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When Mo Ran first laid eyes on Xue Yan among the rows of young cultivators that his uncle had brought out, he knew he'd found the one. Xue Yan's eyes sparkled with an intelligence that stood out among the others even though it seemed like she was doing her best to hide behind the others. On inquiring further with his uncle, he finds out that the girl is an orphan - found abandoned by the villagers and brought to Sisheng Peak to see if she had the potential to be a cultivator (she did). The story reminds him of himself and he can't help but empathize. Even her name was one that had been given to her by Xue Zhengyong. He also discovers that Xue Yan hasn't picked a Shizun at Sisheng yet and had barely begun the process of core development. By all accounts, this kid was perfect for Mo Ran's mission.
With a comforting smile in place, Mo Ran picks her out from the others to talk - he wouldn't want to force anyone, especially not a child so young, into his guidance or into unnecessary danger. As with all Sisheng Peak customs, he'd let Xue Yan decide for herself if she wanted Mo Ran as her Shizun and if she was willing to join him on his mission.
He introduces himself to the girl once again and offers to be her Shizun if she'll accept. He also brings up going to a cultivation school with him for a mission and emphasizes that those two decisions are not connected and Xue Yan could pick one and not the other if she so wished. Xue Yan ends up agreeing to both. The girl is quiet, answering only when necessary but somehow always saying the right thing. Mo Ran has always been good with kids, has interacted with them often enough at the sect but Xue Yan's wisdom and insights are something he has never seen before.
Mo Ran takes her down to the village to celebrate her picking him as Shizun. In doing so, he discovers that the girl has a penchant for sweets - and an appetite to match if the amount she managed to consume in their short time at the village was to be trusted. Even with his fast emptying money pouch, Mo Ran can't quite bring himself to be mad when it's the first time he's seen her toothy smile all day.
Their mission will be at a cultivation school that sprung up two years ago in the Lower Cultivation world. While it wasn't particularly connected to any sect, the school seemed safe and reliable enough. It had attracted tons of children from different cities, even those deemed to not have cultivation potential by the sects - in the hopes that they could still learn something. Sisheng Peak had allowed the school to continue as it seemed to be causing no harm. That is, until rumors of missing children had started springing up. Children that used to go to the school and then one day just up and disappeared. No one had brought the news directly to Sisheng Peak, which is a suspicious sign in and of itself. Mo Ran had heard the news when he had gone down to the village. He had decided to keep an ear out for more information when he first heard the rumors floating around, and on hearing that another child had gone missing, had immediately decided to visit and get to the bottom of this. Getting permission from his uncle has been easy. Xue Zhengyong had always been a man with more kindness and empathy than anyone else Mo Ran had ever met. There was not a chance he would allow a problem to persist once it had come to his attention. Except, Mo Zongshi, renowned cultivator from Sisheng Peak can't go barging into a cultivation school with no invitation without making everyone involved look bad. Not that the Sect Leader would have cared about the sect's reputation, but Mo Ran does, and is unwilling to destroy it as long as there's another option. This is where Xue Yan comes in. Mo Ran would enroll her at the school and that gives him the perfect excuse to lurk in and around the school grounds and get to the bottom of the disappearances. Mo Ran has told the girl that they're going to the school for a sect mission and that all she has to do is to stay out of trouble and get out immediately at the first sign of anything wrong. The girl had agreed far too easily to his vague commands and warnings. The thought of using a six year old for a mission still makes Mo Ran cagey. He'd rather only have to depend on himself but that doesn't seem to be a choice here. He would prefer to not use a child so young but the secretive nature of their mission leaves him few other options. Early tomorrow, they'll head together to the school and get started on their mission.
The next morning, Mo Ran finds Xue Yan up and ready well before he is. He doesn't find it surprising, the girl has only been diligent since they've met but he can't quite help being a little miffed at being the more inept one in their dynamic. He quickly gets ready and moves to cook them both breakfast - making sure to add soy milk into Xue Yan's tray. He can't quite help but spoil his first ever disciple. And then they're off.
They travel by carriage, Mo Ran would have preferred to use his sword but flying in would have been a dead giveaway. Their cover is that Mo Ran is a commoner who wishes for his daughter to learn cultivation. So traveling by carriage is safer, just in case they're spotted. Mo Ran watches Xue Yan slowly start to doze to the steady sway of the carriage. He constructs a barrier around her to keep her warm and comfortable while she sleeps.
They reach the school by the time the sun is high up above them and Mo Ran clambers out of the carriage - glad to be out and on his feet again. He turns around to help Xue Yan out as well. The kid doesn't seem willing to always ask for help which worries Mo Ran. He understands it though, as an orphan himself, trust does not come quickly. He's noticed she doesn't deny the help Mo Ran offers either though, which is good. The school is bigger than Mo Ran expected, but also emptier. With everything he had heard about how the school would take anyone, the emptiness is surprising - and suspicious. He looks down to see Xue Yan looking at him curiously. He holds out his hand for the kid to hold.
"Come on, let's see if we can get you enrolled."
They wander around the corridors for five minutes before Mo Ran realizes he has no idea where he's going and hasn't seen an adult to ask in all this time. When he stops to consider what he should be doing, Xue Yan tugs at his hand before indicating that they should return the way they came.
"What's wrong? Did you see something down there?"
"I think it's that way"
Getting no clarification on why the girl thinks it's that way, Mo Ran just lets her lead the way. It can't hurt since he doesn't have a better plan at the moment. With Xue Yan tugging him along, they turn down multiple corridors too fast and Mo Ran walks into someone - hard.
In hindsight, maybe letting a six year old lead him along was not the smartest idea. Same six year old who is now standing against the wall with a smile on her face as if she had planned the crash. The crash that led to Mo Ran finding himself atop a stranger he knocked over.
"I'm so sorry, this is completely my fault -", Mo Ran starts as he attempts to disentangle himself from the pile of limbs and get off the stranger as soon as possible. With his hands by the side of the man's face now holding up most of his weight off, he finally chances a look at the stranger's face to shoot him an apologetic smile. His breath catches at that first glance. The man under him is beautiful. Mo Ran knows he's no scholar, he can't wax poetic words at the sight - his words have always been a giveaway of his humble origins. He's never resented it, his childhood memories with his mother are precious to him. But the sharp angular face, strong eyebrows framing golden phoenix eyes he sees below him suddenly makes him wish he could. The golden phoenix eyes that are currently staring daggers at him. He immediately rolls off the man and jumps to his feet, offering a hand to help him up that goes ignored as the man gets to his feet just as quickly as he did.
"Sorry about that, A-Yan here", Mo Ran motions at the girl, "seemed to want to rush us both down the corridor. I'm Mo Ran, by the way!" His introduction and apology go unacknowledged as the man continues to glare at Mo Ran. He's dressed in plain white robes, the collars of it going all the way up to his neck. The fitting robes cut a tall, thin figure in front of Mo Ran. He looks every bit an immortal from the legends. Mo Ran would describe him as a god, untouchable - if not for the fact that Mo Ran had just knocked him over.
They're interrupted by a short man opening the door behind Xue Yan and staring at all three of them.
"Hello"
Mo Ran jumps back into action at the appearance of this man - who actually looks like he's part of the staff this time. He pulls Xue Yan towards him and turns her around to face the man.
"I was hoping to enroll my daughter, Mo Yan, into this school, I'm sure she has high cultivation potential, sir, can you please help-"
"Of course, of course, all of you come on into my office."
"All of us?"
For the first time, Mo Ran gets to hear the voice of the man he bumped into. It's clear and firm, he's convinced he could listen to it forever. "I'm not with them"
When the principal turns around to look at him, he continues. "I'm here to apply for a job as a teacher, I'm Chu Wanning."
The principal's gaze moves from him to Mo Ran to Xue Yan. "So you're the only one with the girl then? Usually we have both parents appear for admittance, you see."
As Mo Ran flounders at the question, A-Yan runs and hugs Chu Wanning's leg. Mo Ran's jaw doesn't drop but it is a very near thing. That should have been him. Chu Wanning looks at the girl in shock as well though his face hides it better than Mo Ran's. "This is baba."
The room is silent for an entire minute as everyone processes what A-Yan just said. The principal is the first to break the silence.
"I see."
Mo Ran wonders what the man sees because he sure as hell doesn't see anything.
"So you're a family..", he looks at Mo Ran, then to A-Yan before moving his gaze up to Chu Wanning, "and you also want a job here." Chu Wanning looks like he wants to protest but A-Yan is still clinging to his leg. "You didn't have to hide this at all! We won't let familial connections affect either of your applications. Please take a seat."
Mo Ran dares not look at Chu Wanning as he does just that. Luckily, Chu Wanning does as well and A-Yan returns to his side.
An hour later, A-Yan is all set to start school tomorrow, Chu Wanning has his job, the principal is convinced they are a happy and loving family and Mo Ran is just confused.
He's not sure how this ended up the way it did but at least he's in, and apparently now has a husband and daughter. Chu Wanning had not protested during their meeting, though Mo Ran suspects that he had probably stopped because it looked like A-Yan had increased his chances of getting the job he wanted. He had attempted to hold the man's hand once during their meeting, to better sell their lie. Chu Wanning's hand felt cold and stiff in his hand and that was before Mo Ran had felt his nails dig into his own hand for trying it. He did not attempt it again.
They don't speak until they're out of the school grounds. When Mo Ran sees Chu Wanning turn away from him, he can't help but stop him. "Come home with me?"
A second is all it takes for him to realize how badly phrased that sentence was, especially after everything else they had been through today. It's too late though because Chu Wanning is already glaring at him. He hurries to backtrack, "I meant so we can discuss .. everything." He glances at A-Yan for help but the girl just shoots him a thumbs up in return. "It would also help make the principal believe our lie today if we went home together."
Chu Wanning's glare doesn't lessen but he does nod before breaking their eye contact. They walk home together in relative silence, home being a cottage Mo Ran had acquired temporarily for their mission.
When they're in and out of range of any prying passerbys, Mo Ran starts off with a "I'm sorry."
He leads both A-Yan and Chu Wanning to the dining table before going off into the kitchen to make them snacks to eat. To ease the mood. Also to hide from those piercing golden eyes but they don't need to know that.
He hears A-Yan speak up from outside the kitchen.
"So you're a teacher, baba?"
"I'm not your father."
"But you agreed to it! And you and Mo Ran baba look perfect together."
"..."
Mo Ran peeks out from the kitchen just to make sure A-Yan is still okay after that comment only to catch a glimpse of a red-faced, flustered Chu Wanning. He agrees with A-Yan, he would look good with the man. It's what he's been thinking since the minute he ran into him today though he's not quite sure why the girl is so insistent on it.
"Baba thinks so too!"
Mo Ran chokes on air at those words before rushing out of the kitchen with tea, hopefully to change the subject now. He places the tea pot and a jug of soy milk for A-Yan on the table before fleeing back into the kitchen. Thankfully there's silence except for both of them helping themselves to their drinks. He finally arranges the osmanthus cakes he had originally made for A-Yan on a plate and heads back out. Placing it at the center of the table like it's a precious peace offering, Mo Ran finally looks at Chu Wanning again.
"So, I know there was a huge miscommunication at the school today"
"Mh"
"And maybe we could stick with it since it worked out well for both of us?"
Chu Wanning stares at him in open shock before hesitantly asking, "So you want to get married?" as if the very idea was ludicrous. It was but he didn't have to say it like that.
"No, no, I meant we could keep pretending just so A-Yan can get started with school and your job is secure as well! We wouldn't want to be caught up in a lie so quickly after joini-"
"Fine."
"Fine?"
"Fine!"
"Baba!"
Mo Ran spots Chu Wanning's reddening ears at the name and hurries to push the plate of osmanthus cakes towards the both of them as a distraction. Relief hits him that not all is already lost. While a fake marriage hadn't originally been part of the plan, Mo Ran can't deny that it helps his cover. He goes to take the teapot to pour himself some tea but finds that it is still full. A quick glance at Chu Wanning's cup and he realizes that the man has helped himself to the soy milk instead. Mo Ran has to fight the urge to smile at that.
What finally cements in the crush that Mo Ran has had growing in him all day is when A-Yan reaches across the table for another cake, almost tips over her chair in the process and is only prevented from falling because Chu Wanning caught her in time. Even though the chair fell on the man's leg, he hadn't complained and just placed A-Yan back on the ground with a warning to be more careful. Mo Ran could have kissed him for it.
They have dinner together. A-Yan insists on non-spicy food today and Mo Ran acquiesces, preparing a clear white soup for all of them, even though the request surprises him. She's never had a problem with spice before even though her sweet tooth is outrageous. When A-Yan has been put to bed, the two men finally talk.
"I can't explain how grateful I am that you agreed to this."
"It's fine. I would not want to cost your daughter an opportunity. Have you considered approaching a sect instead of the school?"
"A sect?"
"Like Sisheng, I heard they take in a lot of people. Your daughter may have more than enough potential for cultivating and Sisheng would welcome her from what I know of them."
Even though he knows Chu Wanning is right, Mo Ran immediately puts on his act as a commoner, "Aiya, a sect would be too high for me and my daughter. We wouldn't dare intrude upon them."
"Nonsense, they encourage it."
"Gongzi, are you a cultivator?"
Mo Ran watches as Chu Wanning stiffens at the question. The change is barely visible, the brief flash of something that's gone too quickly for him to recognize and Chu Wanning is speaking again.
"No, I wasn't good enough to be one."
Mo Ran doesn't pry, there's a pain and truthfulness in Chu Wanning's voice that tells him that inquiring any further can only cause trouble for them all. He's wrestled with his own insecurities and limitations more times than he'd like and he can recognize it in the man before him. He swiftly changes the topic again.
"So regarding our arrangement, I think it would be better for you to move in with us, if you were willing. Just in case the school comes calling."
"Wha-"
Spotting the rising blush in Chu Wanning's face, Mo Ran holds up his hands. "We don't have to share a room or anything, just that you stay here with us, please? It would do Mo Yan good as well since her mother died."
At that, Chu Wanning deflates. He nods, another imperceptible one, but to Mo Ran it leaves his chest feeling warm. Throwing caution to the winds, he continues.
"We should also call each other by something."
"Mo Ran?"
"Yes?"
"Is that not your name, can I not call you Mo Ran?"
"Say that again."
"Mo Ran."
Mo Ran grins, his name sounds perfect on Chu Wanning's lips. He can't quite stop thinking of another way he could get him to call out his -
"Baobei"
"What are you.. shameless!"
"No? How about A-Ning?"
Chu Wanning looks away from him but that gives Mo Ran a clear view of the rising blush down the back of his neck. His high ponytail leaves his name exposed, all red and pretty for everyone to see.
"Just Wanning then?"
"Fine. I'm going to bed."
" Good night, Wanning "
Only a door slams shut in response. Mo Ran has a feeling that this is going to be his favorite mission ever.
The next morning is a rush. A hurried breakfast later, all three of them arrive barely on time to the school. Mo Ran hugs A-Yan goodbye and kisses Chu Wanning on the cheek goodbye. While A-Yan reciprocates his hug, Chu Wanning may as well be made of stone.
"Just saying goodbye", Mo Ran shrugs before backing off. A-Yan takes Chu Wanning's hand and they walk together to their respective classes. Mo Ran just watches them go from the entrance. Ever since yesterday, he's been subjected to sweet, awkward domesticity - intimidating for all of its unfamiliarity. Maybe his uncle suggesting that he should find someone for himself had not been mistimed. Though the only someone Mo Ran can now imagine by his side is the man walking ahead of him, back stiff and long hair fluttering in the light breeze.
Mo Ran stuffs his hands in his pockets before deciding to check the school premises for anything suspicious. He has both A-Yan and Chu Wanning as excuses to be lurking around now if he's found. What is a caring husband and father supposed to do except be by their side? By lunch time, he doesn't find anything that stands out but he does run into the principal again when turning corners. The man has an annoying ability of being everywhere he shouldn't be. When questioned, Mo Ran brandishes the lunch he was holding and says he was here to eat with Chu Wanning.
Which is how he ends sitting under a tree with Chu Wanning opening up the lunch he had packed.
"Why were you even on campus?"
"I was worried about A-Yan's first day and couldn't just go home, Wanning"
"I kept an eye on her, she's been good."
"You did?"
"Why aren't you eating with her?"
"It would be good for her to make friends her age during lunch. Being a father also means knowing when to back off and give your child some space.", Mo Ran shamelessly continues, "You, however"
Mo Ran watches with delight as he is rewarded with a red blush he is slowly getting addicted to appear on Chu Wanning's face.
"Don't talk nonsense."
He hands over a meatbun from his packed lunch to Wanning before grabbing one for himself. He watches as the man takes a small bite into it before dipping down to eat his own. By the time he looks back up again, there's a weird expression on Chu Wanning's face.
"Wanning?", Mo Ran exclaims in alarm as he sees the starting of tears form at the corners of his husband's eyes.
"I'm fine."
"No you're not??", Mo Ran stares as Chu Wanning as he takes another bite of the meatbun and now his eyes are red. Ignoring how that bullied face makes him feel, Mo Ran snatches the rest of the meatbun from the man's hand after finally connecting the dots.
"You can't handle spice."
"Yes I can."
Mo Ran is suddenly glad A-Yan had insisted on plain food for last night's dinner. He doesn't think he could handle this face looking up at him in his home, across their dinner table. He fishes out the leftover cakes from yesterday and offers them to Chu Wanning as a replacement for the meatbun he had snatched away.
Though looking like he was going to argue about his ability to handle spice, Chu Wanning takes the cakes from him.
Lunch after that is quiet. Lunch is peaceful. Mo Ran thinks he could do this forever.
Several weeks pass by with no changes. Mo Ran is confident he has searched every nook and cranny the school has and has found no sign of the missing children. As much as he loathes to admit, he'll just have to wait for the next one to get taken before he can pick up the trail. He gives a spiritual butterfly to Xue Yan every single day so the girl can reach him at any time to ask for help. He makes his family their (spice-devoid) meals, drops and picks them up from school everyday. He watches as Chu Wanning gets more comfortable with him, he sits less stiff around them, more willing to play with the both of them. He even tried cooking for them once though with the black tar-like substance he produced that made all three of them sick, Though the attempt had made Mo Ran more fond of the man, he will not be letting him try that again for quite some time.
In the back of his mind, there's an insistent ticking down to when all of this will inevitably end. That their family was never real and eventually they will all go their separate ways. Mo Ran does his best to ignore it.
Chu Wanning has found himself a family. He does not know how or why he agreed to them but the two have grown on him and he wonders how he's supposed to survive without them ever again. He came to the cultivation school to investigate rumors on the missing children. As a wandering cultivator, news of trouble reaches him quickly and he has never said no to trying to resolve a problem. Get in, find the children, get out. That was the plan. Yet here he is playing pretend with the sweetest girl he's ever met and his father. Chu Wanning could lie to himself and say that Mo Ran had not been a significant part of his decision process when he agreed to play a part in their family. But it would be just that, a lie. He has found that it is incredibly hard to say no to any of Mo Ran's requests, no matter how unreasonable they are. He also finds it hard to be strict and be a "good" parent to Mo Yan. He can't find it in himself to deny her anything she wants and Mo Yan has been quick to notice that. Chu Wanning has taken to bringing her sweets at the end of every school day for them to share.
Home, however, has Mo Ran in it. A whole different story. Chu Wanning keeps finding his eyes drawn to the man, as he cooks, as he cleans, as he plays with his daughter. Night after night, he lies awake with thoughts of Mo Ran in the room next to his, beside him, atop him, and in between his legs. The faster this mission is over, the faster he can leave though he dreads saying goodbye. He's sure the father-daughter duo will get on fine without him now that his school admittance is a done deal. He still hopes to convince them to try joining a sect instead. He's already checked A-Yan's core potential secretly and knows she is fully capable of developing one and being a strong cultivator someday. Sisheng would be a good place for her. He has given himself a month from now to try and convince them. By then, even if he leaves, there is no harm done. Except to his heart, but Chu Wanning has always been good at pretending that part of him does not exist.
Chu Wanning constantly worries about being a good parent to Mo Yan now that he's accepted the role. He's offered to help with any studies or difficulties Xue Yan may have but so far she has not reached out about anything. He keeps an eye out for her at school, a large part of him already seeing Mo Yan as his own to care for. This supervision is what leads him to spotting her run past his classroom one day. Alarm bells ringing, he steps out of the classroom to call to the girl but she doesn't stop. Now extremely worried, Chu Wanning takes off after her, his own appearance be damned.
For someone that is still supposedly learning how to cultivate, Mo Yan is extraordinarily fast. Chu Wanning would be impressed by her ability if he was in any other situation. As it stands, he needs to stop the girl and her strength and speed are only obstacles. He ends up chasing A-Yan down multiple flights of stairs until the girl finally stops outside a door on the lowermost floor of the school.
"A-Yan?"
"I needed the bathroom"
"..... what? There's one on your floor."
"It was flooded. Baba please"
Chu Wanning looks around trying to find a bathroom on the floor A-Yan had rushed to. He is quickly interrupted when he hears voices from another door though. Though the voices are muffled, his own cultivation allows him to hear them as clear as they were next to him.
"The boy has managed to develop a golden core. It is strong -"
Gesturing to A-Yan that she should remain silent, Chu Wanning follows the voices to stand outside the door they're coming from. He hears a child crying and immediately decides he's not going to be waiting outside any longer. It's clear he's walked in on what could very possibly be the next disappearance. He motions for A-Yan to stay outside before bursting into the room, summoning Tianwen as he does, ready to fight. He finds the principal standing, holding a young boy of about 10 years old. He's talking to two other men that Chu Wanning has never seen on the school premises tomorrow. Tianwen glows in his hand as all three men turn around to face him.
"Gege, please help me"
Just as he's about to strike, he catches a glimpse of Mo Ran at the window, a red glow around his face. He falters in shock as Mo Ran leaps in through the window and brandishes a red vine whip that looks exactly like Chu Wanning's Tianwen.
"What?"
"Mo Yan said she needed help"
"With the bathroom?? You're a cultivator?"
While Mo Ran and Chu Wanning stare at each other in shock, the men in the room try escaping. Immediately giving up on trying to make any sense of Mo Ran's presence here, Tianwen whips across and wraps itself around the principal and another man. They both scream at the pain before the principal releases the child he was holding. The boy runs out of the room and into Mo Yan's waiting form outside who hugs him and comforts him. Out of the corner of his eye, Chu Wanning sees Mo Ran round up the other man with his own holy weapon. Once all three have been bound and dragged to the center of the room, Chu Wanning uses Tianwen to question the principal.
They find out that the principal had only started the school to form golden cores in children who would not be missed. Commoners not protected by sects are easy prey. Chu Wanning listens with growing disgust as the man confesses how he's managed to dig out so many newly formed cores and sell to people so desperate for even a bit of cultivation power. Even after his confession, Tianwen continues to wrap around the man, burning, branding him as Chu Wanning struggles to reign in his temper. It doesn't seem Mo Ran's doing any better with controlling his anger and disgust when the other two men are also whimpering in pain.
"We should take them back to the sect."
"You're part of a sect?"
"Wanning, listen I can explain everything once we deal with the-"
"We have dealt with them. You have a minute to explain why I don't have to deal with you."
"I'm part of Sisheng, I came here to investigate the missing children."
"Was anything real? Is Mo Yan even your daughter?"
"She is my disciple. She will be returning with me to the sect"
Chu Wanning just stares at him in silence. There's the sting of betrayal spreading throughout his body even though, logically, he had lied too and they were never a real family. A part of him is also glad that A-Yan does get to cultivate her potential at a real sect. The thought doesn't comfort him though. It's less the betrayal than the fact that he knew from the very start that this would end, and he pretended it wasn't going to. It is ending now and he desperately doesn't want it to. Even if he's too proud to say anything to stop it.
"Are you part of a sect too?"
"No", Chu Wanning retorts shortly.
"Come back with me then."
"What?"
The sting is quickly being replaced by warmth at the offer even though Chu Wanning knows Mo Ran didn't mean it like that.
"I can come to help you take these men back."
"No, I meant -"
"And then I will be on my way again."
"Wanning-"
"Do not call me that."
"I - fine. Do you have a sword to travel back on?"
Chu Wanning stiffens. Just as he's about to back out of returning with Mo Ran at all, A-Yan comes into the room to tug at his hand. "Baba can ride with us!"
"I'm not -"
All arguments disregarded, Chu Wanning finds himself on a sword that's been widened enough to fit all three of them and the three men to take back to Sisheng Peak. He sits at the very center, limbs tucked into himself to hide his shaking. He's not quite sure how successful he is because A-Yan has cuddled up next to him. Her presence is a comfort to him, he has grown quite fond of her in their weeks together. He has not had anything close to resembling family or even company for a very long time. This month has been both comforting for giving him everything he didn't know he longed for and yet excruciating for its inevitable end.
Mo Ran makes his way from the edge of the sword to sit beside him.
"You know, I really did mean that you should come back to the sect with me. Forever."
Chu Wanning stares at him, his hands tightening their hold around himself. "I was going to ask even before I found out you were a cultivator and now -"
"Why?"
"Well, we've been a family for all this time, A-Yan would miss you, I .. would miss you."
When he makes no move to reply to that, Mo Ran continues, "Wanning"
"I would like for us to be real this time, if you'd let me."
Chu Wanning feels his breath catch. It feels unreal, like he's still waiting for the shoe to drop. Maybe Mo Ran still has something to do that requires them to pretend to be a family. There's an honesty in the man's eyes that Chu Wanning cannot deny and yet, this request, this confession makes no sense when directed at a man like him. He's not good looking, he's not good with children, he can't cook. All he's ever been good at is cultivation and fighting and Mo Ran said he had been planning to ask before he even knew about that. A-Yan grabs his arm, interrupting his spiral, tugs it out from the tight hug he had it in before placing it in Mo Ran's hand. Chu Wanning immediately feels his face heat up, despite the cold wind this high up.
"Wanning?"
Chu Wanning doesn't respond but he also doesn't pull his own hand out of Mo Ran's or A-Yan's grasp, which is as good an answer as any to both of them. They sit beside each other, a bundle of arms, as they make their way towards Sisheng Peak.