Chapter Text
Wei Wuxian’s jaw hits the floor.
“I have to what?”
Yu Ziyuan glowers at him. She’s seated at the low table in the centre of the room, drinking tea and having cakes as if she hadn’t just ruined Wei Wuxian’s whole trip in a single breath. Across from her, Jiang Yanli looks at him apologetically over the rim of her teacup, but says nothing.
“You heard me, Wei Wuxian,” Yu Ziyuan snaps. “I won’t have you wasting the entirety of your stay here in the Nine Heavens. Your mother has asked A-Li and I to arrange these matchmaking sessions. The invitations have all been sent out and the events all arranged, so you will attend.”
“But—but,” Wei Wuxian splutters.
Matchmaking? Marriage? But he’s only seventy thousand years old! He hasn’t even ascended to High God yet! Not to mention, his parents are both perfectly healthy and still in their prime, so there’s no rush for him to take over the throne as the Emperor of Qing Qiu’s Fox Tribe. Which means he doesn’t need an heir, nor a ‘steadying influence’ in his life (despite what both Jiang Cheng and Yu Ziyuan think), and he certainly doesn’t need some uppity immortal from the Nine Heavens trying to worm their way into his life!
“No buts,” she says, all but slamming her cup on the table. It doesn’t shatter, but the remaining tea sloshes about, dangerously close to spilling. “The suitors will be arriving in the next day or so, and the first event will be tomorrow, just after lunch. Do not be late.”
He deflates. “Yes, Yu-furen.”
He’d been so looking forward to visiting Jiang Yanli—he doesn’t get many opportunities to see her now that she’s married the stupid peacock and moved to the Nine Heavens—as well as all his other friends there. Nie Huaisang had promised to show him the latest in his collection of erotic art books from the mortal realm, and he had even gotten Lan Wangji to agree to be his tour guide.
Lan Wangji—his tour guide! Even he couldn’t believe the Second Prince of the Dragon Tribe, the ruling family of the Nine Heavens, had agreed so readily. Not everyone has such good fortune (and charm) to get Lan Wangji to do something as menial as showing them around his home—and now it seems like all his grand plans for getting Lan Wangji to have fun won’t ever come to fruition.
“Don’t worry, A-Xian,” Jiang Yanli says encouragingly. “You’ll have plenty of time to explore and do all sorts of fun things outside of the matchmaking events.”
He quashes down his disappointment to give her a bright smile, but before he can open his mouth to agree, Yu Ziyuan cuts in with a snort.
“You’re here as A-Li’s guest, Wei Wuxian,” she reminds him. “Our two families may be close, but you will not embarrass A-Li, or cause her any trouble, in her home or I’ll skin you and turn your pelt into a cloak. Do you hear me?”
It’s a familiar threat, one she’s used almost every time they see each other, but Wei Wuxian has spent a lot of time in Lotus Pier while growing up and knows for a fact that she will follow through with her threat if he actually gives her a reason to do it. So he holds back the complaint on the tip of his tongue and bows his head.
“Yes, Yu-furen,” he mumbles. She doesn’t look the least bit fooled by his show of obedience.
“I had better not catch you running off,” she warns. “With your reputation, it’s a wonder anyone accepted the invitations at all, so you should count yourself lucky.”
“Now, A-Niang,” Jiang Yanli says, placing a hand on her mother’s arm in a placating gesture. “A-Xian just likes to have fun—it’s in his nature. And he is Qing Qiu’s Xiao-dianxia, the next in line to the throne. Anyone would agree he’s quite a catch.”
“You can’t defend him forever,” Yu Ziyuan scoffs. “I watched this child grow up alongside you and A-Cheng, I know what he’s like. He’s always getting into trouble, even before he could take human form. And don’t forget he almost ruined your engagement.”
In Wei Wuxian’s defence, that was like four hundred years ago, and Jin Zixuan had totally deserved it. Besides, they’re happily married now and Jin Ling has just turned three hundred, so everything worked out in the end. Why does she have to keep bringing it up?
Jiang Yanli smiles.
“He was just looking out for me, A-Niang,” she says. Wei Wuxian loves her so much. “He’s matured a lot these past few hundred years, and is working hard towards his ascension. I’m sure he knows better now, isn’t that right A-Xian?”
“Absolutely,” he chirps. He holds up three fingers, pressed together, by his ear. “I promise I won’t let Shijie and Yu-furen’s efforts go to waste.”
Yu Ziyuan snorts.
“I’ll believe it when I see it,” she says, and rolls her eyes when he grins in response. “Now go away.”
He bows to her cheerfully, a plan already formulating in his mind. He has some letters to write.
Lan Xichen props his elbow on the armrest and rests his temple against his fingers as he smiles across the chessboard at his brother. Lan Wangji is busy scrutinising the layout of the board for his next play, a white stone held deftly between two fingers, and pays him no mind. But Lan Xichen can tell, in the way all doting older brothers do, that something is Different.
“Wangji,” he says, watching his brother place the stone carefully on the board. “You seem to be in good spirits. Did something happen?”
Lan Wangji hums, a short, non-committal sound. “Not particularly.”
“Oh?” Lan Xichen’s eyebrows rise. “Is that so?”
He shifts in his seat, reaching for the ceramic pot sitting beside the board and puling out a black stone. He hovers over the board drawing idle patterns in the air with the stone as he considers his next move.
“I hear Qing Qiu’s Xiao-dianxia has come to visit,” he comments lightly. “Everyone seems very invested in the subject of his availability for marriage. Invitations have been sent out to the various realms, inviting them to matchmaking events over the next few days while he’s here.”
“I would have thought such frivolous gossip below you, Xiongzhang,” Lan Wangji says, a tiny little crease appearing between his brows.
Lan Xichen smiles at him benevolently.
“Now, Wangji, I am only looking out for your interests,” he says. “Haven’t you had your eye on Wei Wuxian-shangxian for a while now?”
His smile grows wider when the tips of his brother’s ears turn the faintest shade of pink, even as his eyes shoot daggers.
“Xiongzhang has been spending too much time with Siming-xingjun,” he says. “I thought he only had jurisdiction over mortal affairs. Since when did he have time to meddle in the lives of other immortals?”
“Huaisang only tells me these things because he’s worried, Wangji.” Lan Xichen sets his stone down on the board and sits back with a long-suffering sigh. “We only want what’s best for the two of you.”
His brother makes an inelegant noise that, had it been anyone else, would be considered a snort. But on Lan Wangji, it was little more than a sharp exhale as he reaches for a white stone in its little pot.
“Your concerns are duly noted,” he says drily. “But unnecessary.”
“Oh?” Lan Xichen leans forward, eyes lighting up in amusement. “Is that so? Do you have a plan then, Wangji?”
The corners of Lan Wangji’s lips twitch as he places the stone on the board.
“I win again, Xiongzhang.”
Lan Xichen laughs softly, surveying the final results of the game with a shake of his head. His brother’s play style had always been rather slow to begin with, lulling his opponents into a false sense of security—by the time he launches his attack, they’re completely overwhelmed by the aggressive onslaught, and cave within ten moves. He pities the Crown Prince of Qing Qiu if Lan Wangji has truly set his sights on him.
“Well, Wangji,” he says finally. “Should you require my assistance, you know I will do my best to support you.”
Lan Wangji inclines his head.
“Thank you, Xiongzhang,” he says.
The next day, Wei Wuxian forces himself to sit and smile politely as the next suitor takes the seat opposite him at the table. He’s been here almost four hours now and the line doesn’t show any signs of shortening—in fact, he swears it’s growing. Beside him, Yu Ziyuan drums her fingers on the table to get his attention, before fixing him with a warning glare. He sighs.
“Hi, uh…” he squints. “Sorry, what’s your name again?”
“Su She,” his suitor replies with a smarmy little smile that sets Wei Wuxian’s teeth on edge.
Ah. The Snake Tribe. That explains a lot.
He cocks his head to the side and props his chin on one hand.
“How did you manage to get in here?” he asks, only half-curious to know. “I thought the Snake Tribe was cast from the Nine Heavens and not allowed back without summons.”
He bites back a yelp when Yu Ziyuan digs her nails into his thigh in warning. Across the table, Su She’s expression has darkened, but he remains committed to the smile on his face, even though it’s starting to look physically painful at this point. He’s got to hand it to him though—most people would have flipped out by now.
“I heard Xiao-dianxia likes music,” Su She says, changing the topic. “I have brought a copy of the rarest score in Moling’s collection as a gift to commemorate our first meeting.”
He lays a thin book on the table and pushes it towards Wei Wuxian, who barely spares it a glance before he sniffs.
“Moling’s collection?” he asks, raising his eyebrows. “You mean the ones you were cast out of the Nine Heavens for stealing?”
“Wei Wuxian!” Yu Ziyuan snaps.
Su She’s face sours, his mouth twisted as though he’s eaten something particularly foul, but he remains seated. He must be really desperate for this to work if he’s still sitting here after Wei Wuxian’s insulted his tribe to his face twice. Unluckily for him, his very face makes Wei Wuxian’s teeth hurt and he’s not feeling very nice right now.
“Oh, did I hear incorrectly then?” he asks with feigned innocence, not even bothering to raise his chin from its perch on his hand. “That can’t be right. It was such a huge scandal not even a hundred years ago, even the common folk in Qing Qiu heard about it.”
Which is true. Everyone had been talking about it when it happened. How Su She of the Snake Tribe had stolen away copies of ancient texts from the Library Pavilion while he had been a guest and then took them back to his lair at Moling. Lan Qiren had flown into a rage that shook the Nine Heavens, and the entire Snake Tribe had subsequently been barred from entering their realm ever again. As for why it had happened in the first place, well…from the way Su She dressed all in white, to the way he styled his hair with a silver guan, it really wasn’t that hard to tell who he was trying to emulate.
Wei Wuxian wrinkles his nose at the thought. As if this lowly snake could ever hope to measure up to Lan Wangji’s magnificence!
Su She’s entire face has gone an ugly shade of puce and his shoulders are shaking in anger. Still, he stays put and plasters the smile to his face once again.
“A misunderstanding, Xiao-dianxia,” he says through clenched teeth. It’s a wonder how they haven’t fallen out yet with how hard he’s grinding them together. “The volume I present to you today is one of my own personal collection. In fact, I could play—”
He chokes in mid-sentence, eyes bulging and hands scrabbling at his throat. Behind him, the long line of suitors still waiting for their chance to meet Wei Wuxian break out into surprised gasps as one-by-one they sink into low bows.
“Er-dianxia,” they chorus.
“Huh?” Wei Wuxian says. “Lan Zhan?”
Turning around in his seat, he brightens at the sight of Lan Wangji walking up behind him with a frosty expression on his handsome face, his amber eyes boring holes into Su She over Wei Wuxian’s shoulder. Yu Ziyuan snorts derisively, pulling Wei Wuxian to his feet so they can greet Lan Wangji.
“What brings you here, Lan-er-dianxia?” she asks. “Surely not to join the line of suitors?”
Lan Wangji returns greeting with clipped politeness.
“My apologies, Yu Ziyuan-shangshen,” he says. “I was not aware that this courtyard would be occupied.”
She gives him a flat, unimpressed stare.
“Well, as you can see, Er-dianxia, this courtyard is occupied.” She raises an eyebrow. “Is there something we can help you with today?”
If Lan Wangji can see the pleading look Wei Wuxian is sending him over her shoulder, he gives no indication. Not even the bat of an eyelid, even though Wei Wuxian is giving him his best puppy dog eyes.
“Begging your pardon, Shangshen, I heard Wei Ying was here,” Lan Wangji says. “I had previously promised to take Wei Ying to see Fan Yin Valley the next time it reopened its borders. Today just so happens to be the only day for the next one hundred years.”
Wei Wuxian perks up. Fan Yin Valley? Oh, he’s always wanted to go there! Lan Wangji is so terribly clever to think of it as an excuse. Yu Ziyuan looks unimpressed at his sudden enthusiasm, and irritable at Lan Wangji’s interruption.
“He will need to wait until this appointment is over,” she says, gesturing at Su She, who is starting to go purple from trying to break free of Lan Wangji’s silencing charm.
Lan Wangji inclines his head.
“Of course,” he replies calmly. He walks around to Wei Wuxian’s other side and takes the remaining seat at the table. “I am happy to wait.”
Yu Ziyuan stares at him wordlessly for a moment, struggling to find a reason to get him to leave. Lan Wangji pours himself a cup of tea nonchalantly, supremely unconcerned by the daggers boring through the side of his head through Su She’s eyes.
Wei Wuxian looks between them with breathless curiosity, waiting to see who would be the first to cave. He knows Lan Wangji has the patience of a mountain—unshakable to the core—and he can already see a vein protruding from Yu Ziyuan’s temple. Her eyes are closed, her brows pinched together as if to ward off a headache. After a moment of tense silence, during which Wei Wuxian is practically vibrating out of his seat with anticipation, she exhales. Lan Wangji calmly sets his cup back on the table, turning to Wei Wuxian expectantly.
“Wei Ying, are you ready to go?” he asks, completely ignoring the way both Yu Ziyuan and Su She are glowering at them. “The borders will not remain open for long, so we must not delay.”
He gets to his feet without waiting for a reply, pulling Wei Wuxian up with him by their still-joined hands, and bows to Yu Ziyuan.
“Shangshen, I apologise for the disruption,” he says. “We will take our leave now.”
Yu Ziyuan nods stiffly, her lips pressed together in a thin line.
“Don’t think you’re getting out of this, Wei Wuxian,” she warns. “I am letting you go today out of respect for Lan-er-dianxia. But you will meet with every single one of your suitors when you return, do you hear me?”
Wei Wuxian bows his head.
“Yes, Yu-furen,” he mumbles reluctantly. Maybe he could convince Lan Wangji to let him stay in Fan Yin Valley for the next one, two hundred years until they all get tired of waiting for him and leave of their own accord. “Come on, Lan Zhan, let’s go!”
But Lan Wangji has turned instead to Su She, who looks about a second away from passing out, his mouth still sealed by the silencing charm.
“The Snake Tribe was banished from the Nine Heavens,” he says, voice chilly. “Leave here at once. If you dare show your face here again, it will be taken as a declaration of war.”
With that, he sweeps right past him with a wide-eyed Wei Wuxian in tow, the ribbon on his wrist on full display for the suitors still mingling around in the courtyard. They stare at the two of them with open-mouthed shock; Wei Wuxian gives them a cheeky little wave as they leave, and presses a little closer to Lan Wangji.
“Can you believe that I have to spend this whole trip doing this stupid matchmaking thing?” he complains loudly. “Five days! I was hoping to do some exploring, spend some time with Nie-xiong and Jin Ling—and you, of course!—but instead I’m stuck entertaining the most boring people in all the realms, who probably aren’t even all that interested in me. And they want to marry me? I bet they’re only after Qing Qiu—well, hah! They’re in for a nasty surprise. Just you wait and see—”
Lan Wangji seems content to just let him ramble on without interruptions as they slowly make their way towards the gates. That’s the best thing about Lan Wangji—he’s such a great listener. And he never interrupts, or gets impatient, and he’s always up for Wei Wuxian’s ideas no matter how absurd they are. Even Jiang Cheng won’t do that for him, at least not without complaining.
“Hey, Lan Zhan,” he says. “Lan-er-dianxia. Lan-er-gege.”
Lan Wangji hums, which Wei Wuxian takes as acknowledgment.
“Hey, Lan Zhan,” he whispers, tugging on his sleeve. “Are we really going to Fan Yin Valley? You’re not just saying that to get me out of this matchmaking thing right?”
“We’re going,” Lan Wangji assures him, a smile appearing on his lips when Wei Wuxian hums happily and starts bouncing on his feet as they walk along the wide pathway.
After a few more steps, a thought strikes him and he tugs on Lan Wangji’s sleeve again.
“Hey Lan Zhan,” he says slyly. Lan Wangji, once again, hums in response. “How did you know to come find me in the courtyard? I didn’t specify a location in my letter. Did you go asking around for me?”
The only response he gets is a slight darkening on the tips of Lan Wangji’s ears, which is too adorable for words.
“Lan Zhan, my hero!” he cries, placing a hand over his heart dramatically. “What would I do without you? Maybe you should sweep me off my feet and save me from all these unworthy suitors.”
He throws his head back and laughs. Now wouldn’t that be a sight: the Second Prince of the Dragon Tribe whisking the Crown Prince of Qing Qiu away in the middle of his matchmaking sessions and riding off into the sunset. No one would believe it.
“Mm.” A pause. “If Wei Ying wishes it, then I will help.”
“What?” Wei Wuxian stumbles over his feet in shock and almost falls flat on his face, if Lan Wangji had not caught him by the elbow to steady him. “Lan Zhan, are you serious?”
The red in Lan Wangji’s ears darken, but he stares determinedly forward. Aiyo, Wei Wuxian thinks fondly. Lan Zhan really doesn’t have the face to tell lies. I shouldn’t embarrass him anymore.
He stops in his tracks and tugs on Lan Wangji’s sleeve, beaming when Lan Wangji finally spares him a glance out of the corner of his eye.
“Let’s take our time in Fan Yin Valley, okay?” he says. “You have to show me all the sights, and buy me all the food and souvenirs, okay? I don’t want to miss a single thing!”
He puts on his cutest expression, head tilted to the side, eyes wide and smile bright. It’s always worked on his parents and on Jiang Yanli, and from the way Lan Wangji’s expression softens, it works on him too. The hand still holding onto his tightens briefly as Lan Wangji hums, and Wei Wuxian’s heart skips a beat at the fondness in his voice.
“Whatever you like,” Lan Wangji says.
Of course, he may be able to escape the first day with Lan Wangji’s help, but he can’t expect to rely on Lan Wangji forever. So when he returns to the Nine Heavens, laden with gifts, he accepts Yu Ziyuan’s scolding with good humour and promises not to pull the same trick the next day.
Except he hadn’t counted on how boring those suitors would be and how unbearable it would be to sit in front of them for hours on end and make polite conversation. If it were up to him, he’d prefer to erect a platform in the middle of the courtyard and challenge every single one of them to a duel, where the winner would get to maybe spend some time with him. Which would be alright if he were back in Qing Qiu, where customs are more relaxed and its people more inclined to action, but this is unfortunately the Nine Heavens, where they prefer flowery words and artful flattery. It frankly makes his skin crawl, but Jiang Yanli and Yu Ziyuan had organised this at his parent’s request so he has to save them some face and at least make an appearance.
Which he does—for an hour. In his defence, should Yu Ziyuan or his mother bring it up with him, he never promised to stay for the entire thing. The fact that he gave them an hour of his time before calling it quits is already very impressive.
But Yu Ziyuan, true to her word, knows him altogether too well. The moment she turns back around and sees him missing, she sends the entire congregation of suitors in pursuit, promising to make it worth their while should they find him.
Wei Wuxian curses his bad luck as he leaps over the wall and into the neighbouring courtyard. He flattens himself against the wall and holds his breath, casting a quick spell to make himself invisible just as a group of young men round the corner, calling his name. They run right past him without a second glance and disappear through the archway on the other side of the courtyard.
He counts to three before releasing his breath and letting the spell fade. Curse meddlesome mothers and their eligible single sons! If it weren’t for the fact that he was here by Jiang Yanli’s invitation, he would have long taught them a lesson. Then they’ll see why they shouldn’t mess with the Crown Prince of Qing Qiu!
But first, he had to find a way to get out of here and back to his rooms.
“Wei Ying?” A familiar voice asks from behind him. “What are you doing here?”
Wei Wuxian brightens. Oh, of all places to end up, he had to accidentally stumble into Lan Wangji’s own Palace of Enlightenment—what good fortune!
“Hi there, Lan Zhan,” he grins. “What a coincidence. I was, uh…admiring the garden! Do you maintain it yourself?”
Lan Wangji, the second prince of the Nine Heavens, grandson of the Heavenly Emperor, who probably has never done a day’s manual labour in his immortal life, stares back at him from where he’s seated in the shade of the small stone pavilion in the courtyard. There’s a book in his hand and a chessboard on the table before him; he looks like he’s been there for a while now, and not expecting visitors.
“Are you not meant to be attending a matchmaking event?” he asks, and sighs when Wei Wuxian scratches the bridge of his nose with a guilty expression. “Wei Ying, you shouldn’t let your elders’ efforts go to waste.”
“I know!” Wei Wuxian wails. “But you saw who was there yesterday—there’s more of them now, and they’re just as bad as yesterday’s batch. I can’t stand another minute of it!”
An idea strikes him. “Hey, Lan Zhan, you said you’d help me, right?” He takes Lan Wangji’s silence as a yes. “Can I hide here for a while?” He waves his hands in front of him in a placating gesture. “It’ll just be for an hour or two. I promise I won’t be a bother. It’s just…if you’re here, then I’m less likely to get into trouble when they find me.”
He waits with baited breath for a response, but Lan Wangji only huffs softly under his breath returns to his chessboard. Wei Wuxian takes this as acquiescence and bounds forward with a wide smile, taking a seat at the table opposite Lan Wangji. He leans on the table, resting his chin on one hand, and smiles. Gosh, Lan Wangji is so pretty.
“Stop staring.”
Wei Wuxian smiles wider. “But you’re so good looking. How can I resist?”
The tips of Lan Wangji’s ears redden.
“Ridiculous,” he mutters, placing the next piece on the board with more force than strictly necessary. “Aren’t you meant to be hiding?”
“Mm, I think they’re probably lost somewhere,” Wei Wuxian says, pursing his lips thoughtfully. “It might take them a while to—”
“WEI WUXIAN!”
He squeezes his eyes shut and grimaces as Yu Ziyuan’s voice rings out across the courtyard. Even Lan Wangji looks up from his chessboard with a raised eyebrow in Wei Wuxian’s directly as the Queen of Yunmeng Jiang storms into the pavilion, Zidian crackling at her side. Wei Wuxian chuckles nervously and gets to his feet.
“Yu-furen,” he says, bowing. “I thought you would be with Shijie.”
“You certainly would wish I was,” she says with a snort. She reaches over to grab his ear between her fingers and twists until he yelps in pain. “Luckily I knew better than to trust that you’d behave yourself without supervision.”
“Mercy, mercy, mercy!” he cries. She releases him roughly and he stumbles back a couple of steps closer to Lan Wangji, pouting. “There are so many of them and they’re all so boring!”
He flinches when Zidian crackles.
“You ungrateful brat!” Yu Ziyuan snaps, raising Zidian as if to strike. “Do you know how much effort it took for your Shijie to invite this many eligible bachelors to today’s banquet given your reputation? If it weren’t for your parents’ sake, do you think we’d even bother?”
At the mention of his parents, Wei Wuxian deflates. He shuffles his feet, eyes downcast, the very picture of contrition. Yu Ziyuan huffs.
“Come back with me immediately,” she says. “You haven’t finished greeting all of the young immortals yet.”
She grabs hold of Wei Wuxian’s wrist, but Wei Wuxian digs in his heels.
“No! No, I don’t want to go back,” he whines. “I can’t!”
“Why not?” Yu Ziyuan says, yanking him towards her. “These are the most eligible bachelors across the realms. You should be so lucky to catch even one of their attentions—”
“I already have someone I like!” Wei Wuxian yells. All three of them freeze, and Wei Wuxian tugs his wrist free from Yu Ziyuan’s grasp, red-faced. “And they like me back too! I don’t want to meet other people!”
Lan Wangji stares at Wei Wuxian, his book forgotten. Yu Ziyuan folds her arms across her chest and glares.
“You?” she asks incredulously. “You have someone you like? Who is it?”
Wei Wuxian stammers, his mouth opening and closing wordlessly as he fumbles for an answer. He catches Lan Wangji’s frozen expression and ducks behind him, latching onto the back of his robes like a shield.
“It’s Lan Zhan!” he says quickly. He gives Lan Wangji a shake and the chess piece falls from Lan Wangji’s hand with a clatter. “Right, Lan Zhan?”
I’m sorry, he thinks wildly as he clutches the back of Lan Wangji’s robes with his most pleading expression. I’m sorry, Lan Zhan, I swear I’ll make it up to you!
Yu Ziyuan’s mouth falls open in shock. She looks between Wei Wuxian, who presses in closer, hiding his face behind one broad shoulder, and Lan Wangji, who seems to have turned into a statue, and frowns.
“Er-dianxia,” she says with a small bow, “is this true? Or is this brat making up stories again?”
Wei Wuxian whines in Lan Wangji’s ear, soft and pleading. Lan Wangji’s ears darken. He nods mutely, barely even protesting as Wei Wuxian purrs and disappears in a puff of smoke, reappearing in his lap as a small red fox. Wei Wuxian nuzzles against Lan Wangji’s abdomen with his nose and shoots Yu Ziyuan a watery, wide-eyed expression. Lan Wangji runs his fingers through the thick fur on his back almost instinctively, expression still slightly dazed. She sighs in frustration and pinches the bridge of her nose.
“I can’t—I’ll deal with you later,” she mutters. “Don’t think I won’t tell your mother about this!”
Wei Wuxian cranes his head to watch as she stalks off, his nose and ears twitching. When he turns back, he’s met with Lan Wangji’s amber eyes watching him with a curious expression. He ducks his head, embarrassed. He’d just taken advantage of Lan Wangji’s agreement to help him without considering Lan Wangji’s feelings—and now Yu Ziyuan is going to tell his parents about it! If they end up taking it seriously and turn up in the Nine Heavens expecting a marriage proposal from Lan Wangji’s family, then they’ll both be in big trouble.
I’m sorry, he whimpers, his ears flattened against his head. I’m sorry I dragged you into this!
To his surprise, the hand on his back moves upward to rest on his head, scratching behind his ears. His body melts under the touch almost immediately, and he curls up on Lan Wangji’s lap, purring.
Lan Wangji’s amused huff rumbles beneath his ear.
“Good boy.” He whines and tries to protest, but the firm hand behind his ears is more effective than a calming draught, and his eyes are already growing heavy. “Sleep now. Everything will be fine.”