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When Lan Zhan enters the Jingshi the next day, he’s struck by a sense of deja vu. There is Wei Wuxian, lounging on the bed of the Jingshi, the same leather-bound book in his hand, calmly reading through the pages, bathed in sunlight. Warmth floods in Lan Zhan’s heart. Since he was but a child, he has loved routines; small things such as waking up at five and sleeping at nine. When he eats, he does so with complete mindfulness; neither too appreciative of the taste nor disliking it. One must not take too much pleasure from sights, smells and tastes. It is this principled nature that allows him to keep his heart calm and pure; but then his fifteen-year-old self saw Wei Ying and his poor, untouched heart became a torrent of raging winds under the sunbeams that shot from Wei Ying’s smile. Perhaps that is when he truly learned desire. Breaking the rules, he saved each one of Wei Ying’s smiles, his cheer, his laughter, his traits, his words, his skin, his eyes - and even when Wei Ying was gone, he wished to swallow him up; to keep him so close, so deep that his memory remains pure, untainted by the words of the world; so he would take out those bits of information in the privacy of his mind; Wei Ying was kind. He was strong. He was proud. He was the most beautiful thing Lan Zhan has ever seen.
Lan Zhan never expected that Wei Ying would be his.
That the fire under his skin will ever dance with the warmth that comes from the comfort of his routines.
That he can come home today, tomorrow, and years to come and Wei Ying will be there. That they are each other’s, that their hearts that have always been similar now are joined together. That he can look for as long as he wants without having to hide his gaze; he can look, hear, see, and indulge.
For all the summers and winters in eternity to come.
He steps inside the Jingshi.
“Wei Ying.”
His husband looks over the edge of the book and instantly, his eyes brighten and a smile flickers across his lips.
“You are back.”
“Mn.”
“You took so long today!” Wei Ying exclaims, “I thought I was going to die of boredom.”
Lan Zhan hides his smile. In truth, he came home today at the same, exact time as yesterday, but Wei Ying hasn’t been out on a hunt today; as the juniors are prancing around the library, tidying up their night-hunt notes for the yearly evaluation.
“Lan Zhan, ah, Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying says suddenly, “Change into some lighter robes. Let’s go to Caiyi. We can buy some gifts for the little gremlins as good luck for their yearly exams. What do you say? I’ve been sitting in the library the whole day, and now I’m still reading here. I’m worried I’ll become too boring. Let’s go, yeah?”
“Mn,” Lan Zhan replies, moving to his dresser, “Is that the same book which you were reading yesterday?”
“Yes,” Wei Ying says, “It’s written in your old script so it’s as difficult as reading the collection of righteousness.”
Lan Zhan’s heart feels warm at his petulant tone as he picks out a set of travel-friendly robes, “Mn. What is it about?”
“Divorce.”
Lan Zhan’s hand freezes.
“…Why are you reading it?”
Wei Wuxian hums, as if he hasn’t turned Lan Zhan’s world upside down, and calmly turns the next page.
“It’s complicated. I just needed it.”
Lan Zhan forces himself to gulp. Then, he forces himself to slowly pull his hand back, straighten his robes and turn around to face Wei Wuxian. He clears his throat with a cough, trying desperately to calm his mind when it’s filled with thoughts like - was I really late today?
“ Wei Ying.” The name sounds like gravel to his own ears.
“Yes?” Wei Wuxian smiles at him. Lan Zhan looks at him, unsure, but decides he has already lost Wei Ying once.
“If…”
Wei Wuxian’s eyes crease, “What is it, Lan Zhan?”
“If I - if this one has done something to upset… or anger you - please let this one know. My behaviour will be rectified.”
“…”
Oh, no. Silence. Lan Zhan hurries to say, his words sounding lumpy and awkward, “Or if it - it is something else that you find disagreeable, tell me, and I’ll honour your wishes.”
“…”
Lan Zhan is going to dig himself a grave. Mn. How deep should it be? Which kind of coffin shall he get? Wei Ying has a strange affinity for pretty coffins. He also likes sturdy ones. Which sort of coffin will he love so much so as to pat it a couple of times? There’s a lot to think about!
And then -
“Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahah.”
Yes, yes. Sure. Go on and laugh at breaking your dear husband’s heart in half? How cruel. But even thinking this, as he watches Wei Ying, surrounded by the sun’s glow framing his head, laughing loudly, his heart feels warm, about to burst with affection. You can be cruel. If it makes you this happy, then you can break my heart as many times as you wish. After all, my heart is yours.
“Lan Zhan, you-” Wei Wuxian says, choking on his own laughter. Lan Zhan wants to really, really start digging the grave now. His heart just feels a tad bit too heavy and embroiled in sorrow to be alive, “- you thought I - hahahaha - that I was - I can’t believe it.”
Lan Zhan stays resolutely silent, his eyelashes quivering.
Looking at his genuine distress, Wei Wuxian finally stops laughing. He puts the book away, and reclines back onto their bed. He stretches an arm out, and smiles at Lan Wangji - a smile that spells on his lips like a secret, “Come here.”
Lan Zhan all but races to his side, his hands hesitantly hovering over Wei Wuxian’s extended arm. Wei Wuxian laughs again, “What are you doing, er-gege? I told you to come here, so you should come here. Don’t do things by halves, Lan Zhan. Tsk. Tsk.”
Lan Zhan grasps his arm with both his hands, and Wei Wuxian’s mirth falls away when he realises both of Lan Zhan’s hands are shaking. He pulls Lan Wangji onto the bed and climbs up on him; hiding Lan Wangji’s face in the crook of his own neck. With deft hands, he unties Lan Wangji’s guan and opens his bun, letting his hair free.
With Lan Wangji safely in his arms, he thinks over the situation again and can’t stop the laughter that bubbles out at once.
“Lan Zhan you - you really thought that - that I was going to divorce you ?” He says, voice cracking over peals of bubbling laughter.
“You are not?” Lan Wangji’s voice comes up to his ear, muffled. His lips brushing over his neck causes Wei Wuxian to shiver in his hold. Lan Wangji’s hands tighten on his waist.
“How could I ever? You are so,” Wei Wuxian shakes his head. It is such an unbelievable situation, “Why would you ever think that?”
Lan Zhan’s hands tighten more, and he seems to have shrunk himself in Wei Wuxian’s hold. He whispers something into Wei Wuxian’s neck, but the words are lost to the warmth of his skin.
“What did you say?” Wei Wuxian asks anxiously.
“I… you said I was late. ”
Wei Wuxian blinks. The words repeat themselves in his mind over four times more, and by the third, he’s shaking and roaring with laughter. Lan Wangji seems to have burrowed himself into Wei Wuxian’s neck to the point Wei Wuxian is a little worried that he will suffocate.
“Stop laughing.” Lan Wangji says petulantly. But it’s of no use. Not even the skies splitting apart can make Wei Wuxian stop laughing. Perhaps, if he dies right now, his corpse will turn into a laughing fierce corpse. That image just makes him laugh even harder. Oh, how the cultivators will run around like headless chickens to deal with the terrors of the laughing corpse of the YiLing Patriarch!
“Don’t laugh,” Lan Wangji says once more.
“How can I not laugh?” Wei Wuxian says while laughing, “You - Lan Zhan, you are such an idiot. How can you ever think that? And oh, oh dear heavens, what was it that you said? ‘ I will rectify my behaviour’? Was that it? Oh, gods. This is too good, seriously. Lan Zhan, you have outdone yourself this time. I am impressed, I am astounded. You will send me to heaven if you keep being so cute, dear husband.”
Lan Wangji bites into the juncture at his neck.
Wei Wuxian tsks, “Look at you, the moment you are at a loss, you start biting. What an idiot husband I have! He thought I was going to divorce him because I said he was late - we both know, you were, as always, on time. How great! The exemplary and righteous Hanguang-jun, who has always been a standard for punctuality and discipline, thought his husband, the infamous YiLing Laozu was going to divorce him for being late. Lan Zhan, I’ve never, ever been on time. Though, you can argue I’m so often late that it’s a routine in itself. What do you say?”
“Ridiculous.” Lan Wangji says, “Utterly, extremely, impossibly ridiculous.”
He sounds a little exasperated so Wei Wuxian tries to quiet down. His heart feels impossibly, ridiculously warm as he looks at his dear husband, hiding in the crook of his neck. He runs his hand through the silken hair.
“I’ve married an idiot,” Wei Wuxian says, “I love you so much. How can I ever possibly want to let you go? Hmm?”
“…”
“Hanguang-jun, don’t be too modest. Even if you try and think up for reasons, you will fail. My husband is perfect.” Wei Wuxian scolds.
“An idiot,” Lan Wangji says and Wei Wuxian understands that he’s referring to what Wei Wuxian just said earlier.
“See, Lan Zhan. If you were not a little bit of an idiot, you wouldn’t have chosen the most evil and nefarious soul to be on this earth as your husband,” Wei Wuxian smiles, “But I’m not complaining.”
“Untrue.” Lan Wangji says simply. Wei Wuxian’s smile widens, to the point it would look a little creepy.
“How blessed I am, to have such a good husband! Not only is he the most handsome and righteous among all the souls that wander the earth, but he is also so adorable. So pure at heart. I love you so much, Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian says sincerely, pressing a kiss to the side of Lan Wangji’s head, “Won’t you look at me, dear husband? My good er-gege, look at this one?”
Lan Wangji looks up; his eyes a little red and his ears flushed. With his hair down and his robes wrinkled and the hesitant but honest gaze in those light eyes, Wei Wuxian’s heart is in peril. He kisses Lan Wangji’s forehead, and then his nose, and then his cheeks, and then his lips, as if trying to dispel any thoughts he may have that do not scream ‘Wei Ying loves me.’ Once he is done kissing him, he pulls back. Lan Wangji’s gaze stays fixed on him. The last rays of the sun alight his eyes in passionate flames, contrasting with the rest of his demeanour. Mind as pure as snow, yet heart raging in flames, Wei Wuxian thinks.
“You’re such a lovely sight, Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian says, his own cheeks dusting in pink as he meets the molten gaze of Lan Wangji, “It’s as if the heavens sent you for me to admire. Is that too proud of me to say?”
Lan Wangji shakes his head a ‘no.’
Wei Wuxian smiles. His hands reach out for the lapels on Lan Wangji’s robes, playing with them, and he giggles, “But I still find it so hilarious. The look on your face, gods, I was so confused because the possibility of you thinking that didn’t even occur to me.”
Lan Wangji averts his gaze and Wei Wuxian uses a hand to touch his face. Those eyes drift to him again and Wei Wuxian feels drunk on them.
“Husband.”
“Mn.”
“Don’t be so angry,” Wei Wuxian chides.
“I am not angry,” Lan Wangji says honestly.
“Oh?”
“Mn.”
Wei Wuxian studies him. But the face remains impassive and calm. He moves his head here and there, and the golden eyes follow him. Wei Wuxian pouts and pokes Lan Wangji’s chest, “Say something!”
“Wei Ying.”
“Yes??”
Lan Wangji raises an eyebrow, “I said something.”
The pout returns full force, and Wei Wuxian pulls on the lapels, whining on Lan Wangji’s lap, “No! I want you to say something about what happened. What are your thoughts? What were you thinking? How did you feel?”
“You already know,” Lan Wangji says in an even tone.
Wei Wuxian whines more, “But I want to know what your exact thoughts were! Tell me! I want to know.”
“…”
“I will divorce you,” Wei Wuxian threatens at once, trying to see if it would have a similar reaction.
But of course not. Lan Wangji only tilts his head slightly and holds Wei Wuxian’s chin in his hands, “You are not allowed to.”
“You can’t stop me!” He says half-heatedly.
Lan Wangji looks at him, and the absolute lack of reaction in his eyes; even the slightly smug tilt to his eyebrows sends shivers down Wei Wuxian’s spine. Lan Wangji pulls his chin closer, and Wei Wuxian’s eyes close as he feels Lan Wangji’s breath on his face. He gulps, awaiting the kiss.
Except it never comes.
“Lan Zhan…” Wei Wuxian breathes, “Why are you not kissing me? Go on, kiss me.” He puckers his lips and curves his back. His bottom brushes with Lan Wangji’s and Wei Wuxian whispers a fuck.
“…”
“Lan Zhan?”
“…”
Wei Wuxian groggily opens his eyes to see Lan Wangji reclining back on the bed, holding the book he was reading earlier. He isn’t even looking at Wei Wuxian. A hot spike of indignation and equal amounts of lust shoots down Wei Wuxian’s body. Gods, Lan Zhan is too hot; he’s lethal for Wei Wuxian’s heart.
“Lan Zhan! How can you do this to me?” He whines, moving closer to him, ensuring that his ass brushes against Lan Wangji’s crotch. It makes him moan lightly, but he bites it back. Nope. Lan Wangji is being a bad husband, a very evil, and very, very bad husband. He doesn’t deserve his moans right now.
Lan Wangji doesn’t even react.
“Lan Zhan!” Wei Wuxian says, attempting to push the book out of his hands, but Lan Wangji just raises it higher, “Put it away, come here. Ah. Lan Zhan, don’t be so difficult!”
Wei Wuxian raises his arm up too, to try and get the book but Lan Wangji takes both of his arms and presses it against the bed. Throughout this, he doesn’t even glance at Wei Wuxian, holding the book in his other hand and continuing to read.
Wei Wuxian pouts, “ Er-gege. ”
“ Lan-er-gege .”
“Lan Zhan.”
“My dear husband.”
He sighs, accepting that this was his retribution for laughing so much at him, but seriously, no matter how he thinks about it, it isn’t his fault! It is Lan Zhan who took his words to mean something else.
“Lan Zhan, you are being very unfair right now.” Wei Wuxian says, “In that case, you cannot blame me for taking righteous revenge.”
He starts moving his hips, biting his lips as his eyes flutter shut. Heat spikes underneath his skin and he increases the force, trying to get more friction, but with the high-quality silk the Lan robes are made of, it proved to be too difficult.
He whines, “Lan Zhan, don’t you have a heart? Let go of my hands. Don’t be so mean. You were the one who misinterpreted my words. Why are you punishing me? No, I refuse to accept this. Hanguang-jun, are you listening to me? Listen to your husband. Everyone! Hanguang-jun is mistreating me. He’s being unfair. Can anyone hear?”
“Talking too much,” Lan Wangji reads from the book, and stares up at Wei Wuxian. The sun has set and now, his fiery eyes appeared dark, “The sixth ground of divorce.”
Wei Wuxian bites his lips, as his heart beats loudly in its cage, “That’s simple. Then, shut me up.”
“A child.” Lan Wangji says, and gods, his tone is also as dark. Deep, dark. He sounds like he’s some sort of prince far, far above Wei Wuxian’s league, as he calls him but an unruly child.
“Then, discipline me!” Wei Wuxian protests, “Otherwise what can I do, but misbehave? I’ve a mouth so I’ve got to speak. And Hanguang-jun, take a look at yourself. You look like you descended from the heavens. Of course, a mere mortal like I would salivate to have a taste. Don’t blame me for acting unruly. It is simply your beauty that makes me lose my inhibitions.”
“You never had any,” Lan Wangji says unkindly, but his eyes are warm. Wei Wuxian wants him so bad; he wants to be wanted by him so bad.
“That’s not true,” Wei Wuxian says, “See, Lan Zhan, from your perspective you’ve only seen me when I’m with you, and when I’m with you, I’m much different from how I’m with you.”
“Untrue.” Lan Wangji says, “Wei Ying flirts a lot.”
“But Wei Ying doesn’t beg!” Wei Wuxian says, desperation creeping into his voice, “And I don’t annoy others as much as I annoy you. Really, you should consider yourself special. Only you have the privilege to deal with my worst, and my best. Everything of mine. Do you disagree?”
Lan Wangji doesn’t respond. Of course, he knows. Of course, he agrees. But what is the fun if he admits it?
“Lan Zhan.” Wei Ying begs, “Just give me a kiss, please.”
“Do you want it?” Lan Wangji asks innocently and Wei Wuxian wants to slap his head.
“Look at me, I’ve been sitting in your lap, rubbing against you like a kitten in heat.” The words cause Lan Wangji’s eyes to darken and Wei Wuxian feels a thrill, knowing very well they’re not getting out of bed anytime soon, “And here you are asking me if I want it? Fine, I’ll tell you. I want it so bad. I have wanted it all day. I wanted it from the moment we parted after kissing at lunch, and I want it now. Lan Zhan, are you listening-”
Lan Wangji claims his lips.
Then he claims his body.
Then he claims Wei Wuxian’s screams, his moans, his praises, his pleads - he claims them all, and then some more. In his strong, capable, competent hands, Wei Wuxian is broken, piece by piece taken apart, until his sanity has left him.
And then he is put back together, with each gentle rub, each sweet, lingering kiss. The softness in those light eyes; the utter love in that voice as he is coaxed and cuddled and kept.
Two hours later, they’re soaking in the tub. It’s a light bath as they still have to go to Caiyi. Luckily, the port city is more suited to Wei Wuxian’s sleeping schedule than their stringent GusuLan Sect. Lan Wangji is washing his hair as he leans against his chest, while he goes on and on about what sorts of well-wishing charms they should buy.
“Oh,” Lan Wangji suddenly says, “Back then, why were you reading that book?”
Wei Wuxian pauses. It takes him a moment to exit out of the post-coital haze and the constant chatter to understand what Lan Wangji was asking about.
“The laws of divorce?”
“Mn.”
Wei Wuxian blinks, lost for a moment, why was I reading it but then he recalls. His eyes brighten, “Ah, you see. Yesterday, you remember I told you there was this kid from some minor clan who collapsed?”
“Mn.”
“The injury wasn’t a minor one, in fact, it could have been fatal. He was pretty out of it. So, I offered that our Lan ducklings take him back to his clan and explain his injuries to his family. However, he was… well, he was sort of a prick to them. No worries, our Jingyi is great at dealing with jerks, ah, don’t raise your eyebrow. Jingyi didn’t speak rudely or do anything deserving of punishment,” Wei Wuxian hurries to defend Jingyi as he himself had chosen an even more colourful vocabulary than Jingyi had to deal with the unruly child. Wei Wuxian has had enough of punishment for today, thank you very much (even if the punishment was quite lovely.)
Lan Wangji hums, unconvinced, so Wei Wuxian rushes to distract him by speedily narrating the rest of the story, “But - uhm - afterwards, I found it quite strange. Why would a child around the age of twelve, who attained an injury on a night hunt, and not too easy of a night hunt! - not want friends from a prominent clan to narrate tales of his bravery, injury and such to his parents? Of course, they’d think their son has gotten so big and so brave and smother him. If that wasn’t strange enough, there’s also the matter that he was injured. It must have been the first time where such a risk was posed to his life. Yet, he turned down help.”
“Perhaps, it was pride.” Lan Wangji suggests.
“That is what I thought. I’ve seen too many with cases of pride almost lose their necks as they waddle straight into danger.” Wei Wuxian shakes his head, “So I thought I should set him straight… but it wasn’t a case of pride. The kid was scared. He responded to my comforting him well, as long as his parents weren’t mentioned. Every time they were brought up, he’d fold himself like a bud in the winter. He admitted he’d a sensitive family situation. Both of his parents are cultivators and they are always fighting with each other. Their fights aren’t just verbal, but also physical in nature.”
Lan Wangji is instantly alarmed, “The child?”
Wei Wuxian understands what he means. He shakes his head, “The child is safe. He said they’ve never hurt him. In fact, I gathered that it’s sort of the opposite. They do not pay him any attention; he’s invisible in his house. When he was younger, he would rebel and get himself into trouble only to get their attention on him for once. But, even this, would become a subject over which his parents would fight, blaming each other for raising such a troublesome child. When the scale of the trouble he caused rose and alerted other members of the clan, the parents could only become stricter with him, isolating him from much of the outer world. As a result, he doesn’t have friends of his age around him. This was the first time he got to participate in a hunt outside his clan due to the insistence of the head of the clan. He was worried that if he got injured, his parents would think it to be another one of his ‘rebellions’ and ban him from participating in night hunts.”
Lan Wangji listens attentively. He doesn’t say anything but tightens his hold on Wei Wuxian’s waist.
“I know,” Wei Wuxian says, turning his head to nose into Lan Wangji’s neck and scratching under his chin with an arm, “Quite a sticky situation. The child is but a child, and the adults are even more childish.”
“Mn.”
“The kid fears his parents may divorce as they have been bringing it up often in their arguments.”
“Perhaps it is for the best,” Lan Wangji says softly, “It is a distressing situation for the parents as well as the child. Best to dissolve it.”
“Mn,” Wei Wuxian hums, “That seems to be the only way, considering the parents are so violent to each other. But children have such boundless optimism. To them, even if their parents fight and argue, it’s worse if they separate. Of course, all children come to this world due to the foundation of a marriage; and to have that marriage crumble before you have your brains working? It’s too cruel.”
Lan Wangji kisses the top of his head lightly, and Wei Wuxian smiles before continuing, “There remain plenty of questions. What would be of the child? Both parents are alive. So, if the child stays with someone else, it is not only burdensome but harmful to the self-esteem of the child. But if he were to stay with one parent, then it’s not easy either. Will the parents be mature? What if they force him to take sides? On what grounds will such things be decided? It seems that his father was the one to marry into his mother’s clan. Both are cultivators in their primes, in good health and can manage a living. As they are still young, what if they were to remarry? The mother’s clan itself isn’t functional as a sect. There aren’t any common dormitories and it’s quite small. Everyone’s matters become common knowledge. In such a place, it’s too difficult for a child to blossom into his talents.”
“Mn,” Lan Wangji acknowledges. He pauses for a moment before, “What is it that you plan to do?”
“There’s not much that can be done. I can’t meddle in their affairs.”
“…So?” Lan Wangji inquires. He already knows that Wei Wuxian must have a plan. It is against his husband’s nature to come across challenging, knotty problems involving suffering people and leave them be. That is definitely one of the traits that has made him fall so deep for his husband. If there’s a cause, then no matter how difficult, Wei Wuxian will definitely take charge.
“For now, I offered him to apply for the Lan clan as an outer disciple,” Wei Wuxian says, “He is quiet, well-disciplined and possesses a good cultivation base. Perhaps, I should mention that he was injured while helping the Lan juniors. I admire people like that. If the divorce goes through, one of his parents can take custody of him. Whatever happens, whatever the backlash, he will be far removed from the situation and walking forward on his own path. It will be then up to the parents to decide if they wish to move forward or stay stuck. He told me he will consider, and join me on my next night-hunt.”
“Mn.” Lan Wangji says, “It is a good solution.”
“You approve?”
“Yes. It is not the duty of a child to fix a marriage.”
Wei Wuxian smiles at that. Silence falls between them as they think back to their own childhoods, and the duties and the stances they had to take, due to the terrible marriages of the adults around them.
Wei Wuxian breaks the silence with a laugh, “But, really, I find it too funny. Your face when you said - what was it? Lan Zhan, can you say it again? Something like ‘I will rectify my behaviour. If there are any issues, do let me know.’ You sounded like a seller of silver-ware being caught selling iron scraps, hahahahaha.”
Lan Wangji can only shake his head, as Wei Wuxian splashes around, laughing again and again. But his eyes are soft, and the torrent in his heart feels like it has become the tall, steady waves of a deep ocean. He places a light kiss on Wei Wuxian’s shoulders.
“Lan Zhan, tell me, if not you, who else could I marry?” Wei Wuxian asks. He is all smiles and canines.
“Nobody.” Lan Wangji replies honestly. Nobody can match you, like I can.
“Oh, would you have me be an unmarried young man? With nothing to my name but Little Apple? How mean, Hanguang-jun.” He pouts.
“Wei Ying has conveyed to me multiple times that I’m the only one for him,” Lan Wangji tilts his head, “Was I mistaken?”
Wei Wuxian blinks, and then his eyes melt and he puts his hands on Lan Wangji’s cheeks, “Nope. My husband is completely correct. As always.”
“Good.”
“You won’t divorce me for ‘talking too much,’ will you? Was that it?” Wei Wuxian puts a finger to his lips.
Lan Wangji leans closer and presses his own lips to his ears. Whatever he says causes Wei Wuxian to bloom with red, and get out of the tub in a hurry, “You - Hanguang-jun. We still have to go to Caiyi! Go, go. Put on your too many layers of robes! You’ll do my hair, yes. My arms are too sore. Where are my shoes? Lan Zhan?”
“Left drawer.” Lan Wangji smiles lightly, and watches in absolute delight as Wei Wuxian’s eyes widen and his skin just turns redder. How cute. How adorable. How utterly perfect. He stands out of the tub, dresses up quickly, and does Wei Wuxian’s hair. They take the money, and Wei Wuxian chatters about the gifts a bit more. He tells him fables of the moon, some tales so sweet, and some so strange that he doesn’t have a doubt they came from Wei Wuxian himself. In Caiyi, Wei Wuxian flutters around, chatting about this and that, stopping here and there, eating this and that and then he runs up to Lan Wangji, encircling him from behind. He slips a red envelope into his pocket of his robe, raises himself onto his tip-toes and whispers into his ears, “For our everlasting marriage.”
And then he runs away again, to this stall and that, never fraying too far from Lan Wangji, who takes the envelope out. It is red, with text embossed in gold. Inside, instead of there being money as is tradition, there is one of Lan Wangji’s favourite poems from Lan An’s collection of ‘Daolu’ written in Wei Wuxian’s flowery calligraphy. Lan Wangji wonders when he wrote it. On the outside, the embossed text reads:
百年好合
Suddenly, Lan Wangji feels an inexplicable sensation, like a red string tied to him is being tugged from the other side and he looks up to see Wei Wuxian’s curious eyes on him. He is standing under the lights of beautiful lamps of all colours - red, yellow and green, and Lan Wangji can see that he is nervous in the way his gaze is too intent, his lips parted lightly and shoulders set straight. Lan Wangji smiles at him and Wei Wuxian relaxes instantly, the sun blooming on his face and he’s calling for his Lan Zhan again, and the string tugs them both until they’re right next to each other; as it should be for the endless summers, and all the winters to come.