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...ONE OF MANY DAYS, DURING THE 13 YEARS...
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The sky deepened into a dark blue, seeping into its orange hues as the sun makes its descent on the horizon. Freckles of light littered the night, dancing and sparkling like jewels in the sky. Like a graceful queen, the moon rose to her throne amongst the stars, draping her voile gown over the surface of the Earth, painting the lands a snowy white.
Under her divine glow, the Cloud Recesses glimmered ever so beautifully.
Tall white buildings towered over winding grounds, standing like ethereal palaces over the lands. Candle-lit lamps dotted its walls and seeped across winding gravel paths, illuminating the sanctuary of Gusu Lan Sect like fireflies in the fields.
Upon laying eyes on this landscape, one would let out a gasp and exclaim, "How beautiful!"
Yet...
To Lan Wangji, it was cold, dull, and quiet.
For how long had he been sitting there, gazing down at the place he called home?
For how long had he been sitting there, outdoors on the wooden floorboards of Jingshi?
For how long had he been sitting there, playing his guqin until his limbs grew numb?
For how long—
"That's enough..." a gentle voice whispered in Lan Wangji's ears, as a pair of warm hands cradled his own and halted his playing.
The melody of the guqin came to an end and silence returned to the Jingshi.
Lan Wangji stared blankly at the pair of hands encasing his, before lifting his gaze and meeting a pair of ruby red eyes, framed by lashes of white. "Qiānjié." The name trickled out from his lips in a breathy whisper.
Red hues of the male dilated in fondness as his lips curled into a smile. "It's getting cold. You should come inside," Qianjie advised. He raised his hands up, lifting Lan Wangji's hand up to his lips. With a deep exhale, Qianjie enveloped Lan Wangji's hand in a heated gust, before rubbing their hands together to warm up the ice-cold fingers within his hold.
If this happened a decade ago, Lan Wangji's ears would have flushed a deep red, before pulling his hand back and averting Qianjie's gaze.
Now, after everything they have been through together, and having a place in his heart left hollowed, Lan Wangji welcomed such warmth more than ever.
In his daze, he vaguely felt the weight of his guqin being lifted off his thighs. An arm wrapped around the back of his waist and a warm body pressed up against him, lifting him up from the floorboards.
Lang Wangji almost sunk back down to the ground, but luckily, Qianjie caught him and pulled him back up, stabilising him on his feet—which he had lost feeling in hours ago.
Qianjie supported Lan Wangji across the room and to his bed, carefully seating the man down on the cushioned surface. Making sure Lan Wangji had his back steadily leaned against the wall, Qianjie said, "Wait here."
Qianjie left the room and brought back a wooden pail. With routined practice, Qianjie set the pail down on the ground beside the bed and took a seat beside Lan Wangji. He soaked a towel with the water in the pail before squeezing it dry. Then, he wrapped one of Lan Wangji's hand with the towel—which had been dipped into warm water, Lan Wangji noted.
Lan Wangji silently watched as Qianjie repeated the action until both of his hands regained their original colour and warmth. However, as soon as the numbing cold receded, the tips of his fingers flared and burned in biting pain.
Noticing the slight shift in Lan Wangji's expression, Qianjie's long ears stiffened behind his head. He quickly held the slightly trembling hands in his own and rubbed circles on the back of Lan Wangji's hands in an attempt to comfort him. "Gege, are you ok?"
Lan Wangji lightly nodded, heart swelling with a gentle warmth. "Un."
Qianjie let out a sigh, his ears relaxing. "I've told you many times to take care of yourself. But here you go, playing until your skin tore again," he chided, twitching his nose by habit. He brought Lan Wangji's hands up to his eyes to examine the wounds and Lan Wangji watches as his ears droop down the sides of his head.
"I am fine," Lan Wangji assured, relieved that his words left his mouth smoothly, despite the tightening of his jaw—in response to suppressing the pain. "Do not worry."
"How can I not..." Qianjie trailed off, eyebrows knitting in concern as he brought Lan Wanji's trembling fingers closer to him.
Lan Wangji stared at the male, who seemed to be lost in his own thoughts. "Qianjie, what-"
Lan Wangji cut himself off with a sharp inhale as Qianjie stuck his tongue out and started licking the wounds on his fingers. Lan Wangji froze in shock, his ears starting to flush a rosy colour. He quickly jerked his hands back, but the grip around his wrists tightened in response. "Qianjie!"
The man obediently paused in his actions, giving Lan Wangji some time to collect himse—
The feeling of cool saliva running down his sensitive fingers sent shivers down his arms, effectively distracting him from the pain.
Unfortunately, it was not enough time as the hold on his wrists tightened again. Lan Wangji snapped his face away from Qianjie and hoped that a curtain of hair was able to hide his face. "Qianjie!" Lan Wangji shouted.
"Yes, Gege?"
"Brin-" Lan Wangji swallowed the lump in his throat. "Bring the medicine."
“Ok, Gege,” Qianjie answered with a chirp and released his grip.
Lan Wangji drew a deep breath as silently as possible as he rested his palms on his knees. Do not indulge in pleasure. Do not be greedy. Be strict with yourself.
Reaching up a hand to touch his forehead ribbon, Lan Wangji reminded himself once more. Regulate oneself.
The bedsheets beside him shuffled as Qianjie returned with the medicinal herbs. “Gege, your hand.”
Lan Wangji shifted his gaze back onto Qianjie’s figure and noticed his outstretched palm. The second jade of Gusu eyed Qianjie, golden eyes narrowing in warning.
Qianjie brightened under his stare. “Qianjie won’t do it again,” he said, a fox-like smile hanging off his lips. “I promise.”
”If broken,” Lan Wangji stressed, “Leave immediately.”
”I understand,” Qianjie responded, with a fluttering of his ears, and gestured with his palm. “Hand,” he repeated.
Lan Wangji held his position for a few more seconds, before giving in and placing a hand into Qianjie’s open palm. Like a diligent healer, Qianjie began carefully applying the medicinal herbs— after Lan Wangji made sure the saliva was cleaned off.
"Wangji," Lan Wangji uttered, catching ruby hues in his gaze.
Qianjie let out a confused hum, before coming to a realisation. "You mean, your guqin?" he checked. "I've kept it back in its wraps."
"Doors."
"They're closed."
"Pail."
"I've cleaned up."
"Hn," Lan Wangji hummed. Qianjie was diligent, after all. There was no need to worry.
A comfortable silence settled over the two inhabitants of Jingshi.
Carefully securing Lan Wangji's fingers with clean bandages, Qianjie smiled at his work. He cleaned up any remnant of medicine that had accidentally dripped onto his own hands and set the medicinal bottle on a spot by a nearby table.
Lan Wangji had been meditating with his eyes closed to regulate and rejuvenate the Qi in his meridians. So when a warm body pressed into him and a weight rested against his shoulder, the man instinctively tensed and snapped back into reality. "Qianjie."
Qianjie rubbed the underside of his chin against Lan Wangji's shoulder and blinked innocently—as innocently as his alluring phoenix eyes could—as a pair of gold irises rested on his face. Lips curling into a smile, he quipped, "Yes, Gege?"
"Straighten your posture. Do not lean."
"I'm tired," Qianjie grumbled, pressing his head closer to Lan Wangji's neck and continued rubbing, his hands snaking around Lan Wangji's waist to secure his grip.
Lan Wangji's ears bloomed in a pink tint as Qianjie's fluffy white ears brushed past his cheek. He swiftly rose a hand and pressed down on Qianjie's head, stopping his movements. "Enough."
Qianjie rested his chin on Lan Wangji's shoulder and obediently halted his actions. Noticing that the man had made no move to push him away, Qianjie shuffled slightly and got into a more comfortable position to cradle the cold body in his embrace. "You've been playing that piece for nearly 4 hours now," Qianjie remarked.
Lan Wangji lowered his gaze at the comment, his stomach sinking ever so slightly.
Qianjie hummed, scattering trails of vibration across Lan Wangji's torso. "How long has it been already..." he trailed off, leaving the rhetoric question hanging in the air.
However, without missing a beat, Lan Wangji answered, "11 years, 7 months, 23 days."
The arms around his waist tensed slightly.
Qianjie let out a weak laugh. "It's been that long, huh." He drew in a deep breath. "I hope Wei Ying is doing okay."
"Indisputable," Lan Wangji said, his hand unconsciously caressing the soft locks under his palm. "Have confidence."
Qianjie nestled into the touch. "Un," he answered. "I do."
Lan Wangji slightly nodded his head in response.
"But you're not doing okay," Qianjie rebutted.
Lan Wangji's breath lodged in his throat. "...I am."
"Do not lie," Qianjie teased weakly, throwing a Gusu Lan Sect rule back to the disciple of Lan. "You can't hide from me."
"Almost Haishi. Return to your room," Lan Wangji stated, lifting himself off the wall and gently prying the arms off his waist. He silently breathed in relief when the bunny spirit made no move to stop his actions. At times like this, he was grateful for Qianjie's sensitivity to human emotions. “We leave at late dawn tomorrow."
"Un," Qianjie responded, albeit reluctantly. He pulled back his arms and stood up from the bed, assisting Lan Wangji in laying down. Making sure the man is well tucked in, a smile grew on Qianjie's lips, "Goodnight, Gege."
Lan Wangji hummed in response. When Haishi struck, the younger brother of the sect leader went out like a light.
Qianjie's crimson irises gazed down upon the calm visage of the sleeping beauty. They trailed the faint dark circles that swept across the lower eyelids of the young adult, down the sunken cheeks that had long lost their baby fat, to the dark locks of hair that strewn across his chest. Lifting a pale hand, Qianjie ran his slender fingers through the dark strands, gingerly combing and smoothening any imperfections.
Taking a seat on the floor, Qianjie rested his elbow on the edge of the bed and leaned his chin into his palm, gaze lingering on Lan Wangji's features. "I'm worried about you," he whispered. Whether it was intended to be heard by Lan Wangji, or intended to remain as his own unspoken thoughts, Qianjie wasn't entirely sure.
His heart ached when he laid eyes on Lan Wangji's—what was once flawless and smooth, but now—bandaged fingers. He gently held them in his free hand, letting his own fingers skim over the smooth fabric and brush the calloused reliefs of his fingers.
He remembered when they were once as smooth as pebbles, running through his fur and gently stroking his ears. He remembered the warmth they carried, caressing his animal body like the warm rays of the sun when it illuminated the land from the distant mountains.
Qianjie didn't like when they turned cold—as if life was sucked out of them. It was chilling, the thought that those hands that gave him such comforting affection would one day lose their warmth and freeze; and no matter how much he would nudge or bite them, they would remain unresponsive.
Just like the cold bodies of his parents.
Qianjie loathed it, with all his heart.
He didn't want to lose Lan Wangji. Not when he had already lost another, who held a special place in both their hearts.
One loss was enough.
The second was barely bearable.
But if there was a third...
That would mean the end of the world for him.
Qianjie rested the hand in his hold on his head, nestling into the warmth that he had desperately been trying to bring back for the past hour. If it had failed––
Qianjie pressed his nose deeper into Lan Wangji's palm, letting the scent of his treasured human fog over the hanging thought. There was no need to think about it. Lan Wangji was alive and well. That's all Qianjie needed to know.
When a groan left Lan Wangji, Qianjie almost forgot how to breathe. He immediately shot up onto his knees and tightened his hold on the hand in his grasp, frantically searching for any signs of discomfort.
Despite being unconscious, Lan Wangji retained his 'frozen' facial features, only showing the subtlest signs of change: a faint crease between his brows, a slight wrinkle on the bridge of his nose, and a shadow of a tensed muscle along his jawline. He must be having a nightmare, Qianjie realised.
The rabbit spirit attempted to climb into bed with Lan Wangji, hoping to comfort and ease him by pulling him into a soothing embrace. To assure him that Qianjie was right beside him.
But Qianjie caught himself before he could lift Lan Wangji's blanket.
The bed was too small, meant only for one person to lay on. It would not have space to handle two people, let alone two men that reached around 190cm in height.
Qianjie's nose twitched in dissatisfaction.
Then, an idea popped into his head.
Without a second thought, Qianjie dropped his human form and turned back into a white bunny, his clothes loosening and falling into a heap on the floor. Effortlessly, he leaped onto the bed and nuzzled into Lan Wangji's cheeks. Qianjie licked a drop of sweat that trailed down Lan Wangji's temple and brushed his soft fluffy snout against the human's icy cheek. He pressed his body against the curve where Lan Wangji's neck and collarbone met, nuzzling as close to him as possible.
The crease between Lan Wangji's eyebrows slowly softened and the tension in his body gradually dissolved. Letting out an—what seemed like a relieved—exhale, Lan Wangji slightly shifted his head, leaning into the soft form beside him.
Sensing the easing of Lan Wangji's emotions, Qianjie finally dropped his guard and relaxed into the man. Basking in the intertwining scents of both his and Lan Wangji's, Qianjie soon drifted off into deep sleep.
White rays of moonlight brushed over the blue-grey tiles of the roof.
And silence, once again, enveloped Jingshi.
As dawn broke, the sky rippled into gradients of indigo and magenta.
Rising along with the light, Lan Wangji awoke from his sleep. The room was shrouded in fading darkness, subtle linings of light ran along the wooden beams across the ceiling.
Lan Wangji adjusted his posture to rise from the bed, before pausing when soft tips tickled his cheek. His golden orbs shifted, laying upon a fluffy ball of white, which rose and dipped with every light breath. Lan Wangji let out a soundless sigh, eyes softening fondly as he carefully slid his hands between the body and the mattress, elevating it enough to free himself, before gently setting it back onto the soft surface.
Like clockwork, Lan Wangji left his bed and headed to the bathroom to prepare himself. Then, he swiftly changed his clothes into ones that allowed for a greater range of movement and agility, packed up essential items and spare clothes into his Qiankun pouch, and secured Bichen onto his hip. The sun would soon peek its head above the horizon. It was time to wake Qianjie up.
A yawn interrupted Lan Wangji's thoughts and a voice, rich in timbre, brushed past his ears, "Gege? Is it time to go?"
Lan Wangji caught himself mid-turn and shifted his gaze back to the doors of Jingshi—as if he hadn't caught a glimpse of Qianjie's bare human form. Do not indulge lawlessly. He recited in his mind, hastily attempting to suppress the rising heat in his chest. Be strict with yourself.
Once he regained enough control over his voice, Lan Wangji reprimanded, "Do not present yourself haphazardly. Put on some clothes."
Qianjie took one look at himself, knowing exactly what had disturbed the Second Young Master Lan. Nonetheless, he obediently responded, "Okay."
Once both cultivators were ready to leave, they made their way to the entrance of the sect, where Lan Xichen stood—poised and elegantly—to see them off. Lan Wangji and Qianjie paid their respects, greeting the Lan Sect leader with extended overlapped hands and a bow. Rising from the bow, Qianjie grinned, "Xiongzhang!"
Lan Xichen mirrored Qianjie with his own signature prince-like smile, "Qianjie. Wangji." Both cultivators acknowledged the greeting with a nod when called. "When will you be returning?" Lan Xichen queried.
"In 3 months," Lan Wangji answered respectfully.
"Do you have everything you need?" Lan Xichen asked.
Lan Wangji nodded his head.
"Write back if you need anything."
Lan Wangji nodded again.
Lan Xichen softly chuckled, finding Lan Wangji's usual lack of verbal response endearing as always. He switched his gaze between the two and reminded once again, "Take care of yourselves."
Qianjie flashed him a smile and patted Lan Wangji's shoulder, "Don't worry, Xiongzhang. I'll take good care of us."
Lan Xichen chuckled, catching the fond look upon his brother's jade-like features. "I can rest assured then," he humored. Raising a hand, he reached over to stoke Qianjie's head—who consciously lowered his head for Lan Xichen. "Also, make sure you hide your ears and tail."
Qianjie blinked, his ears shooting up from their relaxed position. With an embarrassed laugh, he moved the Qi in his meridians and made his animal features disappear with a puff of cloud. "Sorry," Qianjie said and grinned up at Lan Xichen, "Thank you Xiongzhang for the reminder."
Lan Xichen smiled warmly.
"Xiongzhang." Lan Wangji said, catching both Qianjie and Lan Xichen's attention. "We shall take our leave now."
Lan Xichen nodded. "Be careful.”
Lan Wangji gave him one last bow, before making his way out of the Cloud Recesses.
"Ah-" Qianjie let out, caught off guard by the suddenness. Quickly arranging himself, the man as white as snow gave Lan Xichen a quick polite nod and said, "I need to go. Goodbye, Xiongzhang!" With that, he bolted off to catch Lan Wangji.
Lan Xichen watched over the duo with a soft smile. He was thankful that Lan Wangji still had someone standing beside him.
Lan Wangji and Qianjie headed westwards, passing through towns and villages, hunting down fierce corpses and revengeful ghosts. They made sure to stay within Gusu Lan Sect's area of influence, uninterested in causing any trouble with the other 4 major Sects. Lan Wangji would constantly remind Qianjie to assist any civilians who were hurt, be humble when receiving gratitude, and most importantly—not to wander off too far. When they weren't night hunting, Lan Wangji would supervise Qianjie's training, ensuring that his body builds up the muscles he would need for his unique style of hand-to-hand combat.
At the end of their second month, Lan Wangji and Qianjie arrived in a new town. They soon found an inn and booked two rooms for a night. This town was fairly peaceful, having no recent rumours of wandering corpses or wild beasts. Hence, this would make a rather perfect pit stop for a break before the duo headed off to their next destination.
This town—which Qianjie had forgotten the name of—was filled with new and interesting things the bunny spirit had never seen before. Like a curious cat, Qianjie tinkered around with items he found in various stalls, smelled perfumes of unfamiliar aromas, and joined different batches of audiences in the viewing of stunts and theatrics.
Originally, Lan Wangji planned to have both of them meditate and focus on cultivating their Jindan until dinner. That was a total of 10 hours! He was not going to sit there, staring at the man who forbade Qianjie from making contact with him throughout the session. Qianjie would have died of boredom and lack of affection by then. Thus, after a lot of pleading and promises, Lan Wangji allowed Qianjie to venture off into town, but not after 4 hours of meditation.
After all that hard work, Qianjie was going to savor this adventure through town till his legs drop dead and no one can stop him!
—Until he noticed a lone figure sitting under the scattered shadows of the leaves above him, dotting his figure in fascinating patterns.
Qianjie slowed down to a stop, glancing at the youth who had buried himself deep into books. Villagers who spotted the youth deliberately veered away from him, hiding their lips behind hands and throwing him pitiful glances. For such a warm and lively town, the youngster seemed like a figure standing a million miles away from the dazzling crowd, shrouded in shadows and gazing longingly at the light.
Qianjie soon found himself beside the youth, crouching curiously, ruby eyes glued on his petite form. The youth didn't seem to notice him, seemingly engrossed in his reading. Qianjie glanced at the small stack of books that separated him from the youth, nose wrinkling when he couldn't recognise some Chinese characters in the title.
He peeked back up at the youth, who had his face caked like snow and cheeks coated cherry red. A lock of raven hair slipped down into the youth's vision, before it was tucked back behind his ears with fingers besmeared with dirt. He seemed to have finally noticed Qianjie's presence, as his cherry-like eyes grew wide upon catching sight of his form.
Qianjie's eyes crinkled into delighted crescents and his lips curled up into a smile. "Hello."
The youth let out a sharp squeak and flinched back—so hard he lost his sense of balance.
Qianjie tensed up in alarm and quickly dived toward the youth, securing a palm behind the latter's head and wrapping another arm across his back, pressing him close to his own chest as he took the brunt of the fall.
A book clattered onto the ground beside the two figures.
Qianjie tightened his jaw as pain flared throughout his four limbs. Swallowing erupting groans, he loosened his hold, carefully lifted his weight off the body below him, and flashed the stunned male a teasing smile. "Am I that terrifying?"
"No- no- I- I..." Broken words left the youth's lips, seemingly trying to string together like unmatching puzzle pieces. He attempted to piece a few more words together, eyelids fluttering incessantly and a pair of silver orbs darting about like dragonflies, before finally assembling a coherent sentence, "...Thank you, Gongzi."
Qianjie found the bashful look on the youth absolutely adorable. Cheekily, Qianjie spoke, "I'm Qianjie, what's your name?"
"Ah-" The youth stumbled over his words, "Mo... Mo Xuanyu."
"Mo Xuanyu," Qianjie repeated, testing the words with a roll of his tongue. "Mo Xuanyu." Then, his lips stretched into a gleeful grin, "I like this name."
If the youth wasn't flustered with how close both of their faces were, he definitely was now.
With trembling lips, Mo Xuanyu muttered, "Excuse me, Gongzi..."
Qianjie hummed in response, smile unwavering.
"Could you kindly get up?" It was barely a squeak, but Qianjie's sensitive ears caught his words clearly.
He looked down, noticing that Mo Xuanyu had his arms pressed defensively against his chest, raven locks sprawled across the grass like elegant ink strokes. His body caved into itself like a helpless prey, trembling under the seemingly starving eyes of a hunter—who was straddled over him, trapping him in and spilling white locks of hair over him like threads of a web.
Qianjie was then made aware of the circumstances that they had landed themselves in.
Gently slipping his arms from under the youth, Qianjie pushed himself up and sat back onto the back of his calves, allowing Mo Xuanyu to draw in a deep breath before rising from the ground. Discreetly, the rabbit spirit pulled his white sleeves over his arms. Pointing over at the fallen book, Qianjie asked, "What's Mo Xuanyu reading?"
The youth followed his finger, before picking up the book and dusting off any dirt. "This..." he started, seemingly hesitant on replying. "This is a novel," Mo Xuanyu answered with a smile. "It's a story about two cultivators falling in love."
"Oh," Qianjie breathed curiously. Pointing at another book, he asked, "What about this?"
"...It's about a boy finding his own cultivation path and becoming one of the best cultivators in the world."
"What about this?"
"Ah... I haven't read it so I'm not really sure," Mo Xuanyu awkwardly laughed, rubbing the back of his neck.
Qianjie met Mo Xuanyu's silver irises with his sparkling ones. "They're all very interesting," Qianjie commented merrily.
The youth averted his gaze and held a strained smile on his lips, "Yeah... I guess." His eyes trailed down, scanning the designs on Qianjie's robes.
Mo Xuanyu visibly stilled. "You're... You're a cultivator from Gusu Lan Sect?"
Qianjie brightened at the mention of his home. Nodding excited, he said, "Yep!" In his giddiness, Qianjie pressed his face closer to Mo Xuanyu. "Are you a special ghost?"
Mo Xuanyu blinked.
The youth slightly leaned away, and muttered—with a vaguely self-deprecating laugh, "I guess you could say that..."
Qianjie's stomach sank. Something felt off with Mo Xuanyu's demeanour. "Hey–"
"I should take my leave now," Mo Xuanyu stated monotonously, swiftly packing up his items and rising from the ground. Qianjie followed him up onto his feet, just in time to receive a bow from the youth. "Take care," Mo Xuanyu bade, eyes avoiding Qianjie's gaze. With that, he turned to leave.
"Wait!" Qianjie exclaimed, reaching out and clutching onto Mo Xuanyu’s black sleeve—which, he just noticed, was tattered and torn. With a hard tug, the sleeve rode up from Mo Xuanyu's wrist to his elbow, unveiling a thin and frail arm littered with big splotches of blue and black.
Both men froze.
Mo Xuanyu sputtered, "I-"
"You're injured!" Qianjie hollered in dread, wincing at every bruise that he laid eyes on. He pulled the arm closer, making sure he was as gentle as possible, and brushed his thumb over them. When Mo Xuanyu tensed under the touch, Qianjie immediately halted in his movements. Damn, he didn't think the fall was that bad. He kneeled down and hiked up the lower robes of Mo Xuanyu, earning a sharp gasp from the youth, scanning his trembling legs—which were both equally covered in numerous scabs and bruises.
Mo Xuanyu hung his head. His hair cascaded over his face like a closing curtain, as shame crashed like tidal waves across his body. "It's nothin–"
Straightening back up, Qianije held Mo Xuanyu down by his shoulders and stared straight into his silver irises—immediately softening his grip when he spotted subtle linings of tears. "Follow me. Gege can help you."
Mo Xuanyu's brows timidly rose in confusion. "Huh?"
Without another word, Qianjie slid an arm under Mo Xuanyu's knees and back and picked him up, securing his petite body against his chest. Looking down at the stunned male, he said, "Hold on tight." Not wanting to waste any more time, Qianjie sprinted off toward the town center.
It was an ordinary day for Mo Xuanyu. As ordinary as it can be.
After recovering from the usual morning ransacking and beatings, he pulled himself up against the withered walls of his room—shack would be a better word. Wincing ever so often, Mo Xuanyu reached over and grabbed the battered dumpling on the floor. Ignoring the spilling gravy and a new coating of mud sauce, Mo Xuanyu stuffed it into his mouth, appeasing the growling beast in his stomach. Beggars can’t be choosers, he reminded himself.
Today, he had business in the town square. A foreign merchant had caught him practicing demonic cultivation a few days prior and made a deal with Mo Xuanyu—a trade. As a fellow demonic cultivator, the merchant had a couple of books that accounted for several methods of the aforementioned cultivation. They offered the books for the trade, in exchange for 3000 pieces of the talisman he had been working on. It was easy to guess what the merchant would be doing with the talismans. Nonetheless, it didn’t matter to Mo Xuanyu what his talismans would be used for. The trade itself was already a once-in-a-lifetime miracle. He was not going to waste this chance.
With the limited knowledge he had gained from studying in Lanlin Jin Sect, Mo Xuanyu channeled the Qi in his meridians across his body and sped up his internal body’s self-recovery system. Although it did ease most of his pain, it couldn’t do much to repair the internal bleeding. But that was enough for Mo Xuanyu.
Regaining smoother control over his body, Mo Xuanyu dug up a spot he marked on the dirt floor of his lodgings and pulled out a cloth-wrapped box. It contained the 3000 talismans, that he had spent countless nights drawing, and a pouch filled with his own money. Knowing his cousin, Mo Ziyuan's, habits, Mo Xuanyu had secretly stored any highly important items he had in this very box. Though it had not been found yet, the anxiety and dread constantly gnawed at the back of his mind.
Mo Xuanyu transferred the talismans and a couple of coins into his worn-down bag, before sealing the box back where it belonged. Securing a grip on the cabinet beside him, Mo Xuanyu hauled himself up, albeit with great difficulty, and stood still for a few minutes to stabilise himself. With a determined huff, he painted on his usual makeup and headed out.
The exchange went fairly simply and smoothly, in a place away from lingering eyes. Mo Xuanyu thanked the merchant with a deep blow, which was promptly dismissed by them. “We are brothers of the same path. No need for stuff formalities,” they had told him, paired with a sturdy pat on his back. With that, the two parted ways.
Eager to dive into the rich knowledge held within the strokes on the papers, Mo Xuanyu settled himself under an old tree at the far corner of town. It was away from any prying eyes and gossiping passersby, the ideal place for him to indulge in his own interest—and feel comfortable doing it.
So when a beautiful face, as delicate as white peony flowers, appeared in the corner of his eyes, it took his breath away. Had a goddess descended from the heavens and decided to bless his unfortunate soul?
Then, a dazzling smile bloomed across the goddess's divine features. And with a voice deeper than Mo Xuanyu had ever expected, they spoke, "Hello."
Mo Xuanyu almost shuddered.
Being told that he had been clumsy since young, Mo Xuanyu couldn't have agreed more when he lost his balance in the midst of his surprise. However, to be suddenly pulled into such a big and warm embrace left him with only boundless gratitude for this trait he had always hated.
Mo Xuanyu thanked the heavens. He also made sure to thank the makeup on his face for concealing his already flaming red face.
As the weight on his body lightened, a rich and breathy chuckle tickled his ears. Mo Xuanyu swore he had been sent to heaven.
"Am I that terrifying?" Their silvery voice came again.
The rest of the conversation went like a blur, as Mo Xuanyu let his eyes wander, stealing glimpses of the figure above him while trying to piece together words for appropriate replies. The goddess—who was most definitely a beautiful man—crinkled his alluring eyes whenever he smiled. His mesmerising crimson irises dilated when he met Mo Xuanyu's pair, seemingly penetrating deep into his soul. His hair, white as snow, cascaded down from his head, framing his ethereal face like the translucent white veils of a luxurious canopy bed. Wrapped across his face was skin as smooth as porcelain, not a single blemish in sight. If most men looked like this, Mo Xuanyu would wholeheartedly accept his label as a cut-sleeve.
Somewhere during the conversation, the man might have given his name. Unfortunately, Mo Xuanyu was too lost in the scenery before him to catch it. Mo Xuanyu didn't mind, for he was more focused on the fact that this gentleman was eagerly participating in a conversation with himself. However, as if trained to detect even the quickest glimpses thrown his way, Mo Xuanyu caught a lingering duo in the corner of his eye.
That plunged him back into reality, faster than the fear of being nearly caught as a demonic cultivator could.
Mo Xuanyu needed to leave. He didn't want to tarnish the reputation of such a wonderful person for being seen with a lowly homosexual. However, that fear was immediately overshadowed by the sheer mortification that tore his very being when he was left exposed, with wounds and bruises he had kept under wraps for years, for such pure and unsullied eyes to see.
He waited for a response. Ugly. Unsightly. Hideous. Disgusting. Any word that he had been used to hearing. A slap. A push. A repulsed sneer. Any action that immediately followed after the exclamation.
However, never in his entire life, would he have expected the words that would leave the man's lips. "You're injured!"
All Mo Xuanyu could remember was the sudden disappearance of the surface under his feet, a gust of wind in his face, and a dizzy ride, before he found himself staring into a room, where a figure in white robes sat meditating peacefully.
"Gege!" Qianjie—Mo Xuanyu finally caught his name during the sprint—called out, drawing the attention of the other man in the room.
There were two gods. Mo Xuanyu was certain he had been sent to heaven.
The man lifted his head, unraveling a pair of golden hues behind curtains of dark lashes. They swept over his form, pricking his skin as if the sharp edge of a knife ghosted against it, before rising to meet Qianjie’s gaze.
”Mo Xuanyu is injured! Where is the healing cream?” Qianjie said, swiftly—and gently—setting Mo Xuanyu down on a floor cushion.
The man stared wordlessly at both of them. Even Mo Xuanyu couldn’t help but gulp under his stern gaze. The white robes that adorned the man’s figure were easily distinguishable, having seen them on Qianjie. No doubt, with such a pristine appearance and an air of regality, this man was a highly respected cultivator in the cultivation world. He was definitely someone Mo Xuanyu could never dream to meet in his lifetime.
”This- This one is Mo Xuanyu. Deepest apologies to have troubled you, Qianbei,” Mo Xuanyu greeted nervously, lowering his forehead till it touched the clean wooden floorboards.
Silence came as his response, and anxiety sank its teeth into him. However, before it could fully consume his entirety, his arm was lifted off the floor. Mo Xuanyu rose back to a seating posture, confusion rippling through him. The man drew back his hand—which had assisted Mo Xuanyu up—and held them in front of himself in a bow.
”Lan Zhan. Lan Wangji.”
This man was Hanguang-jun, a revered cultivator and core disciple of the Gusu Lan Sect. Oh no, what had Mo Xuanyu gotten himself into...
Another figure settled himself beside Mo Xuanyu, arms filled with various first-aid tools. Qianjie dropped them into his own lap, before reaching a palm out to him. "Mo Xuanyu, give me your hand," Qianjie said.
Mo Xuanyu unconsciously held his arms closer to himself. For someone like him, who had forgone his chance of becoming a cultivator, who lived surrounded by mud and filth, who was nothing more than a mere speck of dust in the world, this overwhelming attention was too much for him.
He did not deserve any of it.
"Forgive me," came Qianjie's voice, before Mo Xuanyu's arm was pulled away. A gasp escaped Mo Xuanyu's lips as Qianjie uncovered his bruised arms. Cold moisture enveloped his skin the next second, along with the warmth from the palm rubbing along his arm.
Caught in the unfamiliar sensations, Mo Xuanyu missed the conversation between the two cultivators, only freezing up when a hand pressed itself firmly between his shoulder blades. Instinctively, Mo Xuanyu flinched away, but Qianjie pressed a hand against his chest, pushing him back to rest on the pressure behind him. Qianjie gave him a reassuring smile, "Don't be scared. Relax."
Mo Xuanyu obediently nodded. He slowly let go of the tension in his body and accepted what was happening to him. Somehow, he trusted them.
While Qianjie dealt with the external injuries and bruises across his limbs, Hanguang-jun regulated the Qi in his meridians. Mo Xuanyu could feel a large concentration of refined Qi swirling within his Dantian, which soon spread throughout his body, seemingly lighting a flame inside him and providing him with an indescribable warmth.
"Alright. You're all good now."
Mo Xuanyu opened his eyes, which had closed at some point during the session, and met Qianjie's ruby orbs. The man flashed him a bright smile, "How're you feeling?"
Mo Xuanyu blinked, trying to collect himself. To test the effects, Mo Xuanyu slightly stretched his body and was surprised at how smoothly and painlessly the motion became. “Good,” he breathed in awe, “I feel good.”
Qianjie brightened, ”That’s great!” Mo Xuanyu matched his enthusiasm with an awkward laugh, slightly surprised by his cheeriness. Qianjie simmered down, before dropping his head in a bow. “I’m sorry for hurting you…”
“Huh?” Mo Xuanyu squeaked, confusion clouding his mind. Did Qianjie think that his injuries were a result of the fall? “No no! It wasn’t your fault at all!” Mo Xuanyu cried, waving his hands frantically to deny the apology.
“Qianjie, not at fault," Hanguang-jun affirmed. Mo Xuanyu nodded in support.
Qianjie took a glance at the two. "But..."
"Unrelated. Don't overthink," Hanguang-jun stated, tone as monotonous as previous times. Mo Xuanyu wondered whether it was a natural habit or a practiced mannerism.
A smile crawled onto Qianjie's features as he beamed, "If Gege says so, then Qianjie won't overthink any further!"
The glow of Qianjie's smile felt like a shower of heaven's rays as it lifted the weight of guilt and lightened Mo Xuanyu's heart. He wished with all his heart that this moment wasn't one of his many illusions. As much as he wanted it to last forever, he should take his leave now. He had imposed on both cultivators for too long.
Mo Xuanyu shifted around in his seat till he could see both Hanguang-jun and Qianjie, before giving them a deep bow. "This one is deeply grateful for your help. I will do anything in my power to repay you," Mo Xuanyu promised. Although...he wasn't sure if he could actually fulfill any requests.
Mo Xuanyu rose up to his feet and gave them another bow. "This one shall take their leave now." As soon as he got the words out, Mo Xuanyu felt his stomach drop with dread. After all, the one thing that awaited him outside this temporary paradise would only be an eternal hell. Leave now, he told himself, before he fell deeper into this transient dream. "Take care."
“Wait!” Qianjie called out. “Why don’t you sleep with us tonight?”
Mo Xuanyu halted in his movements and stared at Qianjie. Even Hanguang-jun turned his attention onto Qianjie’s figure, equally caught by surprise—Mo Xuanyu assumed.
Sleep with them? Did he hear him right? Mo Xuanyu’s face erupted with a blazing heat at the implied words. Was he expected to repay them…with his body?!
“Qianjie!”
Mo Xuanyu flinched from the harsh biting tone of Hanguang-jun.
Unlike him, Qianjie faced Hanguang-jun fearlessly and tilted his head in confusion, “What’s wrong, Gege?”
A sharp glare pierced the smiling Qianjie like a razor-edged throwing knife. If Mo Xuanyu were in his position, he would have undoubtedly crumbled onto his knees in terror.
”We can lend Mo Xuanyu the other room,” Qianjie clarified, drawing a huge sigh of relief from the mentioned youth. “Mo Xuanyu didn’t look happy leaving,” Qianjie continued, “So since we have space, Mo Xuanyu can stay with us until we leave tomorrow.”
The immaculate accuracy of the telling of his emotions stunned Mo Xuanyu to the core. He never was one who others could easily figure out, but here was Qianjie, reading him effortlessly like an open book. “I’m grateful for the offer, but…” Mo Xuanyu trailed off, eyes wandering to the silent figure in the room. If Hanguang-jun objected, Mo Xuanyu would readily forgo the offer.
As if sensing Mo Xuanyu’s wavering thoughts, Qianjie latched onto Hanguang-jun and pressed his weight onto his figure. “Gege~ Let him stay for one night. Just one night,” Qianjie pleaded, shaking the arm in his clutch.
Mo Xuanyu awkwardly stood by the sideline, silently watching as the pair debated subsequent actions. As embarrassing as it was to watch their—sadly one-sided—display of affection, Mo Xuanyu couldn’t help but feel numbing envy.
Once upon a time, he too had a similar bond with someone. But that was a thing of the past now.
Qianije suddenly erupted in cheers, pulling Mo Xuanyu out of his thoughts. "Gege agreed to let you stay!" Qianjie exclaimed, lips pulled into a large grin as he pressed his face up into Mo Xuanyu's comfort zone.
Thankfully, Hanguang-jun pulled Qianjie away before their noses touched, saving Mo Xuanyu from unnecessary fainting. Hastily collecting himself, Mo Xuanyu bowed in gratitude, "Thank you for your hospitality! This one will not forget your generosity!"
Hanguang-jun acknowledged with a hum.
A smile grew upon Mo Xuanyu's features. The weight over his heart vanished.
Mo Xuanyu's wrist was snatched up by the most carefree person in the room, who eagerly pulled him towards the entrance of the room. "Mo Xuanyu, let's go see my room!" Qianjie urged. "I haven't actually seen my room, but I'm pretty sure it's as comfortable as Gege's room."
Mo Xuanyu allowed the man to guide him around the inn, to help with his bath—he made sure he kept his privacy—, to wash his tattered clothes together, and to bombard him with questions about himself. Qianjie was like a lively little puppy, snuggling into Mo Xuanyu whenever he got overexcited, curious about everything he caught in his sight, and really liked making Mo Xuanyu smile.
Qianjie wasn't overly loud either and would have moments when he would nestle his head under Mo Xuanyu's hand. He was adorable, just like a bunny.
Although, Mo Xuanyu had to be very mindful of a pair of golden eyes that would occasionally burn holes into his form.
After a—what would probably be his last—luxurious meal, Mo Xuanyu headed off to bed, blacking out the moment he crashed onto the clean, soft mattress. All of his worries and troubles seemed to have evaporated in the past hours, as Mo Xuanyu—for once—entered a painless and peaceful dream. Enveloped by the comforting and fresh scent of a pristine room, Mo Xuanyu wished that this dream would last forever.
Morning came in the blink of an eye and it was soon time to part ways.
Donning his usual tattered robes, Mo Xuanyu once again gave the two respected cultivators a deep bow. "Thank you once again for your hospitality. May you have a pleasant and smooth journey ahead."
When he straightened back up, Qianjie tackled him into a hug, encasing his body in comforting warmth. "Qianjie will miss you," Qianjie grumbled, rubbing his chin on the crown of Mo Xuanyu's head.
Having grown accustomed to Qianjie's affectionate displays, Mo Xuanyu let out a soft chuckle, "This one will miss you too."
"Time to go." Standing a little distance behind Qianjie, Hanguang-jun had stated, face as still and smooth as jade and posture prim and proper. Like a serene celestial being. Bringing his hands together, Hanguang-jun gave Mo Xuanyu a bow.
Mo Xuanyu quickly pulled away from the hug and returned the bow.
"Mo Xuanyu." The youth turned his attention to the pouting man, who rested his arms over Mo Xuanyu's shoulders as he gaze down with doleful cherry hues. "You must remember me, okay?"
Mo Xuanyu beamed. "I will."
A smile blossomed on Qianjie's angelic features. Before Mo Xuanyu could react, Qianjie lowered his head and connected his nose with the stunned male. Giving their noses a gentle rub, Qianjie breathed, "Be happy, Mo Xuanyu."
Pulling away from the youth in his embrace, Qianjie gave him one last casual bow, before hurrying off to catch the esteemed Lan Disciple, who had long made his move ahead.
Mo Xuanyu stood, a hand ghosting over the tip of his nose, as he watched the pair tread off into the distance.
Like dotting the final full-stop of a storybook, the bright colours in the world faded back into their previous dull tones, leaving no trace of the ephemeral time, as if its existence had all been just a lie.
Time continued flowing, back into the interminable cycles of agony.
This would be the trio's first and final meeting, for when their paths crossed again in the distant future, the youth's thread of fate would be severed from the world, exchanged for a long-awaited soul, who would lay his vengeance to rest.
Author's note
Hope you guys enjoyed the story! It was a blast writing this.
I decided to write this story due to recent cravings for MDZS Male character insert stories, especially a polyamorous relationship with the main couple. There're so many amazing stories I found in AO3, but unfortunately had been on hiatus for a while. Go check them out under the tag "Lan Zhan/Wei Ying/Original Male Character". They really inspired me to write my own.
This is a Short Story/Pilot Chapter that I'm experimenting with.
If you guys are interested in where this can go, do let me know in the comments!
I will need time to read the actual novel because even after seeing all the different media adaptations and revisiting the plot for like the 10th time, I still don't fully understand the plot haha.
Just that WWX is a poor baby that deserves the world and LWJ is a sad man that deserves to let himself indulge in his own desires.
So here, an OC that can help lessen their pain.
I'll be working on a Chinese version of this Short Story
—despite barely passing Chinese in school haha...
I freaking love the Ancient-Modern language that they use.
Literally euphoric to hear. It's so smooth and elegant.
So look out for it I guess?
Initially, I had wanted to end the story when LWJ and Qianjie went to sleep in Jingshi, which is about 2k words. But, I was like 'why not just go all out? I want more MDZS crumbs anyway', so here it is, reaching nearly 7.5k words hahahhhahahah.
Anyways, thank you once again for reading my story.
See you soon.
Peace.
~ Yuzasuke