Chapter Text
Lan Wang Ji slumped down on the bed, he did expect that sizhui would find their relationship out, but just not this sooner. He closed his eyes, trying to focus on the issue at hand.
“I want you to decide…. Wei Ying or me.” Lan Sizhui has run off from home after saying that and it was ringing in his ears.
Sizhui was his son, the son he swore to protect for the rest of his life. But Wei Ying was also important to him, he was in love with Wei Ying. His smile, his words, everything. Wei Ying was his.
He opened his phone to find a text from Wei Ying…
“Lan Zhan…. I need you a lot right now please don't leave me alone 🥹❤️”
God, Lan Wangji had fucked up.
“Si-Sizhui.” Wei Ying called out. He quickly shoved the pregnancy test in his hand into his sweater.
“Don't call me that.” Sizhui was crying right now, Wei Ying’s heart ached.
“Was it fun?” He asks.
“What are you-” Wei Ying asked.
“Don't play with me, even after all of this, I still can't bring myself to hate you.” Sizhui sobbed harder and Wei Ying froze.
“You can hate me, Sizhui. You can punch me and I won't say anything. I've gone too far this time.” Wei Ying looked down with tears in his eyes.
What had he done?
He hurt Sizhui, the first person who accepted his true nature yet didn't find him repulsive.
Sizhui was his best friend, more like his brother.
How had he repaid his kindness ?
By seducing his father.
Wei Ying opened his phone and texted Lan Wangji a quick break up text before he took the memory card off his phone. He handed it to Sizhui, he got up and ran off.
Sizhui was dumbstruck, never had he seen Wei Ying being like that but he was hurt too. He always felt replaceable and his own father was more partial to his friend but not him. His father never liked his mother. His father fell in love with his best friend.
“What should I do?” He mumbled as he looked up at the sky.
“Huaisang, is there any way to leave all of this behind?” Wei Ying sobbed into Huaisang’s shoulder.
“Would you like to leave?” Nie Huaisang asked as he nodded.
“There is a way, I can help you run away to another country but after that it's all you wei Ying.” Wei Ying thought about it, his pregnancy might be a hindrance but he couldn't just stay here.
Lan Zhan, he thought bitterly. He loved that man to the ends of the earth and back. It was no secret that the man loved him too. But he has to leave now, he would forget that this ever happened but there was something that would remind him for the rest of his life. No matter, he would consider this a souvenir from another life, his joy, his savior, his harmony, his little Jingyi.
“Mama, will protect you my love.” He promised the baby growing inside him.
It's been five years since Wei Ying vanished off the face of earth. Lan Zhan was worried sick when he heard from Jiang Yanli that her shidi was missing. Lan Sizhui barged into his room with tears in his eyes asking for Wei Ying. Lan Wangji shook his head and explained that he had nothing to do with that. Lan Wangji had lost his appetite and was blaming himself for his disappearance and for his son's suffering.
If only he had courage to tell Lan Sizhui that he loved him too and that he wasn't replaceable. He swore to protect the boy when he was left in his arms, that is what Sizhui’s mother requested of him. Lan Wangji had been brave and told his family that he didn't want to marry her, she didn't deserve that life. If it wasn't for the marriage, she would've found someone who loved her. She would have been happy.
Someone who would've made her happy.
Lan Xichen was worried sick about this. His nephew has almost severed his ties with his brother and Lan Xichen was there to witness it all.
The family dinner has become much more of a formality than a gathering.
“If only that Wei Ying didn't come into Wangji's life.” His uncle glared at his food as Wangji flinched.
“He knew Wangji was married and had a son. How shameless.” He scolded as Wangji slammed his cutlery on the table.
“Uncle, I had enough.” Wangji said as he just got up and left.
“That boy!” Uncle remarked angrily.
“Wei Ying, where are you now? If you were here, would you ever forgive me.” He mumbled as he walked through a night market, he had been there with Wei Ying once.
He found a place to sit, it was a bit far from the market but he could still see it from there.
“Why is mister sad?” Lan Wangji looked down to find a kid, he had no idea how he got there.
“I just miss someone.” Lan Wangji answered as he helped the toddler sit on the bench with him.
“Like Mama?” He asked, pouting.
“Mama misses papa.” The kid explained, still pouting.
“Wouldn't your mama look for you?” He asked.
“Mama is at work.” The boy answers.
“And I don't know how to get back.” He added with a pout.
“Where do you live?” Lan Wangji felt stupid but he had to ask.
“XiongZhang.” Lan Wangji had no idea how to help the boy so he brought him home.
“Another mister.” Jingyi giggled.
“He is mister’s brother.” Lan Wangji explained as the boy nodded.
“I am Jingyi, mister's brother.” Lan Wangji smiled and Lan Xichen had Deja Vu.
“Another baba.” Lan Sizhui muttered as his eyes went wide.
“He is Baba's brother.” Lan Wangji explained as Sizhui nodded.
“Nice to meet you, I'm Lan Sizhui.” The boy imitates his father in greeting the stranger and lan Xichen smiles.
The boy had golden eyes, like his brother. But his brother's eyes were brighter but the boy's were shaded with a slight shade of silver.
“Who do you live with, Jingyi?” Lan Xichen asked the boy hoping to get a clue about the boy's whereabouts.
“I live with mama. Sometimes Ning-ge and Qing-jie visit us. Qing jie says mama is too tired and he has to stop but mama says he is not.” Jingyi says as he goes back to playing.
“I see. Your father?” Lan Xichen asked as Jingyi shook his head.
“Papa doesn't like Mama. Mama lives alone and we came here three days ago because mama had a project on behalf of Qing jie.” Jingyi says as he fiddles with the hem of his shirt.
“I'm sorry.” Lan Xichen mumbled as Jingyi pat his back.
“Yuan-ge.” Jingyi says as Lan Yuan picks him up from the ground.
“A-yi, now tell me how your house looks like.” Sizhui asked as the boy thought for a while.
“You have to fly to get to my house.” Jingyi made a woosh sound.
“Why did you come out of the house when you don't know your way around?” Sizhui scolded as the latter stuck his tongue out.
“I heard Qing jie saying that my father lives in the city. Mama said that papa will take Jingyi away from him if he knows.” Jingyi says, looking at the ground.
“Mama says I don't understand why he's crying or why he has nightmares. Mama works too hard for me. He says he's fine but I know he's not.” Jingyi was tearing up at this point.
“I want to meet papa and ask him why he hates me and mama.” Jingyi announced, confidently.
“What is your mama’s name?” Sizhui realized that they never asked his mother's (father's) name, maybe Huaisang can help.
Sizhui knew how the boy felt. But he was glad that he at least has someone who loved and cared for him.
“Wei Ying. Mama is Wei Ying.” Jingyi says as Sizhui almost dropped the boy on the ground.
Lan Xichen took the boy from his hands, Sizhui pieced things up in his mind. Lan Sizhui never expected Wei Ying to run away. He thought Wei Ying would avoid him or maybe change schools. Wei Ying ran away because he was pregnant and the boy was talking about Wei Ying all along.
This boy was his brother.
“XiongZhang, we found out where he came from.” Lan Wangji announced as lan Xichen nodded.
“I'll come with you to drop him off.” Sizhui says as Lan Wangji nods.
“Let me come with you.” Ln Xichen suggests as lan Wangji nods again.
“The password is 3110.” Jingyi supplies as Wangji types the code. Jingyi dragged Lan Sizhui inside with the rest following him behind.
“Wangji, you wait until his parent returns home.” Lan Xichen suggests as Sizhui nodded in agreement.
“I'll come by in the morning.” Sizhui says to the kid and excuses himself.
Lan Sizhui saw a familiar figure walking by when he got into the car.
Wei Ying.
His best friend who he had pushed away.
He didn't change much, he was still smiling brightly. The black choker resting on his neck and his ink black hair was held up in a ponytail with a familiar red ribbon.
“This is the only thing that my parents left me.” Wei Ying said to him when he had suggested getting a new ribbon.
“Let them talk.” Lan Xichen put a hand on his shoulder.