Chapter Text
Lan Wangji was the second son of Qingheng-Jun, the forty second emperor in the Lan Dynasty. He was also the last son. After the empress gave birth to Lan Wangji, she retained a sickly state. A couple years later, she passed away.
Qinghen-Jun allowed for Lan Wangji to be raised by Cangse Sanren, Empress Lan’s most favored handmaiden. They had grown up like sisters. One married the emperor, the other married the emperor’s right hand man. Lan Wangji was brought up with much affection from her.
But when Lan Wangji was eight, Cangse Sanren and her husband, Wei Changze, had passed away sacrificing themselves during a siege attacking the imperial palace. They only left behind a son that was a couple months younger than Lan Wangji.
Because Qingheng-Jun refused to take any other consorts, Lan Wangji was then raised by Empress Lan’s other handmaidens. But one by one, they passed away. Eventually his uncle, Lan Qiren, took him in.
And considering the fact that Cangse Sanren and Wei Changze had sacrificed themselves to save the imperial family, Qingheng-Jun permitted their son to be Lan Wangji’s personal servant. He would have given him a much higher position if his family status was better. But this was the best he could do. Qingheng-Jun had also intended for Lan Wangji to have a friend growing up. Hopefully, he could be it.
But he wasn’t. Lan Wangji would never talk to the boy or anyone if it wasn’t necessary. He avoided everyone unless he had a lesson or it was meal time. No one would know where he would go.
One day, it was raining. Raining extremely hard. Lan Wangji had been chasing a rabbit he had seen jumping around but then the water droplets began to fall. He used his clothes to cover up the bunny so it wouldn’t get wet as he looked around to find shelter.
But as soon as he found a tree to hide under, the bunny ran away.
Even you want to leave me? Lan Wangji began to cry.
He missed his mother. He missed Cangse A-yi. He missed his other Momo’s. He missed the bunny.
“Stay away from the second prince,” he had heard a maid say today. “Anyone he’s close to is bound to die an early death.”
He’s just a cursed prince. He doesn’t deserve happiness.
”Dianxia? Dianxia!” a boy was calling out to Lan Wangji. “Dianxia, where are you?”
He looked around but finally spotted the white clothed figure hiding underneath the tree. He ran over and held an umbrella over the both of them.
”Dianxia, I’ve been looking everywhere for you! Come on, let’s head back before you catch a cold,” he said.
”No! I won’t go back. Go away.”
”Dianxia!”
“Just leave me alone!” Lan Wangji turned away from the other boy. “You’re going to leave me at some point.”
”I will not leave,” he insisted.
”I don’t believe you.”
”I will not leave. I can’t. It’s not like I could go anywhere even if I wanted to—which I don’t.”
Lan Wangji sniffled and turned to look at him.
”Really? You really won’t leave me?”
“I promise. I am forever dianxia’s. What belongs to you will never leave your side.”
“T-then don’t call me ‘dianxia’. Call me Lan Zhan.”
“Ok, Lan Zhan,” he blushed.
Lan Wangji’s ears turned red.
”What is your name?”
The boy smiled so brightly he took Lan Wangji’s breath away. He could only be his.
“Wei Ying.”
His Wei Ying.