Chapter Text
Chapter 1 — 163 Love Letters and One Lan Zhan
The afternoon sun was shining brightly over the college campus as Wei Wuxian walked toward the main building with his friends.
Wei Wuxian was carrying absolutely nothing except his backpack, his phone, and an unreasonable amount of confidence.
Nie Huaisang was walking beside him, holding a cold drink.
Jiang Cheng was already regretting coming outside with them.
Lan Jingyi was listening quietly.
And the topic of conversation?
Love.
Nie Huaisang sighed dramatically.
“Love is a complete waste of time.”
Wei Wuxian immediately turned toward him.
“You only say that because you don't have anyone.”
Nie Huaisang nearly choked on his drink.
“Excuse me?! And you're saying this like you have millions of lovers!”
Wei Wuxian proudly placed a hand against his chest.
“I don't have millions.”
Everyone looked at him.
Wei Wuxian smiled.
“I have 163 love letters.”
Silence.
Jiang Cheng slowly turned around.
“...What?”
Wei Wuxian began counting proudly on his fingers.
“Fifty-three are from boys, the rest are from girls. And three were anonymous. One even had a pressed flower inside.”
Nie Huaisang stared at him.
“Fine. How many have YOU received?”
Wei Wuxian crossed his arms.
“Well?”
Nie Huaisang looked away.
“Seventy-three.”
Wei Wuxian's mouth dropped open.
“SEVENTY-THREE?!”
Nie Huaisang nodded proudly.
“From one person.”
Everyone stopped walking.
Wei Wuxian blinked.
“One person?”
Nie Huaisang nodded.
“My nephew.”
There was complete silence.
Then—
“HAHAHAHAHAHA!”
Everyone burst into laughter.
Wei Wuxian grabbed his stomach.
“YOUR SEVEN-YEAR-OLD NEPHEW?!”
Nie Huaisang became offended.
“He's very sincere!”
“Sincere?!”
“He gives me chocolate every week!”
“That isn't a love letter! That's bribery!”
“He once drew a heart!”
“That child needs to be questioned!”
Even Jiang Cheng couldn't hold back his laughter.
Nie Huaisang crossed his arms.
“You're all jealous because nobody loves you as much as my nephew loves me.”
Wei Wuxian wiped tears from his eyes.
“Fine, fine. Congratulations. You have officially won the world's strangest love competition.”
They continued walking.
Then suddenly—
A huge crowd appeared ahead.
Not a normal crowd.
A massive crowd.
Hundreds of people were packed together near the roadside.
There were security guards everywhere.
Wei Wuxian stopped.
“What happened?”
Jiang Cheng shrugged.
“Probably some celebrity.”
A boy from the crowd suddenly ran toward them.
“YOU GUYS! DO YOU KNOW WHO IS HERE?!”
Everyone looked at him.
“Who?”
“The CEO of Lan Holdings!”
Wei Wuxian raised an eyebrow.
“So?”
The boy stared at him as if he'd just insulted the emperor.
“So?!”
“Yes. So?”
“He's here to visit their new restaurant!”
Wei Wuxian looked at the enormous crowd.
Then at the guards.
Then back at the crowd.
“For a CEO?”
He scratched his head.
“Is he secretly a god?”
Nie Huaisang nodded seriously.
“Probably.”
Wei Wuxian immediately became interested.
“I want to see him.”
Jiang Cheng grabbed his shoulder.
“Don't.”
“I want to.”
“Don't.”
“I need to know what kind of crow he is.”
“CEO.”
“Whatever.”
And before anyone could stop him—
Wei Wuxian charged straight into the crowd.
“MOVE! EXCUSE ME! IMPORTANT PERSON COMING THROUGH!”
“YOU'RE NOT IMPORTANT!”
“I'M VERY IMPORTANT!”
“WHO ARE YOU?!”
“ME!”
“THAT DOESN'T ANSWER ANYTHING!”
After several minutes of pushing, squeezing, apologizing, accidentally stepping on someone's shoe, apologizing again, and somehow losing one shoe—
Wei Wuxian finally reached the front.
And then he saw him.
Lan Wangji.
Tall.
Calm.
Elegant.
Dressed perfectly.
Surrounded by security guards, yet somehow looking completely untouched by the chaos around him.
Wei Wuxian froze.
His mouth slowly opened.
His brain stopped functioning.
His heart apparently resigned from its position.
Lan Wangji walked past.
Wei Wuxian watched him.
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.
Then—
Wei Wuxian whispered,
“...Oh.”
Nie Huaisang finally reached him.
“Did you see him?”
Wei Wuxian didn't answer.
“Wei Wuxian?”
Nothing.
Nie Huaisang waved a hand in front of his face.
“Hello?”
Wei Wuxian suddenly grabbed his shoulders.
“I found him.”
Nie Huaisang blinked.
“Found what?”
“My love.”
Nie Huaisang stared at him.
“Did you hit your head while entering the crowd?”
“No.”
“Are you sick?”
“No.”
“Did someone put something strange in your drink?”
“No!”
“Then why are you talking nonsense?”
Wei Wuxian pointed dramatically toward the road.
“Lan Zhan.”
Nie Huaisang followed his finger.
“The CEO?”
“Yes.”
“The CEO of Lan Holdings?”
“Yes.”
“The man who can probably buy your entire college?”
Wei Wuxian nodded.
“Yes.”
Nie Huaisang stared at him.
“That's your idea of love?”
Wei Wuxian placed a hand over his heart.
“I have never believed in love at first sight.”
Nie Huaisang nodded.
“Good.”
“Until today.”
“...Bad.”
Wei Wuxian continued staring in the direction Lan Wangji had disappeared.
“I am madly in love.”
Nie Huaisang covered his face.
“Oh no.”
Wei Wuxian suddenly announced loudly,
“I WANT LAN ZHAN!”
Several people nearby turned around.
Jiang Cheng grabbed him by the collar.
“STOP SHOUTING!”
Wei Wuxian struggled.
“Let me go! I need to confess!”
“To a man who doesn't even know you exist?!”
“That's just a minor technical problem!”
Nie Huaisang sighed.
“Lan Zhan!”
Wei Wuxian immediately pointed at him.
“Yes! He is my Lan Zhan!”
Nie Huaisang stared at him for five seconds.
Then slowly said,
“Your brain has officially left the chat.”
Wei Wuxian smiled happily.
“Maybe.”
He looked toward the road again.
“But my heart has found its destination.”
Jiang Cheng groaned.
“We're going home.”
Wei Wuxian shook his head.
“No.”
“Why?”
Wei Wuxian smiled mysteriously.
“Because tomorrow…”
He dramatically pointed toward the Lan Holdings restaurant.
“…I begin my mission.”
Nie Huaisang's expression changed.
“What mission?”
Wei Wuxian grinned.
“How to make Lan Zhan fall in love with me.”
Jiang Cheng immediately turned around.
“I refuse to be involved.”
Nie Huaisang sighed.
“I knew today was going too well.”
And somewhere far away, inside a black car, Lan Wangji sat quietly.