Chapter Text
Gusu was, for a lack of a better word, different. Its flowers didn't grow like Yunmeng's; its streets didn't glow with Yunmeng's wild rowdiness. Even its wind was different - Yunmeng’s bold, daring gusts had no place among Gusu’s soft, gentle swoops. And although gentle, Gusu’s winds were certainly cold. Wei Wuxian ran quickly towards the nearest store and threw open the door, hoping to escape the brisk winter.
It had been a difficult decision, leaving Yunmeng. His adopted siblings, Jiang Cheng and Jiang Yanli, fought with him for days. Promises of a free pass to Jiang Yanli's Michelin star restaurants, an entirely custom Givenchy collection, and an all-expenses-paid vacation to his own private island were thrown at him - if only he would stay. But he wasn't nearly young enough to be swayed by gifts, at least not for serious decisions like these.
Jiang Cheng and shijie have gotten too used to spoiling Jin Ling, Wei Wuxian thinks. I never thought they'd apply those tactics to me.
Gusu has long since been familiar territory - you never really forget a city where you met your first love, but that's something he'd rather not dwell on, Wei Wuxian finds himself thinking, missing his childhood home. A few months of being an exchange student years ago and a few weeks of his adult life at Gusu will never really compare to the resounding rightness of a lifetime at Lotus Pier.
"Hello? Sir?"
Wei Wuxian blinks, torn from his nostalgic reminiscing, and glances up at the server. A young girl with strange milky eyes stares back at him.
"Are you ready to order? You've been sitting here for a while, so I thought maybe you wanted some help? We only really see regulars, since we’re somewhat removed from the main shopping plaza. Are you alright?"
"Everything's great! Um..." Wei Wuxian takes a peek at a small laminated menu placed on the table. "I'll have a specialty spicy pumpkin latte and a hot-red gingerbread cake."
The girl scribbles down his order and slips her pen down a hidden pocket. "You know," she says, "there's only one other person that orders that. It's traditional but not very popular, so it's mostly on our menu for tradition's sake. Kind of coincidental that two guys would order such an unpopular item on the same day!"
Wei Wuxian had never known anyone else able to tolerate the odd spice combinations that he enjoys. Winter is his favorite season because of that. No one can judge him for indulging in peppermints and spicy cakes that are customary in all four of the country's provinces.
His order, like everything else in Gusu, is rather mild. It's more of a strong peppermint than the truly spicy winter desserts available back home, and Wei Wuxian feels another surge of homesickness. He's thirty-two years old with a decade-long career behind his belt, and yet still manages to miss Lotus Pier with just as much fervor as he did at fifteen. But homesickness and lingering regrets have no place here. Wei Wuxian can finally leave the whispers and rumors behind.
After all, Gusu Publishing is here. The future is here. A fresh start.
When Wei Wuxian had been offered a permanent contract with Gusu Publishing's shonen manga division, even the stubborn Jiang Cheng had admitted that it was a golden opportunity. Although he had tried everything short of kidnapping to prevent Wei Wuxian from leaving, in the end, Jiang Cheng muttered that at least it was Gusu Publishing and not some half-assed, no-name company.
Established by the main branch of Lan Industries in 2000, Gusu Publishing enjoyed a pristine reputation across the board. Whether it was contemporary literature, young adult fantasy, or shonen manga, all their titles were decisive hits.
Streets & Sons, Wei Wuxian's old publishing company, were longtime rivals of Gusu Publishing. But when Lan Industries appointed Lan Xichen as CEO of Gusu Publishing, Streets & Sons stood no chance. Lan Xichen was as crafty as he was beautiful, and Streets & Sons soon found that they could no longer uphold Wei Wuxian's contract.
Shortly after his contract termination, Wei Wuxian was contacted by a Gusu Publishing representative. A full team of assistants, including screentone artists, cleaners, background designers - Gusu Publishing promised him the full deal. And if Wei Wuxian ever wished to go digital? Gusu Publishing would provide a team for that as well.
Wei Wuxian said yes. Of course he did. Although his works were fairly popular, this kind of deal was nearly unprecedented in the industry. It didn't matter that Wei Wuxian ran the risk of running into some old... acquaintances at Gusu Publishing. He'd be a fool to pass up the opportunity. This was something that even the Jiangs, with all their wealth, could not give him.
Still deep in thought, Wei Wuxian vaguely recognizes the jingling of a bell in the background. The server from before walks past him to greet the new customer. The drink in his hand is now lukewarm, and as he raises his head to call out to the server, Wei Wuxian makes eye contact with the customer.
Oh. Oh.
Thirteen years has changed him into a tall, imposing figure, but his eyes are still amber gold and glistening. Beautiful. Untouchable.
"Wei Ying."
"Lan Zh- Wangji," Wei Wuxian corrects himself. "What a coincidence? It's nice to see you after all this time; did you miss me? Of course, that was so long ago, and I snuck out all the time when we were kids. Of course you remember that, right? Of course, of course! After all, it's hard to forget someone like me!"
Wei Wuxian slaps a grin onto his face to hide the cacophony of screeching and Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan, in his brain. He's rambling, his heart beating faster than the Earth can rotate. What do you say to someone that you've had a debilitating crush on for the better part of thirteen years?
"Wei Ying. You're here."
If Lan Wangji is surprised, he doesn't show it. His face is as stoic as ever, but his eyes are less sharp now. Warmer. Or maybe that's just Wei Wuxian's brain trying to make the best of an awkward situation.
I've got some seriously shit luck, Wei Wuxian thinks. How come he shows up right when I'm in the middle of a Jiang Cheng-esque brooding?
"I received an offer from Gusu Publishing," Wei Wuxian says. "They, uh, offered me a team of assistants and free creative reign over my manga. Yiling? Have you heard of it? I mean, you're a novelist under Gusu Publishing's literature department, so you've probably never read it but-"
"I have," Lan Wangji replies. "It is... interesting."
Wei Wuxian laughs and shoves his hands into his pockets. "You don't have to compliment me, Lan Wangji! But ah, I appreciate it. Thank you."
"Lan Zhan."
Wei Wuxian blinks. "Sorry?"
"Call me Lan Zhan."
Wei Wuxian's left nearly speechless, his heart currently doing its best impression of a nervous rabbit tap-dancing to one of Jiang Cheng's heavy metal albums.
"You've really changed a lot, huh? Okay, Lan Zhan! Well, I have to get going, so let's meet up for coffee some time? Contact my new editor at Gusu if you want my information! Gotta go, nice to see you again!"
Wei Wuxian rushes out the door and nearly bumps right into Lan Wangji. At the last second, Wei Wuxian swerves, trips on his way out, and continues running. The winds are still brutal, but now there's rain on top of that too. Wei Wuxian doesn't mind. His face is an inferno, and his brain is probably cooking inside his head with every step he takes. He almost doesn't register stepping into a taxi and stumbling into his apartment.
Sometimes Wei Wuxian wishes that he could go back to a time before he had known what it was like to be hopelessly in love with Lan Wangji. But immediately after thinking that, Wei Wuxian shakes his head. He's been in love with Lan Wangji for so long that it's become a part of who he is. There’s moments where he can shove those feelings into a box and forget about them, but they never stay boxed for long.
Wei Wuxian staggers down the hall and flops into bed fully clothed and dripping wet. He doesn't bother taking off his damp socks or dress shoes, fully content to dirty his bed. That's something he'll deal with in the morning. For now, he'll give in to his muddled brain and try to forget what just happened.
His first day at Gusu Publishing's shonen manga department starts tomorrow, and he doesn't have time to dwell on things that he should have left behind as a teenager. The fact that Wei Wuxian is a fully grown adult with a crush is bad enough. He doesn't need to be known as "the new mangaka with that pointless crush on Lan Wangji". He doesn't need to be known as anything besides "Yiling’s mangaka".
People talked back at Lotus Pier, and the more they talked, the more they found out about things he'd rather they not know. Wei Wuxian was not going to waste this opportunity with rumors and gossip. Gusu was nothing like Yunmeng and although that sometimes hurt, right now it was his saving grace.
Nevermind Lan Wangji, Wei Wuxian thought. All I need is to keep my head. No more embarrassing the Jiang name. No more embarrassing my name. I just need to keep my head. I just need to keep my priorities straight.
Sleep came uneasily, like a predator crouching in the grass. Wei Wuxian fought against it until it sank its jaws around his neck and all was still.
Wei Wuxian wakes up to a damp pillow and an aching back. The beauty of being a mangaka was its relatively flexible schedule, and Wei Wuxian's lifestyle reflected that. His habit of sleeping at 1 AM and rising at 9 AM the next day was infamous within his inner circle.
Jiang Cheng, as a deputy director for the Yunmeng branch of the country's federal intelligence agency, worked long hours and usually woke up around 6 AM at the latest. Nie Huaisang, Wei Wuxian's childhood friend and one of Gusu Publishing's most established poets, often left his bed at the sensible hour of 7 AM. Even Wei Wuxian's beloved shijie, known for her mildness and delicate demeanor, never slept in past 8 AM. Jin Ling often woke her up long before that anyway.
Wei Wuxian groans, attempts to lift himself off his bed, and promptly flops onto the floor.
"What the hell," Wei Wuxian mumbles. "I didn't even drink last night, so why do I feel like the devil himself gifted me a custom hangover?"
It takes a solid thirty minutes for Wei Wuxian to get off the floor and into the bathroom. It takes even longer for him to actually get a morning routine started.
By 10:24 AM, Wei Wuxian has six minutes to get to Gusu Publishing if he doesn't want to be late for his meeting with Lan Xichen.
He's there in five.
Knowing Wei Wuxian's habitual tardiness, Jiang Yanli had seen fit to arrange his living situation as a parting gift.
"Don't worry A-Xian," she said. "I promise I didn't completely pay for it. It's just something for you to remember me by."
True to her words, Wei Wuxian finds himself thanking every deity under the sun and moon for Jiang Yanli. It's unbecoming for a new mangaka to be late for their first meeting with the publishing company's CEO, even if said mangaka is well-established. Wei Wuxian's infinitely grateful that Lan Xichen didn't kick him to the curb before their contract was finalized.
"Hello, CEO Lan is expecting you. Two doors past the hall to your right," says a secretary, as Wei Wuxian exits the elevator. "You can't miss it. Good luck, Mr. Wei."
Wei Wuxian shudders. Scary. She recognized me me on sight. Even the secretaries at Gusu Publishing are prodigies in their field of work.
Lan Xichen is seated on a large leather chair when Wei Wuxian slips behind the door to his office.
"Wei Wuxian," Lan Xichen greets. "Please, sit down. Tea?"
Wei Wuxian shakes his head. "Ah, thank you, but I'm good."
There's little in Lan Xichen's office that gives glimpses into the man's life. For the most part, the office is sleek and minimalistic, like something out of a catalog. There are, however, framed photographs placed discreetly near the corners of Lan Xichen's bookcase. Out of the three photos Wei Wuxian spots, only two are at the right angle to where he can clearly see the subjects inside the frames.
One is of Lan Xichen and two other men. Wei Wuxian recognizes them as Jin Guangyao, the Secretary of Education, and Nie Mingjue, an Olympic gold medalist. The other one is of Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji. It doesn't appear to be recent, given that Lan Wangji's hair is much longer now. Both men are dressed in crisp button-downs and slacks and look relaxed - unaware of the photographer's presence. Lan Xichen's hair is tied in a low ponytail, while Lan Wangji's is cut short, the tips just grazing his collarbone.
He's stunning, Wei Wuxian thinks. That much hasn't changed.
"And that's where I believe our shonen manga department is heading within the next year. Any questions?"
Shit, Wei Wuxian thinks.
"CEO Lan-"
Lan Xichen raises his hand, cutting Wei Wuxian off.
"Lan Xichen is fine," he says. "You weren't listening, were you?"
Wei Wuxian averts his eyes. "Well, I- uh...no, not exactly.”
"It's alright," Lan Xichen says. "I had a hunch. To make matters simpler, I'll consolidate what I had previously said. Gusu Publishing's shonen manga department is home to two shonen magazines: Culti Jump!!! and Blade Monthly. Since Yiling has always run on a monthly basis, I've decided to continue that by placing you with a Blade Monthly editor. I sincerely hope that the addition of Yiling to Blade Monthly's repertoire will encourage growth into the new year."
Lan Xichen, you wily fox! Wei Wuxian thinks.
Blade Monthly was the weaker of the two magazines, and everyone knew that Culti Jump!!! supported both weekly and monthly manga updates. It was only Blade Monthly that was unable to cater to both, instead focusing solely on the monthly ones. By placing Wei Wuxian's Yiling in Blade Monthly, Lan Xichen had everything to gain and nothing to lose. Wei Wuxian would have to work twice as hard to keep up his current amount of readers, let alone increase them. Not mention Blade Monthly's habit of requiring unique spreads that mangakas often slaved over for weeks on end.
"Alright," Wei Wuxian says. "I look forward to it."
It would do no good to argue. He had signed the contract, and it clearly stated that Wei Wuxian would be placed in Gusu Publishing's shonen manga department according to the CEO's wishes. Arguing with Lan Xichen would put him in a difficult position, both legally and socially. Wei Wuxian had no intention of tarnishing his reputation over such a small matter.
"Excellent. I look forward to it as well."
Lan Xichen smiles serenely and gestures towards the door. "My secretary is available if you have any questions at all. Let's do our best, Author Wei."
Wei Wuxian nods and exits the office. Lan Xichen's secretary greets him as he approaches the elevator, and Wei Wuxian makes sure to smile at her before he leaves.
"Which floor was it?" Wei Wuxian mumbles. "Four? Five? Screw it, if it's the wrong floor then I'll grab food from the break room and run."
The elevator dings and stops. Another person enters. Wei Wuxian, engrossed in his phone, doesn't notice the stranger until he shuffles, trips, and lands face-first into a warm chest. The stranger's hands settle on his arms, gently propping Wei Wuxian back on his feet.
"Oh my god! Sorry about that!"
Wei Wuxian lifts his head, ready to thank the stranger when the words dissipate in his throat.
I'm fucking cursed, Wei Wuxian bemoans. This is it, huh? I knew I shouldn't have stolen Jiang Cheng's Power Ranger action figures back when we were nine... and maybe I shouldn't have stolen his car that one time either...
"Wei Ying," Lan Wangji says.
"Lan Zh-Zhan." Wei Wuxian offers Lan Wangji a shaky smile while slowly creeping towards the opposite corner of the elevator. "What brings you here?"
"I work here," Lan Wangji replies.
No shit, Sherlock! Wei Wuxian screams internally.
"Oh? I work here too," Wei Wuxian replies. "But I thought Literature was on the eighth? Right under Lan Xichen's? Uh- CEO Lan, that is."
Wei Wuxian is ready to jump out of the elevator.
I work here too? Really? I'm an idiot! Hey, this is only the fifth floor, right? The jump wouldn't be that bad...
"It was transferred. Fifth floor."
Wei Wuxian chuckles. "I forgot what floor housed shonen manga. I thought it was the fifth. I guess this means that it's on the... fourth... floor..."
One floor below Lan Wangji’s. Fuck.
Lan Wangji nods. "Coffee?"
"What?"
"Coffee," Lan Wangji repeats. "Yesterday, you...?"
"Oh, yeah, I guess I did say that," Wei Wuxian replies. "Are you sure that you want to go now? I mean, you're busy and all, and you probably don't have time to get coffee me. Your novel just launched, right? Don't you have to prepare for promotions?"
"No need," Lan Wangji says. "This way."
The elevator dings again, signaling their arrival to the ground floor. Lan Wangji glances back at Wei Wuxian and continues walking toward the building's exit.
"Ah, Lan Zhan! Wait!"
Lan Wangji leads Wei Wuxian to a small cafe a block away from Gusu Publishing. It's brightly lit, with large windows and plush furniture. Throw pillows with cotton-ball tails are arranged neatly on couches scattered throughout the room. A cage in the corner houses a few live rabbits lazing around in the afternoon sun.
"Welcome to Cottontail Coffee! We bring the bounce to your day," an employee calls out. "Is that you, Mr. Lan? What will be it be today? The usual?"
Lan Wangji nods.
"And for your friend?"
"I'll have what he's getting," Wei Wuxian says.
"Sure thing! It'll be ready in a few!"
"So..." Wei Wuxian begins, settling into a booth by the entrance. "Not that I don't appreciate it but why are you here? You hated these places when we were kids. And you certainly hated coming to them with me. I didn't think that you'd seriously take up my offer, though. Everything okay?"
"Thirteen years," Lan Wangji says. "I wanted to see you. To talk."
Wei Wuxian smiles, a tad nostalgic and cynical all at once. "Lan Wangji, we're both adults. And I'm sorry for all the times I bothered you in the past, but believe me when I say that I don't want to be on bad terms again. I really don’t want to argue. Can we just be friends? We're both working under Gusu, and it wouldn't do us any good to hate each other."
"I never hated you. You were my friend."
"Oh." Wei Wuxian's sardonic smile slips off his lips. A softer one takes its place. "Well, I thought of you as my friend too. And I promise you, I'm not the same person I was thirteen years ago. I've matured a lot! And since we're friends, I'll make sure to show you exactly how great I am now!"
"Shameless," Lan Wangji says, but there's no bite behind it. It almost sounds fond, as if he were expecting such a statement all along.
Their drinks arrive shortly after, and Wei Wuxian finds that conversation with Lan Wangji, although unorthodox, is captivating. Lan Wangji speaks quietly and wastes no words, but listens and responds attentively. It's a bit awkward at first - Wei Wuxian isn't sure which subjects Lan Wangji is or isn't comfortable with, but they fall into a steady conversation about books and old memories.
Wei Wuxian asks about the pictures in Lan Xichen's room and about Lan Wangji's hair.
"Brother has known Jin Guangyao and Nie Mingjue since childhood. They are close, even now. And..."
Lan Wangji looks away. If Wei Wuxian didn't know better, he'd assume that Lan Wangji was... embarrassed.
"Someone said that they would like to see me. With short hair. So I cut it."
"Did you not like it?" Wei Wuxian asks. "Is that why your hair is long again?"
"I did," Lan Wangji answers. "But they never saw it."
"What a waste!" Wei Wuxian exclaims. "It looked good on you! I remember you were always the most popular out of all of us in high school. Jiang Cheng hated the fact that all the girls preferred you and Lan Xichen. But I guess he hated it the most when Jin Zixuan was confessed to. But now Jin Zixuan's his brother-in-law, and I have to make sure they don't fight during family reunions."
Lan Wangji takes another sip of his drink. "Ah."
"Oh, you remember that right? Jiang Cheng and I got into a fight with Jin Zixuan and almost got kicked out! It wasn't really that big of a deal though... and Jin Zixuan definitely deserved it back then. It's funny how things work out. He's married to shijie now, and Jiang Cheng and I are both single. Even though we swore that he'd be forever alone. Especially since his personality was shit back then."
Wei Wuxian is about to launch into a story involving Jiang Cheng and a misunderstanding with local police when he notices the time. By now, Cottontail Coffee's washed in shades of dusky pink as the sun begins to spill across the horizon.
"It's already this late?" Wei Wuxian yelped. "Lan Zhan, I've kept you for so long! Hey, didn't you have something to do today? Why didn’t you say anything?"
"No," Lan Wangji replies. "I enjoyed today. Thank you, Wei Ying."
"No need to thank me! If it's alright, I'll... see you tomorrow?"
Lan Wangji nods.
"Well, uh, I guess I'll be heading home now. My apartment is that way," Wei Wuxian says, pointing to the right. "It's not far, so you don't have to walk me home or anything. Not that I assumed that you wanted to walk me home! That's uh-"
"My apartment is on the opposite side. It is all right, Wei Ying. I will see you tomorrow."
"Yeah, of course! I had a lot of fun today. I'm glad that we're friends," Wei Wuxian admits. "You know, it was a little hard for me to adjust to Gusu. It's nice to be able to talk to you again. And since we work in the same company and all... it's just nice."
"I'm glad as well."
"Great! Well, don't mind me. I wouldn't want to keep you."
Lan Wangji rises from the table and makes his way to the exit. He glances behind him one last time before turning around and exiting. The jingling of a bell is the only sound heard when he leaves.
Wei Wuxian is ready to leave as well when a thought strikes him.
"Wait," Wei Wuxian gasps. "Did we ever pay the bill?"
"No worries!" The employee at the counter says. "Mr. Lan has requested that every purchase be charged directly to his card. It's all covered!"
"Thank you then! And if he comes by without me then please thank him for me!” Wei Wuxian calls out. "I'll definitely come back another day to pet the rabbits!"
Wei Wuxian rushes out, ready to head home. Compared to yesterday, the breezes are much milder. Wei Wuxian marches home briskly, ready to jump into bed. Despite the relaxed day, his emotions are in complete disarray. It took everything he had not to act like a complete fool in front of Lan Wangji earlier.
What happened to keeping your priorities straight? Wei Wuxian scolds himself. One afternoon with Lan Zhan and suddenly you're this mess!
Wei Wuxian sighs. "It is nice though. Being friends, hanging out - wasn't this the only thing I wanted? I have my manga and Gusu Publishing. Now I have Lan Zhan's friendship. But why isn't that enough for me? Why do I still want his heart?"
"His heart? The fuck? I thought you were over this!"
Wei Wuxian whips his head back and forth, searching for the source of the voice. "What? Who? If this is the FBI then I can explain-"
"Check your phone, dumbass! You probably called me again while fiddling with it. Hey, can I hang up or is this actually important?"
Sure enough, his phone is on. Wei Wuxian takes his hand out of his pocket. Jiang Cheng's contact picture stares him in the face.
"I guess I did call you. Weird," Wei Wuxian replies. "But don't hang up!"
"You're lucky I'm not busting down some punk's door right now. What do you want?"
"Hey! Are you really going to talk to your lonely, miserable-"
"Shut up," Jiang Cheng snaps. "I heard what you said earlier. You've met Lan Wangji again, haven't you?"
"Maybe. But the good news is, we're friends again! Well, Lan Zhan clarified that we were always friends, but I guess now it's like... official? On both our ends."
"Great. Is that it? You've had feelings for him for years despite harassing the fuck out of him during high school, and now you've confirmed that you're friends with him."
"When you put it that way, I sound pathetic," Wei Wuxian whines.
"God, shut up. No matter how mature you act in front of people, you're really like this at heart."
"Jiang Cheng! I'm serious!"
"Yeah, so? Me too." Jiang Cheng sighs. "I'm seriously sick of you. Call me back when you've sorted out your feelings. You're thirty-two but still choosing to hide your feelings under wishy-washy overreactions. Knowing you, you probably tried to cut off all contact with Lan Wangji only to see him a few hours later and try to be his friend."
"Hey-"
"I was right," Jiang Cheng says. "Again. As always. Look, moving here was supposed to be your second big break. I know that Yanli and I made a big deal about you moving, but that was mostly for her sake. This was something you needed. Your manga did well while you were here, but Gusu has resources that Yunmeng doesn't; that's why it's the nation's hub for arts and literature. So don't fuck this up. Date Lan Wangji or whatever, but if I see you drag your sorry ass home because you screwed up or screwed the wrong person... I swear-"
"I won't! I won't!" Wei Wuxian affirmed. "I'm working on it. I swear. He won't know about my feelings. And you don't have to worry. I can deal with it! I'm not sixteen anymore. I won't make him uncomfortable."
Jiang Cheng sighs yet again. "Not exactly my point, but I'll take it. I'd reconsider that last part though. I gotta go now, the peacock and jiejie are here. Bye."
"Wait, wh-"
Wei Wuxian is cut off by the beep-beep of his phone.
"What was Jiang Cheng talking about?" he wonders. "Now that I've heard him grouch at me... I kind of miss that jerk."
He's been standing outside his apartment talking to Jiang Cheng for a while. Now that Jiang Cheng's gone, Wei Wuxian takes out his key card and swipes it up against the door. It unlocks with a faint beep.
Wei Wuxian collapses on his couch and watches the sky dance. His apartment on the top floor offers him a nice view of shimmering city lights and the last breaths of a sinking sun.
There's a jar of Gusu's specialty alcohol on the coffee table. Next to it is a card from the apartment staff welcoming him to the building. Wei Wuxian grabs a glass sitting atop a side table and pours himself a drink.
"Cheers," he says. "To Gusu Publishing. To my new friendship with Lan Zhan. To me."
The sun flares at the toast, then dives below the horizon, mixing up a twinkling ocean of lights.