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Chapter Text

Have you heard? Have you heard the Legend of Lotus Pier?

They say there once was a great and powerful sect, 

in a sea of lotus flowers, hidden in the mist,

trapped by an impenetrable fog.

The last remains of this Sect hide behind the greyness,

snatching up those foolish enough to wander in.

If you become victim to this fog, there is no escape.

One by one, you will take their place,

until the Sect Leader himself steps out of the fog at last,

to seek his revenge and take over all of China!

Nie Huaisang peered up from the scroll. “Thoughts?”

His study partner sighed. A lesser man might have missed the sound altogether, but Huaisang knew it meant exasperation. A pair of golden eyes flickered up from a book of poetry. “Ridiculous. Gossip is forbidden in the Cloud Recesses.” 

“This isn’t gossip, Wangji-xiong!” Nie Huaisang insisted. He flipped the scroll around to show Lan Wangji the legend. “Look. Right here. It’s written down so now it counts as study material.” 

Lan Wangji went back to reading his texts, not giving the scroll another glance. “Your brother would disagree.”

Nie Huaisang let out a long sigh, as breathy and exaggerated as the Cloud Recesses allowed. He sprawled his upper body on the table, playing with the brushes and books on the table. His face slumped against the wood in a pout. 

The younger Lan’s eyes never strayed from his text, but Huaisang saw Lan Wangji’s left brow quirk a smidge. That was the most Nie Huaisang will get out of his friend today. He knew Lan Wangji seldom did anything besides study, but he did not think they would be studying so much today. It has been months since the two were able to see the other! When Nie Huaisang heard that his brother was making a trip to Gusu to speak with the rest of his sworn brothers, Huaisang begged his Da-ge in tears to let him tag along. 

He said he’d do anything! Anything to not stay stuck at home practicing swords and studying. Who knew Lan Wangji would be so cruel as to make him study anyway?

“Young Master Nie need not study alongside me if he wishes to pursue other activities.” Lan Wangji read his mind. The sound of a page turning filled a pause.

Nie Huaisang blew air out of his mouth. “I can’t. Da-ge took away all my painting materials. He said I should be more like you so I can’t do anything fun this trip.” 

One of Lan Wangji’s hands reached under the table and took out a tray of art supplies. A blank sheet, some ink, and a few fine brushes. He placed the materials in the center of the table and gave Nie Huaisang one solitary look before pretending like nothing happened at all. 

Nie Huaisang gasped. “Wangji-xiong! You’re the best!”

He rolled up his sleeves in delight as he handled the materials like a baby bird. All the scrolls on the desk were shoved aside to make room. 

Between all the training that young masters like them had to undergo, it was unlikely that Nie Huaisang and Lan Wangji became friends. Then again, Nie Huaisang never imagined Nie Mingjue would agree to become sworn brothers to their former advisor. The sooner Huaisang accepted life’s ironic and cruel surprises, the sooner he could move onto important things. 

Besides, Lan Wangji’s reputation, though not bad by any means, was also wildly inaccurate. 

After years of being sidelined along with him in favor of their older brothers, Nie Huaisang noticed in Lan Wangji an abundance of things no one bothered to see: a dry sense of humor, a keen sense of observation, longing for stability, and great care for those around him. What started off as a rocky acquaintanceship during their teenage years developed into a steady friendship.

It wasn’t like there were others their age who were interested in making friends. When haughty politicians gave speeches about topics outside their expertise, Huaisang and Wangji shared looks in silence. During mandatory gatherings, they gravitated towards each other to save themselves from small talk. Sometimes, on days like these, when their older brothers were doing more grandiose things, they worked together. 

As long as Lan Wangji did not mind his company, Nie Huaisang was happy working next to him.

“So you don’t have any interest in the Legend of Lotus Pier?” Nie Huaisang dipped his brush in ink. The story stuck with him.

He imagined the murky waters, with innocent looking lilypads on the surface. Depths of unknown secrets right below the top. Lotus flowers with petals barely visible in the mist. A large estate, elegant but decaying as water seeps into the bones of the dark brown wood. 

Lan Wangji flipped another page. “No.”

“Now you’re just taunting me, Wangji-xiong.”

“Not taunting. No interest in fictitious matters,” Lan Wangji explained. 

Nie Huaisang hummed. Lan Wangji was a practical man. When Huaisang recommended novels in an effort to share interests (and see if Wangji liked reading anything that wasn’t philosophy), he found that Lan Wangji stuck mainly to realistic works or, shockingly, light romances. 

“Well, what if the legend is based on something? That’s how things usually go, right? Some of the non-cultivators who don’t know any better think it’s one thing when it’s another. A lake that drags people into a cursed fog. Could be some sort of vengeful spirit or something.”

Lan Wangji thought for a moment. “There were no deaths or disappearances reported as of late.”

“Hm.” Nie Huaisang shaded in shadows on his artwork. “Alright then.” 

The library was silent save for the occasional flip of paper and movement of ink. Nie Huaisang admitted, even though studying in the Cloud Recesses was kind of a pain, Gusu Lan knew how to cultivate a tranquil environment. 

At home, there was seldom a minute’s rest! Always grunts of training warriors or his Da-ge’s authoritative bark. Nie Huaisang would defend Qinghe Nie to his death, but it didn’t kill anybody to be a little quieter sometimes. 

It made sense why meetings were always held at the Cloud Recesses or Golden Carp Tower but the calm ambiance of the library was thrown off. 

Lan Wangji looked up first, nodding at Nie Huaisang. He focused on the sounds and heard the ever-familiar chirping of birds. The chirping grew focused and drew near, until his sweet, singing swallow perched on the desk before them.

“Xiao Yanzi, back already?” Nie Huaisang tickled the underside of his favorite swallow’s neck. He held out a finger to let Xiao Yanzi perch on as he undid the piece of string around her neck.

It was a method he developed years ago when his spy network first began to branch out. Swallows were all too common, perfect to carry messages back and forth without arousing suspicion. Each letter was rolled up and attached to the back of the bird using a special knot that guaranteed a secure attachment without choking the deliverer. Plus this way, he can actually talk to people without his advisors poking their noses in.

Xiao Yanzi was a little veteran spy for Qinghe Nie. She was fast, efficient, and flew back and forth with such familiarity that she could take flight even in rainstorms if she had no letters to deliver. As his spy network grew, Xiao Yanzi was reserved for the top priority cases. As of late, her sole assignment happened to be to the best human spy Nie Huaisang employed. 

Nie Huaisang thanked his dutiful bird and sent it outside where it could feast on the Cloud Recesses’ small insect population. He smoothed out the letter. “It’s from MianMian.”

Her neat handwriting spanned one page exactly. Nie Huaisang read over the paper, relaying certain information out loud to his friend. 

“She’s doing well. Jin Guangshan has been matchmaking. A parade of ladies out the door at Golden Carp Tower, all for the first young master. Lucky him.” 

This recent trouble came from yet another bad method to solve an urgent problem. Territory was still being disputed even years after the downfall of Wen Ruohan. The spoils of the Sunshot Campaign were a hotbed of controversy- one that many leaders wanted to solve through matrimony. More specifically, seeing the prominent young masters and mistresses married off as soon as possible.

Of course, no one bothered to consider the opinions of Nie Huaisang or his peers about all of this as they were shuffled into a long line of grooms and brides-to-be. This left Nie Huaisang with little choice but to do what he did best- procrastinate for as long as possible by any means necessary.

“You assume with his favored heir preoccupied in such a way, Sect Leader Jin would be satisfied; however, the palace matchmakers are asking once again if I’ve received any new from my two suitors.” MianMian’s sarcasm was palpable. Nie Huaisang did his best to translate it aloud. 

He looked up from the letter to see Lan Wangji narrow his eyes at his book. “I sent her a letter two weeks ago.” 

“And I did three days ago. Your turn again.” Huaisang read her words over again. “If you perhaps write more than three sentences, our friend can actually do her job instead of being swarmed by prying courtesans.”

“Embellishment would be lying.”

“I know, I know. Lying is prohibited. But can’t you make it at least seem a bit more romantic than ‘you are an objectively beautiful woman’ or ‘I have not seen you in three months, which is a long time’?”  

“All those statements are the truth.”

Nie Huaisang groaned. “You make me seem like a lovesick fool in comparison! MianMian is supposed to be torn between us. You know, Wangji-xiong, I hear that this behavior only made your legion of fans even wilder to melt your icy heart.” 

“Strong emotions are discouraged in the Cloud Recesses. I follow your instructions. I refrain from pursuing a courtship with Luo Qingyang to spare your feelings.”

“Right. My definite romantic feelings for Mianmian and not my overwhelming desire to avoid marrying altogether by staging a dramatic love triangle.” Nie Huaisang took out another sheet of paper to write his response. “How we haven’t been found out is a miracle, considering your dry prose.” 

Lan Wangji gave him a look which bordered on a smirk. “I write to help preserve our unmarried status. What others fail to pick up on, or perceive incorrectly, is not my responsibility.” 

Wangji-xiong was, as usual, right. 

How all the big shots in the cultivation world rose to power was an enigma (he knew it was nepotism). They were all too busy scrambling for power and stroking each other’s egos to notice the small details. 

Nie Huaisang had no qualms feigning an unrequited romance with Lanling Jin’s lovely Maiden Luo. It made sense, considering they used to study together at the Cloud Recesses. Plus, he promised that she could join Qinghe Nie after her assignment was finished.

Nie Huaisang found it easy to evoke romantic thoughts. There was a whole chasm of emotion that Huaisang had no trouble dipping into whenever he needed to wax poetic. He didn’t know where all the words came from, chalking it up to how much romance and erotica books he perused as a student. 

But when he wrote, there was a sense of genuine feeling behind his words. It was so difficult to place, considering he wrote to a nameless subject, but he never dwelled on those strange thoughts. All that was left was to slap MianMian’s name on the letterhead and be done with it.

It was also easy to convince Wangji-xiong to follow his scheme. As much as he was a stickler for the rules, he wanted to marry least out of anybody. 

Nie Huaisang continued to scribble his letter. “Alright, I’ll tell MianMian to keep her chin up. Better than being forced to attend any more matchmaking parties.”

Lan Wangji nodded. “Send Luo Qingyang my regards.”

“Don’t I always?” With a low whistle, Xiao Yanzi was summoned back inside. Nie Huaisang rolled up the letter, tied it around the swallow’s neck, and sent it off. He leaned back on his arms and stared at the ceiling. 

“You’d think after the Sunshot Campaign we can finally catch a break. If I knew we’d be playing all these bachelor games… Da-ge is stubborn, but Xichen-ge is so smart! Hasn’t he figured out a way to establish peace between our sects without trying to auction the likes of us off to each eligible young master or mistress?”

“Marriage alliances are a common practice.” 

“At this rate, I’ll never want to get married to anyone.”

“Mn.” 

“Do you think you’ll ever fall in love, Wangji-xiong?”

“Due to your orchestration, many believe I already am.” 

Nie Huaisang threw his head back in a laugh and Lan Wangji let his face relax.

“You know, I’m not sure why I even feel so opposed to marrying. There’s no one I know who I can see myself falling in love with. Things are so messy. A marriage can solve everything. But every time Da-ge brings it up, I know in my heart the answer’s going to be ‘no.’ Which is stupid. When have I ever let my heart tell me what to do? Something is holding me back. But I can’t for the life of me figure out what it is.” 

Lan Wangji put down his book. “I understand the feeling.” 

Work forgotten, the two friends got lost in their thoughts. A rare time when they could turn off the pleasantries and just stew in their exhaustion. That was how everything has felt since the end of the Sunshot Campaign. With all their time taken up from rebuilding, alliance-making, and forced smiling, the only thing left was complete and utter exhaustion.

The late morning sunlight streamed into the Library Pavilion. Autumn in the Cloud Recesses was as pretty as Nie Huaisang remembered it being when he studied here. It felt safe. One of the few places that seemed untouched by the goings-on of the outside world. (Which was technically false, considering it was a major sect that also wanted nothing but to see it’s second young master wed to some prominent lady.) 

He liked to say it was Wangji-xiong’s presence that made Cloud Recesses comfortable, but he knew the more plausible answer. It was the one place that truly seemed free from the meddling of Jin Guangyao. 

Nie Huaisang was not against Jin Guangyao for his social origins like the rest of the world. Even after his alleged betrayal and banishment, Nie Huaisang was more or less understanding of why things happened the way they did. But after Jin Guangyao became sworn brothers with Mingjue, tensions worsened. 

Da-ge was stubborn and perhaps prone to paranoia due to saber cultivation. Even with musical therapy, his condition showed little sign of improvement. 

Lanling Jin grew in power each day, under the noses of most. Nie Mingjue was a brute, but not illogical or an idiot. He led Qinghe Nie for a reason. Nie Huaisang trusted the leader’s instincts. The more Nie Huaisang listened to his Da-ge’s warnings, the more caution he exerted around Jin Guangyao. 

Most troubling of all, MianMian reported that Jin Guangyao was the hardest to keep tabs on.

So when he entered the library pavilion with Xichen-ge, wearing a too-bright smile, Nie Huaisang sat back up and tried to look disinterested. He exchanged a wary look with Wangji-xiong. Jin Guangyao’s yellow robes swept over the dark wood as he stepped over the threshold. He bowed, not once taking his eyes off Nie Huaisang. 

It was unnerving how easy Nie Huaisang was put on edge. With a hand’s flick, his fan cloaked the frown on his face, visible only to Lan Wangji. The younger Lan’s stony face returned. They both rose to greet their seniors. 

“Nie Huaisang, Hanguang Jun. I’m glad to find you both still here.” Jin Guangyao held his bow for another second. His eyes flickered to the desk. “I see Nie-gongzi is once again in the midst of another masterpiece.”

Nie Huaisang followed his gaze. “Ah, y-you’re too kind. I am simply taking a break from my studies. Y-you said you were looking for us?” 

He looked between the two sworn brothers as they exchanged a smile. A cold sweat broke out on Nie Huaisang’s neck. He fanned himself quicker. What were they doing here? Without Da-ge either. This did not bode well.

“Nie Huaisang, I know you’ve been busy as of late. You must be tired from helping Da-ge out, what with all the meetings and sword practice he puts you through.” 

Right on the mark, but as if he’d ever let Jin Guangyao know that. “I suppose… But I do very little compared to what you and everyone else does! I mean, between you, Da-ge, Xichen-ge, even Wangji-xiong, I really am doing what is required.” 

“And you do it so well. Wouldn’t you agree, Er-ge?” Jin Guangyao turned to Lan Xichen. The eldest nodded before turning his attention back to Nie Huaisang. Something was happening before him, but what? 

Jin Guangyao approached Nie Huaisang. He was not followed by Lan Xichen, who hovered near the doorway with a pleasant, airy expression. 

Nie Huaisang looked out of the corner of his eye to Lan Wangji, whose brows were a slight bit lower than they were before. He was also concerned. 

“Thank you for the praise, but I really am not so special.”

“Now, don’t sell yourself short! I want you to know that you haven’t been overlooked. Quite the opposite, in fact. Your talents have been wasted trying to emulate Qinghe Nie’s more stringent ways of cultivation.” Jin Guangyao went on. 

“I-”

Jin Guangyao stepped closer. His actions looked slow but were executed with bizarre precision. He circled the wrist of Nie Huaisang’s fan-waving hand, preventing his retreat. With another hand, Jin Guangyao shut the fan entirely. Nie Huaisang was cornered. 

“Nie Huaisang, I am sure you are aware of the tumultuous times we are living in. You are a bright, graceful, young master. With the unpredictability of the world around us, I live in fear of the day you may no longer be safe at Qinghe Nie.” 

Impossible. Aside from the fact that his home was a fortress, difficult to breach even during wartime, Nie Mingjue never put Nie Huaisang in danger. Even with Da-ge’s condition, Nie Huaisang had the utmost faith in his brother’s longevity. He was rather insulted Jin Guangyao thought otherwise. 

Jin Guangyao continued, his voice becoming soft. A fake vulnerability. Nie Huaisang was familiar with the trick.

“This may come as a shock to you, but I am dedicated to your well-being. Deeply dedicated. I understand the impropriety of the situation, but I do hope that our familiarity excuses what I’m about to say. Nie Huaisang, I humbly request your hand in marriage.” 

Now this- this caused Nie Huaisang to almost faint, and not for show either! He pulled his hands from Jin Guangyao’s with as much force as courtesy would allow him. “Lianfang Zun! I-I don’t know what to say. Da-ge isn’t even here! I… This is quite abrupt!” 

“I can acknowledge that this is a rather unconventional proposal,” Jin Guangyao admitted, “but you must understand. Da-ge has not been in the best condition as of late. Approaching him with such a matter may only anger him more. I’ve discussed this with Er-ge and we both agreed it would be best to ask you directly. With your acceptance, it will make it easier to break the news.”

“I… I don’t know. I don’t know! I really don’t know!” Huaisang cowered behind his fan. No way was he going to marry Jin Guangyao! What was the man thinking? That Huaisang was going to conspire with him against the wishes of his own brother?

Jin Guangyao kept pressing on. For someone so observant of social courtesy, he had no issue pushing into Huaisang’s personal space right now. 

“It makes sense, Huaisang. I can care and provide for you. At Golden Carp Tower, you would be free to pursue the arts to your heart’s desire. There will be no lack of food or fineries. I have a space set aside if you’d like to cultivate a better library. As well as an abundance of funds for any shopping excursions you desire. What more could you ask for?”

“With all due respect, Lianfang Zun. I really do think you need to ask my Da-ge for permission first!” His back hit a bookcase. Whether he turned left or right, there was nowhere to hide. 

So this was how it felt, to be caught up in one of Jin Guangyao’s games. 

A low monotone sliced through the tension. “No extreme displays of affection in the Cloud Recesses.” All eyes went to Lan Wangji, who stood off to the side without so much as a hair out of place. 

“Wangji,” his older brother chided with a fond chuckle, “A-Yao has been struggling with keeping his emotions in order for a while now. It can’t be helped. I’m sure you can understand.”

Of all the top-level cultivators to be duped by their stupid love triangle story, Lan Xichen bought it too? Even Da-ge wasn’t dense enough to fall for that! Wangji-xiong, please communicate with your brother more!

“Huaisang, please. I swear to you I’ll do everything in my power to make you happy.” The voice was sweet enough to sweep anyone off their feet. Jin Guangyao was not some random cultivator from a small sect. He, despite his reputation, had a fair amount of suitors as well. 

But Nie Huaisang also was not the head-shaking fool everyone took him for either. What he heard was hollow and void. 

A great act, truly, but insincere nonetheless. 

As he shrank further into the bookcase, a large shadow appeared at the doorway. 

“What-” Two heavy stomps from the library’s entrance. The atmosphere shifted at once. Black boots shook the ground it tread on, worn by a towering figure in deep green and blazing gold- “is going on?”

“Da-ge!” Thank Guanyin! Nie Huaisang wasted no time rushing behind the back of his older brother. 

It was now Nie Mingjue who sized Jin Guangyao up as he approached the shorter man. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“Da-ge-” both Jin Guangyao and Lan Xichen started at once. 

Nie Mingjue’s chest puffed. His hands balled up into fists. “Did you think I wouldn’t be able to hear you? Care to let all of Gusu hear your unacceptable attempts at courting my younger brother? Are you trying to turn him against me?”

Lan Xichen hurried over to step in between his two sworn brothers. “Da-ge, A-Yao only did it because he knew-”

“Now is not the time for your input, Xichen!” The tone was sharp enough to make Lan Xichen back away. He wrung his hands as he stood alongside Lan Wangji. 

Nie Mingjue’s vicious glare refocused on Jin Guangyao.

“Da-ge-”

“No.” 

Jin Guangyao blinked. “Pardon?”

Nie Mingjue repeated himself. “You are not marrying Huaisang.” 

Anyone who valued their life would have backed down and offered to cut their own head off if Nie Mingjue gave them such a glare. Nie Huaisang never saw such a look on his Da-ge’s face outside the battlefield. The aura radiating off Nie Mingjue was borderline murderous. 

“I stand by what I said, Da-ge.” Jin Guangyao affirmed. 

Nie Huaisang wondered if this was the true intention of his calling a meeting at Cloud Recesses. A neutral ground. Nie Mingjue respected Lan Xichen too much to cause a big scene as he would anywhere else. 

“I do not see why there is any reason to object. Huaisang would be cared for. Protected as well as he is now at Qinghe Nie, if not better. Unless you have objections against me .”

Nie Huaisang shrunk further behind his brother’s shoulders and tried to fan his panic aside. He stared at the floor and did his best to not stain his new robes in sweat. How did such a peaceful afternoon devolve into another one of these squabbles?

Why him? Nie Huaisang was not exceptional among his peers. He made sure of that! The middle was a nice place to be! No army to lead, no audience to give speeches to, and no responsibility. A proposal this sudden… it was suspicious. Da-ge was clever enough to pick up on that as well. 

“I have objections when you act out of line. Someone as meticulous as you ought to know the proper procedure. Especially when it comes to asking Qinghe’s heir and my younger brother for his hand in marriage.” Nie Mingjue’s jaw clenched tight. “Choosing to ambush him in the middle of Cloud Recesses is a disgrace. An insult to his honor and my authority.”

Jin Guangyao squared his shoulders and braved a step forward. Nie Mingjue didn’t move back. Lan Xichen looked between them. From behind his fan, Nie Huaisang wanted nothing more than to melt into the floor. Even the blank look of solidarity from Lan Wangji did nothing to placate his anxiety.

“This humble one would like to know Huaisang’s answer.” Jin Guangyao tried to sidestep Nie Mingjue, but the larger man mirrored his every inflection.

“I don’t know…” Nie Huaisang’s arms shook. His face was bright red and he didn’t know if he should cry, faint, or both. “I don’t know. R-really, I don’t know!” 

It was night when they touched down back in Qinghe Nie. He was never happier to be in his own room. Huaisang collapsed on a bench and whined into the decorative pillow. The weight of his hair ornaments gave him a headache. His intention to dress nice was to appear reputable next to Wangji-xiong, not get surprised by a marriage proposal! 

He looked up when Nie Mingjue shut the door behind him and sat down at the table. 

Nie Huaisang’s room was one of the finest in the palace. Filled with collector’s pieces and priceless artworks, each room was self-decorated and contained no less than fifteen works of art. Some were purchased, others commissioned, and quite a few were also hand-made. Although Da-ge disliked how artistic it was, the second master’s chambers were one of the few places afforded privacy.

Da-ge’s anger turned into frustration. “Why do you entertain his proposal? You can’t actually intend to accept?”

Nie Huaisang shook his head rapidly. “No no no! Of course not, Da-ge. Tian-ah , that’s the last thing I’d want!”

“Then why?” His older brother got up to pace the room. Much like how others thought Wangji-xiong’s bored face meant all the same, Nie Mingjue’s permanent scowl was also often misjudged. Huaisang knew his brother’s particular frown today came from a place of deep concern.

“We can’t risk having us both be grumpy naysayers, now can we? I fear retaliation if I outright refuse. I’d rather we wage war in this sense than have to wage a literal war. We’re still rebuilding from the campaign! Our soldiers are tired and the people need peace. Do I like getting harassed by all the advisors about marrying? No. But I prefer it over having you be subject to incredulous negotiations with outsiders who want to take advantage of us. Your condition is already so…”

“I’m well aware!” Nie Mingjue slammed a fist down. The porcelain vases around him rattled. Without anyone else around, Nie Huaisang didn’t need to fake a flinch. “You shouldn’t be bogged down with such trivial matters. If the other leaders weren’t so focused on time wasters, we might actually get something done. Settle the land disputes. Move resources. Establish communication lines.”

“ Aiya , Da-ge. It’s because they can’t get those things done that they turn to trivial matters. Everyone’s just in it to gain the most and sacrifice the least. If we make the other sects think they can’t negotiate with us through peaceful means of matrimony, I’m afraid they might use more violent means.”

“I’d rather face them like men. The peace we have now is fragile and unreliable.”

“And I’d rather not have our army decimated and our land robbed from us. We’re in a good spot right now, Da-ge. Let everyone think that I’m really considering marriage. Whether it’s to a Jin or a Lan. It’ll buy us time so that if-” he cleared his throat- “so that when someone shows their hand, we’ll be ready.”

His speech was enough to get his brother to sit back down. Nie Mingjue rested his head on folded hands. He looked back at Huaisang. “Any updates from Lanling Jin?”

“I’m afraid it’s just business as usual. Outside of the news that I’m wanted as Jin Guangshan’s in-law.” Now that Nie Huaisang thought about it, didn’t MianMian say Jin Zixuan was already being matched? Why would Jin Guangshan pawn his illegitimate children off… unless the idea came from Jin Guangyao himself?

Nie Huaisang got up to sit across from his brother. Da-ge once again tried to convince him to strengthen his cultivation, and Huaisang once again shot him down. Rather than ending in an argument, Nie Mingjue backed down. He must feel bad about what Huaisang had to go through today. 

He wondered how long he could take advantage of his leniency. 

Nie Huaisang began to paint. Da-ge refrained from yelling at him over it. 

He started with basic elements- trees and mountains. But his thoughts begin drifting to the story he read earlier that day. The hazy lake with delicate lotuses skimming the water’s surface. He imagined the slow ripples and the creaky docks. It was haunting, almost possessing him where he forgot himself for a moment until Nie Mingjue spoke again.

“Are water-based towns your latest source of inspiration?”

“You really need to learn how to phrase things outside of a military context,” Huaisang teased. “And not exactly. Da-ge, have you heard the Legend about Lotus Pier?”

“What nonsense have you been reading again?”

“I found an old legend in the Cloud Recesses Library today. I didn’t expect them to have something so interesting! It’s about a lost sect. They say the fog traps people inside of it. I thought it sounded like something out of an exaggerated night hunt tale.”

Nie Mingjue grunted. “That sounds about right.”

An idea formulated in Nie Huaisang’s mind as he finished drawing another flower. “I actually thought there might be some basis of truth in the legend. Some great monster or spirit. Why don’t you go investigate, Da-ge?”

“What even is there to investigate?”

“It might be good for you to go on a night hunt. You love swinging your saber around! Baxia is overdue for some use other than making everyone else cower. You could use the break too.”

Nie Mingjue’s frown changed into a contemplative grimace. Nie Huaisang really wanted his brother to take a break. At least in battle, Nie Mingjue was able to take his anger out on the enemy. The same behavior couldn’t be applied to the dozens of dignitaries they entertained. 

After a few more minutes of nothing, Nie Huaisang tried again. He kept his tone nonchalant. “I’ve heard there was some unrest in the Yunmeng area. Blow off some steam! You deserve it.”

Nie Mingjue sighed. “Fine. I’ll think about it.”

“You can pretend the monsters you’re slicing in half are Jin Guangyao instead.”

Da-ge gave a hearty laugh. One that reminded Huaisang of better days. It took some of the tension away, and it was almost like they were children again, when Da-ge smiled and gave piggyback rides around the stone fortress without a care in the world. 

Nie Mingjue eventually left for his own quarters, leaving Huaisang alone. 

Late in the night, when nary a guard’s whisper was heard outside, Huaisang continued to work on his painting. The Legend of Lotus Pier stuck in his mind. Every time he closed his eyes, another stroke of inspiration came to him. He hunched over his desk as the pier came to life on paper. Every plank was vivid, each boat its own life. He saw it in more detail than the places he had been to before. He promised himself just one more line but stayed up until the candles were nothing but sad pools.

Chapter Text

A silver blade cuts through the air. It spins with accuracy and halves the falling leaves from under the tree the boy is practicing under. 

Based on the color of the leaves, Nie Huaisang knows it is early autumn in the Cloud Recesses. The sun was beginning to set, and a cool breeze blew through his white robes. He is leaning against the bark of the tree watching the boy. 

It’s hazy. He can make out robes similar to his own. Right. They are fifteen and studying in Gusu. For some reason, he’s unable to clearly make out the boy’s face. Nie Huaisang frowns and turns his eyes downward. A silver bell is tied to the boy’s robes by a purple string. It’s unrecognizable, but Nie Huaisang is not bothered. 

The boy’s movements are sharp but foreign. It is a style he’s never seen before, yet was familiar at the same time. It’s nowhere near as smooth as Gusu Lan's preferred fighting style but it neither possessed the aggression of Qinghe Nie. It’s free, flowing, and eager, like the boy was trying to reach for something right in front of him. An impossible pursuit, but striving nonetheless. 

As Nie Huaisang continued to watch he felt rather red in the face. Yet upon lifting his hand, he found himself bereft of a fan. He blinked and an uneasiness crawled over him. But when he looked back up, the boy’s demonstration was finished. 

“What’d you think, A-Sang?” 

No one he knew called him by that name. It should have been suspicious, but the only thing Nie Huaisang felt was a strange flutter in his chest. “Impressive! Way better than anything I could do.”

“Probably.” The boy is right in front of him, closer than most people dared to approach Nie Huaisang, yet the mysterious boy’s face continued to elude him. “You got anything to show me?”

He propped an arm against the tree trunk and, even though his face was a blur, Huaisang knew he was smiling. He was quite tall. As he approached, the white robes he wore revealed a lotus pattern embroidered into the fabric. With anyone else, the shorter boy would have shrunk into himself and looked away. 

Instead, Huaisang leaned into the boy’s chest and smiled too.“I have a few things in mind.” 

The boy smirked back and Huaisang was pressed further into the tree. He liked it. The boy began to lean in, and Huaisang let his eyes fall shut. He heard nothing but the pounding of his chest. 

Thump! 

Thump! Thump!

Thump!

Nie Huaisang bolted upright. His hands clutched at silken fabric, except instead of the white robes of the strange boy in his dreams, it was the pale green of his own. A sad hollowness came over him. He shoved the feeling aside as he inspected the sides of his small boat.

Another thump from a piece of driftwood. The fright in his throat calms down. 

He patted his chest to ease his nerves. How long was he rowing for, that he fell asleep already?

It was a week since Da-ge left for his night hunt. Two days since Huaisang made up a last-minute excuse to go searching for him. 

Before he left the Unclean Realm, he alerted MianMian of his plans and took enough money with him to last about a week. 

Almost every single night since Da-ge left, Huaisang slept poorly. This was yet another instance where he woke up from a mundane dream, nostalgic and dazed. The first time it happened, he almost forgot his own age. He kept expecting to blink awake back in his fifteen-year-old body, ready to start another day studying at the Cloud Recesses. 

Dreaming about the past was nothing new, but the boy he saw in them was. No matter what the situation, the dreams were all about him. What bothered Nie Huaisang most of all was how he himself acted in those dreams. He was more carefree and talked without putting his words through a filter. He didn’t remember ever meeting anyone who made him like that when he was young. The boy’s identity was a mystery, yet Nie Huaisang knew him. He was so sure of it.

So here he was, stranded in a lake with nothing but his fan and his wits. Sure there was his sword, but that was more for decoration and status than anything useful.

He wasn’t used to going on adventures by himself! Figuring out the logistics was one thing, but going out to do it was a whole other. Without attendants or guards, he traveled all by himself. He was slow on his sword and slower on foot. Traveling at night was also out of the question. Someone like him had no chance against beasts or bandits!

This morning he reached Yunmeng and was told by locals that Da-ge was spotted around a large lake nearby. No one seemed too keen on helping him out, so it was up to Nie Huaisang to take a boat and do it himself. 

Figuring out how to row was… a process, but when he got the hang of it he found it to be quite relaxing. Against the autumn sun, the water looked warm under the orange glow. A couple of flowers and lotus pods swayed in the wind. He set his fan aside to row faster. Night was approaching, and he did not want to be caught out in water when the sun set. 

From the dock, he hadn’t seen anything out of the ordinary, but as the lilies and watergrass grew in bounty, so did a strange fog that surrounded his boat. It was like he blinked, and the endless sunny waters were doused in a thick grey fog. He looked back and found nothing but fog behind him either. A chill filled the air. No matter what direction he looked it was all grey. Even the sun struggled to reach over the clouds that gathered in the sky. 

Nie Huaisang clutched his oar and began to row even faster. The lake looked so small before, where did all this extra water come from? Unless… It wasn’t possible for that old legend to be real, could it? Surely if something so sinister existed, someone would have done something by now? 

He lifted his oar to the other side and was about to dip it down again when he froze. Didn’t the legend mention something about dragging people to their watery deaths? Oh no. He was too afraid to peer over the edge of the boat and take a look into the water. What was worse, seeing nothing or seeing something? The wind and current both got rougher. 

His boat began floating on its own accord. Was that momentum from his previous rowing or from a wicked force? He held onto his oar like it was the arm of one of his guards. He wanted to cry out and beg someone to come help him, but there was no one around! 

“Da-ge?” His voice was weak. 

The fog seemed to close in around him. When did the air become so heavy? He began to hyperventilate. Everywhere he looked was grey and wet and scary! The boat’s rocking became worse as he shivered inside it. His hands hurt from his grip on the oar. 

His ears were attuned to the sounds around him, waiting for something to pop out and end him right there. He knew he should also be doing surveillance, but his eyes were immobile. There wasn’t a single part of him that wasn’t fraught with nerves. Hours seemed to pass with him stuck in that wretched boat. 

As the sun crawled further away, he saw something. First something wooden. A dock. Behind the sole visible structure were larger ones. Buildings, perhaps? He needed to get closer for a better look. On the dock were silhouettes. They looked like… people? Yes! People were a good sign! Maybe they could help him out?

Right when he was about to call for help, he felt something knock against his boat.

“Ahh!” He yelped and scrambled forward on the boat, causing it to tip forward. The imbalance forced him backward and made him trip over the seats. “Help! Help! Someone help me, please!” 

Well, at least it was enough to draw the attention of whoever was on the dock. Another scream escaped him as something was shot into his boat. He was under attack! Nie Huaisang yelled again and covered his head. A beat passed, and he realized he was fine. It was a grapple. Looking back up, he saw that the people on the dock were reeling him in like a big fish.

He gulped and got back on his seat, brushing his hair aside and sneaking a hand into his robe to reach for a talisman. As grateful as he was to have found signs of life, he also didn’t know if those who found him were friendly.

As he neared land, the fog seemed to clear up a little. What looked so dark before was suddenly illuminated by yellow lanterns. A wooden sign confirmed what he already suspected. He was in Lotus Pier.

The lost sect was more impressive than he ever imagined. Giant towers rose above him, grand in scale and design. The pier was protected by stone walls with large lotus symbols set into the stone. The symbol looked so similar to what he saw in his dreams, he questioned whether or not this was all a figment of his imagination. Everything projected a sense of sturdiness, but the abundance of pink flowers dotting the area provided Lotus Pier with a sort of innocence. It was nowhere near as frightening as the legend made it seem. 

The sprawling network of docks held the shadow of a bustling lake-side community, but it was all barren now except for three figures standing at the edge of the furthest dock. The tallest one reeled Nie Huaisang in. As he got closer, he was able to make out their details.

There was the one pulling- a pale man with long black hair that fell down to his waist. Rather strange that he didn’t pin it up with anything. Next to him was a woman. Her sharp eyes watched Nie Huaisang’s every movement, and he felt himself sit up straighter as a result. Finally, there was a small child. He hid behind the woman, clutching her legs like Nie Huaisang did his oar. 

But what stuck out most wasn’t the threat of their belonging to a mythical lost sect, but rather a real lost sect. Though Nie Huaisang stayed far away from the battlefront during the Sunshot Campaign, he knew what a Wen looked like when he saw one. He’d been to Nightless City before and he recognized the woman. 

There was a quick decision to be made: did he pretend like he had no clue who they were, or risk a confrontation? They didn’t seem dangerous, although the woman looked a bit scary. Any prominent Wen official was killed years ago. Lanling Jin finished the rest of the judicial procedures. No one’s made a peep about them, except in reference to their past crimes. Now that he was closer, it was clear the tall man reeling him in didn’t have pupils. It would have been enough to make Nie Huaisang leap out of his boat and pathetically swim away if it weren’t for the small child that, as he neared, seemed very excited to see him. 

“New friend? New friend?” The child tugged on the woman’s robes.

Her steely gaze dropped for a moment to give the boy a gentle look. “We’ll see, A-Yuan.”

“Thank you, thank you so much!” Nie Huaisang bowed profusely once he was helped up by the tall man. His hands were cold and callous. “I-I didn’t realize people lived here.”

“Not many do,” the woman responded. “Who are you?”

“I-I’m Nie Huaisang. I’m here to look for my brother. H-have you seen him?” Nie Huaisang was well aware of his position. One wrong move and these guys can push him back off the pier just like that! 

The woman glared at him but was nudged by the man beside her. “Jie… I think he’s really lost.” 

There were a lot of questions racing through Nie Huaisang’s mind. Was this really the Lotus Pier of the legends? If so, how? Why were there members of Qishan Wen living here if it was Lotus Pier? And, most important of all, where was his Da-ge?

“I promise I’m here just to find my brother. He’s tall? Usually kind of angry and carries a big saber around? If you can point me to him I promise we’ll be on our way-”

“Enough.” The woman held up her hand. 

She sighed and handed off the small boy to the other man. Nie Huaisang tried not to stare at the tall man too much. He was still shaken from his boat ride and wasn’t sure if his heart could take any more surprises. 

“You can save all your questions for the Sect Leader. Follow us.” She began to walk away without so much as another glance at him. 

The tall man followed her. He looked strange with the child in his arms. Though black lines crawled up his neck and his eyes were blank, he had delicate features and a rather timid demeanor. The man offered Nie Huaisang a sympathetic look. It was enough to get Nie Huaisang’s legs moving.

The walk to the inner residence filled Nie Huaisang with dread. Sect Leader? But it was said that Jin Guangyao killed Wen Ruohan himself! Even Da-ge confirmed the tyrant’s death. Unless there was some new threat looming within this fog? The last lines of  the Legend of Lotus Pier echoed in his mind. 

He was led around wooden barriers, many of which had strange talismans on them. Nie Huaisang fiddled with his fan behind his back. He got the feeling that the few talismans of his own wouldn’t be enough to overpower whoever he was dealing with here. They walked past many rooms, all empty. 

The deeper he went in, the less foggy it became. The setting sun actually managed to peek through, and it was rather beautiful. Purple drapes decorated much of the interior, all bearing the same lotus icon. The smell of lakeside flowers permeated the air. Outdoor spaces between walkways were filled with tasteful rock arrangements and ponds of flowers as well. 

If he didn’t know any better, it was almost like paying visits to any other cultivation sect. The child perched on the tall man’s shoulders looked back at him as they walked with big round eyes. Huaisang couldn’t help but offer the boy a smile. 

He was taken into a grandiose main hall. There were wooden sculptures and folding screens off to the side, all in the same lotus aesthetic as the rest of the sect. Though nothing compared to the throne, which was carved into the shape of a large lotus. It was one of the most ambitious woodwork projects he’d ever encountered. 

Though there were clearly Wens before him, nothing about his surroundings held traces of Qishan Wen's influence. Where in the world did he stumble into?

“A-Ning, go check in with our other guest. You-” the woman turned her gaze to Nie Huaisang- “wait here.”

The two went off in different directions. They must be very trusting to leave Huaisang alone in their main hall like this. There wasn’t a single guard or attendant around. He looked around a bit more but found nothing out of the ordinary other than the sheer grandeur of his surroundings. A lot of the furniture seemed dusty and unused, but in a better state rivaled the rooms found in the big three sects. 

He wasn’t allowed to linger for long. Two pairs of footsteps approached. Nie Huaisang did his best to look presentable. He regretted dressing modestly, but how was he supposed to know he'd meet so many important people on his trip? He smoothed out his green robes and readjusted the small crown in his hair. 

By the time he turned around, the woman was back with someone new. Nie Huaisang could tell at once he in charge. The Sect Leader was a lean man wearing violet robes. His hair was pulled together in a tight updo held together by a purple ribbon and he walked with an authoritative step. 

The sharpness of the man’s eyes fell away as soon as he saw Nie Huaisang. The man stopped in his tracks and his thin brows shot up. His mouth hung open a little. A series of emotions passed through his grey eyes as he spoke in a whisper, “Huaisang?” 

A sudden embarrassment came over Nie Huaisang. His heart gave a confused leap. He kowtowed at once. 

“I apologize for the intrusion! I-I am the Second Master of Qinghe Nie, Nie Huaisang. I come in here in search of my brother, Sect Leader Nie Mingjue.”

He fixated on the floor, cold sweat running down his neck. His hair curtained the sides of his face as he maintained his bow. 

The man walked up until his black boots were visible under Huaisang’s nose. “Get up.”

The silver bell did not escape his notice, nor did the purple ring around his finger. A spiritual weapon, by the looks of it.

Huaisang bowed again before he obliged. His back muscles hurt from how tense they were. He rolled his shoulders back and flicked his fan over his face. 

The man continued to scrutinize him. His grey eyes looked up and down, thin brows knit together as his lips thinned in a frown. He looked like he wanted to say a lot, but didn’t. The people here probably were not used to having visitors at all. “I am the Sect Leader of Yunmeng Jiang, Jiang Cheng. Welcome to Lotus Pier.”

“Yunmeng Jiang? ” But the Yunmeng area was under the jurisdiction of Lanling Jin. Saying it out loud though, the words were familiar. It just sounded right. Like a long-forgotten fact. 

Sect Leader Jiang sighed. He stopped looking so… angry? It was hard to tell, but Nie Huaisang was fascinated. Though the sect leader's introduction was authoritative in nature, he was also stiffer than most leaders. The scowl on his face reminded Huaisang of his brother, but the looks were not identical. Sect Leader Jiang looked less like he was mad at others- his frown suggested a different kind of stress. 

“Oh, great and powerful Sect Leader? I hear we have another guest!” A nasally sing-song voice came from outside. A new face popped his head in from the doorway. “Eh? Nie Huaisang?”

Nie Huaisang’s name sure traveled around fast! He couldn’t remember the last time people paid him so much attention. It was a terrible feeling! How did all of his peers handle it? He didn't know if he preferred this or being proposed to again. On second thought, no he definitely did not want Jin Guangyao to come sweeping in with another proposal!

Another man swept inside the room with a spring in his step and poorly arranged black robes. His hair was tied up carelessly with a red ribbon. A couple of blank talisman sheets were stuck on various parts of his arms and body, but he didn’t seem to notice. A bell was also attached to his waist. He stopped right beside Sect Leader Jiang, whose face turned into an outright look of disgust at this new person’s arrival. 

Said new person wore a smile and elbowed the sect leader in the ribs. 

Sect Leader Jiang swatted his hand away. “Wei Wuxian!”

They must have been close. Nie Huaisang never saw someone act so brazen. A sudden bout of nostalgia pricked his mind. 

“G-greetings to this master as well! This one is indeed Nie Huaisang. I-I’m here to-” Nie Huaisang lifted his head from the bow- “Da-ge!” 

Not far behind the black-robed man was Nie Mingjue. He looked no worse for wear than when Nie Huaisang saw him off a week ago, if only a bit tired. What an absolute relief! 

“Huaisang! What are you doing here?” Nie Mingjue rushed up to him, a firm hand placed on his shoulder.

“What do you think? You’ve been gone nearly a week! I hope you finished killing whatever you came here for, because we need to go back to the Unclean Realm right away. I can’t take any more work!” Since his brother was alive, safe, and still able to wield a saber, Nie Huaisang was able to cower behind his broad stature again. 

“Ooh. I don’t think that’s going to be that easy.” The black-robed man, Sect Leader Jiang called him Wei Wuxian, spoke again. From a stranger, his words at face value seemed threatening but they held no malice. Wei Wuxian looked sheepish and he kept glancing over like he knew something Nie Huaisang didn’t. 

“Da-ge? What’s going on?” Huaisang retreated to what he knew and trusted, and the only thing filling such a description was Nie Mingjue.

His brother huffed. “I’m still trying to work out all the details myself. But from what I gather, I don’t think we can both leave.” 

Sect Leader Jiang pinched his brows and brushed past all of them to sit at his throne. Well if that wasn’t a familiar sight. Nie Huaisang was beginning to think this was some elaborate trick to get him to attend an actual meeting for once. 

“Get someone to bring tea for our guests and close the doors,” Sect Leader Jiang instructed. He massaged his temple with two fingers. His concentration tore between gazing at Nie Huaisang and the floor. “We’re sorting this out right now.”

“So the legends are true?” Nie Huaisang took another sip from his teacup. Any other day he’d be fawning over the delicate china, but his mind was preoccupied with a million other things about curses and numbers.

“We’re not too sure about any legends. Not exactly in a spot to be hearing rumors from the outside, but what we’ve told you is true.” Wei Wuxian explained. He forwent the tea and was draining cup after cup of fragrant alcohol. “Fourteen people have to stay here at all times. Since we were already down one when Sect Leader Nie stumbled in here, your arrival means that only one of you can leave.” 

Nie Huaisang, his brother, Sect Leader Jiang, and Wei Wuxian sat around a table. The woman from earlier came by to drop off refreshments but left. Was Da-ge able to tell if they were Wens? He wanted to ask, but the risk of provoking their hosts was too great. 

The conversation they had in the hall was more like a lecture. Unlike the ones held at Cloud Recesses, this stuff was interesting and actually mattered. Also unlike what he was told at the Cloud Recesses, the Legend of Lotus Pier held more truth than fiction. Sect Leader Jiang, his adoptive brother, and eleven others were stuck inside their residence, bound by a magical mist that surrounded the area. 

“An elderly resident passed away three weeks ago, so we were owed one person. It was bad luck that brought Sect Leader Nie, and now you, here.” Sect Leader Jiang continued the explanation. 

“Indeed it was. How did a situation like this even befall your sect?” Nie Mingjue asked. 

Sect Leader Jiang and Wei Wuxian exchanged a solemn look. 

“The details aren’t relevant. Lotus Pier is not interested in holding anyone here against their will. Whenever fishermen came here by accident, they were all free to come and go at will.” Sect Leader Jiang continued.

“More like they were all ready to go in a heartbeat,” Wei Wuxian corrected. Sect Leader Jiang glared at him.

“You two are in a unique position. I wish you were both able to go back to Qinghe Nie, I really do.” Sect Leader Jiang finished. He hadn’t taken a sip of tea all night. It was already night, from how long they sat talking. 

Candles flickered at every corner of the room. Wei Wuxian used a special flame talisman to light them all. He was also most likely the one who set up all the other strange seals that hid around the pier. A silence settled over the room as each person deliberated their own plan. 

Nie Huaisang didn’t need to think too hard before standing up. “I’ll stay. Da-ge has to get back to Qinghe.”

Nie Mingjue put his hand down on the table. The fragile cups rattled. “Absolutely not. I’m not letting you get trapped here.”

“It’s a very plain decision, Da-ge. It’s either you or me, and the Unclean Realm needs its Sect Leader.”

“It is my duty above all else to protect you-”

“It is your duty to make sure the Qinghe Nie survives!” Nie Huaisang raised his voice. Both Sect Leader Jiang and Wei Wuxian reeled back from his outburst. 

He could pretend for hours that it was about his inability to handle work, his poor cultivation, or any other excuse he’s used before, but the truth was plain to them both. “You know how precarious our situation. People won’t notice if I’m gone for a while. They will if you are.”

Nie Mingjue looked like he wanted to protest, but Nie Huaisang kept talking. “You have duties and people who are looking to you, Da-ge. Tell them I’ve run away to buy some more jewelry or fans. Anyone will believe it.”

“You are also vital for the survival of Qinghe Nie, Huaisang.”

“I can do my work from here.” Huaisang elaborated upon his brother’s confused look. He lowered his voice. “ MianMian knows where I am. Xiao Yanzi can find me as well. You should go.”

The matter was settled. It was not like Nie Mingjue had much evidence to support his argument anyway. Soon, Da-ge was on a boat loaded with enough supplies to last him a month. They both decided it was best he got moving at once. He dallied long enough already, and the longer Qinghe Nie was left leaderless, the likelier it was someone else would take advantage of that. Nie Mingjue was advised against flying out in case the fog blinds him in the night. By boat was the safest way in and out of the mist. Everything was all arranged and provided by Sect Leader Jiang.

“Consider it the least we can do for you,” Sect Leader Jiang said. “I’m… sorry, it had to come to this.”

Nie Mingjue checked all his supplies three times over and kept making promises to Nie Huaisang about coming back. “As soon as I get back, I’ll let everyone know what is going on here. Sect Leader Jiang, I promise you Qinghe Nie will do all it can to help free you from this wickedness. Nie Huaisang, be safe. I trust you, but… take care of yourself.”

In a rare moment of vulnerability, Nie Mingjue pulled Nie Huaisang into an awkward hug before climbing down to his boat. With a push, Nie Mingjue was rowing out into the moonlit pond. Nie Huaisang stood at the edge of the dock, hands restless under his sleeves. The light of the lanterns stretched until the boat melted into the fog. 

When he turned around, he realized that both Wei Wuxian and Sect Leader Jiang were still waiting for him. Nie Huaisang was going to apologize, but the sect leader cut him off.

“You can stay in one of our guest quarters. Wei Wuxian will show you the way. If you are in need of anything, ask. You will be given a tour of Lotus Pier tomorrow to familiarize yourself.” The little speech sounded planned. It was very formal and stiff, but also rather endearing.

Without waiting for a response, Sect Leader Jiang stalked off towards the inner residence at a brisk pace. The yellow lantern light reflected off his ring and brought out the hues of his purple robes. 

“Thank you, Sect Leader Jiang.” 

Nie Huaisang’s words caused the man’s step to falter. He turned his face, not enough to look back, but it allowed Nie Huaisang to admire his side profile. A sharp jawline. Steady eyes that studied the rippling waters. “You- Just… Just call me Jiang Cheng.” 

“Jiang Cheng,” Nie Huaisang repeated in a soft intonation. How bold of the sect leader to allow such familiarity. There was a small nagging in Nie Huaisang's mind again. “Thank you.”

Jiang Cheng closed his eyes and sighed. Nie Huaisang fiddled with his fan as he watched Jiang Cheng walk on without another glance back. 

Someone cleared their throat next to him. Right! Wei Wuxian was still standing there. “Jiang Cheng’s like that. He can be a real grouch sometimes. Don’t worry. He’ll warm up to you in no time.” 

Eh? What was that supposed to mean?

With a wave of his hand, the way someone might beckon to an old friend, Wei Wuxian led Nie Huaisang to the guest rooms. 

“Sorry if they’re a bit dusty. We weren’t expecting guests… ever, but hey! I’m always one to try new things. This is probably weird for you, but it’s not so bad around here. Think of it like when we had sleepovers at the Cl- like you’re having a sleepover! At another sect! Ahaha...” Wei Wuxian scratched his nose. 

Nie Huaisang nodded along, unable to focus on the words. His own exhaustion betrayed him. It was odd. Here he was in a strange sect, trapped by an unspecified curse, and surrounded by strangers. He shouldn’t be feeling like he was ready to fall asleep at one of his friend's homes! Wei Wuxian sure was chatty, but their one-sided conversation was nice to listen to. 

“Shijie will give you a tour tomorrow morning. She’s great! I’m sure she’ll be glad to see you! It’s been too long since- since we’ve gotten any visitors! Yes, too long. Hey, Huaisang?”

“Hm?”

“Don’t worry about being here, okay? I can tell you more tomorrow. I’m sure you’re dying to know. You love a good story, don’t you? And you know Jiang Cheng would do whatever you want if you ask. So don’t… don’t be a stranger here, is what I’m trying to say. Does that make sense?”

Somehow, Nie Huaisang knew exactly what he meant. 

He was settled into an elegant guest suite without any more fuss. There were plenty of amenities and nice decor to make the room spacious and comfortable. Someone must have prepared the room ahead of time, as there were additional blankets placed atop the bed. They were even green. Huh.

“Here you are! Let us know if you need anything. Goodnight, Huaisang!”

“Goodnight, Wei-xiong.” It slipped out by accident. Nie Huaisang didn’t even know where it came from, and he was about to apologize had Wei Wuxian not given him the brightest grin and shut the door. 

The day must be wearing on him. Nie Huaisang put his head in his hands and let out the groan he was holding in for the past three hours. 

A chirp from the window caught his attention after he changed into sleeping robes. A silver lining at last! Xiao Yanzi was back with a letter from MianMian acknowledging her reception of his previous letter. There were no pens in the room, so he ventured outside to fetch one. Nie Huaisang quickly wrote back letting her know that he was safe and going to be stuck in Lotus Pier (which was a real place and really cursed, so she should tell Wangji-xiong that he was wrong for once in his life) for a while. He lifted his finger and let the swallow take off into the night sky.

He slipped back in his room without drawing attention. The frigid lakeside air clung to his thin robes. He swaddled himself in the many blankets he was given. The window next to his bed offered a semi-clear view of the sky. Nie Huaisang dozed off whilst gazing at the moon, thinking of it’s semblance to a silver bell. 

Chapter Text

“I know it can be a little daunting, but Lotus Pier gets easier to navigate once you walk around a bit more,” Jiang Yanli explained. “You’re welcome to wander where you’d like, save for the Sect Leader’s Quarters.”

Nie Huaisang fanned himself slowly as he strolled next to her. "What's in the Sect Leader's Quarters?"

Jiang Yanli caught her mistake, giving a polite laugh. "A-Cheng likes his privacy."

Interesting. Nie Huaisang made a note to investigate it later. “I really appreciate you showing me around!”

“I hope I did a good job at explaining all the artwork and antiques. I’m not much of an expert, but I figured you’d want to see them. I hope I didn’t bore you too much.”

“Not at all! It was more than I could have asked for.” Nie Huaisang reassured her. He smiled as the two walked along the inner ponds. The drab mid-morning air did little to service the loveliness of the lotus flowers, but it was refreshing nonetheless with his guide by him. 

Nie Huaisang figured the Jiang family was hospitable, but he didn’t expect to be treated so well. He was already up when a young woman came in with a tray full of food, introducing herself as Yunmeng Jiang’s co-leader, caretaker, and older sister of Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng,  Jiang Yanli. She wore soft purple robes with the same silver bell as her brothers and possessed a much gentler demeanor than the woman from last night. 

She apologized for not greeting him sooner and kept him company all through breakfast. They were now on a tour around Lotus Pier. It was a massive estate. The emptiness exacerbated its vastness.

“Pardon me for asking, Jiang Yanli, but I am curious to know more about the circumstances that caused your sect to end up in such a situation.” Out of everyone he’s met, she was the least intimidating person to ask. 

Jiang Yanli nodded. Her face fell but retained a gentle openness. “What A-Cheng and A-Xian told you was the bulk of it. We have been here for the past five years. There’s not many of us left, but we do what we can to get by.” 

Nie Huaisang hummed behind his fan. “How do you get food and resources?”

“I manage most of the household necessities. We were able to start farming some things. A-Xian took to the task quite well. Ah, but A-Cheng sticks more to the logistics. You know how they are.”

He did? On second thought, it did make sense. 

Wei-gongzi was rather relaxed. Huaisang could see him working the dirt, catching fish, or hunting pheasants. Sect Leader Jiang, on the other hand, looked his part. There was still youthfulness about him, since he was apparently the youngest of the Jiang family, but he was also serious about his role and image. 

“It must be difficult to maintain a property so large with so few people. Are the talismans around the pier also to help out?” Nie Huaisang asked as if it was just a random thought that came across his mind.

Jiang Yanli gave him a knowing smile. “I figured you might ask about that. We’re on our way now to my brother’s workshop. I’m sure A-Xian can answer any questions you might have about that.”

That was the other thing. Most everyone he’s met treated him like he was an estranged family member. They knew all the names he went by and anticipated all his needs and wants. It was scary how comfortable he found himself with them as well. He wanted to get to know his hosts, but each new piece of information seemed obvious to him. 

He went back and forth between feeling put-off and easygoing. Jiang Yanli took a sharp turn. The wooden rooms gave way to an open area that was further from the main living areas. A narrow walkway resembling a beaten bridge's path stretched out between the water. At the end was a single room. 

She walked first and knocked twice on the door, which was covered in an assortment of different talismans. Nie Huaisang recognized none of them. Some glowed red while others were dormant. 

“Come in!” Wei Wuxian’s shout came across. After several of the talismans stopped glowing, and several others started, Jiang Yanli opened the door. “Shijie! Huaisang! Watch your step!”

Nie Huaisang lingered at the edge of the entrance. It was the best spot to marvel at the mess before him. Millions of papers and strange objects scattered the floor. There were rocks, twigs, brushes, and were those old bloodstains? Wei Wuxian sat in the middle of the floor with the child from yesterday in his lap. He looked about as put-together as he did last night- hair in his face and legs kicked out in front of him.

Jiang Yanli navigated through everything on the ground and gave her brother a pat on the head. Wei Wuxian beamed up at her before turning his attention to the child. “A-Yuan, we have visitors! What do we say when we have visitors?”

The child on his lap, A-Yuan, blinked at Nie Huaisang with big grey eyes. “Hello! Come watch step!” Wei Wuxian waved his little arms in the air. 

A-Yuan allowed himself to be puppeteered by Wei Wuxian. The child played with the ends of Jiang Yanli’s skirts as she brushed aside some of the hair in front of Wei Wuxian’s face. 

They were so familiar with one another. Da-ge used to be a lot more informal around Nie Huaisang when they were younger. For all of Lanling Jin’s wealth and Gusu Lan’s spirituality, the closeness of the Nie brothers was always a point of pride for him. After the death of their father, though, Mingjue was less tolerant of Huaisang’s ineptitude. An understandable change in their relationship, but seeing Jiang Yanli be so open with her martial brother was reassuring. It was nice to know families like that still existed, even if they were hidden away.

Maybe they were able to thrive because they were hidden away.

“Huaisang had some questions I think are better suited for you, A-Xian. After you’re done here, come find me in the main hall, Huaisang. You remember your way, right?” Jiang Yanli smiled again like she knew his answer.

“Of course. Thank you so much, Jiang-guniang.” Nie Huaisang bowed and stepped aside as she walked back the way they came. 

Wei Wuxian was scribbling something down on paper, uncaring of how the ink-stained parts of his hands and face. Nie Huaisang understood how easily one could be absorbed in a project.

“I can’t answer your questions with the door open like that, Nie-xiong. Don’t be shy! Come on, there’s a clear space right-” Wei Wuxian stopped his writing to sweep aside the clutter- “here!”

A-Yuan also reached forward to mimic Wei Wuxian. His tiny palm patted the empty space. “Come watch step!” 

Nie Huaisang obliged. “Ah, th-thank you Wei-gongzi.” He needed to watch his words after his careless address of Wei Wuxian as “-xiong” last night. 

Wei Wuxian chuckled. “Not sure if I qualify as a young master anymore, but you can drop the pretenses. Here in my workshop, the only thing that matters is innovation and making sure A-Yuan doesn’t explode. You won’t explode, right A-Yuan?”

He held the child up to his face and made a bunch of faces at him. A-Yuan clapped and giggled. If Wei Wuxian was trying to get Nie Huaisang to relax, it worked. He dropped his fan in his lap. 

“Explode? Is that what some of your talismans do?” Nie Huaisang looked at some of the papers on the floor. The characters seemed traditional but were all wrong. Some were written upside down, had an extra line, or a line missing. 

“Sometimes. That’s why I’m stationed away from the others,” Wei Wuxian answered. “I’ve got a whole book cataloging the results. It’s around here somewhere, I think. Eh. It always pops up when I need it. If you’re wondering about the ones I have posted around the pier, they’re supposed to keep people like you out.”

“O-oh! I, uh, I’m-” 

Wei Wuxian snickered. “Relax, relax! I was teasing. Kind of. Some are deterrents to prevent people from accidentally wandering in the fog. We’ve had enough scared fishermen come by and yell at us. Others are protective barriers. Keeps away strangers with bad intentions or nasty spells of their own. And some we just use for extra lighting.” 

If Wei Wuxian was so confident in his ability to deter outsiders, how was Nie Huaisang able to get in? He was a stranger, and his sect wasn't exactly known for their delicate ways of handling things. Now that he thought about it, how in the world did Da-ge manage to get stuck here? 

Instead of asking that, Nie Huaisang asked, “Do you work on talismans here all day?”

“Not all the time. My main job is finding a way to bust us out of this fog.”

Nie Huaisang didn’t have to ask how that process was going. From how the room was arranged, most of the discarded trinkets were likely failed attempts.

“That’s very noble of you.”

“I don’t do it for the glory,” Wei Wuxian chuckled. “Without my sword, my cultivation options are a bit limited. Still, I gotta try and do something. ‘Reach for the impossible,’ as we like to say around here.”

No swords? Thinking back, no one in Lotus Pier seemed to carry swords. At first it can be assumed they don’t cultivate with swords, but Wei Wuxian admitted he owned one before. 

“Do you not have a sword?”

“I did. Don’t anymore. The details aren’t too important. Hey! Do you want to see the latest thing I’ve been working on?” Wei Wuxian got up. Though he put A-Yuan down, the small boy latched onto his legs. Wei Wuxian didn’t mind the weight and picked up a round metallic object hanging on the wall. “I haven’t tested it out yet, but I’ve been thinking about the mechanics of a compass that can point out the direction of evil creatures? Pretty handy if you’re night hunting, right?”

“Night hunting?” Nie Huaisang hated those! “Are there still things to night hunt here?” 

“Of course not!” Wei Wuxian scoffed. “Haven’t you seen all the talismans I’ve posted? Not even a possessed fly can get in. I’m planning this for after.”

“Wei-xiong is optimistic.” 

“Someone’s gotta be. No way am I letting Jiang Cheng and Shijie stew here forever. I owe it to them and to… to everyone else.”

“You mean the other residents?”

Wei Wuxian looked confused for a moment. “Oh, yes! Yes, the other residents, haha.” 

Speaking of other residents, Nie Huaisang glanced down at the boy clinging onto Wei Wuxian’s legs for dear life. A-Yuan. How interesting that, of the names he’s learned so far, he never did catch the surname of his initial rescuers. 

Wei Wuxian continued to tell the story behind each of his discoveries. After five years, he’s racked up quite the impressive repertoire of mystical tools. Most of the stories involved Sect Leader Jiang in some capacity. 

“There was a time when a light talisman went wrong and Jiang Cheng ended up glowing orange for two whole days! Hahaha oh! And this was from when I tried to revive a dead plant but it ended up with a lilypad stuck on Jiang Cheng’s ass for the day. You should’ve seen his face!” Wei Wuxian laughed as he told each tale. 

“Should we be cursing in front of a child?” Nie Huaisang looked down at A-Yuan, who was hanging off every word and laughing along.

“Crap, Wen Qing’s gonna kill me,” Wei Wuxian muttered. He stooped down to A-Yuan’s height and looked him in the eye. He spoke loud and slow, “A-Yuan? You remember what to tell people when they ask you where you learned words from?”

A-Yuan nodded. “From Purple-gege.”

Wei Wuxian clicked his tongue and winked. “I teach him well.” 

The name Wei Wuxian said under his breath stood out. This was Nie Huaisang's chance, while Wei Wuxian was being lax. “Your younger brother sure seems attached to you.” 

“Jiang Cheng?” Wei Wuxian frowned. He followed Nie Huaisang’s glance. “Oh! Haha, A-Yuan isn’t my younger brother. He sure takes after my dashing looks though, doesn’t he?”

Things were getting somewhere now. Nie Huaisang covered his mouth and let out a small gasp. “Oh, I apologize. I didn’t mean to assume. It’s just… how did a child so small end up here anyway? I saw him yesterday with two others when I first rowed in. A woman and a rather pale-looking man. I don’t believe I got their names. I really do need to thank them for saving me.”

Wei Wuxian stopped tinkering and shifted the leg A-Yuan was on. “Ah… I’m sure you’ll see them around.”

Nie Huaisang debated whether or not he should push for more answers. He didn’t want to upset his hosts, but there was a gnawing at his mind about the true identities of Lotus Pier’s other residents. Jiang Yanli breezed through the other residential areas on their tour. When he got close to talking to them for too long, she swept him away to see the art instead.

Best to start vague and see if Wei Wuxian would slip up more information again. “Are they disciples of the Jiang Sect? I couldn’t tell because they aren’t wearing purple and they don’t have those nice bells you wear either.” 

“No, they aren’t.” Wei Wuxian answered, short on words all of a sudden.

The name of their true heritage was at the tip of both their tongues. “How strange.”

Wei Wuxian looked at A-Yuan, who looked confused. The child sucked on his thumb and swayed as he buried half his face in Wei Wuxian’s black robes. Wei Wuxian sighed. “I know what you're thinking and I swear it’s not like that. Despite their surname, they don’t have anything to do with Wen Ruohan or what he did.” 

How unexpected of Wei Wuxian to dive right into the topic! Nie Huaisang threw up his fan at once. “I didn’t- I wasn’t trying to say-”

Wei Wuxian looked at him as if he should know better. 

It made Nie Huaisang look away in shame. He expected to be kicked out- if that was even possible. 

He didn’t anticipate resignation from his host. “Look, Huaisang. You’re one to appreciate a good story. I think you should go ask Wen Qing herself. You can find her in the medical room.” 

Nie Huaisang nodded. He was used to being a bit shameless. From crying on the shoulders of other leaders to begging his Da-ge to give him a day off, he’s done a lot worse in front of a greater number of people. Still, he didn’t like the sudden distance Wei Wuxian put between them. It was worse than his initial familiarity. 

Nie Huaisang bowed. “Thank you, Wei-gongzi. I-I’m really sorry if I stepped out of line. I’ll go, I’ll go now.” 

“Hey, Nie-xiong?” 

There it was again. Nie Huaisang stopped. Turning back, he saw warmth return to the grey of Wei Wuxian’s eyes. A silent peace offering of sorts. 

“Everyone stuck here is on the same boat. If you want to hop out as soon as possible, I get that. But, and correct me if I’m being presumptuous, I don’t think you’re the type of person to jump ship when it matters.”

What was that supposed to mean? Nie Huaisang drew his fan over his face. It wasn’t a threat. What was it then? An invitation? Were the Jiangs’ area of expertise in human philosophy that they pinpointed Nie Huaisang’s existence so well? 

“I’m not sure what you mean, Wei-gongzi.”

Instead of prying further, Wei Wuxian’s lazy smile returned. He picked A-Yuan back up and over his shoulder. “Okay, Nie-xiong. Don’t worry about it.” 

When he closed the door to Wei Wuxian’s workshop, the glowing pattern on the door changed once more.

Nie Huaisang sat on a wooden stool at a round table. The workspace, despite being more organized with important-looking substances, was also lacking in quantity. Not as stocked as the room Wei Wuxian worked in. The air held a consistent herb smell that no doubt lingered on fabric. 

The scary woman from yesterday- Wen Qing- sat across from him. She held a stone mortar and was crushing something in it with a pestle. She's been at it like she wanted to squash a million insignificant bugs under her fist for a while. When she did speak, the crushing got worse. “I don’t owe you anything.”

“You don’t! I’m sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking. I don’t!” 

His cowering didn’t impress her. She stopped her grinding to fix him a bored look. “Here’s the deal. I’ll tell you what I know if I get something in return.”

Right down to business then. Nie Huaisang should have expected this, coming from someone like her. “What do you mean?”

“I saw you last night, outside. You were sending messages with a bird.”

Crap. So she was watching. “I don’t know what you’re trying to say.”

She gave him another glare. “I’m a doctor. The only doctor here. I have my own experiments and supply needs that no one else understands. If there’s someone you know who I can communicate with to discuss healing herbs, I’d like to be introduced to them. Maybe even establish a supply line. Are you understanding me?” 

Nie Huaisang’s first instinct was to say no. He would be compromising his whole communication line. To a Wen, no less! He may be easily intimidated, but he wasn’t clueless. What if she used his bird to reach someone else? If she saw him last night, what other methods of spying could she be aware of? No. No way!

He first tried denying that he was outside last night. She must have seen something else. He wasn’t wandering around! Where would he even get a bird? Really, it was probably a trick of the mist or something.

“Stop. Enough!” She rubbed her temple. Nie Huaisang knew that motion. It was the same one his brother gave him whenever he was a little too annoying. Were all older siblings this always like this? “You came here looking for answers from me, okay? I have no intention of hurting anyone. I am a doctor. I save lives. I just want to speak with someone who can get me more medical supplies.”

Going over her reasonings in his head, it made sense. A lot of the residents he saw so far were all sickly or elderly. Though many containers filled the room, a lot of them looked near-empty. Even the herbs she crushed in her mortar weren't enough to fill a small teacup.

She huffed and started talking. “Yes, my name is Wen Qing. I was a doctor in Qishan Wen. I was not nor am I now interested in politics. My family and I were never involved in any of what Wen Ruohan did. When he died, we were captured and tortured by Lanling Jin’s prison camps. I only managed to save a few and run here-”

Nie Huaisang had to stop her. “I-I’m sorry, did you say tortured? By Lanling Jin?”

Wen Qing narrowed her eyes. “What did you think was going on? Of course, I did not expect anyone to care. I get it. We bear this name and thus we bear the wrath of the entire cultivation world.”

This was news. From what MianMian told him, the remnants of Qishan Wen were dealt with ages ago. Then again, it could’ve been entirely possible that it was kept secret. Or maybe Wen Qing was lying.

“You don’t have to believe me. Most wouldn’t. It took Sect Leader Jiang a whole year to come around, but you’ve seen the proof.”

“Proof?” 

“My brother, Wen Ning. He fished you in when you were crying in your boat yesterday. I know you saw him too. He’s a fierce corpse who regained consciousness. I carried his dead body for four days straight until we got to Lotus Pier. We all owe the Yunmeng Jiang a great deal for taking us in, and Wei Wuxian, for helping him.” 

Fascinating! Bringing a fierce corpse back to consciousness? How was that even possible? What in the world could have happened to Wen Ning for him to end up like this? Nie Huaisang tried to remember if there were any specifics about what happened to all the Wens after the war, but he could only recall vague promises of justice before the infighting began.

Wen Qing went on. “When we got here, Lotus Pier was in pretty bad shape. It was three years ago. Jiang Yanli was very sick. I didn’t think it was possible to see a sect in such a state beside ours. When we got here, the only members of Yunmeng Jiang other than the ones you've met were already dying of age or from lack of proper medication. Our families were lucky to have found each other when we did. We make up their lost numbers and the mist allows us to live in peace where Lanling Jin won’t hunt us down.” 

Nie Huaisang sat in silence as Wen Qing finished up her mixture. His mind struggled to comprehend everything he learned. What unnatural force was this fog, that it made the Jiangs so desperate? How involved were the leaders of Lanling Jin in this scheme? Did Jin Guangyao know about this? Sect Leader Jin Guangshan could be sleazy but this level of cruelty was jarring. If a situation this severe managed to escape Nie Huaisang’s notice, what else could they be hiding? 

He had to let MianMian know about this. Tell her to keep a closer eye on the activities in Golden Carp Tower. If things went awry, their best bet would be to ally with someone like Jin Zixuan. He was their best chance towards peace and negotiation if he were to succeed the throne. In all likelihood, he will, but Jin Guangyao’s marriage proposal was still fresh in Nie Huaisang’s mind. 

I can keep you safe. 

Safe from what?

“Can I help you with anything else or are you just going to sit there?” Wen Qing was now in front of a large cabinet, arranging the containers.

Nie Huaisang tried to stick to basic, inoffensive questions. “So… what do you do here in Lotus Pier? Not you, but you as in-”

“We farm, mostly. Help out with housekeeping and chores. You'll notice this is a large sect, at least in terms of space. If you don’t have any other questions, I’d like to give you a list of what I’m missing.” 

He supposed there was no harm in at least taking a look. Wen Qing kicked him out of her workspace with a piece of paper and a head full of thoughts. He muttered to himself as he went down the list. Most of this stuff sounded like things MianMian would know. She always carried a pouch of medicinal herbs and such with her. It’d be less work on him. 

On his way out, he passed by several other residents. Though no one was willing to stay for long, each carrying baskets of crops or supplies, many smiled at him and offered initial hellos. True to Wen Qing’s word, each one was a little on-edge or bore signs of previous struggle. He saw Wen Ning from across the walkway. He, despite having no eyes, looked at the floor and stayed quiet. Nie Huaisang greeted him and, in return, was offered a timid smile. For an alleged fierce corpse, Wen Ning seemed gentler than even A-Yuan. 

To think that these people were held by Lanling Jin in a prison camp... Though Wen Ning didn’t delve into specifics, it must have been painful beyond imagination. Back at Qinghe Nie, Da-ge was not a big fan of torture. He either killed or he didn’t. He didn’t believe in taking war prisoners and he never punished the innocent. If he were here now, what would he say about the remnants of Qishan Wen? 

Were they even part of the Wen Sect anymore? The sect itself was long dead, and Wen Qing did say they integrated into being inobtrusive residents under Yunmeng Jiang. If they were looking for a second chance and stayed out of everyone's way, who was Nie Huaisang to deny them? 

He himself needed a new start if he wanted to keep living here. As Wei Wuxian said, he was technically on their boat now. Though he liked to slack off, it felt inappropriate to do so here. Everyone was working to the bone to help keep the household running. 

Nie Huaisang was still absorbed in his thoughts when he entered the main hall. Instead of Jiang Yanli, her youngest brother sat on the throne absorbed in work. He shuffled through a pile of papers and scrolls on his desk. 

Jiang Cheng lifted his head as soon as Nie Huaisang came in. He had that look about him again. A little confused, but also a little sad. “Good evening, Huaisang. I hope you found Lotus Pier… good.” 

Nie Huaisang nodded. “I did.” 

He wanted to say more. The pier was the spitting image of what he thought it to be from his drawings. Flowery language never escaped him before, but he found himself unable to muster up the words in front of the sect leader.

“Good.” Jiang Cheng coughed and went back to his paperwork. 

Nie Huaisang looked around, hoping Jiang Yanli was right around the corner. She wasn’t. “I do hope I’m not disturbing this sect leader.”

The man looked up again and cleared his throat. “You aren’t. As I said just- Call me Jiang Cheng.”

“Okay, Jiang Cheng. What are you working on?”

“We’re going over logistics. Counting supplies, figuring out how much we need for the next month. Matters I’m sure that won’t interest you. Why do you ask?”

Nie Huaisang shrugged. He twirled his fan around. “I figured if I am to stay here, I should be of some use.”

Jiang Cheng made a noise in between a scoff and a laugh. “You aren’t a workhorse, nor are you a prisoner here. You don’t need to be useful.” 

Jiang Cheng sure had a way with words, but Nie Huaisang didn’t feel offended. He tried rephrasing. “I can’t exactly go anywhere else. Besides, I can’t possibly live off of everyone else’s hard work. Trust me, I’d rather work here than deal with being courted back home.”

The brush in Jiang Cheng’s hand snapped in half. They both gave a start. “I’m sorry, courted?”

“Yes.” Huaisang blinked. 

“I see.” 

Oh right. The Jiangs probably haven’t considered marriage in years since they’ve been stuck in the mist for so long with no one else but their own kin.

“Yeah, the whole outside world is really invested in seeing me and others my age get married lately. It’s about as good as it sounds.” Nie Huaisang shrugged.

“And which sect’s young master is privileged enough to court someone from Qinghe Nie like yourself?” There was a gruffness to Jiang Cheng’s tone.

“Lanling Jin.” It made him shudder to even think about that day’s proposal. 

Jiang Cheng seemed to share in his disgust. A harsh scowl appeared even as he continued to look through his official documents. “The peacock? That damn-” 

Did Huaisang hear that right? “Pardon?”

“Nothing.”

Jiang Cheng looked around like he was lost for a moment before getting up. He grabbed a fistful of papers in front of him before excusing himself. Nie Huaisang whirled around at how fast the man moved. He could hardly utter a goodbye before Jiang Cheng was walking away towards an unfamiliar part of Lotus Pier. 

Watching Jiang Cheng leave like that made Nie Huaisang uneasy. His mind was full of so many thoughts already, yet he wanted to chase Jiang Cheng down and ask if he did anything wrong. Instead, Nie Huaisang watched deep purple robes flutter behind the man as he disappeared in the distance. 

When Jiang Yanli found him in the throne room, he begged for rest and took dinner in his bedroom instead. She nodded and took him back to where he spent the first night.

“Could I get you some tea? If you aren’t feeling well, you can always go see the medic.”

“No!” Huaisang shook his head. He didn’t mean to sound harsh. He also wasn’t sure if Wen Qing wanted to see him unless it was to bring good news about her supply request. “No, I’m sorry. I guess I’m not taking to everything as well as I anticipated. I apologize.”

Jiang Yanli put her hand on his shoulder. It was more comforting than Nie Huaisang expected. “You don’t have to explain yourself, Huaisang. Take as long as you need.”

He blamed the events of the day for his dream that night. It was right before the Sunshot Campaign, when Qishan Wen was at the height of their power. He was sent as a hostage to “study” under the supervision of Wen Chao, and it was horrible.

Though the details of his time there eluded him as time passed, tonight his dream was vivid and strange. 

He felt the room even before he saw it. He knew the walls were red, knew the sun emblem scorched into every crevice of the room. Guards were patrolling outside, but they weren't for his protection. Their swords were confiscated. There was no protection. No candles burned, but it was warm.

“A-Cheng, I’m scared.” A pair of arms wrapped around him, his own face pressed into the chest of someone strong. And when he inhaled he smelled the lake.

He felt the press of each finger against his back and waist. “I’m right here, A-Sang.”

A-Sang? No one’s called him that in… 

He didn’t know how long.

When Nie Huaisang opened his eyes, it was to black. 

No, no it wasn’t pitch black. The color’s darkness was different- a reassuring darkness. The layer that stood between him and the real darkness. It wasn’t black at all. It was- it was violet. A deep, trembling violet. His face buried in his protector’s clothes.

“You’re going to be okay. I’ll protect you.”

There was a pit of nerves in his chest. A panic that he often felt when he was young because the world was so uncertain. The sensation dulled over the years as he got used to turmoil, but tonight he was back as his younger self and his terror came all the same. 

But there was something else there. Something other than the sturdy chest his face was in and the arms that squeezed his sides. An airiness in his stomach of stone.

“It’s not going to be like this forever. We’ll make it through.”

When he shivered again, one of the hands on his waist moved to stroke the top of his head. He wanted to see who was holding him. 

He still didn’t know. It didn’t occur to him to check until now because he felt welcomed. Wanted. In a way he didn't recall ever feeling but knew deep down he experienced it before.

Who is it? A part of him already knows but he can’t quite place it.

He looks up and sees him. 

The grey eyes were void of anger. There weren’t as many lines on his face, though his brows were drawn in concern. Nie Huaisang’s fingers slid over the lines, and he watched them smooth out under his touch.

Was this... Sect Leader Jiang?

“A-Cheng?” His mouth is not his own. His dream self moves and speaks of his own accord. “What if they separate us?”

“They won’t.” Jiang Cheng’s eyes are the only source of light. He can barely make out the color among the black but it’s there. “They can’t, I won’t let them.”

Huaisang doesn’t know what face he’s making, but he feels a tremor. The hand in his hair moves his head back into Jiang Cheng’s chest. “A-Cheng-”

“Just sleep. I’ll hold you the whole night, just sleep.” 

One of Nie Huaisang’s hands grips the fabric of Jiang Cheng’s robe while the other weaves around his waist. He closes his eyes and tries to focus on the sturdiness, but there’s another shake. He knows his protector can only be strong for so long. 

The fabric bunches under his fingers. He doesn’t recognize the words out of his own mouth. “Wei-xiong is going to be okay. You don’t have to pretend in front of me, A-Cheng.”

“I’m not-”

“Let go.” Nie Huaisang shuffles upward until he’s right under Jiang Cheng’s chin. He presses his lips against Jiang Cheng’s neck. “I know you’re scared too. We can be scared together.”

The tip of Jiang Cheng’s nose buried into Huaisang’s hair. “I promised you- all of you, that I’d keep you safe.”

So stubborn. He hasn’t changed at all. Huaisang’s younger self started talking again before he could think about what any of their words meant.

“You’re not responsible for what they did to Wei-xiong.”

From the way Jiang Cheng’s chest tightened, he was holding in the urge to cry. Nie Huaisang wished he had the words to let him know that it was alright to be vulnerable, but tonight was a lost cause. They were both too beaten down.

Maybe the trying was what mattered. Even if A-Cheng failed to be strong, he still tried. He was still trying, even as his breath stuttered and his legs wound around Huaisang’s, he kept at it. 

Flashes of the day appeared in mind. Nie Huaisang couldn’t help but wonder. “A-Cheng, we both know I’m not the brightest student. If what happened to Wei-xiong today also happened to me-”

“It won’t. It won’t because you’re not an idiot. Huaisang, don’t even think about it.” A-Cheng’s voice cracked and Nie Huaisang couldn’t help the broken cry that was muffled by their robes. “These Wens aren’t laying a damn finger on you. They won’t. They won’t.” 

There wasn’t any use when both of them were already so afraid. Outside, the wind howled. The only remedy to the thin sheets they were provided was to huddle even closer and try to gain some warmth from the other’s breath. 

A-Cheng was still whispering, but the words grew fainter. They were for his own comfort rather than for Nie Huaisang’s. Fingers curled back into Huaisang’s hair, combing and playing with the strands. 

None of it made sense. Nie Huaisang didn’t remember being here. He didn’t have a roommate when he was sent away. He couldn’t have.

But then Jiang Cheng bends his head down and places a kiss on the top of Nie Huaisang’s head. The thoughts stop. 

“I love you, A-Sang.”

Back came a feeling he didn’t know he lost. 

Something soft in the middle of something harsh.

When he says the words back, the feeling stays. 

They stayed there, bundled up in each other’s arms, until the sun came back over Nightless City.

Chapter Text

Mornings in Lotus Pier were quite different from ones in the Unclean Realm. Dampness clung onto Nie Huaisang as he accompanied Wei Wuxian and A-Yuan around the docks. The spell-master was fond of taking morning walks to check in with everyone else and get some air before holing himself in all day. In an effort to be useful, Nie Huaisang tagged along. 

Nie Huaisang got to see where they planted their crops, see everyone fawn over A-Yuan, and even have an invigorating conversation with Granny (she may be old, but she sure knew how to tell stories about palace intrigue back in the days of Qishan Wen's prominence).

“I didn’t think it was possible for anywhere to get as much mist as the Cloud Recesses,” Nie Huaisang remarked as they left the main residencies.  

Wei Wuxian laughed. His black robes and red ribbon made him stand out like a black rooster. “Hah! I didn’t either. Sometimes I wake up and think I’m there until I remember.”

Nie Huaisang flicked his fan open. “Oh? Have you been to Gusu before?”

“Once.” Wei Wuxian looked off into the distance as they approached one of the last docks. “But it was a long, long time ago.”

The man's smile reflected that of melancholy remembrance. Nie Huaisang wanted to know more but they were beckoned over by Wen Ning, who stood at the far end of the docks.

A-Yuan stayed latched onto Wei Wuxian’s leg, but lifted a stubby arm to wave at his “Ghost-gege.”

The man blended into the mist well. In any other circumstance, the sight of a fierce corpse with ghastly long black hair would've scared Nie Huaisang to pieces. Good thing Wei Wuxian let him know that Wen Ning served as their lookout already. 

“Wei-gongzi! Nie-gongzi!” Wen Ning waved his pale arms.

They both rushed over to the edge of the dock. Wei Wuxian rolled up his sleeves and scanned the waters. “What is it? Did you get bullied by a duck again?” 

“N-no! Look.” Wen Ning pointed a finger at the sky.

Nie Huaisang couldn't see past a couple armlengths, but Wen Ning must have sensed something they didn’t. Wei Wuxian pushed A-Yuan behind him and took a few steps back. Nie Huaisang covered his face with his fan and followed A-Yuan. Wen Ning remained where he was, not even blinking. Was he even able to blink?

Something broke through the clouds and was heading towards the dock. It moved so fast that parts of the clouds were still trailing after it. Despite the person's speed, the mist followed so that the person's identity was well hidden.  Nie Huaisang wasn’t able to see who it was properly until the man was already stepping off his sword. 

“Wangji-xiong?”

“Lan Zhan?”

Nie Huaisang widened his eyes as he looked at Wei Wuxian. How did he know Lan Wangji’s name? Even before that, how did he know Lan Wangji? 

Lan Wangji seemed out of his depth as much as anyone else. Everyone on the dock stared at one another, unsure of what to do. A-Yuan proved to be the bravest of the bunch. He peeked out from behind Wei Wuxian’s legs and started running.

“A-Yuan!” Wei Wuxian missed A-Yuan's collar. The boy went straight for Lan Wangji’s legs and held on for dear life. 

Nie Huaisang wanted to burst out laughing. He would have if he weren’t so shocked. But his surprise was nothing compared to the look on Lan Wangji’s face. The man’s usual coldness was interrupted as he looked down at the child. A-Yuan blinked up at him and started to suck his thumb. Lan Wangji then looked around and settled on giving Nie Huaisang a panicked look.

Wei Wuxian cleared his throat and began to laugh. “Haha, sorry about A-Yuan. He gets like that sometimes. A-Yuan, come here.” His request was ignored. Wei Wuxian scoffed and put his hands on his hips. “I can’t believe it. Betrayed so soon? You must be quite the impressive man, stranger.”

Nie Huaisang took it upon himself to make introductions. “Ah, Wangi-xiong! You have no clue how glad and confused I am to see you here! This young master here is Wei Wuxian. He is the martial brother of the Sect Leader here. And there is W- um, A-Ning and A-Yuan. Wei Wuxian, this is Gusu Lan’s Second Young Master, Lan Wangji.”

“I see. Well, Lan-er Gonzi, welcome to Lotus Pier.” Wei Wuxian bowed. When he was upright again, he took Lan Wangji by the arm and gave him a wink. “You can also call me Wei Ying, if you’d like.”

Curious. Nie Huaisang was given no such offer upon his arrival, and he was sure Da-ge didn’t either. Nie Huaisang lingered behind as Wei Wuxian dragged Lan Wangji inside Lotus Pier. Wen Ning was left alone to do his job. For a supposedly well-hidden sect, Lotus Pier sure was receiving a lot of visitors in succession. Not that anyone in the pier seemed to mind, other than perhaps feeling a bit guilty since Nie Huaisang wasn't able to leave. 

Wei Wuxian was quick to abandon all his duties for the day in order to personally acquaint Lan Wangji with Lotus Pier. From meeting his siblings to giving him a grand tour, Lan Wangji and Nie Huaisang saw each other a total of five minutes that whole day! Nie Huaisang was eager to speak with his friend, but something about the way Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian interacted made him reconsider a hasty approach. It wasn't until Wei Wuxian circled them back around to where Nie Huaisang and Maiden Jiang were setting up dinner that they saw one another again. 

Lanterns hung over the large stone table that sat near a corner where the lake met the walkway. The mist was lighter than it in the morning. Lotus pods bobbed their heads to the evening breeze.

Lan Wangji walked up behind Nie Huaisang, giving him a fright. “I did not want to believe MianMian when she told me you went looking for your brother in a place that did not exist. I suppose I have no choice now but to believe you.” He took a seat in between Nie Huaisang and Wei Wuxian. Despite a slight chill, Lan Wangji’s face showed more color than usual.

Nie Huaisang poured him a cup of tea. “Well, I didn’t want to believe it either until they told me I couldn’t leave.”

Lan Wangji raised his brow. 

“It’s a curse. Didn’t Wei-xiong tell you about it when you two were traipsing off?”

“We were not traipsing.” Lan Wangji looked around. “Did not realize there were so few disciples.”

“Maybe you should’ve studied that legend instead of whatever you were reading,” Huaisang chuckled. “But, from what I gather, you’re still clear to leave. I’m unlucky number fourteen.”

Lan Wangji took the teapot from Nie Huaisang and poured two more cups for their hosts. All of the Jiang household was to join them tonight, according to Jiang Yanli. So far, only she and Wei Wuxian were present. They bid their time with light snacks and tea while waiting for the youngest Jiang. 

Wei Wuxian crinkled his nose at the teacup. “Thanks but no thanks, Lan Zhan. I’ve got my own variety of beverage this evening.” He held up a brown jar and set it out on the table. It was amazing how, of all the resource shortages at Lotus Pier, alcohol was not one of them. 

Lan Wangji frowned. “Alcohol is forbidden in the-” He stopped himself.

Wei Wuxian shook a finger, looking pleased. “Ah ah! We aren’t in the Cloud Recesses anymore. Can’t tell me what to do here, Lan Zhan.” 

Wei Wuxian removed the lid and began to drink an obscene amount. Nie Huaisang and Lan Wangji exchanged a look. Did Wei Wuxian have that good of a memory to recall the rules of Cloud Recesses after one visit? Judging from Lan Wangji’s reactions, it seemed he did not know Wei Wuxian before today either. Strange how willing Wangji-xiong was to correct a stranger.

Jiang Yanli spoke up. “What Nie Huaisang said earlier is true, Lan-er Gonzi. You are exempt from the rules of our predicament. Though, pardon me for being frank as I am not familiar with the circumstances of the outside world, you may elect to stay here in Nie Huaisang’s place.” 

Nie Huaisang shook his head. “Nonsense. I’m staying here because my brother can’t. Besides, we can’t have Wangji-xiong drop off the map like I can.” 

“I bet Lan Qiren would qi deviate or somethin’,” Wei Wuxian chuckled. 

Nie Huaisang took a sip of tea. If Wei Wuxian knew better, he’d probably refrain from making such jokes in front of the two worst people to hear it. Time for more questions. “You said you've been to Cloud Recesses before, Wei Wuxian? Did you study at Gusu?”

“For a bit. Had to leave early though.” Wei Wuxian took another sip of his drink before wiping his mouth with his sleeves. 

“I do not recall meeting you before.” Lan Wangji hadn't taken his eyes off Wei Wuxian since they sat down. It was hard to tell if his steely gaze was from annoyance or something else. 

“We must have missed each other.” Wei Wuxian wore a strained smile. 

Jiang Yanli asked polite questions about Lan Wangji for the rest of their time together. The real dinner couldn’t start until Jiang Cheng was done for the day. Every so often, Jiang Yanli looked around the corner to check if her younger brother was coming. She tried to be discreet about it, but Nie Huaisang recognized her poorly-hidden concern. He and his Da-ge were used to sporting such looks whenever the other wasn't around. 

Wei Wuxian cleared his throat. “So! Uh, how do you two know each other anyway?”

Nie Huaisang took over the troublesome task of carrying on small talk. He knew Lan Wangji was exhausted from having to be entertained by Wei Wuxian all day. “Well, our older brothers are quite close. I guess it makes sense that we’d spend a lot of time together. Though a lot of people seem to think that’s enough to try and marry us, we both will pass on that prospect. It's actually kind of a funny story involving a love triangle I read about in-”

Wei Wuxian choked on his drink. He slapped his chest rapidly as he coughed, waving off any efforts to help him. “I’m so sorry. Wow, uh married? Where uh- where did that come from?”

“Wei Wuxian!” Jiang Cheng’s sharp voice made all heads turn towards him. The Sect Leader emerged from behind, taking a seat and scolding his brother over table manners. “Who’s talking about marriage anyway?”

Lan Wangji looked like he wanted to roll his eyes. 

Nie Huaisang did roll his eyes. “That’s what we’d both like to know too. All anyone talks about these days is marriage, though no one seems to get the idea that none of us want it.” He took another sip of tea. 

There was a collective moment of silence. Jiang Yanli excused herself to fetch dinner. Jiang Cheng's posture was stiff as he greeted Lan Wangji. The two did little outside of exchange two words and nod at one another. So with one brother, Lan Wangji was relaxed at once, and with the other, he was put on edge? Did Wangji-xiong have the senses of an animal to judge people so quickly?

Without Jiang Yanli, the silence worsened. Wei Wuxian tried to stir up some banter but was less talkative than before. Eyes darted around, looking at the water, the ground, the lights, anywhere but at each other. 

When Jiang Yanli came back with platefuls of dishes, Nie Huaisang attempted a new topic of conversation. “Wangji-xiong, how are things going outside? Any new, uh, news?”

Lan Wangji was kind enough to grace him with an answer.“Brother has been helping Jin Guangyao with new lookout towers. They are for protection even outside of Lanling.”

What a tone Wangji-xiong possessed! He was frustrated with Lan Xichen’s cooperation that much, huh? Nie Huaisang was about to pick up his chopsticks but paused. “Outside of Lanling? You don’t mean…”

“Latest project is set to be outside of Qinghe.”

“I’m surprised Da-ge would allow something like that. Haven’t you seen him, Wangji-xiong?”

Lan Wangji shook his head. “Left when I got word of your whereabouts. Did not see.”

Unsettling. Very unsettling. Maybe Da-ge was rowing back slow on purpose? No, that was a dumb excuse to make himself feel better. Then again, Lan Wangji was a great cultivator. It was possible that he just left before news of Da-ge's return reached Gusu Lan. 

Wei Wuxian's voice bounced back. “I’m surprised you were allowed to leave at all, Lan Zhan. How’d you convince Old Man Lan to let you go on such a long trip?”

“Night hunt,” Lan Wangji answered.

“Eh?” Wei Wuxian leaned forward. “I thought lying was forbidden at the Cloud Recesses.”

Nie Huaisang never saw his friend so talkative during a meal before. Maybe he also sensed there was something off about this place. Nie Huaisang needed to ask when the two of them were alone for a moment.

“Not lying,” Lan Wangji elaborated, “was on a night hunt for Huaisang. I have found him.”

Everyone at the table stared at the Second Young Master of Gusu Lan for a moment. Nie Huaisang knew Wangji-xiong was capable of dry humor, but this behavior was so carefree! In front of strangers, too! A far cry those stuffy dinners they suffered through together in their youth. 

Wei Wuxian broke into rancorous laughter. “Lan Zhan! When did you develop such a sense of humor? I’m going to choke again!” 

Jiang Cheng kicked him under the table. “We get guests for once and you still act like this?”

Wei Wuxian pulled a face, sticking his tongue out while dodging swats from Jiang Cheng. Jiang Yanli set her chopsticks down and tried to get them to behave.

Watching this, an itch formed in the back of Nie Huaisang's mind. He scratched his head, rummaged his mind for thoughts, but the itch persisted. Even if Wei Wuxian guessed by chance that Lan Wangji was known as humorless, how did he know Wangji’s given name? Moreover, no one was correcting him, least of all Lan Wangji himself. Nie Huaisang looked at his friend out of the corner of his eye. To his surprise, Lan Wangji’s ears were pink. That was a look never before seen on the Second Twin Jade. 

Either there was something more to this legend around Lotus Pier, or the mist was making them all do strange things. 

After the dust settled, the conversation took a turn towards less personal matters. Considering the people at the table, their attempt at idle chatter did not last. As a figurehead for Qinghe Nie, the private and public were too often intermingled.

“Is Jin Guangyao someone new? I don’t remember meeting him before.” Wei Wuxian tapped the back end of his chopsticks against his head.

Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes. “Considering your memory, of course you wouldn’t.”

A bad memory, huh? Then it was less plausible that Wei Wuxian was some casual passerby at Gusu Lan. Where was the conversation again? Oh, right. 

Nie Huaisang took it upon himself to fill in the blanks for his hosts. “Jin Guangyao used to be an advisor to my brother until… well, he’s kind of a big deal these days. He’s sworn brothers to mine and Wangji-xiong’s older brothers. He was officially acknowledged as Jin Guangshan’s child after defeating Wen Ruohan during the Sunshot Campaign.” 

The Jiangs listened with much interest. In his time getting used to being in a new environment, it was easy for Nie Huaisang to forget that these people haven’t gotten any news from the outside world for a very long time. Five years! A lot sure has happened since then. Nie Huaisang himself felt like he aged ten in those five. 

Lan Wangji thought it was a great time to make a bold addition. “Also asking for Huaisang's hand in marriage.” 

It was Nie Huaisang who wanted to choke now. Where did that come from, Wangji-xiong? He widened his eyes and gave Lan Wangji an inquisitive look. All his friend offered was a blank stare, taken aback by his own forwardness. 

“So he’s marrying you and he’s infringing on your sect’s land at the same time?” Jiang Cheng slammed his chopsticks down on the table. 

Nie Huaisang jolted at the sudden outburst. He was quick to wave away the notion. “I’m not marrying him! I-I mean, don’t tell him I said that- not that you can, since- I mean.”

“You don’t want to marry him?” Jiang Cheng’s eyes looked right into Nie Huaisang’s, challenging him to lie. 

“No,” he squeaked.

“Then what do you want?”

A loaded question, if Nie Huaisang ever heard one. Something he didn’t have the answer for. “I don't know! I don't, I really don’t!”

Jiang Cheng didn’t look like he believed him.

“Does this sect leader always do the dishes?” Nie Huaisang handed him another plate.

After dinner, Wei Wuxian was eager to drag Lan Wangji off while Jiang Yanli went to check in with the Wen residents. That left Jiang Cheng to clean up. Eager for something to do, and because he also wanted to know the guy a bit better, Nie Huaisang insisted he help out.

They worked side by side in the kitchen. Jiang Cheng insisted on doing the bulk of the work, so he did the heavy washing while Nie Huaisang was given drying duty.

“Not all the time,” Jiang Cheng answered. “We take turns. I don’t consider myself above everyone else as some leaders may be tempted to do.”

Nie Huaisang nodded, wiping off another bowl before putting it aside. Da-ge would appreciate Jiang Cheng's tenacity. 

The kitchen was spacious, probably because there weren’t as many mouths to feed anymore. The wooden cabinets were like the ones in Wen Qing’s medical room. He smelled a plethora of spices and seasonings. More spices than seasonings. From what he saw in Wei Wuxian’s rice bowl, the man must have the heat tolerance of a dragon. Thin layers of dust covered some of the higher cabinets. They must have been untouched for a while now. 

Other than the clinking of plates and the splashes of water, there wasn’t any noise. 

Nie Huaisang snuck a look at Jiang Cheng every so often. The man was dead focused on the plates, head bent, and scrubbing his hands raw. It was kind of funny, to see a sect leader be so dedicated to a task as menial as dishwashing. 

They were both going slow. Jiang Cheng handed a plate to him. “Are you going to keep looking at me or are you going to dry the dishes?”

“Apologies, Sect Leader Jiang.” Nie Huaisang looked down at his feet. 

A sigh. “I thought I told you to call me Jiang Cheng.” 

Neither of them looked at the other as Jiang Cheng started washing another plate. Nie Huaisang wrung the towel in his hands as he waited. The damp cloth made his hands cold, and his fingers were rather numb from how he rubbed the china.

“You didn’t answer my question-” Jiang Cheng cleared his throat- “from dinner.”

Nie Huaisang looked up again and saw a gentler gaze upon him. He opened his mouth but there wasn't a convenient answer he could give. “There are a lot of things people want in life that we don’t get.”

“Was I asking about them?” Jiang Cheng was close to rolling his eyes.

If Jiang Cheng's attitude wasn’t so endearing, it might have been annoying to some. Nie Huaisang wanted to laugh again. He dried the dish and spent a moment thinking. “Well, a minute’s rest, for a start. For my Da-ge to get better. To not get barraged with marriage proposals. Maybe some new fans.”

Jiang Cheng chortled. A quick one that made the edge of Huaisang’s lip turn up. 

“I guess I don’t think that far ahead these days. Not that I ever thought so far ahead when I was younger. All I’ve got on my mind these days is my own survival and the survival of Qinghe Nie.” Nie Huaisang mused. He grabbed another wet dish and began wiping methodically.

Jiang Cheng noticed him trailing off and nudged his side. “I know how you feel.”

Nie Huaisang opened his mouth again but stopped short. Right. How could he forget what a terrible situation Jiang Cheng was stuck with? Compared to the meaningless things the other sects fought about, this was one of the few things of consequence that Nie Huaisang’s encountered since the days of war. 

“You don’t have to feel bad.” Jiang Cheng saw his hesitation. Really, how did this man know his thoughts so well? “We’ve both been handed a bad hand, haven’t we? You’re not the only younger sibling with a lot on his plate.”

Jiang Cheng laughed again. Nie Huaisang never saw someone look so different with a lazy smile on his face. The angry lines left Jiang Cheng’s face. There was a wistfulness in his eyes. Nie Huaisang wanted to know more about what he was thinking about.

“Yeah,” Nie Huaisang sighed, “I guess what I really want is to go back to my younger years. It’s odd, I don’t remember a lot, but I remembered being happy. Content.”

“Without the weight of an entire sect on your shoulders.”

“Able to think about myself beyond making it past one more day.”

“Staying strong for everyone else.”

The words reminded Nie Huaisang of his dream last night. Blanketed, understood, protected. A flush overcame his face when he remembered who it was that made him feel that way. And now the same person was standing next to him, unaware of his inappropriate delusions, a rare smile on his face as he looked at Nie Huaisang. 

A flit of air escaped Nie Huaisang’s lungs. Grey eyes matching the ones in his dreams. Soft whispers in the night, a careful touch. The sensations of his dream were all too real, and it startled him. 

When Jiang Cheng passed him another dish, the brush of his finger made Nie Huaisang flinch. The porcelain fell from his fingertips onto the floor. 

There was a loud crash. Nie Huaisang yelped as he jumped back. Oh dear! This was the one sect not in any position to be losing any more things! He stammered out a million apologies, looking around the room for something to fix his mess. Rather than get upset, Jiang Cheng stepped over the mess and placed a hand on either side of Nie Huaisang’s arms.

He froze. 

“Are you alright?” Jiang Cheng’s eyes shone with worry. 

Nie Huaisang wanted to reassure him but got lost in the stare. A few incoherent mutters left him. Those weren't words! He settled for a single nod.

His breath came back to him as Jiang Cheng’s hands slid down to check Nie Huaisang for injuries. Huaisang was fine. The dropped dish landed nowhere near him, but he let Jiang Cheng spread his fingers and check for cuts on his hands anyway. 

Jiang Cheng's touch was kind, nothing like the angry scrubbing and writing from prior encounters. Jiang Cheng’s fingertips hovered over each of Nie Huaisang’s, almost afraid to touch him. Despite the coarseness of Jiang Cheng’s hand, it was warm and firm. The silver and purple ring shone under the yellow candlelight.

“I’m alright, r-really.” Nie Huaisang found his voice, even if it came out in a whisper. 

Jiang Cheng’s thumb ran over the inside of Nie Huaisang’s fingers as his palm hung in front of him. 

Was Jiang Cheng always this tall? It was strange how the height difference was so accurate to his previous dream. Nie Huaisang flushed again at the memory. He wanted to back away, but his mind interpreted the opposite. He found himself staring up at Jiang Cheng. Another step and he’d be in the perfect spot to tuck his head into his chin...

Jiang Cheng blinked down at him and was also at a loss for words. The man’s head seemed to lean down a bit. 

Another second passed and Jiang Cheng switched to look at the ceiling instead, letting out a cough. At the same time, Nie Huaisang looked down as he withdrew his hands. 

“We should, uh-” Jiang Cheng cleared his throat, face redder than it was before- “we should get this cleaned up and get you to bed.”

“Apologies once again for this one’s incompetence,” Nie Huaisang squeaked out. 

The awkwardness of their altercation passed as they stepped out of the kitchen. It must have been the cool night air. Though few words were exchanged on the way to Nie Huaisang’s room, Jiang Cheng walked closer than he used to. Nie Huaisang ignored the strange heat on the back of his neck every time his hands brushed up against Jiang Cheng’s purple robes. 

When he was brave enough to meet Jiang Cheng’s eye, they were already in front of Nie Huaisang’s door. Jiang Cheng calmed since exiting the kitchen. The dim lights made his eyes shine, and he looked more assured than before.

Nie Huaisang was rather fond of how Jiang Cheng's hair framed his face after a long day. Nie Huaisang's fingers twitched at the thought of brushing the stray hairs away. Instead, he folded his hands behind his back.

“You didn’t have to walk with me the whole way back.”

“It wasn’t a big deal.” Jiang Cheng crossed his arms and looked to the side. “My room’s just down there, so.”

All this time, Nie Huaisang was sleeping just a few doors down from Jiang Cheng? Didn’t he have his own quarters he went to? Why did he sleep so close to the guest area? 

Rather than asking any of that, Nie Huaisang said, “Ah, I see,” and left it at that. 

Jiang Cheng resumed his usual leaderlike stance and bid Nie Huaisang goodnight. There was a stiffness in Jiang Cheng's bow. An amateurish awkwardness. Like the way a child first learned to greet his elders. Nie Huaisang hid his laugh behind his sleeve as he went inside. 

Hard as he tried not to, Jiang Cheng was kept in his thoughts all night. It seemed his dreams wouldn’t be ending for a while yet. 

Chapter Text

Lan Wangji was taught better than to be rude. He was also taught to obey and uphold the teachings of Gusu Lan. He never expected that the two principles would conflict with one another so often when it came to him.

Wei Wuxian sat cross-legged in front of him, balancing a child on one leg and an assortment of toys on the other. Though there were bags under his eyes and his hair was unkempt, he smiled as he cooed at A-Yuan. “Which one do you want today, hm?”

They were sitting in what was explained to him as Young Master Wei’s workshop. The sheer level of magical innovation going on was close to overwhelming for Lan Wangji. In all his years of study, he never encountered so much new material. But that wasn’t what they were focusing on now. After dinner, Wei Wuxian insisted they should spend the evening with the youngest member of Lotus Pier.

Lan Wangji was unable to deny him. 

A-Yuan looked at his selection of toys, all different kinds of grass-made toys. They ranged from half-broken to newly made. The boy eventually settled on a greener model and a faded butterfly with overbent wings, taking one in each hand. 

Lan Wangji did not know how he went from searching for Nie Huaisang to being shown around by a wildcard from a lost sect in the middle of an enchanted fog. He spent most of the day feeling lost, not that anyone noticed. Nie Huaisang was quite content to live his life as if nothing was wrong. It must have been a relief to him, no longer answering anyone’s calls or forcing himself to attend to his duties.

“Hey, Lan Zhan?”

Then there was the case of Wei Wuxian. He acted aloof but knew things he shouldn’t have known. 

Several long strands of dried grass were held out to him. Judging by the color and material, it was what A-Yuan’s toys were made out of. 

“Do you wanna learn how to make one? I’m sure A-Yuan would love it! Isn’t that right?” Young Master Wei bounced his knee, making the boy shriek with delight. 

Without waiting for an answer, Wei Wuxian put the grass in his hands. “I make all of A-Yuan’s toys. There was always a bunch of grass sittin’ around, so whenever I’m too tired of making talismans and other things, I made these! He loves the grass butterflies the most.” He launched into an insect-making tutorial. Which folds went where, how to make the wings look right, and what shapes A-Yuan found most attractive. 

Lan Wangji got lost in the flow of his work. It was easy to keep up with the sound of Wei Wuxian's voice, but Lan Wangji was listening more to the sound than the actual directions. There was something familiar about the pitch that nudged at the back of his mind. What was it?

“Uh, Lan Zhan?”

Lan Wangji looked up. He did not realize he was so absorbed in his task. Wei Wuxian chuckled, using his free arm to scratch his head while the other held A-Yuan in place. 

“I think you might’ve gotten a few parts wrong.”

The grass in his hands did end up bent and shaped, but it was not like a butterfly. He tangled a few extra knots and short stubs stuck out from the main body. He widened his eyes at his own incompetence. He should have been paying closer attention rather than speculate on Wei Wuxian. 

His apology was cut off by a barrage of laughter. The sound made his ears burn, as if they recognized the tune. Lan Wangji tried not to be embarrassed, but his hands tightened around his failed project.

“Hey, hey! Don’t worry about it so much, Lan Zhan. We can still fix it!” Wei Wuxian put his hands over Lan Wangji’s. It was so easy for him to pry Wangji’s fingers apart.  

For someone who spent the better half of the day running around Lotus Pier, Wei Wuxian showed a great level of delicacy towards the crumpled grass lump in Lan Wangji’s hands.

“See, you can just, uh-” Wei Wuxian hummed to himself as he began to pull the ends of the grass- “if we loop this? No, that made it worse. Huh.” In the end, he was left scratching at his nose.

Lan Wangji put a stop to his methodical rambling. Wei Wuxian came across as the kind of person who, if he was left alone, would be working at the poor “butterfly” until morning. “It is alright. Did not follow instructions. I apologize.”

“Eh?” Wei Wuxian started laughing again. “Lan Zhan! You’re too funny, really!”

That was another thing. Even though gossip was forbidden, some of it still managed to reach Lan Wangji’s ears. He’s heard a lot: cold, uninviting, even uncaring. The things Wei Wuxian called him, he’s never heard before.

“It’s just a homemade toy, don’t worry too much.” Wei Wuxian held the mess up high, as if it were a trophy. “Hey, if you look at it right, it kinda looks like a bunny. Don’t you think so?”

Lan Wangji squinted at the dark green grass. He supposed, with how the wide blades ended up on the head and the thin ones got knotted up into bunches, his creation was a bit more mammalian than before. 

Wei Wuxian poked A-Yuan’s round cheeks until the boy paid attention to the two adults. “A-Yuan, Lan Zhan made you a bunny. What do you think?” 

A-Yuan dropped the two grass butterflies, which he spent the last couple minutes mashing together, and leaned up close to the new toy. 

A rising sensation filled Lan Wangji’s lungs. It wasn’t until A-Yuan clapped and started playing with the bunny toy that Lan Wangji realized how badly he wanted A-Yuan to like it. Wei Wuxian ruffled A-Yuan's head and turned his attention back to Lan Wangji.

“See? You can always make something good out of something that seems bad. Trust me, I know,” Wei Wuxian winked. His legs soon got sore, so he tried to coax A-Yuan off. 

“Poor-gege no want to play?” A-Yuan pouted. 

“Hey! Is that how you address me in front of guests?” Wei Wuxian mimicked A-Yuan’s face. He poked at A-Yuan’s chubby arms and stomach until the child was in a fit of giggles. “I’ll have you know I was the head disciple of Yunmeng Jiang! Who are you callin’ poor?”

A-Yuan managed to catch his breath by running over to where Lan Wangji sat and jumping into his lap. “Qing-jiejie says you look homeless!”

Wei Wuxian whined. “Out of everything she says, that’s what you remember?” He scrambled to his knees and playfully threw a toy at A-Yuan. It would have overshot had Lan Wangji not caught it in his hand. The boy in his lap was impressed, face full of awe as Lan Wangji placed the grass butterfly in his hand. “A-Yuan! You can just go sit on other people. Get back over here, so rude!”

“I do not mind.” Lan Wangji held up his hand as A-Yuan shuffled into his robes.

Wei Wuxian was shocked but leaned back. A smile returned to his face. “Huh. What do you say, A-Yuan?”

“Thank you, Rich-gege!”

“He makes you one toy and all of a sudden he’s rich? Aiya, this child. I make him a thousand and this is how he repays me.” Wei Wuxian shook his head.

“Pet bunny, pet bunny,” A-Yuan says in a tone that likens itself to an explanation. 

Wei Wuxian looks on in fondness at the child’s antics. Lan Wangji was very much in the same boat. He was not used to being around children before. Many parents found him rather unsuitable for comforting or playing with them. To have A-Yuan sink right into his lap and carry on like he was another one of Lotus Pier’s residents was a comfort. 

“You know, I think it’s because he’s always wanted a pet. He does seem rather fond of animals and such. We don’t get many around here anymore,” Wei Wuxian explained. “Do you have any pets, Lan Zhan? Ah, I bet you wouldn’t. They aren’t allowed, after all.”

There it is again. Lan Wangji trusted Nie Huaisang not to tell strangers his given name, yet Wei Wuxian was aware of it as soon as Lan Wangji landed that morning. There was also his uncanny knowledge of the Cloud Recesses’ rules. How did he know? Furthermore, why was Wangji not alarmed?

“I keep rabbits."

Wei Wuxian seemed surprised yet again. His chuckle was breathy and he stared up at the ceiling for a moment. “So you’ve kept them…” 

“Hm?”

“It’s nothing, Lan Zhan. Just thinking about old things. Forget I said anything.” Wei Wuxian got up and stretched his back. “Man, sitting hunched over all day sure tires me out. I think it’s time to get A-Yuan down for bed too.”

At the mention of bed, A-Yuan insisted he could stay up longer. A yawn cut him off before he finished his sentence. After that, it was easy for Wei Wuxian to take him from Lan Wangji’s arms. 

Lan Wangji rose to his feet as well. Wei Wuxian looked as close to falling asleep as A-Yuan. The red ribbon tangled into his untidy hair, whose stray locks also fell over the man’s eyes. His stance wasn’t as steady as it was in the morning. It occurred to Lan Wangji that, for such a bright soul, the one before him didn’t do much day-to-day outside of staying in this one room to care for A-Yuan and work on an endless torrent of magical tools. 

“Wei Ying?” It was so easy to say his name too. Wei Ying. Natural. The way it was supposed to be. Is that what he felt too? “How do you know me?”

Wei Ying lifted his brows. He looked into Lan Wangji’s eyes, questioning. After a moment, he shook his head and gave a joyless laugh. “You’re a smart man, Lan Zhan. I’m sure you’ll figure it out.”

Chapter Text

MianMian,

Were you aware that Wangji-xiong was headed my way even after I told you I was safe? He’s been treated as well as I have, which is to say very well. Almost too well, but I haven’t found a single fault with anyone here. Quite the opposite, in fact, it’s disconcerting. Sect Leader Jiang and his family are more open than any I’ve seen. There are all sorts of strange things here- talismans, charms, remnants of Qishan Wen.

I'm as alarmed as you probably are right now, but yes. There are less than a dozen survivors left of Qishan Wen. I was also highly concerned at first, but upon further investigation, it turns out they're just old and sickly. I doubt they’re capable of trouble even if they tried, and that’s coming from me. There’s a medic named Wen Qing who wants to speak with you about herbs or whatever. I’ve looked over her requests and they’re also harmless. Her letter is attached to mine. 

Do you mind doing some investigation into how Lanling Jin processed their prisoners of war from the Sunshot Campaign? I've received some troubling accounts and would like to verify their accuracy. Please keep me updated on the status of those lookout towers as well. Has there been any word about my suitor or from Da-ge?

Please let me know as soon as you can. Again, I assure you, I am fine. 

Huaisang

As nice as it was for Lan Wangji to check up on Nie Huaisang, he wasn't able to stay forever. Wangji-xiong was expected back in Gusu the very next day. There wasn't much time for Nie Huaisang to even talk to his friend since Wei Wuxian clung onto him like A-Yuan to nice people's legs. 

When the two did find time to speak alone, they managed to agree on a few important details though: one, Nie Huaisang was safe at Lotus Pier; two, uncanny as the residents were, they were also good people; and three, the Jiang siblings knew more than they led on. 

After Lan Wangji’s departure from Lotus Pier, things settled into a routine. Nie Huaisang fell into step with all the other residents. Each morning, he accompanied Wei Wuxian on his walk around the docks. The man was a late riser, but once he was up he was up. Nie Huaisang liked to watch him crisscross the docks, jump on posts, and take the path of least convenience all while telling a funny story. Stories that usually involved his younger brother.

Those were his favorite to hear about. Though he never voiced that opinion, Wei Wuxian picked up on it and told even more outlandish stories about the “Twin Prides of Yunmeng.”

When the inventor decided to shut himself in his workshop for the day, Nie Huaisang went to learn medicine from Wen Qing. She was more creative in her field than she first let on. It didn’t take long for Nie Huaisang to annoy her into teaching him about qi deviation so that he might help improve Da-ge’s condition.

Evenings were occupied with cooking lessons from Jiang Yanli. Her soothing voice and calm explanations were way easier to follow than any boring lesson about swords or history. 

It was hard to say whether Jiang Cheng was a part of Nie Huaisang’s daily routine or not. Sure, the sect leader made an appearance at some point every day, but it was unusual. Rather than having reserved time to spend together, it was more like Nie Huaisang just happened upon Jiang Cheng. Every day. At the strangest places.

Sometimes he’d pop in to grab a snack from his sister and hang around to watch Nie Huaisang fail at folding dumplings. Other times he bumped into Nie Huaisang early in the mornings when he was waiting for Wei Wuxian to begin their walk. Jiang Cheng would curse his brother for his poor sleeping habits and insist on keeping Nie Huaisang company until the latecomer arrived. 

They seldom said anything to one another. Nie Huaisang wanted to, but every time Jiang Cheng was around, he’d be reminded of a dream from the previous night. Dreams that were all about Jiang Cheng. That involved kissing. Sometimes. A lot of the time. 

How was he supposed to talk to Jiang Cheng with a straight face like that! He didn’t expect to be having thoughts about Jiang Cheng so soon, if at all! Thoughts, daydreams, night-dreams, Nie Huaisang experienced them all and it was too much to process.

So pardon him, please, if he struggled to keep a straight face around Jiang Cheng. Even his fan was useless. Whenever the man was around, it was like Nie Huaisang forgot that there was a convenient and fashionable accessory right at his disposal to hide his face. 

One such case was after dinner that night when he and Wei-xiong were sitting out by the inner ponds. 

Nie Huaisang spent the day as normal- walk, medicine, cooking- all without the stress of Jiang Cheng stumbling in to disrupt his concentration. Nie Huaisang should have expected the delayed arrival instead of none at all. 

“What are you doing?” Jiang Cheng leaned against the doorframe. His eyes narrowed at Wei Wuxian, whose legs were swinging out under him.

“Reading,” Wei Wuxian answered. 

Jiang Cheng scoffed. “I’m surprised you can do that much. If you’re both supposed to be reading, why is A-Sang the only one with papers?”

Nie Huaisang tried not to let the nickname alarm him, but a warm spell came over his face. He cleared his throat. “Another letter came that I’m reading parts of to Wei-xiong. Would- would you like to join us?”

Jiang Cheng leaned a bit too far into the doorframe and stumbled for a moment. Wei Wuxian held in a laugh as Jiang Cheng recomposed himself. In between the indoors and outdoors, with the candlelight from behind and moonlight in front, Jiang Cheng was illuminating. As he began to walk, the bright orange of the indoor light sank into a quiet shadow that danced over the violet of Jiang Cheng’s robes. Nie Huaisang needed to concentrate on his weight distribution before he fell in the water. 

Jiang Cheng knelt down by the edge of the dock before folding his legs out so that they hung over the water. His arms were stiff at his side as he stared into the water. 

Nie Huaisang nudged his side. He didn’t say anything but peeked out the corner of his eye with sudden shyness. 

“Alright Jiang Cheng’s here, now get back to the letter!” Wei Wuxian kicked his legs from Nie Huaisang’s right side. “I wanna know what happened when Lan Zhan got to Golden Carp Tower!”

If Nie Huaisang didn’t know any better, he might have thought Wei Wuxian was enamored with Lan Wangji. 

“Oh, right.” A night breeze washed over them, making the papers rustle. Nie Huaisang hung onto them tighter so that they didn’t blow away. “I should probably start from the beginning so Jiang Cheng won’t get lost.”

Wei Wuxian groaned. “Fine! You really have the worst timing, Jiang Cheng.”

“You!” Jiang Cheng reached over to land a punch on Wei Wuxian’s arm. Nie Huaisang tried to ignore the way the taller man’s shoulder brushed past his in order to get to the other side.

When it seemed like the two were about to start another bickering session (he liked to enjoy them from the sidelines rather than be caught in between one), Nie Huaisang started reading the letter.

Huaisang

I’m glad to hear you’re well and safe. As for Lan Wangji’s decision to fly out to you, I had no knowledge of it until you both told me. I’ll elaborate later. I am shocked by your news and can say that I'll try to look into the aftermath of the Sunshot Campaign, but I know they keep those details heavily guarded. Plans for the tower near Qinghe Nie are still set, but I haven’t been able to gain any more information. Lianfang Zun is adamant that no one but he and Zewu Jun involve themselves in the process.

Lanling Jin also boasted the defeat of a Waterborne Abyss three days ago, which was cause for much celebration and reverence from the local townspeople. I would love to elaborate, but I wasn’t present for the actual hunt and the others have already talked me to death about it. If you want to hear more, find a way out of your enchanted mist and ask someone the likes of Jin Zixun. I’m sure he’d love to tell you all about it. 

Last are the personal updates. No one has called attention to your absence directly, but your lack of public sightings stirred up a couple of rumors that you’re planning a big romantic gesture for me. It seems Lan Wangji beat you to it, though. He came to Golden Carp Tower for a celebration (see: night hunt anecdote above). You would have loved everyone’s reactions. 

We both know how fond the residents of Golden Carp Tower are of teasing him, so he stayed near me most of the time. Every so often he would whisper the funniest things in my ear. We passed a high-ranking official, who smiled at us grossly. Lan Wangji leaned down to whisper in my ear, an action that most assumed was a flirtation. Do you know what he actually said?

The court official's headpiece is on backward.

I looked behind me and sure enough, it was! I had to restrain my laugh until we crossed the courtyard. I must have looked like a blushing maiden! It reminded me of the time you kept sighing at Lan Wangji, and everyone thought you were jealous of him when really you wanted him to go shopping with you. 

As for Chifeng Zun, I'm sorry to say that I have not heard anything about him. If he is back in the Unclean Realm, I do not know.

I’ll continue to send word, and I trust you’ll do the same. 

MianMian

When he finished reading the letter, Wei Wuxian was laughing so hard he almost dove into the pond. “I always knew Lan Zhan was funny, but this is too much! Nie-xiong, I think you’ve rubbed off on him a bit.”

Nie Huaisang threw up his fan and laughed. “I doubt it. You don’t know how far some of us are willing to go to keep the matchmakers off our backs.”

“Is there really nothing better for people to do?” Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes. “And is there nothing better for you to do?”

“Whatever do you mean, Jiang Cheng?” Huaisang pressed his fan close to his face.

“Keeping it up sounds like a lot of work. N-not that you don’t do work, I mean,” Jiang Cheng stammered. “I think it’s dumb.” He finished by crossing his arms and frowning at the lilypads. 

Nie Huaisang shrugged. “Trust me, I wouldn’t be doing a lot of stuff if I didn’t have to. I wish I could go back to my younger days.”

Jiang Cheng kept his head down. “Do you?”

“I do.” Nie Huaisang leaned back and soaked in the night air. “Don’t remember a lot of the details, but I remember being… happy.” 

“Good.” Jiang Cheng nodded to himself. “That’s-that’s good.”

“What about you?” 

“Me?”

Nie Huaisang wanted to roll his eyes now. “Who else am I looking at? What was life for you like before?” He motioned vaguely to the air around them.

Jiang Cheng sighed. “Well, I spent a lot of time with… the people I cared about. Cultivated a lot, studied a lot. My brother is more of the showboat, but someone once told me that I was impressive too. Of course there was a lot of pressure but some days-” he looked at Huaisang- “some days weren’t so bad.”

Nie Huaisang leaned in close enough for their shoulders to brush. “Sounds like you were happy.”

Jiang Cheng returned his smile. “I was.”

It wasn’t until later that either of them realized that Wei Wuxian left them a long time ago. 

Another gust of wind blew past them, and this time the chill was prominent. Nie Huaisang wrapped his arms around himself with a shiver. Jiang Cheng reached over to feel the cold in Huaisang’s hand. 

Jiang Cheng stood up. “It’s late. We should get you inside.”

Nie Huaisang let himself get pulled up, but he forgot how long they sat for. When he got up on his feet, he could barely feel them. His numb limbs combined with the cool night caused him to stumble. 

“A-Sang!”

Nie Huaisanf lost his footing and fell back, but was quickly pulled forward. A small yelp escaped him as he crashed face-first into Jiang Cheng’s purple robes. If he had been standing any taller, the collision would have been painful. Two hands rested on his waist. 

All of a sudden, the night didn’t feel so cold anymore. 

Nie Huaisang looked up to find grey eyes blinking back at him. “Ah! I’m so sorry, Jiang Cheng. I didn’t mean to, I really didn’t!”

Jiang Cheng moved him back a step. “Be more careful next time!” 

“I will, I will!” Nie Huaisang was frantic. His heart was making all sorts of wild leaps, and only partly because of the adrenaline from almost falling into a lotus pond.

Jiang Cheng glowered. He began to pat Nie Huaisang’s back. Huaisang was unable to hold in a squeak, and it made Jiang Cheng pull away. Jiang Cheng's face returned to its usual grimace, though he was less tense than before. 

“You’re so-” Jiang Cheng exhaled. “Just be careful.”

Nie Huaisang’s fingers curled into the sleeve of his robes. “I will.”

Satisfied with his answer, Jiang Cheng stormed away. Nie Huaisang wondered if he did anything wrong, but was unable to hold anything against Jiang Cheng. Maybe this was how their interactions were meant to be. As long as his dreams continued to leave Nie Huaisang feeling awkward and flustered, he'd be left like so in real life. 

“I’m starting to get sick of all the surprise visitors here,” Jiang Cheng grumbled as he eyed the new arrival. 

Much like the first night Nie Huaisang arrived at Lotus Pier, the sect leader and his closest cohorts sat around a wooden table in the main hall to figure out what to do with their latest guest. Though unlike the first time, Nie Huaisang sat alongside Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian as they talked with the person across.

Wei Wuxian broke the intense stare-off. “So, Peacock, enlighten us as to what you’re doing here exactly.”

Well, less of a talk and more of an interrogation. Nie Huaisang’s lips were drawn in a nervous line behind his fan. No one seemed to know what to do with Jin Zixuan. 

“I’d like to ask you the same question.” Jin Zixuan directed the statement at Nie Huaisang.

“We asked you first!” Wei Wuxian was behaving more childish than usual. Jiang Cheng didn’t even try to rein him in. If anything, Jiang Cheng was just as intolerant of Jin Zixuan’s presence in his own more reserved way. 

The atmosphere was charged to the point where Nie Huaisang interjected before someone broke a wooden pillar with their eyes alone. “It’s quite the long story on our end, Jin-gongzi. I’m sure Jiang Cheng is more concerned about how you wound up all the way out here alone. It is quite the journey from Golden Carp Tower, is it not?”

"Hah! Not really." Jin Zixuan folded his arms. Both Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian’s postures were so similar. Nie Huaisang wasn’t sure who was mocking who. He swore he’s been in this situation before.

When the Jin heir landed on the docks this morning, Nie Huaisang almost thought his network at Golden Carp was compromised. But Jin Zixuan looked as confused as anyone, and he wasn’t in a hurry to leave either. 

So instead of grand tours and warm welcomes, Wei Wuxian thought the best course of action was to bring Jin Zixuan straight to Jiang Cheng. Nie Huaisang tagged along out of curiosity, finding himself stuck in a deadlock between the three clashing personalities.

“You know, at this point, I think we should just let him leave. The sooner he’s out of Lotus Pier the better,” Wei Wuxian said.

Jin Zixuan scoffed. “Not quite the welcome I expected.”

“Remember where you are, Jin-gongzi” Jiang Cheng sneered, rather sarcastic when referring to Jin Zixuan by his title. “Here at Lotus Pier, we expect our guests to announce themselves first.”

That was definitely not true, but Nie Huaisang wasn’t about to point that out. 

“And did Nie-er Gongzi receive such an uncommon welcome when he arrived here at this so-called Lotus Pier?” Jin Zixuan asked.

“Leave Huaisang out of this,” Jiang Cheng retorted.

Nie Huaisang snapped his fan shut. “Jin-gongzi, did something happen at Golden Carp Tower?” 

Jin Zixuan looked like he did back whenever Lan Qiren gave an especially tiresome lecture. “I will say, I didn’t expect to run into another on-the-run young master when I took off.”

“Another?” Huaisang asked.

Jin Zixuan shrugged. “That’s why you’re also here, right? To run away from all that stupid matchmaking?” He tapped his fingers on the table and looked around. “Can I at least get a cup of tea?”

“What is this, your vacation home? You can get your own tea if you want it so bad,” Wei Wuxian muttered. Jin Zixuan was luckily out of earshot, otherwise, such a provocation would’ve resulted in someone getting punched in the face. 

“Where was I? Oh yeah. I’m sick of all the women Father throws at me. Don’t get me wrong, I understand why there’s so many. It isn’t my fault if no one is up to standard.” Jin Zixuan continued. “So I’m looking for somewhere to take a bit of a vacation before I have to go back home.”

Wei Wuxian's previous comment was right on the mark!

Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian’s expressions were murderous. Was there some previous bad blood between the two brothers and Lanling Jin? 

There was such a nasty look on Jiang Cheng’s face. Nie Huaisang unconsciously brushed his hand over Jiang Cheng’s. The lines of anger left the sect leader’s face. A flush appeared on Jiang Cheng's neck as he blinked. Realizing what he did, Nie Huaisang retracted his hand and threw his fan up over his face. 

“Th-that’s certainly one reason to get out of one’s sect, Jin-gongzi.” Nie Huaisang tried to get his mind off of his embarrassing behavior. He wasn’t sure what was to be done. Each of the three young masters sitting around him got along as well as rabid animals.

If it weren’t for Jiang Yanli’s entrance right then, Nie Huaisang was sure they all would have ended up fighting like rabid animals too.

“A-Xian? A-Cheng? I have some tea-” Jiang Yanli stepped over the threshold of the main hall, but stopped. The teaware she brought in almost fell off their tray. Everyone turned to look at her. “H-hello.”

Jin Zixuan stood up, looking a bit caught off guard. “My name is Jin Zixuan, the first young master of Lanling Jin. May I know the name of t-this one?” 

Jiang Yanli was frozen. “I-I’m-”

“Out of your league!” Wei Wuxian shot up and rushed to get in between Jin Zixuan’s line of sight. 

“A-Xian!” Jiang Yanli exclaimed. 

“Thanks for the tea, A-Jie, we can take it from here.” Jiang Cheng was across the room within two steps and tried to take the tray from his sister’s hands. 

The eldest sibling stepped away and called both their names again in a chiding manner. “Please show some more composure, you two!” She gave a gentle smile to both Nie Huaisang and Jin Zixuan. “Why don’t we all sit down and talk it out? I’m sure whatever is going on here can be cleared up.”

Unable to deny their sister, the brothers begrudgingly sat down. The slight pout Jiang Cheng was making was actually rather sweet, in Nie Huaisang’s opinion. Jin Zixuan was all too happy to oblige, especially when Jiang Yanli took a seat beside him.

The course of action everyone settled on was to allow Jin Zixuan to stay for his ‘vacation.’ Even though both Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian looked like they wanted him off their pier yesterday, neither could shoot down the notion in front of their sister. 

The whole situation was rather comical. Jiang Cheng set Jin Zixuan straight to work helping out some of the farmers. Jin Zixuan wasn’t too keen on work, complaining most of the time to whoever was around to listen. He was a pretty terrible farmer, in all honesty, but he said it beat being pawned around back home.

Nie Huaisang agreed in that regard. He found himself with a fellow student whenever he helped Jiang Yanli with dinner. Despite not being very close before, Jin Zixuan was not a bad conversationalist once he was divorced from the prestige that followed him around outside the mist.

After a while, Nie Huaisang also let Jin Zixuan know what Wen Qing said about the shifty business going on underneath all the gold and glory. Jin Zixuan was skeptical but agreed that Wen Qing wasn't lying. His opinion was less “Rah! Kill all the Wen Dogs!” and more "Can't we just get this over with?"

Outside of that specific case, sect politics were absent from their conversations. It was kind of nice to have someone else to talk to. Though they weren’t good friends or anything, Jin Zixuan was at least more talkative than Lan Wangji was. 

They worked at a leisurely pace in the kitchen, with Jiang Yanli trusting them both to prepare some basic dishes for dinner that night.

“Trust me, I wish we can all just go back to living the way we used to more than anymore,” Jin Zixuan laughed as he cut the top off of a radish.

Nie Huaisang chuckled along. “I’m surprised you haven’t made that opinion known. I thought you were the head for many of these tasks?”

“It’s really Father and Jin Guangyao who are doing the work. I don’t know why my name is thrown around all these projects. Frankly speaking, I’m not told about a lot of what we’re doing. I don’t think I’m up to the task anyway.”

“Really?” Nie Huaisang stopped cutting the mushroom in his hand. “But you’ve been preparing for this your whole life, haven’t you?”

“Could ask you the same question, yet here we both are,” Jin Zixuan pointed out. 

They shared a laugh. Maybe there was more to Jin Zixuan than just his passive arrogance.

Dinner preparations were coming along quite nicely. Even though Jiang Yanli needed to reteach Jin Zixuan how to properly hold a kitchen knife multiple times, he was learning fast. Nie Huaisang thought he might not be as ill-prepared as he thought he was. And from what they've talked about, it also didn't seem like Jin Zixuan had many people his age he could relate to.

A commotion outside the door drew their attention.

“He knows what he did, A-Jie!” It sounded like Jiang Cheng.

The following sigh was definitely from Jiang Yanli. “We both know that’s not true, A-Cheng.”

“He. Knows. What. He. Did!” 

Jin Zixuan and Nie Huaisang looked at one another as the sounds of the Jiang siblings passed them by and into another room.

“Do you get the feeling-” Jin Zixuan eyed the door- “that they know more than they let on?”

Nie Huaisang sighed. “I don’t- I mean, I’m not sure. Sometimes it does, but I can’t put my finger on it. It’s like I know there’s something, but I’m also not worried about it.”

That probably sounded really stupid to say out loud. Nie Huaisang bit his tongue and avoided Jin Zixuan’s eye as he continued chopping.

“No, I get what you mean.” Jin Zixuan looked around a little bit more. “I trust them. More than I should, but I do. Even if everyone is always acting strange here.”

That was one way to say that Jin Zixuan was receiving passive-aggressive treatment from both the sect leader and his brother.

Nie Huaisang’s shoulders relaxed. “Yes! So strangely! I wasn’t sure if it was the mist getting to me or what, but I’m glad you understand.”

Jin Zixuan chuckled. It wasn’t dry or condescending. Just a simple laugh from, as Nie Huaisang grew to learn, a rather simple man. “Well if you managed to be happy here for as long as you claim, I guess that counts for something.”

It was dinner time when the next skirmish happened. Nie Huaisang didn’t know why anyone thought it was a good idea to all eat together when it was impossible to have a quiet meal so long as Jin Zixuan was in the same room as either Jiang Cheng or Wei Wuxian. 

Seated indoors in between the two Yunmeng brothers, Nie Huaisang quietly picked at all the vegetables he spent the afternoon cutting while a heated debate raged on before him.

“You need to stop acting like this is your vacation home and learn to respect things, your highness .” Wei Wuxian, once again, started off strong.

“Vacation home? I work more here than I do at Golden Carp Tower! My back is killing me from all the stupid farming you make me do.” Jin Zixuan made a show of rubbing his sore shoulders.

Jiang Cheng wasn’t having any of it. “This is what it is like to do hard work. Something that should be required of us, in case you were not aware.”

“That’s right!” Wei Wuxian was quick to jump on his brother’s point. “You do nothing but complain all day anyway. If you hate it here so much, you can leave anytime you like.”

Jin Zixuan rolled his eyes. “And walk into another engagement party that I didn’t ask for? Your sister seems to have no problem with my presence.”

“Leave Shijie out of this! You never respected her anyway!”

“A-Jie’s kindness isn’t here for you to take advantage of!”

Poor Maiden Jiang! It was a good thing she was still in the kitchen and not here to witness this mess. How did such a calm and collected sister end up with two angry brothers like this? And what of Jin Zixuan, who was growing more attached to the girl than he let on?

Nie Huaisang was the only one at the table actually eating. The squabbling was, admittedly, sort of entertaining to watch. It reminded him of sect meetings, although this was much more interesting than what any boring old politician had to say. There was that weird pang of nostalgia again.

The argument was at its tipping point. 

“You should think more about the women on the other side of the arranged marriage! Have you ever stopped to consider their feelings?” Jiang Cheng’s fists shook the table.

“Like everyone else I know, you should stop trying to intervene in my love life.” Jin Zixuan sneered back. “Nie Huaisang understands what it’s like.”

“Leave A-Sang out of this!”

“Who are you to act like you know so much about us outsiders?” 

“Gentlemen!” Oh my, what a terrible time for Jiang Yanli to walk in. She looked close to dropping the steaming pot in her hands.

At once, everyone’s scowls were replaced with guilty looks. Jin Zixuan rushed over to help Jiang Yanli with the food, but it only made her brothers more agitated. Before the pot was even down on the table, Jiang Cheng was on his feet and storming out.

“A-Cheng!” Jiang Yanli gasped as he blew right by her. 

Nie Huaisang was compelled to follow him. He was done eating anyways. He excused himself from the table before taking off after Jiang Cheng. The man was fast. Nie Huaisang had to lift part of his robe so he didn’t trip over himself. 

Jiang Cheng saw Nie Huaisang behind him. Instead of running away, he stopped to lean against one of the wooden railings. Even as Nie Huaisang approached, Jiang Cheng continued to scowl at the floor with crossed arms.

Now that he was actually here, Nie Huaisang wasn’t sure what to say. He flicked his fan out to cover his face as he stood beside Jiang Cheng. 

Jin Zixuan did have a point about everyone acting a bit presumptuous. There was definitely more going on that caused Jiang Cheng to get so upset. Perhaps arranged marriages were a bit of a touchy subject? 

“Did you ever have an arranged marriage, Jiang Cheng?” 

Jiang Cheng’s eyes widened, but he shook his head. He leaned back against the wood and closed his eyes. “I was once… promised. To another.” When Jiang Cheng opened his eyes again, he just looked… sad. 

“Oh.” It made sense. So marriage was a sore spot after all. Nie Huaisang squashed down the subtle feeling of disappointment. “What- what were they like?”

Jiang Cheng looked over at Nie Huaisang with an expression he’s never seen before. Soft and sad, all at once. There was a moondrop’s shine to Jiang Cheng’s eyes, as if he was going to cry. Wait, was he going to cry? 

Nie Huaisang felt like he swallowed sand. “Pardon my asking, if it was rude! I-I didn’t mean to make you upset.” 

Nie Huaisang took a step back, but Jiang Cheng’s hand reached out and stopped him. “Don’t!” Jiang Cheng’s fingers seized his arm, tensing for a moment before relaxing. “You didn’t upset me. Stay awhile.”

Jiang Cheng’s hand slid down to Nie Huaisang’s wrist.

“He was radiant. Artistic. It sounds stupid coming out of me, but he was. Always calmed me down when I got upset and fussed over me. But he understood me, too. I didn’t feel like I had to be so much when I was with him.” Jiang Cheng’s eyes trailed down to the hand he had around Huaisang’s wrist. The one that was also nervously clutching a fan. “He gave me a gift, as a promise that we would always be together.”

“He sounds impressive.”

Jiang Cheng laughed. He wiped a tear away from his eye. “He's kind of an idiot, actually. But I love him.” 

When Jiang Cheng finished speaking, Nie Huaisang noticed how his heart continued to beat loudly in his ears. It was unfair, really. Jiang Cheng spent years of his life with no new faces to talk to. Of course he was being kind to Nie Huaisang. Jiang Cheng likely wanted to vent his problems to fresh ears. 

Looking at Jiang Cheng, it was clear that there was a lot of pain to be seen when no one was around. Once the rage left Jiang Cheng was just a little lost, a little hopeless. 

And Nie Huaisang… He needed to accept that once this whole cursed fog business was over, there was still a whole world out there with messy problems to address. 

“I’m sure he's working very hard to find you right now.” 

Jiang Cheng shook his head again, a sad smile on his face. “He doesn't remember me. No one… this curse. No one remembers us.” 

Nie Huaisang tried to hide his surprise in order to comfort Jiang Cheng. Though with this new piece of information, some things began to make more sense. Of course, Jiang Cheng was in no position to be answering any sorts of questions right now. All Huaisang could do was show some kindness. 

“I’m sure, whoever they are, if their love is true they will remember you! You’ll break free of this curse and see them again.”

Jiang Cheng leaned in a little closer to Nie Huaisang. For as much as he looked like he was about to cry, he didn’t. “I hope so.”

“I’ll remember what you told me.” Jin Zixuan promised as he stared off into the mist. It was yet another cloudy morning. Not the ideal weather to be taking off into the skies on a sword, but it wasn’t like Jin Zixuan had much of a choice either.

Nie Huaisang was actually a bit sad to see him go. “The sooner we can clear things up, the better.”

Before Jin Zixuan could unsheathe his sword, Jiang Yanli came running down the dock with a bundle in her arms. “Wait! Please wait!”

The flush on Jin Zixuan’s face was evident. Nie Huaisang stepped to the side to watch the two exchange parting words. Jiang Yanli cooked up quite the storm for the man’s departure. Neither of them could look the other in the eye. If onlookers didn’t know any better, it looked like a wife was about to send her husband off to war.

Nie Huaisang hid his bemused smile. Eventually, she walked away after her brothers spotted their flirtatious exchange from afar. Suffice to say, Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian would not miss Jin Zixuan. 

“I admit, Nie Huaisang, I’ll miss having a level-headed person to talk to when I’m back at Golden Carp Tower.”

Nie Huaisang laughed. “Hey, if you’re ever feeling out of place you should visit my friend, Luo Qingyang. She also goes by MianMian, though I wouldn’t lead with that.”

Jin Zixuan nodded. “I think I’ve seen her around. If she’s a friend of yours I will seek her out.”

“I have a feeling she’ll be able to help you in the future.” Nie Huaisang hoped that didn’t sound ominous. He was just glad that there was now someone else in Golden Carp Tower that he could somewhat rely on. 

“You should find a way out of this mess soon too. Qinghe Nie’s been missing leadership for a while.”

Nie Huaisang fanned himself. “Oh, there’s no need for flattery. I’m sure Da-ge can handle things.”

Jin Zixuan frowned. “Nie Mingjue? But I thought- You mean to tell me you don’t know where he is?”

Nie Huaisang snapped his fan shut. “Da-ge isn’t at home?”

“This isn’t good.” Jin Zixuan was on his sword in an instant. “Nie Huaisang, no one has seen your brother since he left on his night hunt. I assumed you knew where he was. Something isn’t right. I’ll look into the matter when I get back. Take care of yourself, Huaisang!”

Nie Huaisang never felt so helpless as he watched Jin Zixuan disappear into the sky. Da-ge wasn’t home. He hadn’t been home the entire time.

Chapter Text

Nothing made sense. MianMian knew nothing about Da-ge’s disappearance beyond what Nie Huaisang already told her. But if Jin Zixuan knew Qinghe Nie was leaderless, then those higher in rank must know as well. Nie Huaisang also wrote to Lan Wangji asking him to notify Zewu Jun of Da-ge’s absence. 

At Lotus Pier, Nie Huaisang was restless. He stopped cooking and spent a lot of time with Wei Wuxian in his workshop. There had to be a way out. It was more urgent than ever. Even with the two of them working, little progress was made.

Nie Huaisang was frustrated and exhausted. When he needed his mind the most, it was bogged down with too much anxiety for Nie Huaisang to think straight. Wei Wuxian wasted a lot of time catching Huaisang up on all the attempts made to break the curse in the last five years. Even then, Nie Huaisang struggled to understand a lot of it.

Today was another day of fruitless searching. Books of all kinds scattered on the floor and Nie Huaisang poured over all of them. Wei Wuxian was off to the side, fiddling with metal and blood. 

“You’re going to get a bad back if you keep hunching, Nie-xiong.”

Usually, Nie Huaisang would make an effort to at least a chuckle, but his mood soured after Jin Zixuan left a week ago. “I’m trying to get some actual answers, Wei-xiong.”

“Hey, never said you weren’t! I just think you might be working a little too hard, that’s all. Trust me, I’ve been at this for years. It’s not as easy as any old curse. As you’ve seen, it’s conditional.”

Nie Huaisang slammed his book shut. “Perhaps if you stopped hiding details of the curse from me, we’d both be able to get somewhere!”

He didn’t mean to snap. He really didn’t. But all the emotions were building up and nothing made sense and the more he tried to think or find answers he was left with an aching head and heavier heart and-

“Nie-xiong? Nie-xiong, you need to calm down!” When Nie Huaisang looked up he saw Wei Wuxian crouched in front of him. There was a strain on Nie Huaisang’s arms that turned out to be himself pulling at his own hair.

“I just want to know.” Nie Huaisang let his hands fall to his lap. “Please. Out of anyone, you should understand. Da-ge... I need to help any way I can and to do that I need to be able to leave!"  

Nie Huaisang regretted his outburst. Everyone inside wanted to be able to leave, save for maybe the Wen remnants. Even still, it was rude of him to complain when he's been stuck for a short while whereas the others have toiled in the same spot for years now.

Wei Wuxian sat back on his legs and sighed. He looked around aimlessly for a moment, deliberating. 

“It was five years ago when Lotus Pier was attacked by Qishan Wen. This was very early on in their conquest, from what you've mentioned about their exploits since. I remember Jiang Cheng and I were trying to help everyone escape. There was fire and, well, I’m sure you know what a siege looks like. We were leading the elders and Shijie towards somewhere safe. Madame Yu told me to keep them safe. But then I sensed something bad coming our way. The curse, as we later found out. One I've never seen before.

We were stranded in a field and there was nowhere for cover. We didn't have our swords... I barely knew what I was doing! In a moment of brilliant and terrible, terrible thinking, both Jiang Cheng and I got and idea. We managed to create a shield by channeling our spiritual energy into a nearby flower. It blossomed a protective sphere big enough to cover our group. It was so bright and it drained a lot of our energy, but it managed to save Shijie and the elders.”

“What about everyone else?” Nie Huaisang asked.

“Everyone else…” Wei Wuxian’s eyes grew distant. “I’m still unsure. One moment the shield was up. A big wave of fog and mist swept over us. All of a sudden the sounds stopped. No swords, no shouts- nothing. By the time the air cleared enough for us to see, no one was left. Not a single body whether it was a Wen or a Jiang. Nothing but the destroyed buildings and the blood on the floor. We tried venturing out for help, but it's like walking into a wall. Impossible to pass.” 

“I’m so sorry.”

“It’s been five years. I suppose you’ve got the right idea freaking out. Maybe I should have freaked out more…”

“What do you mean? Th-there’s still time.”

Wei Wuxian shook his head. “Not much, I’m afraid.”

“W-what?” 

“The flower. It can only protect us for so long. It’s wilting. You might not’ve noticed since you only got here recently, but there wasn't always so much mist covering us. It’s been closing in. I can only assume that when the flower fully rots, the mist will take over and we’ll be taken to wherever the rest of Yunmeng Jiang went.”

“That- that can’t be right. You don’t deserve this. I-I’ll ask someone else to come in. You’re the smartest person here, Wei-xiong! You and Jiang Cheng should go and get help. With so little time left, aiya!”

Wei Wuxian held up his hand. “Don’t get ahead of yourself, Huaisang. You think I haven’t thought about that before?” 

“Haven’t you?”

“Of course! You said yourself, I’m the smartest person here! Jiang Cheng and I can’t leave. Period. Our fates are tied to the flower that brought us into this whole mess in the first place.” 

So even if someone else tried coming in to make up the numbers, Wei-xiong and Jiang Cheng still couldn't leave, huh? "Tied to this flower? How?"

"Well, we used up a lot of spiritual energy to counteract the curse that was cast on us. It's a temporary shield. Tricky thing is, even after all this time I still have no clue where the curse came from. Without knowing exactly what happened to us, it's harder to find a solution."

Nie Huaisang gulped. He hadn’t expected there to be so many caveats to the curse. Working around these limits must not have been easy. “I’ve never seen this flower before. Is that why I’m not allowed in the Sect Leader’s Quarters?”

Wei Wuxian pointed a finger in his face. “Do not go looking there! I’m tellin’ you right now, don’t. Even if you’re- I mean- just don’t. I’m warning you!”

“Okay, okay!” Nie Huaisang held his hands up in surrender.

Wei Wuxian thought his explanation complete, but he still omitted the fact Nie Huaisang learned a week ago about the memory erasure. Maybe Wei Wuxian forgot or, more plausibly, he left that detail out on purpose. But why? What did they have to hide? 

No, no. Knowing Wei Wuxian and even Jiang Cheng, their reasons were likely due to personal reasons rather than anything more sinister. Still, Nie Huaisang ached to know them. Know them again? Hard to say. 

He couldn't exactly accuse them of being too friendly. It'd be so embarrassing if he was wrong! Besides, Nie Huaisang couldn't exactly present any evidence other than his strange dreams and affinity for Jiang Cheng. And no way was he going to bring those thoughts up! He barely liked how often they lingered on his mind already. 

Ah, but of course there was the key detail of Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji. Then again, Lan Wangji wasn't some nobody in the cultivation world. It was entirely possible that Wei Wuxian was just another one of Wangji-xiong's fans who liked to speculate about him and pry out details of his personal life from the other Gusu disciples back when Wei-xiong claimed to have visited the Cloud Recesses. 

Yeah, Nie Huaisang was not in a position to be certain on anything right now. All he could do was trust the information he's been given and do some more sleuthing on his own. 

They went back to researching, but Nie Huaisang no longer paid the texts much attention. Maybe there was something more to it. He needed to see that flower. 

What Wei-xiong didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him. 

The Sect Leader’s Quarters were detached from the other residences in Lotus Pier. Despite its name, Nie Huaisang was pretty sure Jiang Cheng didn’t actually sleep there anymore. After all, he was always right down the hall- a fact that kept Nie Huaisang up longer than it should have on most days. 

With the explanation given to him by Wei-xiong, it could be assumed that maybe the room was also undisturbed because the loss to the sect was so great. Thinking about it made Nie Huaisang shiver. 

To think about all those people disappearing in an instant- and no one knew about it either! The only solace was knowing that Wen Ruohan already paid the price. 

Now all Nie Huaisang must do is figure out how that magic flower worked. Then maybe the Jiangs could be freed. 

The entrance to the room looked like the one right outside the main hall. There were wooden panels each depicting a different aspect of Lotus Pier. There were the lotus flowers, of course, and the Yunmeng Jiang crest etched into the wood. Lakeside birds flew high, almost touching the doorframe. Even the water looked fluid. 

Nie Huaisang ran his fingertips over the carvings as he mustered up the courage to open the door. He was always bad at listening to instructions, but the previous warnings given to him were serious.

But they were getting nowhere! It’ll be just a tiny peek at the flower. A little look wouldn’t hurt anyone. Perhaps there was something they missed that could fix everything. One small peek, in and out.

He pushed the door open bit by bit. His ears were attuned to any noise that might expose him- footsteps, creaking, whispering. When the door was wide enough, Nie Huaisang slipped in sideways.

The room was a mess. There were charred marks on the floor, some broken furniture, an unmade bed. Had it not been for the distinct lack of blood, Nie Huaisang might have assumed it was untouched from the Qishan Wen attack.

Did Jiang Cheng do all this? Nevermind that. Near the window that opened toward the grand lake, perched atop a delicate wooden pedestal, it sat. Sparkling magic surrounded a single lotus flower. The petals were wide open and browning, some already fallen. A delicate glass case covered the top of the flower. 

Nie Huaisang approached with careful steps. His hands hovered over the glass, not quite touching it. Even with someone as weak in cultivation as he could tell this flower possessed a large amount of spiritual energy. 

While circling the pedestal, he bumped into a shelf behind him. 

“Aiya!” The sudden impact made him flinch away and cover his eyes. Something fell onto the floor. Realizing that he was still alone, Nie Huaisang let out a breath and bent down to collect what he knocked over. 

It was a fan. Nie Huaisang turned it over. Jiang Cheng’s name was carved into the sides in familiar handwriting. The characters were too familiar. A beat in Nie Huaisang’s chest grew faster as he unfurled the fan underneath the moonlight. 

There were lotus flowers, lily pads, and stones. A beautiful picture of Lotus Pier had it not been for the destruction. Close to the kind of picture Nie Huaisang drew before he came in. In fact, almost identical. So similar that his racing heart knew it before his mind.

This fan- the handwriting, the art style, the brush type- He made this fan. 

But how-

He’d never even-

Unless-

His head swam with a million thoughts that drowned out all the noise of the outside. Perhaps that was why he didn’t realize how heavy his breathing was or the arrival of someone at the door.

“What are you doing here?” 

Nie Huaisang gasped. He clutched the fan to his chest and turned to face the entrance. 

Jiang Cheng stepped inside with an expression colder than Nie Huaisang’s ever seen before. Never in his life did he see someone look so… betrayed. 

“I asked you a question.” Jiang Cheng continued to walk towards him. Each step grew louder to Nie Huaisang’s ears. “And I know you heard me.”

The shadows grew larger as Jiang Cheng approached. His face was blank yet Nie Huaisang felt the anger pouring out from him. His knuckles were white and his deep voice shook the air. “Tell me, A-Sang.”

Nie Huaisang pressed the fan closer to him and looked to the floor. His mind came up with nothing, yet he still decided to run his mouth. “I-I-I got lost, you see. I didn’t- No, I would never- You see I perhaps walked a bit too far in the wrong direction. J-Jiang Cheng, I didn’t mean to-”

Jiang Cheng put a hand underneath Nie Huaisang’s chin. He went silent. It didn’t even take an ounce of pressure to force Nie Huaisang to meet Jiang Cheng’s eyes. Cold, grey, and seething.

“I know you better than that, A-Sang. Everyone else might see you as weak, but you’ve never fooled me. Now leave.”

He wanted to say something. Come clean or offer more apologies. A sudden streak of purple light crossed his vision as he stared at Jiang Cheng. Nie Huaisang scrambled out the door before he even saw what Jiang Cheng was doing. As he turned the corner out the door, another flash of violet filled the dark hallway. This time, accompanied by a vicious crack!

Nie Huaisang didn’t stop running until he was all the way out to the far docks. With nowhere else to go, he dropped to his knees, panting. Crap, he must have dropped the fan and his dignity back in the Sect Leader’s Quarters. 

He shook his head and cursed at himself. What was he doing? They told him not to go, and yet he still did it. Was he really seeking death? And the fan. 

His fan.

The urge to run came over him again. With nowhere left to go, all Nie Huaisang could do was take to the waters. A terrible idea, really, but he was rowing out into the dark waters before he even realized what he was doing.

Maybe this was good. Some time to get his head straight. But would he ever be thinking straight if it involved Jiang Cheng? That fan was beautiful. How cruel that he wasn’t able to remember creating one of his finest works!

The reeds in the water bobbed as if they were agreeing. Nie Huaisang continued to sigh at them. 

What in all of heaven was going on? He never met Jiang Cheng before rowing into Lotus Pier the first time. He’d have to be insane to forget someone like him. Yet, at one point in time, Nie Huaisang made a fan for him. Sure it might be just any old fan of Nie Huaisang’s that Jiang Cheng happened to pick up if not for the fact that the man’s name was carved into the wooden backing! If Nie Huaisang's memories were affected by the curse, why didn't Jiang Cheng say something? What was the extent of their relationship? Just how much did Nie Huaisang no longer know?

“This is too much!” Nie Huaisang covered his face with his hands. Both his oars lay abandoned on the sides of the boat as he drew his legs up. He pressed his palms into his eyelids. 

Everything made him dizzy. If he tried not to think he ended up thinking about the fan. The fan makes him think about Jiang Cheng. But the ten million conflicting images of Jiang Cheng in his mind made him even dizzier and now his heart hurt too! 

Jiang Cheng… heavens, what was he to make of Jiang Cheng?

Before, even when he pretended to be angry or annoyed, Nie Huaisang knew there was more to it than that. He was considerate, even if he was awkward and had trouble communicating without sounding upset. At night, Jiang Cheng was in every one of his dreams. Dreams that were always about the past- a past that didn’t exist! Was Nie Huaisang such a desperate, lonely man that his mind was constructing an alternate reality where he was the lover of Lotus Pier’s youngest master? 

And now Jiang Cheng was mad. Beyond mad. Furious at Nie Huaisang for violating a basic rule and his trust. His crestfallen face, his ability to see through Nie Huaisang even in blind rage- it would haunt Huaisang all night.

He wanted this to stop. He wanted to know what was going on! He wanted to find his Da-ge! He wanted-

Nie Huaisang was close to tears when he lifted his head. A cry was lodged in his throat, but some sense in him froze his body before he could make a peep. 

The water’s flow wasn’t right. The lines resembled a swirling motion that did not occur naturally. 

It was quiet, too. Not even a waterbug was to be seen. The mist was always thick, but there was no way Nie Huaisang could’ve rowed all the way out to beyond where the lanterns and light talismans reached. 

Something swept him here. 

Something swept-

A squeak left his mouth that he quickly covered up with both his hands. His eyes darted around. Even if he wanted to move, his muscles were turned to stone by his own fear. 

A crash broke through the water’s surface behind him. Only then did Nie Huaisang find the energy to scream his life out. 

The force of the water knocked him off his seat. Nie Huaisang scrambled to his hands and knees, turning around to at least see what it was. All he saw was more water.

Something from MianMian’s letter a while ago made the connection simple.

Nie Huaisang reached for his oars, but they were broken to bits by another crash of water. The spray drenched Nie Huaisang as he backed himself to the furthest corner of the boat. He was close to tipping the whole thing over. Before the boat sank straight down, another watery crash made him leap to the opposite end. 

It was a good thing he was screaming so much, or he’d be a dead man. 

He flung himself to the floor right as a big waved obliterated half his boat. That could’ve been his bones making those crunching sounds instead of the wooden boat!

Half of his body was submerged in water, and the top half wasn’t any drier. Water was not good. This abyss wasn't known as waterborne for nothing!! Nie Huaisang tried to heave himself up on what was left of his poor boat, but the current was stronger. 

A fierce tug loosened his grip from the driftwood. His eyes struggled to see beyond the surface. He cried again for the help, but was cut short by the water pulling him under. 

Huaisang!

The water was so cold. 

Dark and resentful energy swirled all around him.

He never got so close before. There was always someone to protect him.

Huaisang!

Ah, what he’d give to feel someone protecting him now.

Like in that dream. Then, it was dark too, but he was warm.

The water stung his eyes. He closed them.

Huaisang!

He was being tugged up. No, not up. Rather, closer.

An arm wrapped around his waist and a voice said something inaudible through the bubbles of water.

Blinking open his eyes, he saw a flash of fluttering purple robes.

A-Cheng, is that you?

He was warm when he opened his eyes again. A series of groans woke Nie Huaisang up, but they weren’t coming from him. Sitting up, he found that there were no injuries on him except maybe a few stiff muscles and a sore throat.

Nie Huaisang rubbed his neck and sighed. Another groan caught his attention, and he froze. 

“Huaisang?” Jiang Cheng lay next to him, looking worse for wear. He had a couple of bandages on his body and his eyes were half-lidded. Nie Huaisang turned over in an instant.

“Jiang Cheng! A-are you okay? I’m so sorry, I’ve caused so much trouble for you today.” Nie Huaisang tried not to sound choked up. The proximity of the other man dawned on him. They were in the same bed!

Nie Huaisang forced himself to stare at the ceiling instead. “Why are we here?”

“I asked Wen Qing to bring us here. It’s where I’ve been staying,” Jiang Cheng answered. 

Ah, so they were really in Jiang Cheng’s room? It looked like it was only put to use recently though. What about the Sect Leader’s Quarters? Unless Jiang Cheng decided to move down the hall from Huaisang just because? 

Wait, did that mean Nie Huaisang was in Jiang Cheng’s bed.

Oh. Oh, no! No, no! They really shouldn’t be alone. Jiang Cheng was hurt! “I should really get-”

“No.” Jiang Cheng looked so tired, but every time his eyes drooped he forced them back open. Nie Huaisang was close enough to count eyelashes! “Wen Qing and A-Jie are fine. Wei Wuxian handled the Waterborne Abyss after I dragged you out. It was already pretty weak, otherwise, we'd all be dead by now. We’re fine. Relax.”

In these dire situations, Nie Huaisang was hopeless. He was too weak to do anything like pass on spiritual energy. Sitting there and looking sad wouldn’t do anyone good. His eyes landed on a few medical items on a nearby table. Wen Qing has been teaching him a couple basics. Maybe he could-

“Don’t.” Jiang Cheng said before Nie Huaisang even got up. “I know what you’re thinking. I’m fine. Just stay here.”

Nie Huaisang fiddled with his sleeves, scooting away to give the other some space. “I’m so sorry.” Once again, all he was good for was shaking his head and acting pathetic.

Jiang Cheng reached out his hand and took one of Nie Huaisang’s. 

“Apologies to this sect leader, but I don’t have much spiritual energy to help.” Nie Huaisang drew his hand back, but Jiang Cheng moved their entwined hands so that they rested on his chest.

“I know that, dumbass,” Jiang Cheng grumbled. 

Something lit up inside Nie Huaisang. Even without the blankets, even after being dunked into icy, resentment infested waters, he was warm. 

Nie Huaisang ran his thumb over Jiang Cheng’s hand. The silver and purple ring stood out to him. A spiritual weapon. One that no doubt produced the violet streaks he saw when he was running away in cowardice. 

Nie Huaisang really was some man, huh?

Jiang Cheng’s silence was worrying. He wasn’t asleep, Nie Huaisang could tell that much, but Jiang Cheng wasn’t himself either. Nie Huaisang expected to be yelled at more for his recklessness or spurned for his prior actions. But Jiang Cheng only continued to stare at their intertwined hands through bleary eyes. 

Maybe he was too tired to be angry. Once he got enough rest, he’d probably never want to see Nie Huaisang again.

“You think too much.” 

“Huh?”

Jiang Cheng snorted. Somehow, that was a reassuring sign. “You only ever get so quiet when you’re thinking too much. So stop. I don’t hate you.” 

“I…” When Nie Huaisang looked up, Jiang Cheng looked away. It was becoming a pattern. One whose origins were starting to become clear. “Jiang Cheng… you know me, don’t you?”

“Well you’re right here, so I’d say that’s quite obvious.”

“You know what I mean. I meant… before. We knew each other, didn’t we?”

Jiang Cheng’s face said everything.

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“You don't have to worry about it.”

“You knew me from the start, didn't you? Everyone did. B-but why... Why didn’t you say anything?"

“This is exactly why I didn’t want you to know.” Jiang Cheng sighed. He knit his brows and threw his arm over his face. “There’s no helping it if you don’t remember.”

“Don’t you think that kind of information is essential to someone, like me, who is trying to break this curse? Aiya, why didn’t Wei-xiong say anything either?”

“We all agreed not to.” Jiang Cheng took a deep breath. “It’s not fair to act like we’re owed anything. It’s been years. Everyone’s moved on. You’ve got your own problems. We can’t take that progress away just because we’re stuck in this timeless space.”

Nie Huaisang didn’t know what to do except hold Jiang Cheng’s hand tighter. They knew each other. They knew each other. Except not anymore. Nie Huaisang thought back to his dreams. “Who was I to you?”

Jiang Cheng stayed quiet a long time before replying. “A friend.”

“That’s it?” There was that inkling of disappointment. “You’re not going to tell me any more?”

Jiang Cheng threw his head back against the pillow. “There’s no use if you can’t remember!” 

Nie Huaisang wanted to knock some sense into him. He wondered if, back when they knew each other, he ever got so exasperated with Jiang Cheng as he was now. “You can’t suffer on your own either. Believe it or not, the burden of this curse isn’t just on your shoulders.” Jiang Cheng started to argue, but Nie Huaisang continued to insist.

“No more! I won’t hear of it. From this day on I will honor our previous commitment as… friends, and help you no matter what. Curse and all. Understand?” Nie Huaisang adopted the tone Da-ge used whenever he really wanted to make Nie Huaisang study. “Say it. Say that we’ll break the curse together.”

Jiang Cheng didn’t have enough energy to argue. “Okay, Huaisang. We’ll break it.” His smile was weary and he didn’t sound like he quite believed the words, but he said them anyway.

A friend, huh?

"If we were friends then I'm sure you won't be offended when I call you an idiot."

"Excuse me?"

Nie Huaisang turned around, feeling rather angry all of a sudden. "You heard me! You're telling me that I could've been your- your 'friend' this whole time, and you decided to act like a stranger instead? And here I was, thinking that something might actually be preventing you from talking to me. But instead, it's just because of your stupid personal reasons?"

Jiang Cheng stammered. "I-I was trying to do the noble thing! You deserved a chance to live without the burden of helping us out."

Really, such an idiot. "Well next time, friend, you should chuck the noble thing out to the water and be honest with me."

Jiang Cheng looked at him, a little in awe. "You still shouldn't have to feel pressured to do anything for me just because you think it's what you think you'd do if you did remember who I am."

"Well then, I guess we'll just have to get to know each other a bit better. Won't we?"

No one else bothered them the rest of that night. Nie Huaisang declared his intention to return to his own room to let Jiang Cheng regain his energy, but the man got upset if Huaisang even scooted a centimeter away.

Nie Huaisang promised that he’d spare Jiang Cheng some privacy and leave when the man fell asleep, but it wasn’t long before Nie Huaisang was also nodding off. 

If Jiang Cheng pulled him closer on purpose with his absurdly strong arms, Nie Huaisang pretended not to know. And if Nie Huaisang got a bit too much satisfaction from cuddling with the sleepy sect leader all night, Jiang Cheng didn’t say anything either.

A friend… It was much, but it was a start.

Chapter Text

“The Lotus Night Festival?” Nie Huaisang tapped his fan against his chin. He lounged on a wooden bench while watching Wei Wuxian doodle on some spare paper. They were taking a quick break from work, which meant collapsing on the nearest flat surface within Wei Wuxian's workshop. 

“Yeah!” Wei Wuxian smiled from the floor. “It’s a Yunmeng holiday that the merchants all loved to celebrate. A huge night market of sorts. Lots of colorful lights, good food, pretty ladies…” 

That last thing probably wasn’t possible anymore. Jiang Yanli was family, and Wei Wuxian would sooner fix his sleeping habits than flirt with Wen Qing, even as a joke. 

“Hey! Speaking of which, you have to invite Lan Zhan.”

Now that caught Nie Huaisang’s interest. “Wangji-xiong? You want me to invite him to the festival?”

Wei Wuxian snorted. “You have ears, don't you? Can you, Nie-xiong, please? It’ll just be for one night and it’ll be so much fun! Tell him I have a million things he has to try. He’s a smart boy who knows about cool things like technicalities now. I’m sure he can come up with a factual excuse!”

There wasn’t a reason not to oblige Wei Wuxian and it would be nice to see Lan Wangji again. “Alright, I’ll send him a message, though I don’t guarantee that he’ll be able to come.”

“Yes! Thank you, thank you Nie-xiong! I can’t wait to show you guys how to properly have a festival. Hah! I remember when Shijie used to take Jiang Cheng and I out and we’d compete to see who could buy each other the best snacks.”

Nie Huaisang snickered. “Is that really something to compete over?”

Wei Wuxian shot him a look. “Come on, Nie-xiong, you should really know us both better than that by now.”

Well, he was supposed to, but Nie Huaisang didn’t want to be reminded of how serious this curse was. So what if it consumed his thoughts and gave him near-crippling anxiety? It was kind of a bummer to constantly think about how part of your memory was magically altered and erased! 

Wei Wuxian didn’t know that he knew. Rather an awkward thing to bring up. Hey Wei-xiong! I heard that we used to know each other before your entire sect was destroyed. Mind unpacking all that baggage so that I can get a better sense of what’s going on? 

No way was Nie Huaisang going to do that. It was difficult enough for Jiang Cheng to open up about it. Even someone as cheery as Wei Wuxian might not react well to being forced to confront this curse.

The best course of action was to keep trying to break it. If they break the curse, all the other problems will go away, right?

Right?

“Hey, Nie-xiong, stop looking so gloomy over there. Don’t tell me you’re sick of researching already.” Wei Wuxian chucked a paper ball at him.

Nie Huaisang managed to bat it away with his fan. “Can you blame me? I can see why you all hold a festival each year. Doing all this stuff every single day has gotten so bor- Hey!” Two more paper balls landed on his face. 

Wei Wuxian was on the floor, using one hand to hold his chest and the other to ball up more scrap paper. Nie Huaisang forgot all about his magically-induced amnesia in favor of picking up the stray projectiles and firing them back.

It was like he never left school at all. The thought made Nie Huaisang pause for a moment. Even as he got hit square in the face, he smiled. If something as stupid as a paper ball fight made him all nostalgic, then he did know Wei Wuxian in his youth. Those hazy days in the Cloud Recesses must have been filled with fun times just like this one.

A knock came at the door while the two men were mid-laugh. "Open up! I can hear you guys and I know you're slacking off!" 

Wei Wuxian made a few motions with his hands to unlock the door. 

Wen Qing stepped inside with her hands at her hips. “Is this the so-called important work you’re both up to these days?”

“We work so hard. We were just taking a break!” Wei Wuxian threw a paper ball at her, which she dodged with ease.

“If you’re going to dally around, at least help with festival preparations! You say the festival is for us and yet you continue to waste time.” 

Nie Huaisang made an inquisitive noise. “But I thought the festival was for the merchants?”

Wei Wuxian shrugged. “The Wens all came around the same time as festival season, so I put forth the idea that we use the time to also welcome the new inhabitants.” He looked back at Wen Qing. 

Wen Qing ignored him in favor of glaring at Nie Huaisang. “And you! I hope you’re ready to resume our lessons if you’re in such a giddy mood. The whole time since the Waterborne Abyss you’ve been crying about your nerves nonstop.”

“I have a sensitive disposition!” Nie Huaisang complained. He threw his fan over his face. “Is that all you barged in here to tell us?” 

Wen Qing narrowed her eyes at them both. “Jiang Cheng has requested your presence.” 

Wei Wuxian got right to his feet. “Is it done already?”

“What’s done?” Nie Huaisang ventured.

Wen Qing rolled her eyes as Wei Wuxian smiled like a cat in front of a mouse. “You’ll see. Come on, Nie-xiong, we have a festival to plan!”

Somewhere along the trip from Wei Wuxian’s secluded workshop to the main halls of Lotus Pier, Nie Huaisang ended up switching walking companions. At an intersection, Wen Qing huffed back to her office with a chatty Wei Wuxian chasing after her. Nie Huaisang was almost about to follow if it weren't for the cough behind him.

Jiang Cheng leaned against a wooden column with his arms crossed. “I assume my brother’s told you about the Lotus Night Festival.” He looked at the floor with his lips drawn in a thin line.

Even after everything, Nie Huaisang understood. He also felt too awkward being around Jiang Cheng! “He has. I’m quite excited to see what it’s like. From what Wei-xiong told me it sounds fun.”

Ah, it wasn't Jiang Cheng's fault that they're stuck in some kind of personal limbo. Even after the events of the dramatic Waterborne Abyss rescue, Nie Huaisang's mind was pulled in too many directions to address the tension that's been developing between them. It wasn’t the tension of secrecy like before. Instead, Nie Huaisang feared they might be getting too close for two people who were such good friends. 

As they got closer to the main rooms, Jiang Cheng began to fiddle with his own hands. Nervous? Where were they going anyway?

Before Nie Huaisang could ask, Jiang Cheng cleared his throat. “Uh, if it’s alright with you, I’d like to cover your eyes before we go any further.”

“Oh?” Nie Huaisang felt his face flare. “Does Jiang-gongzi have a surprise for me?”

He didn’t mean for those words to sound as teasing as they did. Still, Jiang Cheng nodded. The pink flush on his cheeks was an extra bonus. Turning around, Nie Huaisang allowed Jiang Cheng to put his hands over his eyes. 

Nie Huaisang felt a shaky breath at the back of his hair. It made him shiver a little. He decided to walk slowly on purpose. Maneuvering around was a struggle, but there were no complaints whenever Nie Huaisang stopped all of a sudden and bumped into Jiang Cheng’s chest. Hearing Jiang Cheng’s breath hitch like that was something rather addicting.

By the time they got to their destination, Nie Huaisang was proud to have thrown Jiang Cheng’s breathing off entirely. There was a sound of a door opening. They walked a bit further before Jiang Cheng said, “Okay. Okay, we’re here.”

When he removed his hands, it was Nie Huaisang who was breathless. 

Shelves of what used to be something stupid like study material were replaced with stacks of empty paper and paints. Colorful art pieces were arranged around the room- calligraphy work, water paintings, silkscreens. There was a desk in the center of the room. A couple of expensive-looking brushes were placed on the surface. The back of the room was practically a giant window facing the great lake. 

The view outside was even more spectacular. The sun was bright today, making the mist lose some of its overbearing nature. Flowers bloomed right under the windows, pink and purple buds peeking their heads up to look back inside. There was even a little perch from the window’s wood pattern that looked fit for a bird to land on. 

Nie Huaisang didn’t know where to even look. He spun around to find Jiang Cheng still behind him with a sheepish expression. 

“It’s for you. The room, that is. I, uh, I overreacted the other night and I’m sorry. For scaring you away.” Jiang Cheng took a deep breath. He lingered by the door as Nie Huaisang explored every nook of the room. 

“I don’t know what to say. Thank you!” A room like this rivaled his bedroom back in the Unclean Realm. Even there, there was so much color. Not to mention the gorgeous waterfront view. “I’d be content to spend all eternity here.”

Jiang Cheng covered whatever noise came out of him with a cough. “I-I’m, uh, I’m glad to hear it.” His face was pinker than the lilies. 

A giddy laugh escaped Nie Huaisang. “This is beyond wonderful. Really, I can’t thank you enough! Jiang Cheng, you’re so- you’re so-” He didn’t know how else to say it. Nie Huaisang ran up to Jiang Cheng and threw his arms around his neck.

Jiang Cheng stumbled back in surprise but caught Huaisang with both arms. Nie Huaisang was also content to spend the rest of eternity there, but that was wishful thinking. “Thank you,” he whispered again in Jiang Cheng’s ear before stepping back.

“Y-you can come here whenever you’d like. I know you probably miss getting to draw and stuff. P-plus there’s a perch I made for Xiao Yanzi so you can get your letters easier.” Jiang Cheng explained every detail of the room like a tour guide. 

Nie Huaisang was smart enough to figure most of it out without instruction, but he let Jiang Cheng talk the afternoon away regardless. 

“Thank you again for helping me get ready.” Nie Huaisang sat still, moving only to pass a few pins to Jiang Yanli as she helped style his hair. “I was curious to see what styles Yunmeng had to offer, and you’re always so impeccably dressed.”

Jiang Yanli laughed. “I really don’t deserve so much praise, Huaisang. I’m happy to help.” 

The sun was starting to set, showering the entirety of Lotus Pier in a lovely purple and orange glow. On festival night, even the mist seemed to lighten up a little. A fan he painted earlier that day was drying near the windowsill of his room. He smiled at himself in the mirror. Nie Huaisang was content in how he looked, but that never stopped him from appreciating fashion. 

With the new art room Jiang Cheng so generously gifted him to use, Nie Huaisang spent the last two days altering some robes that Jiang Yanli gave him to suit his figure. There was an old green robe Nie Huaisang had been meaning to fix up as well. With a little guidance from Jiang Yanli (and bandages from Wen Qing when he pricked himself), he managed to tailor a fine festival-ready outfit. The once plain, shapeless lavender robe he found in a back closet to use was cinched higher with better fitting around his shoulders. He embroidered some silver patterns for trim- a combination of Lotus Pier’s flowers with the stone and beast designs found in the Unclean Realm. As a finish, he tied a tea green sash around with some loose ribbons to match his outer robe. 

Perhaps overkill for a festival with less than 20 attendees, but he really was fishing for a certain sect leader’s compliments. 

As Jiang Yanli adjusted the silver crown on his head, the door swished open.

Nie Huaisang jumped in surprise, causing one of the pins in Jiang Yanli’s hands to prick his head. “Ow! Wei-xiong! My nerves!”

“Ahh, sorry Nie-xiong. I was looking for you two. Everyone’s waiting!” Wei Wuxian skipped up to the mirror, making a few faces before grinning at Nie Huaisang. “You didn’t have to dress up so much if you wanted to seduce my brother, Nie-xiong.”

“Wei-xiong! What are you saying!” Nie Huaisang drew his fan up over his face at once. As if the weather wasn’t stuffy enough! 

Jiang Yanli laughed behind him. “Doesn’t Nie-gongzi look lovely?” 

If these few remarks were making Nie Huaisang flush, he could only imagine Jiang Cheng’s reaction. Was it possible to wear a mask all night? Was that a thing these people did?

Wei Wuxian's reflection in the mirror grinned. He was also dressed up for someone who didn’t care much about appearances. “Say, when do you think Lan Zhan’ll be here?” Ah, that explained it. Wei-xiong shouldn’t tease so much when he’s also guilty!

“Do I look like his personal timekeeper?” Nie Huaisang huffed. “Shouldn’t you be waiting by the docks if you want to see him so bad?” 

Wei Wuxian let out a wistful sigh. “Ah, Lan Zhan will find me when he gets here. He has the habit of doing just so.” He lifted himself up to sit against the dresser. “Are you done? If Lan Zhan isn’t here, you’re the only other person I can show the cool stuff to.” 

“He’s done,” Jiang Yanli declared. As soon as she stepped back to let Nie Huaisang get up, Wei Wuxian grabbed him by the arm and dragged him outside.

They ran past empty halls and down the stone steps into the main courtyard. Wei Wuxian didn’t let go until they were right in the middle of the action. There were so many lights, it was hard to tell if night had fallen. Small tables were set up all around, with people drinking and eating. A few who could play instruments were playing up lively music. A-Yuan bounced from person to person, tugging at their sleeves and opening his mouth for food. There were even one or two makeshift ‘booths’. Granny Wen set up one where she spun candy out of a wheelbarrow, much to A-Yuan’s delight. 

“It used to be bigger, but there’s still plenty of food and games and dancing!” Wei Wuxian beamed as he greeted the others. It was easy to get swept up in the festival spirit.

A thousand lights circled his vision at all times. After so long at Lotus Pier, he fell right in tune with everyone else. The farmers he worked with, the patients he helped treat, the people he served food to, it all came together. 

Nie Huaisang found Wen Ning nodding along to the music in the corner. His hair was combed neat and tied up out of his face. He was still shy, but he looked content. 

Spinning in tune with the lively melody being played on the er-hu by one of the uncles, Nie Huaisang spun right into Jiang Cheng. “Oh!” He couldn’t help but laugh as he bowed, head filled with bubbles from the musical high. “Good Lotus Night Festival to you, Jiang Cheng.”

“A-and you, Huaisang,” Jiang Cheng stammered. His silver crown gleamed with rainbows under the lantern light, and it bathed his face in multicolor blush. Nie Huaisang smirked to himself behind his fan as he watched Jiang Cheng struggle to settle on any part of his body. “You look great! I mean, you always do. I’m not saying you don’t dress well, you do. I believe, uh, is that one of Lotus Pier’s robes? Not that I mind! I just-”

“Thank you, Jiang Cheng.” Nie Huaisang snapped his fan shut and tapped it against Jiang Cheng’s chest. “I think you look rather dashing yourself.”

“Thanks.” And for once, the smile on Jiang Cheng’s face was free of any tension. 

It was like a moment out of Nie Huaisang’s dreams. With the summer winds, he felt weightless. The reverberation of joyfully pulled strings and happy shouts filled the atmosphere with such giddiness. He’d like nothing more in the world than to stand right where he was with Jiang Cheng looking at him like he was the first breath of spring. 

“Nie-xiong! Jiang Cheng! Come quick, Lan Zhan’s here!!” Wei Wuxian’s shouting overpowered the music.

Jiang Cheng had to leap back to make way for A-Yuan, who ran through the crowd like a stumbling doe exclaiming, “Rich-gege is here!”

Nie Huaisang gave Jiang Cheng a sympathetic smile since he wore disappointment on his face more apparently than Nie Huaisang. They followed A-Yuan over to the courtyard’s entrance, where Lan Wangji descended from his sword. 

Wei Wuxian was right up in Lan Wangji’s face, talking faster than a hummingbird as he motioned wildly to the activities around them. A-Yuan was already hugging his legs, copying whatever Wei Wuxian did, and staring in awe at Lan Wangji’s elegant dress.

“Wangji-xiong, it’s good to see you again!” Nie Huaisang approached the man. As he got closer, he saw another familiar face appear from behind Lan Wangji. “Eh? MianMian? ”

“Nie Huaisang! It’s actually you!” MianMian waved and hurried over to give proper greetings. 

“Huaisang.” Lan Wangji nodded alongside her. “You look well.”

Nie Huaisang shook his head, looking between the two like he was choosing between two purchases. “I can’t say I’m not glad to see you, but Wangji-xiong! I didn’t say you could bring a plus one!”

“He didn’t invite her. I did.” Wen Qing stepped forward and was immediately tackled in an embrace by MianMian. Wen Qing rolled her eyes in an attempt to look unaffected but smiled when MianMian pressed a kiss to her cheek.

Everyone around them was left fumbling for words as they looked upon the... couple?

Jiang Cheng tried not to be phased. “What in the world?”

“Wen Qing! But you two haven’t met before!” Wei Wuxian tried to make sense of it, blubbering about her icy facade and how, deep down, she really did have a heart!

Nie Huaisang turned to his long-time friend. “MianMian? Your letters never mentioned… You and- How?”

MianMian was all blushes and smiles, something Nie Huaisang never thought he’d see. All he could do was shake his head. Looking at Jiang Cheng, it seemed he was as stunned as everyone else. 

Wen Qing tossed a casual arm around MianMian’s waist. “What are you looking at? You’re not the only one who knows how to write bird letters, bird boy.”

“Hah?” Nie Huaisang’s mouth hung open for a whole swarm of flies to go in. “Hah? You’ve been abusing your privileges! To think Xiao Yanzi was flying back and forth for what, delivering your love correspondence?”

MianMian rushed over to him, unable to feel any remorse. “Ah, don’t be too hard on her, Huaisang. I do send over supplies like you both ask. Do you think so lowly of us to suggest that we don’t do our jobs as well?”

Nie Huaisang crossed his arms. “Well I guess…” 

MianMian kept going. “I didn’t come empty-handed either. I’m sorry I haven’t written in so long, but Wen Qing invited me and there was so much news that I figured it’d be best to tell you in person.”

“Tell me what?”

MianMian bit her lip. Their small party was rather interested in what she had to offer. “Well now that I’ve got everyone’s attention, I should announce that as of last week, Sect Leader Jin Guangshan passed away.”

“What?” Nie Huaisang gasped. Even Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian looked shocked. Lan Wangji probably knew, considering he was not part of their little mist-dwelling troupe. “I’m shocked but…” 

But what more was there to say? Jin Guangshan wasn’t exactly anyone’s… favorite. The reputation and lifestyle rumors were common knowledge even to the prudent disciples of Gusu Lan. After funeral rites, all that was left was- “The successor?”

“Jin Zixuan was given the title and is very busy. I do say that might be some news in your favor, Nie-gongzi.” MianMian nodded with a curt bow. Finished with her report. 

Everyone stood around a bit dazed. That was certainly a big shift in the mood, although Nie Huaisang didn’t find much personal investment in the wellbeing of Jin Guangshan. If anything, his death might stall any plans Lanling had for places outside their jurisdiction. With Jin Zixuan in charge, there might be a chance of Lanling Jin having some brains behind their wealth for once. 

“And my brother?”

MianMian shook her head. “No news, I’m afraid.”

Jiang Cheng nudged at Nie Huaisang’s side. “Hey, uh, are you alright?” He asked like Nie Huaisang was about to faint.

But Nie Huaisang would never do that. He'd been looking forward to the night as much as anyone! Wei-xiong did say it was meant to be a night of relaxing. To take people's minds off of bad things in the world.

“I’m fine. As MianMian said, nothing new. Let’s not get caught up in what we can’t change. There are plenty of reasons to celebrate tonight! And don’t think I’m letting you off the hook for this romantic escapade you two were hiding!” Nie Huaisang pointed at the two women, who laughed at him before going off, arm in arm.

“C’mon, Lan Zhan! I need to show you something!” Wei Wuxian took Lan Wangji away before the other had time to blink.

Soon it was just Jiang Cheng and Nie Huaisang standing next to one another, watching everyone else. The uncles started another lively tune. Nie Huaisang looked at Jiang Cheng expectantly. 

“If you need to get away from the festival for a bit, I understand. That was a lot to take in. Are you okay?” 

Heavens, that was really sweet. “Ah, thank you, Jiang Cheng, but I’m okay.”

“You sure?” Jiang Cheng looked ready to call off the entire celebration at Huaisang’s beck and call. Quite the commandeering and gentlemanly air he had. 

Nie Huaisang smiled, taking one of Jiang Cheng’s hands. “I’m alright, I mean it. Nothing’s changed, and there’s a perfectly stunning festival right here. It’d be a shame for it to go unnoticed. Would you oblige me for a dance, Jiang-gongzi?” 

“I’ll dance however many you want.” Jiang Cheng followed Nie Huaisang's lead to the center of the courtyard. 

Nie Huaisang’s robes trailed behind him after each spin and dip. Jiang Cheng wasn’t a half-bad dancer. Even when he stumbled, the next step always matched wherever Nie Huaisang was. Jiang Cheng was one step ahead at all times. Such work must have required a lot of concentration, but Jiang Cheng looked nowhere else but right in front of him. 

Well, in front and slightly below, though Nie Huaisang had no complaints about his shortness. It suited his demeanor well, in his opinion. 

“You’re quite the dancer, Jiang Cheng. Did you dance a lot growing up?”

Jiang Cheng stepped back as Nie Huaisang leaned forward. Each step right on time. “Not really. I don’t dance much.”

Nie Huaisang lifted a brow. “Really? I couldn’t tell.”

“I had a good teacher.”

Nie Huaisang hummed. “Your betrothed, perhaps?”

The song took a turn for a slower tempo. Jiang Cheng pulled Nie Huaisang close to his chest, one can only guess to avoid revealing his face when he said, “Huaisang once again guesses correctly.”

Nie Huaisang hummed a short stanza of the song but otherwise ended their conversation by resting his head on Jiang Cheng’s shoulder. There was an inkling of a feeling- a connection he made, a hypothesis- that maybe the one Jiang Cheng longed for was him. 

They’d both be idiots to ignore the growing chemistry. Though Nie Huaisang prided himself on his apt theories, he wasn’t much of a wishful thinker either. At least, not enough to try and make anything happen romantically. After all, Jiang Cheng continued to avoid discussing the extent of their past relationship. It was entirely possible that Nie Huaisang had it all wrong, and that Jiang Cheng was projecting his loneliness. 

He shook those thoughts away as the song ended. As the last note drawled out, Jiang Cheng pried Nie Huaisang’s face away from his shoulder, keeping a solid grip on his waist. 

“Everything alright, Jiang Cheng?” Nie Huaisang hoped he wasn’t overstepping his leeway to flirt with him. It was the most he’s felt in a long time.

“I am! I’m uh-” Jiang Cheng started to lead Huaisang away from the main square- “If you don’t mind, I’d like to show you something.”

“Another surprise?” Nie Huaisang smirked. “Jiang-gongzi, at this rate I’ll start to think you’re spoiling me.”

“Don’t worry, you don’t have to close your eyes for this one.”

Crossing the courtyard, Jiang Cheng began walking towards the part of Lotus Pier where the buildings became less clustered and the divide between indoors and outdoors blurred. The merriment of the Lotus Night Festival faded into the background, replaced with the hum of cicadas and wind passing by trees. 

The terrain grew rockier. It was a good thing Jiang Cheng’s hand was behind Nie Huaisang at all times, gently moving him forward. 

The stone path gave way to an area near the outermost pagoda. Nie Huaisang was familiar with the area. In his opinion, it was the best spot in all of Lotus Pier to watch the sun rise and set. Instead of following the main road down to the water, they turned into a wooded area. Nie Huaisang didn’t even know such a spot existed.

Weighted branches with wide, dark green leaves obscured the opening but there was a little path that promised a destination, even if the road was rather beaten. Jiang Cheng stepped forward to lift the branches. He cocked his head towards the opening with a shy look. 

The inside was a serene, secluded garden. Two stone benches lay at the side of a pool where a small bit of the river was fenced off with large white stones. Lilies floated atop the water, which reflected the night sky. 

Unlike all the other parts of Lotus Pier (which was still beautiful and elegant), this garden was alive. Fireflies danced from flower to flower. Beyond that, Nie Huaisang heard birds- and they were singing. 

Nie Huaisang walked over to a stone bench, above which was a particularly musical tree. He sat down and drew back his sleeve, extending his arm out. 

“What are you doing?” Jiang Cheng sat down beside him.

“Shh…” Nie Huaisang put a finger to his lips and closed his eyes. He willed his body still. Within a minute’s time, a small bird swooped down and perched itself on his palm. 

A light gasp came from Jiang Cheng. He stretched his legs. “I never cease to be amazed at how well you get along with birds.”

Jiang Cheng looked happy to stand witness to Nie Huaisang’s talent, but that wouldn’t do. Nie Huaisang prompted the bird to switch to hands as he pulled Jiang Cheng closer to him. The man tried not to make a sound, though a throaty gurgle of alarm did go by unmentioned. Huaisang abandoned his fan beside him.

“You cup your hands and try not to look mean.” 

“Insinuating I usually do?”

Nie Huaisang laughed. “Not that I mind. It’s rather becoming for you, Jiang Cheng. But the birds tend to be less agreeable than I.” 

Jiang Cheng put his palms out, fingers open stiff. Nie Huaisang almost teased him about it but decided to keep the humor to himself. Instead, he pressed lightly on Jiang Cheng’s palms and curled his fingers back slightly so that his hands relaxed. The hands tensed for a moment but caved in as Nie Huaisang smoothed them over with his own fingertips. 

A few birds came down to greet them, but they never quite landed right on Jiang Cheng’s hands. They preferred to flit around restlessly or hop onto Nie Huaisang. There were birds sat next to him, on his other hand- one even landed on his crown. 

Jiang Cheng burst out laughing when that happened, which deterred more birds from approaching. “I think I’ll leave the dainty animal work to you, Huaisang.”

“Calling me dainty, Jiang Cheng?”

“You!” 

“I tease.” Nie Huaisang shifted so that he leaned closer to Jiang Cheng. The whole time, he tried getting closer so that maybe the birds would hop over. Now that he was already so close, he didn’t want to move away. 

“I know.” Jiang Cheng brushed some of Nie Huaisang’s hair back. 

They spent the rest of the night taking a turn about the garden. The air was less restrictive, and the trees somehow made a nice barrier between the thickest of the fog. The best spot was right at the edge of the pond, where one could easily bend down and pick up a stray waterlily drifting by or admire the reflection of the moon.

“I hope this festival has taken your mind off… things.” Jiang Cheng looked at his feet.

Like how Da-ge is still missing, we’re trapped in a magical fog that’s going to consume us, and that most of my memories of you are all gone? Not likely, but it was very cute of Jiang Cheng to try. Very, very cute. Nie Huaisang nudged the man with his shoulder. 

“Thank you. For showing me this. I love y- it. I love it.” 

Jiang Cheng covered half his face with his sleeve. “G-good.”

From where he stood, Nie Huaisang was able to see his own hopeful eyes mirrored in the grey of Jiang Cheng’s. Heavens, were they standing this close the whole night? Quite the failure on Nie Huaisang’s end, to not have noticed until now. He couldn’t help as his lashes fluttered shut with an aptly timed breeze. 

“A-Sang.” Jiang Cheng whispered his name like a breath he’s been keeping in for too long.

A forehead rested on his own.

A breath ghosted above his lips.

A little lower.

Just a little…

Bang!

Nie Huaisang and Jiang Cheng jumped apart, both of them a little short on breath and very much embarrassed. 

An array of sizzling explosions drew their attention upwards. Fireworks! Colors rocketed off one another as bright sparks drew shapes in the sky. There were flowers, the Yunmeng Jiang lotus symbol, and a very flamboyant showcase where blue and white fireworks exploded in a brief message. The characters went up one by one, Lan… Wang… ji… is… great!

The message was followed immediately by a funny caricature of Wei Wuxian’s face, winking with his tongue sticking out. 

“Wei Wuxian!” Jiang Cheng cursed under his breath. 

Nie Huaisang bat Jiang Cheng's arm as he laughed. It was a shame the atmosphere was ruined, but the fireworks were wonderful. Streaks of red, green, purple, and blue lit up the clear water. The ripples extended the streaks of color, bringing them to the banks of the pond.

“Why don’t we try again with the birds, hm?” Nie Huaisang took Jiang Cheng’s arm and led him back to the trees. “I’m sure the sudden noise gave them a startle.”

Jiang Cheng finished muttering expletives under his breath and sighed. He slid his arm further down and entwined Nie Huaisang’s fingers with his. “I guess I’ll try again. For you.”

Chapter Text

“This way! This way!” Wei Ying tugged on Lan Wangji’s arm. “You have to try one of Shijie’s bings, they’re so good!”

There might have been a part of Wei Ying that always knew Lan Wangji would come to the festival tonight. How else could he explain why Wei Ying was so well prepared?

Lan Wangji never saw so much color in his life. He must have looked like a newborn child with how wide his eyes were at the world around him. There was something coming alive from each corner of the yard. People eating, dancing, drinking, talking- things that normally overwhelmed him. 

But another tug to his arm, and he forgot all about it. He focused his eyes on Wei Ying, tuned his ears to the sound of Wei Ying’s voice, and memorized the feel of Wei Ying’s touch. 

“Here!” A fried cake was presented right under Lan Wangji’s nose. He inhaled. “Fresh, right? And it tastes way better than the bland stuff you have in your Cloud Recesses.”

Lan Wangji took the bing in his hands and took a bite to be polite. It was good, as Wei Ying said, but nowhere near as good as the reaction he got from the man himself. 

Wei Ying’s grin grew larger, if that was even possible, and soon Lan Wangji was being ushered in another direction. With what little Lotus Pier had in resource, it made up for in spirit. When Lan Wangji first arrived, the other residents tended to keep away. Now, they were smiling at him and enjoying the festival even in such a dire situation. 

A-Yuan sprinted by, latching himself onto Lan Wangji’s leg again.

“Rich-gege!” A-Yuan ogled the treat in his hands. Lan Wangji handed it over without hesitation. “Yay!”

Wei Ying turned around and clicked his tongue. “Ah, Lan Zhan! You shouldn’t spoil him so much. A-Yuan, what do we say?”

“Thank you!” With that, the little boy was running off again. This time, in the direction of Luo Qingyang and Wen Qing. 

“It is not a problem.” Lan Wangji was glad to see someone as young as A-Yuan having a fun time even in a dire situation. There was immense honor and admiration in Wei Ying and the others’ attempts at providing A-Yuan with a good childhood. 

Wei Ying brought him over to a stall run by a frail old man with a white beard and a gap-toothed grin. “Hello there Uncle! I hear you have quite the array of games for us this year.”

The old man chuckled. “I do.” He turned to Lan Wangji with a twinkle in his eye. “I started making little festival games for A-Yuan two years ago, but I think Master Wei likes it better than the kid! You know I always say, once A-Yuan ages out of these childish games, I’ll still be behind the stall for this one!” He pointed a finger at Wei Ying.

“Hey! Festival games are fun for everyone!” Wei Ying pouted. He turned to Lan Zhan with hopeful eyes. “You’ll play them too, right Lan Zhan?”

Lan Wangji hadn’t played any “games” since… Well, perhaps he was never one for games anyway. Not like there was much time anyway, even when he was growing up. Though he did recall his mother always playing with him, laughing. It was nice. “Mn.”

“Ha!” Wei Ying faced the old man again, victorious. “See? One more player.”

“Make that two more!” Luo Qingyang came up to them with a disinterested Wen Qing trailing behind. “QingQing, I can’t believe you didn’t mention games sooner!”

“QingQing?” Wei Wuxian waggled his eyebrows.

The woman in red glared at him. “Don’t you start! Call me that again and you’re banned from my medic office.”

Luo Qingyang laughed, pulling Wen Qing close and resting her head on her shoulder. Wen Qing's venomous look was gone. “Lan Wangji, are you going to be playing too?”

“Yes.” 

They all looked to the old man for instructions. The point of the game was pretty simple. One person stood a distance away from the other. The goal was to toss as many flowers onto the other person within a certain time frame. Simple games for children. But everyone playing was an adult, so it didn’t take long for Wei Ying to start promoting some of his own ideas.

“How about it, ladies?” He smirked at Luo Qingyang and Wen Qing. “Fancy a little competition?” 

“What kind?” Luo Qingyang asked.

Wen Qing pulled her aside. “Don’t encourage him!”

“But I wanna know. C’mon, QingQing, it’ll be fun!”

Wei Ying cleared his throat. “Yeah, QingQing! Where's your festival spirit? How 'bout this. Whoever can toss the most flowers gives the loser a week’s worth of chores.”

Wen Qing huffed. “Of course it’s to get out of chores. That doesn’t hold any weight for MianMian nor Lan-er Gonzi.” 

“I don’t mind if it’s to make work less tiring for you.” Luo Qingyang wrapped her arms around Wen Qing’s neck. “You always work too hard anyway.”

The couple was lost in their own world. It made Wangji’s heart patter strangely, especially when Wei Ying turned to him right after. “Can you believe that? This is their first time meeting too. Makes you wonder what kind of love letters they’ve been writing to each other. Have you ever written a love letter before, Lan Zhan?”

“No.” But he was starting to understand the appeal of such a thing. He pondered the plausibility of Nie Huaisang allowing him to use Xiao Yanzi to communicate with Wei Ying, if only to help with researching and curse-breaking. 

“So, do we have a deal?” Wei Ying extended his arm out to Wen Qing.

She let out another groan but took one look at Luo Qingyang batting her eyelashes before giving in. “Fine!”

Lan Wangji and Luo Qingyang stood beside one another a fair distance away from Wen Qing and Wei Ying. From where he stood, Lan Wangji wasn’t able to hear what the others were saying due to the other festival sounds around him. The conversation was likely a back-and-forth of taunts and snide jabs, judging by their facial expressions. The old man set two stacks of flowers in between the two main competitors. There were garlands, wreaths, and crowns of all sizes. The flowers were less bountiful than they might’ve been, consisting mostly of the available lilies, lotuses, and wildflowers available at their disposal. 

The old man stepped aside. “Alright. Remember. You can reach out your arms to catch the flowers but no moving and no cultivation tricks! I may be old, but I still have a good eye!” 

“QingQing, good luck! You can do it!” Luo Qingyang cupped her hands to shout.

This made Wei Ying excited. “Lan Zhan! Any encouraging words for me?”

Lan Wangji froze. It was not as if they were a- a couple. His dumb stare did not deter Wei Ying’s attitude, in fact, it made him shout a couple more shameless remarks that left Wangji’s ears hot. He averted Luo Qingyang’s gaze to spare himself from her comments.

“That’s okay, Lan Zhan! You can tell me all about how great I am once I win!”

With a wave of the old man’s hand, the game was afoot.

The old man hadn’t even retracted his hand when the first wreath landed around Lan Wangji’s neck. He sucked in a breath of fragrant white lilies. The swiftness of the action left him stunned, but he shook out of his alarm as more flowers came his way.

Wei Ying was scarily efficient. He threw the first few big ones around Lan Wangji’s neck. Then he worked on tossing smaller ones, predicting correctly that Lan Wangji could catch them with ease. When two hands weren’t enough, Lan Wangji wore some flowers like bracelets around his arms to make room. The grass and twigs were sure to leave marks on his white robes, but all Lan Wangji paid attention to was the elated laughter of Wei Ying, who was cracking under the silliness of how Wangji must’ve looked.

Right as the time was called, Wei Ying threw his final flower. A crown of red lotuses landed squarely atop Lan Wangji’s head, resting perfectly above his forehead ribbon. The smile that came over Wei Ying’s face was enough of a victory prize, even before the old man announced who won.

After all the bunches of flowers were counted, the old man got the result.“It seems Master Wei wins again! Better luck next time, Wen Qing.” 

“Yes! No chores! We did it, Lan Zhan!” Wei Ying ran over and hugged him. Lan Wangji stumbled back a bit. A protest died on his lips, but he must have looked very taken aback because Wei Ying withdrew his arms and gave a nervous laugh. “Ahahaha, sorry Lan Zhan! I forgot you didn’t like to be touched.” 

“No.” Lan Wangji was caught unawares by his own words. “It is alright.”

“Ah, really? That’s good then! You should always try new things.” Wei Ying looked like a flower in the sun. He cleared away some of the garlands that amassed on Lan Wangji’s body, all but one. “You should keep the crown on your head, by the way. It looks good on you.” 

Once more, Lan Wangji was at a loss for words. It was as if Wei Ying spoke so much, there were enough words for both of them. But rather than taking over the conversation in a rude manner, Wei Ying was anything but. He read Lan Wangji’s mind and picked apart his thoughts in ways never before. Even his brother was gentler with Wangji in terms of making him confront his desires and feelings. Wei Ying took no such liberties, and Lan Wangji was left chasing after his footsteps.

As they were cleaning up, a stray white lily dropped to the ground. This one stood out in particular to Lan Wangji. Rather than picking it up and putting it back with the others, he held it for a while longer.

Wei Ying took notice. “Ah, for me? Lan Zhan, you’re too generous.” He took the flower from Lan Wangji’s hand. It occurred to him that Wei Ying came to this conclusion since, while admiring the flower, Wangji’s hand was outstretched by a slight margin.

Wei Ying inserted the flower into his hair, right where his red ribbon held his messy hair together. “Now we sorta match!”

They did. Lan Wangji was taken by the hand and carried off to their next destination. As the sound of instruments grew louder, more people stepped into the square to partake in the music. Nie Huaisang and Sect Leader Jiang were spotted in a rather snug position in the center. His friend looked comfortable. 

“Do you dance?” Wei Ying spun around, causing Lan Wangji to almost bump into him. “I bet you don’t. Gusu probably doesn’t have many celebrations like this, huh?”

Lan Wangji confirmed it with a shake of his head.

He did not want to disappoint Wei Ying, but the man looked anything but. “Don’t worry, I’ll teach you! I’m a great teacher. Here, take my hands and follow my lead, okay?”

At first, Lan Wangji was prepared to awkwardly fumble around all of the other dancers. He was not familiar with this kind of music or the movements. Everyone else was like firecrackers being tossed to the ground, popping up and leaving sparks in their wake. Still, he took Wei Ying’s hand and braced himself.

Not pulled toward the spark, but a gentler flame. Wei Ying’s touch was confident and kind. “You do it like this.” He guided them through a series of basic steps. Simple, but in time with the music. “Easy, right?”

It was. Everything with Wei Ying was. Easy. Perhaps not uncomplicated, but like working through a passage of difficult poetry. A complex process of slow work, navigating through prose both beautiful and meaningful. They skirted the main dancers, sometimes getting close but never colliding into the mess. 

Wei Ying talked through it all: how he was doing, what his Shijie was cooking lately, A-Yuan’s progress practicing basic cultivation. He spoke of himself and also things that Lan Wangji was curious to know but too polite to ask. It was good to hear that Nie Huaisang was doing well, and they were all doing the best they could under the circumstances. 

“Hey, Lan Zhan?” Wei Ying called for him, even though Lan Wangji was already paying attention. “I’m really glad you came! I was almost worried you weren’t, but I figured you wouldn’t be so mean as to turn me down. The festival wouldn’t be as fun if you weren’t here. I’m glad I got to show you everything and that you had fun.”

“I did. I am.”

Wei Ying let out a sigh of relief. “Good, because I have one last thing to show you. Wait right here!” He took off into the crowd, ducking past the people he’s grown close to over the years as they jokingly admonished him.

There were still a lot of questions in Lan Wangji’s mind. He still had not figured out how Wei Ying knew his name. He was unsure of why he allowed Wei Ying to treat him with such familiarity. If anyone else tried to, Lan Wangji would have resisted and rebuked any attempt at such uncontrolled behavior. Wei Ying barged into his life and Lan Wangji just let him. Something was there, from the very first time they met, that made Lan Wangji feel. 

All his senses harmonized around Wei Ying. Lately, there’s been a melody in his ear that he couldn’t place. 

Lan Wangji’s swarming thoughts were interrupted by a sudden burst. 

Light showered from the sky. First red, then blue, then all the others. There were big bursts and small fizzles. And there was Wei Ying, running back towards him.

“Lan Zhan! Do you like them?” He was out of breath, bracing his hands on his knees but still beaming. 

He was torn on where to look. Fireworks were nothing compared to the bright shine of Wei Ying’s face, but Wei Ying did set off the fireworks for him as a surprise. 

As always, Wei Ying was equipped with an answer. “Look, look!” He pointed towards the sky. “You don’t want to miss it!”

He saw his name in fireworks. Lan… Wang… ji… is… great!

“Well? Pretty good, right?” 

Wangji was breathless. “Yes.”

And Wei Ying… he was really great too.

Chapter Text

This was the end of the world. Nie Huaisang wasn’t built for running, but he clung on even as his lungs threatened to collapse. He could barely see the trees as they blurred by. His clothes were soaked, the scent of rancid water drowned only by the smell of blood. 

He wanted to cry, but there wasn’t even time for that. All he knew was to keep running and to never, not for one second, let go of Jiang Cheng’s hand.

“A-Cheng,” Nie Huaisang wheezed. He couldn’t go any further. He was tired, and he was desperate. “A-Cheng, I can’t-”

Jiang Cheng came to a sudden halt. There wasn’t any time for Nie Huaisang’s legs to register the stop and he ended up collapsing in his beloved’s arms. 

“Get up! A-Sang, you gotta get up!” Jiang Cheng forced Nie Huaisang back on his legs. One arm was thrown around his shoulders and the other gripped his waist. “We gotta get help. Wei Wuxian, he- he’s still in that cave!”

Nie Huaisang knew that. He wasn’t about to abandon his friend to the clutches of a giant man-eating turtle monster, but Nie Huaisang really did feel like he was going to die. 

“Where’s the nearest town? Lotus Pier should be closer, right? Hang on, A-Sang.” 

As Jiang Cheng kept talking to keep himself sane, Nie Huaisang waited for his vision to clear up. There was metal in his mouth and fire in his bones. 

“Just a little further, A-Sang. Hang on. Please, please, oh god.”

It was hell, and it would soon mean war. They just mutinied against their captors. Sure, they were free for now, but unless someone got word to the leaders of each sect, there was no chance anyone would survive whatever the Wens were planning. 

“Please hang on. We’ll be safe at Lotus Pier. A-Sang, stay with me. Stay with me, please!”

His sight was back. The road forked just up ahead. Nie Huaisang may be bad at a lot of things, but he spent enough time observing nature to know that one path lead toward the water while the other to the mountains.

“A-Sang? Say something, you gotta say something, please.”

“I love you.” 

Those must have been the wrong words, because the next thing Nie Huaisang knew, all he saw was Jiang Cheng’s face.

“No. No, no, A-Sang, what’s wrong? Where did they hurt you? I- You should’ve said something! I- For heaven's sake, please hang on.”

Ah, silly A-Cheng. Nie Huaisang shook his head and took Jiang Cheng’s hands in his, finally standing up on his own. “I’m not injured, A-Cheng. But we can’t go on like this.”

“W-what?”

Nie Huaisang tilted his head and kissed him with all the breath he had left. 

“A-Sang, what are you saying? We have to keep moving.”

“We do. But I can’t go with you to Lotus Pier.” 

Jiang Cheng’s eyes widened. His mouth hung open, mouthing something inaudible as he shook his head. 

“A-Cheng, I can’t. I have to go warn Da-ge and the others.” 

“I’m not letting you go alone.”

“Oh, A-Cheng.” Nie Huaisang cupped Jiang Cheng’s face and pressed another firm kiss onto him. “We both know you need to go back to Lotus Pier just as badly. What of Wei-xiong, hm?”

Jiang Cheng’s wrapped his hand around Nie Huaisang’s wrist. “I can’t leave you. What if something happens?”

“It won’t. I promise, we’ll find our way back to each other again.”

Jiang Cheng still didn’t want to believe it.

“We will, A-Cheng. You have to trust me. We can’t- This is war. You know I’ll always be with you.”

“After everything is over, you come find me, okay?” Jiang Cheng pressed a series of kisses to Huaisang’s palm. “Promise me.”

“I promise. Whatever happens, I’ll always find my way back to you.”

But that was the last time, wasn't it?

Nie Huaisang shook awake, the phantom sensation of fire-burnt lungs and water-logged legs lingered in his soul. He threw the sheets off and ran to the window for some air. The damp, misty morning hit his face. He rubbed his eyes and tried to calm down. Why was it always so wet? All he wanted to do was get rid of the thought of that awful, awful cave. 

Then there was the matter of his dreams. They all felt real, but this one hurt him more than anything. He still didn’t have all the pieces. The dreams were too much for him to bear on his own.

He couldn’t keep going like this. 

He had to tell Jiang Cheng- tell Jiang Cheng everything he’s been feeling. Maybe he’d be right or maybe he was delusional. Either way, it was all too much pressure to keep buried under the guise of harmless flirtation.

Nie Huaisang tried to steady his heart as he got dressed, but the nerves came back as soon as he was out the door. He tried knocking on Jiang Cheng’s door down the hall, but the man wasn’t around. None of the other residents seemed to know where he was either. Nie Huaisang was about to head out to see if he could catch Wei Wuxian on his morning walk, but it seemed he didn’t need to.

Jiang Yanli caught sight of him and rushed over. "Huaisang! We’ve been looking all over for you!”

They were looking for him? Once again, life proved that perhaps Nie Huaisang was more productive when he sat and did nothing rather than worry himself to pieces. “Ah, what’s the matter?”

Jiang Yanli motioned for him to follow her. She took off at a brisk pace. “It’s not something I can explain easily. I’m sure your friends will be able to say much more than I can on the matter.”

“My friends?” They turned onto the main leg of docks, and that was when Nie Huaisang saw everyone.

Lan Wangji caught sight of him first. Even from a distance, Nie Huaisang saw that something was wrong. Following Lan Wangji’s line of vision was Wei Wuxian, who began waving like mad. And there was also MianMian, and Jin Zixuan, and even Jiang Cheng. Nie Huaisang hurried his steps.

“What in the heavens happened to make everyone come out like this?” Nie Huaisang cried. 

Lan Wangji was composed, but both MianMian and Jin Zixuan were exhausted and dirtied. No injuries were visible, but they both wore expressions Nie Huaisang hadn't seen since… since the Sunshot Campaign.

“A-Sang.” Oh dear, Jiang Cheng saying his name like that wasn’t making anything better. “He should sit down first.”

“Huaisang needs to know” Lan Wangji stated. He looked at MianMian and Jin Zixuan. “And a medic should be called.”

MianMian had her hands on her knees, still catching her breath. “We’re fine! Just tired. The news can’t wait. He has to know.”

“Know what?” Nie Huaisang fretted. He hated how everyone was looking at him, and at each other. “What happened?”

While everyone else was kicking at stones, Lan Wangji was frank. “Huaisang, your brother has returned.”

Jiang Cheng was right. He should’ve sat down first. 

Da-ge was found at last, but it wasn’t the good news Nie Huaisang was hoping for. They were all gathered around a nearby set of benches. Jiang Yanli and Wen Qing were tending to the Lanling arrivals like nurses on the battlefield. Well, Wen Qing was a doctor, but the chiding tone in her voice directed towards MianMian didn’t fool anyone. 

Nie Huaisang already had weak tolerance for surprises, but today might be the one to actually cause his poor heart to give out. 

“Tian ah! All this in one day?” Nie Huaisang fanned himself with the fan Jiang Cheng fetched for him after he almost collapsed the first time. 

“Mn.” Lan Wangji confirmed. “Chifeng Zun arrived in the Unclean Realm two days ago. He spoke of your being trapped here. My brother and Lianfang Zun visited the day after. They believe he is unwell.”

“Unwell?” 

“Mentally.” Lan Wangji clarified. “I tried to persuade brother, but it seems he has been taking the advice of Jin Guangyao to keep Chifeng Zun isolated in the Unclean Realm.”

“This Jin Guangyao guy must be some talker.” Wei Wuxian looked as if also come out in a rush, as there were loose talismans stuck to his robes and food on his robes, likely from breakfasting with A-Yuan. “If he managed to convince Lan Xichen that Chifeng Zun’s gone insane. Isn't this the guy who is trying to marry you?”

“Except it makes all too much sense,” Nie Huaisang lamented. Of course it has come to this. “Da-ge already has a condition! They probably all think he’s close to qi deviation after a night hunt gone wrong.”

Jiang Cheng scoffed. “Where in the hell do they think you’ve gone, then?”

“Jin Guangyao sent out a search party,” Lan Wangji answered. “He is eager… to pursue the proposal.” 

Jiang Cheng’s face fell at once. Nie Huaisang wanted to die right then, and that wasn’t even half of the news.

Jin Zixuan spoke up from where he was being tended to one bench over. The crown atop his head was askew and his face was pale. “I’m afraid our worst suspicions about Jin Guangyao may be true. I tried looking into the towers and what happened to the Wen remnants, as you said, but it was much harder to find answers than I anticipated.”

MianMian nodded. “It was a good thing Jin-gongzi reached out to me when he did. He was about to retire to his room when I sensed something off in the guards’ rotation. I managed to save him just in time from a strange attacker.”

Nie Huaisang gasped. “An assassination attempt?”

Jin Zixuan nodded. “I knew then that Golden Carp Tower was no longer safe. With my father’s passing… I was a fool to think I was able to undo all of the problems he caused. There’s been too much anger festering. Luo Qingyang and I both had the same destination in mind to seek refuge. We ran into Hanguang Jun on the way over.”

"Who in their right mind would attack you? Right in your home, no less!" Nie Huaisang thought it rather uncharacteristic of Jin Guangyao to do such dirty work out in the open like that. Then again, secrets were always best kept in plain sight. 

Jin Zixuan shrugged. "From what I can remember, a successful attempt on my life would have looked very much like an accident."

"Plus," MianMian added, "there's been more than enough political unrest surrounding Jin Guangyao's tower proposals. To pin the whole affair on one of the minor sects in disagreement over the plans would be all-too simple."

It was like a key going into a very complex lock. The mechanisms were lined up, all that was missing was to turn the key. Everyone Nie Huaisang trusted was gathered right here, save for the most important person. It felt like a trap, but some traps had to be sprung in order to catch the right prey. Nie Huaisang just never figured he’d be the one to spring them.

“I have to go back to Qinghe.” He said what was on everyone’s minds. They all wore grim faces. Of course they would doubt him. Nie Huaisang wasn’t exactly the picture of action and determination. He was useless in fights and slow to take up tasks. But Qinghe was in trouble and his Da-ge’s freedom was on the line. His life might be on the line. For once in his life, he bore the fury in his eyes openly. “I’m the only one who can inherit the duties of sect leader and rescue my brother.”

“A-Sang, I don't think that's a good idea.” Jiang Cheng sat beside him the whole time. His eyes were downcast and his hands were clenched to the point where his knuckles were white. 

It pained Nie Huaisang to have to leave, but there truly was no more time to dawdle about. “No one knows the Unclean Realm better than I. I can’t just sit by and wait for something to happen. In all likelihood, I’m the only one who can see my brother and the only one to get Jin Guangyao to cut the nonsense before something awful happens."

Jin Zixuan piped up, subjecting himself to Jiang Cheng's glare. “Nie Huaisang is right. This is the opportune moment for action. With my father’s passing and my absence, Jin Guangyao is now acting sect leader for Lanling Jin. Who knows what he can do?”

“You’re not thinking of leaving already? You’ve weathered a lot on your way over already.” Jiang Yanli ran a cool towel over Jin Zixuan's forehead. No matter how much she dabbed at his face, there was no stopping the permanent flush of pink on his cheeks even as he was spouting grand ideas.

“Your best bet is to wait out the night and leave first thing in the morning.” Wei Wuxian advised. “You all aren’t exactly in the best condition to be going anywhere or confronting anyone.” He motioned to the three of them, sprawled out on the benches like fainted drama actors. 

They all needed time to absorb the information and sort out goals. Heavens knew Nie Huaisang needed space alone to clear his head. After a hectic lunch, he stole away to the art room Jiang Cheng gave him. Suddenly, all the happy times he had at Lotus Pier felt as distant as his days in Gusu. A blank piece of parchment lay before him. He considered penning a letter before realizing that everyone he relied on was already there. He then tried to write out his thoughts, but nothing was coming to him. There was so much to think about that he wasn't even able to translate his racing thoughts into words. He pushed himself out of his chair.

Xiao Yanzi was at her perch nearby. Even the bird knew something was wrong, opting not to sing for once. A shame, really. Nie Huaisang really could have used something to soothe his mind. Instead, he was in a frenzy as he paced back and forth. 

Nie Huaisang wasn’t even so much confused as he was anxious. Itching to get out of Lotus Pier and back to reality. Being in Lotus Pier was like being in a dream. If that was true, then he's overslept. He’d gone past overslept, and now the nightmares were crawling out of the shadows to poison his sleeping body.

There was a gentle knock at the door right when Nie Huaisang was about to take his tenth turn about the room. “Huaisang?” 

Oh. It was Jiang Cheng. “Come in.”

Nie Huaisang expected something along the lines of “how are you?” or “just checking in!”, even if those phrases sounded stupid coming from someone like Jiang Cheng. But of course, Jiang Cheng was anything but predictable and ordinary. The man marched up to Nie Huaisang and thumped his chest with his fist. “Hit me.”

Nie Huaisang nearly spat. He folded up the fan he was waving about and stared at Jiang Cheng. “What?”

Jiang Cheng patted his chest again. “Whenever I got mad, I never knew how to get it out. I used to spar with Wei Wuxian or beat up as many practice dummies as I could. The problem doesn’t go away, but you’ll feel better. So, hit me.”

Jiang Cheng really was serious! He got this encouraging look in his eye when Nie Huaisang lifted his fist. 

He was about to go in for the punch, but Huaisang ended up throwing his arms around Jiang Cheng instead and whining into his robes.

“You’re so- you’re so!” Nie Huaisang wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. He lifted his head and smoothed down the purple fabric. A tear was wiped from his eye. “Thank you. For all you’ve given me. I really don’t know how I can ever return the favor.”

Jiang Cheng wasn't able to look Huaisang straight in the face. His eyes fixed to a spot on the floor but allowed his arms to wrap back around Nie Huaisang's waist. “I guess it’d be an even bigger problem if I did this then, huh?” Jiang Cheng lifted Nie Huaisang’s hand up and slipped a ring over it. 

The cold metal was nothing compared to the surge of power that warmed Nie Huaisang’s golden core when it slid into place. A flicker of purple lightning zapped around his hand, but there wasn't any feedback shock. 

Nie Huaisang shook his head a little bit and blinked. “What did you just do?”

Jiang Cheng continued to avert his gaze. “Zidian will keep you safe. Don’t worry about how to use it- it’ll do its job.”

“I can’t take this.” Nie Huaisang was already trying to get the ring off, but the damn thing wouldn’t move one bit! “This is your spiritual weapon! You can’t give it away like that!”

Jiang Cheng took both of Nie Huaisang's hands in his. Oh, now he was feeling brave about looking Huaisang in the eye? “You’re going to need it more than me. Take Zidian. It’s already claimed you.”

There was no changing Jiang Cheng’s mind. Nie Huaisang curled his fingers around the ring. The metal was a perfect fit. “I’ll come back, I promise.”

Jiang Cheng yanked him forward. Nie Huaisang face-planted right in the center of Jiang Cheng's chest, nose buried in his clothes and mouth muffled. “Mmrph?” 

With Nie Huaisang’s arms spread awkwardly at his side, it was easy for Jiang Cheng to lift one of them to his face. Nie Huaisang expected him to kiss the palm, like in his dream, but he didn’t. Maybe he was too afraid, or maybe Nie Huaisang was being wishful again. 

Nie Huaisang brushed his knuckles over Jiang Cheng’s face. It was wet. 

The skies were foggier than expected in the morning, but it wasn’t like they could delay any further. Wen Qing heaved a basketful of supplies in MianMian’s arms, barking in a loud voice about the proper use of each item. MianMian knew her way around medicine but listened with a patient smile regardless. Jin Zixuan polished his sword with a cloth as he exchanged sweet whispers with Jiang Yanli. Perhaps Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng would have been angrier at the audacity if they weren’t preoccupied with the others. 

“Lan Zhan, are you sure your brother will be okay with you staying here?” Wei Wuxian hovered to the side of the dock along with Lan Wangji.

“Mn. It is what must be done.”

“Don’t worry, Lan Zhan! A-Yuan and I are great company. We'll keep you well-fed and well cared for!”

Wei Wuxian’s bold choice of words failed to rile up Lan Wangji, but his face said something along the lines of I know.

Nie Huaisang wasn’t as fortunate as to have been paired with a chatty conversation partner. He stood at the edge of the dock with Jiang Cheng, waiting for MianMian to be finished since he was unable to ride on his own sword.

“We should go over the plan again.” Jiang Cheng was guarded as he looked out into the water, even though the visibility was near nonexistent. He behaved almost the complete opposite from how he was yesterday. 

They went over the plan seven times already. Nie Huaisang didn't bother to bring up that fact as he started on the eighth. “I’m going to the Unclean Realm, where I will free my brother and set things right. After MianMian drops me off, she will go straight to Golden Carp Tower to assist Jin Zixuan in challenging Jin Guangyao for the role of Sect Leader. All this, assuming Jin Guangyao refuses to step down. Lan Wangji will stay behind in my stead.”

Nie Huaisang turned Zidian around his finger. He fiddled with it constantly, but it never once activated. He considered bringing this up to Jiang Cheng, but that would only worry him more. 

Now that he was standing at the dock, minutes away from leaving, Nie Huaisang never felt so small. Resolving to leave and actually leaving were two separate things. He couldn’t bear to look at Jiang Cheng anymore, knowing that whatever face he wore would stop Nie Huaisang in his tracks. 

MianMian released her sword after breaking from an impressively long good-bye kiss from Wen Qing. “It’s time to go.”

“I’ll be back.” Nie Huaiang whispered as he turned away from Jiang Cheng and stepped behind MianMian.

Even with the added weight, the sword was able to hold them both. Jin Zixuan took the opportunity to kiss the back of Jiang Yanli's hand. Clever of him, knowing that both Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian weren't looking. Jiang Yanli flushed in return and gave him final words of encouragement whispered into his ear. 

The blade was steady as ever, but that didn't stop Nie Huaisang from clutching onto MianMian's shoulders. She gave him a look which conveyed, had they not been in a very serious situation, that she'd be making fun of him for his melodramatic cowardice. A myriad of shouts followed the three as they took to the air. 

“Get back safe!”

“We’re cheering for you, Nie-xiong! Show that Jin Guangyao who he’s dealing with!”

“Remember to bring back more supplies when you return!”

Nice as the farewell messages were, a particular voice was absent from the chorus. 

Nie Huaisang tried not to think about it. He's had more than enough time with Jiang Cheng to sort out whatever was going on between them. It was bad timing and his own reluctance to act that caused their departure to feel melancholy. Nie Huaisang tried to immerse himself into the thrill of the flight- something he was very much not used to and quickly discovered he did not enjoy. He was ready to start crying out of fear when he heard what he's been listening for.

“A-Sang! Y-you better get back or I’ll break your legs!” 

Nie Huaisang gasped. One chuckle turned to three, then ten. To the point where Nie Huaisang’s stomach hurt and he almost lost his balance. MianMian had to shift their weight to avoid careening into the water, but Nie Huaisang wasn’t afraid.

They shot through the final barrier of mist. The grey turned right to a brilliant blue that left Nie Huaisang covering his eyes to save them from the sun’s glare. Tucked away for so long, he forgot what it felt like to bask in the sunshine. 

With a sendoff like that, he was lighter than air.

Halfway through the journey, Jin Zixuan went his own way to Lanling as MianMian’s sword continued its path forward. It wasn’t long before the grand courts of the Unclean Realm were visible. The grand stones and the beast’s head emblem were a welcome sight. What wasn’t were the various towers placed too close for comfort or reason.

MianMian dropped him off as close as she could without detection. She handed over a couple of supplies from Wen Qing's stock before wishing him luck. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.” 

It took Nie Huaisang another ten minutes to walk to the front gates. He wasn't even thinking anymore, focused on keeping one foot in front of the other, and acting like he was used to the sunshine and roads. The guards were in quite a frenzy at his sudden appearance. He was ushered at once to the main yard where a large crowd gathered. 

No, it wasn’t a crowd. It was more like an army. Rows of soldiers stood at attention in front of the Unclean Realm’s main hall. They hailed from a variety of sects, not just the main four. Cultivators of all kind stood at attention so stiffly, it was like there were two of Da-ge at the front instead of just the one. Instead of Da-ge standing tall at the top of the stone stairs, it was Jin Guangyao.

A sour taste developed in Nie Huaisang’s mouth. Next to him was Lan Xichen. That was at least reassuring. Even though Lan Xichen viewed Jin Guangyao more favorably than most, he was also a purveyor of the truth and someone who was familiar with Nie Huaisang. Plus, having Lan Xichen there meant that Jin Guangyao had someone to keep him in check.

Nie Huaisang hastened his steps, rushing up from the side. “Ahh! Er-ge! San-ge!” He adopted his signature whine and made a point of throwing himself onto Lan Xichen. He hung off the man’s white sleeves, tugging and shaking.

“Nie Huaisang!” Both of them exclaimed. Lan Xichen tried to support Nie Huaisang’s weight with as much elegance as he could. The crowd began murmuring at once, to the brief disappointment of Jin Guangyao. 

“Thank goodness, you’re alright. We were worried sick!” The look of bitterness was replaced with concern as Jin Guangyao pressed his hand to his heart. “Everyone! The Second Master of Qinghe Nie has returned!”

His declaration roused a wave of cheers. From Nie Huaisang’s vantage point, he noticed the impressive addition of Lanling Jin and Gusu Lan cultivators in the mix of his sect’s own. 

Lan Xichen patted Nie Huaisang on the back and urged him up. “Nie Huaisang, where in the world have you been? We were going to launch a widespread search for you. Your brother has been worried sick. He is quite unwell!” 

“Wha- Da-ge. Where is Da-ge?” Nie Huaisang grabbed at Lan Xichen's sleeves more fervently.

Jin Guangyao tried to put his arms around Nie Huaisang, but he cried louder and surged forward into Lan Xichen’s robes. He was used to acting like this around everyone- so what if a few extra cultivators saw him? It beat having to deal with Jin Guangyao’s hands over him.

“Huaisang, I’m afraid Da-ge’s condition is much worse than we’ve feared. He came back in hysterics, talking about some lost sect and your being trapped there. Er-ge had to sedate him with his xiao. ”

Sedate Da-ge? Lan Xichen? Nie Huaisang began to curse himself for how long he's been gone, for how stupid he was to waste his time with confused feelings rather than be more active in ensuring Da-ge's safety. It seemed both of the Nie brothers were at a disadvantage with how long they've been gone. Absence bred rumors, and rumors were everyone's weak point.

Nie Huaisang widened his eyes at Jin Guangyao, trying to sound innocent and genuine. “What? No! No, Da-ge was telling the truth! You have to wake him up, we need to save them! Er-ge, we have to go to Yunmeng! You’ll see there.” 

“Save who?” Lan Xichen knit his brows. That was not the reaction of support Nie Huaisang anticipated. “Huaisang, perhaps you should rest. You’ve clearly been through a lot.”

Jin Guangyao sighed. “The situation is worse than we thought. I’m afraid Huaisang has been gone for too long. He is acting just like Da-ge! Er-ge, you should get him to bed and call for medical assistance right away.”

“What?” Nie Huaisang tried to stand up and collect himself. He couldn't backpedal too quickly, then everyone would think something was even more wrong! “No, I am sound of mind and telling the truth!”

Jin Guangyao smiled at him like he was entertaining a toddler. “Huaisang, there is no Lotus Pier. You have clearly undergone something incredibly traumatic and are simply projecting. The best thing for you now is to rest until a doctor can see you.”

Jin Guangyao put his hand on Nie Huaisang’s shoulder, but he beat it away. “There is! I was just there, and Wangji-xiong is there too!” 

Lan Xichen gasped. “Wangji? But I thought-”

“Lan Xichen, please believe me!” Nie Huaisang pleaded, trying to appeal to his more reasonable sworn-brother-by-proxy. “I went looking for Da-ge in Yunmeng. There is a sect there headed by the Jiangs. Their home is Lotus Pier. It’s been put under a terrible curse that won’t let people leave unless there’s already fourteen people inside! I went in after Da-ge and stayed behind so he could go free. I didn’t know it took him so long to come home!”

Lan Xichen held him by the shoulders and looked dead in his eye. “Huaisang, if that is true then how are you here now?”

Nie Huaisang couldn’t reveal the extent of what happened. It would put his entire network of spies at risk and arouse suspicion from Jin Guangyao as well. Even now, Jin Guangyao wore a strange look, as if he realized something.

“Wangji-xiong stayed behind so I could go! He was the one who told me about Da-ge. Why else would I be here now? We must all go and save the people of Lotus Pier so that they can be free.” 

Jin Guangyao started to speak. “Fourteen people is an awfully small number. Just how small is this sect?” 

Nie Huaisang was hesitant to give an answer, trying to skirt around the details. “They only managed to save the weak and elderly. But after they died, the curse was owed more people. The only ones there now are war refugees.” 

“War refugees?” Lan Xichen was taken aback. “From what war? The last major conflict was…”

Jin Guangyao hopped onto the logic in an instant. The reaction was too quick, even for someone of Jin Guangyao's intelligence. “Huaisang, you don’t mean to say there are members of Qishan Wen hiding in this Lotus Pier, do you?”

“No! It’s not like that! There are children and elderly there!” Nie Huaisang shook his head. Jin Guangyao really was subverting all of Nie Huaisang's hints to dig at the meat of the issue! Nie Huaisang had to stop him, otherwise the narrative would run away beyond his control. “They mean no harm! We have to help them!”

Jin Guangyao and Lan Xichen exchanged a look. For a second, Nie Huaisang held hope that they would believe him. Jin Guangyao stepped back with a pensive expression. He straightened out his robes. “I see.”

Lan Xichen sighed. “I’m sorry, Huaisang.” All of a sudden, Nie Huaisang found his arms bound behind him. 

“N-no, no!” Nie Huaisang struggled against his captor, but Zewu Jun wasn't given his title without reason. Nie Huaisang was slowly dragged indoors as Jin Guangyao took over the audience’s attention. 

“My fellow cultivators! You’ve witnessed it yourself. It appears our efforts from the Sunshot Campaign are not over! This new threat, this hidden sect in Lotus Pier, is threatening the peace and stability we have fought for. I am not one to believe in legends, but it appears this one is not unfounded. From what we’ve seen, this diabolical sect has rendered both of Qinghe Nie’s leaders to hysterics. Nie Huaisang admitted himself that they are housing the evil Qishan Wen Sect, and claims that they now have Gusu Lan’s own Second Master Hanguang Jun in their clutches as well! We must not let this injustice continue! I am calling upon all three of our great sects, in the name of my sworn brother and for the safety of all of China, to launch one final siege against evil! We must march to Yunmeng, find this Lotus Pier, and put an end to the Sunshot Campaign once and for all!”

“No, don’t!” Nie Huaisang’s screams were drowned out by the legions of cultivators all of a sudden calling for the downfall of Lotus Pier.

“I too have heard of this legend!”

“We must kill their leader before he can take over!”

“We must avenge our sect’s leaders! Down with Lotus Pier!”

“Yes! Exterminate the evil! Follow Lianfang Zun’s steps!”

Nie Huaisang raged against Lan Xichen’s grasp. “Er-ge, let me go! You have to believe me! They’re innocent! Don’t hurt them! Please, don’t!”

“I’m sorry it has come to this, Nie Huaisang. Please calm down. It will be over soon enough.” Lan Xichen handed Nie Huaisang over to the guards. His own Qinghe Nie guards! And still, no one listened to him!

Nie Huaisang needed to escape. He had to warn everyone of what was coming. Lotus Pier could not survive another attack! It occurred to him that he could use Zidian, but he was unable to move a muscle. 

A melodious tune filled the air. It was Liebing! Nie Huaisang was no longer able to thrash about. It was a struggle to even keep his eyes open. He tried shouting, but his voice was weak and pitiful. 

“No… Please, don’t hurt him… Don’t…”

Chapter Text

Nie Huaisang never saw his Da-ge more peaceful in his life, and it scared him.

Nie Mingjue’s bedroom was large, stately, and practical- perfect for the leader of Qinghe Nie. Despite the sparse decor, the room used to have personality. Baxia would sit nearby, always ready for action. There would be training schedules and equipment scattered about, clothes set out for quick changes, and lots of paperwork that kept the sect running like the world’s most precise clock. 

With Da-ge asleep on his bed, all the sharp objects and weaponry in his room removed, it was like his life was taken away as well.

Xichen-ge considered it merciful to allow Nie Huaisang to stay with his Da-ge, to quell his worry, but Huaisang was enraged. All the fury that was characteristic of his older brother transferred to him in Mingjue’s slumber.

Only he couldn’t express it, as that would make Xichen-ge think Nie Huaisang wasn’t sane enough to be awake. One count of being forced asleep was more than enough. 

Nie Huaisang sat beside his brother’s bed, trying not to fidget and wishing someone would allow him a fan.

“At least wake him up. Da-ge… he doesn’t look right sleeping like this. Like he’s dead.” 

Lan Xichen stopped playing his xiao, eyes wide and innocent. “Huaisang, I would never do anything to harm Da-ge. What are you trying to say?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know!” Nie Huaisang huffed. He was getting impatient. “I don’t know anything about the cultivation of instruments, but anything that makes Da-ge so quiet isn’t right.”

“It’s for his temperament. We are lucky your condition is not as bad as Da-ge’s.”

“I am also well enough to know that Da-ge will only get angrier when he wakes the longer you keep him asleep.”

“A-Yao is going to handle everything. You don’t have to worry.”

Nie Huaisang threw his hands in the air. Did Lan Xichen sacrifice all of his smarts in favor of spouting that one name over and over again? It was always A-Yao nowadays. Rather than accuse Lan Xichen of favoritism, Nie Huaisang tried another method. “But I am worried. San-ge has acted preemptively.”

Lan Xichen gave the kind of sigh one often gave when confronting a crying toddler or attention-seeking dog. “A-Yao would never hurt us.” 

Nie Huaisang would beg to differ, but then he’d lose all hope of Xichen-ge listening. “But he is going to hurt the people of Lotus Pier. Er-ge, why do you not believe me? You and San-ge both heard it from Da-ge and I. Do you not trust us?”

Lan Xichen turned away, xiao clenched tight between his fingers. “You have both been gone for a very long time. We are unsure if there have been any side-effects from your disastrous night hunt.”

“I did not go night-hunting. When have I ever gone night-hunting? I went looking for Da-ge and found him along with the Yunmeng Jiang sect. They are trapped and they need our help. Now they are going to be faced with an army with no defenses and no warning. Don’t you find anything wrong in that?”

“But the Wens-”

“Have been dead for a long time. Er-ge, I’ve seen them. I’ve lived among them and they have no means of bringing us any harm.” Nie Huaisang wrung his hands. “There’s Granny, and little A-Yuan, and countless others who are too old or weak to pose a threat to anyone.” 

He couldn’t bear it if the last of those refugees were snuffed out due to his tactlessness. He was so desperate to ask for help that he wound up reigniting hatred instead. Everyone at Lotus Pier was an outcast, survivors, and now they were sitting ducks. 

He imagined Jiang Cheng, standing at the far docks and waiting for him. The sun would be setting, and it would be the exact time between when the day’s work was done, right before dinner. The smells of Jiang Yanli’s cooking would waft through the halls, intermingling with the lake air and flowers. Jiang Cheng, with the ring missing on his finger, tracing the footsteps of when they’d walk the docks together. 

Did he feel lonely? Was he going to be upset when he found out what Nie Huaisang had done? When he’s greeted not by Huaisang but by a mislead, vengeful army instead. 

Nie Huaisang prayed that whatever Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian did to protect themselves from the first attack on their home would work again, with no one left standing. The one ray of hope was that Lan Wangji would be able to deescalate the situation, if he was able to convince the mob that his mind was sound. 

“You said Wangji was still there.”Lan Xichen sat down at the chair near Da-ge’s bed. His face showed how uneasy he felt about the situation.

Nie Huaisang knew trying to appeal to the man’s sense of righteousness was going to work. “He is. He’s seen it too, Er-ge. When the mob gets there, Wangi-xiong is going to stand with the Jiangs. That much, I do know.” 

Nie Huaisang wasn’t a total idiot. He knew his friend well enough to be able to see when Wangji-xiong tolerated someone’s presence or not. For Lan Wangji to stay for as long as he did that first time and agree to come back for the Lotus Night Festival, it was clear that he “tolerated” Lotus Pier quite a bit. 

Maybe it wasn’t Lotus Pier as it was one particular oddball talisman-maker and inventor. 

Nie Huaisang offered a sad chuckle. “You see, he’s found a friend there, Er-ge.”

“A friend?” Lan Xichen was equal parts hopeful and suspicious. 

“There’s Wei Wuxian, Jiang Yanli, Jiang Cheng…” Nie Huaisang said the names slowly. He saw something shift in Lan Xichen’s eyes. “You feel it too, don’t you? The names. You’ve heard them before, but you don’t know from where. Or how.”

Lan Xichen didn’t answer. He straightened in his seat and stared at the ground like he was trying very hard to place the names. 

Nie Huaisang knew it was like hearing a sweet song when out in a busy market. There are a lot of things going on and the heat makes one feel a bit disoriented. The loveliness of the song doesn’t dawn until it’s over, but by then the singer has moved on and there’s nothing but a few key notes to serve as a clue for what the song was, and who sang it. 

Da-ge didn’t stir once during the conversation. Nie Huaisang tried taking his hand again, but it was cold. The pulse was slow. Something Wen Qing taught him a few months ago about cultivator’s bodies and qi deviation didn’t line up. 

She said that the best cultivators can cultivate even in their sleep. There’s a lively characteristic to it- their breathing and concentration. Da-ge’s breathing was a lot calmer than it usually was. On the rare occasions when Nie Huaisang was around when his brother slept, it did sound like he was fighting a giant beast.

Ragged breaths, even some curses under his breath, as restless in sleep as he was awake. But the quiet now was unlike anything Nie Huaisang heard in a long time. 

“Er-ge, can you please let Da-ge wake up. I don’t like seeing him so still.”

Lan Xichen’s tone returned to the one he saved for dealing with petulant children. Or in this case, Nie Huaisang. “There’s nothing to fear for, Huaisang. Why are you so panicked? Da-ge is like this every time the Song of Clarity is played, is he not?”

A chill entered Nie Huaisang’s soul. “He is not.”

The room went still. Nie Huaisang and Lan Xichen looked at one another, each with fear in their eyes as they turned to look at Nie Mingjue. 

“What-” Lan Xichen rasped- “what is he like when A-Yao plays, then?”

“He sits, eyes closed. Never asleep.” Nie Huaisang told him. “His temper, as of late, has not improved.”

“Are you insinuating-”

“Er-ge, I am only stating observations.” Nie Huaisang stared with cold eyes at Lan Xichen. Sworn brothers or not, Nie Mingjue was his only family.

“A-Yao wouldn’t.” Lan Xichen frowned. “He would never… at least not knowingly-”

Three quick raps came at the door. Lan Xichen was already on edge, so he sprung up first and looked ready to react upon instigation. Nie Huaisang noticed the outline of someone’s shadow earlier. It was shorter than the usual guards who were mysteriously absent from their post. Perhaps they thought Xichen-ge was capable enough to handle a sleeping Nie Mingjue and his younger brother. 

“Huaisang? It’s me. Are you in there? I’m going to break down the door!” MianMian started to draw her sword. 

“Ah, no need! We’ll open the door!” Nie Huaisang reacted fast enough to let MianMian in before Lan Xichen uttered a protest. 

MianMian hurried into the room, putting her sword back in its sheath as she faced the two men. “Huaisang, Zewu Jun, I came here as soon as I could. There’s been a terrible misunderstanding. On my way back from Lanling I was told that there’s an army on their way to Yunmeng? No one listened to me when I tried to clarify, and then I heard they had you locked up in here!”

“I take it, then that you are also in the camp of supporting Nie Huaisang and this Lotus Pier?” Lan Xichen guessed.

MianMian eyed him warily. “I am. Zewu Jun, I can personally attest to the sanity of both Sect Leader Nie and Nie Huaisang. Jin Guangyao’s armies show no sign of stopping, and I’m afraid they won’t stop even if we ask.”

“What do you mean?” Nie Huaisang asked.

MianMian took a deep breath. “When I got back to Golden Carp Tower, there were already many cultivators leaving for Lotus Pier. I don’t know how word got around so fast. But it seems even the pleas of Sect Leader Jin Zixuan did not suffice. Despite his return, not many stand behind him and I’ve learned…” She cast another look at Lan Xichen.

Lan Xichen grew concerned over her wary stares. “Learned what, Luo-guniang?”

“Zewu Jun may not know this, but there was an attempt at Sect Leader Jin’s life a few days ago.” Judging from Lan Xichen’s grave expression, it was news indeed. “I have reason to believe this call was orchestrated by Lianfang Zun.” 

“This is a serious accusation!” Lan Xichen raised his voice. He was starting to lose composure. Realizing this, he closed his eyes and forced himself to sit down. “What reasons are there for you to come to such a conclusion?”

“Zewu Jun may not be aware of Lotus Pier’s circumstances. What it says in the Legend is true to an extent. There is a cursed mist that surrounds the area. I was already suspicious of Lianfang Zun, but they were confirmed when I tried directly appealing to him on my way here. His refusal to stand down confirms what I already fear.”

“Which is?” Nie Huaisang prompted. 

MianMian took a piece of paper out from her sleeve. “Wen Qing told me that Wen Ruohan used to keep many secrets in plain sight. Considering what is known about Lianfang Zun’s participation in aiding the Sunshot Campaign, I decided to see if that tradition carried over.”

“You snuck into A-Yao’s chambers? I can’t condone this type of behavior. You!” Lan Xichen shot up. 

Nie Huaisang was already looking at the paper. It was a yellowing page torn out from a book. A spell of some sort, if he learned anything while helping Wei Wuxian with his talismans. A dark one, too. From the edits and scribbles, it was clear what the spell was, and who created it.

“It was Jin Guangyao.” Nie Huaisang’s voice cut in the tension brewing between MianMian and Lan Xichen. “The curse… it was cast by Jin Guangyao.”

“What?” Lan Xichen snatched the paper out of Nie Huaisang’s hands. “This… A-Yao’s writing… But it can’t be.”

It was all beginning to make sense. Nie Huaisang muttered under his breath. “Wei-xiong told me that Lotus Pier was cursed during a siege from the Wens. Jin Guangyao was in Nightless City at that time. Did- did he?”

The curse, had it been entirely successful, was devastating. A silent killer that would have wiped Lotus Pier completely off the map and removed any traces of it and its inhabitants from all of history. Thanks to Wei-xiong and Jiang Cheng’s smart thinking, they were able to save themselves and leave the world with a lingering legend to validate their existence.

“A-Yao always said he had to do unpalatable things during the campaign, but this… this can’t be right.” Lan Xichen collapsed in his chair, head buried in his arms. "He wouldn't have killed all those people..."

Da-ge's personal accounts of what Jin Guangyao was like back when he was still known as Meng Yao made Nie Huaisang think that he actually could and did kill all those people. Didn't Da-ge and Er-ge both witness the extent of their San-ge's mercilessness during the final attack on Nightless City? When the double-agent Meng Yao both slaughtered a bunch of Qinghe Nie's finest and Wen Ruohan on the same night. Looking back now, it was a wonder why anyone trusted this man. 

Nie Huaisang did not have the time to worry about things he already suspected. He took the paper out of Lan Xichen’s hands. “There’s no time to feel sorry right now. There’s a whole army on it’s way to Lotus Pier and few defenders. If we get this to Wei-xiong in time, maybe he can use it to break the curse and get everyone out!”

MianMian nodded. “Jin Zixuan went ahead with a few loyalists and some weapons, but I don’t think they can hold off an entire army. We should leave right away.”

There was one last loose thread to wrap up before Nie Huaisang could go. “Er-ge.” He used a gentler tone, and it worked in rousing Lan Xichen’s head up. The man looked betrayed, confused, and utterly heartbroken. “None of us could have known. But now that we do, please. Take care of Da-ge for me, okay?” 

Lan Xichen looked over at Nie Mingjue, who hadn’t stirred once. “I will. Without any suppressive music, he will wake within an hour.”

That was good to know.

“And Huaisang?” 

“Yes?”

MianMian was growing impatient, but Nie Huaisang owed it to Lan Xichen to hear him out. As misled as he may have been, there was no doubt that Er-ge’s heart was in the right place. “Please make sure Wangji is alright.”

Nie Huaisang spared him one final look. “I will.”

Several explosions burst through the water, sending cultivators flying through the air. Though many cultivators were engaged in battle, it appeared that not many were fighting actual people. In fact, quite a few of these esteemed masters were running in circles over extreme mishaps. 

One Lanling Jin cultivator was literally sprinting rounds as he and a fellow cultivator tried to get rid of a bright orange glow covering his body. Others stepped onto a tree branch or patch of grass, only to find that the objects were sticking to them. Some cultivators didn’t watch their step and ended up being shot straight into the water by a sudden explosion. Actually, a lot of cultivators wound up tripping some sort of explosive talisman. 

“What is going on?” MianMian landed her sword on one of the more obscure docks. The mist was much thicker than when they left. 

Lanterns were knocked over or extinguished entirely. Many of the talismans used for extra lighting were no longer where they used to be. Were it not for the glint of swords, the bright sparks of cultivation, and the permeating red signature to Wei Wuxian’s talismans when they were activated, the visibility would be close to blindness.

“More importantly, where is everyone?” Nie Huaisang looked around. None of the fighters were Lotus Pier residents. Not even Jin Zixuan was spotted.

And although the many traps were good at fending off the attacks, they wouldn’t last forever. MianMian’s sword returned to her hand as she adopted a battle stance. “Let’s go find them. I’ll cover you in case anything happens.”

They set off in the mist, doing their best to stay covert under the circumstances. They checked every room for stragglers or people who were hiding, but everywhere was empty. A few of the rooms were also booby-trapped by talismans. MianMian almost tripped a couple, but there was no sign of the Wens, Jiangs, or anyone else. 

Nie Huaisang knew the route they were taking was smart. They needed to check all the rooms and slowly make their way towards the more important ones: Wei Wuxian’s workshop and Wen Qing’s medical office. Still, his heart was tugging him in strange directions toward the other end of Lotus Pier where the Sect Leader’s Quarters were. 

Jiang Cheng likely moved back to his actual room after Nie Huaisang left. There was no reason for him to keep staying in the guest quarters after all. There was some pride Nie Huaisang felt in being the reason Jiang Cheng moved bedrooms, even if it was temporary. 

A series of explosions echoed behind them. MianMian gripped her sword tighter and Nie Huaisang did his best not to make a peep. Wherever the people of Lotus Pier was, he hoped they were safe. Immense guilt racked up in Huaisang’s chest when he clenched his fist. 

Cool metal gripped his finger back like ice. Zidian was with him, which meant that Jiang Cheng was at a distinct disadvantage. 

There was no one in Wen Qing’s office, but Nie Huaisang didn’t know whether to feel relieved or not. All of the supplies were gone, not a speck of herbs left behind. Yet, the containers they used to be kept in were all intact. There was no sign of a fight and, best of all, no sign of bloodshed. 

Grim as it was, that was the biggest thing Nie Huaisang was looking out for. Every step he took without seeing blood was a flood of relief followed by a sense of dread- that perhaps the next place they’d check would be drowning in metallic, dark red. 

“Wei-xiong’s workshop. That has to be where they are. It’s the most protected place on the pier.” Nie Huaisang panted. It didn’t matter how tired he was. His bones will have time to complain later, when the dust settled. 

If he was lucky, it would be just the dust that settled and not the mist. It was like each breath he took became thicker as water condensed in the air. 

MianMian stuck close behind him, though her footsteps were quieter than a mouse’s. “I’ll follow your lead, Huaisang. You know this place better than I.”

He’d never been so happy to see the haphazard array of talismans on the workshop door. Messy, but not broken. Nie Huaisang ran the last stretch and knocked on the door with as much force as he could while also staying quiet. 

“Wei-xiong? Wangji-xiong? Is anyone in there? It’s me!” Nie Huaisang squeaked. 

A beat passed, and the talismans changed color to let them know the door was unlocked. Nie Huaisang didn’t have time to let out his breath as the second he opened the door, the sharp blade of Bichen was at his throat. 

“Ah! Wangji-xiong it’s me!” Nie Huaisang was ready to faint! He’d have tipped back entirely had MianMian not been right behind him. 

The silver blade withdrew and they quickly huddled inside. 

Wei Wuxian looked up with messy bangs falling over his face. His ribbon was lopsided. “Nie-xiong? What the hell are you doing back here? It’s a death sentence!”

The piles and piles of unfinished work, failed projects, and scattered papers were all gone. Wei Wuxian sat in the far corner with nothing but a brush in hand, bloodied fingertips, and a small stack of blank sheets beside him. Even now, a hint of a smile graced his tired features. 

Nie Huaisang looked around, but all he found was emptiness. “Where is everyone? Where’s Jiang Cheng?”

Lan Wangji sheathed his sword and sat down beside Wei Wuxian, copying whatever the latter was writing. Neither of them looked up as Wei Wuxian spoke. 

“Safe, hopefully. I gotta give credit to you big sect big shots. You guys travel fast. Not a day gone by and that Peacock was running back here warning us about another siege.”

MianMian sighed. “Looks like he beat us to it.”

“And it’s a good thing too,” Wei Wuxian huffed. “Gave us enough time to hatch a plan. And a great one at that, wouldn’t you agree, Lan Zhan?”

Lan Wangji kept on writing. “Mn.”

“Anywho. We booby-trapped the hell out of this place. Covered every square of Lotus Pier with as much of my work as possible. Successful ones, failed ones, ones that go boom. Actually, most of them are in that last category. You get the idea.”

“We know. We saw.” Nie Huaisang needed to sit down too. His body was still recovering from whatever effect Lan Xichen put over him to knock him out earlier.

“As for the others, all the Wens and Shijie are out by now. We gathered everyone at the furthest end of the Pier, hidden in boats. As soon as all those cultivators started charging in, Jin Zixuan and Shijie led everyone out. And yes, MianMian your dearest QingQing is safe.” Wei Wuxian nodded to a sword on the ground. “Once the talismans are all used up, I can finally put whatever to good use again.” 

Nie Huaisang blinked. “Whatever are you going to put to use, Wei-xiong?”

“Not whatever. Suibian.” Lan Wangji corrected. “His sword.”

Wei Wuxian scoffed. “That damn Peacock brought our swords back. I guess I finally owe him one.”

“But what about you?” MianMian asked. “Why didn’t you leave with them? There’s more than enough cultivators for you all to escape.”

Wei Wuxian gave Nie Huaisang a look. “Jiang Cheng and I, we’re as much a part of the curse as the mist, the number fourteen, and the memory of our sect. We can’t leave unless the curse leaves first. I figured this would be my last stand.” He stopped writing for a moment to point at Lan Wangji. “It’s this one here who refuses to leave even though I keep telling him to!”

“I'm not leaving Wei Ying behind.” Lan Wangji said. 

“And we all know there’s no changing his mind,” Wei Wuxian sighed. “So we’re making as many talismans as we can to hold off the others. There’s nothing left to do anyway. I can feel that time’s almost up for us anyhow. Five years sure goes by quickly, huh?”

“The curse! I-I found this. You might be able to crack a reversal with it.” Nie Huaisang took out the paper detailing the specifics of the curse. Why the hell didn't he lead with that? There was too much going on! “Jin Guangyao. He did this. He’s the one who created this mess. MianMian was able to find the exact practice he used to do it.”

Wei Wuxian scrambled over and began pouring over the paper at once. “This… this might actually-” A bit of light returned to his eyes. A wide grin spread across his face. “Lan Zhan, help me create an array?”

Lan Wangji looked ready to saw his own arm off if it meant that much blood was needed. They stood on opposite ends and began drawing a circle. The room gradually began to glow. Wei Wuxian bit through the half-healed cuts on his fingers and also began to draw unfamiliar symbols while looking at the paper from Jin Guangyao’s secret room. 

Nie Huaisang stepped back to let them work. With the matter of the curse handled, he allowed himself to think selfishly. “Jiang Cheng- where’s Jiang Cheng?”

“With the flower. Which we also might need to break this curse.” Wei Wuxian answered. “He’s been moping ever since you left. Find him and tell him to get his head straight for me, yeah?”

Nie Huaisang didn’t even wait for MianMian before he ran out of the workshop.

Chapter Text

The sounds of clashing metal and cultivators’ shouts were muted in Nie Huaisang’s ears. He barely registered the sound of his footsteps hitting the old, tired wood. Everything melted into a blur as he ran through the mist. He didn’t even care about being spotted anymore. Even if some straggler decided to test their luck today against Nie Huaisang, they’d find themselves at the end of generations of suppressed rage from the sect of the beast’s head. 

He wasn’t even really thinking about where he was going. If Nie Huaisang closed his eyes, he was certain he’d be able to make it through all the same. He didn’t need to focus on direction or discretion. 

Something else was leading the way. The slight curve of Jiang Cheng’s mouth when he wanted to hide his satisfaction. A scoff reserved only for those he cared for. Calloused, weary hands that relaxed around Nie Huaisang’s touch. 

Everything about Jiang Cheng was so full of life, even if he tried to hide it. Ah, he did always tend to sell himself short. 

Wei Wuxian’s last words to him made Nie Huaisang push himself further. There was a reason Jiang Cheng stayed in his quarters instead of fighting out in the open. A reason Nie Huaisang had yet to see a sword cutting through the others, knocking the pretentious invaders off their feet and driving them away from the pier. 

Don’t give up, please.

The burn in Nie Huaisang’s lungs felt like a long-forgotten friend.

Jiang Cheng couldn't give up. Not when Nie Huaisang was so close to reaching him. Jiang Cheng was one of the bravest, strongest pillars the cruel world could have spat out. He may not think his golden core was anything extraordinary, but Nie Huaisang would claim his spirit was the brightest anyone’s seen in a long time. 

The greyness shrouded Nie Huaisang as if the clouds themselves descended from the sky. A rumble of thunder sounded, and he saw a quick flash of pure white light above. Several cultivators a distance away were remarking on the weather as they tried to side-step explosions and traps. 

Whether it was the lack of air flowing through his body or something else entirely, something clicked in Nie Huaisang’s mind.

He’d been a colossal idiot. Everything he experienced in the past five years was prodding him to this exact place, to one specific person. Why else would he always refuse to marry, even when suitors were actually suitable? What reasoning justified his constant daydreams about the past, even if he never remembered what about it made him feel so content?

And the dreams, oh the dreams. 

He was either a fool or in denial to interpret his dreams as anything else but his subconscious forcing him to get back on the right path. They weren’t wishful fantasies at all. They were memories. 

Even after Jiang Cheng told him they knew each other- even after Wei-xiong practically knocked him over the head with the answer- that Jiang Cheng and he together was always the answer, Nie Huaisang still deluded himself into believing it couldn’t be true. 

Nie Huaisang would find Jiang Cheng. He’d find him and they’d work out the puzzle together. Not all of his memories were clear, but it didn’t matter. Huaisang still had his dreams and his own feelings. 

Of course, Nie Huaisang wanted to cry, of course even with the world conspiring against them he managed to fall in love with Jiang Cheng all over again.

He hoped that Jiang Cheng would forgive him for being so unaware. 

The things Jiang Cheng must have thought when he saw Nie Huaisang again all those months ago. Did he resign himself so quickly to his former love, turned to a stranger standing before him? Or was there always a hope that Nie Huaisang was going to push through the curse?

I’m coming, A-Cheng, Nie Huaisang wanted to say. I’m going to be here for you now, and with all of the heavens as my witness, I’ll never let go of you again. 

Nie Huaisang arrived at the door to Jiang Cheng’s room. He didn’t even bother to knock as he burst through the wood. Any stronger, and he would have broken the entire door down. 

It was a mess, but the same mess as when Nie Huaisang first found the room. Some things have been shuffled aside and there was a desk torn in half. The singed edges and slight char of the wood could only be from Zidian. 

He recalled the blaze of purple out of the corner of his eye that night he fled away. A new surge of panic came over him as he went over the contents of the room.

Everything was still in its place, but Jiang Cheng was nowhere to be found. He had to be around, though. Wei Wuxian wouldn’t lie to him.

Looking dead ahead, he saw what was missing. The flower. It wasn’t in its case. There were more than enough petals that lay curled up in browning frays at the bottom. He walked over on unsteady legs. The combination of fear and his previous sprint over was taking its toll. 

Peering into the case, not a speck of spiritual power was left. His stomach sank. He stumbled to where he did the first time, but his back hit an empty shelf. His hand clutched behind him, but there was nothing. 

The fan was gone. 

The fan he gave Jiang Cheng to…

A swish of yellow caught his attention from the window. 

Nie Huaisang almost threw his entire body out in order to see. Mist covered everything around him. It was hard to even spot the dashes of color from the flower right below him. There was the pagoda, which sat at the furthest end of the pier. Whether anyone was taking shelter underneath, it was difficult to tell. 

He saw a glint through the blur. A short distance away from the pagoda. 

The shape was familiar. He thought it might have been Jiang Cheng’s sword, but that didn’t seem right. The motion was too slow, too calculated. 

He squinted, trying to focus on the shape of the person. Though it didn’t look short at first, Nie Huaisang only knew of one person who wore such a hat. 

“No!” Nie Huaisang tried to shout, but his lungs were caught and the mist was too thick. He didn’t know if his voice carried over. “Stop!” 

He forced all his weight forward, tumbling out of the window. There wasn’t even enough time to brush the dirt off his clothes as he took off in the direction of the pagoda. The gleam of Hensheng taunted him. 

He screamed. “A-Cheng! A-Cheng!”

Everything was clear for a fraction of a second as he passed the wooden threshold. 

Jiang Cheng’s back was turned towards the lake. All the faith in his eyes was lost, as if he shut out the world. He held the fan in his hands, fingers gently placed atop the crisp folds. The magical lotus was cast aside on the railing, on its last petal.

Nie Huaisang’s cries reached him a moment too late. Without even looking back, Jin Guangyao shot his hand out and sent Nie Huaisang flying backward. He landed on his back, aching. 

“Huaisang?” A second sword was drawn, this time sharp and concise. “Who are you? Where’s Nie Huaisang?”

Nie Huaisang wanted to cry out, but his body was failing him. He was in a much worse condition than he realized. 

Jin Guangyao’s unnervingly cool voice answered. “That won’t be a concern of yours for much longer.” Two swords clashed. Once. Twice. “I’ll admit, Sect Leader Jiang, I was surprised to find your sect still alive, though from what I’ve heard it’s on its last breath.”

“Fuck you.” Jiang Cheng spat. “Huaisang, where are you?”

“A-Cheng, A-Cheng, I’m here!” Every time Nie Huaisang tried to get up, Jin Guangyao anticipated it and sent another shockwave of spiritual energy that knocked him off his feet. 

A miserable cry ripped its way out of Nie Huaisang's throat each time he hit the ground. And each time, one of the clanging swords faltered a bit. Nie Huaisang tried to bite down his pain, but it was too much. He never fought anyone before, not even in a fist-fight! Not even when Da-ge would threaten to beat him up if he didn't practice swords! He hissed out another whimper as the jagged rocks began to tear up his skin.  

“You’re quite out of practice, Sect Leader Jiang.” Jin Guangyao continued his taunts. “It is formidable how you can keep up with me. But I suppose only a very talented cultivator could survive the nasty curse we sent your way. It was my fault for not checking the completion of the spell. You’ll have to forgive my oversight.”

Jiang Cheng had to stop talking. He was indeed less sharp than he would have been if he was able to practice swordsmanship as he used to. All his concentration was devoted to blocking Jin Guangyao’s swings. 

“Are you concerned about Huaisang?” A dark laugh followed. “You don’t have to be. After we’re finished here, I’ll take good care of him along with the rest of Qinghe Nie.”

Jiang Cheng grunted as he blocked a swing. Too close for comfort. “Shut up!”

“Quite a tragedy it’ll be won’t it? I rescue him from your clutches just in time. Sadly, I'm not quick enough to save him from the terrible mental affliction caused by you. I’ll wed him as an apology for failing to save him.”

“Shut your fucking mouth!” 

“You’ve quite the temper, Sect Leader Jiang.” Jin Guangyao was gaining the upper hand. Jiang Cheng’s swings were slowing. “If it’ll make you feel better, I can kill him after our wedding. Then the two of you can be reunited.” 

“I’ll send you to hell. If you lay a fucking finger on him-”

After a while of being shoved down again and again by Jin Guangyao's invisible hand, Nie Huaisang learned his patterns. Using what pitiful strength he had left, Nie Huaisang threw himself to the side and avoided another attack. He scrambled to his feet and was about to jump into the fray when Jin Guangyao changed the direction of his attack. 

His hand was struck out in Nie Huaisang’s direction. 

“No!” Jiang Cheng shouted. 

But the impact never came. 

The sudden move succeeded in creating an opening.

As swiftly as he changed course the first time, Jin Guangyao twirled behind as Jiang Cheng surged forward and ran his blade through Jiang Cheng’s stomach. 

Jiang Cheng let out a gasp. His face twisted in pain, uncertainty, and dying hope. 

Everything stopped. The sword retracted, coated in blood. 

Nie Huaisang’s vision blurred. He saw the white of Jin Guangyao’s horrific grin. Saw the red, pouring and pouring. He couldn’t think. He couldn’t breathe. There was another thud and pain in his knees. It didn’t register that he was no longer standing. 

“Oh, Huaisang. Let’s go. Er-ge will be expecting us.”

Nie Huaisang closed his fists. A deafening wail left his mouth as he struck his hand out. Purple lightning flooded his vision. Zidian’s full power surged through him as he poured all his grief into the spiritual weapon. 

The subsequent crack of thunder, both from Zidian and from the sky shook the water as it crashed against the pagoda. Jin Guangyao was frozen, almost suspended in the air before the force of his electrocution knocked him over the edge and into the water. 

When the violet lightning stopped, all that was left was rain and tears. 

“No… no…” Nie Huaisang crawled over to Jiang Cheng. A pool of blood was forming around him. His sword lay at his side. “No. Please, you have to hold on.”

Jiang Cheng coughed, violent and defeated. “A-Sang?”

“I’m right here, Jiang Cheng. I’m here.” Nie Huaisang put his hand under Jiang Cheng’s head to cushion it from the hard ground. There was nothing around them to stop the bleeding except the fan. Huaisang pressed it against Jiang Cheng’s wound. Blood coated the folds. Huaisang looked around frantically. “Help! Help!”

Jiang Cheng folded his hand over where Nie Huaisang was trying to stop the bleeding. “It’s no use, A-Sang. The flower… It’s too late. You have to go before the mist gets you too. Take my sword and go.”

Nie Huaisang shook his head. “No. I won’t leave you. I promised- I promised that I… I…” He blinked down at Jiang Cheng, tears falling onto the other’s face. There was something, a name, at the tip of his tongue. 

Something he’s forgotten…

It was their last day at the Cloud Recesses, before each student had to go back to the sect they came from. Their time as guests were drawing to a close. Nie Huaisang decided to spend his final few hours by the waterfalls. 

It wasn’t anything like what he heard about Lotus Pier, from what he’s been told, but water was water. It was closer than nothing, right?

A breeze carrying the mountain air and tall green trees ensured that the fan he was painting dried quickly. 

He heard a familiar huffing in the distance, coming closer. “There you are!” 

Nie Huaisang snapped his project shut and hid it in his sleeve before turning to greet the newcomer. “A-Cheng! Come sit with me.” He scooted over on the rock he was using as a chair. 

Jiang Cheng obliged him, crossing his arms and trying not to look sad about their inevitable departure. “You should have stayed in bed longer today.”

“Aw, did A-Cheng miss me already?”

“Don’t flatter yourself!” Jiang Cheng snapped. Nie Huaisang couldn’t help laughing at him. “It’s our last day together. I want- I wanted to spend it with you.” 

Nie Huaisang leaned against Jiang Cheng’s shoulder, rubbing his face against his collarbone. “A-Cheng-” he whined- “you’re so sweet!”

“Who’s sweet? You can’t go around just saying things!” Though the sentence was barked out, Jiang Cheng didn’t push Nie Huaisang away. Instead, he wrapped an arm around the other’s waist. “What’re you doing all the way out here anyway?”

Nie Huaisang took a deep breath. He looked into Jiang Cheng’s eyes, which looked back with annoyance but, further than that, adoration and attention. 

He really hoped he was reading the situation right. “A-Cheng… I wanted to tell you something.” It was difficult to remain playful as butterflies sprouted in his stomach.

“What is it?”

“I love you.” 

A huge red flush came over Jiang Cheng’s face. He started sputtering. “Y-you already told me that ages ago! W-was that it?” 

Nie Huaisang continued to pout. “You’re not going to say it back? Hah, I’m so sad!” He made wide eyes at Jiang Cheng, as if he was going to cry.

“Fine! I love you too!” Jiang Cheng realized how loud he was after spotting Nie Huaisang's jester-like grin. He cleared his throat and corrected his volume. “I-I do. Love you.”

“Good.” Nie Huaisang exhaled. He reached into his sleeve and brought out the fan he spent the last two weeks working on. “I made this for you.”

Jiang Cheng gave him a strange look but accepted the fan. He unfolded it and held it up towards the light to get a better look. 

“It’s you and me,” Nie Huaisang explained. 

“These are just rocks and flowers,” Jiang Cheng deadpanned. 

Nie Huaisang hit his arm. “No, silly. It’s a metaphor! I drew stuff I like from Qinghe. And well, I’ve never been to Lotus Pier before, but I sure would like to. I drew stuff that I knew would be there, like lilies, calm waters, and lotus flowers. Thoughts?”

Jiang Cheng turned the fan over in his hand. His eyes took in every bit of ink and every etch of Nie Huaisang’s engravings into the wood. He stayed quiet for a long time, lost in thought. “Marry me.”

“E-eh?” Nie Huaisang’s heart actually stopped for a moment there!

Jiang Cheng blinked rapidly before looking up at Nie Huaisang with the most serious expression he’s ever seen. “It doesn’t have to be right away. We still have a lot of time. But, I’m serious. About you. About us.” Jiang Cheng folded the fan back up and set it on his lap. He took Nie Huaisang’s hands and interlaced their fingers.

The waterfall had nothing on the crashing waves going on in Nie Huaisang’s heart.

“Nie Huaisang. Will you promise to be mine, only mine, and marry me one day?”

“A-Cheng… I mean, Jiang Cheng. No, Jiang Wanyin. I promise. Wherever we go, whatever happens, I’ll be with you.” 

Nie Huaisang was already leaning in when he finished his sentence, but Jiang Cheng took the lead and pulled Huaisang into his lap. Huaisang was kissed breathless. They’d pull back to catch their breaths, lose it again by laughing, and then go in for more anyway. That was how they spent that last day, dreaming underneath the clear Gusu skies. 

“Jiang- Jiang Wanyin.” Nie Huaisang shuddered as he tried to stop from crying. The tears were clouding his vision. “Jiang Wanyin, I love you. I promised to marry you.”

Jiang Cheng’s eyes lit up for a moment. A rare smile adorned his face, even as he winced in pain. He reached his hand up to brush the tears away. “You remember.”

“I do.” Nie Huaisang gasped. “I do. I remember everything. I remember us getting drunk with Wei-xiong at Cloud Recesses. I remember you carrying me whenever my feet got sore, even if I was being dramatic about it. I remember the way you’d always hold me when I got scared. Jiang Cheng, I remember you so please, please you have to stay alive!”

It was like a curtain lifted in Nie Huaisang’s mind, but it opened up to a black pit, a dead end. All the answers were right there in front of him, but they crumbled with each second that passed by.

Tears began to slip from Jiang Cheng’s eyes as well, but he was shaking his head. As if he knew he wouldn’t make it. “Huaisang…”

“No, don’t leave me. I-I’m here. Jiang Wanyin, I’m here. ” 

With each blink, Jiang Cheng’s eyes started to close. 

Nie Huaisang didn’t know what more to do. The more he pressed down to try and stop the wound from bleeding, the more pain Jiang Cheng seemed to experience. Nie Huaisang's hand was drenched in dark red, grasping at the ruined tatters of a fan that was supposed to hold the future for them.

“You can’t leave me,” Nie Huaisang sobbed. “You can’t. I love you… I love you.” 

Jiang Cheng was barely able to move anymore, but the hand he had on Nie Huaisang’s face twitched. “Come closer.”

Nie Huaisang suppressed another cry as he leaned down and finally kissed Jiang Cheng. 

❀ ❀ ❀

Another shock. Nie Huaisang thought perhaps Zidian activated on its own again, but it felt different. He closed his eyes more to concentrate on the feeling. 

There was a spark he thought he saw behind his eyelids. Then a flowing sensation circulating all around his golden core. The cold parts of his body warmed and the overheated parts cooled. A lightheaded sensation was made worse by the feeling of Jiang Cheng’s lips against his. 

The air felt crisper and there was a glow of a springtime afternoon. He couldn’t hear the rain anymore. There was a bird chirping. He'd know his sparrow’s sound anywhere. 

His hand was no longer slippery, fingertips meeting a creased, soft material instead. 

Nie Huaisang opened his eyes when he heard Jiang Cheng inhale sharply through his nose. 

It took him a moment to fully open his eyes. Everything was incredibly bright. Sunlight refracted off clear waters. The water itself seemed to stretch on forever with lotus pods and water lilies sprouting in wild fashions. All the clouds disappeared from the sky, leaving nothing but an endless expanse of blue. Xiao Yanzi was perched on the railing, singing a song.

The sight was breathtaking. He never saw so much come alive at once before him. 

Something flicked the side of his cheek. A surge of panic came over him as he looked back down, but all he saw was Jiang Cheng with a lazy smile spread across his face.

It all felt like a dream. “A-Cheng?”

“You’re shivering, A-Sang.” Jiang Cheng ran a finger down the line of Huaisang’s nose. “It’s your first time seeing Lotus Pier, isn’t it? Take your time. I’ve got nowhere to be.”

“Jiang Cheng!” Nie Huaisang yanked the man up from the floor and wrapped his arms around him in a feverous kiss. This time, Jiang Cheng melted back into the embrace as he cradled Huaisang’s head. 

“I’m never letting you go,” Jiang Cheng mumbled against his lips. 

Nie Huaisang was all too eager to agree. He put two hands on Jiang Cheng’s shoulders and broke off, panting. “B-but how? I- you were-”

Nothing made any sense and, without an answer, Nie Huaisang was not content to accept random miracles. His hands closed around the fan. “What’s…?” 

All the blood was gone, though the whole fabric of the fan was dyed a pale pink. Despite the copious amounts of blood that was just there, not a single detail of the fan was altered. If anything, it looked renewed. The lines of ink were clear, and the wood felt sturdier than it did before. Turning it around, Huaisang thought there was a kind of gilded quality about it.

“What the fuck?” He muttered. 

Jiang Cheng cupped his hand over where Nie Huaisang held the item, sending a jolt of spiritual energy which caused Huaisang to yelp. The surge went straight to Nie Huaisang’s core and flew right back out. The fan in his hand glowed.

What the fuck?

“I think-” Jiang Cheng looked both like he wanted to laugh and like he just saw a man ascend to heaven- “I think you just created a spiritual weapon.” 

Nie Huaisang almost screamed. “That’s how you make a spiritual weapon?”

“I don’t think it’s usually so dramatic.” Jiang Cheng got up, not even waiting to see if Nie Huaisang could stand before sweeping him off his feet. “But then again, you’re always one for dramatics.”

Nie Huaisang wasn’t sure what to do with himself as Jiang Cheng walked them back inside. He was covered in dust and dirt, now wielded two spiritual weapons, and he didn’t even check to see if that stupid magical flower was still kicking! “Did- did the curse just break?” 

“Yep.”

“And we did that?”

“You’re too smart to be asking stupid questions, A-Sang.”

He’ll need to return Zidian to Jiang Cheng. One spiritual weapon for each of them will do just fine! Nie Huaisang sighed into Jiang Cheng’s neck. He missed the feeling of being carried around. 

“Won’t we need to fish Jin Guangyao’s body out of the water sometime?”

Jiang Cheng grumbled. “Yes, but after that, you don’t have to think about him anymore.”

Nie Huaisang laughed. He swung his feet a little bit, just to make a slight bit of trouble for A-Cheng. The man shot him a look, tossing him up enough to make Huaisang wrap his arms tighter around the taller man. They fell back into this routine so easily. Like it was just another day together. How have they managed to survive apart this long? 

Nie Huaisang tugged on Jiang Cheng's lapels, making subtle pouting noises until he was given the attention he wanted.

Jiang Cheng gave in, because of course he did. He always would.

They met halfway into another kiss. Nie Huaisang didn't hesitate to get playful as he bit Jiang Cheng's bottom lip. Just enough to tease. “Right. I’ll just be thinking about you.”

Chapter Text

“Lan Zhan, it’s time for you to go.” Wei Ying kneeled on the floor beside his curse-breaking array. An array that, without the magical lotus flower, didn’t work. 

Lan Wangji finished bandaging the man’s hands with bits torn off from his own robes. Hints of pink stained the white fabric from how much blood Wei Ying let out. Wei Ying kept trying to shrug off Lan Wangji, claiming to be used to such injuries by now. As if that would do anything to make Wangji worry less. 

“Lan Zhan.” Wei Ying tried again, voice quiet and sullen. “You’ve done all you could and more. You should get out of here. Find MianMian and run before it’s too late.”

MianMian ran out after Nie Huaisang a few minutes ago after they discovered the array wouldn’t work unless both Jiang Cheng and the flower were present. She had yet to return. In all likelihood, both she and Nie Huaisang became caught up in the ongoing attack. 

Though some explosions were still being triggered in the distance, their frequency was decreasing exponentially. It would only be a matter of time before the cultivators were able to storm the whole pier. Time was catching up to their defenses. 

Even as Wei Ying kept calling his name, Lan Wangji ignored him. 

He knew, even before Jin Zixuan got to Lotus Pier and offered a way out, his place was here beside Wei Ying. Years of stringent rules and discipline became meaningless around him. Wei Ying always operated on his own record regardless, but Lan Wangji still struggled to make sense of why he was compelled to follow along.

Still, when it was time to evacuate, Lan Wangji held his ground.

“Lan Zhan, can you even hear me?” Wei Ying waved his hand in front of Lan Wangji’s face.

“I'm staying here.”

“Aiya, put your righteous principles aside for once, will you? Do you see how many cultivators are out here? If they don’t kill us first, the curse definitely will. I can’t forgive myself if I let the handsome Lan-er Gonzi perish, now can I?” Wei Ying poked Lan Wangji’s leg with the handle of Suibian. 

To think he named his sword that. It was ridiculous, irresponsible, but oh, so perfect. Captured everything that Lan Wangji found enchanting about Wei Ying. The sword looked flexible and innocuous, but was no doubt sturdy and would be exhilarating to watch in battle.

Lan Wangji continued to let his fingers linger on the last of Wei Ying's bandages. “Not leaving Wei Ying behind.”

Wei Ying stopped his prodding and sat quietly. A shadow came over his face and his expression was neutral, almost possessed. It worried Lan Wangji. 

Even at the end of the bridge, Lan Wangji never expected Wei Ying to go silently. Wei Ying was like everything he created- intense, explosive, and vibrant. Even when thinking, he would have tics and mannerisms that kept him in motion. 

Stillness was not becoming of Wei Ying. 

“Once you’re out and the mist takes over, you’ll probably forget all about me, Lan Zhan.” Wei Ying shifted his legs. He tried pulling his hand away, but Lan Wangji held on. “Get out. While you still have a life to live. Take care of A-Yuan for me.”

Unacceptable. Wei Ying’s mere existence may have proved the irrationality of some Lan Sect rules, but Lan Wangji swore to never turn his back on those who needed help. Right now, no matter how much Wei Ying denied it, he was the one who needed the most help. To know he wasn't alone, that there would be a kind face to stay by his side even as the world turned against them. 

“Why?” Wei Ying’s laugh was empty. “Why do you stay? Do you really want to die that badly? Has the world been cruel to you, Lan Zhan?”

The world was indeed cruel, but Lan Wangji’s life was paradisiacal compared to Wei Ying’s. Lan Wangji did not want to die, no, but Wei Ying didn’t want to either. To leave Wei Ying here, knowing he would die silent and alone, was unacceptable. 

“I stay for Wei Ying.”

Wei Ying needed a moment to process those five words. He looked into Lan Wangji's eyes, searching. At first, it seemed like Wei Ying didn't know what to say. His mouth opened and closed without much success at speaking. He moved his leg to nudge Lan Wangji's. The sudden touch made Lan Wangji gasp, and that was when Wei Ying seemed to realize something.

“Oh.” Wei Ying sounded like he wanted to cry for a moment, but he corrected his expression. The corner of his mouth quirked upward. Not a full smile, no one could be that happy in their situation, but it was the closest thing Lan Wangji could do to cheer Wei Ying up. “You’re really going to just say things like that huh, Lan Zhan?”

He’d say whatever Wei Ying wanted, if Wei Ying were to ask.

“Well then!” Wei Ying heaved himself up and dusted the day’s work off his clothes. He twirled Suibian, passing it from one hand to the other. With a sharp tug, he unsheathed the weapon. Wei Ying stared in awe for a moment at the blade he hasn't wielded in years. He looked… powerful. Even with his messy hair and robes. 

Lan Wangji thought he saw something like it before. A moonlit night, gleaming jars, and a taunting laugh. 

Wei Ying nodded at Lan Wangji. “Well, there's no use just sitting here, waiting to die. How about it, Lan Zhan? Care to show everyone what kind of fighters come from Lotus Pier?” 

Lan Wangji drew Bichen in response. Wei Ying admired the white blade before looking into Lan Wangji’s eyes. Lan Wangji wasn’t sure what he saw, but it made Wei Ying laugh. 

“Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji fighting on the same side. The gods have been spying on my dreams.” 

Lan Wangji pretended like he didn’t want to know more and followed Wei Ying as he kicked down the door to his own workshop. Wei Ying looked back at Lan Wangji a final time, grey eyes and red ribbon conversing with the mist and the rain. 

Quick as lightning, Wei Ying took off. Lan Wangji realized he never saw the extent of Wei Ying’s full cultivation potential. Though he had no trouble keeping up, it was still quite a feat to behold.

“Who’s looking for the disciples of Yunmeng Jiang? Come out and fight me, I’m right here!”

Wei Ying didn’t look behind him again. He didn’t need to. He knew Lan Wangji was right there behind him.

Suibian and Bichen worked together in cacophonous harmony. Each swish of their weapons possessed a musicality even without Lan Wangji pulling out his guqin. Their enemies fell back like the receding tide. Each surge towards the shore withdrew twice as fast. 

The rain did little to hinder Wei Ying or Lan Wangji. It appeared the thunder frightened some of the others, especially as it mimicked the sound of someone setting off a trap talisman.

They were in some courtyard around the center of Lotus Pier. MianMian had been doing well holding off on her own, but her gratitude was clear once help arrived. With two more fighters taking the blunt force of the siege, she was freed to go find Nie Huaisang and perhaps get the array to work.

Lan Wangji did not dwell too long on his thoughts, as he threw three cultivators back with a single slash. 

Another thing Lan Wangji was pleased to discover, Wei Ying was a chatty fighter when he wanted to be. Each parry was punctured with a snappy remark or joke. 

“You guys really should do your research before you go barging around other people’s homes, you know?”

“Hey! Be careful around that vase, it’s Shijie’s favorite outdoor plant in this courtyard!”

“I know you don’t remember me, but you all must be some kind of stupid if you’re fighting against Lan Zhan.”

His voice was pleasant to listen to against the hypermasculine war cries of the cultivators. Some Lan disciples were hesitant to engage in battle with him but were convinced that Wei Ying had him under some spell. 

He knew arguing was pointless, so he instead memorized their faces to report to the elders once this was all over.

If any of them even survived this whole ordeal. It appeared Jin Guangyao did not privy his followers to the consequences of lingering in the mist when the curse was about to complete itself. 

It seemed the rain would never stop. Lan Wangji’s robes were soaked through, and he had to keep a tighter grip on his sword’s handle so it wouldn’t fly out of his hand. Wei Ying’s voice took longer to reach him. 

The mist was condensing very quickly. Even with his sharpened senses, Lan Wangji’s sight was being impaired bit by bit. 

When it became too much to feel, when Lan Wangji thought he was going to be consumed by the grey, with only thoughts of Wei Ying to placate the void of his own limited mortality, it happened.

What felt like wind blowing in every direction at once washed over Lan Wangji. The gusts were so strong, he had to stab Bichen into the ground and close his eyes. 

In Lan Wangji’s mind, Wei Ying was like a ball of light in an otherwise singular, colorless space. The ball was small, its rays a stark opposite from the vacuum. But then small lights began to appear everywhere. In small pockets, all throughout, until Lan Wangji found that Wei Ying wasn’t just something he knew for a few months.

Wei Ying was the way Lan Wangji’s ears turned red and his heart beat out of tune that first night they dueled on the high walls of the Cloud Recesses. Wei Ying was the burst of color every time he bothered Lan Wangji during their month-long library confinement. Wei Ying was the melody Lan Wangji spent hours trying to decipher, articulate, and compose. 

All Wei Ying did during these last few months took on a new meaning. The teasing, the name-calling, none of it was new. Wei Ying had always known.

Wei Ying was where Lan Wangji found himself each time he listened close.

And when Lan Wangji opened his eyes again, struggling against the sunlight that was suddenly everywhere, Wei Ying was the one gazing into Lan Wangji’s golden eyes from across the courtyard.

“Wei Ying.”

His grin was toothy and bright. He waved. “Lan Zhan! It’s been a while!”

At once, the world was finally as colorful as Lan Wangji found Wei Ying to be.

Chapter Text

Once the water settled, there were still troubles that had to be dealt with. Yunmeng Jiang had to be reintroduced to proper society, Lanling Jin struggled with power politics, Gusu Lan was left to re-evaluate their own morals, and Qinghe Nie still had to recover from its leadership vacuum. But the biggest problem plaguing the world wasn't any of that.

It was the huge argument over who was going to get married in which order.

Obviously, everyone agreed Jiang Yanli deserved the honor of being wed first. Not only had she waited the longest to be reunited with Jin Zixuan, but her sweet offer to actually be last shot her right up to the number one spot on the communal priority list. 

The matter of the second wedding was, well, not as easy to decide.

Wei Wuxian raised his hand first. “I was the head disciple and I’m older than you, so I should go first.”

Jiang Cheng scoffed. “No way! You didn’t even propose to Lan Wangji until the start of this conversation! A-Sang and I have been waiting for years!”

“But Jiang Cheng, it’s Lan Zhan! I can’t wait another minute! What’s a few extra months to you guys?”

“Wei-xiong, I thought you used to be our number one supporter?" Nie Huaisang tried to reason. "I can’t take this betrayal if you don’t let us get married first. We even got your blessings all those years ago!”

“If I don’t get married right now I’m going to die!” Wei Wuxian crossed his arms with an indignant expression.

Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes with a sarcastic laugh. “Hah! As if Hanguang Jun will ever let that happen.”

Nie Huaisang sighed. When it came to the brothers, there was no preventing the head-butting of their stubbornness.

Turning instead to his dearest friend, Nie Huaisang asked, “Wangji-xiong, can’t you tell Wei-xiong to be more patient?”

“We will do whatever Wei Ying wants.”

“Aw, Wangji-xiong, no!”

Wei Wuxian cackled, looking close to hopping on the table to prove his point. “See? Lan Zhan is the perfect man. How can I not marry him first?”

Nie Huaisang stood up in Jiang Cheng's stead. “I take offense to that! A-Cheng is just as perfect and maybe even more so, no offense Wangji-xiong.”

“This is getting ridiculous. A-Yuan! Come over here and tell them you want your Rich-gege and I to get married first.”

“No using A-Yuan, that’s cheating!”

With so many prominent families involved in what started out as a minor squabble, it was surprising that it only took three weeks for the debate to resolve itself. Sure, Gusu Lan and Qinghe Nie might have been on the brink of war twice and, at one point, Da-ge actually cried, but Nie Huaisang was sure they’d all look back and laugh at the situation.

The order of the weddings was settled and now, three years later, Nie Huaisang was proud to say that the entire cultivation world was practically begging their young masters to stop marrying. Nie Huaisang was more than happy to oblige, after one last ceremony.

Springtime in Lotus Pier was a beautiful location for a wedding. The flowers sprouted in different pastel shades amidst the lakeside. Merchants were bustling by the docks, eager to sell their latest wares after the lull of winter. There were invigorated shouts of training disciples as they practiced outdoors and the pleasant chatter of attendants and visitors as they strolled about the manor.

Unlike the rest of Lotus Pier, Nie Huaisang was hunched over his desk in the room Jiang Cheng gifted him all those years ago, dragging his brush and frowning at his work. 

No matter what he imagined, it still didn’t look right. He already went to bed late last night getting this last wedding gift ready, but no matter how hard he worked on it, nothing felt right.

“Nie-xiong? Where are you?” Wei Wuxian’s voice echoed down the hall. “If you go missing, Jiang Cheng really is going to kill me!” 

“In here!” 

Nie Huaisang did bother looking up as Wei Wuxian barged in the room. Wei Wuxian’s hands were on his hips wearing a lopsided frown in addition to his sleek Yunmeng purple attire. When he walked up to the desk, blocking some of the light as a consequence, Nie Huaisang whined. 

“Is this where you ran off to? Come on, we still have so many preparations! You said you’d-”

“In a minute, Wei-xiong!” Nie Huaisang sighed. He tapped the end of his brush against the desk. “I’m stumped on what to do for this stupid fan.”

“Nie-xiong, you know I support your art career, but if you keep at this, you’re going to be late for your own wedding!” Wei Wuxian poked the side of Nie Huaisang’s head. “Look, you even got ink on your face.”

Nie Huaisang hummed as he used a towel to wipe off the smudge. “It’s not on my wedding robes, and that’s what matters.”

“What’s so important that’s gotten you like this anyway?” Wei Wuxian leaned over the desk, blocking even more of the light from shining in, and inspected Nie Huaisang’s work. 

The fan was made from a dark purple-looking wood that contrasted nicely with the lilac fabric Nie Huaisang picked out especially for this occasion. He labored for hours drawing a rather minimalistic tree branch with dainty flowers. But something was missing, and he’d tear his own hair ornament out if he didn’t figure it out. 

Nie Huaisang tilted his head back and groaned. “You don’t get it, Wei-xiong. I wanted to give A-Cheng another fan since the other one kind of turned into my spiritual weapon. It’s a symbol for our love, Wei-xiong!”

Wei Wuxian shook his head. “You artists and your symbols. If Lan Zhan and I had let you get married first, we’d still be waiting for five more years!”

Wei Wuxian’s wedding to Lan Wangji was rather simple, but still executed frustratingly well. Because Lotus Pier wasn’t quite in shape at the time to handle large festivities and house so many guests, they agreed to have it in the Cloud Recesses. Jiang Cheng was upset that his brother wouldn't be marrying in the "correct" location until Nie Huaisang assured him their own wedding would occur there. 

It was quieter than Nie Huaisang expected too. The Cloud Recesses was always more of a somber atmosphere, everyone expected Wei Wuxian to really liven up the place, but the man was absorbed in his husband the whole time. 

The ceremony and festivities were also short as a result. That was probably a blessing in disguise, even if some relatives were disappointed. Wei-xiong and Wangji-xiong spent the whole time barely keeping it in their robes.

On the bright side, that gave Nie Huaisang an advantage when it came to the title of “Best and Most Elaborate, Romantic, Wedding of the Four Great Cultivation Sects.” Lanling Jin had nothing compared to what he planned for his and A-Cheng’s special day (Yes, even considering the fact that Jin Zixuan organized a literal shower of flowers to rain down upon his bride during that first wedding). 

“Wei Ying?” Lan Wangji came in all of a sudden. It was a good thing Nie Huaisang was used to the man’s quiet means of travel. He really couldn't handle anything more on his special day.

“Lan Zhan! Come here, my wonderful husband, and get Huaisang going! If he makes Jiang Cheng worried I’m going to really do something bad.”

Nie Huaisang whined. “Wangji-xiong, I can’t go. Not until I figure out what I need to add to A-Cheng’s present. This is a matter of life and death here!”

If anyone else was in the room, they’d have thought the two dramatic. Lan Wangji, on the other hand, was long used to such antics. He walked around the table and stood next to Nie Huaisang, taking in his artistic labor. His eyes went to the side for a moment, then back to the fan. 

“Clarity bell. Like Wei Ying’s.” 

Nie Huaisang pictured it in his head. “Of course! Oh, of course, it has to be A-Cheng’s silver bell! How could it be anything else? Thank you, Wangji-xiong, for being useful.” He ignored Wei Wuxian’s Hey! and added the final detail hanging off the flower tree branch.

“Is this where everyone has been hiding?” Wen Qing’s crisp voice scolded them from the entrance. “We’re running behind schedule!”

MianMian appeared beside her, their arms linked. “I told you Huaisang would be here.”

Wen Qing sighed. “And you’re correct again, dearest.” The two exchanged a very fond look, momentarily forgetting there were three observers before them.

Nie Huaisang couldn’t wait to get married so that he’d have the right excuse to out-sap all the sappy couples that decided to circle around him today.

“Hurry up, Nie Huaisang!” Wen Qing began to usher everyone out. “You’d think by wedding number three you’d all have learned to be on time for once. MianMian and I could’ve gotten married five more times in between how long you guys took.”

“Oh, QingQing, you’re so romantic.” MianMian giggled, looking regal in her light green Qinghe robes.

Following the whole "sneaking into Jin Guangyao's room" debacle, Nie Huaisang and Nie Mingjue both decided that she'd completed her assignment as a spy and allowed her to join the ranks of Qinghe Nie's fine cultivators. Even without a saber, she was quite the fearsome cultivator when she wasn't swooning into her wife's arms. The two technically eloped, much to the chagrin of everyone who knew them. In their defense though, it would have taken ages to fit a fourth wedding into the line-up. Nie Huaisang found it rather romantic, though he'd never admit it and continued to grumble at MianMian whenever she mentioned her elopement. 

After Nie Huaisang was dragged out of his art room, he was taken to Jiang Yanli for the final touches. She held up a square piece of red cloth in greeting. Sat down in front of the mirror as she rearranged his hair, Nie Huaisang was overcome with what was about to happen. All the other times, he was too preoccupied with the celebration of others to fully conceptualize his own matrimony. But now, what else could he possibly think about?

“Perfect.” Jiang Yanli put her hands on his shoulders, giving them a light squeeze. “You look radiant, Huaisang. A-Cheng will be stunned.” 

Nie Huaisang sighed, a sudden bout of nerves coming over him. “I think I’m stunned too. Yanli-Jie, were you also this nervous when you got married?”

“You’re taking to it better than I did. I remember I didn’t think I looked right in my dress no matter how many times A-Xian and A-Cheng told me I was pretty,” Jiang Yanli laughed. “But this feeling you’re having? It’s a good one.”

A cooing from the corner of the room stirred them both out of the afternoon daydream. Jiang Yanli became even more of a mother hen than before as she picked up her infant and cradled him in her arms. “You should get going. A-Ling and I will be waiting for you back here.”  

Nie Huaisang saw nothing but red as his entire face was covered by the veil. His senses weren’t the sharpest, so it took a lot of slow walking and directional help from Wei Wuxian to get Huaisang in his sedan chair without falling over. 

When Nie Huaisang told Jiang Cheng he wanted to have the best, most elaborate, most romantic wedding anyone in all the four great cultivation sects ever witnessed, he meant it.

He might have gone a little overboard with the planning, considering that he expected the procession to go from Yunmeng to Qinghe and back again within a day, but he wasn’t marrying into the sect known for attempting the impossible for nothing. All his favorite attendants and Yanli-Jie were at Lotus Pier, and he couldn’t get ready for the wedding without them! Not to mention, Da-ge was insistent that at least part of the ceremony take place in the Unclean Realm. 

Besides, the long journey meant there was more than enough time to let everyone know who was getting married. If only his sedan didn’t have such thick red curtains over it so that Nie Huaisang could admire his groom from the window. 

Upon arriving at Qinghe Nie, there was an even bigger bout of festivities to greet them. Though Nie Huaisang was unable to see it, he heard a lot of firecrackers and gruff shouting. It sounded like Da-ge gathered every single inhabitant of Qinghe to personally come and greet him! He’d expect nothing less from his own sect. There was no time to enjoy the outdoor display, as he was quickly whisked away to begin another fun tradition. 

This time, the elaborate procedure wasn’t Nie Huaisang's fault. Nie Mingjue took his job of protecting Nie Huaisang seriously. Da-ge was secretive about the exact challenges he planned to stop Jiang Cheng from reaching Huaisang, but there were murmurs about man-eating guard-beasts and stone-throwing contests floating around. 

Frankly, Nie Huaisang expected nothing less than a full-on duel between his Da-ge and Jiang Cheng. 

Nie Huaisang kicked his feet and started daydreaming as he waited. Soon enough, he heard the door open. He knew it was Jiang Cheng from how hard the man was panting. Impressive! Nie Huaisang figured Da-ge would stall for at least another hour. “A-Sang,” Jiang Cheng wheezed out, “I’m here!”

Nie Huaisang tried to compose himself, biting back a laugh. Jiang Cheng’s hands were warm as they took his, albeit perhaps a bit rough from whatever Da-ge put him through. They weren’t supposed to see each other or do anything yet, but Jiang Cheng couldn’t resist pressing his lips against Huaisang’s forehead. 

He let out a soft gasp. “A-Cheng!”

“Sorry,” Jiang Cheng chuckled, but then he did it again! “I can't help myself.”

With more grace than Wei-xiong (and much more "accidental" nudging), Jiang Cheng escorted Nie Huaisang out of his old bedroom. They didn’t get to properly talk again until after the ceremonies were over. The tea pouring and final bows were done back at Lotus Pier. 

The sight of a smiling Jiang Yanli and Wei Wuxian was rather comical as they sat beside Nie Mingjue. Da-ge really came through when Nie Huaisang asked him to dress well. Other than a mysterious cut on his arm and the fountains of tears he refused to acknowledge, he looked rather dashing.

Nie Huaisang's smile made the crying much worse. Still, he spared his older brother's feelings by talking about something else. “Da-ge, what happened to your arm?”

Nie Mingjue looked rather proud of the injury between his sniffling. “I challenged your husband-to-be in a duel. He somehow managed to lay a scratch on me. He apologized a million times before I let him off the hook. You should’ve seen his face when he realized he cut me. I’m pretty sure he thought I’d actually kill him.”

“Ah, knowing you, Da-ge, I also wouldn’t be surprised.” Nie Huaisang remarked. He wiped a few tears away from Nie Mingjue’s eyes. “I'll miss you, you know. I hope you take care of yourself.”

Da-ge scoffed. “How can I not? With you and Xichen fussing over me all the time.”

Lan Xichen was not in the best of places after Jin Guangyao’s involvement in the annihilation of Yunmeng Jiang was exposed, but he worked hard to make sure something like that never happened again. He and Da-ge had a long conversation. After a talking-to from Nie Huaisang that left Xichen-ge speechless, he also promised to never let Nie Mingjue anywhere near qi deviation ever again.

Nie Huaisang smiled and gave his brother a bone-crushing hug.

Once Jiang Cheng carried Nie Huaisang into their bedroom, the atmosphere shifted at once. Fireworks and fanfare forgotten, all that remained was a low-simmering anticipation that ate at Nie Huaisang’s gut.

All alone now, he didn’t know if he was ready to face Jiang Cheng without the veil. At first, he couldn’t wait to be rid of it, but now? He was sure that he’d die from seeing his husband (his husband!) with all his affectionate smiles and quiet whispers. 

“A-Sang? You okay?” Jiang Cheng sensed his tension even before Nie Huaisang was set down on the bed. They read each other so well, it was starting to become a problem. 

“Of course, husband.” Tian-ah, Nie Huaisang would never tire of saying that. “I-I want to see you.”

The red cloth slipped off his head like a falling feather. Jiang Cheng’s breath caught when it did. Nie Huaisang allowed himself to be looked at, even as his face warmed. Seeing Jiang Cheng in red was something else entirely. His grey eyes shone as they roamed over Huaisang. The whole room was bathed in vibrant reds and golds. An entire pocket of the world made for nothing but the well-wishings of their love. 

Jiang Cheng’s fingers curled against Nie Huaisang’s cheek. “You’re- you’re everything.”

There wasn’t even any time to react as Jiang Cheng leaned forward and took Nie Huaisang’s lips. They’ve done this ten thousand times by now, but it was as sweet as it always was. It started out like a drop of snow falling on his nose in the wintertime, but soon the kisses flurried into greater urgency. 

Nie Huaisang was pretty sure he was sitting upright when he last took a breath. Quite the mystery how he was on his back all of a sudden. 

“W-wait, ah!” Nie Huaisang sucked in a large breath of air. “Ah, A-Cheng, w-wait.”

Jiang Cheng moved his lips to Huaisang’s cheek instead, unwilling to fully move away. “Mm? What’s the matter?” His mouth ghosted over Nie Huaisang’s ear.

“I have something to show you.”

“Oh? And what might that be?”

Nie Huaisang slipped his hand underneath the pillow. Jiang Cheng let him sit back up, waiting patiently for him to do what he needed. His husband really was the best- so considerate!

“Do you remember when you first proposed?”

Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes. “Of course. It was by the waterfall in Gusu. And here I was thinking we would be getting to the part that happened after we left the waterfall.”

Nie Huaisang flushed. Of all the times for A-Cheng to tease back! “In a minute! Let’s go back to the pretty waterfall. Here.” He unfolded the fan first before presenting it.

Jiang Cheng’s eyes watered as he lifted the fan with deft fingers. His eyes caught the last-minute addition, letting out a light gasp. He folded the fan back up, running his hand over his engraved name.

Like earlier that day in Qinghe, Jiang Cheng closed his eyes and rested his forehead against Nie Huaisang’s. 

After a minute or two, Nie Huaisang was fully on board to get back to the kissing stuff (and then some), but now Jiang Cheng was the one to pull away. 

“I figured I’d show you tomorrow, but now it can’t wait.”

“Hm?”

Jiang Cheng reached under the bed and drew out an ornate black box. He handed it over to Nie Huaisang, watching with intent his every move. 

The wood was smoothed and sanded very well. A lotus symbol was engraved at the top. There was a small golden latch that Nie Huaisang undid. Upon opening the box, a whole new wave of sentiment shot him in the heart.

“It’ll protect you, always,” Jiang Cheng spoke up, “and let everyone know who you are when you’re at Lotus Pier or anywhere else.”

The silver bell looked almost pink as it reflected the red in the room. The purple tassel was almost exactly like the one Jiang Cheng wore. In addition, to the lotus, there was an added charm made of white jade in the shape of a beast’s head. 

Jiang Cheng took advantage of Nie Huaisang’s shock to attach the bell to his wedding sash. He pressed another kiss to Nie Huaisang’s lips as a final flourish.

Nie Huaisang found his words again. “You’re too perfect. I don’t know how I waited so long to marry you.”

“Well, you got what you wanted, right?” Jiang Cheng kissed up along his neck, using one hand to grip Nie Huaisang’s waist and the other to push his shoulder down.

“All that and more.” Nie Huaisang tilted Jiang Cheng’s head up to kiss him properly. 

There were a lot more things Nie Huaisang could say. He could tease Jiang Cheng about the irony of putting the clarity bell on him only to take everything right off afterward. Perhaps a jab about whatever mishaps happened during his duel with Da-ge. 

If he was brave enough to be more serious, he’d tell Jiang Cheng how happy he was to finally be a part of his family. That he’d do everything to prove that being together was the right choice. How they can spend the rest of eternity making up for lost time. 

And he wanted to say I love you until the sun set and rose again, until all the waters dried up, until there was nothing left but the two of them forever entwined around one another.

For right now, Nie Huaisang let go of all his thoughts and let himself get swept away by Jiang Cheng’s wave.

There was time for everything else tomorrow. Time to laugh, to talk, to kiss, and to lose himself all over again. Endless days soaking in lotus flower waters beside his husband, his love. And, really, wasn’t that all Nie Huaisang could ask for?

❀ End ❀