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Wei Yuan bowed to the class of curious students. “Hello,” he said, “my name is Wei Yuan. I just moved to the city with my father. I will be attending your school from now on. Please take care of me.”

The teacher told Wei Yuan where to sit before continuing with the morning announcements. He took out a notebook and pen and began to write.

This was not the first time Wei Yuan had transferred schools. He had done so once in elementary school after his baba had managed to find a well-paying job, leading them to move out of their small, cheap apartment and into a bigger one. Now, he was in his first year in high school, and his baba had promised they wouldn’t move again.

The bell rang signaling a break between periods. Wei Yuan pulled a snack out of his bag and looked out the window.

“Oh, those are my favorite! Can I have one?”

Wei Yuan stared at the boy who had just plopped down into the seat in front of him. He wore a wide grin. His hair was pulled back messily and his bangs hung loosely around his face. Before Wei Yuan could respond, a hand smacked the boy upside the head, causing him to yelp.

“Ignore him. He lacks tact,” another boy said. He was much neater, his long hair pulled tightly into a high ponytail, and his uniform crisp. He wore a scowl, but Wei Yuan sensed no ill will from him.

“I do not! I’m just trying to make friends, something you wouldn’t know how to do mistress Jin.”

“Why you-!”

The pair began to fight, neither one hitting the other very hard though. Wei Yuan watched on with wide eyes.

“You’ll have to ignore them,” a boy said from his side, startling him. “They’re always like this. I’m Ouyang Zizhen, by the way.”

Wei Yuan shook the boy's hand. He had shoulder-length hair and a friendly smile. Wei Yuan could tell he was a genuine soul.

“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Wei Yuan.”

“What brings you to our school, Wei Yuan?”

“Ya. Why did you come halfway through the year?”

“My father is the new science teacher here.”

“No way! Is he strict? Please tell me he’s more lenient than Lan Laoshi!”

“Jingyi, the only reason he’s hard on you is that you sleep through all his lectures,” the boy (Mistress Jin??) said.

“It’s not my fault his lectures are so boring,” Jingyi pouted.

The boy rolled his eyes while Ouyang Zizhen laughed. “Ignore him. It’ll save you some thinking power. I’m Jin Ling, and this is Lan Jingyi.”

Wei Yuan smiled, grateful to have finally been given names. “It’s nice to meet you both. And don’t worry, Jingyi, he teaches third years.”

“Thank goodness! Wait, should I be worried when I’m a third-year?”

Wei Yuan said nothing, munching on his snacks with a smile instead.

The trio stuck to Wei Yuan for the rest of the day, asking him questions about his life and inviting him to have lunch with them. He was relieved to have made some friends. He had left many of them behind when he moved here, and he was worried he’d have trouble making new ones so late in his schooling. He hadn’t even had to try, as the little group came to him without him having to lift a finger (just open a bag of snacks).

As the school day came to a close, the quartet went to the teacher's office to wait for Wei Yuan’s baba. They were keen to find out who he was and if they had to be worried about him in the future. Wei Yuan assured them that his baba was kind and fair, but Lan Jingyi had a hard time believing him.

“All teachers are secretly mean,” he grumbled.

“They’re only mean to you because you slack off,” Jin Ling replied with a roll of his eyes.

“That makes it worse! It means it’s a conspiracy!”

Just then, the office doors opened and Wei Yuan’s baba stepped outside.

“What’s all this noise for, eh?” Wei Ying said with a smile. His hair was pulled back with his signature red scrunchy and he was wearing the maroon button-up Wei Yuan had picked out this morning (they were almost late because his baba was such a nervous wreck). He looked put together and professional, not at all like the disaster Wei Yuan was used to seeing on the weekends.

“Everyone, this is my father, Wei Laoshi.”

Wei Yuan’s friends stared wide-eyed and with mouths agape. He wasn’t sure how he felt about that.

“Ah, are these your friends, A-Yuan? See, I told you you had nothing to worry about,” Wei Ying said, ruffling his hair. Wei Yuan flushed in embarrassment.

“You didn’t tell us your dad was hot,” Lan Jingyi stage whispered.

Wei Ying threw his head back and laughed. “Why thank you, kiddo.”

Lan Jingyi squeaked in embarrassment at being overheard. “You heard that?”

“Of course, he did, idiot! You weren’t exactly being quiet about it,” Jin Ling said in exasperation. That led to another round of roughhousing between Jin Ling and Lan Jingyi.

“Uh, do they always do this?” Wei Ying asked him.

“Apparently,” Wei Yuan replied.

“Should I stop it?”

“Probably. You are a teacher, after all.”

Wei Wuxian nodded and took a step toward the pair. “Alright, boys-”

“Lan Jingyi, Jin Ling,” a commanding voice interrupted, “what have I told you about fighting?”

The boys split apart immediately. “Sorry, Laoshi,” they said in unison.

The man rounded the corner and Wei Yuan and Wei Ying froze at who it was. “You will both copy the rules twice. You will serve out your punishment in detention this week.”

The boys deflated further. “Yes, Laoshi.”

The man nodded and looked up, only to freeze himself. His eyes went wide and he let out a breath so harshly one would have thought it was punched out of him. “Wei Ying?” he whispered. Those words held too many emotions: awe, sorrow, hope, fear.

Wei Yuan’s baba didn’t seem to know what to say, still standing frozen. Wei Yuan decided to save him. “A-die, it’s good to see you,” he said, taking a step towards the man. He hoped he still remembered him. Gods, let him still remember him.

“…A-Yuan?” Lan Zhan’s face softened as his eyes landed on him. “Look at you. You’ve grown so much.”

Wei Yuan felt himself sag in relief. He wasn’t sure how he’d feel if a-die had forgotten him. He knew it would hurt though. “It’s good to see you, a-die,” he replied with a wide smile.

“Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying said, finally coming out of his stupor.

Lan Zhan looked at him again. His face shuddered somewhat, as if hesitant to seem too eager. “Wei Ying, it’s good to see you. What are you doing here?”

His question brought his baba back to reality even further. “I’m working here. I got a job teaching science for third-years. Speaking of which, I should finish up what I’m doing. A-Yuan, I’ll meet you at the car, alright?” Before either of them could say anything, Wei Ying was making his way back towards the office doors. He stopped before stepping inside, looking back. “It’s good to see you too, Lan Zhan.” Then, he was gone.

Wei Yuan looked back to his a-die and saw him try to reign his emotions in. He looked sad and hurt, yet a glimmer of hope lingered. He turned to Jin Ling and Lan Jingyi. “Detention, tomorrow.” With that, he left.

“What the hell was that!” Lan Jingyi exclaimed. Ouyang Zizhen and Jin Ling shushed him.

“What do you mean?”

“How do you know Lan Laoshi?” Jin Ling asked.

“And what was with that longing stare Lan Loashi gave your father?” Ouyang Zizhen followed. Everyone looked at him. “What? Are you going to tell me that I’m wrong?”

Wei Yuang sighed. “It’s complicated.”

—

Complicated was an understatement. Wei Yuan wasn’t there for the entirety of his baba’s relationship with his a-die, but over the years, he’d gathered enough of the story from his baba to piece it together.

Lan Zhan and Wei Ying met in college. With them both being education majors, they shared a decent amount of classes. Lan Zhan was averse to being near Wei Ying when they first met, but an incident at a party brought them closer together, and soon after, they began dating.

According to his baba, they were madly, passionately in love.

“I’ve never loved anyone like I’ve loved Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying said one night when Wei Yuan was eight after a few too many glasses of wine. “He was my everything. He grounded me and kept me from getting too lost in the clouds. And he was always so thoughtful. People think he’s cold, but he’s not. He’s a big softy. You just have to show him some love.”

However, no matter how much they loved each other, Lan Zhan’s family was never fond of his baba.

“Except his brother,” Wei Ying amended. “His brother and I got along quite well.”

That didn’t stop the pair though. They stayed together even after graduation, getting a small apartment together. Soon after, Wen Qing, a friend of the pair and Wei Yuan’s biological cousin, asked Wei Ying to adopt Wei Yuan.

“No one else in the family can take him,” Wen Qing had told him. “They are either too old or work unfit hours to raise a child. Please, I know I’m asking you a lot, but I trust you more than anyone. I wouldn’t want A-Yuan to be with anyone else.”

His baba, being the empathetic, kind person that he is, readily agreed. Thus, Lan Zhan and Wei Ying transitioned into being parents. They were young and not in the best of financial shape, but they were happy. While A-Yuan doesn’t remember much from that time, he remembers bits and pieces, pockets of joy that he keeps close to his heart. He remembered laughing and smiling so much that his cheeks hurt.

But, with his addition came more scrutiny from Lan Zhan’s family. They felt that Wei Ying, and by association Wei Yuan, were holding Lan Zhan back from reaching his true potential. So, they offered him a job at their private school. Wei Ying didn’t want to uproot him from his extended family, but Lan Zhan had always dreamed of teaching at his family's school.

“They pay well,” Lan Zhan had said. “It can give us a better life, a bigger apartment, stability.”

“Why can’t you just be happy with our life now?” Wei Ying said through tears.

They began to argue.

“We were young and stubborn and afraid,” his baba said one night when he was eleven. They were looking through a photo book he had made. With every picture of Lan Zhan, his baba became more mournful. “I was too stubborn to leave, and Lan Zhan was too afraid of the unknown. So, we broke up.”

Wei Ying and Wei Yuan stayed behind in their small apartment, while Lan Zhan left to go work for his family’s private school. His baba said more than once it was for the best. Wei Yuan didn’t believe him. After all, they had stayed in that apartment for years after a-die left not because they wanted to, but because his baba was desperate to hold on to something, anything that connected him to Lan Zhan.

Wei Yuan looked at the pictures on the bookshelf. Four of them had a-die in them. “Was it really for the best, baba?”

Wei Yuan watched a tear roll down his baba’s face. “No. No, it wasn’t A-Yuan. If I could do it all again, I would have said yes to everything. I wouldn’t have let him go. I wouldn’t have to miss him like this.”

Wei Yuan looked at the picture of the three of them that sat on his bedside table that night. He swore if he ever saw a-die again, he was going to make things right. For his baba’s sake. For his sake. For everyone's sake.

—

The group of boys stared as he finished recounting his tale. Then, they squirmed awkwardly.

“What is it?” Wei Yuan asked.

“Well, it’s just…” Lan Jingyi began.

“Just?”

“He’s engaged,” Ouyang Zizhen finished.

Wei Yuan had felt like he’d been punched in the gut. He’d waited all this time to find his a-die again so that he could reunite their little family, but he was too late. He collapsed onto the chair outside the office.

“Baba will be so sad,” Wei Yuan whispered, devastated himself.

“Don’t give up hope!” Lan Jingyi exclaimed.

“How?”

“Well, for one, I’ve never seen Lan Laoshi look at anyone like he looked at your baba. Not even his fiance,” Ouyang Zizhen said, taking a seat next to Wei Yuan.

“Ya, not even Nie Laoshi, and he’s like the hottest guy here!” Lan Jingyi yelped as Jin Ling punched him in the arm.

“His fiance is a real dick too,” Jin Ling continued.

“That’s right! He barely interacts with the students and always glares at us like we are pests.”

“Exactly! And I think Lan Laoshi still loves you baba, Wei Yuan. Don’t give up hope.”

Wei Yuan took a deep breath. Perhaps they were right. Perhaps they weren’t too late. After all, he too had seen the way a-die had looked at his baba as if he was getting a second chance as if all his dreams were about to come true.

“Ok,” he said finally. “What’s our plan?”

The boys cheered. They quickly added Wei Yuan’s number to the group chat so they could spend the rest of the evening planning. Just as they finished, Wei Ying walked out of the office.

“A-Yuan? What are you still doing here? Come on. Let’s go home.”

Wei Yuan waved goodbye to the boys who gave him winks and thumbs up once his baba’s back was turned. Once he got to the car, he opened the chat to see the name of it had changed: Operation Wangxian.

—

Operation Wangxian Groupchat

Lan Jingyi 😎: Welcome everyone to the first meeting for Operation Wangxian

Jin Ling 🙄: Can you stop already?

Lan Jingyi 😎: Alright, alright geez

Wei Yuan 😇: Where do we start?

Ouyang Zizhen 🥰: Well, Lan Laoshi runs the student council

Lan Jingyi 😎: ZIZHEN YOU GENIUS!

Jin Ling 🙄: Lan Laoshi needs an assistant since the last teacher quit.

Lan Jingyi 😎: Thank God! He was a bitch 😒

Ouyang Zizhen 🥰: ANYWAYS we need a vice president as well. You can let your dad know that you want to join and that we need another assistant and he should do it!

Wei Yuan 😇: Who’s the current president?

Lan Jingyi 😎: Jin Ling 🙄

Jin Ling 🙄: HEY

Wei Yuan 😇: Well then I’m excited to work with you, Jin Ling ☺️

Jin Ling 🙄: OH

Jin Ling 🙄: OK 😳

Lan Jingyi 😎: 🤢🤢🤢

Jin Ling 🙄: SHUT UP

Wei Yuan 😇: What do we do if my dad says yes though? Getting them to do the student council together won’t be enough.

Jin Ling 🙄: Simple

Lan Jingyi 😎: We lock them in together

Wei Yuan 😇: ??? Where?

Ouyang Zizhen 🥰: The student council storage closet 😈

—

Wei Ying wasn’t sure why his son wanted him to join the student council so badly, but he agreed nonetheless. He was just happy to see his son settling into his new school.

After all, he hadn’t taken the news well initially. He was uprooting the boy from his school, his friends, his family, from the place he and Lan Zhan-

No. He refused to continue that thought. That was easier said than done, however. He knew accepting a job at Gusu Academy, the Lan’s private school put him at risk of running into his ex, but he hadn’t expected it to be so hard. They hadn’t seen or spoken to one another in a decade. He should be past this.

But Lan Zhan still looked so beautiful, and he looked at Wei Ying like he was the only thing that mattered, and the way he spoke to A-Yuan as if he was a father reunited with his long-lost son, so full of joy and hope and warmth-

He supposed that was the case. After all, Wei Ying was not the only person he lost in their breakup. He lost A-Yuan as well, the boy he promised to raise by Wei Yung’s side. But Wei Ying’s selfishness had robbed him of that chance.

Then again, it wasn’t entirely his fault. Lan Zhan hadn’t looked back, hadn’t returned, hadn’t tried to reach out to see how they were doing even once. But was that because he didn’t want to, or because Wei Ying had pushed him to the point where he didn’t feel welcome with the people he once considered his family?

The bell rang, startling him out of his thoughts. Students filed out of the room, wishing their Laoshi a good evening as they left to go home. Wei Ying smiled and wished them all a good night, reminding them of a test they had the next day as they passed.

A few minutes later, his son’s head popped around the entryway. “Are you ready to go, baba?” he asked with a smile.

Wei Ying returned the boy’s smile. Whatever mistakes he made in his past, he knew for certain he did right by one person. “Sure thing, my little radish.”

Wei Yuan flushed. “Baba! Don’t call me that at school.”

Wei Ying dramatically placed a hand over his heart. “You hurt me so, my son! How much you have grown! How far from my reach are you that your baba cannot even call you by your beloved childhood nickname?!”

“Is he always like this?” Jin Ling asked, unimpressed.

“Pretty much,” Wei Yuan replied.

“Awesome!” Lan Jingyi exclaimed, beaming. Wei Ying chuckled. He knew he and the Lan boy were going to get along swimmingly.

“Jin Ling! It’s been a while,” Wei Ying said, wrapping his arm around the boy's shoulders.

“Do I know you?”

“Of course you do! I’m your shushu and a-niang’s best friend! Though it’s been a while since I’ve seen you all. This little radish here kept me plenty busy.”

“Wait, you’re my Wei shushu?!”

“The one and only! How could you not recognize me? Haven’t you seen any pictures?”

“Well, my a-niang shows me pictures and talks about you. My a-die just refers to you as ‘The Nuisance.’”

Wei Ying huffed. “That peacock! Your mother was always too good for him.”

Jin Ling couldn’t exactly disagree there. After all, his mother was the best.

“Come to think of it, I think we have a picture together, Jin Ling,” Wei Yuan said excitedly.

“That’s right! The two of you met not too long after I adopted A-Yuan. I’ll have to find it when I get home.”

The group arrived at the student council room. He opened the door to find Lan Zhan talking to Ouyang Zizhen. He froze.

“Lan Laoshi, we’re here!” Lan Jingyi sang.

“Welcome-” He paused once he caught sight of the Wei duo. “Wei Ying.” Of course, those were the first words out of his mouth. Wei Ying could be in the very back of the room, in the dark, and Lan Zhan would still know he was there. He was always the first person the man sought out. “What are you doing here?”

“Wei Yuan is joining as vice president, and Wei Laoshi volunteered to assist you in student council work,” Jin Ling said, slipping out from under Wei Ying’s arm and going to take a seat.

Wei Yuan walked toward Lan Zhan. “Lan Laoshi, it’s good to see you.”

Lan Zhan smiled softly at the boy. “A-Yuan, I will always be a-die to you.”

Well wasn’t that just a kick to the gut? Wei Ying felt his eyes mist at the man’s words. How could he still care so much for them despite everything he put them through? Wei Yuan beamed as Lan Zhan ruffled his hair. He then went to take a seat next to Jin Ling.

“Wei Ying,” Lan Zhan said, standing in front of him.

“Lan Zhan.”

“You’re here.”

“I am.”

“Why?”

“I was told the student council needed help, and A-Yuan wished to join.”

Was it just him, or did Lan Zhan seem saddened by his words? “I see. Thank you for your help. Come with me. I’ll give you an itinerary for the meeting.”

The meeting was long and Wei Ying had no recollection of what was said. That was not at all because he was staring at Lan Zhan the whole time. Not at all.

An eternity later (or perhaps too soon) the meeting came to an end.

“Wait, Lan Laoshi! There’s one more thing we need to discuss,” Ouyang Zizhen said.

“What is that?”

“The school festival is coming up. We need to take stock of what supplies we have.”

“Very well. Wei Ying, will you help me?”

Wei Ying was startled. “Me?”

“Mn. Only faculty are allowed the key to the storage rooms.”

“Oh, um, yeah sure.”

Wei Ying silently followed the man down the hall to the storage room. Lan Zhan unlocked the door before propping it open. He then handed Wei Ying a checklist and went inside.

“These are all the items we will need for the festival. Any leftovers we have from last year will be in here. If we have it, check it off on the list.”

Wei Ying nodded and got to work, taking down boxes and checking the contents inside. Just as he was about to finish taking inventory, the door slammed shut, causing the pair to startle.

“What the hell?!” Wei Ying exclaimed.

“It seems the door stopper must have come loose,” Lan Zhan replied calmly.

“We can just open it again, right?” Lan Zhan stayed silent. “Right, Lan Zhan?”

“I’m afraid it only unlocks from the outside.”

“What?! Why?!”

“I’m not quite sure myself.”

Wei Ying groaned. “So we are locked in here together?”

Lan Zhan looked at him before his eyes turned to the ground. “I apologize.”

“No, Lan Zhan, it’s not-” Wei Ying sighed and leaned against the wall before starting over. “I’m sorry. It’s not your fault. I know you didn’t do this on purpose. It’s just…” He slid to the floor, unable to finish what he was saying. Lan Zhan waited for a moment before sitting down next to him.

“What is it, Wei Ying?”

“It's just, there’s so much history between us, and not all of it is good. It’s just…a lot seeing you again.”

“You don’t wish to talk about it.” It wasn’t a question.

Wei Ying scoffed. “Do you?”

Lan Zhan fidgeted. “I don’t wish to make Wei Ying uncomfortable, but I am not…opposed to talking about it.”

Wei Ying looked down at Lan Zhan’s fidgeting hands. He froze when he saw what Lan Zhan was fidgeting with.

“You’re engaged,” he breathed, all of the air having left his lungs in a panicked rush.

Lan Zhan froze. He stopped playing with the ring on his finger and hid it behind his other hand. The damage was already done though and he knew it. “Yes,” he said finally.

Wei Ying chuckled humorlessly. Of course. Of course, Lan Zhan was engaged. A guy as wonderful and handsome as Lan Zhan wouldn’t stay single forever. It was stupid for Wei Ying to think that he would.

“Does that upset Wei Ying?” Lan Zhan asked, a hint of what he swore sounded like hope in his voice.

Wei Ying paused. It did upset him. But why did it upset him? Shouldn’t this be a good thing? Lan Zhan had moved on. Maybe finally Wei Ying could move on too. It was for the best, wasn’t it? Then why did it feel so horrible? Why did it feel more painful than their breakup?

“I can’t say it feels good knowing your ex has moved on,” Wei Ying said finally, his voice thick with emotions.

Lan Zhan looked at the space past him. “Please don’t misunderstand, Wei Ying. It is an arranged marriage. My family was persistent. And…”

“…and?”

The man looked at him. “And I didn’t dare hope that I would be welcomed back home again.”

Oh. So much of what was said made Wei Ying want to cry. Setting aside the fact that Lan Zhan still referred to Wei Ying and A-Yuan as his home, this whole thing was his fault. Would they be in this position now would he not have been so stubborn? Would Lan Zhan still be engaged to someone else? Or would they be living in the same apartment, working at the same academy, watching the boy they called their son grow up together?

His eyes grew wet and his throat tight. “I’m sorry, Lan Zhan. I’m so sorry.”

“No,” Lan Zhan rushed to say, grabbing Wei Ying’s hand, “no, Wei Ying. The fault is mine. I shouldn’t have left you both like that. I was foolish and stubborn, and I hurt you both. I thought there was no possible way you’d welcome me back home once I left. I abandoned you both, and I can never express how sorry I am, Wei Ying.”

“You weren’t the only stubborn person, Lan Zhan.” He saw Lan Zhan begin to protest and interrupted him. “Please, let me shoulder some of the blame. We were both young and stubborn and afraid. We made bad decisions that we both regret.”

“Very much,” Lan Zhan added.

“I’m glad to know that. And you’d always be welcomed back home, Lan Zhan. Don’t ever doubt that.”

Lan Zhan took a shuddering breath. “I missed you, Wei Ying.”

Wei Ying rested his head on the other man’s shoulder and closed his eyes. He’d missed him too, so much. But he stayed silent. After all, he was no longer Wei Ying’s to miss. He was grateful that he could reunite his son with his a-die, grateful to know that Lan Zhan regretted his actions. That was enough. It had to be enough. He couldn’t dare hope for more.

The sound of a key turning the lock on the door jostled the men into standing. The door opened to reveal Lan Huan, principal of Gusu Academy and Lan Zhan’s only brother, and the junior quartet as Wei Ying fondly called them.

“Are you alright?” Lan Huan asked, concerned.

“We’re fine,” Wei Ying said, quickly wiping at his cheeks to make sure he wasn’t incriminating himself.

“Baba, a-die, what happened?” A-Yuan asked, walking over to them.

“The knocker must have come loose,” Lan Zhan explained. He placed a comforting hand on Wei Yuan’s shoulder. “Not to worry, A-Yuan, your baba and I are alright.”

Wei Ying’s heart quivered at his words. How easy it was for them to quickly fall back into their little family routine. He looked up to see a complicated look pass Lan Huan’s face.

“Let’s go,” Wei Ying said suddenly, not wishing to stay and get the shovel talk from his ex’s brother. “Lan Zhan and I finished taking inventory already. We can discuss it at the next meeting.”

The group filed out of the storage room. Wei Ying kept moving forward without looking back, his feet carrying him to his car. He sat inside it and took deep breaths, trying to calm his racing heart and stinging eyes.

—

Operation Wangxian Groupchat

Lan Jingyi 😎: So

Lan Jingyi 😎: How did we do?

Wei Yuan 😇: I’m not sure

Wei Yuan 😇: I asked him what happened, and he said they just talked. I asked him what about but he wouldn’t say. He just smiled.

Ouyang Zizhen 🥰: Smiling’s good!

Wei Yuan 😇: Trust me, this wasn’t good.

Jin Ling 🙄: So, what now?

Wei Yuan 😇: Hang on. He wants to talk to me.

Lan Jingyi 😎: So…

Lan Jingyi 😎:…did you all see what Nie Laoshi was wearing today?

Jin Ling 🙄: OMG 🤬

Lan Jingyi 😎: WHAT

Ouyang Zizhen 🥰: Lol Jingyi you don’t stand a chance. You know how he pines after principal Lan.

Lan Jingyi 😎: WAIT WHAT?!

Jin Ling 🙄: Are you blind? Haven’t you seen the way he looks at him?

Ouyang Zizhen 🥰: I heard he had flowers delivered to his office for Valentine’s Day too! Isn’t that sweet? 🥰

Lan Jingyi 😎: NO WAY

Jin Ling 🙄: Gross

Lan Jingyi 😎: Jin Ling, stop being repressed like your uncle! Some people care about romance.

Jin Ling 🙄: DON’T TALK ABOUT MY SHUSHU LIKE THAT!

Lan Jingyi 😎: MAKE ME!

Jin Ling 🙄: I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE LAN JINGYI!

Wei Yuan 😇: Guys I’m back!

Ouyang Zizhen 🥰: What happened?

Wei Yuan 😇: He told me that they had a long conversation about the past and how they both messed up. I asked if they were getting back together, and he said “of course not, Lan Zhan is engaged.” He said that if I want a-die to be a part of my life though, he’s not going to stop him. He wants me to have a relationship with a-die since their stupidity kept me from having a relationship with him for so long, at least according to him.

Lan Jingyi 😎: Oof.

Jin Ling 🙄: That’s rough.

Ouyang Zizhen 🥰: This isn’t a total loss.

Wei Yuan 😇: How so? He seemed pretty upset when he talked about a-die’s engagement.

Ouyang Zizhen 🥰: Well, for starters, we were able to confirm that neither of them hates the other. And your dad doesn’t plan on ignoring him since he wants him to be a part of your life, which makes our job easier.

Lan Jingyi 😎: So, what’s next?

Ouyang Zizhen 🥰: Football

—

Lan Zhan looked up from his computer at the call of his name.

“Lan Zhan, there’s a student here to see you.”

The teacher moved to reveal Wei Yuan standing there with a brilliant smile that rivaled his father’s. “Hi, Lan Laoshi!”

Lan Zhan almost corrected him, but, remembering where they were, decided to let it slide.

“Wei Yuan. What can I do for you?”

“Jin Ling and I were about to go watch Jingyi and Zizhen’s football match. Do you want to come?”

Lan Zhan looked back to the stack of assignments he needed to grade. “I’m not sure-” He paused at the puppy dog face the boy gave him. It was the same one he wore when he was four years old, the same one he wore the day Lan Zhan told him he was leaving and never returned. The knife twisted deeper into his heart. “Alright. I’ll join you.”

Wei Yuan cheered. He grabbed Lan Zhan’s arm and pulled him out of the office. Jin Ling was waiting in the hall and stepped in line next to them.

The group made it to the bleachers just as the match was about to start. Lan Zhan noticed the lethal body of Wei Ying standing next to the lumbering body of Nie Mingjue.

“A-Yuan, is your baba a coach?”

“Yes! Lan Jingyi mentioned that Nie Laoshi’s assistant coach left last year, and he hasn't found a replacement. Since baba played in high school, he told him to do it.”

Lan Zhan nodded. He hadn’t forgotten that Wei Ying played football in high school. On the contrary, he could never forget a single fact about Wei Ying. He still remembered when Wei Ying had challenged him to a match in the rain their sophomore year of college after one too many drinks. Lan Zhan had only agreed because Wei Ying had been insistent and he didn’t want him getting hurt. That’s how they ended up on the football fields on a cold, rainy April night playing football. They both caught a cold afterward, but it was the most fun Lan Zhan had had in a long time.

The whistle echoed across the field and the match began. He sat silently next to the boys as they cheered on their friends. At one point, Wei Ying looked back at the sound of his son’s cheers and froze upon seeing Lan Zhan. His eyes widened before he smiled shyly and waved. Lan Zhan waved back, also smiling. He felt warm all over having that smile turned towards him once more.

At some point in the game (he wasn’t sure when), Lan Zhan got up. “I’m going to get a drink from the vending machines. Would you boys like something?” Wei Yuan and Jin Ling both gave him an order, and he crawled down the bleachers and onto the ground. He made it a few feet from them when he heard someone yell “heads up!” He turned his head just in time for a football to smack him directly in his face.

He hit the ground immediately after. Once the white light faded from his eyes, he noticed Wei Ying and a group of people huddled around him.

“Are you alright, Lan Zhan?”

He tried to answer yes, but a bunch of mumbled sounds came out of his mouth instead.

“Alright, I think he needs to go to the nurse's office. Wei Ying, could you take him?”

“Me?”

“None of the other boys can carry his weight, and I doubt he’s going to be able to walk all on his own right now.”

Wei Ying nodded and helped Lan Zhan to his feet, looping his arm around his shoulders. He then half carried, half walked Lan Zhan to the nurse's office.

When they arrived, the nurse was nowhere to be seen, so Wei Ying laid him down on a bed. He then stood and went to the fridge, grabbing Lan Zhan an ice pack.

“Damn, Jingyi got you good, Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying hissed. “Here, put this on it. That should at least help with the swelling.”

Lan Zhan did as he was told, wincing at the cold. They sat in awkward silence, the only noise the clicking of the clock on the wall. Usually, Lan Zhan felt comfortable in silence, never feeling the need to fill it with stilted chatter. However, when it came to Wei Ying, the silence was deafening. It wasn’t like him at all.

“Where was Jingyi aiming?” Lan Zhan blurted, trying to break the tension.

Wei Ying looked at him before throwing his head back and laughing. “I have no idea, to be honest. The kid's got one hell of a kick but no aim.”

“That’s an understatement,” Lan Zhan chuckled. “I seem to remember a similar situation with you.”

Wei Ying groaned, falling face-first into the bed. “Lan Zhaaan, why do you have to call me out like that?”

Lan Zhan smiled softly at the man and ran his fingers through his hair. During their drunken soccer game, Wei Ying kicked the ball directly into his face. That had been the end of their game for Lan Zhan, and he had carried Wei Ying back to the dorms. The following day, he woke to a large bruise on his cheek. Wei Ying had been mortified and babied Lan Zhan for the rest of the day despite being the one with the hangover.

Wei Ying turned to look at Lan Zhan and smiled softly. “A-Yuan didn’t want to play soccer?” Lan Zhan asked.

Wei Ying sighed. “No. I enrolled in a summer camp when he was younger, but he wasn’t a fan. He takes far too much after you, Lan Zhan.” Lan Zhan chuckled. Wei Ying talked about A-Yuan as if he had birthed him himself. “He liked reading and music. Did you know he knows how to play the qugin?”

Lan Zhan's heart cracked open more. He remembered playing for A-Yuan on stormy nights, the only time the boy refused to sleep as he dreamt of the skidding of tires, the breaking of glass, the crunching of a car. Lan Zhan would play for him until his fingers went numb and the boy finally settled enough to drift into slumber. Had A-Yuan remembered those nights? Had he learned to play the qugin just to be close to him?

“I did not know,” Lan Zhan replied after a beat.

Wei Ying seemed to realize his mistake as his smile dimmed. “Right. Of course. That’s my fault. I’m sorry.”

“Wei Ying, we’ve talked about this. We shared the blame.” He caressed Wei Ying’s cheek gently, expecting to be pushed away. Wei Ying just closed his eyes though and leaned into it. He let out a small sigh of relief. “Tell me more about him.”

They spent an unknown amount of time laying there, talking. Lan Zhan reveled in every story he heard about A-Yuan, in every happy and sad moment he missed. Sure his heart still ached for not being there, but he was glad to know they were at least happy.

The room was painted orange, and the ice pack on his face was more liquid than solid now. Still, he did not move, too afraid to shatter this moment for fear of never getting another chance to do this again. But life was not that simple, not that kind.

The infirmary door opened and A-Yuan stepped inside. “Baba? A-die? Are you still here?”

“A-Yuan?” Wei Ying called, sitting up. Lan Zhan’s hand felt cold. “What are you doing here?”

“The game’s already over,” A-Yuan said as he came over to the bed. “Everyone else went home.”

Wei Ying’s eyes widened and he looked at the clock. “Shit! I’m so sorry, A-Yuan. I didn’t even notice. I guess we lost track of time.”

A-Yuan’s smile was big and mischievous, entirely too similar to Wei Ying’s. “It’s alright. What were you two doing?”

He was leveled by an impressive glare from his baba. “We were just talking. Come on, let’s go home and eat.”

“Can A-die come?”

The pair froze. “What?” Wei Ying croaked out.

“Well, I just feel bad leaving him here after everything. And I haven’t gotten a chance to catch up with him.”

More silence. This time, it was Lan Zhan who interrupted it. “I would be happy too, A-Yuan. As long as it’s alright with your father.”

Wei Ying cleared his throat, refusing to meet Lan Zhan’s gaze. He swore he saw the man’s cheeks turn a lovely shade of pink. “Ya, of course, Lan Zhan. I told you you’re always welcome at home.”

Lan Zhan smiled, his heart fluttering. Home. He still had a home. And oh, how he missed it terribly. “Alright. Then I will join you.”

A-Yuan’s smile grew impossibly wider. Wei Ying returned the ice pack to the freezer and the trio made their way out of the school and towards Wei Ying’s car.

“Your baba told me you play the qugin,” Lan Zhan said as they walked.

“Yes! I always liked listening to you play when I was younger. It always cheered me up when I was sad. I wanted to learn to play so I could cheer baba up too. He missed hearing you play.”

“A-Yuan!” Wei Ying hissed, his face now flushing a bright red. A-Yuan chuckled, showing no remorse for spilling his father's secret. Wei Ying huffed, grumbling under his breath about ungrateful children and menaces.

Lan Zhan couldn’t stop the smile that slipped onto his face, nor the hope that took root in his heart. Perhaps Wei Ying was just as miserable as he was during their years apart. Perhaps he longed for the other man just as much. Perhaps he still hadn’t moved on. Perhaps he could be given a second chance.

“Would you play for me when we get home?” Lan Zhan asked his son.

A-Yuan beamed. “It’d be my pleasure, a-die!”

—

Operation Wangxian Groupchat

Wei Yuan 😇: YOU GUYS

Wei Yuan 😇: A-DIE JUST ATE DINNER AT MY HOUSE

Wei Yuan 😇: AND BABA WAS LOOKING AT HIM THE WHOLE TIME

Lan Jingyi 😎: SCREAMING CRYING THROWING UP OMG!!!!

Jin Ling 🙄: What changed?

Wei Yuan 😇: I guess they talked in the nurse's office. When I came to get them, they were acting differently. Baba told a-die he could come home, and a-die kept referring to our apartment as home.

Ouyang Zizhen 🥰: NO WAY

Wei Yuan 😇: We got takeout from our favorite restaurant down the street and ate on the living room floor because we don’t have a third chair at our table, and baba and a-die sat right next to each other, as in, like, pressed up against one another.

Ouyang Zizhen 🥰: ADORABLE

Jin Ling 🙄: Gross

Wei Yuan 😇: And then I played the guqin for a-die and afterward a-die played and baba looked so happy. Then a-die played this one song and baba started crying. He wouldn’t say why though, but a-die looked like he knew why because his eyes were watery too. They just looked at each other and smiled. I kept asking baba why he cried after a-die left and baba said the last song a-die played was a song he wrote for baba for their first anniversary. It was their song!

Lan Jingyi 😎: THEY HAVE A SONG?!?!?!

Ouyang Zizhen 🥰: So romantic 😍

Jin Ling 🙄: Gross

Lan Jingyi 😎: SHUT UP

Ouyang Zizhen 🥰: SHUT UP

Jin Ling 🙄: Alright, alright sorry

Jin Ling 🙄: So, do you think he’ll come over again?

Wei Yuan 😇: Most definitely!

—

Except, he didn’t come over again. Not because he didn’t want to, but because he and baba, along with the rest of the student council, were spending many a night at the school trying to prepare for the festival. It was exhausting, overwhelming, and entirely distracting his baba and a-die from rekindling their relationship.

Thankfully, after a grueling month of hard work and planning, the day of the festival finally arrived. Wei Ying and Lan Zhan helped them finish setting up their booth.

“Looks good, boys! What’s next?”

“Nothing,” Ouyang Zizhen replied.

“Go enjoy the festival and your day off,” Lan Jingyi added as he put on his apron.

Wei Ying protested. “We can’t just leave you boys alone? Right, Lan Zhan?”

“It’s pretty common for the teachers not to help,” Jin Ling answered.

Wei Ying looked to Lan Zhan, who nodded in agreement. “It’s best that they learn how to manage the booth themselves. It teaches them life skills. Staff will come in the afternoon to take over so they can enjoy the festival. For now, we can walk around.”

Wei Ying looked at Wei Yuan as if to ask for permission. Wei Yuan rolled his eyes and pushed his baba away from the booth. “We’re fine, baba. We’ll call you if we need any help. Now go have fun with a-die!”

Wei Ying glared at his son as his face flushed red, but did as he was told.

The group of boys got to work making tanghulu. Wei Yuan was in charge of taking orders, while Jingyi passed out samples. Jin Ling and Ouyang Zizhen made the tanghulu, Jin Ling because his mother is a world-renowned chef that taught him how to cook, and Zizhen because he lost to Jingyi in rock, paper, scissors.

The boys took a rest when there was a lull in customers. That’s when Jingyi saw him.

“Shit, isn’t that Lan Laoshi’s fiance?” Lan Jingyi said.

The boys turned to find a man wearing a crisp, grey suit standing in the middle of the walkway, looking entirely out of place. Wei Yuan had to admit that he was handsome. He had sharp features and short, dark hair that was styled perfectly. He looked like the lead of a modern-day romance cdrama. Next to his baba though, he was complete garbage.

“What’s he doing here?” Ouyang Zizhen said, sounding panicked.

“He’s probably looking for Lan Laoshi,” Jin Ling replied.

“Like hell, we’re going to let that happen.” Lan Jingyi stood. “Mr. Zhao! Over here!”

“Jingyi! What the hell are you doing?” Jin Ling hissed quietly.

“Getting him out of our way.”

The man walked over to their booth and Lan Jingyi smiled pleasantly at them. The man did not return his enthusiasm. “Ah, it’s you boys.” Wei Yuna’s eyes furrowed. He talked to them as if they were mere insects being a nuisance in his home.

“Hello, Mr. Zhao. What are you doing here?” Wei Yuan wasn’t sure how Lan Jingyi still managed to sound so pleasant.

“I’m looking for my fiance, your teacher. Have you seen him?”

“Ah, he mentioned that he’d be hopping around the classrooms inside the building to check on students. I’m sure you’ll find him in one of them.”

Ouyang Zizhen and Jin Ling smiled conspiratorially at one another. They all knew damn well that Lan Zhan was not in the school. But his fiance didn’t know that. And looking in every classroom just to find him could take all day.

The man sighed. “Ugh, that’s just great.” He seemed to notice that there was one more boy in their little group and directed his attention toward Wei Yuan. “I haven’t seen you before.”

“I’m new. My name is Wei Yuan.” And don’t you forget it went unsaid.

“My name is Zhao Ming,” the man replied, sounding like he was at a business meeting and not a high school festival.

Wei Yuan nodded but said nothing else. The man took notice of his pettiness, as his eyes narrowed. He mumbled something under his breath, probably cursing the group of them out, and left towards the school entrance.

“Told you he doesn’t like kids,” Lan Jingyi said, glaring at the man’s retreating back.

“Kids don’t like him either,” Jin Ling added, matching his friend’s glare.

“Wei Yuan, you should find Lan Laoshi and warn him his fiance is here,” Ouyang Zizhen urged. “If he finds him and your baba together, it’s going to be disastrous.”

His friend was right. His baba and a-die made so much progress, and this jerk threatened to tear it all down. He looked to the others, who nodded in agreement.

“We’ll hold down the fort.”

“Get going!”

Wei Yuan pulled off his apron and ran through the crowd in search of his parents.

—

Wei Ying felt like he was in his twenties again as he walked through the fair with Lan Zhan. It was almost as if they were going on their first date. Lan Zhan got him any food he so much as glanced at. He played games with him and even won him a stuffed donkey at the ring toss. He had won the donkey on his first try, but jokingly threw the last ring around Wei Ying and asked if he could be his prize. Wei Ying blamed his red face on the hot weather. He didn’t have an explanation for his fluttering heart though.

They painted a floating lantern together that would be set out onto the school's pond at the end of the night. Wei Ying had decided to draw a bunny, a call back to a time they had snuck an injured bunny into their dorm room that later chewed up Lan Zhan’s midterm paper. Lan Zhan smiled fondly when he saw the finished painting. He wrote a wish on the other side, which he refused to show Wei Ying, and placed it in his bag for later.

The whole day felt domestic as if they had never been apart. It was everything Wei Ying had wanted for the past decade. Eventually, they grew tired of walking around and slipped away from the festivities and into a courtyard. The pair sat under a bench that was shaded by a tree and rested their feet.

“Ahh, that’s better.”

“Mn.”

“There’s so much to see! Are Gusu’s festivals always this big?”

“Just about.”

“Amazing.” Wei Ying smiled softly. “These kids and this school are something else.”

“I am glad Wei Ying has taken a liking to it.”

“I wish I would’ve taken a liking to it sooner.”

Lan Zhan took Wei Ying’s hand into his own. He looked down at their laced hands in shock and anticipation. “We’re here now,” Lan Zhan said, smiling softly at him.

Wei Ying matched his smile. “We’re here now,” he echoed. The past was the past, and Wei Ying needed to let it go. The present was giving him the gift of a second chance with Lan Zhan. He would be foolish to let regret and sorrow get in his way.

Lan Zhan’s face turned to that of uncertainty. “Wei Ying, would you-”

He was interrupted before he could finish.

“Ah, A-Zhan, there you are!” Lan Huan said, walking over. He paused when he saw their joined hands. “Oh, I’m sorry. Am I interrupting something?”

“Yes,” Lan Zhan said quickly.

Lan Huan’s face fell. “I do apologize, but I wanted to let you know that Zhao Ming is looking for you.”

Lan Zhan’s eyes went wide and the color drained from his face.

“Who’s that?” Wei Ying said, concern lacing his voice. Was this someone Lan Zhan didn’t want to see? Was he dangerous?

Lan Huan gave him a pitying look. “He’s A-Zhan’s fiance.”

That’s when reality came crashing down on Wei Ying. Of course. Of course. How could he be so stupid as to forget that Lan Zhan was already promised to another? This wasn’t a gift. It was a neverending nightmare that he was forced to watch, karma for the choices he made as a stupid kid in his twenties. It was his special ring of hell.

Wei Ying dropped Lan Zhan’s hand. Lan Zhan’s face fell. “Wei Ying-”

“Ah, there you are A-Zhan!” a handsome man in a grey suit exclaimed as he entered the courtyard. He saw Wei Ying and Lan Zhan sitting closely together and his eyes narrowed. “Who is this?”

“Ah, this is Wei Ying. He’s a…”

“Coworker,” Wei Ying finished.

Somehow, Lan Zhan looked impossibly more devastated. “Wei Ying,” he said, his voice sounding like the air had just been punched out of him.

Just then, A-Yuan came running around the corner. He was panting and his face was red.

“A-Yuan, is everything alright?” Lan Zhan asked in concern, walking over to him.

“A-Yuan?!” his fiance exclaimed. Clearly, Lan Zhan did not address his students in any affectionate way, making this all the more suspicious.

“I’m fine,” A-Yuan replied. “I was just looking for you and baba.” He glanced nervously at Zhao Ming. Wei Ying sighed. He knew what was going on here. His son was so good, too good, just like his a-die. But it was not his job to shoulder their mistakes, nor try to fix them.

Wei Ying stood, walking over to his son and Lan Zhan. “Come on, A-Yuan. Let’s go check on your friends.”

He began to leave, but a hand on his arm stopped him. “Wei Ying-”

“Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying interrupted, his voice firm and finite. It was a voice he only used once before, a decade ago, when he told the man standing in front of him to never come back. And now, he wished he hadn’t let him. Perhaps it would have saved him some heartache.

He turned to leave once more. This time, Lan Zhan didn’t stop him.

—

Lan Zhan stood there, watching his first love, his soulmate, walk away, their son turning back to look at him sadly.

“A-Zhan, who was that?” Zhao Ming questioned again. Lan Zhan remained silent. His fiance opened his mouth to say something else but was interrupted by his brother.

“Zhao Ming, may I have a word with my brother in private?” Lan Huan asked with a pleasant smile that Lan Zhan knew to be fake.

Zhao Ming huffed, but let them be. “I’ll be waiting at the apartment.” He leaned forward and pressed the kiss to Lan Zhan’s cheek. It was cold and left him feeling hollow.

Once he was gone, Lan Huan urged him to take a seat. “I’m sorry, A-Zhan. I didn’t mean to interrupt your conversation with Wei Ying.”

“It’s fine,” Lan Zhan replied. He tried not to feel resentful towards his brother. After all, it wasn’t his fault he was in this situation.

Lan Huan winced. “I know you are not going to like what I say, but A-Zhan, you’re engaged. It’s not right for you to be chasing after Wei Ying when you promised yourself to another.”

His brother was right, he does not like what he said. But he wasn’t wrong. “Brother, he’s my first love.”

“He let you go.”

“I left him.”

“He hurt you.”

“I hurt him!” Lan Zhan exclaimed in a fit to get his brother to understand. “We hurt each other. We were young and scared and we made a mistake.”

“Why didn’t he go after you?”

“Why didn’t I pick up a phone? Why didn’t I go back and apologize and try to make things right? Why didn’t I talk to him like an adult instead of that of a stubborn child?” Lan Huan didn’t have an answer to that, seemingly understanding that they were both to blame. “Brother, I’ve never loved anyone as much as I loved Wei Ying. I will never love anyone as much as I love Wei Ying. He is all I want in this lifetime. I wouldn’t ask for anything more, just to love him and be loved by him. And fate is giving me a second chance.”

Lan Huan sighed, “I gave you a second chance.”

He paused. “What?”

“I’m the one that offered Wei Ying the job.” Lan Zhan looked at his brother with wide eyes and mouth agape. “I’m your older brother, A-Zhan. I know you’re not happy with your engagement. So, when the job position opened up, I invited the one person here that I knew would make you happy.”

“Brother…” While Lan Zhan said little, he was very rarely speechless. But what his brother admitted to rendered him such.

“I couldn’t forgive him for hurting you, but I also couldn’t watch you marry someone you could never love and be longing for something more for the rest of your life. I thought that you two could sort out what happened and move forward. And if not, at least you could have closure and try to be happy with someone else. But I see now that was just wishful thinking from an older brother who doesn’t want to see his didi be hurt again.”

“Brother.” Still unable to find the right words to say, Lan Zhan pulled his brother into a rare hug. Lan Huan was surprised at first but quickly returned the gesture.

“I want you to be happy, A-Zhan, and if that’s with Wei Ying, I won’t get in your way. But you must make things right and end your engagement.”

“I will,” he replied before pulling out of the hug. “I will. Once I know Wei Ying’s feelings, I will.”

Lan Huan nodded, giving his brother a sad smile. “I’m afraid that won’t be so easy.”

Lan Zhan sighed, feeling deflated. The way Wei Ying had talked to him, calling him a mere coworker in front of his fiance, using the same tone he used during their breakup, made Lan Zhan afraid to hope. He had tried so hard over the past few months to break down Wei Ying’s defenses, and now, in a matter of minutes, they were raised once more, this time stronger than before.

“Come, didi. Let’s finish the festival and go to your apartment.”

Lan Zhan nodded and walked around with his brother, allowing him to buy him sweets in an attempt to cheer him up. At the end of the festival, they followed the students to the pond to set their lanterns afloat. Lan Zhan took the one he and Wei Ying made and placed it on the water. He took a step back and watched it float towards the center of the pond, the bunnies Wei Ying had drawn silhouetted by the candlelight.

Lan Huan placed a comforting hand on his shoulder when he saw the wish Lan Zhan had written.

To be with my soulmate in this life and the next.

—

Operation Wangxian Groupchat

Wei Yuan 😇: Guys

Wei Yuan 😇: I’m worried

Wei Yuan 😇: Baba won’t come out of his room again

Ouyang Zizhen 🥰: Poor Wei Laoshi must be heartbroken 💔

Wei Yuan 😇: I keep trying to get him to come out to eat or watch a movie, but he tells me he’s fine and to go have fun

Jin Ling 🙄: He’s not fine

Lan Jingyi 😎: Have you talked to Lan Laoshi?

Wei Yuan 😇: Yes. A-die asked me how baba was doing, and I was honest. I asked if I could help or if he wanted to come over to talk, and he told me to let baba come to him on his own.

Wei Yuan 😇: But he looked just as heartbroken as baba.

Ouyang Zizhen 🥰: 😭

Jin Ling 🙄: I’m just gonna say it, fuck Zhao Ming.

Lan Jingyi 😎: YA, FUCK ZHAO MING

LAN JINGYI 😎 HAS NAMED THE GROUP “FUCK ZHAO MING HATER CLUB”

Jin Ling 🙄: Nice

Lan Jingyi 😎: Thank you

Ouyang Zizhen 🥰: So, what do we do now?

Wei Yuan 😇: I don’t know. I really don’t know. But I hate this. 😢

Jin Ling 🙄: 😢

Lan Jingyi 😎: 😢

Ouyang Zizhen 🥰: 😢

Jin Ling 🙄: A-Yuan, do you want to come over and play video games while eating leftovers my mom brought home from the restaurant?

Wei Yuan 😇: I’d like that, Jin Ling. Thanks.

Lan Jingyi 😎: Um

Lan Jingyi 😎: Can we come too?

Jin Ling 🙄: You better. We gotta be here for A-Yuan and cheer him up.

Ouyang Zizhen 🥰: Ya

Wei Yuan 😇: Thank you, guys.

LAN JINGYI 😎 HAS NAMED THE GROUP “A-Yuan Support Group 💙”

Wei Yuan 😇: ❤️

—

The boys attempted to game plan a way to fix the relationship, but finals became a major roadblock in coming up with any schemes. The group took to studying at A-Yuan’s house, bringing him and his baba treats and movies and Auntie Yanli’s leftovers. They also tried to coax his baba out of his room by asking for help studying. He looked completely miserable, but he helped them nonetheless. The leftovers at least made him smile.

While finals may have been occupying most of their time at school, they didn’t miss the way Wei Ying and Lan Zhan hardly interact. When they did, Wei Ying was quick to leave the situation, and Lan Zhan looked more and more heartbroken with every step his baba took.

After their last final, the boys met for the last student council meeting of the year. Lan Zhan stepped into the room and immediately took note of someone's absence.

“A-Yuan, where’s your baba?”

A-Yuan winced. “He said he wasn’t feeling well and went home as soon as school ended.”

Lan Zhan deflated at his words, looking frustrated and miserable all at once. Still, he continued with the meeting without Wei Ying.

“Finally, the faculty's end of the year party is next weekend. The principal has asked that you all be servers for the event. It will be in the courtyard. You are required to wear a white button-up and black slacks. Meet in the cafeteria at 4 and the caterers will direct you on what to do. Any questions?”

The room stayed silent. The quartet looked at one another, their eyes sparkling for the first time in weeks. Once the meeting was adjourned, the group made their way to Jin Ling’s house. There they brainstormed plans to get the couple to at least talk to one another.

The next weekend, the boys did as directed, meeting in the cafeteria and getting their assignments. They each took a tray, Jin Ling and Lan Jingyi with hors d'oeuvres, Ouyang Zizhen with tiny, fancy desserts, and Wei Yuan with drinks.

They walked out into the courtyard and began to serve the faculty. Throughout Wei Yuan’s walkthrough, he noticed his baba in one corner, looking miserable, throwing back glasses of champagne after staring longingly at a-die. In the other corner was his a-die who was staring longingly back at his baba.

At some point, Zhao Ming noticed. The man’s eyes narrowed and he wrapped a possessive arm around Lan Zhan’s waist. He leaned forward and whispered something into Lan Zhan’s ear, causing him to frown. He stopped looking over at Wei Ying. Wei Ying glowered at the ground.

That’s it! Wei Yuan had to put an end to this. He met up with his friends back inside the cafeteria.

“Did you see that asshole?” Lan Jingyi spat. “What an egomaniac.”

“I’m so angry I’m not even going to make fun of you for knowing such a big word,” Jin Ling replied. Lan Jingyi stuck his tongue out at the boy which caused them both to smile at their silly antics.

“What do we do?” Ouyang Zizhen asked.

Wei Yuan looked down at his tray carrying red glasses filled with punch. That’s when he got a wonderful idea.

“The drinks!” Wei Yuan exclaimed. “I’ll spill the tray of drinks on him. He’ll have to go to the bathroom to clean off the stain and we can get baba and a-die to talk in the meantime.”

“A-Yuan you’re brilliant!” Lan Jingyi cheered.

“Alright. Let’s do this,” Jin Ling said.

The boys went back out into the crowd. Wei Yuan made a beeline toward Lan Zhan and Zhao Ming. When he got close enough, he made his attack. “Can I offer you-” Pretending to trip on something, Wei Yuan tipped his tray forward and directly towards Zhao Ming. Lan Zhan, Lan Huan, and their uncle all managed to move out of the way before any could spill on them.

Wei Yuan stood up. The man was thoroughly drenched, his white shirt now dyed bright red by the drinks. The courtyard was deathly silent, everyone's eyes turned to watch the scene unfolding before them.

“A-Yuan!” his baba yelled as he heard the sound of shoes hitting the pavement in what he assumed to be his baba running towards him from across the courtyard.

“I’m so sorry sir,” Wei Yuan said, trying to look and sound distraught. “I tripped. Can I get you something to clean yourself up?”

Zhao Ming looked furious, his face turning purple from embarrassment and rage as he glared at Wei Yuan.

“Look what you did you little brat!” he yelled, startling Wei Yuan. His eyes widened as the man raised his hand, clearly looking to punish A-Yuan for his mistake.

Before his palm could make contact with Wei Yuan’s cheek, however, Lan Zhan grabbed his wrist, a thunderous look across his face.

“Don’t you dare touch A-Yuan,” Lan Wangji spat furiously. A-Yuan gasped at his a-die addressing him affectionately in front of his coworkers. He turned to look at his baba, who had now reached them and was staring at Lan Zhan with wide, awe-filled eyes.

Zhao Ming began to sutter, attempting to excuse his actions. When he saw that Lan Zhan was not swayed by his words, he switched tactics.

“You know how I feel about your job, Lan Zhan,” Zhao Ming said, frustrated. “After we are married, we’re going to move and you’re going to quit this job. I don’t want to deal with these menaces any longer.”

Lan Zhan's demeanor suddenly changed. He seemed almost amenable. Zhao Ming relaxed, thinking that Lan Zhan agreed with him. However, his a-die threw the man a curveball.

“Fine then, we won’t get married.” Lan Zhan took off his engagement ring.

“…what?!” Zhao Ming screeched, completely blindsided by the turn of events.

“You heard me,” Lan Zhan replied, throwing the ring in the man’s face. “Thanks for making things easier for me.”

Lan Zhan’s ex-fiance stood there looking like a gaping fish. He turned to the other Lans looking for support, but only found disgust and anger. Humiliated and realizing he had just lost everything, he fled.

The courtyard became lively once more as people gossiped about the drama they just witnessed. Lan Zhan went up to Wei Yuan and took his face in his hands.

“A-Yuan, are you alright?”

Wei Yuan smiled. “I’m ok, a-die.”

Lan Zhan sighed in relief. “I’m so sorry I put you in danger. I didn’t know he’d do something like that.”

“It’s alright, a-die. I knew you’d protect me. You always know how to fix things.”

“…You think so?”

“I know so.” He looked back at his baba, who was still frozen in shock, before turning back to his a-die, his look pointed. Lan Zhan chuckled and ruffled his hair, seeming to get the point.

“Wei Ying,” Lan Zhan began as he stood in front of the man.

His baba didn’t allow him to finish. Instead, he grabbed his wrist and dragged him out of the courtyard.

—

Wei Ying refused to stop walking until they were out of sight, ignoring Lan Zhan’s desperate pleas. Once they made it to a secluded area, Wei Ying dropped the man’s wrist and turned to him.

“Alright, talk.”

Lan Zhan paused. “About what?”

Wei Ying scoffed. “About what the hell just happened back there!”

“You saw what happened.”

“Lan Zhan!”

“Wei Ying.”

He sighed. This was getting him nowhere. “You stopped him from hurting A-Yuan.”

“I did.”

“You threw your engagement ring at your fiance's face.”

“That’s correct.”

Wei Ying couldn’t help but chuckle at how absurd the conversation was. “Lan Zhan, you called off your engagement.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Lan Zhan stepped forward, taking Wei Ying’s hands into his. “Wei Ying, I spent the last ten years berating myself for my mistakes, for leaving you behind. I thought for certain I would never get a second chance, so when my family kept insisting I marry, I gave in. But then you appeared, and it was as if I was seeing you for the first time all over again. I believed this to be my second chance.”

“What are you saying?” Wei Ying whispered, his eyes misty.

“I’m saying it’s always been you. It can only be you. Wei Ying, there is no one else for me. I’ve always known in my heart that this was true, but I was afraid back then. I’m no longer afraid. Wei Ying, I love you, more and more each day. I want to stand by your side and raise A-Yuan with you and grow old together. If you’ll have me.”

Wei Ying was sobbing now, fat, wet tears streaming down his cheeks. “Lan Zhan.” He raised his hands and lightly beat the man’s chest. “Lan Zhan you stupid, frustrating man. Of course, I’ll have you. It can’t be anyone but you.”

Lan Zhan gave him his biggest smile to date before pulling him into a kiss. This kiss, more than anything else they had done, felt like coming home. Wei Ying wrapped his arms around Lan Zhan’s neck and melted into his embrace, letting every single emotion drain from his body until he felt nothing but love for the man in front of him.

The echoing of someone screaming “YES!” startled them out of the bubble. Wei Ying groaned, resting his forehead on Lan Zhan’s chest while Lan Zhan pulled him closer, chuckling.

“These little menaces,” Wei Ying grumbled.

“Go easy on them,” Lan Zhan replied, placing a kiss on his forehead. Wei Ying grinned. Lan Zhan was still a softy when it came to children.

“Alright, come out you four!” Wei Ying yelled over Lan Zhan’s shoulder. A moment, then four guilty-looking teenagers slowly shuffled their way out from behind a bush to stand in front of the couple. “Would any of you care to explain what’s been going on these past few months?”

“What do you mean baba?” A-Yuan asked innocently. Oh, he’s good, but Wei Ying had had a decade to become immune to the boy's doe-eyed stare.

“Aiya, Lan Zhan, do you see how these boys disrespect me? Do you think I haven’t noticed all the strange occurrences that have been happening just to get your Lan Laoshi and me alone together?”

This made them look impossibly more guilty.

“We’re sorry Wei Loashi,” Ouyang Zizhen said. “When A-Yuan told us about what happened to you both, we wanted to get you back together.”

“A-Yuan said you were so happy together, and you looked miserable when you were apart,” Lan Jingyi added.

“You weren’t very subtle about it,” Jin Ling said. “It was nauseating having to watch you two stare longingly at one another.” That awarded him an elbow in the rib from Lan Jingyi. “Ow! What? Are you going to tell me that I’m wrong?”

Wei Ying ignored them and looked at his son. “I just wanted my family back,” the boy said, and damn, if that wasn’t a shot through the heart. Apparently, Wei Ying wasn’t as immune as he thought.

He opened his arm to A-Yuan, who ran forward and enveloped him in a tight hug. Wei Ying returned it, holding on just as tightly. Lan Zhan wrapped his arms around both of them, placing a kiss on both of their foreheads. He then looked at the group of boys. “Thank you.”

The boys let out an audible sigh of relief. Wei Ying released his son and turned to them. “But never meddle with our affairs again.”

He got a chorus of “yes, Wei Laoshi!” in response. Wei Ying shook his head fondly. “Alright, should we go back to the party we all ruined?”

The boys cheered, running ahead and congratulating each other on a job well done. Lan Zhan took Wei Ying’s hand and placed a kiss on the back of it.

“I love you,” he said.

“I love you too, Lan Zhan.”

—

1 year later…

The Best Men 🤵♂️ Groupchat

Jin Ling 🙄: What time are we supposed to be there?

Wei Yuan 😇: 12

Lan Jingyi 😎: I CAN’T FIND MY TIE

Jin Ling 🙄: Chill dude

Jin Ling 🙄: I have an extra

Lan Jingyi 😎: OMG JIN LING YOU’RE THE BEST LOVE YOU 😘

Jin Ling 🙄: 😳

Ouyang Zizhen 🥰: Would you two stop flirting?

Jin Ling 🙄: ZIZHEN 😳

Lan Jingyi 😎: ZIZHEN 😳

Wei Yuan 😇: 🤭

Ouyang Zizhen 🥰: How are you feeling A-Yuan?

Wei Yuan 😇: Excited!

Wei Yuan 😇: After all, I’ve been waiting for this day since I was four.

Wei Yuan 😇: Thank you all for helping make it happen!

Ouyang Zizhen 🥰: Of course!

Jin Ling 🙄: That’s what friends are for

Wei Yuan 😇: Gotta go! My baba needs help with his hair 😅 See you all at the wedding!

Lan Jingyi 😎: Hell ya! Get ready for the wedding of the century!

—

“Is everything alright, Wei Ying?” Lan Zhan called from outside the door. He had heard his fiance’s desperate cry for help from their son and was worried.

“Everything is fine, sweetheart! No problems here at all,” Wei Ying replied with false bravado.

He looked to A-Yuan who had just arrived to assist his baba. “Hair,” was all he said before entering the room and closing the door.

Lan Zhan wished he was able to help, but his soon-to-be husband had wanted their first time seeing each other to be before they walked down the aisle. Lan Zhan thought the sentiment was sweet, but he desperately wanted to help Wei Ying get ready for their big day.

“He’ll be alright, A-Zhan,” Lan Huan said with a chuckle. “Why don’t you come to help me finish setting things up?”

The wedding followed his brother into the wedding hall and helped finish the decorations. A hum of voices came from the other side of the doors, and Lan Zhan was rushed back to his room to wait for the wedding to start.

“Lan Laoshi,” Lan Jingyi said, entering his room, “it’s time.”

Lan Zhan smiled at the boy in an attempt to hide his nerves. Both Ouyang Zizhen and Lan Jingyi led him to the hall, chattering away about nothing in an attempt to distract him. Lan Zhan had instantly agreed when Wei Ying had suggested the quartet be the groomsmen (“They were the ones that got us back together after all”). Now, he was eternally grateful to them.

They made it to the large doors where Wei Ying was standing waiting for him. Lan Zhan paused as he took the man in. He looked incredible in his dark suit, and Wei Yuan had managed to style his hair in an updo that looked messy yet beautiful. He locked eyes with his fiance, who gave him a brilliant, sunny smile.

“Like what you see?” Wei Ying teased.

“Always,” Lan Zhan replied, taking the man’s hand in his.

“Do you like it enough to marry me?” Wei Ying’s smile never faltered, confident in Lan Zhan’s answer. How different their relationship was from eleven years ago. Before there would have been doubt and fear of the unknown. Now, there is nothing but love and trust in the person standing by his side.

“Since the beginning,” Lan Zhan said against Wei Ying’s lips before kissing him soft and sweet.

“Gross,” Jin Ling commented. He was met with boos and playful punches from his friends.

“Are you ready?” Lan Huan said, peeking at them through the doors.

Wei Ying looked at him and smiled. “Couldn’t be readier.”

The doors opened and they walked forward.