News about the Second Jade of Lan's decision spread through the cultivation world quickly. When word reached Lotus Pier that First Disciple Wei Wuxian would be courted by The Second Jade of Lan, Lan Wangji, a celebration started that was sure to last at least three days. Some Yunmeng women who dreamed of stealing away to elope with the troublemaker, Wei Wuxian, cried but overall the atmosphere was joyous if not a little confused.
There was no hiding the fact that Lan Wangji's choice was uncommon among high class members of the main clans. Commoners started to spread rumors of knowing Lan Wangji had different tastes due to the lack of rumors relating him to anyone of the opposite sex. And some of the more risque establishments even began to advertise that they had secretly hosted the most dignified disciple of Lan in hopes of attracting more business among those with differing appetites.
At Lotus Pier, Jiang Cheng and Jiang Yanli were having their own discussion. They had just found time to themselves after the initial shock and celebration from the residents of their sect. Jiang Fengmian had been surprised but pleasantly so and Madame Yu had even released a begrudging statement of, “He finally did something right.” For the Lan Clan wasn't a clan to be looked down upon. And if they could bond through marriage, that could only be counted as a good thing. And even though same sex pairings were unconventional, they weren't unheard of. There were many texts and poems of ancient disciples who made their mark in history with a cultivation partner of the same sex. It had just been a while since one of the main clans of the present day had such a pairing because continuing bloodlines was usually given higher priority than anything else.
Yanli sat in front of Jiang Cheng at a table outside on a wooden deck placed next to a pond filled with lotus plants. She sat some of his and Wuxian's favorite soup between them. Unlike her strong-willed mother, she found joy in doing such homely things. “I can't believe he wants to marry that idiot,” Jiang Cheng said in a sharp voice as he accepted his sister's offerings. “I heard The Second Jade of Lan was smart; he must not be if he actually fell for Wuxian.”
Yanli gave Jiang Cheng a reproachful look. Jiang Cheng's angry tone couldn't fool her. She knew he was worried about many things, though he would never voice any of those worries. He was worried about Wuxian and he was also worried about how things would change at Lotus Pier if Wuxian really were to get married. He was worried that Wuxian would be taken away and that he would miss him. “We don't know if he's going to get married yet,” Yanli said in a gentle tone. “He has to be courted first.”
Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes, a scowl fixed on his face. “Whatever,” he said stubbornly. “It's not like I care. I hope he does end up getting married. It's what he deserves after flirting with so many girls and breaking their hearts. Now he's going to be stuck in a marriage with a cutsleeve.”
Yanli admonished him but her expression became worried. If Wuxian ended up getting stuck in a marriage he didn't want, she would feel guilty because she knew Wuxian only went to the Pairing Ceremony to relieve her of the burden of having to do so.
* * *
Wuxian woke to a pounding on the door of the guest quarters he was staying in. His eyes dragged open to peer between the curtain of his messy hair that had become tangled in knots and flyaway strands throughout his night of wild sleeping. He had gone to sleep on his back but, this morning, he was on his stomach with one leg hanging off the side of the bed and his arms splayed out in the manner of a starfish. His sheets were tangled and his outer sleeping robe was hanging off of him haphazardly.
More knocking at the door.
Wuxian groaned before shuffling to his feet and sliding open the door. He was greeted with the sight of Mianmian, her servant, and a handful of handmaidens of the Lan Clan. He blinked, confused, wondering if he was about to get in trouble for unknowingly breaking one of the 3,000 rules of this place.
“What's happening?” he asked, his voice still thick and groggy with sleep.
“I was about to leave and I saw them standing outside your door too afraid to intrude and wake you up,” Mianmian said, gesturing at the Lan Clan handmaidens. She sent a mischievous smile back towards Wuxian. “I had no such qualms.”
“Why were you about to leave?” Wuxian asked, rubbing his eyes.
“Have you not heard?” Mianmian asked. “I have no more reason to stay.”
Wuxian blinked, too sleepy to understand anything that wasn't a direct statement.
Mianmian sighed exasperatedly. The more she got to know him, the more she understood Wuxian was a child. “Lan Wangji chose you and Lady Ruwan to court. He didn't choose me. I'm going back home.”
Wuxian blinked again, the words seeping into his head slowly. And then his mouth slowly opened into a wide, shocked 'o'. Pointing to himself, he stuttered. “M-me? What do you mean he chose me?”
Mianmian sighed and quickly scanned Wuxian from head to toe. His hair resembled a bird's nest that had been damaged in a bad storm and his clothes were hanging off of his lithe frame. His entire being disrupted the pristine nobility of the Cloud Recesses. “I don't understand it either,” she said. But then her face softened into a smile and she gave him a casual bow. Even though she found Wuxian a little loud and annoying, his presence was warm and fun. She could see him as a friend. “Congratulations,” she said. “You're a little bit closer to winning Lan Wangji's heart.”
“Young Master,” one of the Lan handmaidens began softly. “We need to get you dressed. Young Master Lan could come to fetch you at any moment.”
Mianmian gave another short bow and started to depart but Wuxian snapped out of his shock, wrapping his hand around her arm to stop her. “Mianmian, Mianmian, Mianmian!” She turned back to look at him. “Don't go!”
Wuxian knew he was being ridiculous but, without his sister or brother here, Mianmian was the only familiar face around. And, for some reason, he felt he needed that at this time. He was suddenly nervous. He didn't know how he was supposed to act now that he was about to officially be courted by one of the most sought after bachelors of the cultivation world. He hadn't thought this far ahead.
Mianmian looked at Wuxian's face and saw complete panic. She let out another sigh. He was completely hopeless. “What do you need?”
* * *
“Okay. First!” Mianmian stood in front of Wuxian as a firm instructor while the female servants of Lan combed through his hair and styled him, making him presentable for their young master. A table of snacks and tea was placed before him to keep him happy because the handmaidens had quickly learned that, without something to stay focused on, Young Master Wei Wuxian wouldn't sit still long enough for them to even touch a comb to his hair. He was already dressed in the light blue robes of Lan once again (more simple robes than the ones he had danced in) and his hair was mostly finished. It was styled in the half-up style once again with a simple blue ribbon to decorate it (they thought his usual red ribbon was too harsh) and a few wisps of his hair was allowed to fall free to frame his face, giving him a softer look. A pair of white pants and a white shirt made up his underclothes to keep him decent should the blue robes shift. As he indulged on the sweet cakes and tea in front of him, Wuxian listened as Mianmian told him what he should expect while being courted. Wuxian had never been courted before so, for once, he was an attentive student.
“When we came here,” Mianmian said, her arms folded across her chest as she paced back and forth importantly. “We were the suitors. Which means we wanted to get his attention and he had the power. Now...all that has changed. You have his attention; he's thinking about marrying you. He's now the suitor and you have the power.”
Wuxian lifted his chin; he liked the way that sounded. He threw another piece of sweet cake into his mouth and chewed happily.
“To show that he's a good provider, a suitor will give you gifts. It's up to you whether you accept them or not. If you don't accept them, he will think that you're not interested in him and he may back off completely. We don't want that. So you should probably accept anything that Lan Wangji offers. Usually, you should be wary of doing that because, if you accept gifts too eagerly, the suitor may think you're too willing and try to take advantage by dishonoring you before promising himself to you. But Lan Wangji is a gentleman with a top notch reputation, so we don't have to worry about that.”
Wuxian nodded. Wangji was definitely an upright gentleman. That was no fun. A mischievous thought entered his mind of making Wangji crack and “dishonor” him, as Mianmian had put it. The thought caused a lopsided smile to rest on his face. Imagining Wangji losing control in any kind of way was highly amusing.
“He'll probably also try to show you he's a good protector by boasting about his swordsmanship at some point. Well...Lan Wangji probably won't boast but he'll for sure find some way to show you that you're safe with him. Let him. If a problem arises, let him take care of it even though you might be capable of handling it yourself.”
Wuxian pursed his lips thoughtfully. That sounded fine by him. At some point, though, he wanted to also show Lan Wangji that he was skilled in swordsmanship as well. He imagined the look on Wangji's face should he challenge him to a duel and then match him, or better yet, best him. He giggled to himself, which caused Mianmian to narrow her eyes at him suspiciously. Wuxian hurriedly cleared his expression so that she couldn't tell that he was considering doing the exact opposite of everything she was telling him to do.
“The most important thing to remember,” Mianmian said, maintaining her strictness. “Is that you haven't sealed the deal yet. Until you've performed your bows, keep in mind that you're not the only person your suitor is courting. There's another woman out there who might be prettier than you, smarter than you, and more cunning than you. And she's after your man.”
Wuxian gave a firm nod. On his way to Gusu, Wuxian had never expected to actually be chosen by Lan Wangji. But now that he was, he found satisfaction in knowing that he was wanted. The more Wangji showed interest in him, the more warmth he felt in his chest – warmth akin to the rising of the sun. And if he could help it, he didn't want that to be taken away.
* * *
When Wangji found Wuxian, the mischievous cultivator was lying in the main room of his guest quarters with the door wide open to allow a refreshing breeze to pass through. Papers with messy and scrawled markings were strewn here and there on and around the low wooden table that furnished the room. Wuxian himself was slumped over the table, actively continuing his scrawlings. Good posture and mannerly sitting was nowhere in sight. No one else was around besides Lady Luo Qingyang who was also, surprisingly, quite unladylike as she lay on her side with her head propped up onto one hand. She was picking her teeth with a small, wooden stick with the other. Wangji could only assume Wuxian's own lack of discipline had infected the once so proper Qingyang. He would have to keep in mind to be careful of allowing the younger Lan disciples around Wuxian unless he wanted the Lan Clan physician to be a permanent resident in his uncle's quarters.
Wangji cleared his throat, causing the two cultivators to look up and spring to their feet. Wuxian smoothed the wrinkles out of his robes and chuckled nervously; Mianmian dropped the stick she had been using to pick her teeth.
“What is this?” Wangji asked, leaning down to pick up one of the papers on which Wuxian had been furiously writing.
Wuxian quickly took the paper out of Wangji's hands and gathered the rest into a neat pile, setting them aside. “Oh,” he said. “They're just spells I'm working on. I create talismans sometimes when I'm bored. Don't look at any of these, though. They're not finished.”
Wangji followed Wuxian with his eyes as he moved around the room. He was very interested in the spells Wuxian was creating. Being part of the Lan Clan, he had never known anyone who worked with spells. They were somewhat looked down on, the disciples of the Lan Clan preferring to only follow the tried and true tactics of their own sect through music and swordsmanship. Only someone with a very creative mind could create spells of their own.
“I'm going to leave,” Mianmian said. She bowed respectfully to Lan Wangji and then to Wuxian before dismissing herself.
When they were alone, a sudden awkward atmosphere fell over the room. Glances were avoided and objects in the room became points of interest until Wuxian suddenly thought of something. “Oh!” he said, stepping forward with his hand held out palm up. His gaze was expectant.
Wangji blinked and looked between Wuxian's hand and his face. He blinked again.
“Don't I get a gift?” Wuxian asked. “I heard suitors give gifts.”
If Lan Xichen had been there, he would have easily been able to read the panic in Wangji's eyes. Wangji looked down, shielding the emotion from Wuxian. “...I didn't know you would be expecting a gift so soon.”
When he saw how contrite Wangji looked, that little spark of amusement hit Wuxian again. He couldn't help but to think Lan Zhan was just so cute in those rare moments when his strong grasp on perfection slipped. Deciding not to let Wangji off the hook, Wuxian let out a heavy sigh of disappointment. “Aiyo~! Lan Zhan! I heard such great things about The Second Jade of Lan that I had high hopes when I found out I would be courted by someone as great as yourself. I guess I shouldn't have placed my expectations so high...” He glanced at Wangji to see him still looking at the ground. If he didn't know any better, he would say the great Lan Wangji was sulking. “Whatever, whatever,” he teased with a wave of his hand. “It doesn't matter. Gifts aren't everything, I guess. But they're a nice bonus.” He walked out of the guest quarters, still talking while Lan Wangji followed him out. He didn't know where he was going, but he was sure Wangji wouldn't let him stray too far from where they needed to be.
They walked side by side for some time with Wuxian chattering away before Wangji mentioned that they were going to a lantern festival in town. Wuxian was happy to hear it; he loved celebrations of any kind.
“Did you enjoy your time with Lady Ruwan?” Wuxian asked, unable to contain his curiosity.
“Mm,” Wangji said with a nod. “We took a walk.”
Though he knew it was hopeless, Wuxian still waited for elaboration. When it didn't come, he asked, “Why did you choose me?”
Wangji stopped walking to look at Wuxian who smiled a bit nervously back at him. Every time they met, Wuxian asked him that question. Did he really not understand how captivating he was? In both body and spirit? Wangji searched for an answer that would satisfy the man in front of him. Before he could find it, a bark rent through the air.
Panic immediately covered Wuxian's face and, before Wangji knew it, Wuxian was hiding behind him with his arms wrapped around his middle. “Save me, Lan Zhan!”
Wangji was surprised. Especially when a small puppy came around the bend of the dirt trail they were traveling, chasing a bird, and Wuxian was still just as frightened if not moreso. His grip tightened around Wangji's waist as the tiny puppy hardly bigger than Wangji's foot flew past, chased by a gang of small children. Due to the sudden activity, Wangji knew they must be close to town now. They would probably start hearing villagers and smelling aromas from the market upon entrance to the town in a few steps more.
When the puppy and the children were gone, Wuxian jerkily released Wangji and stepped away. Beneath his layers of clothing, Wangji felt warm where Wuxian's hands had been. He usually didn't like when others touched him, but he didn't mind Wuxian's touch.
Wuxian looked a bit embarrassed when Wangji's eyes landed on him. He rubbed the back of his neck. “I'm...uh...a little afraid of dogs.”
Wangji was tempted to mention that that was hardly a dog, but he decided not to. Instead he asked, “...Why?”
Wuxian hesitated before responding. “When I was little...after my parents died...I was on my own without a home until Uncle Jiang found me. In that time, I used to have to find food wherever I could and hungry dogs were usually looking for the same food I was. And hungry dogs are vicious.” Wuxian gave an exaggerated pout, but Wangji could tell that he was genuinely saddened when he thought about his past. That time must have been so scary for a young child. “I have a scar. Look!” Wuxian raised the sleeve of his robe to show a long mark paler than the rest of the skin on his forearm. Wangji wished he could have been there to help the young Wuxian when he was scared and alone.
He wasn't then, but he could be now. “I'll protect you from dogs from now on,” he said resolutely.
Wuxian looked surprised for a moment and then the bright smile Wangji couldn't erase from his mind replaced the sadness that had been there and Wangji hoped he could make the smile stay permanently.
“Mm!” Wuxian said with a nod.
When they reached town, Wuxian flitted from stall to stall as different wares caught his eye with each passing second. The town was more busy than usual and there were more business stalls set up due to the fact that there was to be a festival. Wangji stopped trying to follow him; he just walked calmly down the middle of the street and Wuxian would always come back to him.
By the time the streets had filled with patrons and lanterns began to sell out, Wuxian was tired and full from all of the snacks Wangji had bought him whenever Wuxian told him something looked particularly delicious. So they sat at a table just off to the side where they could still look on at the festivities but still be under the roof of an unenclosed inn. A lantern sat between them that they were each painting the side of before they would release it into the air.
“Isn't it romantic that we're going to release a lantern together, Lan Zhan?” Wuxian asked, a wide smile on his face.
Wangji looked up from his painting to glance at Wuxian's smile. He was still a little unsure how to take Wuxian's flirtations. They slid off of his tongue so directly and so easily that Wangji still questioned whether they were genuine. Maybe Wuxian was still not taking this seriously and would laugh in Wangji's face when he officially proposed to him. “...Mm,” Wangji replied with a nod.
“Most people believe that if you release a lantern with someone and wish to stay with that person forever, the wish will come true. Are you not scared? Since you're so handsome and rich, I might wish to stay with you forever. Then you're stuck with me.”
“Not scared.”
Wuxian pulled a face of happy surprise as he finished his painting. “Look,” he said, turning it around.
Wangji obliged. “Why a rabbit?” he asked.
“It reminds me of you.”
Wangji blinked, not sure what he meant by that.
As Wangji pondered Wuxian's reasoning, Wuxian's focus had been taken by what Wangji had painted on the other side. There was an image of Wuxian's own face, smiling widely, and a rising sun. It was beautiful. His eyes traveled up to scan Wangji's face and, for the first time, he truly began to imagine a future with the man sitting across from him.
They would go out to eat and sit across from each other just like this; he would wheedle until a stoic and slightly put-upon Wangji bought them alcohol. Since they were both skilled cultivators, they would travel from town to town to help those who truly needed it. And they would split time between the Cloud Recesses and Lotus Pier when they had the chance to do so. Eventually, a little girl or boy who strongly resembled Wangji would join them...
“It's time to release the lanterns,” Wangji said, interrupting Wuxian's imaginings of a little boy in Gusu Lan robes with a face just as expressionless as Wangji's.
Wuxian stood up along with Wangji and they each took a side of the now burning lantern. Wuxian closed his eyes and wished earnestly, 'I wish to live a long and happy life by Lan Zhan's side.' He figured it wasn't a very selfish wish because, even if Lan Zhan chose to marry Lady Ruwan, he still hoped to remain in his life as a good friend and confidant.
Unbeknownst to him, Wangji had just finished wishing to have a long and happy marriage with Wei Wuxian.
“Excuse me, fine gentlemen,” Wuxian and Wangji turned to face a man approaching them quickly. “I took it upon myself to draw a portrait of you two handsome men. Would you, perhaps, be interested in buying it from me? Only two silver pieces should be fine.”
The drawing featured Wangji and Wuxian smiling at each other softly while holding onto a lit lantern between them. Wuxian wondered if the expression on the face of the 2D Wuxian matched the expression he had worn in real life. If so, he felt a bit exposed. But the drawing of Wangji captured the stoic man in such a gentle way that Wuxian definitely wouldn't mind taking the portrait as a souvenir of this night. “Wow!” he exclaimed. “We should buy it, Lan Zhan!”
Wangji reached into his money pouch for the sixth time that night. “Mm,” he agreed.
When the festival was over, Wangji and Wuxian took the same trail back to the Cloud Recesses that they had used to arrive. In the same fashion as well, with Wuxian chattering away and Wangji listening silently. Wuxian didn't stop talking until he realized he had followed Wangji back to his living quarters, the Jingshi. He stopped short with wide eyes as Wangji turned to him.
“I'm sorry,” Wuxian said with a slightly nervous chuckle. “I got caught up in talking and didn't realize where I was going. I guess I should go to my guest quarters.”
Wangji's gaze fell from Wuxian's face to his collarbone. After a full night out with Wangji, Wuxian was beginning to find some of his tells and he was starting to realize whenever Wangji avoided eye contact like this, he was feeling vulnerable in some way. “You can come in for tea if you want,” Wangji said.
Wuxian smirked. He knew the request was innocent, but he couldn't help but to tease Wangji in this situation. “Lan Zhan!” he admonished. “That would be improper! What would people think if they found out I went into your rooms so close to the Gusu Lan's scheduled bedtime? I have my reputation to think about.”
Wuxian watched Wangji's ears turn that signature shade of red and he didn't even feel guilty. It was just too amusing. “I didn't mean...” Wangji trailed off before he finished that sentence. Giving up on the tea invite altogether, he held up the rolled up drawing he held in his hand and pushed it toward Wuxian. “Here.”
“Is this a gift?” Wuxian asked teasingly.
“Mm.”
Wuxian smiled. Before Wangji could issue a formal goodbye, his personal space was invaded and he was surrounded by Wei Wuxian. Wuxian had stepped forward to embrace him in a warm hug.
The Gusu Lan sect placed great importance in propriety and manners. Even among family members. And they instilled these values at a young age. Therefore, Wangji had never experienced a full body embrace from the moment he had learned how to walk on his own. His breath was temporarily suspended as Wuxian held him. When Wuxian stepped away with a wide grin, Wangji wasn't sure what to say.
“Goodnight, Lan Zhan,” Wuxian said with a wave of his hand.
“Goodnight...Wei Ying.”
* * *
The next day, as Wuxian waited for Wangji to come collect him for their next outing, he spoke bemusedly to Mianmian who was reading while he sat in the doorway of his guest quarters tossing a stone up and catching it just to keep himself mildly entertained. The portrait of he and Wangji was hanging on a frame on the wall. His eyes caught the portrait, which prompted his next question to Mianmian. “What do you think Lan Zhan does with Lady Ruwan when he courts her?” He wondered if she had a portrait of the Second Jade of Lan as well. The thought made him pout. “Why does he always take her out first?”
Mianmian peered over the pages of her book at him. “They probably have small talk about the weather and the sky. You know, boring stuff. I doubt that Lady Ruwan has much interesting stuff to talk about. Have you seen her? She looks as if the wind itself frightens her. And he probably ends the day with you so your face will be the last one he sees.”
Wuxian didn't quite believe that as it was an overly romantic sentiment that he was sure someone as dignified and upright as Lan Wangji would never indulge in. But he appreciated Mianmian's effort in trying to quiet his mind. “Maybe he likes boring,” Wuxian disputed, still pouting.
“Do you want me to read your future and see what Wangji's decision will be?” Mianmian asked.
“You know how to do that?” Wuxian asked, awed.
“No, but I've been to many fortune tellers and I've seen them do it enough times so it shouldn't be too difficult.”
Wuxian eagerly put himself in fortune teller Mianmian's hands. It led to at least ten different fortune readings and a pretty ominous one about Wuxian being fated to die in a cruel manner but it ended up being a good distraction for Wuxian while he waited for Wangji's company. And as the hours drew on, Wuxian came up with the wild idea of attempting to create a love spell talisman.
Wuxian had opened his outer robe to allow Mianmian to stick it to the inner robes over his heart when a stern voice interrupted them. “Wei Ying! What are you doing?”
Mianmian and Wuxian sprung apart guiltily while he retied his robes. “Lan Zhan!” he said excitedly, running to him. “You're here!”
But Wangji wasn't as excited. His expression was frosty when Wuxian stopped in front of him, his gaze falling over Wuxian's shoulder. Wuxian turned to see that he was looking at a nervous looking Mianmian already preparing to make a run for it. “Okay,” Mianmian said. “I'm heading to bed early. Good night, Young Masters!” She bowed and hurried away without waiting for farewells from either of the men.
“Lan Zhan,” Wuxian said, turning back to Wangji, not reading the atmosphere. “What took you so long? I've been waiting.”
Wangji turned his attention back to Wuxian after watching Mianmian disappear. “...Is Lady Qingyang sticking around for a reason?” he asked.
“I asked her to,” Wuxian responded. “It's not a problem, is it? We were invited to stay for a couple of weeks even if we weren't chosen by you.”
Wangji didn't immediately respond. For a second, a small furrow appeared in Wangji's brow and he looked visibly troubled.
Thinking it was because Mianmian wasn't welcome at The Cloud Recesses for some reason, Wuxian began to vouch for her. “Mianmian is the best! She's fun and cute. You wouldn't kick out someone as pretty and delicate as her, right, Lan Zhan? You would be seen as cruel instead of the handsome, gracious gentleman that you are.”
“Be silent.”
Wuxian snapped his lips together, surprised to hear true anger in Wangji's tone. Wangji was a bit ashamed to have snapped at Wuxian, but an apology didn't come readily to his lips so he brushed past the moment. “Let's go,” he said. “We're going on a night hunt.”
* * *
This was Wuxian's ideal date. A night hunt with Lan Zhan. But he couldn't fully enjoy it because an awkward silence had settled between the two men ever since they left The Cloud Recesses. They were now in Anyang, a town a few miles away from Gusu. They had ridden their swords to get there.
Wuxian had long since taken his love spell talisman off. It was supposed to warm if it was working...It obviously wasn't working.
As they were walking down the street of Anyang, Wangji told him briefly what they were hunting. The townsfolk were reportedly being terrorized by a stone giant that would come from the forest nightly to kill young lovers. It was hard to know whether it was a malicious spirit haunting the stone or a curse that caused the stone to come to life. That's what Wangji and Wuxian would be figuring out and hopefully solving.
“Lan Zhan.” Wuxian stopped Wangji as they were passing an inn. “Let's go inside here.”
Wangji looked from the entrance sign to Wuxian's face. “Now is not the time for alcohol.”
“It's not just for alcohol,” Wuxian objected, though it was definitely an incentive. “You hear the best gossip in these places, Lan Zhan.” He grabbed Wangji's arm and pulled him along before he could object anymore. “Come on.”
They sat at a table off to the side. Wuxian ordered two jugs of wine while Wangji stared at him sternly. He tried to convince Wangji to drink, but Wangji just ignored him and drank the water in front of him instead. Figuring he had annoyed Wangji enough for the day, Wuxian finally began to do what they came for – dig for information. He questioned the man that served them and the owner of the establishment and the information they discovered was actually quite enlightening.
Apparently, stories of the stone killer started a couple of years ago after the disappearance of a young cultivator who was supposed to be sent to the Wen sect for further study and development. But during his transport to the Wen sect, he had disappeared, never to be heard from again. But the forest in which he disappeared was the forest in which the stone killer became known so people couldn't help but to connect the two. The theory was that the young man died somehow and his spirit lingered in the forest, becoming angrier and angrier, until it latched onto a group of stones and became this stone killer.
When they left the inn, they were both feeling better. Wuxian because his steps were lightened by the alcohol coursing through his system and Wangji because they now knew where to start in their night hunt journey. They would start with people who knew the young cultivator.
There were some things they needed to figure out. If he disappeared just like that, how was it that no one knew what had happened? Whether he had some fatal accident or simply ran away, there was surely someone who knew more than they were letting on. And if he did die and his spirit became malicious, there had to be a reason. Spirits without resentment didn't become malicious for no reason. So they had a lot to look into.
But first, Wuxian had something else to get to the bottom of.
“Lan Zhan. Are you mad at me?”
Wangji stopped in his tracks and turned to look at Wuxian. “...No,” he said, unsure why Wuxian was asking such a question.
“Oh...” Wuxian said, a pout strong on his face. “It's just that you seemed upset earlier. Were you?”
Wangji knew he couldn't lie to Wuxian. “...Mm,” he nodded.
“Why?”
Wangji was reluctant to admit the truth. He felt he would lose face in some way if he did. But he didn't know how he could get around the question, so he answered. “You and Lady Luo Qingyang were in a compromising position when I came to collect you.”
Confused, Wuxian tried to think back to what Wangji could be referring to. When he finally realized Wangji must be talking about when Mianmian had her hand pressed to his chest, he laughed, realizing what it must have looked like from an outside perspective. He realized laughing was the wrong action, however, when Wangji turned and stalked away without another word.
He ran after him, still a little amused, however, because he thought Wangji's reaction was so cute. He thought Wangji must have been a handful as a kid, trying to read all of his moods under his forced stoicism. “Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan! Wait, wait! I didn't mean to laugh.”
He caught up to Wangji and walked alongside him. He turned and walked backwards so that he could see Wangji's face. “Earlier,” he explained. “I just got bored with waiting so I decided to try to make a love spell talisman so that you would be under my spell and do whatever I wanted.”
Wuxian realized how bad that sounded only after the statement was spoken aloud out into the air and Wangji had stopped once again to pin him with a frosty stare.
“I mean...Of course I wasn't going to really use it on you if it worked,” Wuxian rambled guiltily. “I was just trying something new. And maybe if you took me out first every once in a while, Lan Zhan, I wouldn't have time to sit around and think up these things.”
Rushing past what he just said, Wuxian continued. “Anyway, Mianmian was simply sticking the talisman to me earlier. That's what you caught us doing. There was nothing compromising. I wouldn't risk your reputation like that, Lan Zhan. As long as you're courting me, my body is yours!”
Wuxian was expecting a flush in Wangji's ears with his last statement and he got it. He giggled. One of his favorite hobbies was becoming the hobby to tease Lan Zhan.
“Nonsense,” Wangji muttered icily. His eyes avoided Wuxian's own and his bright smile as if there was a curse on him that promised death were he to meet Wuxian's eyes. And with the way his heartbeat was racing, that may have been a valid worry.
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