on his own. I feel like he sees this big kerfuffle, centered around none other than Wei Wuxian, and kind of panics to see that Lan Wangji is there. I think a lot of people put all the blame on Lan Qiren for trying to stamp out Lan Wangji's desire to be with Wei Wuxian, but I'm sure Lan Xichen had a little to do with it too. I mean, he didn't do anything to try and stop it. I think he's worried that his brother is going to get caught up in something dangerous. I think he sees Wei Wuxian as potentially dangerous. He's seen how much he overreacts and how he can't quite control the dark energy. In the same way Jiang Yanli wants to protect Wei Wuxian, Lan Xichen also wants to protect his little brother, and seeing this scene, I think he's growing more concerned.

He knows his brother better than anyone else, even Wei Wuxian, so I think he knows what Lan Wangji is doing. I just wonder if he ever approached him in the Cloud Recesses and tried to persuade him to stop trying to help Wei Wuxian. I'm guessing no, not at this point, but perhaps later. God, I hate to think that he had one of those "I told you so" moments. But knowing him, he probably could never say something like that!

Omg how fucking awkward is this? Wei Wuxian is practically 20 feet from them, Jin Zixuan is holding back a few feet too--like you're not far enough away to not hear what they're saying, just far enough for it to seem weird. Wei Wuxian is like a helicopter parent who can't let his kid date without spying on them. Jesus!

The absolute horror on his face here. Jiang Yanli stops on her own. I think he may even still be holding her hand here, and she digs her heels in and stops. Before, she looks as though she's reluctantly leaving, as if she's waiting for something, waiting for Jin Zixuan to speak and not let his mother do all the talking. I think she's afraid to tell Wei Wuxian and her brother how she really feels in her heart, and he's so taken aback here with the realization that she really does want to marry him.

I love the way they shot this. Jin Zixuan is finally confessing (in front of a whole crowd, no less!), and we only see Jiang Yanli as she turns around. Wei Wuxian is hidden behind something. It's really cool how they did that. It's as if he doesn't really matter. This doesn't concern him, no one else is even there. I don't know, but I like it.

I do kind of feel bad for him here. Kind of. I mean, Wei Wuxian is over there showboating, catching 30% of the prey, meanwhile Jiang Cheng has no idea it's going on. He already is a little annoyed at him for going over the top in the archery contest, and then he finds out this--well, overhears it. Because of Wei Wuxian, people are looking down on the Jiang Clan. Because of Wei Wuxian, people think Jiang Cheng is some kind of figurehead. They seem to suggest that Wei Wuxian is the real one in charge, while Jiang Cheng just has no idea what he's doing. After all, he's still so young, his parents died, and he had to take over the clan at such a young age. It's easy for him to be manipulated. I get how he must be feeling. Tons of negative thoughts are swirling around his head. And let's face it, he's always resented Wei Wuxian for being better than him.

Favorite Wen Qing look ever. By far. I don't know why, but I love it.

At this point, Lan Wangji is desperate. He sees how out of control Wei Wuxian is becoming and he feels like he needs to do something about it. The sad thing is, he never really gets the chance. Wei Wuxian finding Wen Qing sets everything off--it's the point of no return. By the time Lan Wangji is really able to ask him to come with him, Wei Wuxian can't say yes, even if he wanted to. Because of his prior decisions, his hand has been forced. The Cloud Recesses wouldn't accept him, even if Lan Wangji wanted him there, even if Lan Xichen is okay with it. Lan Qiren certainly wouldn't be all right with it, though. And Wei Wuxian doesn't intend to change his ways either. It's desperation that makes Lan Wangji say that he wants to bring a man back to Gusu, but it's desperation that makes him blind to the logic behind it. It wouldn't work. It couldn't work.

Other episodes: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | Or just check out the #CQL Rewatch hashtag

[nancywheelxr]

you said yanli x wen qing, so maybe something during their school days?? When WQ treated JYL for her headache/fatigue and JYL realizes that maybe the Wens arent so bad and also that she could be with someone who is actually nice to her?????????

okay okay, i love them so much, thank you for sending this!!! i’m sorry this took so long, I just had to get the vibes right.

Just to preface this: i’m absolutely ignoring yin iron, the war, etc, this is a happiness ONLY world because they deserve it 🥺🥺

* “How’s your headache?”

Wen Qing asks with little preamble– the minute Yanli sits down, she has a cup pressed gently into her hands, warmth seeping through porcelain to chase away the autumn from her fingers. “Gone,” she says, taking a sip and bracing herself to the inevitably bitter tea. Medicine has never settled quite right on her tongue, always too sour, too biting.

This time, though, the sting never comes. Instead, it tastes sweet, it tastes like early spring, and the surprise comes so swift, she can’t quite stop herself from looking up abruptly. Tidying up her desk, Wen Qing falters, bowl slipping from her fingers, and she clears her throat, looking away. “Wei Wuxian told me you found it bitter last time,” she explains, turning her back to Yanli, but her voice carries her familiar unimpressed tone, “so I added honey.”

Of course. “Thank you,” Yanli hides her smile. How very honorable of Wen Qing to go to such lengths to uphold a presumed debt towards her brother: most people would not think of small acts of kindness nor find them important, even if for Yanli, they’re the ones that most matter. “But I hope you know you owe us nothing.”

Wen Qing turns sharply. In the half-shadow from the curtains, her face is unreadable, but something flickers in her eyes, no answer forthcoming. Instead, she continues adding herbs now to her bowl, a green, fresh smell wafting up from her work, “what of your energy? Have you been feeling any tiredness?”

One could almost mistake her directness for rudeness, or even carelessness, but Yanli, who has known Jiang Cheng from birth and her mother around her father, knows better. When she takes the cup, their fingers brush, gentle as falling snow. When she examines her pulse, Wen Qing is careful not to startle her. When she tells her to rest, Wen Qing offers her lavender.

When she makes tea, Wen Qing adds honey.

No matter how suspicious the rest of the disciples regard the Wens, Yanli has seen Wen Qing kneel by her brother’s bedside, has seen her cry in worry, and has seen her threaten Wei Wuxian with her needles, hiding a smile in her sleeves when everyone’s backs are turned.

Wen Qing walks her back to her room, steps light as lotus petals, voice flowing quiet as a river’s murmur, and all the while, somewhere near her heart, something warm and radiant takes root.

*

“I thought,” a voice pierces the stillness, startling Yanli into nearly dropping her basket, “I told you to rest.”

The trees shade them from the mellow sun and paint Wen Qing in deeper burgundies among the greenery. Yanli smiles. “Apologies, Wen-guniang,” she takes in her stern expression, the little pinch between her eyebrows, and wonders if it would cause offense to reach up and smooth it out. “We didn’t have lectures and the day was so beautiful…”

“So you decided to ignore a doctor’s advice,” Wen Qing narrows her eyes just slightly, glaring at the basket as if deeply offended by it. Inside it, the lychees and apples sit idly, shiny and colorful, “and carrying weight too, I see.”

Yanli tries to hide her laugh into her sleeve, hitches the basket up, too warm, too content, to feel properly guilty. “You could always join me– wouldn’t it be better, then, if I wasn’t wandering off alone?”

Hesitancy crosses her face in an uncharacteristic feat. Wen Qing seems to be debating with herself whether to storm off or not, a thundercloud in the clear weather that is swept away with the wind as quick as summer rain. Her expression settles. She storms forward instead, taking the basket with a gentleness that belied her previous warpath. “You shouldn’t be straining yourself.”

A lychee rolls off to the floor, flattens a path in the grass. Yanli picks it up, says, “I’m not so fragile.”

Wen Qing’s gaze is scorching the side of her face, steady and sunkissing-intense, but Yanli looks resolutely forward, even as they start walking again, even as Wen Qing speaks up, quiet and certain, “no, you’re not,” she walks at her side, sleeves brushing with every breath, “but I’m your doctor. Can you blame me for worrying?”

“Are you?” What? Worried? Her doctor? Yanli ducks away, hoping to hide the heat she feels spreading across her cheeks, and privately startles at her own lack of answers.

Thankfully, Wen Qing doesn’t ask her to elaborate, merely scoffs. “Of course I am your doctor. How many times have you consulted with me?”

Yanli laughs again, picking a lychee off the basket. Vaguely, she wonders if she’s reading this wrong, if they are not friends after all, but Wen Qing has yet to move away, to further the inches between them so their hands wouldn’t brush, so their steps wouldn’t tangle in the grass.

“Maybe we should stop for a moment,” Wen Qing places a hand in her arm, soft and steady, but does not look directly at her. Instead, her eyes slant to a tall cherry tree a few paces off the path, its overreaching branches casting a long shade in the earth.

If she’s being honest, Yanli is beginning to tire. Cloud Recesses is colder than Lotus Pier and the chilled air pierces her chest like pinprick needles. It’s distracting. It melts like snow in the sun when Wen Qing’s hand lowers to cup her elbow, guide her to the shadowy corner. 

They sit, the basket between them, and Yanli takes care not to stare at her for too long– the late afternoon sun illuminates her profile too well, Wen Qing looks too lovely, it pulls at Yanli as if tied together by a string, tight and unrelenting. “Here,” she says, offering the lychee she’s just peeled. Her fingers are sticky with juice, but Wen Qing looks at the fruit, at Yanli, and her heart catches on fire. 

She takes it as if it’s something precious. “Thank you,” comes the response, prim and proper, and just thorny enough to very nearly send Yanli into giggles. Still, their hands brush. Still, her skin burns. 

Still, Yanli picks another lychee.

It’s not yet blooming season for the cherry tree and the leaves cling thoughtfully in their branches, and they sit in the shade, sharing lychees and apples and peaches, time dripping away sugary sweet. 

*

Later, when Wei Wuxian asks her, wide-eyed and sweetly unaware, why like someone at all, Yanli takes pity on him and doesn’t question his motives any further, answers him in the only way she thinks it won’t scare him off from Lan Wangji’s lingering eyes.

For once in his life, he leaves it well enough alone and– she’s glad. How do you explain loving someone so much you overflow with it? How to tell him it grows like ivy over your heart, a blooming thing golden and light, hiding behind your core? A yearning happiness so encompassing you ache with it. It’s wonderful. It’s terrifying.

And all the while, Yanli thinks of fingers sticky with lychee juice, the grass brushing her ankles, honey on tea.

*

The commotion with Jin Zixuan stays with her long after the dust has settled.

Guilt swells in her chest– should she argue further for her engagement? Should she not care more about the abrupt breaking? Jiang Cheng thinks so. He’s still fuming over it, long after even Wei Wuxian has cooled off, long after their father has returned to Yunmeng.

Privately, Yanli thinks the anger is just a smokescreen, that maybe breaking off this engagement is a blessing not just for her, but she will not push, not right now. Knowing her brother, it would do no one any good. Instead, she listens to his angry grumbling and pretends not to notice his looking. Jiang Cheng seems to be always looking, these days, eyes following Jin Zixuan as if a moth to a flame. 

He calls it glaring, of course.

This helps, a little, with the guilt and the embarrassment– her mother will not be happy about any of this, not at all, and gossip will run amok between sects, yes, but if it saves her brother the misery, then how can she regret it?

“Jiang-guniang,” Wen Qing’s voice reaches her before she comes into view, leaning against the railing beside her. She doesn’t dare turn to face her, but she feels the warmth of her hand so close to hers.

“Please,” Yanli says in a moment of boldness, words spilling without her permission and falling down to the garden below them, “are we not past these formalities? Call me Yanli.”

It seems to take Wen Qing aback, forcing her to pause, and Yanli watches her blink, a pink glow to her cheeks. “Well, only if you do the same,” she clears her throat, “Yanli, how have you been?”

Yanli shivers. The sound of her name in Wen Qing’s voice– how can it be so different? The way her lips curve around the vowels– she wants it to live there, safely in her mouth, always. Say it again, she almost asks, never stop, never tell me anything else. Instead, “I’ve been well, no headaches, no more tired than one would expect.”

“I meant,” Wen Qing shifts, their fingers brush in the wooden railing. She shivers again. “About your engagement.”

Oh. Finally, Yanli turns, glancing away to the greenery growing over the rocks to catch the tail-end of what must have been a concerned expression. As with looking directly at the midday sun, Yanli burns. “Then I thank you for your concern,” she nods politely, more muscle memory than any real presence of mind, “but there is no need for it. I’m fine, truly.”

Wen Qing hesitates, brow crinkling, leans forward just slightly, as if not even realizing, “forgive me if I overstep, but you seemed upset, earlier.”

“You could never,” she shakes her head, a small smile blooming unbidden, “I was upset to have caused such a disturbance and I admit, his words stung at the time, but– I think, it might have been for the best.”

Something flickers in Wen Qing’s eyes and Yanli wonders how she could have mistaken her as the sun before: it’s as if clouds have parted and the sky has cleared, and Wen Qing is brighter than ever. A constellation made flesh, light given a soul. 

Yanli wonders–

“In that case,” Wen Qing smiles, and it’s the loveliest thing Yanli’s seen in this life, the kind people would go to war for. She would do anything to see it every day until the end of the world. “Perhaps I asked the wrong person. Surely, Jin-gongzi must be distraught– otherwise, if he’s not, then he must be stupider than I thought.”

This startles a laugh out of her, too used to Wei Wuxian to be properly scandalized with the lack of decorum and delighted with the abrupt rudeness. She should not be so amused, she thinks, or so endeared by it, but as with all things concerning Wen Qing, Yanli is helplessly charmed. “Wen Qing,” she chides for the sake of it, just to say it aloud, savoring the name in her tongue, feeling it echo from her heart.

“It is forbidden to lie in Cloud Recesses, after all,” Wen Qing recites, wry and pleased, her eyes twinkling in the moonlight with mischief. It’s one of those things that she seems to keep very close to her chest, and Yanli swells with happiness at being allowed to witness it so freely. 

You could never overstep, she had meant earlier, anywhere you want, I’ll let the light in for you. Maybe this could go both ways. Hopefully. 

“Are you really not heartbroken?” She asks, growing serious once again, seeming to give her one last chance to request a shoulder to cry on. 

“Yes,” Yanli tries to speak with as much confidence as she can, suddenly desperate for Wen Qing to believe her, “we have been betrothed since we were children but it has never been any more than that.”

A nod. “You do not feel sad,” she catches her eye, solemn and infinitely patient. Kind. Gentleness hiding in plain sight if only one cares to look. “Then how do you feel?”

Has anyone asked Yanli this and meant it in such a way? She doesn’t know. Her heart trashes, swallowed by a riptide. “Free,” she smiles, “awake.”

Wen Qing seems to soften in the light. How is it possible they know each other for less than a year? It feels longer. It feels like she’s known Wen Qing her whole life, has been waiting for her. Whatever lies after death, she’ll know her there too. “I’m glad,” Wen Qing says, reaching to cover Yanli’s hand with hers, thumb brushing circles in a soothing heart-stopping rhythm, “you deserve more than that.”

Maybe it’s selfish of her, maybe she is the one overstepping, maybe she is reading this all wrong. Maybe Wen Qing doesn’t mean herself. But– so far, Yanli has hardly dared to want anything for herself. Can’t she have this? If nothing else, this. Her. 

“A-Qing,” she dares, voice quiet with all the other words she wants to say, and reaches for her, feels the silent tremor that travels underneath her palm. Hope. “A-Qing,” she repeats, and Wen Qing is so beautiful, eyes dark and wide, and Yanli never wants her to look away, never wants to say anything else other than her name. Forever, just them. Just their names in each other’s mouths. “What if I wish for more than I deserve?”

Wen Qing breathes, eyes fluttering shut for a moment. “Impossible. You deserve more than this world could hope to offer,” she glances at the moon high above their heads, then back down at Yanli with fierce certainty, “tell me: whatever it is, it’s yours.”

Please, she begs, her. “What if all I wish for is you?”

The words taste like honey in her tongue, and they slip syrupy sweet from her lips, conquering this secluded garden in the Cloud Recesses for themselves and taking residence between the green. Yanli wants to cry, wants to dive in the lakes of Lotus Pier and stay underwater until no one remembers her existence, wants to–

Wen Qing makes a small, wounded sound, and lurches forward, hands shaking like they never do, and she smells like the herbs she crushes to make into medicine, like lavender, and Yanli loves her. “Then you must surely know,” she tells her, voice like a leaf in the wind, “that it’s always been yours.”

A happiness so encompassing, it aches. Yanli is so in love, it spills into the world like rain. “A-Qing,” she says into her lips, and then Wen Qing answers, a whispered A-Li tucked in between a kiss.

[antiquecompass]

Untamed Winter Fest Day Five: Ribbon

Wherein there are ribbons and rings, among other things.

(Also on Ao3)

Jiang Cheng knew it was stupid. They’d already gotten married. His husband had, apparently, been proposing to him since weeks into their relationship. He had his own Lan ribbon now, as a spouse, as the partner of the head of the family and the clan. He’d proposed with his own purple hair ribbon that day in Lan Xichen’s office partly as a joke, partly because it was either that or a rubber band, and partly to match the Lan’s traditions as much as he could in the moment. The purple hair ribbon was something Xichen could understand and hold on to and keep with him. And he did. He’d often found the ribbon wrapped around Xichen’s wrist after he returned from a business trip or a week in Boston. He knew if it wasn’t wrapped around Xichen’s wrist or tucked away in his pocket, it was reverently kept with his Lan forehead ribbon and hair ornaments, as something precious. Something scared.

But that hair ribbon wasn’t made of the same strong material as the Lan ribbons. Eventually it would fade and fray. So Jiang Cheng wanted to give him something more. And perhaps it was more traditional, in being that it was ring. And perhaps it was pointless, being in that they both already wore wedding bands, but it still killed Jiang Cheng a little bit to realize his husband had been wanting this for so long, and had said nothing, because he thought Jiang Cheng didn’t want that level of final commitment. Never mind that in all other legal senses they were already basically married then, never mind that they were in each other’s wills, were their medical contacts, shared bills and checking and savings accounts. His husband had wanted a wedding, and had held off, and never asked for it, because he thought asking for it might be the one time Jiang Cheng refused him.

That precious, stupid, wonderful fucking idiot he loved with every last part of his heart and soul.

“Isn’t it a little late for the ring shopping?” Nie Huaisang asked.

Jiang Cheng probably should have brought anyone but his best friend. However, Huaisang really did have the best taste out of everyone he knew and would be honest in his opinions.

“It’s a gesture,” he said.

“You’re going to make him cry,” Huaisang said. “Niagara Falls cry.”

“He’s not going to cry,” Jiang Cheng said, knowing there was a good chance Xichen was absolutely going to cry. “Who knows? He might throw it back in my face and ask where it was nine years ago.”

Huaisang laughed behind his fan. A pastel and holographic one that somehow still looked classy. Xuanyu’s work then.

“It’s not funny,” he said.

“It is if you really think Lan Xichen would refuse any gift you ever gave him. You could probably give him pencil shards and he’d find some way to encase them in resin and make a paperweight.”

Jiang Cheng was offended on behalf of his husband, even if he could recognize some truth in those words. There was a reason though that Xichen clung on to anything that resembled love and affection, and that reason, because of that fuck-up that was his biological father, would always make Jiang Cheng’s blood boil.

“He is not that sentimental,” he said.

“Cinnamon has her own scrapbook,” Huaisang said.

She did and it was a marvelous piece of artistic work that Jiang Cheng would not hear a single word against. Wei Ying had helped Xichen make that scrapbook. It was a family tradition now.

“He’d never raised a pet before,” he said. “He wanted to keep track of everything in case there was a next time. And there was with Honey, Clove, and Ginger.”

“You two and your animals,” Huaisang said.

“You have your own pig,” Jiang Cheng said.

“And she’s glorious,” Huaisang said as he pulled him into the jewelry store.

**********

There were too many choices and yet not enough.

Some were too plain. Some far too gaudy. Others were nice, but wouldn’t match with their platinum wedding bands. Huasiang was intrigued by one that essentially looked like a watch band, but they both dismissed it for Xichen.

Xichen was elegant, not flashy. He didn’t want, wouldn’t want, a cluster of diamonds or something so obvious. He’d cherish a plain band, of course, but Jiang Cheng needed this to be special. Needed to show that he’d thought about it, and he had, even if it was after the fact.

Huaisang then paused in that way that always reminded Jiang Cheng of a hunting dog who had found its prey.

“How predictable do you want to be?” he asked.

Jiang Cheng walked over to see what he found.

 Oh.

“I mean, it is very on brand for the both of you sentimental fools,” Huaisang said. “And I’m sure we can talk to one of their designers about possible different stones. You’ll have to pay out of the nose for natural purple diamonds, but I doubt you’d settle for amethyst.”

“Not this time,” he agreed.

“We can get this one for you too, if you’re okay with just plain old sapphires, though we might be able to get blue diamonds,” Huaisang said. “Unless you’re not--”

“Just call the designer over here,” Jiang Cheng said.

“If he ever finds out how much you’re about to drop on this,” Huaisang said.

“He won’t,” Jiang Cheng said. And he found that comment rich from a man who had built Xuanyu his own backyard skating rink as a pre-engagement present . “Besides, unlike some people I don’t drop my disposable income on Gucci Crocs.”

“They were Balenciaga,” Huaisang said. “And they almost made me as tall as you.”

“Almost,” Jiang Cheng said and reached over to pat the top of Huaisang’s head. “But not quite, Baby Spice.”

Honestly the harsh slap he got from the fan? Worth it.

**********

Jiang Cheng was out on the encased part of the back patio. Their three dogs were with him. Sugar, still the queen, even as age had finally started to slow her down. Honey, the middle child, and far more Xichen’s dog than his. She loved Jiang Cheng too, but she followed Xichen around the house at all times and sat at the door for hours after he left. Ginger, their new puppy and the youngest of all their pets, slept in his lap.

He knew Xichen was home before his car even pulled into the drive. Honey had a habit of darting off from wherever she was resting and running to the door as soon as his car turned onto their street, and she’d just shot up from her place and plopped down in the foyer.

He carefully shifted Ginger off his lap and placed her down next to Sugar.

“Keep an eye on her,” he said, scratching the top of her head.

He found Xichen in the foyer, crouched down and hugging Honey. He leaned on the kitchen counter and watched them, his heart so full it almost stole his breath.

How did he ever get this lucky?

“So the PTA didn’t destroy you this time,” he said.

“A near thing,” Xichen said as he stood, Honey in his arms. He walked over to him and gave him a quick kiss. “Good evening, my love.”

“Hi,” Jiang Cheng said. He tilted his head towards the patio. “The rest of the canine brood is out there, but someone had to be the first to greet you.”

“Jealous?” Xichen teased.

He shrugged. “Honey can get first cuddle dibs. I always win in the end.”

Xichen kissed him again before walking out to the patio, the sweet words he used to greet the other dogs drifting back into the kitchen.

Jiang Cheng took the box he had hidden in the drawer with some of the loose kitchen utensils and joined the others on the patio. Xichen had taken over his spot, Honey on one side and Ginger in his lap.

“She’s sleeping so much more these days,” Xichen said, eyes on Sugar.

“She’s an old dame,” Jiang Cheng said. “She gets to do whatever she wants now.”

He cradled Xichen’s face in his palms, tilted his chin up for a deep, searching kiss, smiling as he tasted traces of chocolate and mint. He then slid down to his knees.

“What are you--”

He pulled out the ring box.

“--doing,” Xichen said, words ending in a hush.

“I need you to know that I didn’t propose to you that first time just because I’d been faced with the reality that you’d been proposing to me since months into our relationship. I need you to know that I didn’t agree to our wedding just because it was something you wanted. I need you to know that I’ve considered us forever since the first time I left the pets here, in your care, trusting you with all the things I love and hold dear. I need you to know that if you had asked me, at any point, to marry you in words and gestures I understood, I would have always said yes. Without hesitation. That you are the only one--will ever be the only one--for me.”

He opened the box. A platinum band with five purple diamonds spaced throughout the ring. His own had five sapphires. Combined for the ten years they’d been together.

“So this is late, and I’m forever an asshole because of it--because I didn’t see it when you needed it--and even though we already are, will you marry me?”

“Get up here right now,” Xichen ordered.

“The rings.”

“Right now.”

There were tears in his eyes and his hand did tremble just like it had on their wedding day, but he was laughing too, just like he had then. And Jiang Cheng knew he wasn’t much better, held tight in Xichen’s arms as soft kisses were placed over and over again along his hairline, his ear, his cheek.

“Yes,” Xichen finally said. “Forever yes.”

[noraarchontis]

The Cattitude

Link: AO3 | FF

Rated: General

Relationship: Lan Xichen|Lan Huan x Jiang Wanyin|Jiang Cheng

Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - College/University , Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafes, Cat cafe, Caffeine High

Summary: Jiang Wanyin woke up too early for his liking, so his whole day was a whirlwind of emotions, suspicion, and accidental boyfriend. Oh, did Jiang Wanyin mention that Lan Xichen looked like a kidnapper? He certainly did look like one.

A/N: Please, let Jiang Wanyin sleeps for 8-9 hours a day. He needs it to be a fully functioning human being. Otherwise, this will happen again (≖︿≖✿)

It was a bad day. Today was a bad day for him. He only slept for a couple of hours and woken up at three in the morning for absolutely nothing.

Jiang Wanyin woke up at three in the morning because his room got so cold and the moment he woke up, he couldn’t fall back to sleep. He tried his best to fall back asleep but the noise and things around him were too disturbing. So, he failed. After twenty minutes of trying to go back to sleep, he decided to get up and looked into the darkness of his room. He knew today was going to be a hard day, full of headache and irritation especially irritation.

When his older sister and brother dragged him to the pier, he was reluctant to go. It was unusual for them to want him to come but after his mother talked him into it, he unwillingly came with them. They wanted him to come even though they had their respective partners coming with them and asked for him to prepare their lunch boxes. Jiang Wanyin wanted to knock both of their heads until he could see mountains on them. Yet, here he was sitting on a bench in a crowded touristy area while both his siblings went to get their drinks.

He yawned, the headache and heaviness of his head were dragging him down by every second. There was no mood for him to socialize or even talk to anyone. A Hello coming out from his mouth was tiring, even killing him slowly from the inside. He wanted to go home and fall into the comfort of his bed, maybe getting a little nap to improve his mood. Well, that hope was attempting the impossible because there was no way he could fall asleep in such a crowded place where he risked getting pickpocket.

His yawns turned into a series of sighs as he watched the waves hit the shore. The constant caws from the seagulls almost made him mad, making him massaged his temples while covering his eyes from the bright sunlight. Jiang Wanyin didn’t know how long he could stand doing this while waiting for his sibling’s partners to come. The fuel that kept him running for the day was his irritation, and it was close to blowing up soon.

“Chengcheng!” A loud and annoying voice decided to wake him up from his daydreaming. He dreamt of the comfort of his bed while sitting on a hard-ass bench. “I got you a special edition of ice coffee ex-lover’s memories! I’m sure you’ll like it.”

He groaned, hearing his brother’s loud voice somehow made his mood turned worse than before. It was a wonder that someone wanted to date this wonderfully idiotic man. He wondered who was the idiot who loved this man this much.

Also, this idiotic Wei-fucking-Wuxian got a coffee that reminded him of his ex-lover? Get a fucking life.

“Here! Here! You should try it. It tastes bittersweet just like your previous lover,” Wei Wuxian came closer to him. “Psst! Wasn’t he such an asshole too? You should totally forget him and move on, you know. I’ll introduce you to a nice gentleman today! So, here drink your coffee then drink this one!”

Jiang Wanyin wanted to smack his idiot brother in the head. If only his sister wasn’t there with him, he would smack his brother’s head and kicked him into the ocean. Wei Wuxian would add a nice touch to this freaking pier after all.

He grabbed the said ex-lover’s coffee from the older brother’s hand. The taste was exactly like how he said. Bittersweet with a hit of caffeine to boost his energy, but he could tell this wouldn’t be good for him. He knew exactly how caffeine affected him during times like this and it wasn’t the one he desired much.

After finishing up the drink in one-go, he threw the empty cup to his brother’s hand. Wei Wuxian responded with a snappy hey! But still threw it into a recycling bin after dumping out the ice cubes into a different trash bin. Jiang Wanyin waited for his brother to tell him what other obnoxious drink he got for him.

“That wasn’t nice of you, little brother! I bought drinks for you and that’s how you repay me? Wait until you see the new nice gentleman. You’re obviously taking after your old asshole boyfriend’s habit.”

Wei Wuxian nagged and wouldn’t stop his mouth until he saw his brother’s lifeless eyes. Jiang Wanyin was even more tired than before. He couldn’t be bothered by all the noises his older brother made; his brain wasn’t functioning well, too tired.

“Anyways, here! Drink this!” The older brother handed him a taller and bigger drink. It seemed to be an ice milk tea. There wasn’t anything wrong from what he saw, now he wondered what this drink’s name was. “This drink will guarantee you today’s most beautiful ice milk tea memory! Get it? Get it? Most beautiful memory?”

Jiang Wanyin gave up; he fell back to the most uncomfortable seat in the world and facepalmed. His hand covered his face and eyes, thinking of: How in the world do people name these coffees and teas anymore?

“Taste it! Taste it! I’m sure it’ll be to your liking. It’s a Thai tea mixed with soy milk because I know you prefer soy milk than cow’s milk, and honey!” Wei Wuxian advertised so cheerfully as if he was getting paid to say all these to him. Jiang Wanyin wondered if his brother went into a wrong major in university, instead of being an engineer, he should have studied marketing and become good at it.

He only hummed when the drink hit his taste buds. It was true that he preferred this compared to the coffee earlier. Coffee was too strong to his liking despite all the sugar and milk covering its bitterness. This milk tea, however, was better albeit still covered in sugar and milk.

“I was gonna add some boba but it’s a fifty cents extra. So, this should do you good right? Besides, I got you the large one! You should be thankful for having such a great brother like me, Chengcheng!”

The tired brother sighed, thinking: I’ll be grateful when my body starts to shiver from all the caffeine, so I can blame you for it.

Jiang Wanyin walked away from his brother’s side when their sister called them out. She waved her hand, signaling them to follow her as they moved to their next location. The drink on his hand was almost gone. He didn’t want to chat or say anything, so the straw kept his mouth busy until it was time to throw them all away. When he did, he made sure to also throw away the ice cubes in a different trash bin and the cup with its straw into the recycling.

This time, they dragged him into a cafe filled with cats and people. Jiang Wanyin’s heavy breath turned heavier as his body started to register the caffeine into his system and regrets. He probably shouldn’t be drinking that much caffeine in one sitting...but too late now. His body started to shiver and his heartbeat quickened; he should be drinking lots of water to get this out before he met with whoever his siblings were meeting.

Meows filled the air when they entered the pastel-colored cafe. Within the first glance, he knew he would love this cafe and would definitely come back without this feeling of caffeine overdose. The waitress seated them in one of the corners close to the window. He wanted to complain about being seen by other people, but his siblings just went along with it so he didn’t say much either. He folded his legs and leaned on the back wall as he watched people pass them by. Apparently, his siblings’ partners were still not here yet. Just how late could they be? To make their partners wait this long, how disrespectful of them. Yet, he stayed quiet and closed his eyes. Taking in a quieter atmosphere than the outside world along with cuter and much nicer cats than humans.

Jiang Wanyin was just tired, so everyone should excuse his words.

“What would you like to order, sirs and miss?”

The same waitress came to ask them but he let his siblings handled her. He couldn’t bear to open his eyes again and think about the menu.

“We’ll take this and this for now. We are still waiting for someone.”

It was Jiang Yanli’s voice, his sister who always came to make peace between him and his brother. Jiang Wanyin wondered what they ordered but could care less about it now. He was tired and closing his eyes felt so nice.

He wasn’t sure how long had he closed his eyes for because, by the time he opened his eyes again, the snacks and drinks were already on the table. Not that he felt great or anything, to be honest, he felt much more tired than before. All he wanted now, much stronger than before, was to go back home and sleep. He yawned again and folded his arms on the table to fall back asleep then he heard someone giggling beside him.

Someone was giggling beside him and he had no idea who it was. Jiang Wanyin opened his eyes as quickly as possible and saw his siblings were gone. They weren’t where he last saw them and he turned his head quickly to his side to find a slightly older man sitting right beside him with a smile on his face. His eyes were wide opened when this stranger looked at him like he was some kind of strange animals or something. Who the fuck was this guy?!

“Why are you sitting here?! Where are my siblings?” Jiang Wanyin quickly asked, ignoring the throbbing headache.

The man smiled, his hand supported his head as he looked at the young man on his right.

“I must have startled you. I apologize but I was told to sit here,” the man said, his voice was calming and sounded kind. Exactly the kind of voice that kidnappers often used to lure children in, and it made him more self-conscious.

A frown formed in between his eyebrows as he looked at the man’s dark-golden eyes. This stranger’s eyes were mesmerizing but Jiang Wanyin still felt like this man had ill intent towards him. After all, no one just came up to him for nothing. Most of them came up to him for something either a favor or help, and this stranger must be the same. Was he here to threaten him into following him? Was he looking to hurt his siblings if he didn’t come along with him? And what the fuck was Wei Wuxian doing just allowing himself and their sister to be taken hostage? f, this was not the kind of day he was planning to have.

“You look tired, Wanyin. Why don’t you take a little nap? I’ll watch everything for you.”

Shit, Jiang Wanyin cursed in his mind, This sounds like a real kidnapping happening to him.

The violet eyes turned to see his surroundings; the cafe wasn’t too packed with people but a few customers were going in and out the door. It seemed that everything would be alright if he messed up this stranger when he tried to do something to him. He didn’t have much money to cover all the damage if something did happen but better than giving any ransom money to this guy.

Also, how did this stranger know his name? Did Wei Wuxian tell him? Was he threaten with a knife behind him to say his name?

Jiang Wanyin took a deep breath, thinking of his options to get out from this mess. He didn’t even know who this guy’s name was.

“And, why would I do that? So you can pickpockets me? Or drugged me, so you can kidnap me and ask my family for ransom money?” The throbbing on his head was getting too painful for him, but he tried his best not to show any pain. This stranger beside him was getting on his nerves and that wasn’t good. He needed to be calm so he’d know where his siblings were.

The stranger beside him laughed at his remarks. Jiang Wanyin’s frown was immediate gone and replaced by a few eye-blinking. He wasn’t sure what was so funny about what he said. It was true that he was suspicious about this man but why laugh? He was anticipating this man to take out a handkerchief drenched in alcohol and put it against his mouth to make him unconscious.

But, laughter? ...Not something he was expecting at all.

The stranger’s face was closer to his now and he felt threatened. He felt threatened because this man before him was attractive with its silky smooth white jade skin. Was this a new way of kidnapping people? They entered into the shop with you then kidnap you? They entranced you with their beauty before killing you? Wait, that one he heard a lot before. But, entering a shop and conversed with you, Jiang Wanyin certainly had never heard of this before.

“No one ever suspected me to be a kidnapper, this is my first time. It’s so amusing,” the stranger said as he brushed his long hair to the back. Jiang Wanyin had to confess this suspicious man was attractive, another plus for a high-class criminal activity. He wondered what would be the last of him at this point. “My name is Lan Xichen, and if you find any of your belongings missing while you nap with me here, you can call me anytime.”

Jiang Wanyin stared at the attractive man. His long and slender fingers slid a card into Jiang Wanyin’s hand as if he had prepared it all along. Also, this was his first time finding someone to be so smooth in their pick-up lines but... focus! Focus! Lan Xichen was still a suspected kidnapper in his eyes. Besides, where were his siblings?

“Well, you look like one now, Lan Xichen. Congrats.”

His tone was sarcastic and full of skepticism because he didn’t believe anything this stranger said. Even if the so-called Lan Xichen said that he was a good guy, Jiang Wanyin wouldn’t believe in any of his words. He sighed with a heavy heart filled with worry for his siblings. The situation wasn’t getting any better and he needed to find a way to escape this guy. At the same time, he needed to know his siblings' whereabouts. But really, how could his siblings, at least Wei Wuxian didn’t fight back while being kidnapped?!

“Now, where’s my brother and sister? What else do you want from me? I’ll nap with you if you tell me where did you hide my siblings. You better not torture them or else, I’m bringing you down in court, Lan Xichen.”

Lan Xichen laughed again, scaring one of the cats until he collected himself again. His mouth was closed but the big amused smile didn’t. Jiang Wanyin, the name of Wangji boyfriend’s brother, was surely like one of these cats. One that would hiss at anyone he didn’t know but hopefully would turn needy once he got to know him. Besides, it was cute how this man acted suspiciously around him. It was definitely something he had never experienced before.

“And what if I say I want you to do something for me? Will you do it, Jiang Wanyin?” Lan Xichen was now playing this young man’s game. Jiang Wanyin certainly loved his siblings so much to say something like that.

“Then, come here,” Lan Xichen opened his arms like he was about to get a big hug from Jiang Wanyin, but the other man only looked at him confused. So, Lan Xichen repeated his words with a deeper voice and smile gone, “I said, come here. Sit in between my laps and let me hug you while we nap together.”

Jiang Wanyin was more alert now. All his senses were tingling, screaming for him to yell at the waitress to call the police on this man. But, he didn’t. Lan Xichen’s demand was certainly something he could still handle besides...where had he heard of the name Lan Xichen before? The name didn’t sound too unfamiliar at all.

So, he moved. Jiang Wanyin moved in between the older man’s laps, his body was tense when Lan Xichen closed his arms, entrapping his entire upper body within his grasp. The man smelled good, if Jiang Wanyin had to be honest, a mixed of sandalwood with sweet and calming chamomile really soothed his senses. It didn’t even smell like a cologne; he couldn’t smell the alcohol that was often used in a cologne. Wait, why did he start thinking about this? It wasn’t like he wanted to get this kidnapper Lan Xichen anything.

Anyways, Jiang Wanyin cleared his mind off the warm smell of the cologne.  This was the first time he got so distracted; all the caffeine he drank certainly didn’t do him any good. Now, where did he hide his siblings? Also, why did this suspicious person hold him so tightly?

“Now, tell me where do you hide them,” Jiang Wanyin ordered but it didn’t help when he got a little jittery from the high caffeine intake. His body started to shiver, and Lan Xichen probably felt it too.

Lan Xichen felt Jiang Wanyin trembling in his arms and wondered if it was from the cold air conditioning or something else. Besides, he didn’t feel as cold to the point of trembling like the man in his arm. What was going on with Jiang Wanyin?

“Are you cold, Wanyin? You’re trembling in my arms. How cute,” Lan Xichen kept his game on. The carefully crafted words to tease the younger man and lowering his voice to sound kindly threatening were all parts of his provocation to make Jiang Wanyin more riled up. He loved it when he saw this younger and cute man riled up like that.

“No! I’m not cold or cute,” Jiang Wanyin said, probably too fast for his mind to catch up with him. “I drank coffee and tea in one-go, so this is normal. It’s just caffeine overdose.”

Ah, shit! Jiang Wanyin cursed, the feeling of his heartbeat was getting too much on him. He wouldn’t last much longer if he couldn’t find his siblings soon. Wei Wuxian was to blame for his current state.

Lan Xichen hummed in response as his hand reached out for a transparent glass filled with water. Quiet giggles escaped his mouth, wondering what Jiang Wanyin would think about the drink.

“Drink this. Let’s get all the caffeine out, shall we?” The older said, placing the glass in front of the younger man before kissing along the braids. Jiang Wanyin looked pretty in braids.

He turned his head around and watched the older man’s expression with caution. Lan Xichen smiled and quickly took the chance to kiss the younger’s cheek before several others against the hair again. He was taken aback but unable to move, his face was red and the jittery turned worst not only because of caffeine, but also anger. He was angered and embarrassed by this older man’s actions. So shameless!

“You…! I’ll sue you for sexual assault. Not only for kidnapping but also sexual assault!” Jiang Wanyin quickly said, his face was like a ripe tomato ready to be harvested by Lan Xichen.

The older man’s smile was gone and Jiang Wanyin quickly turned his head to drink the whatever concoction placed in front of him. It tasted like normal water for him but who knew if this was mixed with sleeping pills or something after all, Jiang Wanyin was head-to-head with a criminal in this cute cafe. He took a breath in and out as he finished the drink. He wondered what other demands this suspicious man wanted from him.

Lan Xichen smiled when the human cat in his lap did whatever he wanted him to do. His grip tightened around the younger man’s waist while his cat jumped at the tightness but unable to do anything. Lan Xichen still needed to teach his cute cat some manners, but he would do so with love of course. After all, Lan Xichen had been pining for this cute cat-like-man for a while.

“Are you feeling better, Wanyin? Is my cute cat feeling better after drinking?” Lan Xichen asked with a calm and collected voice, no longer dark and deep. The trembling in the younger man’s body lessened and that was great. He didn’t want Jiang Wanyin to feel like that too. Caffeine certainly didn’t agree with his cute cat’s body and he remembered that.

The trembling lessened and his heartbeat wasn’t beating as painful as before. He didn’t know what this suspicious man put inside the drink but it really did work. All he hoped now was for him to not die from poisoning in a few hours from what he had just drunk. Whatever was in the drink didn’t matter because it was still a drink from a stranger. And, his mother taught him better than to accept anything from a stranger.

“Are you satisfied? Now, tell me where my siblings are!” Jiang Wanyin wanted to yell at this man but didn’t want to disturb other customers too. So, he quiets down his voice and would only yell if this man’s demands were getting too much.

Then, a ring came to one of their phones. Jiang Wanyin was sure that it wasn’t his because his phone was on the table and the screen was still dark. So, it must be from Lan Xichen’s phone. He frowned, studying the older man’s expression while he looked at the text message. When a smile appeared on the other’s face, Jiang Wanyin only dreaded for not seeing the text. All he could do was worried of what this man had done to his siblings.

Lan Xichen turned his head down, looking at the shorter man in between his laps and under his mercy. The text message was, of course, from his siblings who were telling him that they would come back to the cafe in thirty minutes. But, Jiang Wanyin didn’t need to know that. Besides, if they were coming, Lan Xichen would have all the time with his cute cat for a while. He needed to make use of it all before Jiang Wanyin realized what was happening. So, Lan Xichen kissed the soft raven hair as he intertwined his hands with the other. This man was strangely quiet, making him wonder what he was thinking, probably something extraordinary again.

“Wanyin, will you allow me to do something?” Another kiss placed against the braids, he loved the way Jiang Wanyin smell. It was a mix between sweet flower and fresh lemon, exactly like the man’s personality.

“Lan Xichen… Will you stop kissing my hair?” Jiang Wanyin struggled, elbowing the older man’s abs but it didn’t seem to hurt the other. His elbow hurt more than the other man’s stomach.

“Mm. My cat is getting feisty, isn’t he? Do I need to train you, my kitty-cat?” Lan Xichen placed another kiss on the man’s defenseless nape and that quickly sent Jiang Wanyin jumping if those arms weren’t securing him. The kisses kept going despite his reactions, Lan Xichen sucked and licked the deliciously white skin, leaving red markings of what would be his.

He smiled against the sensitive skin and Jiang Wanyin could totally feel the mouth forming its grin. The whole face up to his ears and neck were all red from the embarrassment; on top of that, the small and repressed moans he had been trying to hide were escaping his mouth. Jiang Wanyin wasn’t supposed to feel like this when he was about to be kidnapped by this stranger. What was his body doing, betraying him in this embarrassing way?!

“Plea—ah,” Jiang Wanyin quickly covered his mouth, he could feel the heavy stares from other customers on him even if none were looking at him. (Because someone scared them all from staring). “Lan Xichen, please I don’t want this. I want my siblings. Where are they…”

If Lan Xichen was to get a boner right there, he would probably run straight back to his apartment while carrying this man in his arms. He would spoil this pretty man rotten until he couldn’t live without him...but no. Lan Xichen couldn’t do that. He wanted Jiang Wanyin for himself but he wanted it to happen naturally. Lan Xichen wanted Jiang Wanyin to come to his arms on his own accord, not forced.

So, he stopped. The kissing stopped, leaving a few red and bite marks, that made Jiang Wanyin almost screamed in pleasure. The man in his arms slumped against the table, completely exhausted and red from the small pleasures.

“I’ll tell you where they are if you agree to be with me, my love. Will you be my boyfriend, Jiang Wanyin?” Lan Xichen confessed as he trailed his nose against the redneck, placing small pecks here and there. “I’ve always wanted you to be mine, Jiang Cheng.”

Jiang Wanyin’s eyes were opened wide, the violet eyes were filled with terror, thinking what if Lan Xichen was his stalker. No one else knew about his other name besides his family, yet this stranger knew it. Was Lan Xichen a stalker? Since when did he have a stalker?

He turned his head, looking at the older man with a frown. But, when he was about to open his mouth to say something, a pair of lips met his along with its tongue. Lan Xichen kissed him and kissed him hard. Their tongues danced together and every time Jiang Wanyin wanted to pull out from him, the hand kept him from going anywhere until the older stopped. Jiang Wanyin was flushed red, his eyes were half-lidded as he caught his breaths from the intense kiss. It was then when he realized there was someone watching them, so he turned around and saw…

“Mm…” It was Wei Wuxian who started first. “Did we miss something or did we interrupt you guys?”

His siblings, standing and watching him there as if he was in one of those Korean dramas. Their eyes were opened wide and in shock of what they were seeing. Lan Wangji and Jin Zixuan were there too, witnessing what had happened while Jiang Wanyin bathed in the embarrassment. He also forgot they were in a cat cafe, that one was totally out the window the moment Lan Xichen started assaulting him.

Wait…Lan Xichen?

Jiang Wanyin asked himself.

As in Lan Xichen, the brother of Lan Wangji? And the…

His eyes were wide, exposing all the emotions he had inside him as he turned around to face Lan Xichen. The older man only smiled at him, beaming with happiness as if he was a kid that finally got what he had wanted for so long.

“You’re the Lan Xichen as in professor Lan Qiren’s favorite student and the candidate for the doctor of juridical science?”

Lan Xichen only smiled as he kept hugging the man in between his laps. Jiang Wanyin didn’t move; he kept looking at the man who embraced him and Lan Xichen decided to indulge this pretty man with his desire. So, another kiss was placed on the younger’s lips.

It was a bold move coming from Lan Xichen. In a normal situation, he would never have done such a thing to the younger man. Lan Xichen had his reputation on stake, and it certainly didn’t help that he was busy with a dissertation on policy issues and was the famous assistant for his uncle’s class. Both women and men students had come to him for anything but their class issues. This had become a routine reoccurrence for him until he came into his office.

Jiang Wanyin was different from the rest of the students. He was different because he came to him solely to ask questions about the class subject’s and some moral and consequences issues if the policy were to be implemented. This young man asked in details about reducing the negative impact and how the policy could better be applied in reality than just idealistic situations. Lan Xichen was impressed and slightly jealous at how Jiang Wanyin really focused on all these studies. He never once looked at him with any sexual interest, but when it came to all the new research studies in policy and law-related matters, it was as if Jiang Wanyin had been brought alive. And, that was the first time he got interested in this young man.

“Yes, that is me, Wanyin,” Lan Xichen smiled, another peck on the forehead given. “Are you still suspecting me as a kidnapper, my Wanyin?”

Jiang Wanyin’s eyes were wide and so did the others. Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji couldn’t believe what both their brothers said. The development was probably too fast from where they were before, which was complete stranger (not really), to now being this close and intimate. It was something that Wei Wuxian couldn’t believe himself.

“Did you just suspect this nice gentleman, which so happened to be my boyfriend’s older brother, to be a kidnapper? Jiang Cheng, wherein the demonic world did that come from?!”

Jiang Wanyin glared at his brother. If he could slam the table, he would have done so already. Sadly, his hands were bound by this tight arms around him.

“How in the world would I know, Wei Wuxian!” He almost screamed but got reminded where they were again. “You didn’t even tell me his name! I can only assume this guy right here has taken you guys hostage and will ask our family for ransom money. Shit, why didn’t you call or text me?”

Jiang Wanyin couldn’t face anyone at all as he put his head down on the table in awkwardness. He made a big mistake and now, professor Lan Qiren probably would take his doctoral recommendation off him.

“Like hell, I didn’t try calling you, moron! Did you even check your phone? Why is it my fault now?” Wei Wuxian replied with a hmph! He crossed his arms, still annoyed at his idiot younger brother.

Jiang Wanyin couldn’t reply anything. He stayed there, face against the table. How could he even forget Lan Xichen’s face and voice? Jiang Wanyin had, for sure, conversed with him for classes. Well, to him, the only thing that mattered was Lan Xichen’s knowledge than the whole person. Now, he felt like shit.

“Chengcheng, I have to say that you have even worse memory than me. At least, I remember those who I have talked to before, but you don’t even remember those you’ve talked to before and worse, Xichen-gege whom you’ve talked multiple times. Don’t tell me you are starting to forget those you had crushed on before too.”

Wei Wuxian laughed, scaring some of the cats that were coming closer to them. But, all Jiang Wanyin could say was:

“...Stop...I can’t…”

Yet, while Jiang Wanyin wallowed in self-pity, Lan Xichen took this opportunity to place another kiss on the open and inviting nape which earned him a jumped from the person he was interested romantically and a deep frown. That kiss seemed to ignite something within Jiang Wanyin, taking him off from the pity party he was having.

“You…! Why didn’t you tell me from the very start! I—I wouldn’t have said all those if you...,” Jiang Wanyin now facing Lan Xichen. His cheeks turned red while his hands covered the cute face. “I need some sleep, my goodness. Why all these must happen today…”

Ah, Jiang Wanyin never ceased to amuse him at all.

“Then, sleep,” Lan Xichen said, man-handling the younger to face him and place his hand on the back of Jiang Wanyin’s head, pushing him to lean on his shoulder. “I’m here. Didn’t we mention napping together, Wanyin? Shall we do that now?”

Lan Xichen just couldn’t stand not teasing the younger man in his arms and placing small kisses all over him like he was something precious. Jiang Wanyin was certainly precious in Lan Xichen’s eyes and heart. He was an excellent student in all his policies and law graduate classes, yet a total beginner in something like this. It was cute. Totally cute, and Lan Xichen would love to teach his cute kitty-cat more on this field.

“Wow, Chengcheng…That’s really fast. Are you two officially together now? Have you forgotten all about your nasty ex-boyfriend then, Chengcheng?” Wei Wuxian continued to tease, even when Lan Wangji placed his hand on his boyfriend’s mouth to silence him. Lan Wangji made a note to himself to keep working on his hands to better serve its purpose and for his lover too. “You should just be with Xichen-gege, Chengcheng! He’s clearly better than your ex-boyfriend!!”

Wei Wuxian managed to get that out from his mouth despite his muffled voice. This only made Jiang Wanyin even redder than before as he hid in Lan Xichen’s broad shoulders.

Lan Xichen nodded at his brother boyfriend’s remarks and put his hands on Jiang Wanyin’s shoulder, pulling him from his hiding place. All he could see from his future boyfriend was redness everywhere. He glanced to look at the quiet sister and was only given a big yet scary smile at the same time. It was a warning, probably to never break his brother’s heart like what his previous ex had done.

“I’ll promise to make you forget your old boyfriend, Wanyin. After all, all you need is me, right?” Lan Xichen reassured but it didn’t mean much when his so-called angelic smile seemed like a devil in disguise. This was especially true when he looked at his brother’s boyfriend then proceed to kiss Jiang Wanyin in his arms. Jiang Wanyin trembled slightly at the sight; he never knew this side of Lan Xichen before since he was never like this during class time.

“What do you say, Wanyin?” Lan Xichen’s voice was deep and low, asking questions as if commanding the other. “Will you be my boyfriend? I’ll promise to marry you. We’ll have a nice house and a kid or two.”

Jiang Wanyin wished he could just vanish. It would save him a lot from this public embarrassment. He could only nod his head as an answer and hope that Lan Xichen would give up on this sooner or later. Jiang Wanyin sighed and leaned back, hiding himself back again. He wasn’t feeling hungry or anything, so little by little the drowsiness from all the caffeine began to set in, making him sleepy while being hugged in this warm embraced. It was nice to be hugged like this, not like his ex-boyfriend who didn’t even want to….

Jiang Wanyin fell asleep, his breathing was calm and stabilized as he went into a deep slumber in Lan Xichen’s arms. He grabbed his dark blue blazer and covered his lover’s body from the cold air conditioning. Lan Xichen was, of course, happy at how Wanyin could sleep in his arms since it meant that Jiang Wanyin trusted him enough to lower his defenses. He hoped their relationship would continue to improve in this way until he could get his cute lover crying and writhing under him in pleasure.

Lan Xichen couldn’t wait to get into that part of their relationship. Today was only a preview of what his love for him could become.

Wei Wuxian and Jiang Yanli could only smile, wishing all the best for their beloved Chengcheng since Lan Xichen seemed like a hungry beast out of the cage with prey in his mouth. While Jin Zixuan stayed quiet and could only stare at what unfolded before his eyes. He didn’t dare say anything because he knew how dangerous the older Lan could be. All he did was hold his girlfriend’s hand as she silently challenged Lan Xichen with her eyes. They all hoped their brother’s back would be okay in the next few years and until they got married. Maybe with a child or two like how their brother’s new boyfriend said.