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Wei Ying knows damn well just how awkward this dinner is about to be.
He's standing outside his parents' front door, hand tucked in Lan Zhan's. It's his birthday, and rather than go out to party with his friends like he normally would, he's here. Standing outside his parents' front door with a gift for them hidden under his shirt and an avocado in his jacket pocket. He shivers for a second in the October chill, and squeezes Lan Zhan's hand.
He groans. "They're going to disown me."
"They're going to do no such thing. Your parents love you."
"Baba was furious when I told him how old you are…"
"Your father is right to be concerned."
Wei Ying's gaze slides over, something wicked and teasing in it. "Oh? Are you admitting to have nefarious intent towards me?"
Lan Zhan just lifts a brow in question. "Any nefarious intent has already been satisfied."
Wei Ying starts laughing. "I suppose it has!"
Indeed, Wei Ying supposes that when he becomes a father, he would show similar concern once his little one starts dating. Thinking on it, he's not even sure he'd allow the age-gap that he and Lan Zhan share. Lan Zhan is 36 right now. Wei Ying? Wei Ying is 22. As of today.
Wei Ying is also 4 months pregnant with Lan Zhan's child. His gift to his parents is his announcement to them and he is terrified. Less so about his mom. She's eccentric and she's never truly given him reason to not trust in her. His father? He shouldn't! His father was protective before Wei Ying's transition, and became even more protective after it.
Wei Ying groans, and sighs. "Well… Nothing will change the longer we stand here."
He lifts a hand to the door, knocking a few feeble times. Hardly three seconds pass before the door swings open, revealing Wei Changze and Cangse Sanren.
Wei Changze looks as though he's been readying for a fight. (Great.) Cangse Sanren just smiles widely, her son's smile, and steps aside after shoving her husband back.
"A-Ying! And you must be Lan Zhan! Come in, come in."
Taking off their shoes is quick work, and no sooner does Wei Ying take one more step than Cangse Sanren pulls him in to wrap him in a hug. Thank god her arms don't wrap around where he has their gift hidden.
"Ahh, my A-Ying. Happy birthday, Sweetie! I missed you so much! Why don't you call?!"
Wei Ying rolls his eyes before stepping back. "I'm a grad student now, Mama, I'm busy." Besides, as long as things don't completely blow up, he'll have his mother at his side for the next 5 months anyway. Or more!
Cangse Sanren narrows her eyes, squinting at Wei Ying like she's trying to find an answer, and he feels a nervousness trickle down his spine. "You have time for Lan Zhan! —Lan Zhan, darling!" Her attention is off Wei Ying in a split second, and she turns her dazzling smile to Wei Ying's boyfriend. "It's so nice to finally meet you! A-Ying just simply gushes over you. If I'd have thought to, I'd have saved notes from our conversations to relay to you, just to embarrass him."
"Mom." Wei Ying pulls a hand down his Now Very Warm Face.
"So, Lan Zhan!" Wei Changze calls, slamming a hand on Lan Zhan's shoulder.
Wei Ying is mortified.
"Why don't you join me in the—"
"Dinner's ready, Darling," Cangse Sanren announces, innocent glee on her face. "A-Ying, why don't you take A-Zhan with you to the dining table? A-Zhan, dear, what to drink?"
"Water will suffice, thank you," Lan Zhan nods.
"A-Ying, wine?"
Ohh. Oh, as much as Wei Ying wants wine, anything that might help calm his nerves, wine probably isn't a doctor-approved pregnancy beverage.
"Ahh, actually, water, please. I have a headache."
Both of his parents stare in confusion, looking between Wei Ying and each other. He prays to every star in the sky that they don't immediately guess the why. It's not like Wei Ying's ever turned down an alcoholic beverage before. To do so is… strange.
"For your birthday? Suit yourself," says Cangse Sanren, shrugging, and she turns into the kitchen as Wei Ying quickly leads Lan Zhan to the dining room.
"Everything… okay, so far?" he asks Lan Zhan, once they're situated. Thankfully, his mother has his father distracted in the kitchen, which gives them a moment to collect themselves.
Wei Ying, at least. Lan Zhan still looks as composed as ever. Wei Ying is pretty sure he remains as unbothered as a Buddha in Nirvana.
"I am well. Are you?"
"Ha, of course I am! I dunno why I've been worrying."
Lie lie lie lie lie. He's a terrible liar but it's all that gets him to remember to take his next breath. Gaslighting himself is fine, right?
Lan Zhan knows, though. Of course he does, and bless him: he doesn't answer to Wei Ying's nonsense, but he does take Wei Ying's hand to give it a gentle squeeze. "All will be well."
Wei Ying nods shortly, and spends the next moment trying to center himself. He reaches up under his shirt to untuck his parents' gift from the waist of his jeans. Its wrapping paper ("Happy Birthday!" patterned all over) remains untorn. Which is excellent. He sets it on the empty chair on his opposite side, and then pulls the avocado out to set on top of it.
He takes a deep breath. He can't remember being this nervous. He certainly wasn't this nervous when they were telling Lan Qiren last week.
Then again, Wei Ying delights in giving the man a blood pressure spike every so often.
"A-Ying! Will you come here a moment?"
Wei Ying looks up towards the kitchen, and sighs. "Probably gotta help—"
"Stay here," Lan Zhan says, and leans over to press a kiss to Wei Ying's cheek. "I will help."
"Hm. Look at you. Trying to impress them. I see your game."
Lan Zhan just huffs, and stands to take Wei Ying's place.
Just as he had suspected, his parents had needed help carrying in the dishes for dinner. Several different courses, their drinks, extra pairs of chopsticks; everything. Part of him feels bad. He should have gone to help and made Lan Zhan stay. But then… by now, several years into their relationship, Wei Ying has learned which buttons should be pressed when. Not that anything truly bad comes out of it, but this one? Probably not worth seeing Lan Zhan pout.
Dinner itself goes smoothly. Cangse Sanren talks about her new underling at her work, and Wei Changze shares some updates on Jiang Fengmian's and Jiang Cheng's business trip in Brazil. (Which is great, because Jiang Cheng never shares the juicy bits about his trips, like when he got drunk and started thinking he was on a ghost hunt in Malaysia.) Lan Zhan gets interrogated: He will be 37 in January, he is the chief information security officer and potential heir to the Lan Group, no he did not know that Wei Ying was only 19 when they started dating, no he does not plan on pulling a Leonardo DiCaprio when Wei Ying turns 25, he is not a fan of spicy foods, thank you for including vegetarian options.
Wei Ying falls in love all over again the more Lan Zhan talks. It's so cute. Lan Zhan hates small talk, and he hates filling in his speech with superfluous prose. Seeing him do his best to impress Wei Ying's parents is so cute. He deserves a very good reward later.
Once the meal itself is wrapped up, Cangse Sanren forbids either Wei Ying or Lan Zhan from helping, several times, and forces Wei Changze to help carry the dishes back to the kitchen, and to help bring out the dessert.
Rather, a birthday cake for Wei Ying. It's a classic scene: Wei Ying sitting with his boyfriend at his side, smiling in bashful appreciation as his parents bring in his cake—candles lit and everything. They sing "Happy Birthday," Lan Zhan joins in, and then…
He gets to make a wish.
Wei Ying has so many wishes he could make. Most of them are about his baby. The wish he settles on is about his baby, and he musters up all the energy he can as he makes the wish in some hope that it may actually manifest.
More than anything right now, I wish for my parents to be happy and support me when I tell them about the baby…
He takes a deep breath, and blows out the candles to throw his wish into the universe. Man does he hope this goes well…
"Ahh, A-Ying! Happy birthday, Sweetie!" Cangse Sanren comes around the table, giving him a tight hug and kissing into his hair. "My sweet boy! Another year older! And yet you still have so long to go to catch up to my brains and beauty!"
"Mama, I fear I will never reach such lofty goals!"
"Aiyo… Lan Zhan, be careful with this one. He's a flatterer."
Lan Zhan nods. "Flatterer, but not a liar. Though, I believe in Wei Ying's potential to reach the standards you've set."
Cangse Sanren smiles wide, cupping her cheeks as she giggles. "Changze! Darling! Did you hear all this? These two will be the death of me!"
Wei Changze grins as he leans back in his chair. "The truth will be your undoing?"
"Stop, stop! This is A-Ying's birthday, not mine!"
"You are the one who did all the work that day."
Wei Ying can feel himself blanch as his nerves catch up to him. What a segue.
Cangse Sanren finally takes her seat and reaches for the knife to start cutting the cake. "It was worth it. What was all that work when I got to hold him for the first time? Forgettable."
Once a piece of cake is slid towards Wei Ying, he immediately starts shoving it in his mouth. Lan Zhan, prim and proper, takes his time and eats in silence. Anything to move the conversation forward. If Wei Ying tries to start That conversation now, it's going to be too obvious and he'll lose his composure immediately. He just knows it.
Wei Ying is normally confident and charismatic, even in the face of the unknown. Even in the face of Lan Qiren! It's just how he's wired. He has no qualms about doing what he thinks is the right thing to do even when everyone around him cowers away.
But Wei Ying has also never been pregnant before. It's an entirely new scenario.
The conversation does move on, though. This time, Wei Ying shares some stories about Lan Huan and his husband, and about how Nie Huaisang's gallery is going.
And then… Wei Ying's work and school.
"My baby in grad school! I told Yu Ziyuan he'd test out of several courses, but she didn't want to listen to me! A-Ying, never let comments hold you back! Be confident! Be strong! Be resolute! Don't let others' comments grab on to you like a grudge!"
Wei Ying stares at his mother, listening to her every word. Words she's told him since he was so small, his father would still hoist him onto his shoulders. Words that he's subconsciously lived by and will continue to live by—even if perhaps he still gets a little in his head about some things.
A beat passes, and then Wei Ying grabs the avocado, and sets it in front of his parents.
Wei Changze and Cangse Sanren stare at it for a second, confusion written all over their features.
"Are you planning on studying abroad in Central America?" Wei Changze asks.
"Ahaha, no."
Cangse Sanren pouts. "Did you want guacamole? When you said 'something a little more traditional' for dinner, I thought you meant Sichuan. Not Mexican."
He loves his parents so much. As nervous as he becomes, Wei Ying is kind of glad they don't get it right away.
"No, dinner was exactly what I wanted." After another moment passes, Wei Ying pulls up the gift he'd kept hidden, and slides it over. His heart is racing, and he presses his leg firmly against Lan Zhan's. Lan Zhan presses back, and it's so good to know that Lan Zhan is here, no matter what.
Wei Changze's confusion grows. "It's your birthday. You should be getting the gifts."
"Actually! Of which I've seen none!" Wei Ying reminds him. "But nevermind that, I wanted to get this for you two…"
Suddenly he's out of breath, and he almost wheezes air back into his lungs as they rip open the wrapping paper.
There's a book in there, and taped on the front is an envelope.
Wei Ying forces himself to watch, no matter how badly he wants to look away. He has to watch them.
Cangse Sanren flips open the top of the envelope and pulls out what's inside.
It falls open like an accordion.
Ultrasound scans, showing the scan of a fetus roughly the size of an avocado.
(Well, that's what the ultrasound tech said about the mass of white pixels on the screen. Wei Ying isn't so convinced it's anything else but static, just yet.)
Cangse Sanren's jaw drops and she snaps her head up. And then she's on her feet, hands trying to grip into the tabletop. After she's dropped the ultrasounds, of course.
"A-Ying! You are not!"
Wei Ying smiles, in an attempt to hide… something. He can't determine what it is. "I… am, actually. You're going to be grandparents…!" He tries to keep things festive. "Yay…!"
He presses his leg harder against Lan Zhan's.
"Oh! Oh!" Cangse Sanren paces in a circle trying to gather her thoughts. Wei Ying honestly has no idea what to make of that reaction, other than she's going to wear a trench into the floors.
Wei Changze picks up the ultrasounds, squinting at them. (Wei Ying has a feeling that he and his father share the same inability to see what a trained technician sees.) He stays that way, even as Cangse Sanren scurries back around the table to pull Wei Ying into another hug. This time, crying and squeaking and bouncing on her feet.
"Oh, my A-Ying! I thought something was different when you got here! I'm so ashamed of myself that I didn't realize what it was!"
Part of Wei Ying relaxes—collapses, really, in a heap of relief. Did he worry about his mother's reaction? Of course! He knew there had been little chance of her showing any kind of reaction except this, but fear was normal in this instance. Right?
"So you're how many weeks along, now? Do you know the sex of the baby yet? Oh, A-Ying, what about school? Do you and Lan Zhan have a room for the baby? Or wait—do you not live together? Do you have a registry put together? What about a baby shower? Pshaw, what am I asking? I know you have none of that started yet."
"Mama!"
"Don't 'mama' me like you didn't inherit this trait from me, young man. Go on. Prove me wrong. Tell me you have any of that started yet!"
Wei Ying tries so, so hard to come up an answer, but… she's right. Wei Ying, nor Lan Zhan, have even thought to discuss any of these things! He supposes he'll have to really start planning…
He looks over to Wei Changze, just in time to see him stand and walk over, giving Lan Zhan a hearty pat on his shoulders.
"Follow me, let's talk," he says, and without even a glance at Wei Ying (for Lan Zhan would have seen Wei Ying's desperate do not go alone with this man look), Lan Zhan stands, and follows.
Both Wei Ying and Cangse Sanren pause and watch as the two disappear around the corner; listen as the front door opens, and shuts.
And locks.
Wei Ying's eyes widen and his jaw falls open as Wei Changze walks back in. No Lan Zhan in sight.
"Baba?!"
"Changze! Where is A-Zhan?!"
Wei Changze pays neither any mind as he takes his seat and looks over the book that Wei Ying gifted them. "So is this like a book to record our firsts with our grandkid?" he asks, turning the pages carefully and reading over the prompts.
Wei Ying shares a look with his mother, and then gives his attention back to Wei Changze.
"That's—where is Lan Zhan?! What did you do?!"
"This is pretty neat. Some prompts, some places to glue some photos. Don't they have those instant printers with the stickers? You can print straight from your phone! We should get one, A-Ren."
There's a small blast of cold that blows through Wei Ying. There's hardly been any direct congratulations or acknolwedgement from his dad, apart from asking about the book. It sucks, and it's terrible, but…
Wei Ying turns away, leaving his parents behind him as he stomps to the door and ignores the sharp remarks his mother throws at her husband. He slides his feet into his shoes, unlocks the door, and steps out onto the porch.
Where stands Lan Zhan.
He really doesn't look any worse for the wear, but Wei Ying can see relief in Lan Zhan's eyes that they're together again. It warms him, despite the chill of October's breeze.
"I'm so sorry about him, Lan Zhan. I expected a lot of different reactions tonight, but that… this… was not one of them."
Lan Zhan shakes his head, because Lan Zhan is good and patient, and pulls Wei Ying towards him. "While not a desirable outcome, I do not blame him for prioritizing your safety."
"I'm perfectly safe!"
Lan Zhan does not answer, and Wei Ying pulls his head back a little with a playful, speculative furrow to his brows.
"…Right? I'm safe with you, right? Lan Zhan?"
Lan Zhan fixes Wei Ying with a steely look, and Wei Ying stares for a moment. Just until the corner of Lan Zhan's lip twitches, and Wei Ying smiles wide. "Aiyo, Lan Zhan!" he chastises softly, and pushes up to his toes to nip at Lan Zhan's ear. "I know, I am very safe with you, trying to fool me won't work."
Lan Zhan just pulls Wei Ying even closer, hugging him securely with his cheek pressed to his hair. "I will always keep you safe."
Wei Ying melts into the hug, returning it with a content sigh. "I know. And I will always keep you safe. Even though you're like. Way stronger than me. And broader. I am so feeble! And now that I am with child, I am even feebler!"
"Mm, I will protect you. And them."
Wei Ying opens his mouth to speak, just in time for the door to open where a frazzled Cangse Sanren huffs.
"Good! You're still here. A-Zhan, darling, come inside with me. This one…" she sends her husband a side-eye of a glare, "is here for A-Ying."
Lan Zhan is snatched from Wei Ying's hold and with a stumble, Wei Changze is outside on the porch. For a man over a foot taller than his wife, who has the respect of several communities and corporations, it is obvious just who it is that runs their relationship.
The door slams, leaving Wei Ying and Wei Changze staring at it, sighing, and then looking at each other.
To his credit, Wei Ying pouts and glares, arms crossed as he stares his father down. Wei Changze, on the other hand, looks… not sheepish, not shy, but perhaps a little chastised. In his arms is Wei Ying's jacket, folded neatly over an arm.
They remain silent, even as Wei Changze takes the jacket and, with a flourish, wraps it around Wei Ying to drape over his shoulders.
"It's cold. You shouldn't be out here in your condi—"
"I'm pregnant. Not sick."
Wei Changze winces. "You're right. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say you were sick."
"You're sorry for that, but are you sorry for how you treated Lan Zhan? Or for how that made me feel? What if I get so stressed about it that it hurts the baby? You should really be more careful about what you do or say to me or to Lan Zhan! Whether you like it or not, you're going to be a grandfather and your job is going to be to spoil this kid. Not cause it even more stress!"
Wei Ying pauses for only a second, ready to continue his lecture when he notices that his father is trying not to laugh.
"Hey! What's so funny?! I'm being serious, you know!"
"No, I know!" Wei Changze cackles. "I know you are. You just sound like your mother when she was pregnant with you. Not a day went by I didn't get scolded for something or other. I was laughing at the memories and how alike you two are."
The words make Wei Ying pause, and think. He knows that he and his mom share many similarities, both physically and in their characters. But it's kind of heartwarming to hear this kind of information from his father.
"But, I am sorry. I got wrapped up in my own worries without thinking of the consequences."
"That's not very business-man-like of you."
"Then good thing I wasn't trying to be a businessman in that moment."
"Just an overly concerned, hovering dad."
"Something like that, yeah." Wei Changze huffs out a sigh, and he clasps his hands onto Wei Ying's shoulders. "I'm not—I'm happy. I'm excited. Congratulations, A-Ying. As long as you're happy and excited, I'm over the moon. If you want the baby, I want the baby. It's just the cradle robber I'm having issues with."
Wei Ying shoves Wei Changze's shoulder. "He's not a cradle robber! And you can trust Lan Zhan. I do. And you need to trust me, Baba."
"I do!"
Wei Ying stares.
"I do. Don't give me that look."
Wei Ying just intensifies his stare.
"I'm not changing my mind on this one. But I will trust you to make the decisions that are right for you."
Wei Ying rolls his eyes. He supposes that's the best he's going to get out of it, for right now. His shoulders slump, and he fixes his father with another look.
"You're really not mad?"
Wei Changze pulls Wei Ying forward into a hug. "I'm far from mad. I'm legitimately happy. I know you'll be happy, too. Just tell your boyfriend to smile for the baby every once in a while so it doesn't gets its own face stuck looking like his."
"Lan Zhan smiles! He reserves them."
"He'd better have been saving them all for this kid."
"And me." Wei Ying hugs his father back, happy that his burgeoning worries have been calmed down. "It's important to me that you know I'm happy, and safe, with Lan Zhan. That he's also happy and safe with me, and excited for this baby."
Wei Changze holds his son tighter. He doesn't say anything, though. Which Wei Ying is incredibly grateful for because he just knows it would be something cheesy and ridiculous and ruin the moment. But in all…
His parents are happy for him. Lan Zhan will be at his side. He's going to have the happiest baby known to man. And his baby is going to have the most loving family to grow up in.
Wei Ying looks over Wei Changze's shoulder to the front window, where peeking from the curtain he spots his mother's eyes and Lan Zhan's eyes, staring at him and Wei Changze. At being caught, Cangse Sanren jolts away, and Lan Zhan nods at Wei Ying—who smiles back. Lan Zhan then disappears, leaving the curtain fluttering back into place.
The front door opens, and three pairs of hands usher him back into the warmth.