Archive of Our Own ^beta

Something disturbed the wards.

It couldn't be something dangerous, else the barrier would not let it in. Still, it would be much safer for Wei Wuxian to check the perimeter. 

He didn't expect to find an injured cat. It barely crossed his borders before collapsing. 

Wei Wuxian crouched down. Its ears weakly perked up in alarm, amber eyes looking warily at Wei Wuxian.

"Hey there, little buddy…" Wei Wuxian slowly reached out, and the cat flinched back. "It's ok, it's ok… I won't hurt you." Wei Wuxian says in the most soothing voice he could muster. Wei Wuxian

The cat relaxed and tentatively rested his head on his palm. Mindful of its injuries, Wei Wuxian carefully scooped up the cat into his arms and carried it back to his cave. 

+++

"Wei Wuxian."

"Eek!" Wei Wuxian instinctively covered the cat with his wide sleeve and turned towards the entrance of the cave where Wen Qing stood. 

Wen Qing placed her hands on her hips as she noticed the bundle in Wei Wuxian's arms. "What did you do this time?" 

He rubbed his nose sheepishly and showed her the injured kitty. "I have captured the sinister creature that disturbed our wards!" 

"And you decided to bring the sinister creature into our settlement?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Qing-jie!" Wei Wuxian squawked, playfully indignant. "I can't just leave the dying kitty there! What if it died and turned into a Yaoguai?" 

"And you really don't suspect it's not a Yao already? Considering it managed to trek up the Burial Mounds and enter your wards?"

Wei Wuxian paused. That thought didn't cross his mind. "Well~ at least we know it's not resentful yet 'cause it was able to enter our wards"

Wen Qing sighed and led them to a large alcove in the cave. It was the only place in Burial Mounds completely devoid of resentment. Wei Wuxian had thoroughly purified and securely warded the space to be used as storage for food, medicine, and also the settlement's infirmary. 

There was a small and shallow pool in a corner, and the two of them washed the injured cat there. After cleaning out most of the caked blood and grime, Wei Wuxian found that the pattern of the cat's fur resembled that of a snow leopard. cute . 

Wen Qing checked its injuries, and a small crease formed on her forehead. "It has spiritual powers." 

"So it's really a Yao??" 

Wen Qing shook her head. "This quality resembles that of a meticulously bred and trained spiritual dog." 

"A spiritual cat ?" Wei Wuxian looked at the kitty with wonder. "never heard of one before. I guess now we now know they exist" 

Wen Qing was almost done patching up the kitty when Wen Ning came in carrying a small bowl of food and another for water. 

"Wei-gongzi, Jiejie," he meekly called and offered the bowl. "I-I… heard there's a cat?" 

Wen Ning's senses vastly improved since he became a sentient corpse. And unlike how the sects painted his new abilities as weapons for nefarious deeds, Wen Ning primarily used them to assist everyone in the settlement as best he could. Such a sweet boy.

Wei Wuxian flashed him a bright smile as he took the bowls. "Thanks a lot, Wen Ning!" 

He placed the bowls near the cat's head and it weakly lapped at the offered food and drink. Wen Ning's eyes softened at the sight, while Wen Qing just watched with a shuttered expression. 

"We barely have enough scraps to eat." she murmured. "We don't need another mouth to feed." 

Wei Wuxian felt a pang of guilt. But the kitty looked too vulnerable to be left on its own. "It's not like I'm keeping it! I'll let it go once it healed" 

"You better." 

+++

The cat spent the next day mostly sleeping—just waking up enough to eat food. By the second day, most of its external injuries were healed, but was still too weak to leave the bundle of rags Wen Ning made as its bed. It watched as people came and went, its gaze curious to what's beyond the alcove. 

Once or twice, it tried to crawl out of its bed, but toppled down before the third step. Wei Wuxian helped the cat back to its bed, ensuring it was tucked in comfortably, while Wen Ning placed the fresh bowls of food and water where it was easy to reach. 

Being the one who insisted on helping the kitty, it was supposedly Wei Wuxian's responsibility to take care of it. But as it turned out, healing the cat's injuries was more of Wen Qing's expertise and she didn't trust Wei Wuxian in feeding the cat regularly so that task was delegated to Wen Ning. 

(Well, Wei Wuxian always forgetting his own meals was a valid argument.) 

Nonetheless, Wei Wuxian visited the kitty often. Aside from that, he had started to tinker on his devices in another corner of his cave wherein he had a view of the cat in the alcove. 

After it finished eating, Wei Wuxian patted the cat's head and turned around to leave. But he paused when he felt claws catching the hem of his sleeve. 

He looked back and saw the cat's pleading eyes. 

"Awww~ Are you getting bored being stuck here, buddy?" he asked. Afterall, he had noticed the kitty getting more restless as the time ticked by. 

" Mrrrrroww " the cat bobbed its head, his paw (the other one that was not caught in Wei Wuxian's sleeve) pointing towards the exit of the alcove. 

Getting the message, Wei Wuxian softly chuckled. "Alright, alright, I'll take you outside." 

He picked up the cat and gingerly shifted until it laid comfortable in his arms. Then he carried it out of the alcove and out of his cave. He needed fresh air too, anyway—or at least a tiny bit better than inside his cave. 

Wei Wuxian wandered around the settlement, observing the Wens as they busied themselves with their usual chores. He greeted them with mustered cheer, and they greeted him back in varying degrees of ease. (Some were still quite intimidated by his presence—he's still working on that) 

The Wens looked curious at the creature in his arms, surely some of them recognizing the cat that had stayed in the alcove the past few days. But no one bothered to ask, most likely already used to Wei Wuxian's eccentricity. (At least they're used to Wei Wuxian now. That's progress!) 

The cat intently roamed its eyes around, as if taking to memory every minute detail of the surroundings. 

Wei Wuxian's suspicion came back to mind. 

No matter how unheard of, being a spiritual cat as it was, there was indeed a possibility that the cat was sent into the Burial Mounds to spy. 

But Wei Wuxian has already checked it for any talisman, enchantment, device, curse, or any means it may relay information to its owner. Aside from the stream of the slowly recovering spiritual energy in its body, nothing was out of the ordinary. 

Unless this cat could actually talk, no "secret" of the the Burial Mounds or whatever will be spilled to any outsider. 

Though perhaps it was just the cat's inherent intelligence making it keenly observant. Wei Wuxian just set aside the thought with that inference for the time being. 

+++

The moment A-Yuan laid his gaze on the kitty, he was instantly and utterly enamoured . His eyes sparkled and he squealed in delight as his fingers sunk into the soft tufts of fur. 

"Be gentle, A-Yuan. It was hurt and not completely okay yet" 

The boy gravely nodded and dragged his hand along the cat's fur with featherlight touches. And he was rewarded with the kitty's soft purring and nudge for more petting. 

The next hour or so found Wei Wuxian and Wen-popo leisurely chatting as they watch over A-Yuan playing with the kitty (now apparently named Cat-gongzi courtesy of the aforementioned little radish). 

The boy was sitting on the floor of his Grandmother's hut with the cat on his lap, animatedly telling Cat-gongzi about each of his toys that were accumulated after several of Lan Zhan's visits. 

A-Yuan's energy eventually flagged as his nap time came. Wei Wuxian picked up Cat-gongzi while Wen-popo tried to coax A-Yuan to sleep. The little boy pouted, still wanting to play with the kitty tho he was obviously tired already. 

Cat-gongzi squirmed until Wei Wuxian's hold loosened, and it jumped into A-Yuan's bed. He laid there on one side and tapped its paw on the bed's empty space as if inviting A-Yuan to sleep. 

"Ah, looks like Cat-gongzi also needs a nap. It's still recuperating after all!" Wei Wuxian said "How about you watch over him for the meantime?" 

"Oh! Okay, I will!" 

Wei Wuxian grinned and patted A-Yuan's head. Then he lifted the boy and tucked him to bed. The kitty wiggled its way closer to A-Yuan, and the little boy wrapped his arms around it protectively. After a few seconds, A-Yuan's already heavy eyelids finally closed and his breathing evened, already fast asleep. 

Wei Wuxian but his lip to stop himself from cooing. The sight was just too adorable ! 

When A-Yuan woke up with regained vigour, he pulled Cat-gongzi into a game that only the two of them could understand. Even during dinner, A-Yuan didn't want to be separated from the kitty yet. So Cat-gongzi joined the Wens in the dining hall and was situated beside A-Yuan. 

The little boy had only let go of Cat-gongzi after Wen Qing explained that she needed to treat the cat's injuries and sent A-Yuan to bed. 

And so, after a long afternoon outside, Wei Wuxian and Cat-gongzi were back inside the cave. 

It was still too early to sleep (even for the standards of Lan). So Wei Wuxian sat crossed-leg on the floor of his cave to tinker on the devices he was working on. From the corner of his eye, Wei Wuxian spotted Cat-gongzi perched on the makeshift desk beside him, peering down on the trinkets he was fiddling with. 

Wei Wuxian gave the kitty some pats on the head and then started giving commentary to what he was doing. He chuckled when Cat-gongzi meowed in response. It sounded as if the cat wanted to hear more of his inventions. So Wei Wuxian obliged. 

Even though Cat-gongzi may not understand a word he was saying, Wei Wuxian still prattled on. Talking somehow made Wei Wuxian's thoughts more cohesive. And hearing them out loud made it easier to pinpoint some aspects that did not coincide with each other. Of course, in the usual Wei Wuxian manner, he often went on tangents that sometimes formed entirely new ideas to test out later. But the cat's presence there helped him focus more on the current task at hand. Besides! Cat-gongzi was a very good listener! 

And that continued for hours . Until Wei Wuxian noticed Cat-gongzi's blinks were getting longer, like fighting itself to stay awake. He gave the cat a pat on the head, and it nuzzled his palm, looking like it would fall asleep there and then.  

Wei Wuxian let out an amused chuckle and stood up (setting his projects aside (in a manner of organisation only comprehensible to him). Then he scooped up the kitty into his arms and brought it back to the alcove. The cat squirmed a little and snuggled deeper into the rags when Wei Wuxian tucked it into his bed. And fell asleep after a few seconds. 

The sight made Wei Wuxian sleepy as well. So he clambered to his bed—well, it was generous to call a flat rock with threadbare blankets a bed, really—and basically passed out, not even bothering to remove his outer robes.

+++

It was dark. 

Wei Wuxian can't move. 

There was something heavy down his chest. 

Restricting. 

He can't breathe— 

Wei Wuxian jolted awake. 

Consequently dislodging the weight on his chest, and now rested on his lap. 

He looked down.

And was met with glowing amber eyes. 

Oh. 

It was Cat-gongzi. 

Who apparently sneaked his way into Wei Wuxian's loose robes. And from its mildly disgruntled look, must've been sleeping there. 

The nights were getting colder with winter fast encroaching. Wen Ning had gathered enough rags to protect it from the chill, but it seemed the cat found a warmer place to rest. 

Wei Wuxian sighed. With Cat-gongzi still in his robes, he flopped back down to his bed (this time lying down on his side). 

Wei Wuxian wrapped his arms around the cat, his fingers gently carding through its fur. "I'm not as warm as I used to be, when I had my golden core… but low body heat is better than nothing huh" he said, sounding more wistful rather than joking as he intended. "But you're very soft like and quite warm too! So it's a win-win for both of us!~"  

The kitty just snuggled impossibly closer as a response.

Wei Wuxian wished there was another layer of blanket to wrap the both of them. Even his only extra robes (unwashed and most likely marred with dirt) were somewhere he couldn't reach. 

But those thoughts quickly faded when Cat-gongzi's faint purring lulled him back to sleep 

+++

They somewhat established a routine the next days after that. 

Wei Wuxian would wake up in the middle of the day to find A-Yuan trotting around the settlement carrying an armful of Cat-gongzi. Then the cat would snuggle against the little boy during nap time and slip away when he fell asleep. And it would listen to Wei Wuxian chatter on again until it was time to slink back beside A-Yuan a few minutes before the boy woke up. 

The Wens, Wei Wuxian, and an additional kitty would eat dinner together. Afterwards, A-Yuan would pass Cat-gongzi to Wen Qing for treatment then was off to bed. Wei Wuxian would stay up for hours after dinner, working on his inventions with Cat-gongzi sitting beside him (or more like lounging on his desk—now claimed as its own spot). And when Wei Wuxian noticed the cat was falling half-asleep, he would stop for the night, tucking Cat-gongzi into the front of his robes and flopping down his bed.

During a particularly cold day, Cat-gongzi absolutely refused to leave his robes. Everyone watched amused as Wei Wuxian went around the settlement doing his tasks and helping others with the head of a fluffy cat peeking out the collar of his robes. 

+++

One afternoon, Wei Wuxian took a break from tinkering with his invention and opted to draw a portrait of someone. 

"This is Hanguang-jun, Lan Wangji. Lan Zhan, the one I keep talking about" Wei Wuxian told Cat-gongzi when he finished, aware that he had mentioned his zhiji countless times already. "Y’know~ he was here the day that we found you. You missed him for just a few hours. Of course, he can't stay here" 

The cat watched Wei Wuxian place the portrait in a small wooden box along with the portraits of Jiang Yanli, Jiang Cheng, and more portraits of Lan Zhan. He stared at his drawings for a while before he shut the lid with a forlorn sigh. 

Wei Wuxian was uncharacteristically quiet for an hour or so afterwards. Cat-gongzi just stayed by his side in companionable silence. 

+++

A week into caring for the kitty, it was well enough to trot beside Wei Wuxian and Wen Ning (with A-Yuan riding his shoulders) as they descended into Yiling. 

The market was busy. Wei Wuxian picked up Cat-gongzi and tucked the kitty into his robes. Then he held A-Yuan's hand as they left Wen Ning to sell their produce while they were off to accomplish a list of errands Wen Qing gave them. 

The next hour found Wei Wuxian bickering with the old man selling potatoes. Again .

With one hand holding the packages of medicine and food he had bought, one hand pointed the damages on the potatoes. "You should just give them to me for free!" 

When he realised:

He shouldn't have any free hand. 

Wei Wuxian gasped. "A-Yuan!" 

He dropped the potatoes and immediately searched for the toddler all along the streets. "A-Yuan! A-Yuan!" 

"Xian-gege! Xian-gege!" he heard the little boy call some distance away

Wei Wuxian stamped down his rising panic and shoved through the crowd. "A-Yuan!" 

"Xian-gege!" A-Yuan's eyes lit up when he saw Wei Wuxian. 

"A-Yuan" Wei Wuxian sagged in relief. "Aiyah, what did I say about running off on your own?" 

The boy looked chastised. "But I saw Rich-gege…" 

"Lan Zhan?" 

It was only then he noticed A-Yuan was perched on strong arms of a man—a tall, white robed cultivator that still looked so ethereal despite carrying a grimy little boy. 

Wei Wuxian's lips automatically stretched to a blinding grin. 

"Lan Zhan!!" 

"Wei Ying." Lan Zhan greeted back, the corners of his mouth infinitesimally curling up. 

"Thanks a lot for finding this little radish for me" 

"No need for thanks. He came to me" Lan Zhan replied, putting down A-Yuan who consequently clung to his leg. 

"Of course, the little traitor. Will always choose you over me" 

Already used to his dramatics, Lan Zhan only let out an amused huff (which is Lan Zhan's version of a laugh! That's definitely a win!) 

Wei Wuxian flashed him a delighted grin. "Here on a night hunt again, Lan Zhan?" 

Lan Zhan shook his head. "looking for someone." 

As if on cue, Cat-gongzi—who, in the past few minutes, was forgotten was still inside Wei Wuxian's robes—poked out its head between the folds of his collar and chirped out a greeting " mrrow!! " 

Lan Zhan's gaze dropped to the cat's head peeking out his robes, and Wei Wuxian suddenly felt flustered. 

"A-ah!! This is Cat-gongzi! Well, A-Yuan gave the name, we don't really know its name. It just stumbled into our wards and it was injured so we took care of it and it was getting cold so it started sleeping inside my robes until eventually got used to staying in there—" 

Wei Wuxian clamped his mouth shut when he noticed Lan Zhan was… 

…glaring at the cat?? 

On instinct, Wei Wuxian protectively wrapped an arm around Cat-gongzi. 

But the cat chirped again, wiggled free and jumped towards Lan Zhan who caught it in his arms with ease. 

Lan Zhan shifted to hold the cat under its front legs to lift it until they were seeing eye to eye. And proceeded to have a staring contest.

Until Cat-gongzi chirped and licked Lan Zhan's nose. 

Lan Zhan sighed and lowered the cat to hold it more securely in his arms. The cat purred and buried itself deeper against Lan Zhan's chest. 

Wei Wuxian just watched dumbstruck at the turn of events. 

When the silence stretched too much, Wei Wuxian cleared his throat. "So, you were looking for the cat?" 

"Mn. Secretly followed me on my previous night hunt" ( ‘and apparently got injured’ went unsaid) 

"He is an important part of the Lan Sect. I will return for compensation for your trouble and for thanks"

"No need!" Wei Wuxian grinned and promptly changed the topic. "So~ aside from searching for this little kitty, any other plans today?" 

Lan Zhan shook his head. "Will return straight to Cloud Recesses" 

Wei Wuxian’s grin grew impossibly brighter. "Then~ how about we ask a little bit more of your time and eat lunch with us?" 

With Wei Wuxian holding his wrist and A-Yuan clinging to his leg, they entered the restaurant they always dined in ever since they first reunited there in Yiling. 

They sat down, and A-Yuan settled on his usual spot beside Lan Zhan. 

Lan Zhan placed Cat-gongzi on his other side, but the kitty clambered on Lan Zhan's lap then transferred onto A-Yuan's lap to the little boy's delight. 

Lan Zhan ordered several bright red foods for Wei Wuxian, some bland dishes for himself and the cat, and a bowl of sweet soup for A-Yuan. 

As they waited for their meal to arrive, A-Yuan pulled a pair of toy bunnies made of cloth from his sleeves—one was red and the other blue. They looked new, probably smth Lan Zhan gave just earlier. 

Wei Wuxian's lips curled to a fond smile.

He had already talked to Lan Zhan several times about A-Yuan's growing army of toys. 

Apparently, Lan Zhan was adamant on spoiling the boy with gifts.

Wei Wuxian watched amused as Cat-gongzi attentively listened to A-Yuan's tale about the bunnies. 

A-Yuan pretended to be the blue bunny and said shyly, "I… I really like you" 

Then he pretended to be the one on the right and chirped happily "I really like you too!" 

Soon, the food arrived and A-Yuan stopped playing when Lan Zhan called. Wei Wuxian's heart felt warm seeing Lan Zhan assist A-Yuan in eating. Lan Zhan even took out his pristine handkerchief to wipe off the soup at the corner of the little boy's mouth. 

As usual, Lan Zhan kept silent while they ate. When they finished with their meal, Lan Zhan and Wei Wuxian chatted for a long while. Wei Wuxian asked for news about the world outside Burial Mounds and Lan Zhan inquired about his latest inventions. 

Wei Wuxian almost lost track of the passing minutes. He wanted to spend more time with his zhiji, but they shouldn't delay Lan Zhan too long.

They exchanged goodbyes. However, A-Yuan stubbornly clung onto Lan Zhan's leg.

"Cat-gongzi will also go?" he asked, his soft voice clearly relaying heartbreak. 

"Oh, Baobei," Wei Wuxian crouched down and gently peeled A-Yuan off Lan Zhan's leg. "Cat-gongzi is completely ok now, see? And Lan Zhan is here to accompany him back home. Isn't it good he'll be back home?" 

A-Yuan conceded, but he was still visibly sad. 

Lan Zhan also crouched down to the A-Yuan's level and placed a comforting hand on the little boy's head. "Soon, we shall return" 

+++

True to his words, Lan Zhan was back in Yiling less than a week later. 

Wei Wuxian received a message from Lan Zhan to meet at an inn, wishing to talk with him in private. 

Which was unusual… 

But Wei Wuxian could easily recognize Lan Zhan's elegant calligraphy and he trusts his zhiji. And so he came.

When he stepped into the inn's room, he found Lan Zhan there waiting for him. Along with another person he didn't expect to see.

"Zewu-jun?" his voice clearly carried his surprise.

"Wei-gongzi" Lan Xichen greeted with a bow that Wei Wuxian returned.

Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan also exchanged greetings, and his gaze lingered on Lan Zhan in silent question why he brought his brother.

It was Lan Xichen who answered. "Wei-gongzi, we are here to thank you for saving an important member of our clan." 

"A-ah!! Zewu-jun, really! There's no need!"

Lan Xichen shook his head. "This is not a small matter, Wei-gongzi. The whole of Lan Sect owes you. And it is a life debt I wish to properly repay" 

Lan Xichen pursed his lips, must be feeling he had said too much. 

"A life debt…" 

The puzzle pieces of information were slotting into place, but Wei Wuxian wanted to be certain. 

Lan Xichen's smile looked resigned. "I believe it would be easier to show you." 

A puff of smoke and Lan Xichen was gone. Instead there was a large snow leopard prowling around him. 

Another puff of smoke and his arms automatically cradled the furball that leaped into his chest. 

"Cat gongzi???" 

The cat chirped and licked the tip of Wei Wuxian's nose.

" Xiongzhang. " Both Wei Wuxian and the cat (Lan Xichen??!) flinched at Lan Zhan's stern reprimanding voice. 

The cat jumped away and in another puff of smoke, Lan Xichen reappeared in front of him. Light pink tinged the tips of Lan Xichen's ears and his smile was sheepish. "Ah, apologies. When we turn into our primal form, our simpler instincts may take reign." 

"So you're really Cat-gongzi…" 

Wei Wuxian was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that the kitty he was rambling to and tucking inside his robes was a Sect Leader—Sect Lead Lan at that—made Wei Wuxian wish the ground would open and swallow him whole.

"Yes, I am. The Lans of the main branch have the ability to shift between human form and our primal form—a snow leopard." Lan Xichen explained. "When we are heavily injured, we shift into our primal form, specifically the cub version, for being in a smaller body conserves spiritual energy and quicker to heal."

"About that… How did you end up in our wards whilst injured in the first place Zewu-jun?" 

"Ah…" Lan Xichen hesitated to answer and looked away, looking ashamed "I followed Wangji to investigate the suspicious frequency of his nighthunts near Yiling" 

At that, both Wei Wuxian and Lan Xichen looked at Lan Zhan. 

Lan Zhan looked unrepentant but his ears were bright red. 

Cute!

Wei Wuxian snickered. 

"So let me guess~ You got particularly worried when Lan Zhan trekked up the Burial Mounds and you followed." Lan Xichen grimly nodded, so Wei Wuxian continued "And~ You didn’t have permission to enter so you were subjected to my maze array and resentful creatures guarding our settlement." 

"I deeply apologise for such brashness. I thought it would have also been an opportunity to finally inspect the Burial Mounds." Lan Xichen bowed deeply. "Wangji had long requested for a formal investigation regarding your circumstances. However, none of the sects, even the Lan, were willing to risk sending out a portion of our meagre resources and manpower to a dangerous excursion at the time." 

Lan Xichen closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath in and a slow breath out. 

"Harmony is the value. Do not sow discord. Do not judge people behind their back. Uphold the value of justice .” Lan Xichen gave him a smile full of remorse. “In the face of fear, those precepts fell to disregard. We had unjustly condemned you, Wei-gongzi.” 

In the face of Lan Xichen's sincerity, Wei Wuxian was dumbfounded. 

Lan Zhan stood by his side and held Wei Wuxian's hand. "Wei Ying. Come back to Gusu with me." 

Lan Xichen nodded. "Wei-gongzi, Gusu Lan offers you and the Wen remnants refuge."

All the weight of the Twin Jade's words is making Wei Wuxian dizzy. "Wait wait… can we sit down first?" 

Lan Xichen murmured apologies and they settled around a low table, with Lan Xichen across the table but Lan Zhan was beside him. 

"So~ what does this…protection fully entail?" asked, still wary of the offer. "What's the catch?" 

Lan Xichen gave Wei Wuxian a reassuring smile. "There is a plot of land in the back hills, big enough for your settlement. Being inside Cloud Recesses subjects you to our precepts, but also implies that any aggression towards you must come through our barriers first." 

By barriers, Wei Wuxian knows Lan Xichen doesn't only mean the wards surrounding Cloud Recesses. 

Lan Xichen continued, "Nevertheless, it is far enough from the main compound for you to live a separate life from the Lan, but may access all public facilities in Cloud Recesses. Whether or not you may be permitted to formally join the Lan Sect is yet to be decided." 

It all sounded too good to be true. 

"Is this an elaborate ploy to trade my amulet? Aren't you Lans all too eager to correct me from my crooked path? Not to even mention the other sects." 

"You don't need to concern too much about the politics, Wei-gongzi. I have found a trusted ally to handle that." Lan Xichen's tone was laced with unexpected shrewdness. "In the matters of your amulet… I believe you are the only cultivator apt to wield it. I trust you aim to destroy the amulet the soonest you are able. To that, you may peruse the reading materials within the library pavilion to formulate procedures that are most efficient." 

'and would not kill you in the process' went unsaid.

If Wei Wuxian still didn't fully believe Lan Xichen was Cat-gongzi, his implications vanquished all Wei Wuxian's doubts. Even Wen Qing and Wen Ning didn't know the extent of the hazards of destroying just half of the amulet. He had never spoken of it out loud before. 

Except rambling about it to Cat-gongzi. 

And apparently, such mindless ramblings allowed Lan Xichen to be privy to more of Wei Wuxian's secrets. 

That made Wei Wuxian more apprehensive. 

Lan Xichen had completely ignored the mention of his cultivation path, not refuting the possibility of punishment if he performed demonic cultivation within Cloud Recesses. 

Ah , everything finally made sense. 

The rules binding them would also protect them. Even if Lan Xichen knew about his core, the Sect Leader was confident Wei Wuxian would have no justifiable reason to use demonic cultivation. 

Lan Xichen must be doing this to keep an eye on him and at the same time assist with the destruction of both halves of the amulet. And maybe find the chance to completely cleanse Wei Wuxian of resentment eventually.

Prudent choice. 

"You're not afraid I'll exploit such privileges to enact nefarious deeds?" Wei Wuxian pressed. 

"The Lan Sect is near enough to stop you, Yiling Laozu. " 

It was the expected answer. But the way Lan Xichen said his title sounded more like teasing , rather than a threat. As if he knew Wei Wuxian hated that name, and didn't actually believe Wei Wuxian would do any "nefarious deeds". 

Wherein, both points must be true. Cat-gongzi had witnessed his long tirade about that cringeworthy moniker. And for the latter… 

Lan Xichen was right to assume Wei Wuxian would be cautious not to jeopardise the mercy given to the Wens. Being under the Lans meant they would be safe against the other sects, but at the same time they were still basically the Lans' hostages. 

Fuck.

Wei Wuxian conceded. "I can't decide this on my own." 

Wei Wuxian brought the Twin Jades into Burial Mounds to discuss the offer with Wen Qing, Wen Ning, Shi-shu and Wen-popo—the Wens' pillars. 

Wen-popo agreed, with only the tiniest bit of trepidation. She gave her trust to Hanguang-jun's righteousness. After pressing the Lans for more information, everyone accepted the offer. They discussed the logistics further and went around the settlement to smooth out details. 

The Wens had mixed reactions to the news of moving into Cloud Recesses, but they all understood it was the best case scenario as of the moment. 

Soon, it was time for the Twin Jades to return home. 

Wei Wuxian didn't know exactly when Lan Xichen had the time to formally introduce himself to A-Yuan. But the little boy was clinging to his leg, disinclined to let go. "Rich-gege, Cat-gege. See you soon?"

Lan Xichen gave A-Yuan a fond smile and a pat on his head. "See you soon, A-Yuan." 

The interaction made Wei Wuxian let hope blossom in his chest a little more. Even just for A-Yuan's future, his freedom was a price he was willing to exchange.

+++

A fortnight later, the Twin Jades returned. They had brought carts, carriages and extra horses for transporting the Wens, along with escorting disciples Lan Zhan personally picked. 

In one carriage sat Wei Wuxian, Wen-popo, A-Yuan and Lan Zhan. 

Oh! And Lan Xichen who opted to be in the little version of his primal form (that A-Yuan called "kitty form", to Lan Xichen's amusement.) 

The aforementioned Sect Leader was comfortably nestled on A-Yuan's lap, fast asleep. The little boy eventually grew bored of petting without the responses of an awake cat, and instead redirected his attention to Lan Zhan who was sitting across from him. 

"Rich-gege, can you turn into a cat too?" 

"Mn." Lan Zhan nodded. 

"I want to see!" 

Lan Zhan hesitated for a second but in the next blink of an eye, there was a puff of smoke. 

But instead of a cat they expected, Lan Zhan was still sitting there, looking exactly as he was before. 

Except for the fluffy rounded feline ears on his head. 

A-Yuan gasped, absolutely fascinated. He raised his hand to touch, and Lan Zhan bent down to let the boy reach his ears. A-Yuan giggled when the ears flicked in response. 

Ah, Wei Wuxian's heart couldn't handle this cuteness! 

After several minutes of petting, Wen-popo spoke up, "That's enough, A-Yuan. It is time for your nap"

The boy pouted but easily relented. He settled himself more comfortably, leaning against Wen-popo's side. And within the next minute, the boy was already asleep.

In the ensuing silence, Wei Wuxian quietly observed the man beside him—who had returned to sitting with his usual perfect posture. He noted how the corners of Lan Zhan's lips curled to a small smile, and the way his golden honey eyes sparkled with fondness. 

Then, Wei Wuxian's gaze landed on the fluffy ears resting atop Lan Zhan's head. 

'I wonder if they are as soft as they look' 

Hypnotised, Wei Wuxian's left hand reached out. His fingers slowly traced the curve of his ear—a featherlight caress. 

So soft… 

Wei Wuxian slightly curled his fingers at the base of the ear, his nails lightly dragging against the flesh.

For a moment, Lan Zhan purred . 

But quickly catching himself, he went rigid. And in a beat, there was a puff of smoke and the feline ears disappeared.

Wei Wuxian pouted. "A-Yuan got to pet you but I can't?"

He lowered his hand slightly and trailed his forefinger up and down the edge of Lan Zhan's human ears. "Unfair~ I want to touch too!" 

Lan Zhan's right hand swiftly caught his wrist and pulled it away. " Wei Ying ." 

Wei Wuxian snickered. It was always so fun to tease Lan Zhan. Lan Zhan took a slow breath in and released it slowly. Then he loosened his grip around Wei Wuxian's wrist. Wei Wuxian grinned and took that chance to intertwine their fingers and place their hands on his lap. 

"But Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan~ I wanted to see your kitty form too, y'know~" Wei Wuxian playfully whined "Why didn't you?" 

"Instincts take reign." he replied, and shot a sideways glance to the cat perched A-Yuan. 'See that?' 

Wei Wuxian laughed. "Ah~ and Hanguang-Jun, a paragon of self-restraint loathes for that to happen huh~~" 

"Mn." 

"But what's so bad following your instincts for a tiny bit?~" Wei Wuxian tilted his head, genuinely curious. Before his lips stretched to an impish grin and he looked up through his eyelashes. "What?~ You'll pounce on me?"

"Shameless." Lan Zhan huffed and glared at the window to his left, giving Wei Wuxian a pretty view of Lan Zhan's human ears flushed bright red. 

Wei Wuxian wanted to bite it. 

" Ehem. " 

Their attention quickly snapped towards Wen-popo who cleared her throat. "As much as it is nice to see you young'uns get along so well~ Please don't forget there is a child here present." 

Wei Wuxian's face burned.

He had forgotten there were other people in the carriage. Wei Wuxian chuckled sheepishly and stirred away the topic to something else.

+++

Lan Qiren and several senior disciples were waiting by the entrance when they arrived. 

Lan Qiren's eyes briefly scrutinised the Wens and frowned. "Where are the rest?" 

The rest?

"All the Wens are accounted for, Shufu" Lan Xichen answered.  "Only fifty-two Wens survived the Jin's labour camp." 

An emotion flashed on Lan Qiren's face, but was gone too quickly for Wei Wuxian to decipher. Lan Qiren only nodded and the two went on their way towards the Hanshi while Lan Zhan and the senior disciples ushered him and the Wens down a separate pathway.

They were led into a wide glade. There were temporary huts there, where they would be staying in the meantime their permanent houses were being built. Some areas were also marked for future farming and raising livestock. (Of course, they weren't allowed to kill animals there. But they may trade them down in Caiyi or as sources of other products other than meat)

Even though many of the Wens were still dubious of the refuge, excitement and hope sparkled in their eyes. 

They had arrived fairly early in the morning. And the rest of the day was spent settling into their new dwellings. 

+++

By the next day, Wei Wuxian immediately threw himself into his research to destroy the Stygian Tiger amulet. 

With the amulet gone, the other sects would have less leverage against Wei Wuxian. 

Afterwards, the Lans would most likely compel him to be cleansed of resentful energy. Any and all purification would be the death of him. Literally. Eliminating the resentment glueing his broken body together. 

But that was a matter for future Wei Wuxian. He just focused on destroying his amulet the soonest possible. 

His mornings and afternoons were spent holed up in the library pavilion, devouring all the books he could manage before curfew and staying up well into the night (sometimes not even sleeping a wink) parsing through his notes and revising his procedures.

Until one night, he was disturbed by the sound of tapping against his windowsill. 

Wei Wuxian opened it to surprisingly find Cat-gon—

Lan Xichen?? 

In his kitty form perched on his windowsill. 

Lan Xichen trilled in greeting and hopped into Wei Wuxian's room. 

And in a puff of smoke, Lan Xichen returned to his human form. "Apologies, Wei-gongzi. I couldn't find time earlier to talk to you about a matter that ought to be immediately addressed." 

Wei Wuxian's stomach dropped. 

He didn't know what was the expected courtesy for this unprecedented circumstance, but Wei Wuxian ushered Lan Xichen to sit and served tea. (In truth nothing but a flimsy delaying tactic, trying to stop thinking urgent probable urgent matters that become progressively worse) 

Lan Xichen gave his thanks and took a long sip—most likely choosing his words to deliver. Then he lowered his cup and pinned Wei Wuxian with his gaze. "Destroying the amulet the soonest possible is most ideal, Wei-gongzi, but you ought to also consider your health." 

Wei Wuxian froze. 

That … was a matter Wei Wuxian didn't expect. 

"You may be under the Lans, but you are still the leader of the Wen remnants. And little A-Yuan sees you more like his father. They all still need you. Alive and well . Even Wangji is distraught seeing you like this." 

Lan Xichen's searching gaze read smth on Wei Wuxian's face that set the line between his eyebrows deeper, as if confirming an unpleasant inference. 

"There must have been some miscommunication somewhere." Lan Xichen muttered, seemingly more towards himself. 

"You are not a prisoner here, Wei-gongzi. You are not being pressured to destroy the amulet in exchange for the Wens' and your protection. It is a sincere deed of gratitude. Hence, you do not have to push yourself to rush" 

Those words sank into his heart and stirred different emotions, too conflicting for Wei Wuxian to fully understand. So Wei Wuxian fell into his knee-jerk response and laughed . "Is Sect Leader Lan actually telling me to prolong my research?" 

It sounded so wry and mocking, Wei Wuxian internally winced.

Lan Xichen patiently shook his head. "I am merely asking you to set a kinder pace for yourself, Wei-gongzi" 

"But don't you want to get rid of me the soonest possible?" 

"No." Lan Xichen easily answered with a warm smile. "Rather, I was hoping you may be interested in continuing your research and experimentations as a Talisman Master of the Lan." 

Wei Wuxian gawked at Lan Xichen, incredulous. "First, you housed a demonic cultivator," Wei Wuxian said slowly, pointing to himself, "and now you invite me to officially become a member of your sect?" 

"An inventor of your calibre would be an asset to Gusu Lan, and a benefactor to even those who are not cultivators" Lan Xichen said in earnest. 

Before he paused and then gave Wei Wuxian a teasing grin. "Tho surely more than a member of the sect, someone wants you to join the family. But that is not for me to discuss with you"

"Zewu-jun!" Wei Wuxian sputtered and hid his burning face with his hands. 

How did the conversation suddenly lead to this?! 

"I have seen you also care for Wangji in person, in addition to hearing you wax poetics about my brother at the most random of times" That statement made Wei Wuxian face impossibly redder, making Lan Xichen softly chuckle. "We still had a lot of time ahead of us, Wei-gongzi. Long enough to ponder a pleasing future. Goodnight.”

And in a puff of smoke, he turned into his kitty form and jumped off the nearest window. 

Wei Wuxian just stared at the open window, mind still reeling with—... everything . 

What the fuck just happened?

+++

The next day, Lan Zhan was sent to accompany Wei Wuxian into the library’s Forbidden Section. Wei Wuxian was awed to find books that seemed from entirely different real and dived into reading with excitement. Bouncing off ideas and spending time with Lan Zhan was an added bonus! 

On the downside however, the time spent in the library was under Lan Zhan's jurisdiction. Since it was forbidden to stay inside the forbidden section without an authorised Lan, Wei Wuxian was forced to follow Lan Zhan whenever it was time to eat or leave the day. Moreover, whenever Lan Zhan deemed it necessary for Wei Wuxian to take a short break, he would turn into his kitty form and distract Wei Wuxian until Lan Zhan considered Wei Wuxian had enough. (Of course Wei Wuxian couldn't resist Lan Zhan's power!) 

Several days later, when Wei Wuxian encountered a slump in their progress, Lan Xichen delegated the best of Lan's Talisman Masters to aid Wei Wuxian. 

With the varying ways they interacted with Wei Wuxian, Lan Xichen must've hinted them about golden core (or lack thereof) 

The Lans (Lan Zhan included) all seemed to assume it was melted by Wen Zhuliu when he was captured by Wen Chao. Wei Wuxian was already an expert in evading the topic and didn't bother saying anything about it. It's better that they found a good excuse for Wei Wuxian rather than the truth of it. Rather, he would just steer them back to their task at hand. 

Wei Wuxian begrudgingly accepted they were quite helpful. And their presence had opened up a broader range of options—the mastery of harnessing spiritual energy through sigils would no longer be an issue. 

+++

After a few months, they destroyed the amulet in the cave of the xuanwu. Where Wei Wuxian found the accursed sword and later on forged into the Stygian Tiger Amulet. Being the same place to disintegrate it back to useless chunks of metal almost sounded poetic.

All Sect Leaders witnessed the momentous occasion. Even the new Jin-zongzhu, Jin Zixuan. 

Though minimised, Wei Wuxian still used too much resentment and fell unconscious for a fortnight. The Lan healers meant well, but they cleansed too much of Wei Wuxian's resentful energy to the point that some of Wei Wuxian's old wounds reopened. Wen Qing took that opportunity to collaborate with the Lan healers to aid Wei Wuxian's permanent healing. He wouldn't have to be dependent on resentment anymore. But that required being bedridden for much longer. 

Thankfully, staying in bed wasn't as boring as he thought it would be. 

The Wen healers tending him chatted about the happenings while he was asleep. Many Wens had joined the Lan Sect as healers or gardeners of healing plants, they said, while others opted farming and/or carpentry in their settlement. 

They also teased him about the stories they heard in Caiyi. He had somehow became known to the masses as a hero who bravely fought the war without a Golden Core and protected the innocents. Wei Wuxian laughed, wondering how such rumours spread like wildfire.

A-Yuan would drop by in the afternoons, and tell him about his day. 

And apparently—Wei Wuxian belatedly became aware of—he had formally adopted ayuan whilst unconscious , and the boy was registered in the Lans' junior classes as Wei Yuan.

After several visits, A-Yuan tentatively called him Baba. Wei Wuxian literally cried! 

Lan Zhan was also often found beside Wei Wuxian during his free time. If he wasn't fussing over Wei Wuxian, he'll play his guqin for him. Whenever Wei Wuxian wasn't numb from head to toe with needles or painkillers, he joined Lan Zhan for duets. On rare occasions, Lan Zhan shifted to his kitty form to get petted by Wei Wuxian or nap inside Wei Wuxian's robes. 

Surprisingly, the talisman masters he worked with came by frequently. They talked about the concepts Wei Wuxian had mused in passing, and Wei Wuxian found himself writing down new sketches and ideas of talismans and arrays. The masters even volunteered to test the designs for Wei Wuxian. 

When Wei Wuxian had recovered enough, the talisman masters pulled him to their workshop. And from then on, Wei Wuxian spent most of his time there. To anyone who was curious, he readily explained every minute detail of his works with enthusiasm. Later on, Lan Xichen—making use of his enjoyment in talking about sigils—appointed him to mentor the youngest Lans the basics and the aspiring talisman masters advanced techniques in talisman and array making.

It was astonishing how there was never a dull moment living in Cloud Recesses. 

And the days passed swiftly by. 

+++

Lan Xichen was buried with usual paperwork when Wei Wuxian found him in the Hanshi. 

"Xichen-ge, how about I kidnap you to go on a stroll with me?~" 

And Lan Xichen, who had grown quite indulgent with him, accompanied Wei Wuxian down the path towards the back hills.

Wei Wuxian was uncharacteristically quiet as he led Lan Xichen near the edge of a small cliff. (The place where they stood gave a nice view of the Wen's settlement, which had grown into a little village.) 

It was a comfortable silence, and for a while, they basked in the tranquillity. 

"Y'know Zewu-jun~ this day, one year ago, there was an injured cat who waltzed into my wards. " Wei Wuxian said and shot him a half teasing grin. "Who turned out to be a curious Sect Leader Lan and consequently changed our lives forever " 

" Ah , one among the rare times I had acted so recklessly. But it was a change for the better, wasn't it?" Lan Xichen chuckled. "I believe there is a saying, 'curiosity can kill a cat. But satisfaction it brought back' " 

Wei Wuxian snickered. "I don't think that's how it goes, Zewu-Jun" 

He hummed "Are you satisfied with how the events turned out, Wuxian?" 

Wei Wuxian broke eye contact and instead looked fondly at the striving village below him. 

The Wens were integrating very well with the Lans. A-Yuan was one among the top performing Lan baby juniors. Wei Wuxian himself was officially a Lan Talisman Master and Hangguang-jun's intended. 

One year ago, he would never have thought any of these were possible. 

"It's more than I ever hoped for, Xichen-ge" 

Lan Xichen smiled. "Then that's what matters the most." 

× end ×