Chapter Text
Lan Xichen had to kneel in the Ancestral Hall for the whole night.
As a Sect Leader, he was someone with the highest authority in the Sect. All of his conduct should be set as an example to the disciples. It's impossible to let him continue to kneel and lose his grace in front of the other Sect members.
When morning came the next day, he was instructed by one of his Elders on behalf of Lan Qiren to go back to his residence. Whatever they had to talk about, they'd discuss it on a more appropriate occasion later.
He knew things couldn't be solved within just 1 day or 2 days. He needed time to convince his Clan. His Uncle needed time to calm down his vexation. They all needed time to think of the most oblige measure. So he obediently went back to the Hanshi.
Upon his return to his private courtyard, he promptly made his way to the inner room. The last time he checked on Wei Wuxian was right before he went to kneel in the Ancestral Hall. At that time the young man had yet regained his consciousness, and Lan Xichen simply gave him a quick bath and change of clothes. He also ordered a disciple to put an eye on the Hanshi, in case Wei Wuxian woke up, the disciple could inform him immediately.
To his surprise, Wei Wuxian still lay exactly in the same position he put yesterday. His eyes were closed tightly. Even his face was still as red as boiled crabs...Hmm? Wait a minute?
Lan Xichen strode to the side of the bed, reaching out to the man's face, and Goodness, the skin was scalding hot!
'What happens? The blanket doesn't fall off him, so it shouldn't be because of being blown in cold air. Is it the sequelae of medicine?'
In panic, Lan Xichen took Wei Wuxian's hand and pressed his two fingers on his wrist, checking his pulse.
He checked in a long time, but the more he inspected the more puzzled his expression became. Feeling unsure, he switched to the other hand and repeated the same motion.
The longer he checked, the deeper he scanned, the more his expression turned serious.
In the end, he stood up and rushed outside.
Not long after, Lan Xichen returned to the Hanshi, this time followed by the Head Healer.
The serious-faced old man couldn't help but murmur not-so-serious remarks along the way, "Good grief...what's the matter this time? Did someone have another Qi Deviation again?"
"Elder Jing, please," Lan Xichen invited him inside. "I'm afraid my medical knowledge isn't adequate. Xichen really has to trouble you to take a look at Wei-Gongzi."
Lan Wangji grew up in the Lan Clan being taught by his Uncle and also looked after by his Clan Elders. Half of the knowledge he gained could be attributed to their teaching. Likewise, Lan Xichen who focused on medical cultivation, had the closest relationship with the Head Healer, Elder Jing, who had guided him throughout the years.
That's why he could tell his dilemma honestly to Elder Jing. Aside from seeking his medical advice, it's also because he regarded the old man as his mentor. Today, when something seemed wrong, he automatically went to ask for his help.
Elder Jing pardoned himself to enter the Sect Leader's private chamber. He took a look at the young man lying inside, and proceeded to take his hand, checking the pulse on his wrist.
The old man furrowed his eyebrows and glanced back at Lan Xichen in surprise. But he still retained his judgment.
Looking like he was making sure of his conjecture, he checked the pulse on the other hand.
As if it wasn't enough, he inspected the other places,
"Excuse me," He said, before his index fingers began tracing an invisible line throughout Wei Wuxian's whole arm, extending to his neck, head, his spine on the back, heart on the front, and finally reaching the center of a Cultivator's body, their Dantian.
Lan Xichen tentatively inquired, "Elder Jing...how is it?"
The Head Healer shook his head. "You must have noticed it earlier, do you? You were right, there's no Golden Core in his body."
Lan Xichen's expression was contrite, filled with concern. "Does Elder Jing know the cause?"
"Hmmm..." Elder Jing dragged his words, thinking about how to explain.
"Well, first of all, for most people when knowing the absence of Golden Core, the first assumption must have been the Golden Core Melting Technique. But that's not the case. People who ended up in Wen Zhuliu's hands despaired, since they had lost their qualification as a Cultivator to begin with. But in Wei-Gongzi's case," Elder Jing paused, looking at the unconscious youth he had just encountered today.
"I have never met him before, therefore, Sect Leader, as someone who has more interaction with him, you must figure it out better. During this period, has anyone realized Wei-Gongzi owns no Golden Core? I guess not. That's because he is still able to exhibit the characteristic of Cultivator, using spiritual energy, something that people whose Golden Core melted couldn't."
Lan Xichen thought, that's indeed the case. There was a huge gap, a significant difference between Cultivators and mere mortals in their physical prowess. Wei Wuxian never used his sword, but no one correlated it as he had no Golden Core. It's because Wei Wuxian was still able to stand one-on-one even against a skillful Cultivator. Lan Wangji was the best example. Who didn't know how powerful was Hanguang-Jun as a Cultivator? And who didn't know that Wei Wuxian's ChenQing has clashed with Lan Wangji's Bichen?
Another example would be then...Lan Xichen recalled Wei Wuxian and Jin Zixuan's argument at the Flower Banquet the day before, and the reason behind it. Thinking about it, Wei Wuxian was able to fight with Jin Zixuan back then in Langya, inflicting injury that might let him be bedridden for at least a year, if there's no prevention from Jiang Yanli, Jiang Cheng, and Jin Guangshan.
How could someone who owned no Golden Core do that? Jin Zixuan was also one of the refined Cultivators in their generation after all. If anyone could just go to fight Powerful Cultivators, why bother cultivating in the first place! Just be a mortal.
Now that he thought more about this, the reason why he never used his sword was presumably, not because he couldn't use it at all, but he couldn't operate it for long. There's no spiritual energy supply from the Golden Core. So if he used his sword, people would immediately notice something was wrong with his cultivation.
Lan Xichen turned his gaze to look at the still comatose's person.
The young man used to have a bright and lively nature. His every facial features morphed in the same way as the owner's dazzling smiles. But the Wei Wuxian he saw these past few years had no slightest resemblance to the old him. The young man was pale-faced, shrouded in a gloomy energy. The joyful spirit was changed into cold arrogance.
If Lan Xichen hadn't witnessed him showing his flirtatious side last night, he would have thought that the young man had truly changed his temperament.
But perhaps, it's not because he had changed, but because he just had no opportunity or somebody to show his real nature once more.
'Ahhhhh....so that's it...That's why he never brought his sword...'
His hand couldn't help but reach out, his knuckles faintly grazing the side of Wei Wuxian's face.
The more he realized the more Lan Xichen understood the reason behind all the outlandish behaviors of the young man.
'....Because with his past reputation as a refined Cultivator, coupled with his fame during the war...People would have asked him for a spar, either with positive or negative intention...'
——But no matter how splendid his swordsmanship was, he wouldn't be able to show its grace.
Elder Jing saw Lan Xichen dazedly did an intimate gesture to the other party and refrained himself from commenting.
But he still slandered the younger generation in his heart, 'Hey, I thought that night was just an accident and you had no thought beforehand?? But what do we have here, good grief...'
With a straight face, Elder Jing continued to tell his inference, "Now, if we look at the condition of his battered meridians, this didn't happen recently, but must have been quite a while. Maybe during the war? Have you heard something about him being heavily injured?"
Lan Xichen drew his hand and shifted his attention back to Elder Jing.
He shook his head and replied, "I haven't heard of it."
As much as he knew from both the actual battle reports and the gossip he had inadvertently listened to, ever since the moment Wei Wuxian joined Sunshot Campaign, not a single battle of his ended up in defeat. There's even a popular saying, "Demon comes kill demon, Deity comes kill Deity", meaning, he came out victorious in every battle.
Besides, as Lan Wangji often went to support where Wei Wuxian was stationed at, Lan Xichen had also never heard his younger brother mentioning Wei Wuxian being noticeably injured.
Elder Jing nodded in understanding. "Well, things like Golden Core is definitely a sensitive matter to a Cultivator. It's no wonder that Wei-Gongzi hides it so deeply. You can speak with him properly later. For now, let's just talk about his physical condition. The good news is that, fortunately, there are no after-effects of the medicine. But the bad news," At this point, Elder Jing suddenly felt his tooth aching from exasperation.
He stood up suddenly and snorted. "——The bad news is that, you didn't clean him up properly! So of course he got a fever!"
Lan Xichen, "...Huh?"
Elder Jing ignored his dumbfounded reaction and simply walked out, grumbling under his breath, "Dear me, this is why I hate being a healer. Why do I have to know this kind of thing?"
Lan Xichen, "..."
Well, at least, things weren't as serious as he thought.
Returning his attention back to Wei Wuxian, Lan Xichen recalled his fright earlier when he found out about the absence of his Golden Core.
'For a second, I thought I might have fucked his golden core out that night...'
If it were the case, then, even jumping to the Yellow River would not be able to wash off his guilt!
Wei Wuxian woke up with a jolt.
His breathing accelerated at the moment of his awakening, and his heartbeat followed the rhythm. He was currently lying on a bed. His eyes stared straight at the ceiling.
After a while, his breathing and heart rate gradually slowed down. His chest rose and fell steadily. The focus of his eyes was still directed at the bed canopy, and the white gauze parted on the side of the bed. Both of them were decorated or embroidered with the curling moires of GusuLan Clan. Why, of course, no doubt about it,
'Here I come, Cloud Recesses!'
Remembering all those days he fought back and forth with Lan Wangji to avoid being dragged to Gusu, Wei Wuxian couldn't help but feel melancholy in his heart. What must come will still come, or so the Ancestors said.
As for who ended up bringing him here, no need to guess, it must be Lan Xichen.
As for why he brought him here, there's also no need to guess!
Wei Wuxian sighed mournfully at the fickle fate.
In the early evening, he had a slight argument with Lan Wangji. His resistance couldn't be more obvious as the other party mentioned taking him back to Gusu. Who knew that in the end he still was, carried to Gusu. God really was making a joke of him!
'If I had known about it, why bother taking the roundabout way, I'd just go with Lan Zhan to take a look for a few days! And I wouldn't have visited Gusu under this kind of situation!'
Regret was regret, but there's no point dawdling on the already taken path.
Wei Wuxian shifted his body, attempting to get up. But it's better if he didn't do it, now that he finally moved, the entire muscles of his body felt like they were being pulled up one by one. He could even hear the creaking of his joints even with this slight movement.
'Damn! I must have been growing old.'
At this time, hearing the noise from the bed, someone suddenly came in from behind the partition.
"Wei-Gongzi?"
It was Lan Xichen.
He strode to the bed with a light step, smoothly holding Wei Wuxian's arm and supporting his back. "You've finally awaken. I'm relieved." He said.
Afterward, he put a soft stuffed pillow on the bedrest, letting Wei Wuxian lean on it. "Be careful, don't move around too much."
"...Oh, Umm."
Lan Xichen smiled. "Wait a minute, I will bring you a drink."
He walked back around the partition, and soon returned bringing a tray with him and putting them down on a small table beside the bed. Pouring clear water on the small cup, he offered it and explained, "Drink warm water first to moist your throat."
If he didn't say it Wei Wuxian wouldn't have realized that his own throat did feel dry. Even when he just hummed lightly earlier, his voice sounded hoarse.
He peered on the plain water inside, and drank it in a few gulps. Lan Xichen sat on the side of the bed, waiting on him patiently. Opposite him, since he came in until now, for some reason, Wei Wuxian couldn't look directly at his eyes.
Wei Wuxian sighed once again in his heart, thinking that as expected, age indeed mattered.
Look at Lan Xichen, the man was only 3 years older than him at most, but look at how calm and collected he was. On the contrary, look at him now, acting like a bashful little wife after the first night of marriage - Wei Wuxian thought sadly.
But it wasn't Wei Wuxian if he couldn't immediately rearrange his mood.
Since Lan Xichen didn't look embarrassed, then Wei Wuxian whose face was as thick as City Wall would act nonchalant as well.
Handing back the empty cup, Wei Wuxian said, "Thank you, Zewu-Jun." He coughed lightly to relieve his throat.
Lan Xichen just smiled slightly. He poured another liquid from the other jug and handed the filled cup to him once again.
Wei Wuxian looked at the cup in surprise, "This is?"
"A sweet supplement. You have just woken up, it's to whet your appetite."
Wei Wuxian took the offered cup and thought, 'There's no need to be so troublesome, is there? Just send me a Pork Rib soup and I'll feel like eating right away.'
But on second thought, the sweet liquid tasted exceptionally delicious. It made him realize that his mouth cavity did somehow feel bitter and uncanny from probably having slept for a long time. The warm water earlier and this sweet liquid really did smooth out the rigid mouth muscle and washed the unpleasant taste.
Wei Wuxian smacked his lip in a good mood after finishing the second cup. He felt especially comfortable that when Lan Xichen offered him the third cup he took it without hesitation and also drank it in one gulp.
Afterward, his face turned blanched in an instant and he looked like he was about to throw up.
Lan Xichen hurriedly clasped his mouth and stopped him, "Don't spit it out!"
Looking at Wei Wuxian's still bulging cheeks, he persuaded kindly, "Come, Wei-Gongzi, Just swallow it quickly. Don't worry, it's a nourishment. It's good for your body."
Wei Wuxian wanted to retort, 'What a cliche suspicious Doctor catchphrase!'
The liquid was still gulped down despite the clear unwillingness on the young man's face. The look he gave Lan Xichen afterward was filled with betrayal.
He said, shoulder slumped, "...Zewu-Jun, your family must have been very good at deceiving sick children to drink medicine, right?"
The liquid had no bitter smell he could detect. Coupled with the previous delicacy, he had no wariness at all. Even the 20-years-old-toddler-Wei was deceived thoroughly into drinking the bitter concoction.
Lan Xichen smiled modestly as he cleaned up the used cups on the tray. "How come? Everyone in the Lan Clan drinks health concoctions regularly, and consumes medicinal foods on weekdays. There's no need to deceive anyone."
After successfully letting the newly awakened patient adapt his physic, Lan Xichen finally locked his gaze, staring at Wei Wuxian seriously.
Extending one of his hands, he gently asked, "Now that you're awake, let me check on your pulse for reassurance."
Wei Wuxian instinctively pulled his arm to his side.
His mouth opened up midway, as he was about to utter his refusal as his automatic reaction. But halfway through, he suddenly remembered that he had been unconscious all the time, even his robes were changed all over. Let alone checking his pulse during that time, even if the other person had done more things to him, Wei Wuxian wouldn't have known.
For a second, his chest tightened. There's an unpleasant feeling of being seen through completely. There's also an unknown fury at being stripped of his safe cover without his permission.
However, when he looked at Lan Xichen's expression, who was still staring at him serenely with a smile on his face, the surging irritation he felt strangely subsided.
The tensed muscle on his shoulder slackened, and Wei Wuxian smiled back, extending his own hand.
"Go ahead." He said, acting as casual as he could.
Lan Xichen didn't say anything on his momentary aversion, and merely rested Wei Wuxian's arm on his palm, while checking on his pulse with the 2 fingers of his other hand.
"Hmm." He nodded slightly. "It's indeed getting better."
Later, as if emphasizing, he said, "Just a little bit better than before. Slightly."
Lan Xichen didn't say anything about the Golden Core, but simply did a general examination. His tactfulness was much appreciated. Wei Wuxian would have been annoyed if someone not only ripped his secret out without permission, but also tried to poke their nose into his private affair.
He felt amused at Lan Xichen's emphasizing the minuscule recovery, and asked him in passing, "Just how badly I was before, for you to say this? It's not like I got thrown off a cliff and broke hundreds of bones. Rather than descending, Zewu-Jun, I think saying I've almost ascended in bliss is more suitable!"
As he felt more relaxed and his mood became better, his eyes also glinted in mischief once again. He couldn't help teasing the other party.
To his disappointment, Lan Xichen didn't look as horrified as he predicted him would be. While the man did look embarrassed for a moment, but the emotion was fleeting. Soon, the Lan Sect Leader went back to his calm and collected demeanor.
'Tsk,'
Wei Wuxian felt somewhat annoyed.
It's as if he's the only one who was brooding and fretting on his own, but the other person actually seemed not to think much about the thing he deemed as important.
Now that he thought more about it, it's no wonder. After all, they were both men. So what if an accident like that happened? Just treat it like it's a trivial affair between gentlemen. It's not like Wei Wuxian was a woman, whether he's still chaste or not, no trace could be seen. Besides, the more experience one had, the more glorified men would be.
After mentally cheering himself, Wei Wuxian finally swung his feet to the side and jumped out from the bed.
Lan Xichen was startled and immediately warned him, "Don't move around yet." He stood up and pressed Wei Wuxian's shoulder, motioning him to sit back down.
"How are you feeling? What do you want to do? Tell me. If you want something, let me get it."
Wei Wuxian, "No...Zewu-Jun, there's no need to trouble you. It's just, now that I'm awake, I shall go."
Lan Xichen's hand remained hovered on his shoulder.
"Where do you want to go?" He asked lightly.
"Where to...? Of course, I'm going back to Lotus Pier." Wei Wuxian raised his brows. "You couldn't possibly think to continue keeping me on hold in the Cloud Recesses, do you?"
"...No, of course, you are free to go wherever you want, Wei-Gongzi, it's just..." Lan Xichen hesitated, looking like he was about to say something but didn't know how to start it.
"——How about let's wait until the wedding ceremony ends later?"
Wei Wuxian, "??"
!!!
What wedding ceremony?!
Whose wedding ceremony?!
Wei Wuxian felt he knew whose wedding it was. But,
"...Marriage?"
Lan Xichen nodded. "You've just regained your consciousness, we will wait until next week or until you're perfectly fine, but rest assured, the ceremony has been well arranged."
Wei Wuxian hurriedly interjected, "Wait, wait, wait a minute, Zewu-Jun, are you sure there's no excess medicine left in your system? Could it be you've also just regained your consciousness? I think there are several steps you might have missed before suddenly dropping this kind of offer!"
Surely Wei Wuxian didn't want that one night's passion to be treated like it was nothing by the other party. But that was it. He had no expectation to be tied into some kind of relationship. He would even feel happier if Lan Xichen appeared like a shy maiden so that Wei Wuxian could feel so complacent in return.
Even if later it turned out Lan Xichen felt no shyness at all, that's fine. All he wanted was for the other party to tacitly acknowledge the experience.
Shouldn't the right step at this time be, like, bashfully trying to gauge the other person's opinion about the accident?
Even if there might be advancement, shouldn't it be, the two parties tacitly appreciating the experience, and carefully inquiring about the plan whether they're going to meet again like strangers, or should they become closer instead?
So, how did it suddenly become a wedding ceremony!
First of all, too many steps had been skipped, and more importantly, shouldn't this kind of thing require deep contemplation, lengthy discussion, and fierce debate?
Where's the elders' objection?
Where's the Clan's members' opposition??
Where's the drama?!
Wei Wuxian let the hands on his shoulder push him down to sit back on the bed.
He took a deep breath and tried to calm down.
"Zewu-Jun, please, please tell me once again, from the start, properly, in a word that I can understand."
Lan Xichen also sat down beside him, putting his hands on his lap like an obedient child.
His expression turned serious and the tone of his voice had also inevitably become deeper. "Wei-Gongzi, I must apologize to you for my action that night. I have succumbed to my carnal desire, and implicated you as a result."
Wei Wuxian waved his hand, "There's no need to mention it. What happened back then, I'm also responsible for telling...such provocative words to you." He bowed slightly, solemnly giving Lan Xichen a salute with both his hands. "I'm sorry for my lack of courtesy. I shouldn't speak in that regard to you."
"You were not clear-headed at that time. I know it wasn't your intention." Lan Xichen quickly pressed his arm and helped him straighten up.
"But Wei-Gongzi, no matter what, it's natural for me to take responsibility. You deserve a proper explanation, and a wedding ceremony is the basic one of it."
"Right, wedding,"
They finally arrived back at the topic, Wei Wuxian said, "I can understand that being responsible is your nature, but Zewu-Jun, actually it doesn't have to be taken so seriously."
Lan Xichen was taken aback. "What do you mean?"
Wei Wuxian tried to tell him, "First, I'm a man, there's no need to care so much about chastity. But more importantly, things like marriage, it can only be done once in a lifetime. Especially you, Zewu-Jun, don't hastily decide on your lifelong matter just because you feel guilty. If you were to marry, you should marry someone you really like!"
Lan Xichen, "...Do you mean to say, if it were you, you will only agree to marry someone you like?"
"That's not important! What I mean to say is that, don't be blinded by self-reproach and ruin your future in momentary guilt. Look at you, you're a Sect Leader. What does it look like for you to marry a man? Who are you going to transfer the responsibility of having heirs to? Don't tell me it is Lan Zhan. Even in the next life, with his skill of communication, he still won't be able to marry a wife. Who else? Is it Old Man, cough, is it Lan-Xiansheng? Only when you can persuade him to shave his beard that the possibility may come."
Lan Xichen suddenly smiled brightly. "So that's what you're worried about. Rest assured, in the matter of descendants, I can still put a child from the Clan under my name. There are quite a lot of little children from the direct members in this generation."
Wei Wuxian was dumbfounded.
"...Alright. But still, don't you think you need to think it through? Let's not mention the Seniors from your Clan, but I'm sure Old Man, cough, Lan-Xiansheng, must not agree with your decision!"
"Who said I haven't thought this through?" Lan Xichen looked at him in surprise.
A moment after, as if realizing something, he suddenly said, "...Ah! Wei-Gongzi...you, is it possible, did you think you've only been unconscious for a day?"
Wei Wuxian, "Isn't it? Wait, don't tell me I was in a coma for a few days?"
The last time he went into a coma after killing Xuanwu of Slaughter he had passed out for 3 days.
It's true that halfway through the midnight marathon, Wei Wuxian did lose consciousness first, passing out after his essence had been bottomed up. But was Lan Xichen really so powerful?? Could it be, this time, he was so exhausted that he passed out for another 3 days?
Lan Xichen, "...How many days have passed since the Jin Clan's banquet do you think until today?"
"How long?"
Lan Xichen, "It's last month."
Wei Wuxian fell silent.
His first response afterward was,
"Ahhh...no wonder you didn't look like a bashful daughter-in-law. You've been fretting for a month after all."
Lan Xichen, "?? Daughter...in law?"