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Jiang Cheng had never thought he’d find either of his soulmates, romantic or platonic, but meeting Lan Xichen changed that. The first time they properly shook hands, months after he’d left Cloud Recesses as a teenager, he felt the rush of electricity pass from his hand to Lan Huan’s and the rest was history.
He’d found his romantic soulmate. The other half of his heart. He’d been so elated and overfilled with joy, that in that moment, he hadn’t even cared about meeting his platonic soulmate. What did he need them for when he had his Lan Huan.
Lan Xichen had sent him a letter, asking to court him, and Jiang Cheng hadn’t replied for weeks, scared that if he agreed, then Lan Huan would get to know him and ultimately resent him.
He wouldn’t have been able to bear his romantic soulmate rejecting him.
But Wei Wuxian had convinced him that he was being stupid, that he should give Lan Xichen a chance. “Come on, Jiang Cheng. Lan Xichen would be lucky to have you. It'll be perfect. Me with my Lan Zhan and you with your Zewu-jun….”
So Jiang Cheng removed his head out of his ass, and went to bed that night, intent on writing back to Lan Huan the next day, but then Lotus Pier burned down, and almost overnight, Jiang Cheng had lost everything, only to gain it again, almost two decades later.
There he sat on the edge of Lan Xichen’s bed, enjoying the tingle of electricity that washed over his body every time his beloved touched his skin. Skin to skin contact was necessary for finding your romantic soulmate. His mother had taught him all about what it felt like to meet your romantic soulmate, but as he grew older, he realized her words weren’t coming from personal experience.
Platonic soulmates, on the other hand, didn’t require any touching, and were far easier to find. All that they required was calling each other by your first names. Once that happened, apparently there was supposed to be some big explosion of light…? Or maybe their entire bodies would start to glow…? Jiang Cheng really had no idea. All he knew was that your platonic soulmate was supposed to be the closest person in your life, unromantically.
To put it simply, your platonic soulmate was your best friend.
Jiang Cheng hadn’t met his platonic soulmate, and he didn’t want to ask Lan Xichen about his (Jin Guangyao was still a sore subject to this day), but truthfully Jiang Cheng had accepted that he’d never find his platonic soulmate a long time ago. He already had Lan Xichen, what more did he need?
“Wanyin.” Lan Huan mumbled, running his fingers through Jiang Cheng’s hair. “What’s on your mind, love?”
“Nothing.” Jiang Cheng lied. He turned to give Lan Huan a kiss on the cheek, hoping to distract him, but Lan Huan was undeterred.
“Wanyin…” Lan Xichen sighed. “Lying isn’t allowed in Cloud Recessess.”
Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes, and that got a chuckle out of Lan Xichen.
“I just…” Jiang Cheng huffed, “Do you really have to meet with the elders today? Can’t we postpone it until...hmm... never? ”
Lan Xichen chuckled, “Sect Leader Jiang!” He teased, “I wonder what the elders would say if they heard this coming from you, the esteemed Sandu Shengshou!”
Jiang Cheng didn’t pout. He didn’t. “You’re teasing me.”
“I would never!”
“Tsk. And what would the elders say, if they heard that the honorable Zewu-jun bullied his guests like this?”
“They’d be very disappointed. I suppose they’d want me to make it up to you.” Lan Xichen tapped his chin, mimicking being deep in thought. “I wonder how…?” Lan Xichen grinned, eyes twinkling as he stared at his romantic soulmate. Jiang Cheng reached for his Lan Huan and leaned in, intent on closing the gap between them with his mouth when the doors of the guest quarters flung open.
There was only one person that would dare burst into Jiang Cheng’s room unannounced. Even Wei Wuxian valued his life enough not to do so.
“Jiujiu, Wei Wuxian was looking for-Oh my god!” Jin Ling screeched, jamming his palms into his eyes. Jiang Cheng scowled at his nephew. Serves him right for barging in like this.
“Jin Ling.” Jiang Cheng hissed, swatting his nephew over the head.
“Ow! What the hell?” Jin Ling cried, trying to bat his Uncle’s hand away.
“Haven’t I taught you to always knock first?” Jiang Cheng stared him down, crossing his arms over his chest. “Dumb brat.”
“Zewu-jun, tell him to stop bullying me!” Jin Ling frowned, and then cried out in pain as his Uncle flicked him in the forehead.
“Brat! Who are you to demand his help? I swear I’ll break your legs-”
Lan Xichen watched the scene with a fond smile on his face. “I must go. The elders don’t like to be kept waiting, but Wanyin, please don’t bully your nephew.”
Jin Ling smirked, triumphant. “Bye Zewu-jun!”
Jiang Cheng grumbled out a sour, “Bye Lan Huan.” And flushed as his beloved pecked him on the cheek before leaving the room.
“Ha! Uncle you’re so red!” Jin Ling pointed.
“Do you want to die?”
Jin Ling audibly gulped. “No! I just wanted to tell you that Sizhui, Jingyi and I are going on a hunt today.” Jin Ling was a special case. He hadn’t met his romantic soulmate yet, but he had two platonic soulmates: Lan Sizhui and Lan Jingyi. Jiang Cheng had been wary of the two Lan boys at first, but now he knew them well enough to trust them with his rather fragile nephew. Whenever he saw the three interact, they were a perfect example of what having a platonic soulmate could entail: a friend for life.
Jiang Cheng hadn’t asked Jin Ling about what it was like to find his platonic soulmate either, because, although he loved his nephew with all his heart, Jin Ling had the emotional intelligence of a teacup. Jiang Cheng couldn’t even say the words “soulmate” around him, before his nephew began to get flustered and attempt to run away.
“You’re not going alone are you?” Jiang Cheng asked. Despite the fact that Jin Ling was technically already a Sect Leader, Jiang Cheng had taken on a brunt of the Sect Leader duties for his nephew. Jin Ling was still just a child, and this was Jiang Cheng’s attempt to preserve Jin Ling’s childhood as best he could. He didn’t want what happened to him to happen to his nephew as well. “I’ll invite myself if I have to.”
Jin Ling groaned. “Wei Wuxian already invited himself. You can come too if you really want too.”
Jiang Cheng felt relieved. His brother was an idiot, but he’d protect the juniors if they met any real danger. “Is that Ouyang boy going to meet up with you too? What was his name again?”
“I-it’s Zizhen.” Jin Ling stuttered, his face going aflame. Jiang Cheng hadn’t actually forgotten the boy’s name. He was just messing with Jin Ling. “And yes, we’re meeting with him. Why?” Jin Ling sounded suspicious.
“No reason.” Jiang Cheng smirked. “Now get out of my room.”
Jin Ling rolled his eyes, emulating his Uncle, and began to walk away, mumbling something rude under his breath.
“What was that?” Jiang Cheng snapped.
“Nothing!” Jin Ling sprinted out the door, and Jiang Cheng’s scowl dissolved into a smile.
~~
Jiang Cheng wandered aimlessly around Cloud Recessess. He’d only accompanied Jin Ling there to visit his beloved...and Wei Wuxian, but he’d never admit that part out loud. There was a time when he believed that Wei Wuxian was his platonic soulmate, his friend for life, brother in arms. But-
“Young Master Wei. It’s good to see you again.”
“Wen Ning, please. Call me Wei Wuxian.”
“O-oh, okay. Hello Wei Wuxian.”
“Hello Wen Ning.”
Jiang Cheng had long since stopped being bitter about losing his potential position as Wei Wuxian’s platonic soulmate to a literal corpse, but he remembered hating Wen Ning for years because of it. But now, he could look back and see that he was grateful. He was grateful that at least Wei Wuxian had his soulmates by his side when the entire cultivation world turned against him. He was thankful Wen Ning acted as a better brother than Jiang Cheng could’ve ever been.
Jiang Cheng sighed as he wandered into the woods, admiring the beautiful waterfall that cascaded down the mountain. He sat down on a large rock in the shallow end of the water and closed his eyes as he let the sounds of the wind mixed with the rushing waterfall surround him. He laid his back down on the rock, enjoying the warmth of the sun on his face.
Perhaps Jiang Cheng thought to himself I can take a nap. He’d been in this part of the woods multiple times with Lan Huan. Rarely anyone came there. Surely, there was no harm in relaxing his eyes for a few moments and-
All of a sudden, something wet and sticky ran across his face. Something licked him. Jiang Cheng bolted upright, frantically wiping the spit from his face and was met with the sight of Hanguang-jun staring at him a few meters away. His ankles were a few centimeters deep in the water and he was wearing an impassive expression on his face. His hands were held firmly behind his back.
Jiang Cheng gaped at him. “Hanguang-jun, did you just lick me?”
Hanguang-jun didn’t even bat an eyelash. “Perhaps.”
“ Perhaps ? What the fu-” Jiang Cheng stopped mid-rant. He noticed that Hanguang-jun was straining his arms to keep whatever was behind his back in place.
“What have you got there?” Jiang Cheng asked, pointing to his arms.
Lan Wangji stayed silent, most likely because he couldn’t lie but-
“A lie of omission is still a lie.” Jiang Cheng noted, smirking as Lan Wangji glared at him.
“Go back to sleep.”
Jiang Cheng shook his head, “Not if you don’t tell me what you're hiding. Whatever it is must’ve licked me right?”
“No, I did.” Was Lan Wangji trolling him?
Jiang Cheng frowned at him, unimpressed. “Now that’s a blatant lie-”
“Sect Leader Jiang-”
“Tell me.”
“No.”
“Please?”
“No.”
“I’ll stop insulting my brother to his face for an entire week.” Lan Wangji’s eyes lit up.
“Three weeks.”
“...Two.”
“Mn.” Hanguang-jun acquiesced and finally revealed what he was hiding.
It was a cat. A really fat, fluffy, white cat that barely glanced at Jiang Cheng before deciding it was bored and nestled against Lan Wangji once more.
“God, what have you been feeding that thing?” Jiang Cheng blurted. Lan Wangji scowled at him.
“I found her today.”
“Okay, but why’s she so fa-...uh..” He took note of the intensity of Lan Wangji’s scowl. “...I mean why’s she so...you know... fluffy ?”
“Bone structure.”
Jiang Cheng snorted, and Lan Wangji’s glare seemed to ease up.
“Well, can I hold her?” Jiang Cheng asked. Lan Wangji nodded, and sat next to Jiang Cheng, handing him the cat. She hissed and mewled as she was moved about, but she eventually snuggled up in Jiang Cheng’s lap, looking as content as she was before. He carefully patted her fur, smiling as she began to purr against his leg.
“Thanks.”
“Mn.”
“So what are you planning to do with her?”
“Don’t know.”
“Pets aren’t even allowed in Cloud Recesses. How did this cat even get here?”
“Don’t know. Try asking her.”
Jiang Cheng whipped his head towards Lan Wangji who sat stone-faced, staring straight ahead. Am I being trolled by Hanguang-jun? Jiang Cheng couldn’t help snorting once more.
“Be careful Hanguang-jun. Or I may just start to like you.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it, Sect Leader Jiang.” The corners of Lan Wangji’s mouth twitched upwards and Jiang Cheng felt his mouth do the same.
“I can bring her back to Lotus Pier if you’d like.” Jiang Cheng suggested. “You’d be free to visit her anytime, and I could send you letters with updates of her wellbeing.”
This time Lan Wangji looked at him in shock. “You would do that?”
“I wouldn’t mind.” Jiang Cheng shrugged. “Besides, it’d be nice to have a pet again.”
“Mn. You gave up your dogs for Wei Ying.” At Jiang Cheng’s confused look he added, “Wei Ying told me.”
Jiang Cheng groaned, “ Of course he did. Anyways, does that sound like a good idea?”
Lan Wangji nodded, “Thank you Sect Leader Jiang.”
“No problem, Hanguang-jun.”
~~
Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji had been exchanging letters back and forth from Gusu to Lotus Pier for weeks. At first, their letters focused on Xuehua , or Snowflake. Lan Wangji had let him name her since Jiang Cheng was the one who offered to look after her.
Jiang Cheng, along with many of the disciples of Lotus Pier, had fallen in love with Xuehua. She was adorable, well-behaved-so long as she wasn’t bathing or exercising- and her fur was so soft . Jiang Cheng had mistaken her for a pillow on multiple occasions. But there was only so much Jiang Cheng could write to Lan Wangji about.
To put it bluntly, Xuehua was lazy . She would sleep through most of the day and when she’d awake, she was content to just lay in the disciples’ laps, offering them comfort so long as they fed her copious amounts of lotus seeds and fish.
Thus, their letters to each other became less and less about Xuehua and more about their own lives.
Lan Wangji told him about different sword techniques he’d mastered with Bichen. Jiang Cheng taught him how to make soup that didn’t taste like stale water-not lotus-rib-pork soup, of course, that was Jiejie’s secret- but Lan Wangji had told him that the latest sweet and sour soup recipe Jiang Cheng had shared had been a success with Wei Ying.
He’d learned that Lan Wangji preferred Oolong tea to green tea because he’d never tasted a good green tea in his life. So Jiang Cheng being Jiang Cheng was determined to prove him wrong and sent him the finest green tea Lotus Pier had to offer. Lan Wangji one-upped him by sending back five jars of Emperor’s Smile as thanks.
Lan Wangji’s letters were always brief, devoid of any of the flowery language that most cultivators used when writing to him. And Jiang Cheng found that he preferred it.
Jiang Cheng had written to Lan Xichen about Xuehua as well, and his beloved was almost excited to see her as he was to see Jiang Cheng.
“She kind of reminds me of you.” Jiang Cheng said to his nephew while stroking Xuehua’s fur. They were sitting on the front steps of Jiang Cheng’s personal quarters.
“What?! All she does is eat and sleep all day? How could she possibly remind me of you?” Jin Lin grumbled, but reluctantly accepted Xuehua from his Uncle.
“Tsk. That’s all you did as a baby, A-Ling.” Jiang Cheng smiled, “You were really fat too.”
Jin Ling’s face burned and Xuehua wriggled around, trying to get comfortable in his arms. “Uncle! You take that back!”
“How can I? You were so cute and chubby.” Jiang Cheng sighed. “And look at you now. What a pity…Ow!”
Jin Ling flung Xuehua at Jiang Cheng’s face and then sprinted away as if his life depended on it. Xuehua hissed and flailed until Jiang Cheng placed her on the ground. She glared at him- was it even possible for cats to glare?- and then trotted off into Jiang Cheng’s room, hitting him in the face with her tail before she left.
Jiang Cheng rubbed at his face, mumbling darkly about how he was going to break his nephew’s legs. Xuehua’s loud meow shook him out of his thoughts and he wondered if she’d called for him because she was hungry or because she’d just eaten a fly.
~~
“Lan Huan.” Jiang Cheng greeted his soulmate with a smile. He, along with a few others from Gusu, had arrived in Lotus Pier that morning.
“Wanyin.” Lan Xichen’s smile was warm, and Jiang Cheng wanted to kiss him, but he didn’t want to do it out in the open. He wasn’t as shameless as-
“Jiang Cheng! You’re really not going to greet me? Are you pretending I don’t exist? My didi is so cruel…” Wei Wuxian leaned onto Lan Sizhui and Lan Jingyi for support. Lan Wangji looked upon his husband’s dramatics with a tender smile. Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes.
“Who’s your didi?”
“A-Ling do you hear this? Your Uncle is rejecting me-!”
“Good.” Jin Ling rolled his eyes in a similar manner as his Jiujiu. Something akin to pride swelled inside Jiang Cheng.
Wei Wuxian dramatically clutched at his chest and then swooned onto his husband, who caught him with ease. “My family is so cruel to me Lan Zhan.”
“Mn.” And then Lan Wangji nodded to Jiang Cheng. “Sect Leader Jiang.”
“Hanguang-jun.”
“So Zewu-jun tells me there’s a cat…?” Lan Jingyi glanced around trying to spot Xuehua.
“Cats? I love cats! Lan Zhan, if only we could smuggle more pets into Recesses." Wei Wuxian was trying to catch a glimpse of Xuehua as well.
“Mn.”
Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji shared a look.
“Xuehua!” Jin Ling called out at the top of his lungs because unlike Cloud Recesses, sadly, there were no rules against shouting in Lotus Pier. Xuehua was carried-because heavens forbid she walk- to Jin Ling by one of Jiang Cheng’s disciples.
“Oh! She’s so precious.” Lan Xichen cooed, petting her fur. “Did you name her?”
“No, Uncle did.”
Lan Xichen smiled at Jiang Cheng again. He really wasn’t making it any easier for Jiang Cheng not to kiss him.
The juniors surrounded Xuehua and she basked in all of the attention she was getting.
“Let me hold her!” Wei Wuxian tried to butt in, making grabby hands at Xuehua.
“Absolutely not.” Jiang Cheng said immediately.
“A-Cheng-”
“No.”
“ Fine . Can Lan Zhan hold her then? He’s responsible. He won’t accidentally drop her or anything.”
Lan Wangji’s expression was neutral, but he’d been staring at Xuehua the entire time. Jiang Cheng knew this was the first time he’d be seeing her in person, so Lan Wangji must’ve been eager to hold her again, even if he didn’t show it.
Jiang Cheng took Xuehua away from Jin Ling, at his nephew’s protests, and handed her to Lan Wangji.
“Thank you Sect Leader Jiang.” Lan Wangji whispered, low enough so that no one else could hear. Wei Wuxian was too engrossed with Xuehua to notice.
“You’re welcome Hanguang-jun.”
~~
Jiang Cheng had tried to make Xuehua sleep on the floor while Lan Xichen was visiting, he really had. But she would just climb up on the bed when they were asleep and he’d wake up with a face full of fur either way, so he’d just resigned himself to this fate.
“I’m really sorry.” Jiang Cheng grumbled as he and his beloved got ready for bed. Xuehua nestled herself in the middle of them as soon as they laid down.
“It’s fine, Wanyin, really.” Jiang Cheng’s heart ached; Lan Xichen was always so kind and understanding, he didn’t deserve him. He vowed that he’d make Xuehua spend a night cockblocking Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji. Lan Wangji owed him that much at least.
It didn’t take Jiang Cheng long to fall asleep-not when Lan Xichen and Xuehua were by his side- but he was woken up in the middle of the night by a stinging pain on his cheek. He jolted upright and hissed as Xuehua retracted her claws from her cheek and blood spattered down.
“What the hell, Xuehua?” Jiang Cheng hissed. Xuehua pattered over to her empty food bowl. Oh, shit I forgot to feed her . He must’ve been distracted from keeping his guests company.
“I’m sorry girl. Let’s go feed you something.” Jiang Cheng whispered, wary of waking Lan Xichen up. He picked Xuehua up into his arms; he’d learned long ago that if he started walking there was no way she was going to follow on her own.
While on his way to the kitchens he caught sight of a figure clad in white robes sitting on a bench that faced the lake.
It was Lan Wangji.
Xuehua must’ve recognized Lan Wangji because she shot out of Jiang Cheng’s arms and ran towards him. Since when could Xuehua run? Jiang Cheng chased after her, but he was too late. Xuehua had already licked one long stripe of Lan Wangji’s hand, breaking him out of his meditative state.
Jiang Cheng quickly took Xuehua into his arms once again, and Lan Wangji turned to face him.
Jiang Cheng felt a strange sense of deja-vu.
“Sect Leader Jiang.”
“Hanguang-jun…”
“Did you just lick me?” There was a tiny hint smile playing at Lan Wangji’s lips. Jiang Cheng couldn’t help the bark of laughter that escaped him.
“ Perhaps. ” Jiang Cheng replied, and the mirth in Lan Wangji’s eyes grew. “I was just about to feed her. Would you like to join us?”
Lan Wangji nodded, and Jiang Cheng handed him Xuehua.
“What happened?” Lan Wangji asked on their way to the kitchen.
“Hm?” And then Jiang Cheng remembered the claw marks on his face. He wondered how bad they looked. “Oh, Xuehua was hungry so she scratched me awake to feed her. Are the cuts deep?”
Lan Wangji shook his head. They continued to walk in silence, but unlike many times before, this time the silence wasn’t laden with unresolved tension or anger. It was pleasant, almost amicable.
Once in the kitchen, Jiang Cheng asked Lan Wangji to help get a clean bowl for Xuehua to eat out of. Jiang Cheng filled the bowl to the brim with leftovers from that day’s dinner and placed it onto the ground for an eager Xuehua. She pounced on the food and devoured it in minutes.
“Hanguang-jun, are you hungry?”
Lan Wangji shook his head. Jiang Cheng shrugged, “Suit yourself.” He gathered some of the leftover desserts from the pantry and spread them out on the table. He took one of the sweet buns from the spread and stuffed it inside his mouth whole, sleepiness making him momentarily forget that he was a Sect Leader in the presence of the rigid Hanguang-jun .
Lan Wangji shot him an unimpressed look, as expected, but thankfully didn’t comment.
“Here, try one.” Jiang Cheng thrust the dessert out to Lan Wangji who stared at it suspiciously. “Then you can stop judging me.”
Lan Wangji took a delicate bite out of the bun. He chewed on it for a few seconds before swallowing and taking another bite, and then another and another and-
“Here, have another one.”
Lan Wangji shook his head.
“We’re not in Cloud Recesses Hanguang-jun. Lan Qiren isn’t going to burst through that door just because you’re enjoying some dessert.”
“...He could.” Lan Wangji said, flatly.
Jiang Cheng groaned, stuffing another sweet into his mouth. “Just eat it.” He said, but with his mouth full, it probably sounded like gibberish. Lan Wangji scrunched his nose at Jiang Cheng’s impeccable manners but accepted the bun.
Jiang Cheng tried to sneak Xuehua some dessert while Lan Wangji wasn’t looking because despite having just eaten, she was staring up at them pitifully.
“No.” Lan Wangji said before Jiang Cheng’s hand had even moved to give her the dessert.
“Hanguang-jun, how could you be so cruel?”
“You sound like Wei Ying.”
Jiang Cheng choked, affronted. “Hanguang-jun-!” Jiang Cheng tried to argue.
“No.” He shook his head. “She will become overweight.”
“She’s already overweight! What’s the harm in-”
“She needs a balanced diet, Sect Leader Jiang.”
“ Fine .” Jiang Cheng huffed. “But you’re the one whose going to have to look her in the eyes and tell her no.”
“Okay.” Lan Wangj’s face remained blank. He looked down at Xuehua, and opened his mouth to say “No”, but Xuehua was rubbing her tiny nose against his ankle in between staring up at him with wide, sad eyes.
What a manipulative little cat she was.
Lan Wangji wordlessly handed Xuehua a bun which she instantly snatched from his hands.
Jiang Cheng cackled at the entire interaction.
Lan Wangji narrowed his eyes at Jiang Cheng, which only made Jiang Cheng laugh even harder. Jiang Cheng handed him another bun in an attempt to appease him.
“You know what?”
“Mn?”
“I don’t hate you, Lan Wangji.”
“Mn.” Lan Wangji nodded. “Don’t hate you either, Jiang Wanyin.”
There was no dramatic explosion of light, and neither of them began glowing. Instead, Jiang Cheng felt a searing pain on his forearm, prompting him to roll up his sleeve and observe. Appearing as black text on his skin was the name of his platonic soulmate.
Lan Wangji
Jiang Cheng’s eyes darted to Lan Wangji who was watching his forearm with the same fascination. He caught a glimpse of his own name in the same dark ink.
Jiang Cheng.
Then both names vanished.
They stared at each in shock for a few moments before Jiang Cheng blurted, “Have I really never called you by your actual name before?”
Lan Wangji slowly shook his head, almost in disbelief.
“Huh…”
“Indeed…”
“We’ve known each other for how many decades?”
“Almost three…”
“ Wow .”
“Mn.”
Jiang Cheng snorted, which soon turned into full-blown laughter. He shook his head at the absurdity of it all, but he felt strangely light. He looked at Lan Wangji who was actually smiling at Jiang Cheng for the first time ever. It wasn’t a wide smile by any means, but it was most definitely there.
“Wei Wuxian will never let us live this down.” Jiang Cheng complained, but he was grinning.
“Mn. Neither will Xichen.” Lan Wangji was still smiling.
“We’ll be bullied everyday.”
“Mn.”
“At least we’ll be bullied together.” Jiang Cheng joked, patting his lap so Xuehua could climb on top of him. He gently stroked her fur.
“Mn.” Lan Wangji sounded amused. “Together.”