"A favour?"

"Yes."

"I doubt I can be of any help to you, Jin Gongzi."

Meng Yao's dimpled cheeks sunk deeper as he smiled delicately. "Oh, well, I was actually hoping for Lan Er-Gongzi to help me out..."

His teeth were gritted and fists clenched so hard, it was a wonder Lan Wangji wasn't growling right now.

"Oh? You want Lan Zhan to help?"

"So the whole A-Ying and A-Zhan thing was an act after all," Meng Yao grinned.

Lan Xichen's eyes swelled. "A-Yao?" This tone... all this while Meng Yao had been his usual benevolent self, why the cold tone ever since he set foot in the Jingshi?

"Er-Ge?"

"A-Yao... talk a bit more nicely, will you?"

"Oh, sorry," Meng Yao smiled and inclined his head to them all. "Yes, Wei Gongzi. I need Lan Er-Gongzi's help in something I'm struggling with."

"Wait a minute, Jin Gongzi. Could you give us a moment?"

"Oh, sure," Meng Yao nodded and rose to his feet.

"Xichen-ge stay."

"Erm," Lan Xichen, who had thought Wei Wuxian wished to talk with Wangji, sat back down.

Once Meng Yao was outside on the verandah, Wuxian turned around. "Lan Zhan–"

"Mn," Lan Wangji nodded to a faint blue barrier around them.

"Oh, you set the silencing charm up already. Thanks. Xichen-ge... Why on earth did you bring him in here?"

Lan Xichen sighed, gripping his teacup. "Nothing at all. Just that he asked to ask a favour from you two. And I thought I could put him at ease by letting him talk in the privacy of being within walls, put him at greater ease so he'll spill the beans."

"Xichen-ge, you could have sent a message and we'd have come to the Hanshi–"

"No. He needs to think I trust him to the extent I'll let him in my brother's home. So he'll be more open."

"Ah? So... so you do want to catch him?"

"Red-handed."

"But... why? I thought Xichen-ge wanted to trust him?"

"But I trust my brother more than anyone else. If Wangji said so, then fine. Let's try this."

"Thank you, Xichen-ge."

"Thank Wangji," Lan Xichen inclined his head, waiving the gratitude.

"Xiongzhang, his favour?"

"Wangji... Even I don't know about that. So we'll see." Lan Xichen was about to signal to Lan Wangji to lift the barrier, before stopping to ask one last thing. "Wangji?"

"Xiongzhang?"

"What's with the undershirt?"

"Uh?"

"No outer robes... just inner robe? And why is it wrapped so tightly? Careful, might suffocate you."

"Ah. Erm."

"Ahaha!" Wei Wuxian laughed nervously. "Nothing at all, Xichen-ge! Just that Lan Zhan was punched by me in a little duel of ours. So there's a blue patch on his abdomen, I wanted to let it heal so all this time he was here with his shirt undone."

"Oh. Understood. Wangji, shall we go to the Healing Hall after this?"

"No, xiongzhang. I'm good."

"As you wish. Wuxian, kindly be more careful with him, will you? But thank you letting the wound heal."

Wei Wuxian pursed his lips and bowed his head in apology. Goodness, Lan Xichen really is a stern big brother. Never mind, let him scold me all he likes. Better than risking letting out the truth.

"Wangji, the barrier."

"..."

"Wangji?"

Lan Wangji sighed. He wasn't too interested in whatever this 'favour' was anyway... He undid the ward and Wei Wuxian opened the door to let Meng Yao in. Both returned to their seats at the table and smiled at each other.

Challenges accepted.

"So, Jin Gongzi wanted to ask Lan Zhan's help?"

"Yes," Meng Yao nodded and glanced at Lan Wangji.

"Go on," Lan Wangji mumbled.

"Lan Er-Gongzi. I wished to ask you to teach me."

Lan Zhan's head shot up and he stared back at Meng Yao, eyes questioning.

"Oh, nothing much. Well, since Er-Ge asked me to enter my name in your Lan records, I assume at least you two, other than Er-Ge, know about my Divergence. I just need help with controlling the Divergent part of my energy. I was hoping Lan Er-Gongzi could..." he smiled wider. "Teach me."

"..."

Lan Xichen blinked several times. Did Meng Yao know? Why else would he ask this? He... knew...

Lan Wangji was beyond dumbfounded. Of all the things to be asked from him, anything related to his Divergence not coming from Wei Wuxian or Lan Xichen... terrified him. Will he be discovered? And if this man knew of his Divergence... just how much did he know?

Wei Wuxian...

... laughed.

He chuckled. "Jin Gongzi. I'm afraid you made a mistake. Lan Zhan wouldn't be able to teach you Divergence when he isn't one himself, am I right?" He laughed casually.

Convincingly.

Let the Lans stress themselves out.

I am so not giving up against a loser.

"Oh? Lan Er-Gongzi isn't?"

"Hahahahahaha! Just what made you think up such a ridiculous thing! Cold and law-abiding Lan Zhan, a Divergent? Hahahahahaha! Never! Not in a million lifetimes."

"Oh, then it must be you."

"Of course it is me! Everyone knows Wei Wuxian's the great and only Divergent in his time!" He winked.

"Mhm. Well, when I asked someone about the world's /Divergents, they said... Ah... Right. I must have gotten Lan Er-Gongzi and Lan Er-Furen mixed up."

"Ahem," Wei Wuxian cleared his throats, gritting his teeth. "Mind your words, Jin Gongzi. I'm not some Second Madam Lan."

"Apologies, my bad. Then Wei Gongzi teach me?"

"Hm, why not? Nothing much. Knowing Jin Gongzi to be a quick learner according to what Nie-xiong tells me... Two days should do the trick." 

"We start tomorrow?"

"Okay."

"Great! Tomorrow and the day after, I shall trouble you then. Apologies, Wei Gongzi! And thank you!" 

Meng Yao left first, saying he had lessons with Da-Ge.

"So no need for revelations," Lan Zhan was relieved.

"Nope."

"And he didn't let out a thing."

"Two things."

"What's that?" Lan Xichen perked up.

Wei Wuxian counted on his two fingers. "One, he flaunted his Divergence and said all that. Meaning he's found out about Lan Zhan's Divergence. But he isn't going to tell anyone — for now. We don't know about the future."

"Mn," Lan Zhan nodded.

"Two. That he needs help controlling his Divergence. I'll check his skill level tomorrow. If his request for help was genuine, then we know. If not, and the bastard ends up ruining his whole life... But yes."

"Why do you think he'd need help with control, Wuxian?"

"... Xichen-ge didn't believe me the first time, so even if I give demonic cultivation as the answer, you'll–"

"Never accept it," Lan Xichen shook his head. 

"Exactly."

After shrugging off the incident to have a casual chat with his brothers and give them both a lecture on their frequent duels, Lan Xichen left them alone.

"Lan Zhan..."

"Wei Ying?"

"He knows."

"Just the Divergent part." 

"Meaning it won't take him long to find out about Heiguang-Jun too."

"It's not like I can hide. It's fine."

"It's FINE? Lan Wangji, do you even REALISE the consequences if your Shufu finds out about you being the Dark Knight?"

"Wei Ying... let's just focus on Meng Yao."

"Lan–"

"Yao. Do you think he's a demonic cultivator?"

Wei Wuxian bit his bottom lip. "Possible..."

"Why?"

"Something like demonic cultivation would arouse your energy, torture your core. And all those corpses... it's possible that someone's using demonic cultivation and is manipulating them. Such a method comes at high costs. Meng Yao would suffer from it, maybe his energy runs wild. Hence he needs help controlling it. He only mentioned the last bit, maybe he's being in genuine need of help there. Hmph. He's got the guts to come and ask us that, when it's something caused by such an act..."

Thud-

Crash!

"L– Lan Zhan!" Wei Wuxian cried, shocked to find himself suddenly pinned down on the wooden floor of the Jingshi.

"Stop it."

"What? Dwelling? Talking?"

"Biting your lip." 

Stop it, A-Ying, it's too enticing... 

Nope. No way, Lan Zhan was saying that; too corny. 

"Pfft!" Wei Wuxian sniggered, wrapping his arms around his husband's neck. "You bite it all the time, can't I bite it myself, hm? Ngh! OW!"

"What?"

"I didn't ASK you to bite my lip! That hurt!"

"Sorry."

Wei Wuxian chuckled again. "Lan Zhan, at times like this, you look the least apologetic you could be."

"Mn."

Rrrap! Tap!

"Tsk," Wei Wuxian sighed. Gently pushing Lan Zhan's needy lips away, he turned his head towards the door and called. "Who is it?"

"Xian-gege! Qian-gege! It's me!"

"A-Yuan!" Wei Wuxian was up and at the door in a flash, bubbling with joy.

Lan Wangji sat on the floor, leaning against the wall. He had ignored his bandage, disregarded the pain in his abdomen, all of that...

For this.

Abandoned. Like an old leaf tossed away by the wind.

I do love A-Yuan but... he really does have bad timing.