Chapter Text
Lan Wangji had died with no regrets. At least, that was what everyone believed. He had lived a long life beside Wei Ying. They had travelled together. Night-hunted together. Raised Lan Sizuai together, trained juniors together. Laughed together. Loved together. His Wei Ying died before him, as Mo Xuanya’s Golden Core is very weak, he died peacefully surrounded by family and friends.
When death finally came for him, Lan Wangji discovered there was still one regret buried deep within his heart. One wound, time had never healed. The Golden Core. Every terrible event in Wei Ying's life traced back to that single sacrifice. The loss of his cultivation. The Burial Mounds. The demonic cultivation. The endless accusations. The loneliness. The siege. His death.
Even after Wei Ying's resurrection, even after years of happiness, Lan Wangji still occasionally woke from nightmares. Nightmares where Wei Ying stood smiling while bleeding from invisible wounds. Giving away everything. Receiving almost nothing in return.
Lan Wangji had always wished for one thing. One impossible thing. A chance to stop it. A chance to save him. A chance to tell that reckless, self-sacrificing boy:
You do not need to destroy yourself to be loved.
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The world dissolved into white. Lan Wangji expected the afterlife. Instead he heard laughter. Bright. Familiar. His Beloved.
"Wei Ying." The name escaped before he could stop himself. The mist parted. Wei Wuxian stood there. Wearing black robes. Holding a jar of Emperor's Smile.
Smiling exactly as he always had. "Lan Zhan."
Lan Wangji's heart clenched.
The smile on Wei Wuxian's face softened. "You still look so serious."
Lan Wangji stepped forward. Years of restraint shattered. "I should have saved you."
Wei Wuxian blinked. "What?"
"The Golden Core." The smile vanished. "Wei Ying." Lan Wangji's voice shook. A rare thing. Perhaps a first. "I should have known."
For a long moment, silence stretched between them. Then Wei Wuxian sighed. "You always blame yourself for things that aren't your fault."
"I knew." Lan Wangji looked away. "I knew something was wrong." His hands tightened. "I should have looked harder."
Wei Wuxian stared at him. Then smiled sadly. "You really are Hanguang-Jun."
The mist began to glow. Golden light spread across the horizon. The world trembled.
Wei Wuxian's eyes widened. Then he laughed. A genuine laugh. "Well."
"What?"
"It looks like someone up there agrees with you."
The light swallowed everything.
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Lan Wangji opened his eyes. Bamboos. White walls. Incense. The Cloud Recesses. Young. Untouched. Alive. His breath caught. No. Impossible.
A knock sounded. "Second Young Master." A disciple entered. "The Guest lecture class begins shortly."
The Guest Lecture. Lan Wangji froze. The lectures. Before the Wen attack. Before the Wen indoctrination. Before Lotus Pier. Before everything. His heart began racing. Only one thought remained.
Wei Ying.
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Wei Wuxian was arguing with several disciples when Lan Wangji found him. The sight nearly brought him to his knees. So young. So alive. No hidden pain. No sacrifices. No tragedies. Just Wei Ying. Laughing.
Lan Wangji stood motionless. The world faded around him. Only Wei Ying remained.
Wei Wuxian noticed him almost immediately. "Lan Zhan!" The familiar grin appeared. "You're just in time."
Lan Wangji crossed the courtyard. Every step felt unreal. Wei Wuxian kept talking. Something about rules. Something about rabbits. Lan Wangji heard none of it. Because Wei Ying was alive. Alive.
Without thinking, he reached out. And pulled Wei Wuxian into his arms.
The entire courtyard froze. A disciple dropped his sword. Someone walked directly into a pillar.
Wei Wuxian stopped speaking. Stopped breathing. Stopped existing. For approximately ten seconds.
Then—"LAN ZHAN?!" Lan Wangji closed his eyes. Warm. Real. Alive. This time he would not lose him.
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The first person to suffer was Lan Qiren. Not only physically. Spiritually. Emotionally. Mentally.
The first sign came during the morning lecture. Wei Wuxian arrived late. As usual.
Before Lan Qiren could scold him— Lan Wangji stood. Walked over. And handed Wei Wuxian breakfast. Perfectly prepared spicy breakfast.
Lan Qiren nearly dropped dead. "Lan Wangji."
"Yes, Uncle."
"What are you doing?"
"Providing breakfast."
Silence. The entire room stared. Lan Qiren stared harder. "Wei Wuxian is late."
"Mn."
"Why are you rewarding him?"
Lan Wangji considered the question. Then replied calmly. "He forgets to eat." The classroom exploded. Lan Qiren's eye twitched.
He punished both his younger nephew and Wei Wuxian to copy rules. Wuxian for coming late. Wangji for bringing food to the class.
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Three days later, Nie Huaisang arrived. Within ten minutes he became convinced something supernatural was occurring. Because Lan Wangji kept following Wei Wuxian. Everywhere.
Library. Dining hall. Training grounds. Courtyard. Roof. Tree somehow, Especially the tree.
Wei Wuxian finally noticed. "Lan Zhan."
"Mn."
"Why are you staring at me?"
Lan Wangji answered honestly. "Making sure you're safe."
Wei Wuxian blinked. "What danger exists in a tree?"
Lan Wangji looked at the branch. Then at Wei Wuxian. Then down at the ground. Then back at the branch. "Potential falling."
Wei Wuxian stared.
Nie Huaisang who was standing hidden near the tree, immediately used his right hand to cover his mouth and left hand to hide his face behind his fan,
because he was about to laugh himself unconscious.
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That evening, Nie Huaisang cornered Wei Wuxian. "Wei-Xiong."
"Hm?"
"Has Lan Wangji always been like this?"
Wei Wuxian looked across the courtyard. Lan Wangji was currently watching them. From approximately fifty meters away. Without blinking. "Not exactly."
Nie Huaisang nodded solemnly. "I feared as much."
"What do you mean?"
Nie Huaisang lowered his fan. "Wei-Xiong."
"Yes?"
"I believe the Second Jade has developed a serious condition."
Wei Wuxian immediately looked concerned. "What condition?"
Nie Huaisang pointed. "The condition of being hopelessly in love."
Wei Wuxian choked on tea. Across the courtyard, Lan Wangji's ears turned red.
And that was how Nie Huaisang became the first person in this timeline to realize, Lan Wangji is up to something.