Chapter Text
After they had both freshened up and dressed in proper attire, the sun outside had nearly reached its zenith.
"Wait here. I will bring our meal."
He adjusted the girdle at Wei Wuxian’s waist, then, as if by habit, straightened his collar. His hand brushed gently through the damp strands of hair, loosening the slight tangles left from the bath. A faint glow of spiritual energy shimmered at his fingertips, drying the dark locks from root to tip. The long hair fell freely down his back; without its usual high ponytail, it reached the young man’s hips, pooling slightly on the mattress.
"It's already so late, why not make it lunch as well?" Wei Wuxian suggested.
His hand reached for the forehead ribbon they had set aside before bathing. Smoothing the long, silken strip, he brought it toward Lan Xichen. Just when Lan Xichen was about to take it from his hand, he withdrew it playfully.
With a grin, Wei Wuxian rose to his feet, stepped closer, and placed the ribbon against Lan Xichen's smooth forehead. Lan Xichen looked up in surprise.
"Wei-Gongzi...?"
"Ssh," Wei Wuxian shushed him. "Let me help you wear it."
His expression turned uncharacteristically serious, as though the task in his hands were of utmost importance. He placed the ribbon with care, measuring its position and length with deliberate precision. When he tied the knot at the back of the head, his movements grew even gentler, as if afraid of causing the slightest discomfort or leaving so much as a faint mark upon that flawless skin.
When the meticulous work was done, Wei Wuxian completed it by planting a kiss on his forehead. "Now it looks good!"
Lan Xichen was momentarily dazed.
The events of the previous night surfaced—reminding him how he'd become inexplicably agitated.
Back then, during the Qishan Conference, Wei Wuxian had pulled away his younger brother’s forehead ribbon. At the time, he had reassured Lan Wangji that it had been nothing more than an accident, not worth dwelling upon. Yet last night, after discovering Lan Wangji's deeply hidden affection, it was Lan Xichen who could not help but overthink the implications of the accident at the Qishan Conference.
GusuLan's forehead ribbon, perhaps only those direct descendants of the Lan Clan would truly understand the depth of its meaning.
And consequently, only they would understand how much turmoil this one strip of cloth might cause in their heart.
The rabbits had been given to Lan Wangji. The loquats had been offered to him. Even the most significant token—the forehead ribbon—it was Wangji's, which Wei Wuxian touched first before his. One could imagine how aggrieved Lan Xichen had felt last night.
Some people said, as long as I have the person, so what if the heart is not mine?
Some others said, as long as I have the heart, so what if the person belongs to others?
Both were lies. One would only feel content if both the person and the heart belonged to you. It's a deception to say they felt acceptable otherwise.
However, today, feeling the smooth fabric resting against his forehead, Lan Xichen found his lips parting into an unrestrained smile. The corners of his mouth lifted further still, a step away from forming joyous laughter.
"...Why, I bet it has been tied even better than when I do it myself." He smiled tenderly and praised Wei Wuxian for his awesome job.
Even if it was Wangji's who got pulled away first, it was his, Lan Xichen's ribbon, whose Wei Wuxian ended up tying first!
Wei Wuxian didn't bother to pretend to be reserved; he smiled smugly in satisfaction instead.
It was easy to start this affectionate gesture toward Lan Xichen because the man himself was rather receptive. Over the past month, living side by side day and night, Wei Wuxian had tried to probe his bottom lines, attempting actions to see whether the other person would accept them or feel averse to them.
After all, they're about to get married.
As Jiang Yanli had said, Wei Wuxian was an affectionate person. Since he was destined to be husband and wife with Lan Xichen anyway, he had no desire for a marriage that was cold and lifeless. Such a thing held no interest for him.
Wei Wuxian had never been one to silently endure an uncomfortable relationship. Just as he had once likened loving someone to having a rein fastened to his nose, he was not the sort to torment himself over something bitter. He was someone who would openly voice his likes and dislikes—and take the initiative without hesitation.
Had Lan Xichen shown aversion, Wei Wuxian would have respected his wish and lived like an old husband and wife—bound by trust and propriety, yet devoid of desire.
Yet, to his surprise, there had been no such rejection, and Lan Xichen felt no aversion.
Sharing a bed. Sitting close together. The occasional brush of hands. Even when he deliberately acted willfully to see his reaction, Lan Xichen ended up indulging him instead. It was not mere tolerance, the other man even openly responded in kind. His fleeting, affectionate gesture every now and then didn't seem like Lan Xichen was just being polite.
'Aiyoo!!?'
The antique wood that couldn't be carved for thousands of years-surnamed Wei, finally had his worldview completely opened up.
When it came to his charm and appearance, he had always been undoubtedly confident about it. He was well aware that he possessed a good look, and he knew how to use it. Yet never had he been so self-absorbed as to believe he could captivate a man!
Realizing that, apparently, he had managed to charm Lan Xichen, that day after he found this conclusion, Wei Wuxian had been so giddy and complacent that he ended up eating one more bowl of rice.
"Well then, I shall have them prepare lunch instead. What would you like to eat?" Lan Xichen asked.
Wei Wuxian looked at him in surprise. "Whatever is currently available, I suppose? What, can I even make a request? Is this a privilege of a newlywed?"
Lan Xichen laughed upon hearing that. "Who says you cannot make requests in the Cloud Recesses? We usually have whatever set prepared because it is more convenient this way. But if we wish for something in particular, of course, we can make a request occasionally."
He recalled, somehow, back then in their teens, Lan Wangji had once relayed that Wei Wuxian claimed melon rinds could be stir-fried and eaten. Lan Xichen had asked him if he wanted to try. If the younger brother really wished to taste it, he said he would tell the Cooks to have it in their next meal. Lan Wangji had refused, and Lan Xichen didn't have a particular interest in trying it either. So they let it slide.
Though, thinking about it now, Lan Xichen almost had an impulse to really try the so-called stir-fried melon rinds.
Wei Wuxian hummed in thought. "Then...I think I want to eat wonton soup, fish braised in spicy stew, wheat noodles in sesame paste, and boiled egg braised in soy sauce?" He proposed meals that were both suitable for breakfast and half for heavy meals at lunch. He looked at Lan Xichen and raised his brows. "What do you think?"
The person in front of him just smiled and agreed. "Very well. I will tell them."
After they had finished their meal, Lan Xichen excused himself on the pretext of returning the used utensils.
Yet the moment he stepped beyond the threshold, the faint smile at the corner of his lips gradually faded.
His steps brought him to the direction of the Jingshi.
Standing before the closed door, he knocked lightly and called, “Wangji? Are you inside?”
No response.
After waiting for a time, with still no response, he knew no one was there. The sun was already high—there was no reason for Lan Wangji to still be asleep. Even if he were, a cultivator of his level would have awakened at the slightest disturbance.
Lan Xichen thought, 'Not here...then?'
His gaze drifted toward the neighboring peak where the Songshi stood, though he assumed Lan Wangji shouldn't be there either. Earlier, he had already paid another visit to their uncle to offer his apologies after the first one that morning. Lan Qiren had given him another long earful.
He had admonished him from South to North, with the same repetition about you have to control yourself, don't be too promiscuous, etc, Lan Xichen had not listened particularly closely, merely smiling in quiet compliance as he responded, "Xichen will pay attention to it next time."
In the end, the Uncle still had to relent, and they agreed to reschedule the tea offering for the next morning instead of tonight. In any case, it's still the same morning tea offering.
Lan Xichen made his way to the Ancestral Hall. Fortunately, he didn't find a certain er-Gongzi foolishly asking for punishment there. Otherwise, what would he do if their Uncle heard of it and questioned Lan Wangji, "How did you drink the wine? Is this Wei Ying influencing you to act improperly again?"
If Lan Qiren's impression of Wei Wuxian that Lan Xichen had painstakingly tried to reform got sent back to the starting point again, Lan Xichen would really flip out and beat this younger brother back to the furnace!
Indeed, it'd be better to get sent back to the furnace, be remolded, and stop copying his older brother and be so similar to him.
Not in the Jingshi.
Not in the Ancestral Hall.
Not reporting his mistake to their Uncle.
Turning on his heel, Lan Xichen headed toward a more secluded corner of the mountain.
After some time, he arrived at a secluded courtyard.
The Cloud Recesses was surrounded by either Pine Trees or bamboo. However, that didn't mean there was no flower being planted at all. It's just that the type of flowers decorating the Cloud Recesses was also the elegant type, such as Magnolia, Gardenia, or White Chrysanthemum.
The only exception would be this courtyard, where the bold-colored flower, purple Gentian, was being planted around the small abode.
As expected.
Lan Wangji was here.
He knelt in the very same place he had knelt years ago.
Before the same closed door.
Lan Xichen's pace slowed down for a few moments, as the not-so-beautiful memory from his childhood was being replayed in his mind.
Hearing footsteps, Lan Wangji knew someone was coming, and it should be his older brother.
He didn't look behind and kept kneeling, as if waiting for whatever his older brother had finally decided to deal with him.
The next moment, however, he heard someone dropping his knees to the wooden floor, kneeling in parallel, facing the same closed door.
The person, Lan Xichen said quietly,
"Wangji...I am sorry."
Lan Wangji turned sharply, eyes widening as they fixed upon Lan Xichen. He was unable to understand why his older brother apologized to him instead. Obviously, it should be him...
It was he who had done such an outrageous action.
When he got drunk, it wasn't like Lan Wangji forgot completely what he did. He still remembered some bits and pieces of scenes, but the memory was fuzzy. He knew it seemed like he had trespassed on the Hanshi last night. He didn't remember exactly what he did or what he said after, but the next morning, when he woke up, he found himself clutching tightly to Wei Wuxian’s red wedding robe.
The crimson robes that Lan Wangji saw during the wedding ceremony.
The robes that complemented Wei Wuxian so much.
A pity, the one standing beside him was someone else...
Lan Xichen suddenly put forth a question, "Do you like Wei-Gongzi?"
Lan Wangji's body froze entirely.
Yet he did not answer.
It was futile.
So what if he liked Wei Ying, or what if he didn't? Just because he liked Wei Ying, could that excuse him from the unpardonable thing he had done? Could that justify him from openly coveting the spouse his elder brother had just married?
Lan Xichen didn't expect him to answer either.
Everything had been so transparent, there was nothing to explain.
He asked instead, "Since when do you like him?"
Silence.
"Was it why you looked so remorseful when you knew you were partly responsible for letting Wei-Gongzi back to the Guest Quarters at Jinlintai?"
No answer.
Lan Xichen continued to utter question after question, seemingly speaking to himself rather than questioning Lan Wangji.
"Was it why you seemed both infuriated and aggrieved when I told you of our accident?"
"No, was it why you kept asking him to come to Gusu with you?"
"Why you worried over him so much?"
"The reason why you keep paying attention to him?"
"Did you get attracted to him after sharing 1 week in a life-and-death ordeal with him in the Xuanwu Cave?"
"Or earlier...Did you start thinking about him because he pulled away your forehead ribbon during the competition at Qishan?"
.
.
.
Still, no answer.
.
.
.
As if struck by a sudden realization, Lan Xichen drew in a sharp breath.
"...It could not possibly be from way back then...could it?"
He murmured, almost to himself, "No wonder...no wonder...back then you were so adamant to keep the rabbits he gave you...giving them names...remembering all miscellaneous details that he said to you in passing...going so far to pick lotus pods just listening to his words..."
He let out a quiet laugh, shaking his head.
"No...it was not only that. Even back at Biling Lake, the way you kept glancing at him...how you wanted the loquat yet were too shy to accept the one he offered to you...Hah...hahahahaha..."
Lan Xichen covered his face with both of his hands.
His already low laughter was muffled.
His back was shaking, unknown, whether it was from laughter or something else.
The next moment, when he lowered his hands, his expression looked extremely contrite.
Pain, remorse, guilt, everything mixed within.
He said with a trembling voice, "That day, after the Flower Banquet, when you knew that I and him had been...to you, you must have been in extreme pain..."
Knowing now that Lan Wangji had loved Wei Wuxian for so many years—
And that it had been he, Lan Xichen, who first defiled and stole the person he cherished in his heart—
Lan Xichen understood.
How much pain Lan Wangji must have felt back then after the accident.
The anguish of the past months.
And finally, yesterday, witnessing the beloved he dreamed of had been married off to someone else.
The ancients said, 'You won't know how much it hurts unless the pain happens to you.'
Last night, Lan Xichen was similarly in extreme pain.
Knowing that the person who should belong to you, and only you, his heart might actually belong to someone else,
How could he not feel aggrieved?
However,
"But Wangji...I...I also..."
What?
I also love him?
I also like him very much?
Lan Xichen suddenly didn't know how to say it.
He did develop some feelings for Wei Wuxian. Especially after getting along day and night for 1 month, the feelings deepened even more. However, it had only been a month.
Saying that the fondness he felt in his heart due to getting along for one or two months was "love", wouldn't that be an insult to Lan Wangji's years of yearning?
His lips trembled.
In the end, he could only say—
"...But I am also...fond of him."
Lan Xichen could only classify the feelings in his heart as "fondness".
"...I, what should Xiongzhang do...?"
Who could tell him...
Could someone tell him how Lan Xichen was supposed to resolve this?
The following morning, Lan Xichen pulled Wei Wuxian out of bed at Maoshi.
Even as Wei Wuxian acted squeamish and attempted to bargain for a few more moments of sleep, Lan Xichen merely smiled and laughed lightly, as he mercilessly dragged the young man along to begin the day.
After all, this was the same person who could coax him into drinking bitter medicinal brews, smiling kindly even as he covered his mouth to keep him from spitting them out.
Finally, nearing the time for breakfast, Wei Wuxian had been similarly hauled outside—eyes still half-lidded—to perform the belated tea offering before Lan Qiren.
The Cloud Recesses was true to its name. The Sect Ground was shrouded in white mist all year round, giving the appearance as if it were a Fairy Mountain floating in the clouds. Perhaps the cold mist had startled Wei Wuxian awake, but shortly before they met Lan Qiren, the young man had discarded his sleepy posture and his eyes had become clear and sharp as usual.
Facing Lan Qiren, Wei Wuxian curled his lips faintly.
The old man looked like he was suffocated, refusing to look Wei Wuxian in the eye, and seemed about to faint at any moment. He must have still been unwilling to accept the reality that his precious nephew had been defiled thoroughly. The fact that the morning tea offering was postponed to the next day made the implication that his nephew's purity had long gone even heavier.
Having said that, Wei Wuxian was surprised when Lan Qiren suddenly spoke first,
"Wei Ying, now that you are a member of...my Lan Family," the words were spoken through clenched teeth. "—you must abide by the clan’s rules. Conduct yourself properly. Be mindful of your status. Remember your position as Xichen…Xichen’s spouse." The older gentleman uttered with great difficulty again.
Wei Wuxian adopted a solemn expression and replied obediently, “Wei Ying understands.”
Well, best to let the old man have his peace of mind.
Lan Qiren snorted in response.
He said afterward, "In addition, you, your Cultivation,"
At the mention of his GuiDao, Wei Wuxian’s body stiffened slightly.
Perhaps it was somewhat conspicuous, but his hand was suddenly held by someone. He glanced sideways in surprise. Lan Xichen smiled at him reassuringly.
Catching sight of this, Lan Qiren’s beard bristled. “Listen properly when your elder is speaking!”
Lan Xichen hurriedly admitted, "It is Xichen who is at fault. Uncle, please do not be angry."
Seeing his nephew defend the other so openly, Lan Qiren grew even more incensed.
"—As I was saying," He continued sullenly, "Wei Ying, you may cultivate the path you chose. However, do not associate yourself with Evil Spirits anymore. Do not try to dig any graves or arouse resentment to raise fierce corpses ever again."
Wei Wuxian looked up at Lan Qiren in astonishment.
The fact that he actually acquiesced to his GuiDao was truly unexpected, given how rigid and conservative he had always been.
He blinked his eyes several times.
Glancing once again at Lan Xichen beside him.
He finally understood.
The old man must have been informed about his state of Cultivation by Lan Xichen. Otherwise, in the future, there would inevitably be disputes—questions such as “Where is your sword?” would arise, along with endless criticism upon seeing him continue to use his GuiDao even after marrying into the Lan Clan.
Even so, the fact that Lan Qiren didn't insist on abolishing his Cultivation regardless was still a pleasant surprise.
As for the restriction against raising fierce corpses, Wei Wuxian did not find it particularly troublesome.
The graves he had once flipped over were QishanWen's. The corpses he raised as fierce corpses had also been QishanWen's fallen cultivators on the battlefield. Now that the QishanWen Sect no longer existed, and he himself had never possessed a bloodthirsty disposition, there was no reason for him to act so again.
He wouldn't slaughter a random Clan just to raise fierce corpses.
Nor would he dig up random sects' graves just to inspect if their ancestors had handsome skeletons or not.
There had always been a clear reason for him to do what he did—be it in the past, or later in the future.
Thus, Wei Wuxian smiled genuinely and replied sincerely this time,
"Xiansheng, please rest assured. What Wei Ying did in the past was due to the war. It was not because Wei Ying enjoys bloodshed himself."
As for him refraining Wei Wuxian from associating with Evils, that wasn't hard to obey.
In truth, he had only ever summoned female ghosts to accompany him because he had lacked human company to drink with. But now, he had a Beauty on his side to pour him tea. There's also his best buddy Hanguang-Jun to tease and go play with.
At the thought, Wei Wuxian could not help but smile again, thoroughly complacent.
As they made their way back to the Hanshi, Wei Wuxian hummed a random tune, clearly in high spirits, all the while tugging at Lan Xichen’s forehead ribbon in idle play.
"Zewu-Jun, tell me, how long did you spend convincing your Uncle?"
The ribbon, which had been tied so carefully before going out, became crooked all over again. Lan Xichen smiled helplessly and simply fixed his ribbon back before quickly apprehending the naughty paws from committing any more mischief.
"It was not a persuasion attempt." He replied calmly. "I merely demonstrated to Uncle that your mastery in GuiDao is not limited to what others believe."
Wei Wuxian was pulled closer to the other man. His attention shifted from harassing the innocent ribbon to inspecting the fair hand clasped in his. He responded afterward with a smile. "That still must have been quite a trouble for you."
Lan Xichen immediately denied, "No trouble at all."
Wei Wuxian laughed.
"Oh, right, why didn't I see Lan Zhan back there? Shouldn't a tea offering also include the other direct family members? The elders give gifts, and the seniors do the same for the juniors?"
Lan Qiren had also bestowed him a gift, of course, it was a pack of handwritten texts that Wei Wuxian really didn't feel intrigued to read just from the titles.
"—I was even thinking of giving Lan Zhan something as his senior. You can imagine what his face would look like realizing that now I am his senior, hahaha! What a pity, he wasn't there." Wei Wuxian sighed in regret.
Lan Xichen slowed his pace at the mention of Lan Wangji.
His eyelids cast downward, he said quietly, "Wangji...he...he has gone on a nighthunt."
"So soon!?" Wei Wuxian turned his head. "As expected, our Hanguang-Jun is really wherever the chaos is! There is no holiday," he exclaimed in admiration without hesitation.
Lan Xichen's mouth twitched slightly.
"That actually reminds me," He came to a stop, reaching into his sleeve. "This, Wangji asked me to give it to you."
He put something on Wei Wuxian's palm. "...It is a gift from him." His voice was soft as he told him in the end.
On Wei Wuxian's palm was a white jade pendant with a bluish hue. It was carved exquisitely, and the jade used as material itself was comparable to the Lan high-level jade token.
"This is..." Wei Wuxian opened his eyes in amazement.
What amazed him was not the appearance or the quality of the jade, but that when he touched the pendant, he could feel it was actually an artifact. A precious artifact that seemed to link to someone else's.
Lan Xichen explained calmly, "This pendant mimics a defensive treasure from our Sect's treasure pavilion. It is directly connected to Wangji’s cultivation. If someday, if you were in a bind, this pendant could withstand a blow with the same level of Wangji's cultivation..."
He closed his eyes briefly.
This was what Lan Xichen had chosen for himself.
No matter how reluctant he was, but he was even more unwilling to see the beloved younger brother suffer.
At least, at the very least, Wei Wuxian should be aware and understand how much Lan Wangji cherished him in his heart.
Whatever happens in the future as a consequence of today's choice, let it be up to destiny.
When he opened his eyes again, he continued softly,
"I...It was not my intention to spread your private matter everywhere, Wei-Gongzi. However, to avoid any unnecessary conflict in the future regarding your Cultivation, I have to tell your condition to Uncle and Wangji. We are family now. And over the past months, while you lay unconscious, Wangji has devoted himself to making this. So that you...so that you can have another assurance to better protect yourself in the future."
"Oh..." Wei Wuxian responded.
He knew he couldn't complain about the fact that Lan Xichen had told his most important secret to others. He had a very convincing reason to do so.
But even then,
"...The same level as Lan Zhan's, huh...And it's still tied to his cultivation base directly..." he murmured.
"Then, doesn't that mean the stronger Lan Zhan is, the stronger the defense would be...isn't this mean..."
As long as Lan Wangji is alive,
It would be as though he were always there, standing at Wei Wuxian’s side, shielding him from harm....