about damn time

Wei Wuxian was sitting at an inn in Caiyi Town, minding his own business drinking some Emperor’s Smile, when he overheard it.

“So let me get this straight… You’re saying we can destroy that damn Hanguang-Jun’s golden core if he drinks this tea?” one man said, prompting Wei Wuxian to watch them out of the corner of his eyes.

The other man nodded. “That’s right.” He looked around the inn, Wei Wuxian quickly averted his eyes, before continuing. “We’ll offer it to him at the cultivation conference tomorrow. Even our sect has been invited.”

“Ha! We’ll definitely show him! He’ll never see it coming!” the first man said, and the two of them broke into laughter.

Oh, Lan Zhan, Wei Wuxian thought. What enemies have you been making now?

Wei Wuxian made to get up, intending to have a word with the two men, but was pushed back down into his seat when he felt a firm hand on his shoulder. He didn’t have to look to know who it was.

He heard the two men gasp and they fled the inn.

“Jiang Cheng, they’re getting away,” Wei Wuxian said as Jiang Cheng took a seat at his table.

“Leave them.”

“But—”

“You can confront them tomorrow at the conference.”

Wei Wuxian groaned. “You know I won’t be allowed in there.”

“When has that stopped you before? Besides, you really think Lan Wangji will allow you to be kicked out?” Jiang Cheng scoffed. “An unlikely story.”

Resigned, Wei Wuxian sighed. “What do you want, Jiang Cheng?”

Three months had passed since everything went down at Guanyin Temple. Wei Wuxian hadn’t had much to do with Jiang Cheng since then. Things between them were still stilted and Wei Wuxian didn’t fool himself into thinking they would return to the relationship they once had—those days were long over. So, Wei Wuxian raked his mind, asking himself what had he done now to piss Jiang Cheng off.

“I heard you dealt with some resentful spirits just outside of Lotus Pier,” Jiang Cheng said.

Ah. Shit. “Me? No, you must have the wrong person.”

Jiang Cheng’s face was deadpan. “Wei Wuxian.”

Wei Wuxian caved. “Okay, okay. I might have dealt with a few.”

“There were a lot more than a few. Anyway. I, uh…” Jiang Cheng looked conflicted. “Just wanted to say thanks.”

Taken aback, Wei Wuxian took a few moments to process the words. He had been ready for a scolding, not a thank you.

“Umm… no worries,” he eventually said.

Jiang Cheng nodded and then left without a word.

Wei Wuxian finished his drink, leaving payment, and set on his way to Cloud Recesses. It was roughly a ten kilometre walk so he would make it there in a few hours. That would be plenty of time to warn Lan Wangji of the impending plot he overheard in the inn.

Twirling Chenqing in his hand, Wei Wuxian had long since grown used to walking across the land with just Lil Apple by his side. He did find himself missing a certain Lan’s company. But getting Lan Wangji to accompany him once again was… well, that was out of the question. So he kept walking, just a man and his donkey.

— — —

When Wei Wuxian arrived at the Cloud Recesses he had forgotten about the sealed entrance being guarded by a Lan disciple.

“Please, let me through. My donkey is very hungry, can’t you see,” Wei Wuxian said, patting Lil Apple on the back.

“Maybe if you told me who you really are, I would consider it,” the Lan disciple said. “I’m not gullible enough to believe you are Wei Wuxian, the Yiling Patriarch. That guy was meant to be old and scary looking.”

Wei Wuxian sighed. Why did everyone have to be so misinformed! He put a hand to massage his temple when he heard footsteps behind him.

“He’s with me. Let us in,” came a familiar voice. Jiang Cheng appeared at his side.

The Lan disciple bowed deeply at Jiang Cheng. “Oh! Of course. Please enter. May I know your disciple’s name to accommodate his arrangements?”

“Wei Wuxian. And he’s not a disciple,” Jiang Cheng said, pulling Wei Wuxian with him.

“See you!” Wei Wuxian said, smiling as they passed the spluttering Lan disciple.

“Thanks, Jiang Cheng,” Wei Wuxian said once they were in.

“It’s fine,” was Jiang Cheng’s terse reply before he went off on his own way. Wei Wuxian wasn’t foolish enough to read too far into Jiang Cheng’s behaviour, but he was grateful anyway.

Wei Wuxian took Lil Apple over to the grassy area the donkey had once stayed at before, ensuring he had water and some food. He even gave the donkey another apple, much to Lil Apple’s excitement.

After leaving Lil Apple, he ventured further into Cloud Recesses and made his way to Lan Wangji’s jingshi. How long had it been since he was last there? A good number of months now, surely.

It was getting dark so Wei Wuxian moved with speed. He figured he wouldn’t have much time before Lan Wangji had to sleep. As he approached Lan Wangji’s jingshi door, he could feel his heart beating erratically in his chest. Oh, how I’ve missed you, Lan Zhan.

Steeling himself, Wei Wuxian knocked on the door. Moments later, the door slid open and there in all his white robed glory was Lan Wangji, as perfect as ever. Not a strand of hair out of place, nor a single blemish on his face. Wei Wuxian forgot just how mesmerising the man was.

“Wei Ying?” Lan Wangji said, eyebrows furrowed. “What are you doing here?”

“Ah, nice to see you too, Lan Zhan!” Wei Wuxian said with a light chuckle. “Can I come in?”

Lan Wangji nodded and stepped aside to allow Wei Wuxian in. The jingshi was clean and tidy, barely looking lived in, just as Wei Wuxian remembered it.

“Sit,” Lan Wangji said, gesturing over at his table. Wei Wuxian did so as Lan Wangji returned with a bottle of Emperor’s Smile in hand and poured Wei Wuxian a cup.

“Ah, you’re my favourite, Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian said, grinning, as he accepted the cup. The tip of Lan Wangji’s ears turned red.

Lan Wangji cleared his throat. “Wei Ying… is everything okay? Why are you here?”

Wei Wuxian downed the cup and then sighed. “You won’t believe it, Lan Zhan! I was at an inn in Caiyi Town and I overheard these two men plotting. They plan to poison your tea tomorrow with something so strong it will destroy your golden core. I was about to intervene but then Jiang Cheng arrived and well, yeah, you know how that goes…” Wei Wuxian rubbed the back of his neck. “Anyway, they got away so instead I came to warn you directly! Don’t go drinking any tea at tomorrow’s conference, okay?”

Lan Wangji gave a curt nod but looked as impassive as ever, like the whole ordeal didn’t bother him in the slightest.

“Aren’t you worried?” Wei Wuxian said, his eyebrows scrunched together.

“No. It is not the first attempt at my life, nor will it be the last,” Lan Wangji said, pouring himself some tea. He didn’t spill a drop.

While logically it made sense that Lan Wangji as Chief Cultivator had his enemies, this was still news to Wei Wuxian. He’d always thought of Lan Wangji as untouchable and he guessed he kind of was, given he had already received threats that hadn’t appeared to have any impact on the man.

But still. “Lan Zhannnnnn, please take this seriously!”

“Mn.”

Wei Wuxian sighed with relief. Lan Wangji would be fine.

— — —

Come the next day, however, Lan Wangji did not take the threat seriously. Wei Wuxian stared wide-eyed in horror as Lan Wangji downed the cup of tea in front of all the sects at the cultivation conference.

Wei Wuxian had even caused a scene! When the two suspicious men offered the tea to Lan Wangji, Wei Wuxian—who wasn’t even meant to be at the conference— pointedly asked them to take a sip first. They both hesitated but Lan Wangji had told them it was fine and then pulled Wei Wuxian back down to sit next to him.

As Lan Wangji placed the teacup down, he outwardly appeared to be fine.

“Are you okay, Lan Zhan?” Wei Wuxian whispered. One of the minor sect leaders was speaking with great passion about the success they’d had introducing cultivational tools into their farming. It was getting quite tedious, so Wei Wuxian had kinda tuned out.

“Mn. Fine,” Lan Wangji said. But not even a moment later, he fell forward and his head collided with the table. The sound had everyone looking their way.

Wei Wuxian immediately lifted Lan Wangji up by the shoulders and tried to wake him with some snapping of his fingers, but the man appeared unconscious. Lan Sizhui quickly appeared at Wei Wuxian’s side.

“It was that Yiling Patriarch!” yelled out one of the suspicious men. “He’s done something to the Chief Cultivator!”

“Yeah!” said the other suspicious man. “I saw it with my own eyes!”

The accusations were gaining momentum as conversation stirred. It was getting old. Really old. But Wei Wuxian had more important matters to deal with, that being Lan Wangji’s health.

“A-Yuan, can you detect if his golden core is okay?” Wei Wuxian said, steadfastly ignoring the growing accusations against him.

Lan Sizhui nodded and grabbed hold of Lan Wangji’s wrist. “His core is fine!” Wei Wuxian smiled, momentarily relieved, but then frowned—what was wrong with Lan Wangji?

Someone cleared their throat, causing all the voices to come to an immediate halt. Wei Wuxian looked over. Jiang Cheng’s jaw was clenched. He looked more pissed off than normal.

“Wei Wuxian has done a lot of things… but he did not do this,” Jiang Cheng said.

Suspicious man one gulped. “You’re just sticking up for him. He used to be your martial brother!”

Jiang Cheng stood, unleashing Zidian. “Are you accusing me of lying?” he sneered. “Even though I overheard you and your friend yesterday in Caiyi Town planning to give the Chief Cultivator a tea that would destroy his golden core. Huh? Am I wrong?” His hand tightened around Zidian; his presence in that moment was reminiscent of his mother, Wei Wuxian couldn’t help but think.

Suspicious man one was sweating, his eyes shifting side to side, but it was suspicious man two who made the first move. He unsheathed his sword and lunged straight at Wei Wuxian.

Wei Wuxian was unprepared for the attack—he had been too focused on trying to help Lan Wangj and as a result, he was completely exposed.

But then a sword flashed right in front of him, blocking suspicious man two’s blade from reaching him. Wei Wuxian recognised the elegant sword. Bichen! Lan Wangji was conscious!

“Wei Ying is innocent,” Lan Wangji said, his words slightly slurring. Was this the effects of the tea? Just what was in that?

Lan Wangji easily overpowered suspicious man two and had some Lan disciples apprehend the duo.

Once they were dealt with, Lan Wangji turned back to address the conference. “Wei Ying is innocent,” he repeated.

Wei Wuxian rubbed the back of his neck. “Haha, thanks, Lan Zhan. I think they get it.”

Lan Wangji reached around Wei Wuxian’s waist and pulled him in close. “And I love him,” he declared, with a resolute nod.

Wei Wuxian was frozen, eyes wide, and his heart racing. What in the world? Wei Wuxian would later discover that prior to the conference, Nie Huaisang had switched out the suspicious duo’s tea with some Emperor’s Smile. However, while he had told Lan Wangji it was safe to drink he hadn’t mentioned it was alcoholic. The man truly was sneaky and all-knowing.

This was definitely not the right place to have this conversation but Wei Wuxian couldn’t help himself. Biting his lip, he looked at Lan Zhan. Everything was silent. “Lan Zhan…? You love me? Do you… do you mean it?”

“Yes.” And then Lan Wangji passed out.