Chapter Text
“Wei Ying!”
“Stop it, Lan Zhan. I am tired of fighting with you.”
Wei Wuxian turns on his heels and leaves behind a very upset looking Lan Wangji. Even with half of their problems solved, there are secrets Wei Wuxian will not share with anyone. He can bear the weight of it all alone.
On his way, an excited little body crashes into his legs and he stumbles a step backwards.
“Xian-gege! Is rich-gege here?!” Ayuan looks up, his eyes big with excitement and equally big smile. Wei Wuxian’s previous frustration washes away seeing that grin. “Yes, my little radish.”
He steps away and there appears, in all his enchanting glory and pristine white robes, Lan Wangji. His eyes visibly soften when Ayuan hops and grabs his flowy robes, “Rich gege, I missed you! Did you miss me?”
“Mn.” A nod and the softest of looks on his gorgeous face. “Have you been well?”
“Yes. I’m learning to read and write and I eat three times a day.” He holds up three tiny fingers, which are streaked with mud.
“Ayuan! Take those hands off Lan Zhan— where have you been playing? How many times I have told you to stay close to granny and not wander off–”
“Wei ying.”
Wei Wuxian stops rebuking Ayuan and his hand that was busy wiping dirt off Ayuan’s hands and face stills. Lan Wangji is kneeling next to Wei Wuxian. His face zeroed on him. Wei Wuxian feels his skin itching under that stare.
“Ayuan. Stop messing with Lan-er gongzi and go to your rooms!”
The little radish pouts, “But Xian-gege—”
“What did I say?”
The child opens his mouth to protest once again but Lan Wangji beats him to it, “Would Ayuan mind me accompanying him to his room?” Ayuan’s eyes light with the shine of a moonlit sky and he jumps excitedly, “Gege, I will show you my calligraphy! I wrote a poem and the characters were sooo difficult to draw and–”
“You don’t have to indulge him.” Wei Wuxian says over the sound of Ayuan’s ramblings which Lan Wangji seems so focused on that he outright ignores him.
Wei Wuxian does not want Lan Wangji to feel obligated to any of his nonsense. It was true that his support– his clan's support was a big help in ensuring justice for the Wen Remnants. If it weren’t for Lan Wangji who testified that Wen Remnants were mainly elders and non-cultivators and they also had a child with him, no other clan would have cared about them. Wei Wuxian is even ready to bet that they might have conspired to wipe out the remnants. Jin Guangshan was still bitter about this.
First there was Lan Wangji in that damned place, bringing with him the news of his Shijie’s wedding and then there was his Shijie herself.
“I’m here to take you home.”
Wei Wuxian looks at Jiang Cheng, conveying a ‘we were over this’ silently but the other man just shrugs. Wei Wuxian has no intention of bringing these people down with him. He has made a choice and he thinks he has paid off any remaining debt. He is now free to take his own road. He is not bound by gratitude or anything. As much as it hurts him to just announce him as no more one of the Jiangs, he considers it for good.
But here stands Jiang Yanli, determined to take him– them all home. Wei Wuxian feels like crying.
“You know it is not possible. I cannot– I do not want to bother with these so-called righteous clans. They’re… they—”
“Axian.” she comes close and holds his face up, “You do not have to do a thing. You are not making them a part of Jiangs if that’s what you are worried about. They can go back to their own lands, the ones Wen Rouhan and later on the war turned into wastelands. The Jiang clan wants to provide them sanctuary for the time being. Just, just come back home.”
Wei Wuxian is not as strong as people make him sound. He breaks down in response to that gentleness.
It was Lan Wangji who had mentioned this matter first, bringing it to light and when Jiang Cheng was inquired as to why he stayed quiet, he said he was told by Wei Wuxian. So Wei Wuxian was trying to make them some apathetic villains by withholding this information, they concluded.
Wei Wuxian can admit that Burial Mounds gave him a little way to practice ghost cultivation. Here, in Lotus Pier he dreads any kind of conversation with Jiang Cheng. Somedays, he wonders if he ought to stay or not. Maybe, after he ensures the safety of the Wens, he will leave. It is not like he has any ambitions as before. Jiang Cheng, often suggests him taking a cultivation partner, Wei Wuxian laughs at the choice of words. Jiang Cheng thinks he is being mocked, he spews out a few curses and leaves. He has stopped using his hands to express his anger and Wei Wuxian is grateful.
Wei Wuxian can leave Ayuan to Lan Wangji’s care and just treat him like nonexistent. He cannot. There are many things Wei Wuxian fails at when it is about Lan Wangji. Not caring about the other’s presence is one of them. He feels bitter about not being able to boast about the other man’s equal anymore. If Lan Wangji draws his sword now, Wei Wuxian will just step back.
Jiang Yanli finds them on their way towards the lodgings reserved for the Wens.
“Here you have been. Why don’t you gentlemen gather with us in the main hall?” Ayuan giggles at ‘gentlemen’ and by the tilt of Jiang Yanli’s head, it is evident it was directed to him. “Jiang Cheng wants to have a talk.”
Wei Wuxian pretends he doesn’t feel Lan Wangji’s gaze on him, heavy and loud. He has no idea what Jiang Cheng wants with them and why did he require Lan Wangji’s presence. He just hopes it is quick. Whatever it is.
Ayuan asks Lan Wangji random questions, all are answered with the same attention. Something in Wei Wuxian’s chest rises and groans out in pain. It is a wound Wei Wuxian thought had healed long ago.
When they are all seated, Jiang Cheng clears his throat and looks at Lan Wangji. Lan Wangji seems to be interested in Ayaun’s description of some fish he recently saw. Jiang Cheng then directs his gaze on him and Wei Wuxian raises an eyebrow while sipping his tea.
“Jin Guangshan has sent a marriage proposal for Wei Wuxian.”
Wei Wuxian spits his tea all over his table, “That bastard what—”
“Ayaun, I want your help in bringing some dishes from the kitchen.” Yanli raises and extends a hand towards Ayuan, smiling gently. Wei Wuxian forgot they had a kid in the room. A kid in a room with this kind of conversation?! Ayuan looks unsurely at Lan Wangji, “I will be here when you come back.” This proves to settle the kid’s worry and he tags along with Jiang Yanli disappearing out of the room.
“Is that why you have been mentioning marriage to me? Have you really– You cannot convince me to marry someone. I very disrespectfully refuse.”
“Will you shut your mouth and listen to me once?!”
Wei Wuxian still has things to say but he obliges.
“He has not yet sent–”
“Then why did you phrase your words like that, you–”
“I wanted to see how you would react.”
Wei Wuxian glares at him. He knows that fucker of a man is after that Yin Tiger Tally. He wants to get his hands on it. While he is famous for being a manwhore, Wei Wuxian considers it a real low to consider marrying a man for his motives. Marrying a man? How does that thing even work? Jin Guangshan is really stupid.
“Jin Zixuan overheard him mentioning this to someone and he told Jie.”
“Wow, that peacock is of some use after all.” he murmurs, his gaze drifting off until it catches moonlight in the middle of the day and he stops at that. Lan Wangji looks angry. That counts for something for Wei Wuxian has never seen an emotion so nakedly laid on his beautiful and usually blank face, all those times Wei Wuxian had to spend all his energy to bring a slightest ripple of annoyance on his face. He must be wondering why was brought in on such a ridiculous discussion.
“What exactly are we here for then?” he says so the conversation ends quicker.
“If you marry someone else before he even decides to send a proposal–”
“I am not marrying anyone. I am–” he stands up to leave.
“You won’t even ask whom I want you to marry?” that fucker raises his eyebrows as if challenging him to ask.
“I do not give a fuck about it. Even if you marry me to god sent down from heavens–”
“Lan Wangji.”
Wei Wuxian stops, his gaze cutting towards Lan Wangji who is also standing and holding his sword. Wei Wuxian sees haze in his visions, fury whispering.
“What?” It takes a moment before understanding falls on him like a boulder. He is angerier than before, “Did you even ask him before– How could you– Lan Zhan, do not pay heed to his stupid–”
“Is that how you would talk about your Clan Leader?!” Jiang Cheng’s voice cuts through, sharp. Wei Wuxian is looking at Lan Wangji apologetically whose gaze is sharper.
“I consulted Zewu-jun on this matter and he advised me to ask Lan Wangji.” As if that explains everything.
“And you asked Lan Zhan?”
Jiang Cheng smiles his annoying diplomatic smile that he has been practising for some time now at him, “No, not yet.” He turns the other way, “Lan Wangji, would you be willing to marry Wei Wuxian?”