Work Text:
They met when they were ten at a discussion conference for the major sects. Wei Ying had recently been orphaned and taken in by Yunmeng Jiang as a ward of the sect. (Jiang Fengmian’s compromise with his wife.) A-Niang had been furious as she had wanted to take in her sworn sister’s child. It had taken A-Die a while to calm her down.
Lan Zhan hadn’t yet been given his courtesy name yet. Advanced beyond his years in everything, but still too young to be granted a symbol of adulthood. It didn’t upset him… much. He was given Bichen in recompense. Wei Ying didn’t even have his sword despite being a genius at cultivation, ahead of even Lan Zhan. Yu Furen had refused to let the boy have a sword before her own son.
In spite of Wei Ying’s loud, boisterous nature, Lan Zhan became close to him during that discussion conference. Upon finding this out, A-Niang and Xiongzhang were thrilled, while A-Die had merely been amused. Shufu was… mostly ambivalent, which had saddened Lan Wangji to know that in the future he would most likely disappoint Shufu. Because there was no way Lan Wangji would be turning his back on Wei Ying.
♥️ 🖤 💙 🖤 ♥️ 🖤 💙
After that discussion conference, Lan Zhan did everything he could to stay in contact with Wei Ying over texts and instant messaging sites. Despite discussion conferences happening every year (sometimes twice, if absolutely necessary), Wei Ying never showed up to another one. The brittle smile on Jiang Yanli’s face and the soured guilt on Jiang Wanyin’s when asked about Wei Ying’s whereabouts made it clear that they didn’t approve of the decision to leave him in Lotus Pier.
Lan Wangji knew all too well how Wei Ying was treated in the Jiang sect. He knew what Yu Furen did to “discipline” Wei Ying. He knew how Jiang Fengmian dismissed Jiang Yanli and Jiang Wanyin’s protests against the harsh punishments. He knew how Jiang Yanli fed Wei Ying soup afterwards, made just for him, to help stimulate healing and provide nutrients when he could barely get out of bed. He knew how Jiang Wanyin vacillated between bouts of anger and tempestuous jealousy to soft, caring moments just for his older siblings. (Jiang Wanyin was on thin ice. The allowance was only given to him because Xiongzhang told Lan Wangji to give the younger boy some slack as he had more pressures on him as sect heir that affected how he interacted with anyone. But that could change at any moment.)
The modern world had made it so much easier to spy on others from afar. Which is why it was strange that the cultivation sects didn’t protect themselves more seriously from cyber threats. They couldn’t really be that stupid, could they? It hadn’t taken Lan Wangji long to get into the Jiang sect’s audio-visual security, or any of their digital records to do with Wei Ying. When Lan Wangji had first cracked into the records, he’d grown so furious that his spiritual energy had flared and short circuited the computer.
After that incident, Lan Wangji had to be supervised by Xiongzhang or a senior disciple to make sure he didn’t damage anything else. (As well as to dissuade him from committing illegal activities like his parents suspected.) If Lan Wangji had been more in control of his energies, he wondered if he would have sent the documentation of abuse against Wei Ying to the authorities immediately. It was something he could still do now, but — when he had been sitting in front of that burnt out laptop — he had sworn to bring down the entirety of the Yunmeng Jiang sect as recompense.
Sabotaging Yunmeng Jiang’s trade negotiations was an exercise of futility when Yu Furen did that so well with her own pride and selfishness. The Jiang Elders were always having to scramble after her tainted efforts and patch up any ruined trade agreements. Instigating a legal battle between Yunmeng Jiang and Meishan Yu on that basis had been easy for Lan Wangji. A-Die had be quite proud of that one when — at only 15 years old — Lan Wangji presented the information he wished to release to prompt the legal battle.
“Ah, Zhan-er,” A-Die had said with a blazing pride in his dark brown eyes. “You’ll make for a wonderful second-in-command to your Xiongzhang. Just like your Shufu is for me.”
“Mn,” Lan Wangji preened.
He loved being compared to his ruthless Shufu, who once had organised the downfall of Wen Ruohan after finding out the cultivator had sniped prey from him. Hidden away deep in the labyrinthian dungeon system within the mountain of the original Cloud Recesses, the core-less man had been driven insane and left in the dark. Sometimes Shufu would take Xiongzhang and Lan Wangji there to show off how he expected them to ruin their enemies. A near immortal, turned into an unstable mundane. Such a masterpiece of work that Lan Wangji found himself striving for. Xiongzhang, unfortunately, took more after father and had openly declared he would never make anyone suffer like that. Which was why Lan Wangji was Shufu’s favourite, and not Xiongzhang.
♥️ 🖤 💙 🖤 ♥️ 🖤 💙
When Lan Wangji had presented the kindling for the impending Jiang-Yu legal strife to A-Niang, she had not been as impressed. Instead, she had frowned and sighed in disappointment. Finding himself choked on emotions, Lan Wangji had despaired at disappointing his A-Niang.
“Zhan-er, you haven’t thought this through,” A-Niang stated with a pitying gaze.
“I have,” Lan Wangji said stubbornly.
“No, you haven’t,” A-Niang countered kindly. “Yu Ziyuan is a viper, striking at anyone within reach. Once this gets out to the rest of the cultivation world, who do you think she will strike first?”
“Jiang Fengmian,” Lan Wangji answered.
“No,” A-Niang shook her head. “It’ll be A-Ying.”
For a few moments, Lan Wangji is frozen to the spot as he lets that information sink in. A-Niang is looking at him knowingly, still pitying him for his oversight. How could Lan Wangji have forgotten? All of those records of Wei Ying in the infirmary, ending up under the healers’ care, spending more nights — bandages holding together a broken body — in the healing ward than his own bed. How stupid could Lan Wangji have been to overlook this?!
“Ah, Zhanzhan, don’t look so sad,” A-Niang crooned. “Mama will fix it. Don’t worry.”
“A-Niang,” Lan Wangji said, his lower lip trembling. “I did not mean—“
“Of course you didn’t. My Zhanzhan just got a little sloppy in his haste. It happens to the best of us,” A-Niang assured him. “Mama will fix it.”
Whilst Lan Wangji was not scared of his A-Niang, that did not mean he wasn’t rightly wary of her. It took a rather unhinged individual to look at how the Lans truly were and fall in love anyway. Seducing an Elder, for the sole purpose of having A-Die murder them on her behalf, had been carefully orchestrated by A-Niang so that she could claim the title Lan Furen (and become the only wife of Qingheng-jun) unchallenged. It took a little over a decade for the Lan Elders to have found out A-Niang’s plot, and once they did, they praised her for it. Rightfully so, considering how long A-Niang planned and how well she kept it a secret. A-Die was smug for days, pampering his wife excessively when the Elders finally realised that A-Niang was just as twisted as any other Lan and perfect for their Zongzhu
There were only two people A-Niang loved as much as her family. Zhao Ming, mostly known by her title Cangse Sanren, had been the one to take A-Niang under her wing when A-Niang left her natal family to become a rogue cultivator. And Wei Ying, who Cangse Sanren loudly proclaimed to be named after A-Niang (because the rogue cultivator was sentimental like that). Just like any other self-respecting Lan, A-Niang would kill anyone who laid a finger on those she loved. So, Lan Wangji was wary that A-Niang would blame and punish Lan Wangji for hurting Wei Ying, her last link to her sworn sister.
In spite of Lan Wangji’s fumble, A-Niang was kind enough to not mention it again and simply corrected his — potentially devastating — mistake. The Gusu Lan lectures were held every few years for select disciples to improve on their theoretical and/or historical knowledge, depending on the disciples’ interests. It took no work for A-Niang to push the lectures up a year and send out a personal invite to Wei Ying as her sworn sister’s son. A risky move when the Jiang household was already in such turmoil. As the one to teach the lectures, Shufu was the one who sent out the generic invitations but always allowed the Elders or senior disciples to send out special invites (only if the disciple was approved before hand) a month before the rest of the invitations were dispatched.
♥️ 🖤 💙 🖤 ♥️ 🖤 💙
Like a hawk, Lan Wangji watched the Yunmeng Jiang compound to see if Yu Ziyuan would do anything untoward Wei Ying. Much to his surprise, Jiang Yanli and Jiang Wanyin had already set something else in motion. Jiang Wanyin and Wei Ying went on a week-long Night Hunt on the night before Yu Ziyuan received the news that Wei Ying had been invited the the Lans’ highly exclusive lectures. Then Jiang Yanli masterminded an excuse for Yu Ziyuan to go with her to Jinlin Tai the day of Jiang Wanyin and Wei Ying’s return. Surprisingly, Jiang Yanli managed to keep her mother with her for an entire month at Jinlin Tai before the cantankerous woman demanded they return to Lotus Pier. By then, Jiang Fengmian had already received the letter stating both heirs’ invitation and up to 20 disciples Jiang Fengmian thought deserved to attend (no personal servants).
Thanks to his obsessive nature, Lan Wangji had video recordings saved to his computer of each time Jiang Yanli and Jiang Wanyin plotted to have their brother out of the way from Yu Ziyuan’s wrath in the upcoming months to the lectures. Videos that he kept hidden from everyone but his Xiongzhang. Until he could guarantee Wei Ying’s safety, Lan Wangji wasn’t going to do anything but archive data. He had learned his lesson.
♥️ 🖤 💙 🖤 ♥️ 🖤 💙
The day before the Jiang sect was supposed to arrive, Lan Wangji had tea with Nie Huaisang. That knowing look on his face made Lan Wangji want to wring his neck. Logically, he knew it was likely just his hormones making him think irrationally since Nie Huaisang’s knowing look had never annoyed Lan Wangji before. Or perhaps it was the fact that it would be the first time in almost five years since that discussion conference that Lan Wangji would see Wei Ying face to face again. Whatever it was, Lan Wangji knew he was being irrational, so he reined the murderous intent in.
“What?” Nie Huaisang smirked. “I haven’t done anything.”
“You know something,” Lan Wangji pointed out.
“Oh, just that the Jiang contingent were kicked out of the last inn because of the Jin sect,” Nie Huaisang said, his finger circling the rim of his teacup. “And that they’re coming up the steps now.”
“You could not tell me earlier!” Lan Wangji snarled, standing up hastily.
“Where’s the fun in that?” Nie Huaisang laughed, joining him. “Come on. Let’s see our friends at the gate!”
Hmm. Was killing Nie Huaisang worth destroying relations with Qinghe Nie?… Probably not. That didn’t mean Lan Wangji wasn’t contemplating it as they headed to the gates. The sound of raised voices broke Lan Wangji out of his thoughts, his pace picking up even though Nie Huaisang was sprinting ahead of him. By the time Lan Wangji arrived, he could see that the Jiang contingent was arguing — with violent physicality — with the guards.
“Lan Er-Gongzi!” One of the guards said, losing composure as he vindictively lightened up upon seeing him. “Lan Er-Gongzi, these unruly Jiang disciples are demanding to let one more of their own in despite exceeding the number of disciples on the invitation.”
“And we’ve been telling you that Wei Wuxian has a personal invite!” Jiang Wanyin snapped at the guard.
“He is not on the list, and he has no invite,” the guard insisted.
“Lan Er-Gongzi, we must have lost A-Ying’s invite when we stopped at the inn. We’re sorry for the trouble, but please let us in,” Jiang Yanli pleaded.
“You could just be making it up! Why would a servant be invited to the Lans’ lectures?” The guard sneered.
Immediately, Jiang Wanyin snarled and turned on the guard to try and punch him. His shidi and Wei Ying stepped up to hold the Jiang heir back by his flailing arms. Nie Huaisang was fluttering by Jiang Yanli’s side, genuinely unsure of what to do as his friend tried to tear the (entirely too smug looking) junior disciple’s throat out for disparaging Wei Ying.
“Enough,” Lan Wangji said firmly, pouring his spiritual energy into the phrase.
Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to look at Lan Wangji. It was uncomfortable to have so many eyes on him, but their shouting and fighting had been giving him a headache.
“The Jiangs may pass without Wei Gongzi,” Lan Wangji stated, earning protests from the Jiang and an approving look from the junior disciple. “Nie Er-Gongzi, please fetch my mother so that she may allow her sworn sister’s son inside. I shall wait here with Wei Gongzi.”
The second guard — who had looked especially reluctant to even participate in the conversation, let alone the fight — sighed in relief. Internally, Lan Wangji removed the large number of punishments he had assigned to this junior disciple. The guard who had caused so much trouble was turning purple with rage, justifying Lan Wangji’s number of punishments against that junior disciple. He would have to remember this disciple if he was going to cause trouble for his Wei Ying.
“I’ll go right away, Lan Wangji,” Nie Huaisang cheered, already speeding off.
Lan Wangji didn’t even bother scolding him with the no running rule.
“Thank you, Lan Er-Gongzi,” Jiang Yanli bowed to him, a bright smile on her face as she stepped past the gate.
Her younger brother and shidimei all fell into line behind her and thanked Lan Wangji as they passed. Then, the Jiang heirs stayed just behind the gate while their shidimei all went ahead. Jiang Yanli smiled serenely at Lan Wangji while her eyes betrayed her anxiety and fierce protectiveness. Jiang Wanyin didn’t even bother to hide his suspicious gaze and defensive sneer.
“Ah, Shijie, Jiang Wanyin, it’s okay, you can go ahead,” Wei Ying urged them.
“Why would I leave my Didi alone with a stranger, A-Ying?” Jiang Yanli countered with a faux-naïf smile.
“Lan Zhan’s not a stranger! Are you, Lan Zhan?” Wei Ying gently nudged Lan Wangji with his bony elbow.
“Mn, not a stranger,” Lan Wangji agreed, turning soft eyes to Wei Ying. “But one must listen to their xiongjie.”
That caused Wei Ying to burst out laughing as he flung his arms around Lan Wangji’s shoulders in a tight hug. Surprised, Lan Wangji nearly dropped Wei Ying onto the step below the one they were standing on but managed to get his arms around Wei Ying’s waist and pull him flush to Lan Wangji’s body. His ears burned red, even as Wei Ying just continued to cackle.
“Ah! Lan Zhan! I’ve missed you!” Wei Ying practically shouted in Lan Wangji’s ear as he clung on tightly to him.
“Urgh! Wuxian! Stop embarrassing our sect!” Jiang Wanyin scoffed.
“I’m not embarrassing our sect! I’m giving a friend a hug!” Wei Ying pulled away from Lan Wangji to stick his tongue out at Jiang Wanyin.
Immediately, Lan Wangji missed his warmth. Refusing to let go of Wei Ying’s waist (equally for Wei Ying’s safety as for Lan Wangji’s desire), Lan Wangji caught Jiang Yanli’s amused look. The blush spread from his ears to the back of his neck in a splotchy pattern.
“Can you believe I’m here? I know we kept talking about meeting up for Night Hunts but our schedules never seemed to line up, which was really weird! But now we’re at the lectures together, so surely our schedules are the same now and we can go on a night hunt! Won’t that be fun? I know we only talked about night hunting because it was the only way to meet, but I really want to night hunt with you Lan Zhan. Say yes!” Wei Ying rambled so quickly that Lan Wangji nearly missed what the other boy was saying.
“Yes,” Lan Wangji said on reflex, making Wei Ying pause in his speech and stare at Lan Wangji.
Then he tossed his head back and burst out in delighted laughter, holding onto Lan Wangji tightly. Both the Jiang heirs seemed hesitantly amused by this. Yes, Lan Wangji never usually accepted night hunt invitations, but this one was from Wei Ying. When had Lan Wangji ever denied his Wei Ying anything?
“Lan Zhan! You shouldn’t agree so easily!” Wei Ying declared after his laugh died down.
“There will be Night Hunt opportunities for disciples during the lecture. We may pair together,” Lan Wangji explained.
Was he still blushing? It felt like he was still blushing. Either way, it didn’t seem to matter since Wei Ying cheered childishly and bounced up and down on the spot.
It didn’t take long for A-Niang to arrive with Nie Huaisang behind her. She had a hug for all of the Jiangs — and an extra-long one for Wei Ying, whom she had nothing but compliments to gush about — at the ready and barely glanced at the guard as she linked her arm with Wei Ying’s and walked with him inside Cloud Recesses. Nie Huaisang and Jiang Yanli seemed to be just as effusive with their talk as A-Niang and Wei Ying, while Jiang Wanyin walked slightly behind them and simply listened attentively.
Obsessively, Lan Wangji watched every step that Wei Ying took. Some feral, raging thing in his chest was calmer now that Wei Ying was in Cloud Recesses. In Lan Wangji’s home. If all went according to plan, then Wei Ying would be Lan Wangji’s shortly before the lectures ended. He could imagine it, Wei Ying in robes fit for Lan Er-Furen. Blue would certainly look good on Wei Ying. White would be too virginal (maybe something they kept to the bedroom).
So lost in his fantasies, Lan Wangji nearly missed the way Wei Ying called out for him.
“I’ll see you at dinner, right, Er-Gege?” Wei Ying asked.
“Mn,” Lan Wangji nodded, thankful of the way his hair fell and covered his burning red ears.
“Tonight, it’s in the main hall for everyone, but you’ll join us for family dinner tomorrow. Won’t you, Yingying?” A-Niang asked.
“Of course, A-Yi,” Wei Ying nodded eagerly.
“Good boy,” A-Niang praised, pressing goodbye kisses on both his cheeks in a very western fashion — earning hesitant kisses on hers from Wei Ying — before turning to the Jiangs. “And you two, too!”
Whilst Jiang Yanli returned them just as good-naturedly as A-Niang had, Jiang Wanyin was flustered as A-Niang gave him goodbye kisses. It was mildly entertaining.
♥️ 🖤 💙 🖤 ♥️ 🖤 💙
Dinner had been disastrous. As a treat — suggested by Xiongzhang — all of the guest disciples were given the opportunity to not adhere too strictly to the rule “speech is prohibited at mealtimes”, just for tonight. It was offered with the understanding that the guest disciples would not be effusively expressive in their conversations. That memo didn’t seem to have been passed on. The dining hall was filled with such a racquet of noise that some of the Lan Elders’ eyes were twitching. Lan Wangji sympathised, for the nose level was causing him to have a migraine. It didn’t help his peace of mind that Wei Ying was surrounded by lots of strangers, all floundering for the slightest bit of the charming teen’s attention. Even Jiang Wanyin and Jiang Yanli’s smiles appeared to be rather strained under the constant ebb and flow of people crowding their table, just hoping for a chance to talk to Wei Ying.
What was it?! What could everyone else see about Wei Ying that they found special?! Lan Wangji needed to disabuse them of that notion quickly. Not enough to detrimentally harm Wei Ying’s reputation, or have people start doubting Wei Ying’s abilities. Just enough so that those inferiors would stop hassling his Wei Ying. They had no right to ingratiate themselves to his Wei Ying.
Using all of his restraint, Lan Wangji placed his utensils aside and shifted his meal away from him. If Xiongzhang were to approach him later and asked after as to how he left the hall, Lan Wangji refused to call it fleeing. In his haste — and by ignoring the repugnant teenagers that thought themselves worthy of Wei Ying’s attention — Lan Wangji missed the fact that Wei Ying had got up, excusing himself swiftly and cutting off anyone’s attempts at following him.
“Lan Zhan!” Wei Ying called out as soon as they were alone together, outside of the dining hall.
“Wei Ying has not finished his food. He should return,” Lan Wangji said coldly.
“Of course I didn’t finish my food, do you know how many snacks A-Jie packed for our journey?” Wei Ying scoffed, before a tremulous pout appeared on his face. “I wanted to talk to my Lan Zhan.”
“Why? You already had lots to talk to,” Lan Wangji seethed.
“Aish, Lan Zhan. I met all those people on Night Hunts, and sometimes when they come to Lotus Pier,” Wei Ying waved them off as he grabbed onto one of Lan Wangji’s arms and pressed his entire body against Lan Wangji.
To say that Lan Wangji blue-screened was an understatement.
“I’ve talked to them recently, but I haven’t seen you in years, Er-Gege,” Wei Ying said petulantly.
“Mn,” Lan Wangji’s stern features thawed slightly. “What did Wei Ying wish to talk about?”
Immediately, Wei Ying burst into talks about what he’d done in the past few weeks where he hadn’t been able to speak with Lan Wangji since he was so busy. Of course, he already knew this as he had kept a close eye on Wei Ying throughout his journey to Cloud Recesses, so Lan Wangji settled for watching how expressive Wei Ying was. The way his plush, red lips moved. How his grey eyes had turned silver in the moonlight, sparkling with joy. Arms moving as if they could express his words better than his tongue.
Lan Wangji wanted to grab Wei Ying, drag him to the Jingshi, and never let him see the outside world again.
♥️ 🖤 💙 🖤 ♥️ 🖤 💙
Shufu was so kind to put Wei Ying in the seat right in front of Lan Wangji. It gave Lan Wangji the perfect view of Wei Ying's skinny waist and ample backside, features accentuated by the fact that Wei Ying did not know the meaning of the word proper, not even when sitting. If they weren't in a classroom full of other students, Lan Wangji would have taken a shameless bite of Wei Ying's peach. Forced Wei Ying to stay bent over the desk and devour him until he was mewling like kitten.
“Ahem,” Shufu cleared his throat, snapping Lan Wangji out of his daydreams.
He pouted. Shufu was usually so lenient, and Lan Wangji already knew what he was talking about. Why did he have to pay attention? Wei Ying was the only thing Lan Wangji wanted to pay attention to. This lesson wasn’t even a lesson, it was a recitation of the rules. Attempting to school his expression, Lan Wangji went back to staring at Wei Ying.
What was the harm? He was right there. And these thoughts were in Lan Wangji’s mind. He was not acting on them (yet), so why not dream of the way Wei Ying might feel around his cock? The way he might go breathless and squirm, complaining about how big it was? How his face would be flushed, and he’d voice his displeasure at being forced to take so much.
(Lan Wangji was not arrogant in sexual prowess. He simply knew that no matter how large he was down there, or how much inexperience would show in their time together, that Wei Ying would tease him by saying it was too much. Wei Ying always teased like that, over-exaggerating his dislike for something when he absolutely did like it. It had taken Lan Wangji years to figure that out through their texts and messages. He was sure that Wei Ying would be the same in bed.)
How far did that blush go? How much would Lan Wangji be able to push Wei Ying before he broke? Would Wei Ying be able to take all of him on their first try or would they need to build up to it? What would their first time be like? Sensual? Rough? Sweet? Chaotic? Disjointed? Carin—?
“We end the rules at number 1000, to allow you to absorb and understand,” Shufu’s words broke into Lan Wangji’s thoughts. “Mull them over during your break. I will be asking questions to test how diligent you were this morning. Dismissed.”
“Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying immediately fluttered to Lan Wangji’s side. “Let’s eat together with A-Jie, Cheng-Di and Huaisang, yes? A little picnic in one of your favourite spots?”
“Mn,” Lan Wangji agreed, happy to simply spend time with Wei Ying, despite the people joining them.
♥️ 🖤 💙 🖤 ♥️ 🖤 💙
The entire first day was just an introduction of the rules to the disciples. Lan Wangji spent that time staring at Wei Ying, imagining how their life would be once they were married. Because they would be married. There was no force in heaven or earth that would stop Lan Wangji from marrying Wei Ying.
A lot of girls from the minor sects were giggling during the lesson, passing notes and being a general nuisance. Often, they broke Lan Wangji out of his thoughts, earning irritated glares from him. Thrice Shufu had reprimanded them, and the fourth time, he simply sent them out of the room. Disgraceful. They had been given this opportunity to advance their learning and they squandered it on trivial matters.
“How shameful were they?” Jiang Wanyin seethed as he met up with Wei Ying and Lan Wangji after the lesson.
“Appalling behaviour,” Lan Wangji agreed.
“It’s not really their fault. These lectures are their only chance to catch the eye of someone above their station, or who could give them a comfortable life,” Nie Huaisang defended.
“They did not need to disturb lessons like that,” Jiang Yanli countered, which meant that the girls had been the height of improper if she wasn’t defending them.
“Urgh, I hate those girls. They all follow that Wang Lingjiao on all their socials. As if she’s a good role model,” Luo Qingyang said as she approached them (dragging Jin Zixuan along with her).
“Qingyang,” Lan Wangji nodded at her in greeting.
“Mianmian!” Wei Ying exclaimed, hugging her fiercely, which Luo Qingyang returned just as enthusiastically.
“Hey, Yuandao!”
“I can respect Wang Lingjiao for her opportunistic mindset and achieving her goals. But she’s just a vile person in real life,” Jin Zixuan gagged.
“You and me both,” Nie Huaisang agreed firmly.
“Mmm,” Jiang Wanyin hummed, not wanting to agree with the man who would be taking his sister away from him in the future (as a lawfully wedded wife and cultivation partner).
“I suppose you might be right,” Jiang Yanli said hesitantly, unsure now that Jin Zixuan was here.
Out of the corner of his eyes, Lan Wangji could see that Wei Ying and Luo Qingyang had broken apart, but Wei Ying had his arm around Luo Qingyang’s shoulders and Luo Qingyang had her arm around his waist. Even ounce of Lan Wangji was screaming at him to tear them apart and stand between him. However, he had more restraint than that. Although, he couldn’t stop himself from giving them a heavy side-eye.
“Wang Lingjiao is very successful but pulling others down to get to where she is shows disgusting morals,” Lan Wangji countered efficiently. “She is not one to be admired. By anyone.”
Immediately, Jin Zixuan was spluttering in protest that he didn’t admire her. Fortunately, before his defensive words could dig his grave, Luo Qingyang spoke up.
“You’re lucky, Lan Wangji. Those vultures were trying to call dibs on who would be the one to pursue you,” Luo Qingyang said.
This earned several looks of disgust, especially from Wei Ying.
“But I said that I was going to and that they should all stop or else go face me in the duelling grounds,” Luo Qingyang stated.
“Wha— Bu— Y—” Wei Ying spluttered, pulling away from her quickly.
“Relax,” Luo Qingyang assured. “I’m a lesbian. But they don’t know that. Gotta look out for friends, am I right?”
Wei Ying spluttered even more at that, his face flushing.
“Mn, thank you,” Lan Wangji gave her a gracious nod.
“Lan Zhan?” Wei Ying squeaked, suddenly very red as his mind was trying to keep up with this not very difficult conversation.
“Wei Ying,” Lan Wangji said calmly.
Everyone around them was snickering and simply watching them, but Lan Wangji didn’t understand.
“Dinner will be soon,” Lan Wangji reminded their (rather large) group. “Wei Ying, A-Niang wishes for you to join us.”
“Uh, yep. Yup, totally,” Wei Ying squeaked.
“Go on then, you two,” Jiang Yanli encouraged them. “We’ll see you back in the dorms, A-Ying.”
♥️ 🖤 💙 🖤 ♥️ 🖤 💙
Lan Wangji had met Luo Qingyang during a discussion conference in Jinlin Tai when they were about 12. She was being bullied by other Jin disciples and Lan Wangji had stepped in. After scaring off the disciples, he had been rudely rebuffed by her, owing to a misunderstanding of why he stepped him.
“I’m not some fragile little girl,” she’d snapped.
“Seven against one is not fair,” Lan Wangji had pointed out calmly.
“What? And I should be grateful to you,” Luo Qingyang had snarled.
“No need for gratitude. This one was simply adhering to the spirit of the sect rules,” Lan Wangji dismissed her, and carried on walking back to his room.
“H-Hey! Wait up!” Luo Qingyang shouted, chasing after him.
It was then they formed their friendship, and shortly afterwards, Luo Qingyang introduced Lan Wangji to fan fiction as a form of written entertainment. Desperate to keep a friend by sharing a (not) mutual interest, Lan Wangji went on to study more fan fictions. One day, he stumbled upon a very smutty piece of fiction, which then changed his very way of thinking.
As shameful as it was, Lan Wangji had indulged himself with smutty fan fiction to fuel his desires for Wei Ying. It had been eye opening to find written porn between a gay couple and viscerally, desperately yearning for that in his life. To replace those characters in his mind as him and Wei Ying and get hard from it. All it took was for Lan Wangji to find a tolerable enough gay pairing (just the one) for him to become an avid reader of fan fiction and then genuinely enjoying his (now) mutual interest with Luo Qingyang.
And then westerners had created something called Alpha/Beta/Omega dynamics. Lan Wangji's world was changed forever.
It was a reflection of his deepest desires. Being the dominant, near feral creature that could claim Wei Ying as singularly his with one bite. Shirking off society's views and Lan morals to take what had always belonged to him. Fucking him as part of an animalistic biological imperative. Wei Ying getting wet for him at just his scent. Wei Ying smelling of something sweet, or maybe flowery, with at least a hint of spiciness. Taking Wei Ying’s breedable hole for himself, again and again and again until they were tied together by a knot to boost impregnation, and then again after that. Wei Ying wailing for ‘his Lan Zhan’ to breed him full of their pups.
Wei Ying would be his with just one bite.
Just one bite.
♥️ 🖤 💙 🖤 ♥️ 🖤 💙
“Oh! Zhan-er, you look like you’re ravenous tonight,” A-Niang teased as Lan Wangji and Wei Ying approached the Hanshi, breaking her son out of his thoughts.
“Xiuying,” A-Die warned her from inside.
“Oh, I’m just teasing, Haozhi,” A-Niang brushed him off, intent on embarrassing Lan Wangji in front of her future son-in-law.
“Hi, A-Yi!” Wei Ying chirped cheerily.
Prompted by her open arms, Wei Ying rushed over to crush her in a hug. For some bizarre reason, Lan Wangji’s mother had decided to take up the custom of some western countries and place kisses on both of Wei Ying’s cheeks, again. Knowing it was coming, Wei Ying was less hesitant this time to return the unrestrained loving gesture. Well, at least A-Niang loved her son-in-law so dearly.
“A-Niang,” Lan Wangji bowed to his mother.
“Oh, poor Zhan-er. Were all those boisterous guests too much for you?” A-Niang jutted her bottom lip out in a faux pout.
“A-Niang,” Lan Wangji hissed at the teasing remark.
Why did she have to see right through him? Now returned to his side, Wei Ying was giggling.
“Mama Lan, what’s for dinner? Do you need any help?” Wei Ying offered.
“Oh, such a good young man to offer help,” A-Niang pinched his cheek. “You’re our guest! You can’t help.”
“Mama Lan,” Wei Ying whined, pulling his face away from here.
“Sorry, couldn’t help myself,” A-Niang grinned. “Why don’t you and Zhan-er just sit in the living room and talk. You two have a lot of catching up, don’t you?”
Wei Ying dragged Lan Zhan into his parents’ living room where they simply sat and talked about the latest cultivation manuals they found interest in. Xiongzhang arrived soon afterwards and offered his own opinion on the recent publications in the small pool of cultivation in academia, something that he was incredibly obsessed with despite the lack of journals and papers. Lan Wangji’s parents held no interest in the academia side of things, much preferring practical things. Whilst Lan Wangji did enjoy debate, it wasn’t enough to do time-consuming research into the academia. Today, Xiongzhang had met his match in Wei Ying. Lan Wangji’s beloved didn’t really care for the rehashing of techniques that had been used for millennia, but the papers done on recently re-discovered pieces of cultivation.
When Shufu knocked on the door frame to tell them that dinner was ready, Lan Wangji already knew that Wei Ying was going to fit in perfectly with his family.
♥️ 🖤 💙 🖤 ♥️ 🖤 💙
“I’m going to do my final paper on demonic cultivation,” Wei Ying said firmly. “Xue Chonghai was an evil man and used the method for catastrophic devastation, but several pieces of his research have led to important inventions. So, there must be some basis for it.”
“I truly cannot convince Wei Ying otherwise?” Lan Wangji questioned, his mind overwhelming him with images of resentful energy swirling around Wei Ying and turning him into a domineering creature.
Why did that imagery get Lan Wangji hot under the collar? He was most assuredly a top. There was no way he would want to be fucked by anyone, even it if was Wei Ying. Unless…
Dark swirling energy, a wicked smirk, robes open and spilling down his lithe and well-muscled body, hazy red eyes staring down at Lan Wangji as Wei Ying rode his dick at a leisurely pace. His hands placed on Lan Wangji’s chest to stabilise himself.
“Lan Zhan?” Wei Ying snapped his fingers in front of him. “Hey, where’d you go? Why do you look so flushed?”
Clearing his throat, Lan Wangji looked away in shame as he willed his dick to go down. Maybe he would be all right with Wei Ying dominating him so long as he stayed a bottom.
“Lan Zhan~!” Wei Ying whined.
“There is a forbidden section. If Wei Ying asks Shufu, he might provide you with texts from there,” Lan Wangji changed to topic.
Wei Ying gasped in delight.
“LAN ZHAN!”
♥️ 🖤 💙 🖤 ♥️ 🖤 💙
Luo Qingyang was glowering as she approached Wei Ying and Lan Wangji during one of the rare moments that they could be alone together. Already, Lan Wangji felt that this could only be a bad omen. By his side, Wei Ying also fidgeted in restless nervousness.
“Those grating, ridiculous, pompous little witches,” Luo Qingyang snarled as soon as she got close enough for them to hear her. “They’re saying the most ridiculous things about how I’m not trying hard enough to seduce you and letting you have too much fun with ‘your boys’” — she used finger quotes to express her utter bewilderment at the phrase — “like that’s even a thing.”
“Aw, poor Mianmian,” Wei Ying pouted in commiseration.
“I’m just trying to get some time to message my girlfriend!” Luo Qingyang huffed in frustration.
“You may,” Lan Wangji pointed out.
“No, because they’re watching us,” Luo Qingyang said, nodding to back where she came.
“Urgh,” Wei Ying scrunched his face up in disgust. “Those girls are really horrible. Why were they even invited.”
“They were not personally invited like you were. Their sects must have chosen them,” Lan Wangji pointed out.
“Well, their sects chose wrong,” Wei Ying rolled his eyes.
“Perhaps you could video call your girlfriend and pretend you are showing photos on your phone to me,” Lan Wangji offered to Luo Qingyang.
“Maybe,” Luo Qingyang pouted. “But you do realise this is going to be a frequent thing.”
Wei Ying’s groan was extra loud at that. This was also irritating to Lan Wangji. He would have to find a way to get these girls expelled from the lectures so as to keep his unsupervised time with Wei Ying undisturbed. How was Lan Wangji supposed to woo his beloved if people kept interrupting them? Something he would have to figure out later. Those pests were gathering to watch them now.
♥️ 🖤 💙 🖤 ♥️ 🖤 💙
Reluctantly, Lan Wangji had become friends with Jin Zixuan because Jin Furen had thought it important that her son socialise with the other major sect heirs. Nie Huaisang was friends with Jin Zixuan purely for aesthetic reasons and Jiang Wanyin swung from outraged at the Jin to begrudgingly civil several times a day. So it was understandable that Jin Zixuan came to Lan Wangji when he was in distress and needed help, but it was greatly cutting into Lan Wangji’s time with Wei Ying. As well as the time he put aside so that he could fantasise about his beloved in the most provocative positions.
“They are what?” Lan Wangji’s eye twitched.
“One of them — the niece of Yao Zongzhu or something — keeps butting into my chaperone time with Yanli-Jie,” Jin Zixuan fumed.
“You do not like Jiang Yanli,” Lan Wangji eyed him warily.
“I’ve never had time to know her properly until now!” Jin Zixuan snapped. “All the letters in Jinlin Tai have to be read before they're sent or received for ‘safety purposes’. She’s sweet and kind and I might actually want to marry this girl. But that brat—! HMPH!”
“I will see what can be done,” Lan Wangji agreed.
Not only were they messing with Luo Qingyang, but they decided to interfere with Jiang Yanli’s courtship? They were crossing lines that they had no idea were in place, but it was still incredibly brazen of them.
♥️ 🖤 💙 🖤 ♥️ 🖤 💙
After spending every afternoon together (the highlight of these lectures if Lan Wangji was honest, and he always was), it was strange to not see Wei Ying in their usual meeting place. Instead of heading down to the clearing with Wei Ying, Lan Wangji had stayed behind to help Shufu petition several of the Elders to allow Wei Ying to look at their demonic cultivation texts (within the confines of the library pavilion, of course, such ancient artefacts couldn’t be allowed too far from the forbidden library). Luo Qingyang wasn’t there either, but her bag was there, nestled into the roots of a tree they often used for shade.
Looking around, Lan Wangji used his cultivation to heighten his senses. The grass had scuff marks, giving way to disturbed soil, as if someone had dug their heels into the ground. There was a lot of trampled plants as well, more so than usual, as well as wildflowers with broken stems. Both Luo Qingyang and Wei Ying tried to avoid stepping on flowers after Lan Wangji had joked that it went against the rule prohibiting killing in Cloud Recesses, just to get him to say something about their antics.
Now that he was looking carefully, Lan Wangji could see that Luo Qingyang’s bag was actually scuffed with dirt. The pristine pale pink bag — that had been a point of contention between Lan Wangji and Luo Qingyang for its leather material — would never be treated so by Luo Qingyang. She took absolute care of it so that it would last her for years unlike the plastic-based faux-leather.
A grunt distracted Lan Wangji from his search of the clearing. The sound was coming from just beyond the trees. Hastily, Lan Wangji sprinted towards the sound before the culprits could get away.
“Wangji,” Luo Qingyang startled when he suddenly appeared.
She had been quick to put herself in front of the crouched body in a defensive manner. While cultivators brought their swords with them almost everywhere, Lan Wangji was surprised to see hers drawn from its sheath. Noticing what he was looking at, Luo Qingyang quickly put her sword away. Her movements allowed Lan Wangji to see the hunched figure was wearing a bright purple hoodie that most disciples of the Jiang sect wore. The red ribbon in their hair gave away exactly who it was.
“Wei Ying?” Lan Wangji startled. “What has happened?”
“Ah! ah, nothing!” The Jiang disciple said quickly as they shuffled to avoid facing Lan Wangji. “Shouldn’t you be helping Lan Shufu out? Go, go. Mianmian and I will be all right.”
“Let me see your face,” Lan Wangji protested.
“Wangji,” Luo Qingyang put her hands up to keep him away.
Deep within him, Lan Wangji wanted to sweep her away and force Wei Ying to look at him. But that was wrong. She was his friend. Wei Ying was his beloved. He shouldn’t— He didn’t—
“What happened?!” Lan Wangji growled but stayed put.
“Those Wang fanatics thought if they got Yuandao out of the way then I’d have a real chance at dating you. They were trying to be nice, or something,” Luo Qingyang said.
“Mianmian!” Wei Ying protested, still not looking at them.
“It’s not… great,” Luo Qingyang ignored him. “But he’ll heal by tomorrow morning.”
“What?!” Lan Wangji snarled, tossing aside his sword and kneeling by Wei Ying’s side.
“Ah, Lan Zhan. Really, it’s nothing,” Wei Ying protested as his face was gently pried up by Lan Wangji’s careful hands.
It wasn’t nothing. Wei Ying’s bottom lip was split and still bleeding sluggishly. Both his cheeks were flushed either from embarrassment or the after mark of a slap. Judging by the lasting mark; a slap by someone who had been wearing multiple rings if the lacerations were anything to go by. There was an imprint of a sword hilt at Wei Ying’s temple, which had puffed up, threatening to swell his right eye shut.
Luo Qingyang was right that it would heal by morning (if that sword hilt didn’t fracture Wei Ying’s orbital bone). That didn’t mean it should have happened at all. Not even Lan Wangji’s darkest thoughts led to him brutalising Wei Ying as he was now. Whatever happened…. Whoever did this was going to pay.
“We quickly put a stop to it. They just managed to get in a few hits because Wei Ying ‘didn’t want to hit a girl’,” Luo Qingyang huffed, crossing her arms to stop herself from doing something drastic.
“They’re just misguided,” Wei Ying protested.
“Misguided or not, they have attacked you unprovoked,” Lan Wangji said severely. “Come, we’re going to the infirmary.”
“It’s nothing!” Wei Ying protested, even as he let Lan Wangji pull him to his feet.
“It is grounds for expulsion, and you are wearing the evidence on your head,” Lan Wangji pointed out.
“Gege, please,” Wei Ying whimpered, truly scared. “I don’t want anyone seeing me like this.”
For a moment, Lan Wangji was tempted to drag Wei Ying kicking and screaming to the infirmary. Then he remembered what was in his qiankun pouch. As autumn shifted into an early winter, the mornings had become quite cold. Usually, by ten am the weather warmed up to the point where Lan Wangji would not need it until he returned home. His floor-length cloak was lined with un-dyed Angora rabbit fur — only from cruelty-free, Gusu Lan approved, local breeders, thank you very much — and made of lotus silk, embroidered in the usual cloud patterns of Cloud Recesses disciples.
(Yes, Lan Wangji did know that it was a very expensive and rather ostentatious cloak, but after finding out how traditional silk was made, he’d thrown an impressive fit about it as a toddler. A-Die was a soft-hearted fool, who had given in immediately and made sure all of Lan Wangji’s clothes and toys were plant-based. No plastics. A-Niang had thrown her hands up in despair and only made A-Die promise not to bankrupt his sect over their Zhan-er’s fussiness. Wei Ying would also despair at Lan Wangji’s need for plant-based over animal-based products in all his things. He would most certainly freak out if he knew how much the cloak was.)
Throwing the cloak over Wei Ying, Lan Wangji tidied him up so that he looked like an extremely cold Lan disciple instead of a battered teenager.
“Thanks, Er-Gege,” Wei Ying whispered, shame still laced into his voice.
“No need for ‘thank you’s between us,” Lan Wangji sighed. “Come. Afterwards you may stay in the Jingshi to avoid your siblings.”
“I’ll meet you there after I grab my stuff,” Luo Qingyang said.
Nodding at her, Lan Wangji focused his attention purely on Wei Ying and bringing him to a healer.
Those disciples would pay for laying a finger on Lan Wangji’s beloved. All of them.
♥️ 🖤 💙 🖤 ♥️ 🖤 💙
“Xiongzhang, there is a problem.”
“Oh?”
“Mn. I require your help.”
“Oh! Of course, Didi!”
♥️ 🖤 💙 🖤 ♥️ 🖤 💙
The plan was simple. Have the group of girls do something substantial that went against the rules in front of the Elders. Either individually, or as a group. The trick was getting them and the Elders within eyesight as they unwittingly broke the rules. Despite not being as devious as his little brother, Lan Xichen was quite proud of his ability to put pieces into place and wait for people to be their own undoing.
The first girl was an Ouyang sect disciple, caught drunk after lunch to the fury of the Elders. She was severely punished, almost to the point where the only disciplinary tools were brought out. So ashamed she was, that she begged her parents to withdraw her from the lectures. The alcohol had been in her water bottle, spelled to taste like water.
Next, it was a Yao sect disciple. She was caught with a low level Zhoushan Zhao disciple in an unused classroom, the two of them scandalously undressed and pawing at each other. Her marriage prospects ruined; she was forced to marry the disciple who wouldn’t be able to provide her with the luxury she wanted. Both disciples left so that their families could scramble to save face and have them married quickly. Not that either of them knew that Lan Xichen had left aphrodisiac incense burning as they studied together in the room he’d quietly ushered them into.
Afterwards, it was two disciples from the Anping Rong sect. The two girls were found with Shufu’s test answers and immediately expelled from the lectures. Cheating was not to be tolerated under any circumstances as the consequences were severe and swiftly dealt with. The hardest part about that was getting Shufu to stay quiet on how the answer sheet had left his desk.
Then, three girls from the Yingchuan Wang sect (the very sect Wang Lingjiao was from) were found to have forged their invites. This group, Lan Xichen actually didn’t have to plant anything. They genuinely had forged the invite to include more people than Shufu had originally planned for. The only reason they had got away with it so far was that several other clans hadn’t filled the quota of guest spaces they were offered, and the guards that had been on duty that day had no idea how many people were allowed from each sect if the invitations had not specified. Their parents had been horrified to find out that their daughters hadn’t been on a year-long road-trip as the girls had sworn to them. Shufu had to step in and explain that no legal charges would be pressed, and rumours surrounding the girls’ sudden disappearance from the lectures would be stamped out promptly, so long as the girls left immediately.
Lastly, was the leader of their little group. Daughter of Wang Zongzhu and cousin of Wang Lingjiao. No wonder she had got it in her head that these were acceptable things to do in order to gain a rich husband. Despite the fact that Wang Lingjiao was only the latest mistress in the string of women Wen Chao toyed with as he buried himself in debt without his father’s money or influence. Now that all of her friends were gone, she was an outsider with no one to talk to or attempt to influence. Since all the members of her friend group had gone in less than a week, the modicum of status she had brought herself now vanished.
Interestingly enough, it wasn’t a Lan who compelled her to leave, but the sect heir she had been pursuing.
“It’s best for you not to ask Zixuan about who the best girl is. He’s already got a fiancée,” a Jin disciple tried to shush his friend.
“Really? What sect is she from? She must be very talented to have caught Jin Gongzi’s eye,” Wang Guniang complimented in awe.
“Forget it,” Jin Zixuan snapped.
Both Wei Wuxian and Jiang Wanyin froze at Jin Zixuan’s harsh tone, as all the blood drained from Jiang Yanli’s face as she overheard.
“What do you mean by ‘forget it’?” Wei Wuxian snarled at the Jin heir.
“Huh? But Jin Gongzi, I only wished to know,” Wang Guniang carried on before anyone else could say anything, causing Jin Zixuan to whirl around to face her threateningly.
“You know exactly who I am engaged to. You’ve been crashing our dates often enough! Stop trying to goad me into saying something degrading about Yanli-Jie. How stupid are you to think you can break my engagement to that wonderful woman? And you really think I’ll pick you if the engagement falls through?! Pathetic,” Jin Zixuan sneered as he got into Wang Guniang’s face. “Just because you’ve been flirting and hinting at a marriage between us, doesn’t mean it’s going to happen. The only woman I will ever marry is Jiang Yanli.”
“Oh, A-Xuan,” Jiang Yanli exclaimed, partially relieved, partially enamoured.
“Ugh, Zixuan,” Wei Wuxian and Jiang Wanyin crinkled their nose in disgust.
Wang Guniang ran away quickly after the brutal rejection by Jin Zixuan in front of everyone. Other disciples snickered behind her back and spoke harshly of her rubbish attempts to seduce a sect heir.
Jin Zixuan was a blushing mess as he stumbled through a terrible confession to Jiang Yanli on how he wished to marry her, regardless of their parents’ wishes. Lan Xichen watched in amusement as Jiang Yanli’s younger brothers fake gagged and rolled their eyes at the display. Similarly, Wangji was also amused, though there was that look in his eye that Lan Xichen briskly looked away from. Whilst he knew that Wangji was at that age where sexual fantasies became prominent, Lan Xichen didn’t wish to know what went on in his Didi’s twisted mind.
♥️ 🖤 💙 🖤 ♥️ 🖤 💙
Wei Ying’s orbital bone had a microscopic fracture that the healers could just about see with their spiritually enhanced equipment. Small enough that Wei Ying would heal in two days instead of the one night that Luo Qingyang and Wei Ying had estimated. The swelling and bruising would go down by the morning, however, leaving only a slight discolouration. Mutinous, Lan Wangji had gone to Xiongzhang to deal with the party of girls. They would’ve been lucky to have left Cloud Recesses alive if Lan Wangji had been the one to deal with them.
To distract the both of them, Shufu assigned Lan Wangji to supervise Wei Ying as he studied the texts on demonic cultivation.
A month in the library pavilion. Just the two of them. Shufu truly was the best.
Distracted by the texts that needed to be decoded into modern Chinese, Wei Ying had no clue that Lan Wangji was fantasising about him.
Some days it was a boring one where Lan Wangji snapped and pushed Wei Ying to the ground, pulling his trousers down as he went and shove his cock into Wei Ying’s waiting hole. Wei Ying would struggle and protest, tears streaming down his face and his breath hiccuping as he tried to get away. The pleasure overwhelming him until his hips began to move back and meet Lan Wangji's thrusts.
Other days the false reality was Lan Wangji coaxing Wei Ying into mouthing at Lan Wangji’s cock, giving him a sloppy blowjob. Either by shoving Wei Ying's face into his crotch, or enticing him to have a taste of something forbidden. Wei Ying looked like he would love to suck cock, his lips would look wonderfully, plush against Lan Wangji's groin.
More often, the daydream started with Lan Wangji drawing Wei Ying from his work with light touches, turned to heavy petting and wet kisses, to lovingly fucking him on the floor. His Wei Ying wouldn't need to be forced into it. The sexual tension between them would've built up until one of them snapped. (Usually it would be Lan Wangji.) Then Wei Ying would end up a crying, begging mess as he clung to Lan Wangji and fucked himself on his dick, whining and moaning so prettily.
On rare occasions, Lan Wangji imagined that they were living in an Omegaverse, where Wei Ying’s usual sweet scent gave way to a heat that only an Alpha (such as Lan Wangji) could fuck out of him. Wei Ying begging to be fucked, knotted, mated, bred. Violently, animalistically. Fucking the only thing on Wei Ying's mind as the heat took control of all of his senses. Or Lan Wangji fell into a rut and Wei Ying offered to help out, unknowing and unprepared to be roughly violated by the big strong Alpha that had lusted after him for years. Or perhaps instead, Wei Ying wouldn't offer himself, but was used since he was the only Omega in the room to satiate Lan Wangji, uncaring for how Wei Ying would beg to be let go. Crying, shaking, sniveling. His hole sopping wet with slick and cum, unprepared but taking Lan Wangji's knot with ease. Those were the best fantasies.
So many ways in which to make Wei Ying his. So many fantasies Lan Wangji wished to fulfil then and there instead of waiting for courtship like he was supposed to.
♥️ 🖤 💙 🖤 ♥️ 🖤 💙
“Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying said as they left the pavilion for the day. “You wouldn’t happen to know what really happened to those girls, would you?”
“Hm?” Lan Wangji feigned ignorance.
“Okay,” Wei Ying shrugged, dropping the subject easily (too easily). “I was going to say that I’d kiss the person who did it, but if you don’t know.”
Lan Wangji bluescreened.
A kiss?
A Kiss?!
Oh no. Wei Ying was absolutely not allowed to kiss Xiongzhang! It was forbidden!
A low giggle brought Lan Wangji out of his fury, making him turn to Wei Ying.
“Come on, Er-Gege. We’re going to be late to dinner with your family,” Wei Ying said, tugging on Lan Wangji sleeve.
Tease.
♥️ 🖤 💙 🖤 ♥️ 🖤 💙
The lectures were coming to an end too soon. A whole academic year the guest disciples had spent in Cloud Recesses, everyone graduating with at least a passing grade. Unsurprisingly, Wei Ying came first, with his well-researched and original paper on using resentful energy against itself. Beaming proudly as an older sister, Jiang Yanli had constantly talked about it for the next few days after finding out. Having received an average score, Jiang Wanyin was grouchy and refused to congratulate his brother.
Lan Wangji had spent so much of the lectures with Wei Ying at his side (they weren’t always alone, but that didn’t matter as much). Just as Lan Wangji planned, Wei Ying gravitated closer and closer to him as the lectures went on until Lan Wangji was the first person Wei Ying went to for anything. Which was just as well, considering Jiang Yanli and Jin Zixuan had grown much closer without those Wang Lingjiao fanatics attempting to sabotage everyone’s relationships (to the disgust of Wei Ying and Jiang Wanyin, though they had to admit he wasn’t so terrible a person as hey once thought). And Jiang Wanyin was so busy with making connections with the other heirs.
Yet, even a whole academic year together wasn’t enough for Lan Wangji. He was greedy. He needed more. Wei Ying had to be by his side at all times. This one year wasn’t enough, they had to spend a lifetime together.
“Lan Zhan!” Wei Ying shouted suddenly, despite being right next to him.
His loudness of his voice surprised the both of them. Though, that didn’t stop Lan Wangji from noticing the nervous aura around Wei Ying.
“Can we go somewhere? Just the two of us?” Wei Ying urged him.
“Mn, of course,” Lan Wangji frowned slightly. “The back hills?”
“Yeah! Sure! Great!” Wei Ying said cheerily, dragging Lan Wangji with him.
The nerves coming off Wei Ying was affecting Lan Wangji as well. What was so urgent that they had to go to the back hills now? Why did Wei Ying not want to tell him in front of everyone? Dread filled Lan Wangji’s stomach as his mind conjured up phrases Wei Ying would say to put an end to everything Lan Wangji had worked so hard for. He’d done so much to make sure Wei Ying would be his.
“Lan Zhan, I—“ Wei Ying started hesitantly, before deciding to just blurt out all of the words within him.
No. No way would Lan Wangji allow Wei Ying to slip away from him. He’d worked too hard! Done so much for Wei Ying. Kept him safe in ways he didn’t even know about! The torrent of words coming from Wei Ying didn’t ease Lan Wangji’s mind.
Scuffing the ground with his shoe, Wei Ying avoided Lan Wangji’s gaze as he stammered through a rambling monologue on how this would probably be the last time they’d see each other until after they were married considering how long it took for them to meet up after their first meeting. Lan Wangji’s blood boiled at Wei Ying’s assumption that Lan Wangji would be marrying anyone other than him. That Lan Wangji would let anyone marry Wei Ying if it wasn’t him. Stupid, self-absorbed, inconsiderate—
“Wei Ying is the only one I will marry,” Lan Wangji said firmly.
That caused Wei Ying’s head to snap up. A hopeful look in his eyes as he stared at Lan Wangji.
“You love me too?” Wei Ying said in awe.
Oh. Lan Wangji relaxed as he realised that Wei Ying wasn’t thinking of marrying anyone else but had been catastrophising. Stupid, self-absorbed, inconsiderate Wangji. Telegraphing his movements, Lan Wangji reached out to grab both of Wei Ying’s hands, pulling them up to place delicate kisses on his knuckles.
“Mn,” Lan Wangji agreed. “I love Wei Ying.”
“Lan Zhan!” Wei Ying cried out, shocked and delighted.
“Even when he implies that he would be willing to marry someone else,” Lan Wangji carried on teasing him.
“No! No one else! Er-Gege! How can you be so cruel to your Wei Ying?” He yelped, flicking his wrists to get Lan Wangji to let go of his hands so he could throw his arms around Lan Wangji’s neck and leaned his full body weight against him. “I only meant that I wouldn’t know what to do if you got married to someone else! All those girls tried so hard to get you to notice them, but you only looked at me, but you didn’t say anything! What was I supposed to think?!”
“Mn, my fault,” Lan Wangji acquiesced, bringing his arms around Wei Ying’s waist to steady him.
“Don’t you dare!” Wei Ying gasped indignantly. “My Lan Zhan is perfect. He can do no wrong.”
Lan Wangji huffed a quiet laugh, pressing his forehead against Wei Ying’s.
“I will send Jiang Zongzhu a marriage proposal,” Lan Wangji stated. “A-Niang has wanted you to be my spouse for a long time, I assume she already has a letter written.”
“Ha! Good old Mama Lan,” Wei Ying chuckled, rubbing his nose against Lan Wangji’s like bunny kisses. “You’ll still see me off tomorrow, right?”
“Of course,” Lan Wangji brushed his lips against Wei Ying’s cheeks.
“Good,” Wei Ying beamed. “Good.”
“And now that we’re here, alone?” Lan Wangji teased.
“Lan Zhan~!” Wei Ying whined, rubbing his cheek against Lan Wangji’s.
Really, his Wei Ying was just like a stubborn cat. Not that that would deter Lan Wangji from marrying him. In the end, Wei Ying just wanted to be gently held as they made out tenderly. That night, Wei Ying would announce their engagement during family dinner. Then Wei Ying would go on to brag to all their friends how he was going to be married to Lan Wangji as soon as possible. In the morning, Wei Ying and Lan Wangji would have to bitterly depart, surrounded by all their friends who teased them about their upcoming separation. In that moment, however, they simply existed for each other.
They were just two kids pouring their hearts out to each other. Basking in the feeling of the other pressed against them. Neither of them had a thought as to what the future held for them.
It was not a bright future.
♥️ 🖤 💙 🖤 ♥️ 🖤 💙
It was the Jiang siblings that messaged Lan Wangji as soon as they found out what had happened. That was the only reason he didn’t lump them in with their parents while plotting. When this all came to a head, there would be no tragic ending for them.
Lan Wangji was fuming. No. He was more than that. Lan Wangji, Lan Er-Gongzi, Hanguang-Jun, second Jade of Lan, was an implacable inferno of rancour and fury. How dare the Jiang sect turn down his proposal. How dare Yu Ziyuan throw out his Wei Ying, barely seventeen and out alone on the streets with nothing but the clothes on his back. How dare Jiang Fengmian refuse to step in and allow his wife to harm a child so. How dare Yunmeng Jiang even think to deny Lan Wangji?!
"Oh, Zhan-er,” A-Niang fretted. "I'm so sorry.”
"I will find him," Lan Wangji stated firmly. "He cannot hide from me.”
"And what of the Jiangs?" A-Die asked, attempting to feign casualness but Lan Wangji could see the hint of fear in his eyes.
“Jiang Fengmian and Yu Ziyuan must fall," Lan Wangji informed. “Xiongzhang, I entrust my findings to you.”
"Of course, Didi," Xiongzhang smiled benevolently. "They won't have a thing to their names when the dirt hits their graves.”
Something dwelling in the blackest parts of Lan Wangji purred with satisfaction at Xiongzhang's capitulation. with the barest nod to Xiongzhang, Lan Wangji excused himself from family dinner. There were things he'd need to pack before he set off in search of his beloved.
But first, he needed his laptop.
It had been over a year since Lan Wangji had booted up this program. Why would he need it if Wei Ying was by his side almost 24/7? And if anything happened, Lan Wangji would be informed immediately by messenger talisman or phone. Now Wei Ying was gone, and no one knew where. Not even the Jiang siblings, because they had been purposefully sent away by their A-Niang whilst Yu Ziyuan would turn on Wei Ying.
No matter, Lan Wangji would find Wei Ying, and he would bring him home.
♥️ 🖤 💙 🖤 ♥️ 🖤 💙
Lan Wangji found Wei Ying through a text from Luo Qingyang. The message was not … encouraging. Heading down to Yiling wasn’t where Lan Wangji expected to be going, but Luo Qingyang’s ‘trusted source’ was adamant that Wei Ying couldn’t be moved.
Yiling was a tiny town on the edge of the Burial Mounds, an old construction site that have been abandoned after a great tragedy infested the land with resentful energy the likes of which no cultivator could cleanse in one go. A branch of the Wen family had settled in the area, dedicating their time and energy to minimising and reversing the spread of resentful energy. Despite their (albeit distant) ties to Qishan Wen, no one bothered them due to their proximity to the Burial Mounds. No one wanted to take up the job because they drove the only cultivation family that would.
Lan Wangji thought them brave (if a little foolish) to stay in such a harmful place for the greater good of others. Though, how Wei Ying ended up in Yiling was beyond him. The hospital was strangely barren when Lan Wangji arrived. One look at Lan Wangji and his Lan contingent had the nurse at reception standing up.
“He’s not out of surgery yet, but the doctors are positive he’ll pull through,” the nurse informed as she led them to where Wei Ying was.
“Surgery?” Lan Wangji’s eyes widened.
“Oh, Gongzi, didn’t they tell you?” The nurse’s brow furrowed. “Wei Gongzi required immediate surgery when he arrived. The wounds were severe and could cripple his cultivation if we didn’t act quickly. Several lashes had got infected from how he was transported to us.”
“I do not understand. Yu Ziyuan threw him out. That is all I was told,” Lan Wangji protested.
“Not after she took her anger out on him,” the nurse pursed her lips in disgust. “He came here with a Jiang disciple, who managed to get him here by the back of a livestock farmer’s truck.”
“Thank you, Nurse Qin, I’ve got it from here,” a woman only a few years older that Lan Wangji walked up to them.
It took Lan Wangji a moment to recognise this woman as Luo Qingyang’s girlfriend. The stress on her face, bags under her eyes, and her unkempt hair made her look like a different person from the one Luo Qingyang had introduced Lan Wangji to over the phone. No wonder Luo Qingyang was so certain as to where Wei Ying was.
“Wen Guniang,” Lan Wangji bowed to her.
“Lan Er-Gongzi,” Wen Guniang bowed in return. “We may watch in the observation room.”
Frustrated with how no one would outright tell him, Lan Wangji held back his temper, lest it got him banned from the hospital or worse; unable to bring Wei Ying home with him. The observation room looked over the operation room like a balcony. On the operation table was Wei Ying, lying face down as his back was exposed, revealing the bright purple lightning mark scars that crisscrossed his back. His arms had been spread out so that other doctors could also operate on the whip marks that had extended from his back and lashed around his upper arms.
Seeing this much harm done to his beloved made Lan Wangji’s mind go blank. Yu Ziyuan had gone too far. She needed to pay. Nothing in this world would stop Lan Wangji from destroying everything that pathetic woman held dear. Tearing her away from the thing that gave her power would be a start.
As his mental preparations of systematic destruction calmed Lan Wangji down, he took stock of the room. Ah… he hadn’t meant to unleash his qi as he had. Luckily, his parents had foreseen this and sent the disciples with him to be prepared. Surrounding him was a barrier of talismans that his qi fought against, preventing the room from being obliterated in Lan Wangji’s rage.
“Well,” Wen Guniang said in shock from where she stood. “I suppose I’ll be leaving Wei Wuxian in good hands, then.”
“Gusu Lan thanks Dafan Wen for taking care of our own,” Lan Wangji’s senior bowed to Wen Guniang. “We will move Wei Gongzi to Gusu Lan once Dafan Wen has declared him fit for travel.”
“That’ll be at least a day,” Wen Guniang said, eyeing Lan Wangji warily. “I’ll see if I can find a more exact time.”
“We are grateful,” Lan Wangji’s senior continued.
♥️ 🖤 💙 🖤 ♥️ 🖤 💙
It had taken more than half a dozen medical cultivators to bring Wei Ying to a more sterile environment with better medical equipment. Even with so many trained professionals, Wei Ying had been in pain the entire time. Not that he voiced it, but Lan Wangji could tell. He knew every expression that Wei Ying could make, when he was hiding pain, when he was smiling to hold back his tears, every single expression. Every one of his beloved’s pained expressions was solidifying Lan Wangji’s decision to utterly obliterate the Jiang sect.
Waiting for them by the infirmary was A-Niang. Of course she was. Her sworn sister’s son was half-dead by lightning wounds from a grade A spiritual weapon. Her lips were pressed into a bloodless line as she took in the sight of Wei Ying. He was still unconscious, having been placed in a medically induced coma to lessen the strain on his body.
A-Niang and Lan Wangji spent days and nights tending to Wei Ying, who was no longer allowed to stay on his back or sides. Xiongzhang came in from time to time to update them on how Lan Wangji’s carefully plotted revenge was being executed and to see the bright boy who had joined their family dinners for a year now be a shell of himself. A-Die came, bringing trays of food that were barely eaten, giving words of encouragement that Wei Ying would pull through. Even Shufu stopped in once or twice to check in on Wei Ying’s improving health.
The day Wei Ying woke up there was a lot of crying. A-Niang couldn’t stop her tears as she clutched the child she nearly lost in her arms. Whether from pain, relief of being away from Lotus Pier, or some other overwhelming emotion, Wei Ying let out a heart-wrenching sob. Not even Lan Wangji was immune from the tears being shed.
“Don’t send me back,” Wei Ying begged. “Please don’t send me back. I’ll do anything.”
“Oh hush, Yingying. We would never send you back,” A-Niang assured him. “You don’t have to do anything to stay here. We’ll take care of you.”
“Don’t send me back,” Wei Ying whispered, maybe out of shock.
“We won’t,” A-Niang murmured, running a hand through his hair. “You just rest, Yingying. A-Yi and your Lan Zhan will call up your friends—“
“No!” Wei Ying yelled, clinging onto A-Niang even harder. “No one else!”
“Yingying?” A-Niang worried.
“No one else. Please, no one else. Just you,” he pleaded.
“Zhan-er, go stand by the door please,” A-Niang ordered. “I need to speak with Yingying alone.”
Reluctantly, Lan Wangji did as he was asked. He knew A-Niang was asking for privacy, but this was about his Wei Ying. How could he not listen in? Every time Lan Wangji stopped paying attention to Wei Ying, something bad happened to him. There was not a chance that Lan Wangji would do it again. Wei Ying would not come to harm because of Lan Wangji’s negligence, not again. When Lan Wangji finally decided to disobey his mother, the conversation had already ended.
“Yingying, are you sure?” A-Niang whispered to the boy.
“Mhmm,” Wei Ying nodded pitifully, looking exhausted.
“All right,” she conceded, then turned to Lan Wangji. “Come along.”
Once they were out of earshot from the infirmary, A-Niang sighed.
“I knew he would be a good match for you, because he would see right through your ways,” A-Niang said, nearly causing Lan Wangji to stumble. “His mother was the same, but she didn’t care. She thought it was fun, even.”
“Fun?” Lan Wangji croaked. “What is fun about this evil in my veins?”
“At least you know it’s evil, Zhan-er,” A-Niang scoffed. “Not like Wen Ruohan, or Jin Guangshan. People like that think the world should fall to their feet and grovel for even a mote of attention from them. It’s why I was drawn to you Lans. You knew it was wrong, and you did your best to suppress it, yet you revelled in it too.”
At the end, A-Niang’s voice turned wistful and adoring. Most likely she was thinking of A-Die and how he’d completely demolished A-Niang’s old sect for old trespasses against A-Niang, but had spared her siblings and shidimei (who had been as much victims to the sect as she had). Lan Wangji was glad he had such role models growing up, to know when to rein in such dark tendencies so as not to be vilified the way Lan Wangji had seen others be.
“But I never wanted Yingying to come running to us because we were the lesser evil,” A-Niang’s brow furrowed.
“Wei Ying came because he loves me,” Lan Wangji spat, suddenly a snarling feral thing.
“Oh, Zhan-er,” A-Niang immediately stopped her stride and turned to him to gently brush his flushed cheek with the back of her fingers. “Of course he does. I’m just upset that we couldn’t save him sooner.”
Oh. Deflating, Lan Wangji murmured an apology that his mother dismissed. There were tears in her eyes as she excused herself and went down the path that led to the Hanshi. Standing in the alone in the gardens set before the main family housing, Lan Wangji was left to his own thoughts. How could this have happened? How could the light of his life be so dim? What exactly had Yu Ziyuan and Jiang Fengmian done?! Even after all that time watching Wei Ying, he still had failed him!
In that moment, Lan Wangji didn’t know that it would take Wei Ying more than a decade to even welcome the idea of being brought in front of the public as Lan Er-Furen. In that moment, Lan Wangji wouldn’t know that all his feelings of hoarding Wei Ying away would be a welcomed thing. All he knew was that his Wei Ying needed him most in this second.
When he got back to the infirmary, Wei Ying was just about to fall asleep. The ex-Jiang disciple perked up, however, upon seeing Lan Wangji. A weak smile appeared on his face, and he raised his hand as far as it could go (which was barely off the blanket covering him) to make grabby hands at Lan Wangji. Melting at the sight of his beloved, Lan Wangji swiftly made his way to Wei Ying’s side. Then got under the covers when Wei Ying whined petulantly. When Wei Ying started to move to be closer to Lan Wangji, he gently shifted Wei Ying so that the injured boy was on top of him without inflicting more pain upon him.
“Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying whispered. “Would you still marry me if I couldn’t cultivate.”
“I am not marrying you for your cultivation. I am marrying you because you are you. I love you, Wei Ying. Not your cultivation or status. Just you,” Lan Wangji affirmed.
“Mmm, I thought so,” Wei Ying smiled happily, his eyes closed as he drifted back off to sleep. “I knew she was wrong.”
That woman really had the audacity to talk about Lan Wangji and how he felt? Oh… what little regard Lan Wangji had for the Jiang family had already been hanging on by a thread. He would have to step in to help his brother with the complete evisceration of Yu Ziyuan’s reputation and lifestyle. But not dead… no. She didn’t deserve something as merciful as death.
“Rest, Wei Ying. I will be here when you wake,” Lan Wangji assured him.
Wei Ying just hummed in response, already slipping into unconsciousness.
♥️ 🖤 💙 🖤 ♥️ 🖤 💙
Yu Ziyuan was tried — before the entire cultivation world — for attempted murder and multiple charges of child abuse. Meishan Yu had to cut ties with their ex-disciple, and they immediately settled the lawsuit against Yunmeng Jiang when they realised their disadvantage. A lawsuit that was aired to the public, bringing shame to Meishan Yu and Yunmeng Jiang. Disciples left the two sects in droves, other sects cut trading ties with them. Jiang Fengmian was too busy to save his sect; fighting off allegations of gaslighting and collusion with Yu Ziyuan while standing trial for his own charges of child neglect.
Eventually, the Yunmeng Jiang Elders removed Jiang Fengmian as Zongzhu. The only reason he was kept in the line of succession was so that Jiang Wanyin could be installed as their new Zongzhu. Near instantaneously, Yunmeng Jiang began to prosper. It helped that Gusu began to trade with them again the day after Jiang Wanyin’s ascension.
The trials ended with both Yu Ziyuan and Jiang Fengmian having their cores melted and being ostracised from the cultivation world, forced to live as mundane people. After several years, Jiang Fengmian finally managed to divorce Yu Ziyuan and vanished so thoroughly that it took Lan Wangji’s computer skills and hour to figure out where he went. A monk — who had taken a vow of silence — was admitted into a monastery, where he remained the pacifist he had always been. Reluctantly, Lan Wangji allowed him to go free, knowing that Jiang Fengmian would never attempt to contact anyone from his past life.
On the other hand, Yu Ziyuan made a ruckus, furious at her sudden poverty and mediocrity. She was a hazard to everyone around her. It didn’t take much for the Lans to quietly sweep her off the street without anyone else’s knowledge, place her into a dungeon cell near Wen Ruohan’s. They could never see each other, but if they talked loudly enough, they could hold a conversation. When Lan Wangji was feeling particularly vindictive he would go down to the dungeons to pay Yu Ziyuan a visit. But those days were rare when Lan Wangji had Wei Ying by his side.
♥️ 🖤 💙 🖤 ♥️ 🖤 💙
Out from under the thumb of Yu Ziyuan and the debt Jiang Fengmian used to hang over Wei Wuxian’s head, the young cultivator flourished.
It had taken years of physiotherapy to return back to his pre-injured self’s mobility, if not quite the same strength. Lan Zhan had insisted on therapy sessions to combat the trauma Yu Furen had wilfully committed against a minor under her care (which Wei Ying agreed on, if only so he could drag Lan Zhan to couple’s counselling). A-Jie had been so happy about how well Wei Ying was doing that she dragged Jiang Cheng into doing therapy with them, much to his Didi’s disgruntlement. A lot of secrets were revealed and the poison placed between them by Yu Furen and Jiang Zongzhu had to be lanced and drained. But it was worth it.
The day Wei Wuxian married Lan Zhan was the happiest day of his life. A-Jie and Cheng-Di had spent the entire week making sure everything was perfect for him, even staying overnight in his (temporary) separate room to get him ready on the morning of the day. All of his friends had come to see him and celebrate. It was a small intimate ceremony because Wei Wuxian still didn’t want the rest of the cultivation world to see him after what they let happen to him.
Lan Zhan was beautiful in his red and gold robes, though his husband had protested and said Wei Wuxian was prettier. Wei Wuxian happily married into Lan Zhan’s family, his siblings holding his parents’ tablets.
A-Niang was ecstatic that Wei Wuxian was finally, officially, part of the family and spoiled Wei Wuxian with sweet treats and chillies she’d snuck past the guards. A-Die wasn’t as visibly enthused but was much more given to small acts of caring. It was always a tossup between Lan Zhan and A-Die as to who had quietly given Wei Wuxian the thing he’d said he’d needed offhandedly. Xichen-Ge always made sure that Wei Wuxian knew all the gossip of Cloud Recesses and never felt alone. Lan Shushu often held debates with Wei Wuxian when they weren’t trading memories of Wei Wuxian’s parents (of which Lan Shushu had much more of, obviously).
So what if Lan Zhan’s hands and robes sometimes appeared bloody after Wei Wuxian remembered something horrible that happened to him in Lotus Pier that he was only realising now was a horrifying thing for him to endue as a child? Or when someone would mysteriously disappear when they badmouthed Wei Wuxian or was severely inconveniencing their friends (ahem, Jin Guangshan, ahem). Or that the healers were always extra careful with Wei Wuxian when he came in injured, or carefully phrased their words when asking how he was.
Those things didn’t bother him.
Now, at 21, Wei Wuxian was blissfully married and inventing new talismans and arrays, away from the spotlight of the cultivation world. His siblings and friends visited often, he had all the things he could possibly want, and he spent his days doing whatever he wanted. Mianmian married Wen Qing and they were preparing for a baby, whilst A-Jie and the Peacock already had their little one. So, maybe Wei Wuxian would bring it up to Lan Zhan that he was a child to call their own, but for now, Wei Wuxian tackled his husband in a hug when the man came home from a day of teaching lessons.
“Hi, Er-Gege,” Wei Wuxian grinned up him.
“Hello, Wei Ying,” Lan Zhan smiled before placing a quick kiss to his lips.
Yup, Wei Wuxian’s life was perfect. Though, he couldn’t wait to find out what else life had in store for him.