Archive of Our Own

Mo Ran puts the finishing touches of freshly plucked osmanthus petals on the perfectly molded and fragrant osmanthus cake and beams with satisfaction over the entire picnic basket.

(Expertly sliced chilled salted duck, flavorful shredded bean curd, fried shrimp cake with freshly picked water chestnuts, tiny tangyuan specially made to be easy for Shizun to swallow whole, and of course, super sweet osmanthus cake.

This will be the perfect picnic for their anniversary!

He has already picked the perfect picnic location—a hill with a blooming Crape Myrtle tree, covered in boughs of beautiful white flowers like snow.

He’s sure Shizun will love it.

And he’d like to see dumb Taixian-jun come up with something Shizun would enjoy this much!)

“What is all this?” Chu Wanning asks, coming over and blinking at the wide array of dishes arranged on the table.

“Shizun! It’s our anniversary, and I made all your favorite foods for a special picnic for two!” Mo Ran says excitedly, beaming at his beloved.

Chu Wanning flushes, folding his hands into his sleeves. “Ah. I—thank you Mo Ran. It’s very nice.”

(Once, Mo Ran would have found these words insincere, but now he knows better.

His shizun is bad with words and can’t express himself any better than this, but from the pink in his cheeks and the way he is biting his lip, he’s sure that Wanning loves it.

And that’s not all his shizun loves but won’t admit…)

Mo Ran’s mouth hooks up into a more sultry grin, and he draws closer to Chu Wanning. “Also, I thought that while we’re out there, and there’s no one else around—”

There’s a knock at the door, and an all too familiar voice calls out, “Shizun? Mo Ran? Anyone home?”

(Fuck, it’s Mengmeng.

What the hell is Mengmeng doing here right now?

Why does his cousin have the worst possible timing?)

Mo Ran’s head swivels around to glare at the offending door, but Chu Wanning has already busied himself with opening it, and of course, Xue Meng immediately flounces inside, hanging up his fancy cloak on the peg by the door.

“What are you doing here, Mengmeng?” Mo Ran asks through gritted teeth.

“I’m trying to get away from the Sisheng Peak elders shoving more matchmakers at me,” Xue Meng grumbles, sitting down at the table after bowing and formally greeting Chu Wanning. “The Mei twins helped sneak me out or I would have never gotten away.”

“I’m glad you are on such good terms with the Mei twins,” Chu Wanning says calmly, going to the kitchen and starting to brew some tea.

“I still feel like the Mei twins have a slightly different motive for helping you out there,” Mo Ran can’t help but comment.

Xue Meng frowns. “What? You think they’ll ask for a favor in return? Well, I’m sure that Taxue Palace elders are bothering them too about getting matched off, although really they should be on them about how often they’re slacking off and always running over to Sisheng Peak.”

Mo Ran just barely keeps himself from rolling his eyes.

(His cousin is as oblivious as always, oh well.

He can properly educate him some other time, his perfect picnic with Shizun is on the line here!)

“Sure, Mengmeng, but maybe you could come back later—”

“I just got here!” Xue Meng says indignantly and then immediately looks over towards Chu Wanning, walking over with the tea tray. “Shizun, you won’t let my dog of a cousin be so inhospitable as to immediately turn me out, will you?”

“…You’re always welcome here, Xue Meng,” Chu Wanning says, pouring Xue Meng some tea.

“See? One day, Shizun will actually manage to teach you manners,” Xue Meng says, reaching over the table and popping an osmanthus cake into his mouth.

Mo Ran breathes through his nose and attempts to stymie the urge to strangle his cousin.

(First of all, Shizun will be displeased.

Second of all, it will absolutely ruin their anniversary.

But—

That was the cake he made specially for Shizun!

How dare Mengmeng! )

Xue Meng’s nose wrinkles, and he chokes a bit, looking down at the cake. “Ugh, it’s so sweet! Mo Ran, you used to be so good at making cakes and stuff, what happened? How can you let Shizun eat something like this?!”

Chu Wanning coughs lightly, taking another one of the cakes over and nibbling on it. “…maybe that one is bad, but this one tastes fine? It’s very nice—Mo Ran always makes such delicious food.”

Mo Ran basks in Chu Wanning’s praise while Xue Meng turns his dubious gaze from the cakes over to Chu Wanning. “…if you say so, Shizun. Still, you wouldn’t believe the trouble we’ve been having in the kitchens lately! The elders keep saying that we don’t need to pay them more, but really, we should, or else we’re going to lose all our chefs to other sects—council meetings are the absolute worst. Shizun, are you sure you don’t want to come back? There’s always a spot for you at Sisheng Peak and on its council!”

“I’m sure,” Chu Wanning says steadily, glancing over at Mo Ran. “I am very happy here.”

“Stop trying to steal my husband away, Mengmeng,” Mo Ran quips.

Xue Meng glares at Mo Ran. “You can come too, I guess! It’s been long enough that I’m sure I can explain things—”

“We’re both very happy here,” Chu Wanning interrupts before Mo Ran can say anything. “I’m sure your parents would be very proud of you, Xue Meng, seeing you handle all these sect matters.”

Of course, Xue Meng gets teary at that but tries to deny it, and ends up eating even more of the food that Mo Ran had made for Chu Wanning while Mo Ran fumes.

(How is he supposed to get rid of his cousin now?

Mengmeng can never read a room, especially when it comes to romance.

Just look at him and the Mei twins—you would think it should be a settled matter, but nooooo, it keeps dragging on and on, just like this meal.

On the other hand, he can’t exactly disrespect the memory of Uncle Xue by stopping Xue Meng’s tearful recollections of his father either, he owes the man that much.)

“I feel like my father could have dealt with all the elders so much better than me, though,” Xue Meng sighs, rubbing his head. “He made it all look so easy…”

“Your father also had his headaches over the peak elders,” Chu Wanning advises. “Also, he had your mother to share his burdens with…”

“So, you should definitely go and complain to the Mei twins, I’m sure both of them would love to listen to everything you have to say, Mengmeng,” Mo Ran cuts in, seizing the opportunity.

Xue Meng frowns and grumbles, “Not without making fun of me, they won’t. Here is much more comfortable!”

Mo Ran grinds his teeth and glances outside then at the food on the table.

(If they don’t go soon, they’re going to miss the best part of the day.

Time to take drastic measures.)

Mo Ran stands up, placing both hands on the table. “Mengmeng, can I talk to you?”

Xue Meng stares at him, nonplussed. “We’re talking right now.”

“In private ,” Mo Ran says, emphasizing the last word before smirking at his cousin. “Unless you want me to talk about your weird crossdressing adventures with the Mei twins in front of Shizun—”

“MO RAN YOU DOG, SHUT UP, YOU PROMISED NOT TO EVER TALK ABOUT THAT,” Xue Meng fumes, standing up as well, his metaphorical feathers exploding all over the place as he stomps over, all dignity as a sect leader gone. “Why did I even bother to tell you about that?!”

“Because you were so drunk,” Mo Ran helpfully supplies, leading Xue Meng out the door of the cottage.

“You’re a terrible influence,” Xue Meng sulks. “Plying your cousin with so much alcohol and making me spill so many secrets…”

“Hey, I could have been happy knowing a little less about what you and the Mei twins get up to,” Mo Ran says, holding up his hands.

Xue Meng sniffs and turns to Mo Ran. “Fine then—what did you want to talk to me about privately anyway? It can’t be about the Mei twin shenanigans.”

“Yeah, as much as I think you should go lock that down, I don’t have time to advise you on that right now,” Mo Ran says. “I was planning on having a picnic with Shizun today, it’s our anniversary.”

“Oh, that’s why you made so much food,” Xue Meng comments. “Well that’s very nice—and you made a ton, so it’s fine if I tag along then!”

“Mengmeng, we’ve got private plans,” Mo Ran emphasizes.

Xue Meng just raises an eyebrow. “It’s a picnic, how private does it need to be—”

“We’re going to fuck outside, and it’s going to be loud and nasty,” Mo Ran says bluntly (may as well at this point). “If you really want to be around for that, Shizun isn’t going to be happy—”

Xue Meng has turned as red as a tomato at this point. “GROSS MO RAN YOU DOG.”

“Shhh! Unless you want Shizun to overhear you,” Mo Ran hisses at him, glancing over to where Chu Wanning is sending them cute inquiring glances. “I also want to surprise him with—”

“I don’t want to know ,” Xue Meng declares, backing up and flouncing away as quickly as possible. “Mei Hanxue is bad enough, talking about lewd things all the time, but you’re worse!”

“Then you should get going soon,” Mo Ran prods his cousin. “Because I’m wasting daylight, and the picnic has to happen soon or else Shizun will get shy when I press him down—”

Xue Meng slaps a silencing spell on Mo Ran and then flees into the cottage again, bowing before Chu Wanning. “Shizun, I need to take my leave now.”

“Eh?” Chu Wanning blinks in surprise at Xue Meng. “You just arrived here, Xue Meng, you’re not even going to stay for lunch?”

“No, there’s still some sect matters to take care of—maybe I’ll force the Mei Hanxue and Mei HanXue to distract the elders to finally pay off all their freeloading at Sisheng Peak—I’ll come back when it’s not your anniversary with my dog of a cousin,” Xue Meng grumbles, glaring at Mo Ran before bowing again towards Chu Wanning. “Take care of yourself, Shizun! And Mo Ran—you better take good care of Shizun! And be a little less gross!”

With those final words tossed over his shoulder, Xue Meng grabs his cloak and hurries away in nearly as much of a flurry as when he arrived.

Chu Wanning frowns as Mo Ran undoes the silencing spell on himself. “Whatever did you say to Xue Meng?”

“Oh, you heard what he said, Shizun, he has peak business to attend to!” Mo Ran says virtuously. “It takes a lot of effort to run a sect after all!”

Chu Wanning’s brow is still furrowed, so Mo Ran sidles up to him as he starts packing the picnic basket. “Shizun, if we don’t go out and eat all this soon, the food will go mushy and cold, and your disciple’s work will all go to waste! The osmanthus cakes won’t have the same texture anymore—”

“Let’s set off then,” Chu Wanning says immediately, and Mo Ran hides a grin as Chu Wanning seriously helps him lopsidedly fold a blanket and blush as he takes his arm to walk outside.

(Shizun is always so cute, no matter how long they’ve been together.

There is no one cuter or better than Shizun, and he still can’t believe that even with all the shit he’s put him through, Shizun loves him so much and wants to be with him.)

They make their way up the hill and lay out the blanket just in time for a nice breeze to blow by, making the leaves of the trees rustle.

“This is really very good,” Chu Wanning mumbles, nibbling on another osmanthus cake.

Mo Ran beams at him, propping his cheek in his hand to better gaze adoringly at Chu Wanning. “I’m just glad that Mengmeng didn’t eat everything!”

“He ran off so quickly, I hope nothing is wrong back on Sisheng Peak,” Chu Wanning says worriedly. “Normal peak business isn’t generally that urgent…I hope it’s not the barriers or that they had an accident.”

“Oh, nothing like that,” Mo Ran says, waving a hand. “He just finally realized that it was our anniversary and decided to give us some privacy.”

Chu Wanning gives Mo Ran a look. “And he slapped a silencing spell on you just for that?”

“Wellllll, I may have implied that there’s other things besides a picnic that we might get up to out here…” Mo Ran teases, putting an arm around Chu Wanning’s waist.

Chu Wanning immediately blushes beautifully, slapping Mo Ran’s hand. “Mo Ran! The impudence—”

“You love it though, Shizun~” Mo Ran says, lightly pushing Chu Wanning down onto the blanket and nosing at his neck. “Don’t you?”

Chu Wanning sputters and bites his lips, but he doesn’t make any protest as Mo Ran starts to undo the ties of his robes slowly.

(Happy anniversary to both of them, they’re both getting a sweet treat~)