Work Text:
Wen Xu sighed, rubbing his temples in frustration. He was tired of listening to his younger brother, Wen Chao, whining about his relationship problems. The urge to smack Wen Chao on the head and yell at him was almost overwhelming.
Stupid. If he was so afraid of his betrothed, why did he dare to have an affair with her maid? Wen Xu rolled his eyes as Wen Chao begged him yet again to create another cover story so he could sneak away and meet his mistress.
“Brother, please, help me!” Wen Chao pleaded, his tone pitiful.
“No,” Wen Xu said flatly, rising from his seat and walking away without a second glance.
As he left, he made a mental note to suggest to their father that the betrothal be canceled altogether.
°°°°°°
“You want to go to Gusu?” Wen Ruohan asked, his sharp gaze fixed on his eldest son.
Wen Xu nodded. He had already asked for permission.
“Why?”
“I just miss A-Cheng,” Wen Xu replied evenly. It wasn’t entirely a lie—he did miss his little nephew. It had been almost four months, and he had only seen him once during that time. Visiting Jiang Cheng seemed like the perfect reason to escape Wen Chao’s incessant whining and avoid being dragged into his brother’s messy drama.
Wen Ruohan hummed thoughtfully, his expression unreadable. “I miss him too,” he said after a pause, though his dramatic tone made Wen Xu sigh inwardly.
“Then why don’t you go to Gusu?” Wen Xu asked, tilting his head.
“Because he’s afraid of Lan Qiren,” a calm voice interjected. Wen Xu turned to see his mother entering the room, her lips curved into a faint smile.
“I am not afraid of Lan Qiren,” Wen Ruohan retorted sharply, though the defensive tone in his voice only made his wife’s smirk widen.
“Sure, sure,” she said, patting his arm dismissively before turning to Wen Xu. She placed a hand on his shoulder, her expression softening. “Please tell A-Cheng I miss him.”
Wen Xu nodded with a faint smile. “I will.”
“Before you go,” Wen Ruohan added, straightening in his chair, “take my gift for him.”
Wen Xu sighed, already imagining the extravagant and undoubtedly massive gift his father had prepared for their beloved little nephew. Wen Ruohan’s indulgence when it came to Jiang Cheng was unmatched, and Wen Xu could only hope it wouldn’t cause too much of a scene when he arrived in Gusu.
°°°°°°
Jiang Cheng knelt beside Lan Wangji, his eyes gleaming with happiness as his Zhan-gege showed him two bunnies that had just had babies.
“They’re so small!” Jiang Cheng exclaimed in awe. He reached out, wanting to hold one of the baby bunnies, but Lan Wangji gently stopped him.
“We can’t touch them yet,” Lan Wangji explained calmly. “They’re still newborns.”
Behind them, Wei Wuxian was running around, trying to catch some of the adult bunnies that had hopped away. His laughter echoed through the air, adding to the cheerful atmosphere.
Nie Huaisang sat nearby on the grass with Meng Yao, enthusiastically sharing a story about fans while Meng Yao listened patiently, nodding along.
With Jiang Yanli still in Yunmeng, the teens had taken it upon themselves to spend time with Jiang Cheng, keeping the little boy entertained and happy during her absence.
°°°°°°
“Can I name them?” Jiang Cheng asked, looking up at Lan Wangji with hopeful eyes.
“Mn,” Lan Wangji nodded.
Jiang Cheng beamed, turning his attention back to the baby bunnies, his mind already racing with potential names. As they continued talking about when he might be able to hold the baby bunnies, a voice called out in the distance.
“A-Cheng!”
Jiang Cheng turned around, his eyes widening in delight as he spotted his cousin standing nearby.
“Xu-ge!” he exclaimed excitedly, his little legs carrying him as fast as they could toward Wen Xu.
Wen Xu crouched down, arms open and ready to catch his little cousin.
Wei Wuxian, hearing Jiang Cheng’s shout, stopped chasing bunnies and looked toward Wen Xu as well. His eyes lit up mischievously, and he started running after Jiang Cheng.
“A-Cheng, whoever reaches Xu-ge first wins!” Wei Wuxian declared, grinning as he raced forward.
Hearing his brother’s challenge, Jiang Cheng pumped his little legs even faster, determination shining in his eyes. He was going to catch his cousin first, no matter what!
°°°°°°
Wei Wuxian slowed his pace, chuckling as he watched the determination on his little brother’s face. “I’m almost there, A-Cheng!” he teased, grinning playfully.
“No!” Jiang Cheng shouted, pushing his little legs to move even faster. He was determined to win against his Ying-gege.
Jiang Cheng’s smile grew wider as the distance between him and his cousin shortened. Finally, with a happy shout, he reached Wen Xu, who caught him in his arms.
“I win! A-Cheng wins!” Jiang Cheng exclaimed joyfully, wrapping his small arms around his cousin’s neck in a tight hug.
Wei Wuxian arrived shortly after, dramatically flopping onto the grass, pretending to be completely exhausted. “Wow, A-Cheng, you’re so fast! I couldn’t keep up with you,” he said with a teasing smile.
Jiang Cheng giggled at his brother’s antics, feeling proud of his victory.
°°°°°°
Lan Wangji stared blankly at the spot where Jiang Cheng had just been kneeling beside him. He was momentarily stunned when the little boy suddenly jumped up and ran off.
Meng Yao and Nie Huaisang paused their conversation when Jiang Cheng shouted the name of the Wen Sect heir. Their eyes followed the running competition between the Jiang siblings before realizing they needed to properly greet the guest.
“Greetings, Young Master Wen,” the three of them said, bowing politely.
Wen Xu almost didn’t notice them, too busy hugging his little cousin and trying to pull Wei Wuxian to his feet. Finally, he straightened, turning his attention to the group.
“Hanguang-jun, Young Master Nie,” he said, bowing to Lan Wangji and Nie Huaisang. When his eyes fell on Meng Yao, however, he hesitated, not recognizing him.
“And you are?” he asked, his tone curious.
“That’s Pretty Gege!” Jiang Cheng chimed in with a bright smile.
“Ah, so you’re the Pretty Gege A-Cheng mentioned in his letter,” Wen Xu said, his expression softening with amusement.
Meng Yao blinked in surprise, slightly taken aback. He hadn’t imagined Jiang Cheng would write about him to his family.
“His name is Meng Yao,” Wei Wuxian supplied cheerfully.
Wen Xu nodded politely. “Nice to meet you, Meng Gongzi,” he said, bowing slightly in greeting.
Meng Yao returned the gesture with a small, polite smile.
°°°°°°
“This is Snowball, this is Mooncake, and this is Supreme Butt, and—” Jiang Cheng enthusiastically introduced the bunnies one by one to his cousin.
“Supreme Butt?” Wen Xu repeated, raising an eyebrow. He knew his little cousin had a talent for giving unique names, but Supreme Butt? He had a feeling this one wasn’t Jiang Cheng’s doing.
Before Jiang Cheng could reply, Wei Wuxian grinned and leaned in. “Lan Zhan named it!” he announced gleefully.
“Huh?” Wen Xu blinked, thoroughly confused. Lan Zhan? As in Lan Wangji? The stoic Second Jade of Gusu naming a bunny Supreme Butt?
Lan Wangji, who had been sat quietly nearby, remained stone-faced, but the tips of his ears turned noticeably red.
Seeing Wen Xu’s baffled expression, Wei Wuxian burst into laughter, clearly enjoying the moment. Jiang Cheng giggled as well, though he didn’t fully understand why it was so funny.
“There’s a new baby bunny, and Zhan-gege says I can name them too!” Jiang Cheng added brightly, completely unfazed by the teasing around him.
“I see,” Wen Xu replied, deciding to let it go. The mysteries of Gusu Lan’s Second Jade could remain unsolved for now.
For the rest of the day, they stayed in the bunny field. Jiang Cheng eagerly showed his cousin how to properly hold a bunny, his little hands careful and steady. Wei Wuxian continued to tease Lan Wangji at every opportunity, each joke earning him a silent glare and deeper redness in Lan Wangji’s ears. Wen Xu eventually joined Nie Huaisang and Meng Yao in conversation, finding their lighthearted chatter surprisingly relaxing.
Meanwhile, at the gates of Cloud Recesses, Lan Qiren nearly experienced qi deviation when he saw the sheer amount of gifts Wen Xu had brought for Jiang Cheng. His sharp gaze scanned the extravagant haul, immediately recognizing Wen Ruohan’s overindulgence behind it all.
“That idiot bastard hasn’t changed one bit,” Lan Qiren muttered under his breath, pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation. With a resigned sigh, he ordered the disciples to bring the gifts inside. He already knew he would be writing a letter to Wen Lian, Wen Ruohan’s wife.
Hopefully, Lan Qiren thought grimly, she’ll smack some sense into her husband’s thick skull.
°°°°°°
“Chao-chao ge didn’t come?” Jiang Cheng asked sweetly, his curious eyes fixed on Wen Xu.
Oh, how innocent his little cousin was to still be asking about that idiot. “No, he’s busy,” Wen Xu replied with a small sigh.
Wei Wuxian, sitting nearby, leaned in and whispered conspiratorially, “Did he fight with his betrothal again?”
Wen Xu sighed deeply and nodded, his patience already wearing thin just at the thought of his brother.
The three of them were sitting in the guest room the Gusu Lan sect had prepared for Wen Xu. He planned to stay for three or four days before heading back to Qishan.
“Did Chao-chao ge get lost again?” Jiang Cheng suddenly asked, his voice full of innocent curiosity.
Wen Xu and Wei Wuxian exchanged puzzled glances. “Lost?” Wen Xu repeated.
“No. Why do you ask?”
“He got lost when we went to buy tanghulu,” Jiang Cheng replied, swinging his legs slightly as he spoke.
Wen Xu furrowed his brow, trying to recall the event. Then it dawned on him—two months ago, when Jiang Cheng visited Qishan, Wen Chao had insisted on taking the boy out to the market. That day had been suspiciously quiet after their return, and now Wen Xu was about to find out why.
“What happened, A-Cheng?” Wei Wuxian asked eagerly, his curiosity piqued.
“That day, Chao-chao ge and I went to the City,” Jiang Cheng began, his face scrunching up in concentration. “But Chao-chao ge was talking about things I didn’t understand.”
“What kind of things?” Wen Xu asked warily.
“He said something about meetings and ‘ducking’ someone,” Jiang Cheng replied.
“Ducking?” both Wen Xu and Wei Wuxian repeated, confused.
Jiang Cheng nodded earnestly. “I asked him what a duck was, but he said I’d understand when I’m an adult.”
The realization hit Wen Xu and Wei Wuxian at the same time. Their expressions turned to horror as they pieced together what Wen Chao must have actually meant. Wen Xu cursed his brother silently, while Wei Wuxian tried to stifle a laugh.
Jiang Cheng, oblivious to their reactions, continued his story. “Then we were walking, and suddenly someone grabbed Chao-chao ge’s robe and dragged him and me to the back of an empty stall.”
“What happened next?” Wei Wuxian asked, his eyes wide.
“There was a woman, and Chao-chao ge smashed her face!” Jiang Cheng said, his tone innocent but dramatic.
“Smashed her face?” Wen Xu asked, his stomach sinking.
“Mn,” Jiang Cheng nodded confidently. “He grabbed her face and smashed it with his mouth. Then they just kept doing it over and over!”
Wei Wuxian froze, and then a wheezing laugh burst out of him. He clutched his stomach and fell back onto the floor, tears streaming down his face. Wen Xu, for his part, pinched the bridge of his nose, a mix of embarrassment and irritation flooding him.
Jiang Cheng tilted his head in confusion. “What’s funny, Ying-gege?”
“Nothing, nothing,” Wei Wuxian managed between laughs. “I just... I think Chao-chao ge wasn’t smashing her face, A-Cheng. He was... uh...”
Wen Xu glared at Wei Wuxian sharply, cutting him off. “That’s enough. He doesn’t need to know.”
Wei Wuxian waved him off, still chuckling. “Fine, fine. But seriously, Xu-ge, your brother... You’ve got your hands full with that one.”
Wen Xu muttered a curse under his breath, deciding then and there that Wen Chao would pay dearly for talking and acting so inappropriately in front of Jiang Cheng.
“Then what happened next, A-Cheng?” Wei Wuxian asked, still grinning.
“He kept doing it over and over again,” Jiang Cheng replied with an innocent yet dramatic tone. “Then the lady started squirming and making noises.”
Wen Xu’s eyes widened in horror. “Squirming? Making noises?”
“Mn,” Jiang Cheng nodded, looking thoughtful. “Maybe the lady smelled Chao-chao ge’s breath and didn’t like it, but Chao-chao ge held her really tightly.”
That was all it took for Wei Wuxian to burst into laughter again, smacking the table as tears streamed down his face. Wen Xu, on the other hand, clutched his stomach, trying to contain his own laughter.
“He did it for a looooong time,” Jiang Cheng continued, a little annoyed, “and I got bored, so I tugged his robe and asked if we could buy something.”
“And what did he say?” Wen Xu managed to ask between chuckles.
Jiang Cheng frowned, crossing his arms. “He just gave me money and told me to buy by myself, so I went to buy tanghulu.”
Wei Wuxian laughed even harder, his voice echoing in the room. “So he sent you off to buy snacks while he—while he was—!” He couldn’t even finish his sentence, dissolving into laughter again.
Jiang Cheng, still oblivious to the true meaning behind their reactions, continued his story. “I waited for Chao-chao ge, but he didn’t come. Then I saw Mr. Froggy.”
“Mr. Froggy?” Wen Xu asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Mn,” Jiang Cheng confirmed, his eyes lighting up. “He was across the road, so I followed him and found a small pond. I played there while I waited.”
Meanwhile, Wen Chao had apparently noticed that Jiang Cheng was missing. He went into a panic, frantically searching for his little cousin. In his mind, he could already imagine the wrath of his family—especially his father—if they found out he had lost their precious A-Cheng. His father would likely feed him to his pet snake.
Jiang Cheng continued his story, “Chao-chao ge finally found me and yelled at me, but I told him it was his fault for not coming back.”
Wen Xu groaned and rubbed his temples. “That idiot... I can’t believe he left you alone for that long. And frogs, A-Cheng? Really?”
Wei Wuxian, still trying to catch his breath, teased, “Well, it seems like Chao-chao ge lost A-Cheng and his dignity that day.”
Jiang Cheng looked confused but didn’t question it. He was just happy to have told his story. Wen Xu, however, silently vowed to have a very serious conversation with Wen Chao when he returned to Qishan.
°°°°°°
“Chao-chao ge smelled bad, and his neck had a lot of mosquito bites,” Jiang Cheng added with a scrunched-up nose, clearly unimpressed.
The room fell silent for a moment before exploding with laughter. Wei Wuxian rolled on the floor, clutching his sides, while Wen Xu shook his head, laughing so hard he had to wipe tears from his eyes.
“I can’t—! Mosquito bites—!” Wei Wuxian wheezed, smacking the floor.
“Serves him right,” Wen Xu muttered through his laughter. “That’s what he gets for being so careless.”
Jiang Cheng tilted his head, looking at the two in confusion. “Why are you laughing? It’s true!”
His serious tone only made them laugh harder, and the night ended with the sound of their laughter echoing through the guest room