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Their route would take them past Lotus Pier; as much as Wei Wuxian loved visiting, he didn't feel quite ready to face Jiang Cheng again so soon after the truth had been exposed about his Golden Core. It had only been about half a year after all.
But it was still their best route, so they slid by at a distance instead, watching the Pier so far away that it was hard to make out the figures and their voices calling out in the market were no louder than the murmur of the waves under them. Even this far out, the waters were thick with lotus, and Wei Wuxian gave a small smile as he leaned over to run his fingers along the soft petals.
"Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan, come look at this," he said, waving his husband over. Without a word or hesitation, Lan Wangji came over to sit by his side, watching as Wei Wuxian scooped up a lotus in his palm. "Aren't they pretty? Too bad we don't have a lotus pond back home too - I miss the seeds, and the smell in summer is heavenly. Don't you think so Lan Zhan?"
"Mn," he agreed, reaching out to run his gentle fingers over the edge of the petal, brushing Wei Wuxian's hand slightly as he did so. "They are quite pretty."
That was the end of the conversation, really - Wei Wuxian kept talking but it was idle chat, and he didn't bring up the lotus again as he set the flower back on the waters. Lan Wangji watched as it floated away, nodding as they continued on their journey.
It was barely a week after they returned from their trip - an extended night hunt that was cleaning up some particularly obnoxious spirits lingering in a remote mountain town - that Wei Wuxian woke and found there was a massive hole in their back garden. Lan Wangji was there in the middle, shovel in hand and his massive sleeves tied back, the spotless white of the Lan robes still somehow maintained despite him standing deep in the mud and dirt.
"Lan Zhan!" Wei Wuxian called, unable to keep from smiling. "What are you up to?"
"Digging," Lan Wangji answered, simple and direct as he returned to his task.
"Well yes, I see that, but why? Did you lose something? Are you going to take up farming?" Wei Wuxian came down to join him in the garden, already pulling back his own sleeves, but Lan Wangji just shook his head and nudged him out of the hole. "Hey! You're not even going to let me help? I thought husbands did everything together!"
"A surprise," Lan Wangji responded, short and simple, and returned to his digging. Wei Wuxian could feel the blush rise in his cheeks despite himself.
"Oh! Well, that is exciting! What sort of surprise? Do I get any hints?" Wei Wuxian tried to weedle for more information, but Lan Wangji was resolute and silent as he kept digging. Eventually Wei Wuxian relented, knowing he would make no progress so he went instead to make them both some lunch.
Another two days of digging and weedling, and Wei Wuxian woke to his surprise; Lan Wangji stood by the new pond that he had crafted, surrounded by smooth stone and filled with lotus starts. He watched for Wei Wuxian's reaction, an actual faint expression of worry creasing his perfect brow, as Wei Wuxian was for once speechless. At that sign of actual worry, Wei Wuxian's smile returned in full force.
"Lan Zhan, this is magnificent! By next spring they will be blooming and I can make you roasted seeds!"
Lan Wangji's crease disappeared and the faintest of smiles appeared in its place. "Thank you Wei Ying."