Work Text:
“Xiao Wei... I really don’t want to go...” Zhao Yunlan whined, staring at his reflection in the mirror with a scowl while fumbling with his tie. “Also, do I have to wear this? I look ridiculous.” When Shen Wei approached him from behind and wrapped his arms around Zhao Yunlan’s shoulders to fix the disaster that was his Windsor knot, Zhao Yunlan melted against his body, but the crease between his eyebrows did not fade. Shen Wei spun him around and kissed his brow, then brushed his thumb over the lines of worry there in an attempt to smooth them away.
“That’s not true. You look extremely dapper.” Shen Wei protested as he undid the crumpled knot and looped it back perfectly with dextrous fingers, achieving the famous triangular, symmetrical shape on his first attempt.
“And yes, Yunlan—we do. How long have we been together, and you still haven’t introduced me to your parents...? It’s a very important step in any relationship, and besides, I genuinely want to meet the man and woman who made and raised such a wonderful son, and thank them from the bottom of my heart for it.” Shen Wei added as an afterthought, leaning in to brush his lips against Zhao Yunlan’s in a brief kiss. Zhao Yunlan closed his eyes and smiled at the words, sliding his arms around Shen Wei’s strong torso and resting his head against his chest.
“Mmm… Please tell that to my ‘ma later.” Zhao Yunlan whispered against the fabric of Shen Wei’s dress shirt as Shen Wei raked his fingers through Zhao Yunlan’s stubborn bangs and attempted to put some kind of order in the bird’s nest that was his hair. “I promise you she won’t believe a word of it. Although… in hindsight, she just might, if it’s coming from someone else’s mouth than that of her disaster of a son.”
“Don’t talk like that about your parents.” Shen Wei scolded him gently as he added the finishing touches, straightening his collar and brushing imaginary dust off his shoulder. “So… what did you tell them?”
“That I was bringing over my gorgeous wifey to meet them.” Zhao Yunlan said seriously, before breaking into a wolfish grin at the sight of Shen Wei’s dumbstruck expression. “Babe… I’m joking, obviously. Imagine the face they would have made on finding out that the said ‘wife’ is in fact a very attractive man with a glorious ass.” Zhao Yunlan breathed, sliding his hands down Shen Wei’s waist and lower back to squeeze his buttocks.
Frowning slightly, Shen Wei cupped his chin and lifted his face for Zhao Yunlan to look him in the eyes. “Yunlan, please. Try to behave yourself when we get there. I really want to make a good impression.”
Zhao Yunlan bent forward to catch Shen Wei’s lips again, before extricating himself from Shen Wei’s arms. “Of course, babe. I won’t let you down. I said my friend was alone on New Year’s and asked to bring him along, which technically isn’t a lie. We can tell them when the timing is right.” Zhao Yunlan explained, slipping on a light coat and scarf as Shen Wei did the same. “Come on, my dad is going to kill me if we’re late.” After grabbing his phone, keys, and wallet, Zhao Yunlan led the way out of their house and to his parked car. On the way to the Zhaos, Shen Wei sat stiffly in his seat, throwing nervous glances out of the window and perking up every time the vehicle slowed down. Zhao Yunlan, having lit a cigarette, was smoking his stress away as he tapped his fingers on the steering wheel to the beat of a silent tune.
When Zhao Yunlan’s car finally entered the driveway of the Zhao family residence, Zhao Yunlan swore under his breath and hurriedly crushed his cigarette in the ashtray.
Papa Zhao was already waiting for them outside.
At the sight of this brooding, paternal figure of authority that seemed to be looking straight at him through the tinted windows, Shen Wei sat up straighter in his seat and clutched the bag on his lap, as white as a sheet.
Moments later, the pair walked up the path leading to the house under watchful eyes and stopped next to Zhao Yunlan’s father standing stoically on the porch with his arms crossed.
Zhao Yunlan did the introductions half-assedly, already counting the minutes until he was back home with Shen Wei. “‘Pa, this is Shen Wei. Shen Wei, this is my dad.”
Shen Wei bowed politely at the portly man with salt-and-pepper hair who had Zhao Yunlan’s confident stance and air, but who looked nothing like him. Papa Zhao merely nodded at Shen Wei with a grunt, then turned towards his son. “... You’re late. Why are you dressed like that? What is this, a job interview?”
“Nice to see you too...” Zhao Yunlan muttered under his breath, unimpressed, before walking past his father and heading into the house with Shen Wei in tow.
Well, they were off to a splendid start...
Inside, Zhao Yunlan’s mother peeked her head out of the kitchen at their arrival and went around her son to smile at her guest, looking slightly disheveled with traces of flour on her face. “Welcome! I’ll be just a minute.” She cried, before ducking back out of view. Seconds later, she emerged again, fresh-faced, and made her way towards them as she wiped her hands on her apron. Zhao Yunlan’s mother was petite in size, with a thin, narrow waist, but her height was not exceptional, so it was a mystery how she had borne a child who had grown up to be so tall. Her hair was up, bunched into a messy bun, and though there were age lines beside her eyes, she was quite beautiful. Shen Wei could tell that Zhao Yunlan had gotten his looks from her.
Shen Wei handed Zhao Yunlan’s mother the bag that he had been carrying, bowing his head respectfully as he did so. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. Here, this is for you. It’s really not much, but...”
Mama Zhao warmed up instantly at this handsome young man who was so well-mannered.
“Thank you. Professor Shen Wei, if I’m not mistaken? Come in, come in, make yourself at home. I’ve heard so much about you.” She rambled on as she set the bag on the table and fished inside with genuine curiosity while glancing at her son uncertainly. “I trust this was Xiao Wei’s idea? I wouldn’t expect you to be this thoughtful.”
Zhao Yunlan grinned, undeterred by the comment, long used as he was to the verbal abuse. “Yeah, it’s a cake that he made. Shen Wei is a really good cook. I helped him a bit.”
Mama Zhao sniffed, squinting at him suspiciously. “You, baking? Impossible.”
Zhao Yunlan threw a look at Shen Wei over his shoulder, as if to say ‘see, I told you she wouldn’t believe it’.
“‘Ma it’s true! I mixed and checked the oven and even did the icing. See how pretty it is!” Zhao Yunlan exclaimed as his mother revealed a gorgeous three-layered strawberry shortcake which appeared—and smelled—absolutely divine.
“Exactly my thought. I don’t believe it.” Mama Zhao persisted as she put away the dessert, then grabbed Shen Wei’s arm pleasantly and began to lead him towards the dining room where she urged him to sit down and rest. Shen Wei watched as Zhao Yunlan, who was trailing close after her, draped his lanky arms around his mother’s delicate shoulders. “‘Ma… Won’t you kiss your son?” Zhao Yunlan cajoled his mother, but the middle-aged woman swatted her hand at him in obvious disgust. “Aiya, you stink of smoke! Go brush your teeth first.” She criticized him, before shrugging off his hands and rushing back into the kitchen at the shrill sound of the kettle boiling.
Zhao Yunlan sighed at her retreating back, giving a thumbs up and winking at Shen Wei who sat at the table looking slightly traumatised, before following after his mother at his own risk and peril.
“...‘Ma, wait for me! I’ll help…”
Shen Wei felt his heart grow warm at the sight. Zhao Yunlan might have acted spoiled and childish at times, but Shen Wei could tell that he loved his mother dearly, and that the two shared a deep bond despite appearances to the contrary. While Shen Wei listened to the clangs of pots and pans punctuated by lively conversation—What is this now, a house...? Do you even have that kind of money?—Zhao Yunlan’s father came into the dining room and sat down at the other end of the table, crossing his arms without a word, and proceeded to stare at him like he was trying to drill a hole into Shen Wei, who, unsure whether he should be holding his gaze or averting his eyes, opted on an odd combination of the two.
“......”
“......”
“......”
“......”
Suddenly, there was a dull sound like a whack, followed by a yelp of pain, and Zhao Yunlan came running out of the kitchen nursing his shoulder blade, on which one could make out the traces of a rolling pn. “If you’re not going to do it properly, then stay out of my kitchen!” Mama Zhao chastised him as she chased him out.
“...ow…”
Zhao Yunlan plopped down on the chair in front of Shen Wei, cutting short the staring contest between the two. “...‘Pa, don’t do that, you’re going to scare our guest away.” He commented, marveling inwardly at the fact that the Ghost Slayer himself seemed to cower in the face of his father. Well, not that he blamed him—his dad could be pretty terrifying.
As the three gauged each other carefully, the air heavy with tension, Mama Zhao came into the room with a platter of small fuming dishes. “Papa Zhao, stop scowling. Aiya… why do you all look like someone died...?” Mama Zhao asked, and Shen Wei understood that it wasn’t only his mother’s looks that Zhao Yunlan took after—but also her temper and wit. She beamed at Shen Wei when he made to stand and take the heavy load off her hands. “Xiao Wei, honey, please… you’re our special guest.” Mama Zhao cooed, setting down the platter on the table carefully and patting his arm to motion for him to remain seated, before scuttling back to the kitchen to retrieve a second one. Once the four of them were gathered around the table with the delicious food in front of them, Mama Zhao invited them to dig in.
Shen Wei peered at the bowl of soup in front of him warily, then picked up his spoon and began to eat in small sips.
As expected, Mama Zhao was the one to initiate the conversation—and conduct most of it—while her husband and son wolfed down the dishes one by one, the former grunting in appreciation, and the latter complimenting her profusely, both of which she ignored. “My fool of a son told me that you’re a teacher at Dragon City University?” Mama Zhao inquired after they had exchanged a few trifling pleasantries. “And you also help Yunlan on his cases? That child can’t even handle one job on his own, but you have two! Aiyo, it must be so tiring...!” She gasped, serving Shen Wei a second helping, though he had barely touched his plate yet. “You need to take care of yourself. Here, have some more chicken.”
Shen Wei was profoundly touched that Zhao Yunlan’s mother had remembered these unimportant details about someone who, to her knowledge, was a mere acquaintance of his son’s. Bowing repeatedly and smiling in between bites, Shen Wei looked up to gaze across the table at Zhao Yunlan, who was watching the scene with a fond smile on his lips.
Just when Shen Wei had begun to relax, he was brutally brought back to reality.
“So… How long have you been working together? You seem rather close for colleagues.” Mama Zhao ventured casually, alternating gazes between her son and his professor ‘friend’.
Papa Zhao dropped his spoon.
Shen Wei stopped eating altogether to focus on a tiny stain on the tablecloth.
Nearly choking on his food, Zhao Yunlan froze at the underlying meaning in his mother’s words and, from the perceptive look in her cool, intelligent eyes, he could tell with utter certainty that she knew. She knew everything. There was no other way around it—nothing escaped his mother’s scrutiny. This was bad... He had to come clean and explain himself before his mother took matters into her own hands and all went to hell. He didn’t want Shen Wei to be subjected to that.
Zhao Yunlan took a deep breath, then spoke. “‘Ma… ‘Pa… Actually, there’s something I need to—”
“Yunlan... Let me.” Shen Wei interrupted him, reaching over the table to squeeze his hand briefly, while Zhao Yunlan’s father formed the syllables of the nickname with his mouth silently—Yun… lan?—as he exchanged glances with his wife. Shen Wei glanced at Zhao Yunlan’s father and mother in turn, then continued. “Mr. and Mrs. Zhao. Thank you for having us over, and for the wonderful meal. The truth is I am not only Yunlan’s friend and coworker. Your son and I are in a serious relationship. I’m here to formally ask you for his hand in marriage.”
Zhao Yunlan almost fell down his chair at the sudden news.
W-What...? He wondered as the blood rushed out of his face and he broke into a cold sweat, trying to make sense of this in his mind, but frankly too shocked to comprehend it. Where was all this coming from? Was this Shen Wei’s idea of a joke? This wasn’t what he had meant by ‘making small talk with the inlaws’, dammit! “Ha… ha. It’s a joke! He has a really good sense of humor, ha ha.” Zhao Yunlan laughed nervously in a lame attempt to alleviate the awkwardness and tense atmosphere that had settled in the room, then cleared his throat while he composed himself. “Shen Wei, don’t surprise my old parents like that, it’s not good for their poor hearts.”
Zhao Yunlan’s mother whacked him across the table with her chopsticks, as if to ask ‘Who are you calling old?’.
Shen Wei remained silent, his gaze steady and unblinking yet infinitely gentle. As Zhao Yunlan took in his solemn expression, realization suddenly hit him in a delayed reaction and he felt tears begin to prickle his eyes and a lump lodge itself inside his throat. This wasn’t a joke, alright: it was an actual proposal. Lowering his head to hide his trouble, Zhao Yunlan excused himself from the table and made a beeline for the stairs to take refuge in his childhood bedroom. Although he felt bad for leaving Shen Wei with his parents, he really needed a moment right now.
When Shen Wei found him moments later, Zhao Yunlan was sitting on the small single bed with a hand covering his eyes.
“I’m sorry.” Shen Wei apologized as he came in quietly and stood by the door, unsure whether he should approach him or give Zhao Yunlan some space. Zhao Yunlan looked up at the sound of his voice, and Shen Wei was glad to find that he hadn’t been crying, although he looked completely devastated and overcome by the situation.
“Why are you apologizing…” Zhao Yunlan sighed with a sad smile, patting the mattress for Shen Wei to sit next to him. “Come here, Xiao Wei.”
Shen Wei gladly complied, settling down next to his lover and taking his hand into his own.
“But… Yunlan, I put you on the spot in front of your parents. I never meant to make you uncomfortable.” Shen Wei whispered wistfully as he looked down at their entwined fingers.
Taken aback by Shen Wei’s unwarranted guilt, and because he didn’t want him to misunderstand, Zhao Yunlan turned around to face him, taking both of Shen Wei’s hands in his. “What...? No, you didn’t, silly. You just surprised me is all. And for the record, you didn’t need to ask my parents, but I’m glad you did. That was very sweet of you.” Zhao Yunlan said affectionately, leaning in to kiss Shen Wei softly on the lips, before pulling back and looking at him expectantly. “Well?” Zhao Yunlan asked with what he hoped was a normal voice. “Aren’t you going to finish what you started?”
A million different emotions coursed through Shen Wei’s veins and were reflected in his eyes as he stared back at Zhao Yunlan, who was also deeply moved by the sudden turn of events. Though Shen Wei’s face was calm and still as the sea, there was a beautiful storm raging in his heart, and thunder booming blissfully in his ears.
After a beat, Shen Wei reached inside his jacket pocket with trembling fingers and retrieved a small jewelry box which he opened to reveal a pair of matching golden bands.
“Yunlan.” Shen Wei started, unsure where he was supposed to go with this. He hadn’t prepared a speech, figuring that he wouldn’t need one, but now that the moment had come, he found that there were so many things that he wanted to say, but realized that he did not have the words to express them. Smiling softly, he chose to speak what was in his heart, unfiltered, raw. “Ah Lan—I have never loved another than you... You should know that much. Being with you every day fills me with a happiness that I never thought I would experience one day, and my only goal is to stay by your side until death claims me. Only if it is shared with you can my life be complete and purposeful. So, I would like to ask you...” Shen Wei trailed off as he took out the ring, and Zhao Yunlan fidgeted, unable to tear his gaze away from the little insignificant-looking box which had just shaken up his entire world.
Cradling Zhao Yunlan’s pale, slender hand and turning it palm facing down, Shen Wei brought it up to his lips to kiss the delicate knuckles, before laying it back down on his lap and breathing in deeply. “Zhao Yunlan, will you fulfill my only wish and do me the honor of being my husband?”
A heavy silence fell over them, amplifying Zhao Yunlan’s sharp inhale at the question.
Having said all this in one breath, Shen Wei paused for a second to stare at his lap as he gave Zhao Yunlan time to process his words, when he suddenly felt something wet on his palm. Looking up to meet Zhao Yunlan’s eyes, Shen Wei saw that fat teardrops were rolling down the other’s cheeks, pooling around his chin and landing on their joined hands as Zhao Yunlan wept silently. Unsure of what to say or do, Shen Wei tugged on Zhao Yunlan’s wrist slightly and, after the other had crumpled against his chest bonelessly, wrapped his arms around his trembling frame and held him tight while he rubbed his back in a soothing motion.
Shen Wei himself was still reeling from the magnitude of what had just taken place, and the gesture was strangely comforting to him as well. Biding his time, he waited patiently for Zhao Yunlan’s answer.
“Yes… Yes.” Zhao Yunlan sniffed miserably when he resurfaced a few minutes later, his eyes puffy and red, but with a bright smile adorning his lips and lighting up his face like the sun. “Of course I will. I mean, you’re the only one who can stand me...” He joked lightly, and Shen Wei chuckled at the self-derisive comment, followed closely by Zhao Yunlan himself. Once the two of them had sobered up, Zhao Yunlan pressed their foreheads together. “...I love you, Xiao Wei. Truly.” He revealed honestly before placing a soft lingering kiss on Shen Wei’s cheek.
So lost in their bliss were they that the two did not notice another person’s presence until the sharp click of a camera shutter being set off pierced through the silence, snapping a candid shot to immortalize this important moment.
Startled, they looked up towards the direction of the sound and found Mama Zhao standing in the doorway.
“‘Ma!” Zhao Yunlan protested as he scrambled off Shen Wei and wiped his eyes furiously. “Can’t you at least knock?”
“The door was wide open, and besides, this is my house. I go where I please.” Mama Zhao shot back sternly with her hands on her hips after setting down the automatic point-and-shoot camera on a shelf, slowly making her way over to the pair as they stood up from the bed sheepishly. Mama Zhao’s shrewd eyes scanned her son and her as-of-now son-in-law’s faces filled with emotion, then flitted down to the matching rings around their tangled fingers, and she beamed visibly at the sight, seeming to be satisfied by the recent developments.
As the lovers stood still, knowing not how to react, Mama Zhao approached her son and curled her arms around his waist before pulling him into her welcoming arms. “Silly boy…” She said softly in a tender, mothering tone that Zhao Yunlan had not had directed at him in a very long time. “...Don’t mess this up. You’ll never find someone as good as him. If this one leaves you, you’ll be alone for the rest of your life.” She concluded, unable to resist the urge to take a jab at her only child, though her deep affection for her son was undeniable underneath the gentle scolding.
“Mrs. Zhao…” Shen Wei started discreetly, not wanting to intrude.
“It’s ‘Ma’ for you, sweetie.” Mama Zhao replied with her face nestled in the crook of Zhao Yunlan’s shoulder.
“M-Ma…” Shen Wei corrected himself, beside himself with joy at how easily he was being accepted into the Zhao family, and treated as one of their own. “I will never leave your son… I swear it.”
Mama Zhao hummed approvingly at the faithful promise, before pulling away from her son’s embrace just enough to peer up at his handsome face. “Your father said that he never imagined someone would want you, so we might as well take what we can get.” She commented offhandedly, then giggled upon seeing the look on Zhao Yunlan’s face. “I’m just being silly. Papa Zhao is still a bit shocked, but he’ll come around. As long as you’re happy, it doesn’t matter to us who you choose to spend the rest of your life with.” Mama Zhao finished, motioning for Shen Wei to come closer and wrapping her thin arms around both of their tall frames, and said: “I can tell that your father already likes Xiao Wei very much, and the same goes for me,” and then, addressing Shen Wei, she added: “dear, if you can stand my son, you must be one-of-a-kind! We can’t let you slip away.”
“It’s really not that hard, ‘Ma…” Shen Wei protested with a smile.
“No, she’s right! My baobei is the best!” Cheerfully piped Zhao Yunlan, who couldn’t have been happier as he held his beloved mother and the love of his life tightly in his arms.
That night, Shen Wei beat everyone at Mahjong.
As for the cake, it was a resounding success.
******
Extra tidbit:
zhao: (about the speech) xiao wei, be honest, did you rehearse that shit
shen: (lying) no...........................yes
******
Ha! Nope, no wedding, as I was trying to keep this short and sweet. But if there is interest, I may write a follow-up :3