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It wasn't Lan Zhan’s intention to overshare in front of his long-term friend, Jin Zixuan, but Lan Zhan is not much of a drinker, a drop of alcohol and he's already making a fool out of himself, his tongue looser, his inhibitions gone, and he has a habit of saying things that he's going to regret later when he is sober; their friendship wasn't conventional, but their families were from the same social circle, and to survive the long, winded and pretentious gatherings, they found solace together, if they're going to be miserable, at least they have each other to keep company. Sometimes they don't even have to talk, Jin Zixuan is awkward, and not that great with words, Lan Zhan sympathizes with that fact and so their friendship is born, he is more than comfortable with the silence they share, that's what Lan Zhan appreciated from their unusual friendship.
They meet every other day to have dinner at a restaurant or just coffee (in Lan Zhan’s case tea), sometimes they talk about the recent books they've read, work, and family; Jin Zixuan is always eager to talk about his blossoming relationship with Jiang Fengmian's daughter, it's nice to see his friend happy, the spark in his eyes, the blush on his cheeks and that airy way he talks about her, Lan Zhan was not jealous per se, but a side of him, the one who secretly reads Nie Huaisang's romance novels recommendations craves to have that same connection with someone, but because his subpar social skills, and because people deemed him too cold, it becomes a problem; and sometimes they speak about the most unsavory things, like Jin Zixuan mending his relationship with his half-siblings.
It wasn't a secret that Jin Guangshan was a piece of crap, and his son was the first one to admit it, openly, while everyone was too busy kissing his ass and praising his arrogance just because he is wealthy. The first time Lan Zhan met Jin Zixuan he believed the young child to be just like his father, an arrogant brat, only to be proved wrong a few years later; as Jin Zixuan grew up, the need to remove himself from the towering and toxic shadow of his father grew too, he hated to be compared with him, he tried and tried not to be like his father, but the fear was still there, lingering, what if I'm just like my father? A feeling Lan Zhan too could relate to.
It wasn't until he went to college where Jin Zixuan got to meet his half-siblings, and the hardworking task of creating a bond between his estranged siblings began, to mend what his father had destroyed, maybe the bridge could be rebuilt in the ashes of the old one. Lan Zhan had yet to meet Meng Yao, Qin Su, and the teenage Mo Xuanyu, but so far, Jin Zixuan proved to be an attentive, caring brother. Jin Zixuan's company is nice, at least it eases the worries of Lan Huan, his older brother, who would fret at Lan Zhan’s lack of social skills and trouble making friends since he was a young kid, and he would worry some more since Lan Zhan moved to the Estates, fearing his precious didi was all alone in a foreign, strange place.
The eldest Jin had proved himself to be reliable, and he never pushed Lan Zhan to do things he didn't like, and they started doing business together, strengthening the ties of their family business. So that's how Lan Zhan found himself on a Friday night way past his usual bedtime leaning his whole weight on Jin Zixuan, his strong arms wound up around his friend's shoulders, the floor hasn't stopped spinning underneath his unsteady feet, he resembles a newborn deer, the lights are too bright in front of Lan Zhan, dancing in front of his eyes in a blurry mess.
Jin Zixuan carried him with effort through the set of stairs to his apartment, huffing all the way there, cursing Lan Zhan under his breath for living on the sixth floor. It takes them an unreasonable amount of time to climb the stairs to Lan Zhan’s apartment, and an even more embarrassing amount of time to retrieve the keys to said apartment from Lan Zhan’s back pocket, the touch makes the taller man giggle, something that he wouldn't allow anyone else to listen, Jin Zixuan appreciates the trust Lan Zhan offers; anyone would say the sound was strange, to see the stoic Lan Zhan giggling like a little child, but to him it's normal.
This was after all not the first time Lan Zhan showed vulnerability and openness in front of him, Zixuan appreciated it, there's something about the way Lan Zhan’s gaze softened when he spoke about his pets rabbits, his hyperfixation on classical music and just speaking about things he enjoys, it's a good thing to see him relaxed, unburdened as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders and he gets to be a normal young man, instead of someone who grew up too fast in a strict household.
After struggling with balancing Lan Zhan's dead weight with one arm and opening the door to the apartment, they finally stepped inside, it's dark, any other person would believe Lan Zhan to have a very sparse apartment, or everything to be white or muted colors, but in reality his place is decorated, paintings, bookshelves, big windows where sun could filter through, plants, fluffy carpets, and even fairy lights, and the most important thing: his rabbit hutch. It's a huge contrast between what people perceive of what Lan Zhan is and who he actually is, he too was surprised but it really reflects who he really is.
Jin Zixuan deposited his friend on the couch and moved to the kitchen to bring him a glass of water, but as soon as Zixuan disappeared, Lan Zhan got up on shaky legs and dragged his body towards the main door, trying to get out, when he comes back to the living room, Zixuan almost drops the glass as he runs in the direction of his friend, guiding him back to the couch, drunk Lan Zhan is a handful, and he's regretting his decision, Zixuan collapsed on the couch adjacent to the one Lan Zhan is currently slumped over, sighing.
It started like any other night they met, a simple dinner with his friend culminated with Lan Zhan drinking the tiniest bit of wine Jin Zixuan offered him, thinking it would help him relax after the stressful week he had at work, and the consequences were that he spilled too much about the recent source of his worries: Thanksgiving was approaching fast, and he was not ready for the questionnaire his uncle subjected both of his nephews to. If Lan Zhan hears his uncle ask again when he is going to bring a nice girl home or when he's going to settle down and give him some grandchildren, he might actually scream, but it's Lan Zhan’s fault to an extent, he hadn't exactly come out to his uncle, or even his brother, or his mom, although he has a hunch that his mother already knows something is up with him, he had tried to tell Huan-ge about his preferences, the person he trusted the most besides Jin Zixuan, but he never mustered enough courage to do it, and there's a tiny part of Lan Zhan that fears his family might reject him.
Lan Qiren was old-fashioned and it complicated things, it was against their ancient rules to be intolerant, but he could say, Lan Zhan, a 27-year-old grown man who knows what he wants and what he likes, is confused, his shufu could try to dissuade him, get in contact with a trusted matchmaker or set him some blind dates with women he has no interest in, Lan Zhan was ready to stop pretending to be someone he wasn't, at least he could expect a pride flag for Christmas courtesy of Huan-ge.
Ever since they moved to the Estates, his uncle showed no interest in the Western holidays, except for Thanksgiving, he liked the concept of the holiday and decided to celebrate it, Lan Zhan didn't care too much about the holiday, but it was nice to get together with his family; since his father's passing two years ago, things have been a little difficult, Lan Huan had to take over the family business, Shufu was still grieving the death of his brother, and his mom… the three of them had been concerned for her, she lost her partner, her husband, the person he loved the most, even if they fought as any normal couple would, Lan Zhan often thought his mother wouldn't be able to handle the heartbreak.
Lan Zhan might not always see eye to eye with his father, but there's a side of him that he's always going to miss him; he appreciates shufu's efforts to keep the family together despite everything that has been going on, Lan Zhan loves his family, he really does, it's little and maybe even dysfunctional at times and he loves them, but drunk as he is now, he is a little envious of Jin Zixuan and his relationship with Yanli-jie. There's ugly jealousy in the pit of his stomach when his friend tells him about spending Thanksgiving with Yanli-jie's family or finally introducing her to his mom, Lan Zhan wants that, he wants to introduce a special boy to his family, so Lan Huan, his mom, and shufu won't worry about him so much, he wants someone to love and cherish and envision a future together, he wants marriage and a house on the hill, and children's names…
“It's funny you know,” Jin Zixuan speaks after a long silence, huffing and looking directly at Lan Zhan, he has a higher alcohol tolerance, his cheeks are slightly flushed and his gaze is just a little unfocused, “do you remember I told you about Yanli having a younger brother?”
If he did, Lan Zhan had no idea what he was talking about, he remembered Jin Zixuan talking about Yanli-jie's didi, the moody and temperamental Jiang Cheng, whom Lan Zhan had the displeasure of meeting at one of the company's parties, the thought of having a date with that unlikable man makes him shudder. Sensing his discomfort, Zixuan waves his hand in front of him dismissively.
“Not that one, the other one, Wei Ying, he is their adopted brother, although I think he never got adopted, so go figure. Anyway, it's funny you say this today when he posted this on his Weibo,” Jin Zixuan reached for his phone in the hidden pocket inside his obnoxiously yellow blazer, he searched for something and handed the phone to Lan Zhan, who squinted at the screen, trying to focus his gaze, the post said the following:
It's Thanksgiving. Want 2 skip that long, insulting conversation about how ur still single? About how ur parents really want more grandchildren? Well, look no further! I'm the right guy.
I am a 26 y.o who lives with my annoying roommate and my little radish, with no high school degree, used 2 be a felon back in my hometown, i can play anywhere between the ages of 20 and 29 depending on if I shave. Currently working at a library (i know that doesn't sound as intimidating but it pays the bills)
If you'd like to have me as ur strictly platonic date for Thanksgiving, but have me pretend 2 be in a very long or serious relationship with you, 2 torment ur family, I'm game.
I can do the following things, at ur request:
- openly hit on other female guests while u act like u don't notice.
- start instigative discussions about politics and/or religion.
- propose 2 you in front of everyone.
- pretend 2 be really drunk as the evening goes on (I drink. A lot. too much in fact).
- Start an actual, physical fight with a family member, either inside or on the front lawn for all the neighbors to see.
(I require no pay but the free meal I will receive as a guest!)
First and foremost Lan Zhan is appalled at the disastrous spelling and writing, it makes his head hurt, he still makes mistakes every once in a while, even if he's been living in America for so many years, but that is disastrous, autocorrect exists for a good reason, secondly, what is a little radish?
“Maybe a pet, Yanli said she doesn't have that much contact with his ‘Ying-di’, not since Yu Ziyuan kicked him out of the Jiang household three years ago, they don't speak often, I've met him like a handful of times and he punched me once,” Jin Zixuan shrugged and scratched the nape of his neck, he spoke about the man with an exasperated tone, “trust me, he can be a little too much, he is irreverent, rambunctious, annoying, reckless, a little shit… I think he is perfect if you want to annoy your uptight uncle, he has an innate talent to piss basically anyone off, he is going to have a field day with your uncle, and poor Shufu's going to have a heart attack.”
Lan Zhan didn't mean to say it out loud, it could probably be a cat or something, Jin Zixuan didn't have a picture of this mysterious Wei Ying, but he figured that if Lan Zhan had a headache from reading that word vomit, it would be enough to keep his uncle off his back, his drunk addled brain thought that faking a relationship with a man just to piss his uncle off wasn't that bad of an idea, one that he might come to regret later, but he couldn't care right now.
“Yes,” Lan Zhan said with all the determination his drunken self could muster, he got up, swaying dangerously, almost giving Jin Zixuan a heart attack, “I'll send him a text right now, I want to acquire his services.”
“A-Zhan, maybe you should wait until morning? It's like 1 a.m. in the morning no one in their right mind would be awake at this ungodly hour. Hey, where are you going?” Lan Zhan walked in the direction of the front door, but before he could reach it, he stumbled and fell on the ground, he made no sound, and the man just fell unceremoniously on the carpeted floor, Jin Zixuan pinched the bridge of his nose, no one would believe him if he tell what he just saw.
“Call him,” stubbornly Lan Zhan urged from the ground, looking into the ceiling, which suddenly looked far more interesting. Jin Zixuan's eyes were wide as he stared at his friend, his short hair disheveled, sharp cheekbones flushed, pale honeyed eyes unfocused.
“Fine,” Jin Zixuan relents, rolling his eyes and reaching for his phone, he stared at Lan Zhan, who apparently had closed his eyes and could be heard snoring softly, did he really fall asleep? On the floor? The oldest Jin exhaled, typing a message for Yanli, telling her it's urgent, he peeks at the clock and winces, feeling a tug at his heart at knowing he's going to worry her for something so silly, but Lan Zhan is stubborn on a normal day, when he's drunk he is even worse.
Baby bear 💛🧸: Excuse me for the late message, A-Li, I'm sorry I woke you up, but could I have Wei Ying’s phone number?
Jin Zixuan sees the three dots appearing and disappearing, he chews on his bottom lip, anxiously waiting for her response, Lan Zhan still sleeping on the ground. The dots disappear for good before she calls him, the oldest Jin curses under his breath and picks up the phone, keeping an eye close to Lan Zhan, he doesn't want his friend to end up choking on his own vomit.
“I'm so sorry, A-Li,” Jin Zixuan starts, apologetically, thinking of ways to make it up to her. He is already thinking of sending flowers to her office, or is it going to be excessive if he covers her office with flowers?
“A-Xuan? Are you ok?” Her soft voice fills the other line and Jin Zixuan's heart soars, he clears his throat, “Is– is A-Ying ok? Have you heard from him? Is he in trouble?”
“He is fine… as far as I can tell, but I really need his number, if not, I will be the one in trouble,” he pinched the bridge of his nose, pacing around the living room, the guest slippers cushioned the sound of his anxious steps, “it's about the stupid ad he posted on social media, my friend wants to know more about it.”
Yanli-Jie kept quiet on the other side of the line, but Jin Zixuan could almost see her, the light on the bedside table would be turned on, bathing her delicate features in a yellowish shade, she would look so soft, oh how he wanted to be there with her…
“Ok, A-Xuan, I'll tell you his number, I hope he hasn't changed his phone number,” he grabbed the notepad and the pen he knew Lan Zhan kept close to the landline for that reason, Yanli told him the number, “but please…” Yanli-Jie clears her throat, he hears the rustle of sheets, “Please tell me if he is alright.”
“Of course, A-Li, I'll tell you, thanks, you really saved me, I'll call you later, ok? Sorry again for waking you up. I love you, bye.” Lan Zhan who had been dead to the world chose to wake up as soon as Jin Zixuan hung up, he stared in disbelief at his phone, realization setting in, “Did I just tell A-Li I love her?! I can't believe I told her I love her in a situation like this.”
Lan Zhan ignored him and took the piece of paper out of his hand, he still looked a little out of it, swaying dangerously but with a look of determination on his face that could only characterize Lan Zhan. The young man typed the phone number and put his phone closer to his ear, Jin Zixuan in his panic was sure Wei Ying wasn't going to answer, it was an unreasonable hour to still be awake, but it was Wei Ying, so chances were he was still awake.
“A-Sang? Please don't tell me you got arrested again." a soft, deep voice answered, echoing through the line, groaning loudly. Lan Zhan froze and opened his mouth, the words stuck in his throat, perhaps he wasn't drunk enough to do this.
That voice didn't sound like some 26-year-old guy; perhaps it was a fat man in his forties trying to scam dumb people like him because he couldn't handle the pressure from his family, but that sounded like someone younger, he checked the number again, his eyebrows knitted together, maybe it was a teenager and Lan Zhan’s going to jail for being so stupid.
“I'm not— No, I'm not ‘A-Sang’, I'm friends with Jin Zixuan? And I saw your ad–”
“You're friends with the peacock?! Eww, does he have friends?” An amused laugh could be heard from the other side, and Lan Zhan had to ignore how the sound made him feel something weird in his tummy, like a bunch of butterflies flapping their wings violently, rock music came from somewhere like this Wei Ying was in the club, “I can't believe that insufferable peacock has friends, and if you are really his friend, I feel bad for you, honestly, he's so unlikable, and holy shit, wow! I thought no one would call."
Again the voice laughed, and it might be the lack of sleep, the alcohol, or the embarrassment, but it sounded like a pleasant laugh to Lan Zhan, like he would never tire of hearing that sunny, and beautiful sound. Lan Zhan shook his head. A flush crept across his cheeks, he didn’t know the guy. He is never drinking again.
"I'm available if you want to know. I just have to find someone to take care of my little radish.”
Lan Zhan was inclined to ask what a little radish was, but he was momentarily distracted by the loud music in the background, he wasn't able to focus, his ears ringing with the noise and still repeating the sound of that airy, careless laugh, trying to remember it,
“I think it is amenable, if you have no plans available for Thanksgiving day, I would like to acquire your services,” Lan Zhan cleared his throat, swallowing, “me being a man is not an inconvenience to you?”
Lan Zhan bit his bottom lip, god he didn't want to sound that desperate. Jin Zixuan grinned, giving him a thumbs-up, coming out of his stupor.
"Is it going to piss your parents off?" asked the voice at the other end, sarcastically. His voice was soft and low, and it left Lan Zhan feeling goosebumps on his arms and a warmth spreading through his chest, the other man hummed, "Then I'm game, dude, no problem."
Lan Zhan hung up, "I didn't tell him my name," he slurred, not sure if Jin Zixuan was still in the room or even awake. He fell asleep immediately, not even bothering to take his work attire off, the world fading around him as sleep claimed him.
Unknown number: hi! mysterious man that called me last night and i hope it's not a serial killer (^-^)/, im still a little baffled that someone took that stupid ad seriously ( ￣▽￣), anyway, umm you didn't tell me your name! and i hope you don't mind, but i took the liberty to text you, does that make me a creep? at least i didn't search for information about you on weibo or Instagram, not even A-Sang can investigate people with just a nice voice like you have, gege, it's not like i do that often lol, i swear… i guess that really makes me a creep (ToT)
Unknown number: anyway, again, sorry, holy shit this message is long and i totally sound like a creepy stalker, soooo would you be up to meeting before the big day?
(*^o^)／＼(^-^*) ←that's me and you meeting! only if you want, of course, jjust to, y'know talk about the details of the agreement
( -∀・), nice now i sound like a drug dealer, ughh ignore that, anyway, be free to text me or tell me to fuck off, i deserve ir!
Unknown number: deserve ir*
Unknown number: fuck, again?? ( ; ﾟДﾟ)deserve ir*
Unknown number: it, deserve it! damn autocorrect, sorry, bye (^3^)/
Why does Lan Zhan suddenly feel like a high school teenager getting a message from his crush? And most importantly, who is this man and why is he texting him? Asking Jin Zixuan would be useless, he would probably refuse to elaborate on what his drunk self did last night, leaving him to pick up the pieces of his reckless behavior; the young Lan ran a hand through his face, now conscious enough to notice the throbbing pain behind his eyes, did he hit his head? He is not sure whether to answer the string of weird texts or ignore them and ask Zixuan for an answer.
Me: My apologies, it seems that you have the wrong number, since I don't recall calling you at all.
He blocks his phone, the longer he stares at the jumbled mess that is those texts, the worse his headache is going to be, he sighs, Lan Zhan has no recollection of how he made it to his bed; it's 12:30 p.m. on a Saturday, he winces, hearing his uncle's voice echoing in his mind, reprimanded him about his lack of restraint, so Lan Zhan moves on with his routine, he takes a shower, meditates to help with his headache, makes his bed and goes to the kitchen to put the kettle on. In the living room, slumped over the couch and covering himself with one of the pillows is Jin Zixuan, his friend is still sleeping, snoring loudly, Lan Zhan looks quizzical at him, he needs some answer, but his bunnies need his attention first.
And there it is, the dreaded ping of his phone.
Unknown number: umm, I don't think so?? ok, lemme check
Unknown number: noo? im pretty sure it's you! you were the one who saw the ad, it must be you, im dumb, gege, but not that dumb
Lan Zhan stared at the message, blinking twice, dumbfounded, he glanced between his phone and Jin Zixuan peacefully sleeping on the couch. Memories of what happened the night before flashed before his eyes, the way the text was written seemed familiar, and then he remembered, the ad, the stupid Thanksgiving ad.
Oh.
Me: You are right, my apologies. You must be Wei Ying, right? Jiang Yanli's brother.
Unknown number: that's me! you got me worried for a second, i thought i was tripping balls, anyway, are you like an old man, you type like an old man
Unknown number: i didn't mean to be rude, like there's nothing wrong with being old, i'll shut up before i say anything embarrassing.
Me: I believe it's a good idea for us to meet, Wei Ying, to be acquainted, so our deception could be more believable.
Unknown number: you type like an old man! ok, so i dont have work today or rehearsals, my friend could watch my little radish for me, i can see you at this boba tea place, i’ll send you the address! see you there, gege!
(*^o^)／＼(^-^*)
When was the last time Lan Zhan went out with someone who wasn't either his brother or Jin Zixuan? He wasn't one to go on dates, not even from work, but somehow Lan Zhan was looking forward to meeting this Wei Ying, his chaotic messages had a certain allure, and if Lan Zhan was really going to take him back home, they have to at least meet each other in person, at least to keep the façade.
After a couple of minutes, Jin Zixuan stirred and he was rubbing at his eyes tiredly, yawning, Lan Zhan couldn’t really be mad at him, after all, he was sure he had been the one pressuring his friend to get in contact with Wei Ying.
“Why did you let me do that?” Lan Zhan asked coldly and a little exasperated, giving his bunnies, Mochi and Milk, fresh spinach leaves, crossing his arms and looking expectantly at his friend.
“You're glaring at me, it's too early for you to be glaring at me,” Jin Zixuan yawned again, turning to stare at his friend, Lan Zhan didn't look mad, he had just a tiny amused spark in his golden eyes.
“It is 12:40 p.m,” He shot up from the couch, fixing his rumpled clothes and disheveled hair, he cursed under his breath as Lan Zhan went back to the kitchen and brought a cup of coffee for his friend.
“Look, A-Zhan, you looked like you could use some help, I know you've been trying to come out to your family, and I know that is scary, it feels almost like when I told my dad I wanted to meet my half-siblings, but, let me tell you something, if they don't accept you, we'll, that's their loss,” he approached Lan Zhan, knowing very well his friend wasn't a huge fan of being touched unnecessarily, but he squeezed his shoulder before letting go, and taking a sip of his coffee, “I think Wei Ying is going to be great. Before I leave, please tell that menace to call A-Li, she's worried.”
“Jin Zixuan,” Lan Zhan cleared his throat, looking as his friend left the empty cup on the sink, “Thanks. Send my regards to Jiang Yanli.”
The heavy blush dusting Jin Zixuan's entire face didn't go unnoticed by Lan Zhan, as he watched his friend go, Lan Zhan felt a little more
Lan Zhan did not spend at least 30 minutes choosing a nice outfit, being vain was against the family rules, but he also believed that first impressions were important, so Lan Zhan wanted to look decent in front of Wei Ying, a man whom he didn't have the pleasure of knowing and who supposedly was going to be his fake date for Thanksgiving dinner with his family.
In the end, Lan Zhan chose a light blue sweater with clouds he received from his brother on his birthday and a pair of white pants, the air was getting colder, it was still autumn, and orangey leaves were still decorating the sidewalks but winter was making itself known; he hoped Wei Ying got a good impression out of him.
The boba place Wei Ying picked up was a good fifteen minutes from his house, he stood outside, waiting patiently, and sent a quick text to Wei Ying to inform him he was outside, he got no answer and tried not to be too anxious. Lan Zhan watched people come and go on the sidewalk, entering the boba shop, he kept his immaculate posture, checking his phone every once in a while, as always Lan Zhan had arrived 20 minutes earlier, he debated on texting Wei Ying, so chaotic as the man was there was a high chance he forgot.
His train of thought was interrupted by a tap on his shoulder, Lan Zhan turned to address the person, and he encountered a pair of gray eyes and a sunny, warm smile that made the butterflies in his belly flap their wings with violence.
“You must be Lan Zhan, right? It's so very nice to meet you!” His smile was so wide it made his eyes crinkle until it resembled half-crescent moons. Something warm spread through Lan Zhan’s chest, making his heart thump rapidly against his ribcage, “I'm Wei Ying–”
Lan Zhan couldn’t focus on what the other man was saying, he was so captivated by this disaster of a human, Wei Ying was definitely not a man in his forties, he was slender, shorter than him, way shorter than him, sun-kissed skin, dark, inky hair slightly long barely reaching his shoulders, and kept in a small ponytail with a red scrunchie, the ponytail served no purpose because Wei Ying’s hair was too short, and Lan Zhan felt enraged at that, but also really enthralled.
He was wearing black eyeliner smudged under his eyes which made the shade of gray stand out even more; a red flannel shirt over a black tee, ripped, skinny jeans a row of earrings decorated his ears, black converse that definitely had seen better days, his nails were surprisingly black, he wore a padlock attached to a chain around his neck.
Lan Zhan watched him as he spoke, his gray eyes sparkling with mischief, chatting incessantly, his voice sounded better than on the phone, and he noticed a slight accent which made his voice even more adorable; the golden-eyed man didn't know what the other was talking about, it was like staring at a car crash, you couldn't look away, Wei Ying had soft, delicate features a button nose, full plush lips, a sharp jawline and a coquettish mole at the corner of his mouth and freckles dusting the bridge of his nose and cheeks, Lan Zhan wanted to kiss that mole–wait, what?! He was even puzzled at his thoughts; the young Lan couldn't deny it, Wei Ying was weirdly attractive.
“Gege, are you even listening to me?” Wei Ying asked with a pronounced pout, and Lan Zhan wanted to punch a wall or scream into his pillows.
“Yes, would you like to go in and order? We can further discuss this inside,” Lan Zhan’s brain short-circuits as he looks at Wei Ying going inside if he wasn't attractive enough at first glance, Lan Zhan had to make things weird and stare at his ass, the shorter man had a plump, pinchable ass, voluptuous through the tight fabric of his skinny jeans; if his uncle was there he would surely admonished Lan Zhan for being so shameless, yes! he should think of his uncle, that would keep him from popping up an erection in the middle of a busy shop, he might be a pervert but he has standards.
This is not the usual place Lan Zhan hangs out, he glances at the menu of teas and sugary drinks and he's lost, sensing his distress, Wei Ying steps in and orders for him, but Lan Zhan also has to witness the other man flirting with the cashier, the girl blushes a deep red color, suddenly shy and nervous, smiling at Wei Ying and it shouldn't make Lan Zhan so angry, he barely knows the guy, but it does, he suddenly can't stand the sight of this stupidly handsome guy flirting with that girl, so after ordering, Lan Zhan whisks the other man far from the cashier, wrapping his broad hand around Wei Ying's delicate wrist and bringing him to a table far from the crowd.
“So,” Wei Ying has a soft smile, he tucks a stray hair that escaped from his ridiculous ponytail behind his ear, drumming his fingers on top of the glossy table, “you are not an old man, thank God, it would've been difficult to explain why you're dating a 26-year-old guy, anyway, thanks for accepting going out with me, I was kind of afraid you would be a serial killer, last time I met with someone on Grindr Qing-Jie almost cut my head off, anyway tell me about you!”
Lan Zhan realized that Wei Ying spoke too much and horrified he understood that he never wanted him to stop, Lan Zhan could hear his mindless chatter without trouble, but before he could talk, the cashier shouted Wei Ying’s name and Lan Zhan was on his feet, retrieving their drinks and secretly wanting to keep Wei Ying and her apart. Lan Zhan quickly realized that he wanted his attention all to himself, he wanted those gray soulful eyes to stare at him and only him.
“Why did you post that ad? If you don't mind me asking,” Lan Zhan winced as soon as he opened his mouth, he remembered in passing how Jin Zixuan told him that Wei Ying was estranged from his adopted family, and he probably fucked up already, “you don't have to answer, Wei Ying, my apologies.”
“No, no, it's fine,” he chuckled, looking at the wall fondly, before addressing Lan Zhan across the table in front of him, his round, doe eyes fixed on the young Lan, “it was meant to be a joke, I and A-Sang posted the ad when we were hammered, I forgot to delete it afterward,” Wei Ying bit his bottom lip, stabbing the lid of his strawberry milk tea with too much force, rolling the sleeves of his plaid shirt, Lan Zhan got a peek of Wei Ying’s tattooed arms, “ok, ok I was drunk and sad because I felt alone, it's been like three years since Aunt Yu forbade me from speaking to them for bringing disgrace to her house, but you probably already know it, that damn peacock can't keep his mouth shut. I never expected anyone to take it seriously, but I guess you took it seriously, is your situation at home that bad?”
“Wei Ying should not spend Thanksgiving alone, and no, it is not a bad situation, more like–” Lan Zhan struggled to find the right words to describe his particular situation, he gestured with his hands vaguely.
“Aiyoh~ gege, you shouldn't be saying that to a stranger, did you know I have a weak heart?” Wei Ying clutched his chest dramatically, “Oh, I get, I get it, let me guess, you haven't come out to your folks, right?”
Wei Ying asked, his grin faltered for a couple of seconds, replaced by a melancholic smile, his fingers were still drumming over the table, but inched closely to Lan Zhan’s as if he wanted to reach for his hand and squeeze reassuringly, but he hesitated, toying with the plastic wrap of his straw.
“No, I–they're not bad people, but–”
“You fear they might reject you, I get it, I've been there, my broth– I mean Jiang Cheng, when I told him I was, well, that I was gay, he didn't take it that well, I should've seen it coming, it put a strained in our relationship for sure, but then little radish happen and Aunt You threatened me if I ever came close to her children, saying how much of a ban influence I am and all that.”
Even though Wei Ying made a dismissive gesture and smiled brightly, Lan Zhan could still see how much being apart from his siblings hurt, how much his brother's rejection pained him, he wouldn't know what he would do if Huan-ge reacted in the same way, he hopes he won't do anything like that.
“Jiang Yanli asked about you,” Lan Zhan supplied, feeling a strange flutter in his chest at the stunning way Wei Ying lit up at the mention of his sister, his silver suddenly went glassy and he chuckled.
“You talked with her? You're gonna love her, she's so kind and compassionate, very understanding, and she's an amazing cook! She makes the best soups, she cooks The peacock doesn't deserve someone as perfect as my A-Jie– I mean, Yanli-jie,” Wei Ying scratched the nape of his neck, looking guilty as if Lan Zhan was going to chastise him for addressing his sister so affectionately.
“I didn't speak with her, but she wants to know about you. Why don't you like Jin Zixuan? As far as I know, he is a good man,” Lan Zhan took a sip of his Oolong milk tea, the fruity, floral taste heavy on his tongue, Wei Ying didn’t know him, but he had chosen a good flavor.
“You're kidding, right?” He laughed loudly, the sound pleasant, filling the air with lightness, “he was a dumbass to A-Jie before, he used to parade around like a peacock, showing his feathers off, I guess he changed, he better treat A-Jie good, or I'll kick his ass, make sure he treats her good, eh, Lan Zhan?”
“I'll do it, for Wei Ying,” Lan Zhan answered, determined, nodding. Wei Ying squeaked, covering his mouth.
“Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan, who gave you the right to be so cute?! I want to pinch your cheeks, I didn't know you'd be a big softie. Hey! You haven't told me a single thing about you, don't think I forgot about it,” Wei Ying stabbed a finger over Lan Zhan’s chest, pouting, the golden-eyed man was about to protest and say he didn't like to be touched, but he realized he didn't matter as long as it was Wei Ying.
“There's not a lot to say, I work at my family company, I have two bunnies, I play the piano, the violin, and the guqin, it is my favorite, I have an older brother, I like to read,” Lan Zhan answered in a clipped voice with his back straight and an impassive face, “you mentioned you work at a library.”
“You have bunnies! Little Radish would actually love to meet them, he loves rabbits, it's his current favorite animal, and last month it was sloths, although he says it's not a phase, I should've known it before I read Bunnicula to him. And uhh about that, don't hate me, but I may or may not have lied, I don't work at a library, I'm an architect,” Wei Ying bit his bottom lips hard enough to draw blood, “Is there anything in particular that I have to avoid with your family? Oh, do you want me to propose to you in front of everyone?”
“No proposals, Wei Ying, that would be… too much and it's good you touched the subject,” Lan Zhan cleared his throat, the fruity taste on his mouth still heavy, “there's is… rules we have to follow, there is to be no alcohol in the house–”
“What?!? Now, that is torture. Lan Zhan, I'm not going to survive, not even a little bit?” Wei Ying pouted again, his bottom lip quivering, his big doe eyes glassy, when Lan Zhan shook his head vehemently, Wei Ying whined loudly that some people from nearby tables turned to stare at him, the other man hid his face against the table, his small body shuddering.
“There's a curfew at nine p.m., you cannot make loud noises or scream, nor run in the house, do not interrupt others–”
“Stop! Please don't continue, that is torture, are we in prison or something? Or is your family a bunch of monks?” Wei Ying chewed on the straw, still adorably pouting.
“Our family values righteousness and self-restraint, it is really important that there shouldn't be any alcohol, Wei Ying,” the young Lan tried to sound stern, but he almost choked with his own saliva at the sight of Wei Ying, his mere existence was disrupting something within him.
“I, Wei Ying promise not to bring alcohol to your house, gege,” Wei Ying raised three fingers closed to his forehead, smiling coquettishly at the other man.
They talked for a little more until Wei Ying said it was time to go, Lan Zhan offered to walk him home, but he smacked himself mentally, Lan Zhan was acting like a stalker, but he couldn't bear to part ways with Wei Ying yet, during their walk, Wei Ying lighted a cigarette and the smell of nicotine should annoy Lan Zhan, it gave him a headache, he hated with a passion when people smoked close to him, but weirdly, Lan Zhan couldn’t stop staring at him.
He couldn’t look away from the way the cigarette dangled from between Wei Ying's lips, the way his mouth curled around the filter, his slender, long fingers holding the cigarette, or the way he hollows his cheeks as he takes a long drag, Lan Zhan’s cock gives an involuntary twitch in his pants, he swallows looking away hen Wei Ying notices him staring.
Wei Ying kept yapping happily beside him, the back of their hands brushing occasionally, Lan Zhan’s ears flushed, clearing his throat.
“Isn’t this weird, I think… this is my apartment, what a strange coincidence,” Wei Ying suddenly stops in his tracks, gesturing towards the apartment complex in front of them.
“What a weird coincidence then.” Lan Zhan speaks softly, not ready to part ways with Wei Ying, feeling like a spell has been broken.
“Do you want to come up? I can introduce you to my little radish,” the younger man shrugged, pursing his lips, waiting for Lan Zhan to answer, and hoping that he would accept his invitation.
“I would like to meet your ‘little radish’,” Lan Zhan was breaking the no gossip rule, but he was way too curious to know about this pet of his.
Wei Ying beamed and invited him inside the apartment complex, it was a modest building, not exactly luxurious, but livable enough, better than his apartment building that for sure. The apartment was nice, a little on the small side, Wei Ying mentioned he lived with a roommate, he had a shelf with a few knickknacks and books on art decor and art, the place was full of plants, and the doorway that led to the laundry room had an archway of hand-painted flowers, it seems that every surface available was decorated with drawing, from crude childlike drawings to more elaborate ones.
“Wen Ning?” Wei Ying asked, leaving his worn converse in the rack at the entrance, and taking his bunny slippers, giving a pair of plain navy blue slippers to Lan Zhan, “I'm home!”
They heard little footsteps approaching them from the living room, another tall man with shoulder-length hair came rushing behind the little footsteps, it would surely give his uncle a panic attack.
“Baba!” A small voice called before a tiny child came running as fast as his chubby legs allowed it and immediately glued himself to Wei Ying's legs.
“How is my little radish? Did you cause any trouble for Ning-shushu?” Wei Ying picked up the child, cuddling him close and peppering his small cherubim face with kisses until the baby was squealing and giggling. Lan Zhan looked the scene unfold, unsure of what he should do, but seeing Wei Ying cradling this… child did things to him, his heart started beating faster, his hands were clammy and he felt a knot in his throat.
“A-Yuan is good! Best boy!” said the small child with so much proclivity, kissing Wei Ying’s face in the same effusive manner he did. The child, A-Yuan, became aware of his presence, maybe babies and children were like dogs they definitely could smell fear, he stared at Lan Zhan for a minute before he was bawling, his adorable chubby checked face scrunching, wailing at the top of his lungs.
“What is wrong, little radish? This is Lan Zhan, he is Baba's friend, I know he looks scary, but he is nice!” The child hid his face in the crook of Wei Ying’s neck, his wailing quieting down to small whimpers, he glanced at Lan Zhan shortly, hiding against his father's chest, “Lan Zhan, this is A-Yuan, my little radish, ummm, he is my son.”
Wei Ying grabbed A-Yuan's chubby hand and waved at Lan Zhan, but the baby whimpered, curling further against Wei Ying's neck. Lan Zhan wasn't sure what happened but he suddenly felt his consciousness slipping from between his fingers, his vision went black and before he knew it, he was collapsing on the wooden floor. The last thing he saw and heard was Wei Ying’s angelic face and his beautiful voice calling out his name.
Wei Ying had a son.
A son!
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