Chapter Text
“Now, now, A-Cheng. I’m sure there’s a reasonable explanation behind this,” Lan Huan says with his natural soothing and calm voice. “Our Jingyi was raised much better than to indulge in petty fights after all.”
The said boy is trailing behind them with a fuming expression, still considerably upset from whatever had instigated the fight between him and another boy at school.
“I know that! What I would like to know is who dared to intimidate Jingyi so much that he was threatened to fight back!” Jiang Cheng replies haughtily.
His face is housing no longer the usual scowl on his face but a rather displeasing look of anger. Though it makes Lan Huan happy that he is willing to openly voice out for their family, it makes him slightly upset that his
wife
husband’s face has to show an expression that is anything but a blissful smile on his once-in-a-blue-moon off-day. It makes him sigh that the whole day he has planned for his
wi-
husband is now ruined. And it isn’t just his
wi-
husband’s day that is ruined! Someone had threatened his son—who he knows will never raise his hands against anyone, despite his constant threatening words—and deliberately accused him of starting a fight! Who dares?!
But he has to stay calm because that was what he had been taught to be since young. To be calm and to not judge the situation before knowing all the facts. He prays that his uncle will forgive him but seeing the two members of his family angry beyond the norm to the point that their voices can no longer sound their anger makes his blood boil. The family of three enter the house so quietly that Lan Huan is convinced that he is back in his childhood home. It unsettles him just how quiet the other two were. And he is sure their pets that are currently waiting for their arrival by the door are just as unsettled. The house has never welcomed their owners home in silence before and the atmosphere makes the house unfamiliar to Lan Huan.
The three immediately head straight to the living room, Jingyi immediately heading for the sole armchair furthest away from the door while Jiang Cheng and Lan Huan sit on the couch, facing him. The pets trotted in after them, Snowball, the rabbit, settling herself onto Jingyi’s lap, Chocolate, the dog, laying himself by Jiang Cheng’s feet and Pepper, the cat, snuggling onto Lan Huan’s lap. The room descends into silence, other than the occasional whines from the pets for more pats. When it’s clear to Lan Huan that the other two are stubbornly holding their silence, he finally opens up the conversation.
“Jingyi,” he says as softly as he can.
Snowball’s nose twitches as Jingyi pulls her closer.
Lan Huan takes a deep breath in to calm himself before continuing. “Would you like to tell us what happened?”
Jingyi stubbornly keeps his eyes to the floor, too angry to meet his parents’ eyes in defiance but too scared to see the disappointment in their eyes.
“... He called Mum girly,” he finally says bitterly.
Lan Huan can only stare at Jingyi incredulously when he feels Jiang Cheng’s shoulders shaking from beside him.
“A-Cheng?” he calls out worriedly, thinking his wife has finally lost his mind somehow.
Though, of course, seeing how Jiang Cheng is when drunk, Lan Huan is sure that an insane Jiang Cheng would be considerably saner (oh, the irony in that). Though he would much prefer his intelligent and beautiful wife to be sane and sober. His thoughts pull to a stop when Jiang Cheng finally lets out huffs of laughter and takes the time to catch his breath.
“Jingyi… you do realise you’ve already condemned me to the role of the female in this family, right?” Jiang Cheng says heartily, the tension now gone, even if it is just for a moment.
Jingyi pouts, “But, Mum! You’re so manly! I mean, you’re muscular since you exercise everyday, you can drive — not just a car, but even a helicopter — and you’re a CEO and rich!”
Jiang Cheng gawks at him, “ That’s your definition of a man?!”
Jingyi continues as though he never hears him, “Although you do occasionally act like a housewife. You maintain your own garden, clean the house till it’s spotless and even make delicious food every day! You even gave birth to me!”
Lan Huan can see the twitch of Jiang Cheng’s finger indicating how much his precious wife is holding back on hitting their child on the head.
“Hey! Giving birth is not limited to women only, okay! Let’s see what happens when you get your own male Omega to mother your child in the future!”
Jingyi’s face brightens at his words, “So, you’re giving me permission to marry, then?”
Jiang Cheng splutters, face fully red in embarrassment, “N-No! You’re way too young for it, brat! How about you learn what a balanced meal is and then we’ll talk about you taking care of your own family!”
“It’s not my fault that I’m being fed chicken almost every week,” Jingyi mutters to himself, conveniently forgetting how sharp his mother’s ears were.
“What did you say, you brat?! You have the perfectly good option to not eat it!”
“Now, now, A-Cheng!” Lan Huan immediately intervenes “Your cooking is delicious especially when it comes to meat! It’s no wonder Jingyi keeps eating them.”
Jiang Cheng visibly relaxes at that but still wears that scowl on his face to which Lan Huan can now only think of it as cute. Lan Huan can feel himself relax just a tiny bit from their banter. At least the table isn’t being overturned and no pets were trying to hide away from the ire of their humans.
“Jingyi, maybe you would like to elaborate on what actually happened?” Lan Huan prods.
Jingyi nods, busily moving his hands over Snowball. “The teacher was asking questions about what the flowers in the poem were portraying and when I answered because I remembered some things that Mum talked about flowers and their meanings, a boy who was from another class—we had a joint class today!—was asking how a boy could know such things. And then, he started to criticise how Mum wasn’t normal. That if he’s a guy then he shouldn’t be so interested in flowers or how he shouldn’t be capable of giving birth. And that it’s weird how an Omega can be a CEO and that it’s a wonder how Mum’s company hasn’t fallen yet.”
Jingyi rubs away at the tears that have started to flow steadily. Snowball is busy poking his wet cheek probably wondering why the always smiling and energetic boy is now crying and uncharacteristically silent. Jiang Cheng is never one for words and instead moves over to Jingyi, settling him onto his lap and hugging him close.
“Mummy appreciates you for fighting back, but next time, don’t do it with your fists okay? Who knows if your pretty face will get bruised or your hands will get injured when you fight, okay? If you want to fight, kick them or just use your words,” Jiang Cheng softly chided at Jingyi.
Jingyi merely nods and leans into his mother’s embrace. Lan Huan sighs in exasperation at Jiang Cheng’s words but nonetheless gets up from his seat, gently putting Pepper aside. He goes over to the other two, promptly lifts them both up from the chair. Jiang Cheng clings to his neck with a yelp before he seats himself comfortably with them on his lap. Lan Huan hums happily even as he feels Jiang Cheng’s deadly glare. (How cute it is to Lan Huan that Jiang Cheng thinks his glares have any effect on him, though if he was to tell that to his face, he is sure to get the beating of his life). Jiang Cheng merely sighs and turns his attention back to Jingyi.
“Do you know why most of our rooms are decorated with gentian flowers?” Jiang Cheng starts.
Jingyi stays quiet for a moment. “ Father said it’s because it’s grandmother’s favourite, isn’t it?”
“Well, you’re not entirely wrong,” Jiang Cheng says, shooting an exasperated look at Lan Huan.
Lan Huan merely smiles blissfully in return, fully utilising this time to enjoy Jiang Cheng’s warmth that he ever experiences in the bedroom. When else would he ever be able to cuddle with his adorable wife and son if not now?
“Well, I wasn’t lying,” Lan Huan said smugly.
Jiang Cheng sighs again and grumbles something under his breath, something about corrupting righteous Lans.
“Is there any other reason then?” Jingyi asks, looking up at Jiang Cheng with his sparkling eyes curiously.
Lan Huan bites the inside of his cheek to stifle his laughter but by the glare that Jiang Cheng shoots at Lan Huan, it’s clear that he isn’t hiding it all that well.
“Well…” Jiang Cheng starts off hesitantly. “Do you know what gentians symbolise?”
Lan Huan could see the hesitance in Jingyi’s eyes, wondering if it is because of Jiang Cheng’s embarrassment or his laughter. Jingyi shakes his head and Jiang Cheng sighs, more out of embarrassment and Lan Huan can only watch amused.
“The gentians can symbolise passion and charm while also justice and victory. In the end, it’s meanings are quite varied, though,” Lan Huan explains, finally putting out Jiang Cheng’s misery.
Jingyi nods thoughtfully.
“So, Mum plants all the gentian flowers so that we continue to be justified and victorious, right?” Jingyi asks, his eyes twinkling again as though he has hit the jackpot.
Jiang Cheng lets out a breath. Lan Huan knows he’s going to get a punishment —for lack of a better word—when they’re finally alone but it’s better than Jingyi thinking that it was Lan Huan who decorated the whole house in gentians when he was drunk.
Lan Huan nods, “And of course it’s because it complies with all the Lan rules after all... ”
Lan Jingyi looks at him incredulously. “We have rules on PLANTS?!”
Lan Huan nods in agreement. “Yes, we do. You should ask your mother what happened the last time a certain someone decided to bring a potted plant to your granduncle for his birthday.”
Jiang Cheng scowls at him, the look of utter betrayal all over his face. Lan Huan can’t help himself when he places a kiss onto those pouting lips.
“Eww! Gross!” Jingyi shouts, covering his face into Snowball’s fur.
Lan Huan only laughs and finally releases the two squirming bundles of warmth.
“That’s a story for another time,” Jiang Cheng says, shooting a silencing glare at Lan Huan’s direction, to which he only smiles wider at. Jiang Cheng turns away with a huff. “For now, let’s go and feed you some chicken, alright?”
Lan Jingyi’s ears perk up at the mentions of chicken. “We can?!”
Jiang Cheng smiles and Lan Huan swears he can feel his heart soaring at that soft smile.
“Of course, we can, Jingyi,” Jiang Cheng says, picking him up and heading to the kitchen.
Lan Huan watches them for a while from his seat and only gets up when he finally decides to indulge in another hug or two with one or the other of those inviting bundles of warmth that is his family.