Chapter Text
Lotus Pier.
Jiang Cheng strode through the long, open corridors of Lotus Pier, his steps swift as he made his way into the inner residence.
His expression was dark—so grim that even the passing disciples instinctively lowered their heads, not daring to meet his gaze.
Although he succeeded in bringing Wei Wuxian back, it didn't bring him joy at all. It shouldn't be in this kind of conclusion. Definitely not with two unwanted tails tagging along!
Even if Jiang Cheng opposed this marriage, not only because it overturned his beliefs, or simply because he couldn't accept the notion of two men marrying, none of that was the most intolerable part.
Something he couldn't tolerate the most was that one of the men was actually someone from his corner!
This was absolutely unacceptable.
—However, he couldn't openly oppose Lan Xichen. Lan Xichen was GusuLan's Sect Leader. To contend with him was to contend with the entire GusuLan Sect.
In addition, Lan Xichen was a sworn brother of Nie Mingjue, and they had been friends for many years. Should conflict arise, QingheNie would undoubtedly stand by his side. Jiang Cheng could not allow YunmengJiang to fall out with 2 Major Sects at once.
After the war, although the greatest beneficiary had been the LanlingJin Sect, the Sect Leaders with the most influence were Zewu-Jun and Chifeng-Zun, given their contributions to the SunShot Campaign. Not to mention that Lan Xichen had been nurtured as a Sect Heir since very young. He had been infamous among his generation for many years as well.
In terms of reputation, Jiang Cheng knew all too well that he could not compare. If he insisted on opposing him outright, the other sects and cultivators would most likely incline toward Lan Xichen. Even so, the thought of Wei Wuxian marrying a man… being married off to GusuLan… and from then on belonging to another sect—Jiang Cheng could not accept it.
Why?
Why did it have to be GusuLan?!
Obviously, Wei Wuxian should be his subordinate, but why couldn't he even have the power to say anything when his subordinate was openly seized by another sect?
And that Wei Wuxian, he actually agreed so easily to this kind of thing! He, that guy, must have forgotten about his promise back then...
Whatever promise to stay with him forever, what of the vow that he would be the Sect Leader and Wei Wuxian would be his subordinate, of all his words must have been fed to a dog's belly!
—The more Jiang Cheng thought of this situation, the more his expression became twisted.
Jiang Yanli heard the commotion from the front hall and stepped out in wonder, only to find Jiang Cheng returning alone.
"A-Cheng? Didn't you go to meet A-Xian? Where is he?"
"Heh." Jiang Cheng let out a cold sneer. "Where is he? Of course, he’s busy outside, practicing how to be someone else’s little wife, flattering his man."
Jiang Yanli’s brows drew together. "What are you talking about? Whose wife?"
"Who else could it be? Isn't that his so-called Cultivation Partner, who has been in a relationship with him since he was very young!"
Jiang Yanli, "..."
At this point, almost everyone in the Cultivation World had heard the rumor that, apparently, Lan Xichen and Wei Wuxian had been in a romantic relationship since they were 15 and 18! Even Jiang Yanli, who rarely came out, had caught wind of it.
But to Jiang Yanli and Jiang Cheng, who had witnessed firsthand exactly what kind of life Wei Wuxian had lived during those years, their reaction could only be,
From which crack did this so-called romantic partner crawl out from??
Just the day before, a group of GusuLan cultivators had arrived, politely informing them that Wei Wuxian had awakened. But the surprise wasn't exactly the news, they had also come to invite Jiang Cheng to Gusu...to talk about the upcoming wedding of Lan Xichen and Wei Wuxian.
Despite the bewildering situation, Jiang Yanli obviously could accept things better and saw them with a broad mind.
She didn't know what had happened between Wei Wuxian and Zewu-Jun, but if Wei Wuxian didn't object to the relationship, then why not let them be?
Knowing that Wei Wuxian would return today, Jiang Yanli had spent the day preparing dishes for him.
Sometime before Haishi, the person they had been waiting for finally entered the main residence in Lotus Pier without alerting any of the disciples.
Jiang Yanli rose at once, her face lighting up. "A-Xian!"
Wei Wuxian saw her and beamed cheerfully in return. "Shijie! I'm home!"
He obediently let Jiang Yanli turn his body back and forth, checking all over him with distress.
“I heard you were unconscious for a whole month,” she said worriedly. “What happened? Have you fully recovered?”
Wei Wuxian smiled comfortingly at her. "I have. I’m completely fine now. I’ve been recuperating well, and my appetite has returned. I think I can even devour a bucket of rice now!"
Jiang Yanli giggled at his exaggerated joke and ushered him gently to the dining table. "A-Cheng said he will pick you up today. So Shijie has been simmering Pork Ribs soup for hours."
The rich aroma reached him before he even sat down. Smelling the fragrant stew, Wei Wuxian had already become hungry all over again. As he saw the meat inside, it looked so juicy, completely absorbed the broth, and, coupled with the long simmer, it made the meat fall off the bone easily. He felt his mouth water and couldn't wait to swallow them right after Jiang Yanli poured a portion for him into the bowl.
"Slow down." She reminded him with a smile. "There's plenty more."
Jiang Cheng, who sat on the other side, ate the portion his sister gave him and snorted loudly.
"You still look like a Hungry Ghost. Why, your man didn't feed you properly?"
Wei Wuxian frowned. "What nonsense are you spouting now?"
"A-Cheng." Jiang Yanli called him softly.
Jiang Cheng scowled even more. "Jie, have I said anything wrong? Have you heard what people outside are saying about this brat?"
Wei Wuxian, "What now? What are they gossiping about again? It's like I haven't been talked about before. Why do you have to listen to people's words every time?"
Jiang Cheng mocked, "Oh? You don't care about them talking, right? Do you even know what they’re saying this time? They said, how capable you are at climbing someone else's bed. Do you still dare to say you won't care? Look at how much dignity you've lost!"
Wei Wuxian remained entirely unfazed. "What's the matter? I thought it would be something more outrageous. So it’s just this? Why, people must have been so jealous of me, right? From a servant’s son to climbing into the bed of a Major Sect's Leader. What an inspirational story!"
Jiang Cheng was incensed by his response, "You still dare to treat it lightly! "
Wei Wuxian raised his brow and smiled carelessly instead. "After all, Wei Wuxian has always been a capable person, no? If I want to do something, I will always excel at it. If I'm going to make a job of bed-climbing, I will make the best career of it. Let alone Lan Xichen, I will even climb on both Lan DoubleJade's beds! Others may only watch and die of envy. No need to thank me."
Jiang Cheng and even Jiang Yanli were stunned, speechless.
For a while, neither of them knew how to respond to such a brazen declaration.
It was Jiang Cheng who broke the silence first.
He rose abruptly, infuriated.
"Wei Wuxian! Are you truly so eager to enter the GusuLan Clan? How much have they fed you, and how much has YunmengJiang raised you? You can't wait to leave Lotus Pier for a man, right?!"
Wei Wuxian also stood up and confronted him.
Earlier, while in GusuLan, he had been holding back since it was another's home ground; now that they're here, he has no scruples to mind.
"Jiang Cheng, pay attention to your words. It's okay to say this in front of me, but if you speak like that in front of others, you will offend them."
Jiang Cheng strode to his side and laughed harshly. "Why can't I say it? You don't want to hear it, do you? You hate how people say you're abandoning your sect for a man, do you?"
Wei Wuxian's eyes became colder. "Speak properly! Have I ever said that I will abandon YunmengJiang? Is being married out the same as quitting one's sect? If someday Shijie marries outside, are you going to say that she's no longer a member of YunmengJiang?"
Jiang Cheng stopped directly in front of him, his expression was dark and twisted in acrimony.
"Heh. Wei Wuxian, you really say words like farts! Who said he would stay here forever?! Who said that when I become a Sect Leader he will be my subordinate, others have ShuangBi and Yunmeng has ShuangJie. Who said it? Did you eat your own words?! And now? For the sake of a man, you’re willing to marry out? Don't tell me that after being married off, you won't be required to stay in that Sect! Don't you know it yourself!?"
Wei Wuxian froze for a moment.
Dazed, he recalled those words—spoken long ago, after returning from Qishan.
He'd said those words exactly to comfort Jiang Cheng, not to be discouraged.
“In the future, you’ll be the Sect Leader, and I’ll stand beside you as your subordinate—just like your father and mine once did.
So what if GusuLan has its ShuangBi? YunmengJiang will have its ShuangJie.
So stop talking nonsense. Who said you’re not worthy of being Sect Leader? No one has the right to say that—not even you.
If you dare say it again… you’re asking for a beating.”
But the next instant, his expression darkened in equal measure.
"You ask me why I have to leave YunmengJiang," He shot back. "Then let me ask you, do you think if I don't marry Lan Xichen, I won't leave YunmenJiang!?"
Wei Wuxian laughed coldly. "Why don't you ask LanlingJin? Why don't you ask them why they have to frame me in the first place? Even if I don't have any accident with Lan Xichen, I will still be framed with others! I will still have to marry outside! I will still have to leave YunmengJiang. Tell me, what's the difference, married off to Lanling or married off to Gusu?"
Jiang Cheng faltered. For a fleeting moment, realization crossed his face. He knew it might be the case. Even without Lan Xichen, Wei Wuxian would still have been forced away.
Deep down inside his heart, Jiang Cheng understood. But he thought the trouble shouldn't have been as big as when Lan Xichen was involved. He still couldn't accept it either way.
"So you think marrying a man is better?" Jiang Cheng retorted harshly. "You think becoming a joke to others is acceptable? You don't mind others seeing you with disgust, thinking you can only lie under a man and discard your own pride?!"
"You think it is ludicrous, but did you expect me to be pleased with it!?" Wei Wuxian's expression worsened.
But shortly after, his face turned calmer, yet even more creepy.
"That's right." He said lightly. "Since you're so opposed to it, why don't we make it clear and solve it from the root?"
Jiang Cheng was taken aback. "What do you mean?"
"Of course, what I meant is, let's go to Jinlintai right now and beat everyone there." Wei Wuxian curled into a cold smile. "No one needs to marry anyone. Let's just hang them on the City Gate and teach them a lesson to warn others. Tell the world this is the consequence of those who dared to frame me. No one will gossip or have the guts to talk about this accident anymore."
He sneered and took ChenQing off his waist, twirling it in his hand to convey exactly what he implied.
Jiang Cheng, "You!"
Wei Wuxian, "Now is just right, it's night, a good time for violence. Let's go already, do you dare to do it?"
As the situation became even tenser, with the two people going at each other's throats, Jiang Yanli hurriedly stood up and held their arms. "A-Cheng. A-Xian. If you have something to say, say it properly, don't fight."
Wei Wuxian was startled when someone grabbed his hand.
When he saw Jiang Yanli, the malevolence in his expression vanished at once.
He immediately felt guilty for having raised his voice and shown his wrath.
"Sorry, Shijie...I must have frightened you..." He apologized in a low voice.
Jiang Yanli smiled and shook her head. "A-Xian, you must have been tired. Why don't you go and rest first?"
Wei Wuxian hesitated for a moment, but then realized that Jiang Yanli should have urged him to go so that she could talk with Jiang Cheng instead.
He nodded and gave her a smile in return before walking out of the dining hall, back to the wing where his bedroom was located.
After Wei Wuxian left, the dining hall was engulfed in silence for a few minutes.
Jiang Yanli didn't say anything directly, but let Jiang Cheng go back to his seat. She busied herself with cleaning the leftover dishes and used utensils, then putting them back on the tray. She didn't forget to wipe the table clean afterward.
Only after everything was tidied did she look at him again.
"A-Cheng," She called him softly. "If you're worried about A-Xian and unwilling to accept that he may not stay here anymore, that is not how to say it."
Jiang Cheng opened his mouth, wanting to retort, but Jiang Yanli interrupted him,
"You’ve always been like this. Obviously, you care about him, but why can't you say a single kind word? Why do you have to twist your words into those that will hurt others instead?"
She heaved a deep sigh, suddenly feeling tired. Her brows were already shaped mildly, giving a vibe of melancholy in her expression. Tonight, they became even more noticeable.
She couldn't help but think about the relationship between their deceased parents.
It was obvious that her mother harbored some affections for her father, but she couldn't say anything nice and instead twisted her words to hurt him. In the end, their relationship never got better. Until her death, perhaps her father's impression of her mother would always be that of a bitter and unreasonable woman.
She said, "If you keep being like this, you will push A-Xian away. Now is not too late yet, Jie hopes the relationship between the two of you won't be shattered because of outsiders."
Jiang Cheng finally replied in a low voice, "Then, what do you expect me to do?"
Jiang Yanli huffed and smiled slightly, patting his shoulder. "A-Xian is not a child anymore. Since he wants to do this, he must have already given it proper consideration. A-Xian has always been capable, if GusuLan has a bad intention, he can still protect himself."
Jiang Cheng was still furrowing his eyebrows tightly.
Seeing that it's still difficult for him to accept, Jiang Yanli continued, "What A-Xian said before is true. Just because he marries into another Clan, that doesn't mean he no longer belongs to YunmengJiang. If anything happens to YunmengJiang, do you think he will remain silent? It doesn't mean that he will never return here anymore."
Jiang Cheng fell silent.
Slowly, his thoughts began to settle.
Jiang Yanli thought of something and suddenly added once more, "Oh, besides, Zewu-Jun is well known for his gentle and considerate nature. He should treat A-Xian with courtesy. We don't have to worry about his well-being."
Jiang Cheng still looked unconvinced.
"But a man with another man..." he muttered, "Jie, you know how repugnant those Cut-sleeves are." He shuddered.
In this era, Cut-sleeves were commonly seen as taboo. Those who were openly coming out as Cut-sleeves often put girly makeup on their face. To typical men of this era, these kinds of people were an embarrassment to their dignity and were often seen as jokes.
It was inevitable for Jiang Cheng; as he thought Wei Wuxian would be in the same category as those people, he couldn't help but feel strong revulsion and disapproval.
Jiang Yanli understood what he was thinking and tried to say, "What's wrong with two men being together? It's not like A-Xian or Zewu-Jun will fancy every man in this world. If you think you will be embarrassed by him, you don't have to worry about that. A-Xian won't suddenly be putting on makeup or behaving like a woman just because he marries Zewu-Jun."
What Jiang Yanli said indeed made sense.
After thinking about it more, Jiang Cheng’s rigid expression gradually eased. Besides, just like Wei Wuxian said earlier, just because he didn't get married off to Gusu, he would still be married off to Lanling. He was angry about it, but did Wei Wuxian feel happy about being framed?
The more he reflected, the calmer his mood became.
At this time, seeing that Jiang Cheng had calmed down, Jiang Yanli suddenly joked,
"——Besides, even if A-Xian puts on makeup and wears a woman's dress, Jie thinks he will appear very beautiful instead, don't you think so?"
Jiang Cheng, "..."
The image of an 8-foot-tall man wearing makeup and a woman's dress would be too damaging to the eye!
It's just slightly past Haishi.
Wei Wuxian tossed and turned on the bed with his eyes wide open.
No matter which posture he used, he still couldn't bring himself to sleep.
'How strange.' He thought.
These past few weeks in Gusu, he had been going to sleep exactly around this time. And there was no problem with going to bed early. He could fall asleep instantly. Yet now, back in Yunmeng, he found himself unable to sleep at all.
'Is it because I’m used to staying up past midnight in Yunmeng?'
Pondering was useless, and Wei Wuxian wasn't the type of person who could stay bored for long. In the end, he sat up, pulled a black outer robe from the cabinet, and casually draped it over the white inner robes he was wearing. Without another thought, he slipped out of his room once more.
Lan Xichen heard a faint noise by the window and woke up instantly.
Someone actually climbed into his room from the window!
But upon a closer look, the silhouette seemed familiar.
"Wei-Gongzi?" He called, uncertain.
"It's me!" came the hushed reply.
Lan Xichen waved his hand and lit the lanterns in the room. He was about to get up from the bed when Wei Wuxian suddenly stopped him, "Don't move!"
Hearing the urgency in his tone, Lan Xichen immediately stilled, his voice turning alert. “What is the matter?”
The next moment, Wei Wuxian clambered onto the bed, parting the blanket, and quickly nestled inside.
He grinned toward the other person and patted the mattress, "Now you can move."
Lan Xichen, "..."
Slowly, he lay back on the mattress, his posture stiff.
After a while, curiosity got the better of him. Turning his head slightly, he asked,
"Why are you here? Did you get expelled from Lotus Pier?"
Wei Wuxian laughed. "How is that possible?"
He then started talking nonsense, "Am I not worried about you? It must be the first time you've been to Yunmeng. You must not be familiar with its climate and may feel uncomfortable. So I thought I’d come help you get through it."
Lan Xichen almost replied, 'No, it is not my first time coming to Yunmeng.'
He had been here once or twice during the war, even fighting on the front lines near Jiangling. He had also passed through this region several times while night-hunting. And Wei Wuxian should have known that.
Yet, seeing the other insist so earnestly, he chose not to expose him.
Meanwhile, Wei Wuxian lay there, thoughts running wild.
'Now I have really climbed onto Zewu-Jun's bed!'
He recalled Jiang Cheng's words—about how Lan Xichen had nowhere else to find someone with a decent look to "relieve himself" with, and that's why he'd taken advantage of Wei Wuxian. Somehow, it made him nearly laugh out loud.
Didn't that mean he was so decent-looking, enough to entice the Jade of Lan?
Lan Xichen heard his stifled laughter and turned his head once again toward him. "What is the matter?"
Wei Wuxian rolled onto his side to face him fully. "Nothing. I just suddenly recollect something funny."
After saying this, he habitually draped an arm, wrapping it across Lan Xichen's torso.
The moment his hand fell on the other person, Wei Wuxian froze on the spot.
He had slept like this before, hugging Lan Xichen. However, that had always been when he was half-asleep. Now that he was fully conscious, the action suddenly felt...
Just as he was about to withdraw his arm, he noticed that Lan Xichen showed no sign of surprise, nor any hint of rejection.
Encouraged, Wei Wuxian grew bolder.
Not only did he keep his arm where it was, but he also lifted a leg and hooked it over Lan Xichen’s. Scooting closer, he rested his head against the other man’s shoulder, fully wrapping himself around him. His warm breath brushed softly against Lan Xichen’s exposed neck.
It was at this time that the other party finally stiffened slightly.
Wei Wuxian didn't notice it and was already closing his eyes in satisfaction.
When the breathing of the person beside him gradually evened out, growing softer and slower, Lan Xichen finally loosened his tensed muscles.
He shifted slightly, turning to face Wei Wuxian.
His hand reached up quietly, moving to the back of the young man’s head. Carefully, he untied the ribbon that had yet to be removed, setting it aside. His fingers lingered, gently combing through the loose strands, massaging Wei Wuxian’s scalp with practiced ease, all without disturbing his sleep.
After that, he loosened the girdle at Wei Wuxian’s waist and placed it aside as well.
Only after completing these small gestures did Lan Xichen finally close his eyes and fall asleep as well.
The next morning, when Lan Wangji came down to the dining hall near the inn’s entrance, he found Wei Wuxian already seated at a table, together with Lan Xichen.
Wei Wuxian spotted him immediately and waved. "Lan Zhan! Here, over here! We've ordered some for you."
Lan Wangji glanced outside. It was still early. Under normal circumstances, Wei Wuxian would not yet be awake at this hour.
But the young man in front of him looked like he had been freshened up, meaning he should have woken up an hour earlier at the very least.
Did he come from Lotus Pier?
Or...
Lan Wangji shut his eyes briefly, and when he opened them once again, his eyes stared ahead calmly, coming to the two people's side.
After breakfast, they visited Lotus Pier together.
When Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji made their formal visit, Wei Wuxian was surprised to find that Jiang Cheng no longer spoke any biting or nonsensical remarks.
He couldn't help but wonder what Jiang Yanli and he had been talking about for him to finally be able to settle his mind slightly.
Yes, just slightly. Although Jiang Cheng no longer openly opposed the marriage already in preparation, his expression remained stiff and unpleasant, as if something were lodged in his throat. He still had a constipated look on his face.
Later, when he saw Wei Wuxian arrive alongside the Lan brothers—at times chatting casually with Lan Xichen, at times turning aside to tease Lan Wangji—his expression grew even more peculiar.
The more he watched, the weirder he felt.
Wei Wuxian's careless declaration last night inadvertently echoed once again from the back of his mind.
Jiang Cheng’s entire body shuddered at the thought.
God Forbid! It should be impossible!