Friday 27 days for the Full Moon Festival

They marched into the dining room for lunch.

As promised, an extra bowl of noodles was placed in front Wei Ying who absolutely did not mind, but Lan Zhan spoke up.

"Shifu...I too must be given an extra bowl of noodles. Wei Ying said I apologised for no good reason."

Shifu gave the order to the wait staff, a twinkle in his eyes.

"I'm sorry." Mo XuanYu said suddenly, out of nowhere.

Everyone stared at him.

And A-Yuan, who had been so quiet until now, also spoke up.

"I'm thowee too." And he beamed.

All eyes were on Uncle Qiren who frowned.

"Fine, fine...I'm also sorry." He huffed.

Four more bowls of noodles were brought out for the guilty people.

And then Mr. Marshmallow padded into the room and meowed loudly.

Uncle Qiren put his foot down, then.

Mr. Marshmallow did not have to have the noodles...it was not the sort of food suitable for cats anyway, and both he and Mr. Marshmallow wore matching looks of annoyance.

Soon silence descended as everyone observed the rules and no one talked while they ate. But Lan Zhan noticed the curious absence of his brother.

His phone rang halfway through lunch and Lan Zhan ignored it, deciding to heap fried vegetables onto Wei Ying’s plate instead, while three pairs of eyes watched him with interest.

Wei Ying thought he had the best willpower ever, not to reach for his phone at all and letting it ring. Also he was proud of his family who knew the punishment available for apologising and did it anyway, just to show solidarity.

He was truly lucky.

Wei Ying ate slowly for once.

The jitters were back and he was in two minds really. On the one hand he wanted to rush back to his home and see it for himself...he knew the cops had taken it away, whatever wreckage there was for the forensics to examine...but there was this small part of him that still disbelieved the truth. He wanted to see his home intact and parked outside Lan Zhan’s home as normal ... that was it.

The other part of him did not want to go at all.

All because by going there and seeing the damage meant acknowledging that it really was gone.

No more table that he and A-Yuan used to sit next to each other to use, whether it was for eating and drinking, or playing cards and board games, or colouring in...no more sleeping in that same bed with the lumpy mattress...

He felt like one of those executive toys that swung from side to side like a pendulum.

Wei Ying never had much else to store in the caravan except for the knic-knacks and cutlery, second hand plates which had been in good condition.

But right now Wei Ying gasped painfully as his eyes filled with tears.

Lan Zhan’s gaze shot to his face as Wei Ying dropped his chopsticks.

"Erm...excuse me..." Wei Ying pushed away from the table and ran.

Before he knew it, he was outside with tears streaming down his face as his heart broke over and over again. He couldn’t even stand and sank to his knees just as Lan Zhan caught up to him.

"Wei Ying!"

He gathered Wei Ying easily, holding him close.

Lan Zhan could feel his heart beating at double speed, shocked by Wei Ying. He would never have risen before Uncle Qiren if this wasn't something serious...but what could it be?

Wei Ying was trembling in his arms and Lan Zhan could only hold him, no idea on what was wrong.

When he was able to, Wei Ying told him what had upset him.

"I h-had a box...it was f-full of A-Yuan's baby stuff. P-pictures...when he was just a baby...s-stuff Uncle F-four had g-given me. It's all gone now...and I'm never gonna get it back..." He bit his bottom lip so it wouldn't tremble.

"I'm so sorry." Lan Zhan rubbed his back, feeling truly terrible for him.

"I have...h-have some s-saved on my phone..."

"The most important thing is both of you are safe..." Lan Zhan soothed him. "It is more important than photos and memorabilia...because you have the real thing. We can make more memories, and make them even more meaningful..."

"I know....I know you're right....but still..." Wei Ying sighed. "I'm sorry for running out like that...scaring you...but I couldn't think."

"It is alright." Lan Zhan could forgive him easily.

The breeze was cooler now and Wei Ying burrowed closer for warmth. Lan Zhan was taller and broader than himself, and while he had always thought of himself as a manly man...it was nice being sheltered like this.

"I suppose we should just go ahead and get it over with, huh?" He said, reluctantly pulling away.

But Lan Zhan pulled him back and just held him.

"We can. But Wei Ying must know that it is not necessary. If you do not want to go today, we can go another day. It is of no consequence." Lan Zhan said, nothing but kindness in his golden eyes.

Wei Ying felt protected by that alone.

He felt as if Lan Zhan was offering him a shield against all the bad things outside their bubble of peace and happiness...and was it selfish of him to want to hang on to that for a little bit longer?

So he smiled as bravely as he could and kissed the side of Lan Zhan’s neck softly.

"I guess we could do it another day...but...really, we're just prolonging the inevitable. Let's just get it over with. I feel better though...because you're with me." He admitted.

He wasn't used to saying openly how he felt, especially things which were close to his heart, but he saw immediately how pleased Lan Zhan looked by his simple admission. So he swore to himself that he would do better from now on.

Lan Zhan brought their joined hands to his mouth and gently kissed the back of his hand.

"We are together. We can do anything." He promised.

"Yes...anything." Wei Ying smiled, internally searching for courage.

There were two ways he could deal with this: either he stopped himself from thinking about it completely, or he accepted that, like going into an exam hall, everything was going to be okay once he was there.

He opted for the first one.

"It's getting a little cooler now." He commented as they walked back inside.

"Mn. Wait here." Lan Zhan commanded.

"Yes Sir!" Wei Ying honestly hadn't meant to provoke that intensity.

Lan Zhan had meant to walk away.

But that last word from Wei Ying’s mouth did things to him.

Before he knew it, he had slammed Wei Ying up against the wall, plundering his mouth and forcing his tongue inside. Wei Ying was kissing him back with a matching intensity and no idea of what he was doing to Lan Zhan as his hands roamed and found soft parts of a derriere.

Lan Zhan squeezed, sucking on Wei Ying’s bottom lip and finding it particularly satisfying to bite down. Wei Ying was having an out of body experience, simultaneously having a sensory overload as Lan Zhan ravished his mouth with wanton desire.

His heart had left the cage of his ribs long ago, and who needed to breath when dying felt so good? He felt as if he was on fire, the previous chill completely evaporating into something hotter, molten and scorching.

Somehow, Wei Ying’s hands had tugged away Lan Zhan’s shirt, and when his palms touched the bare skin of Lan Zhan’s back, the jolt of electricity burned both of them.

Lan Zhan had to stop.

But his mouth wasn't listening.

Kissing Wei Ying was like a drug and he felt powerless to resist, wondering where on earth his willpower had gone. Each flick of Wei Ying's tongue was tempting him to bite down again and again, with each gasp of hot air as they explored these new feelings between each other.

There was a cough behind them.

Lan Zhan registered it but paid it no mind as what he was currently doing was far more pleasurable.

It became louder.

And then Wei Ying was pushing him slightly so they could breathe again.

Chests heaving, Lan Zhan turned his face to the side, feeling like a predatory lion interrupted in his kill. His glare could have melted ice caps.

"Hello Didi...A-Xian..." XiChen smiled politely.

Lan Zhan released Wei Ying and held his hand, feeling quite smug at his blushing face before turning to face his brother.

"Had lunch?" XiChen asked.

Lan Zhan thought he was referring to that passionate display, but then, it really wasn't his business...and wasn't there something he had to get XiChen back for?

And just as he had that thought, his golden eyes zeroed in on something hidden under XiChen's collar.

"Is that a-" He went to ask, but Wei Ying beat him to it.

"A hickey? I think so, Lan Zhan!" Wei Ying stepped forward playfully, eyeing it up.

XiChen straightened his shirt so it was no longer visible but the damage was done.

"It looks like someone had him for lunch..." Lan Zhan said, staring into darker golden eyes, only shades deeper than his own.

"Er...that's...there's some papers for you to sign when you have the time. I'll leave them in your room." XiChen smiled falteringly and disappeared as fast as he could.

"I think XiChen-Ge is seeing someone...what do you think?" Wei Ying was tapping his nose.

"Mn." And Lan Zhan was busy thinking about who it could be. But then he remembered that he was going to bring something from upstairs anyway; that was his original idea just before the temptress that was Wei Ying distracted him.

So now, he turned and held his hand over a surprised Wei Ying’s mouth.

"Stay. Here." He gazed into deeply silver eyes impossibly turned on by the heat radiating from within their depths, as Wei Ying nodded.

"Good boy. I shall return promptly." Lan Zhan smiled as he walked away, but temptation won in the end and he glanced back.

Wei Ying, naughty little gremlin that he was, blew him a kiss....

*******

Everything was great on the ride over to his new house.

Lan Zhan had returned with hoodies for both of them and Wei Ying had slipped his on gratefully, thinking there was no way Lan Zhan could look any hotter...boy, was he wrong!!

The hoodie fit Lan Zhan perfectly, molding to his every muscle and again Wei Ying was distracted by thoughts of actually seeing what was underneath his clothes...

Lan Zhan had grabbed his hand and marched them outside as if he had known that left to their own devices, they weren't going to make it out of there any time soon if Wei Ying continued looking at him in that hungry way of his.

JingYi was listening to some Korean band and singing along with the best of his vocal skills only in the English parts.

Lan Zhan was grateful for the small mercy.

As they pulled away from the mansion, he bought several pairs of earplugs, vowing to keep some in every jacket or shirt.

They were a solid investment.

He only noticed something was wrong when Wei Ying’s hand crept over to his and threaded their fingers together.

Wei Ying wasn't looking outside either, like normal.

Instead, his gaze was focused on his shoes, never wavering.

"It's going to be okay." Lan Zhan told him earnestly.

Wei Ying nodded, but Lan Zhan knew his heart wasn't in it.

Maybe Wei Ying was right, maybe some things just had to be gotten over.

Trepidation coursed over his skin as they pulled up outside his new house.

Lan Zhan squeezed his hand, feeling the need for support himself.

The last time he had been here was...that night...that awful night...

They got out of the car slowly.

The first thing Lan Zhan saw was the fluttering yellow police tape. One end was still attached to the beautiful door while the elements had eased away the other end so its fate lay with the wind.

But now his attention was wholly consumed by the man at his side.

Wei Ying was silent as he surveyed the black soot marking the ground. It looked oily and ugly, a stain on something previously untainted and clean.

The area was big, a shape that encompassed a size accommodating his caravan and his car.

Together, they walked up to where his caravan would have been parked on another day.

Lan Zhan forced himself to stay still, to be strong for his Wei Ying, when in reality all he wanted to do was whisk him away from here and get someone to jet blast this ugliness away.

Remove all traces away from this place.

Only a single solitary tear made its way down his face.

Wei Ying knelt then and with his finger, he touched the sooty ground.

To Lan Zhan...it looked as if he was saying goodbye.

The sight was chilling.

Added to that, his uncharacteristic silence was unnerving.

Lan Zhan wasn't sure what he should do to try and make Wei Ying feel better.

But then, his next words brought ice into his veins.

"Let's go inside."

Too late, Lan Zhan wondered what his kitchen would look like.

It didn't bear thinking about.

"I forgot the key at home." He lied, forcing himself to maintain eye contact so Wei Ying wouldn't call him out on it.

Wei Ying nodded slowly, accepting it.

Then Lan Zhan had a brilliant idea.

He brought Wei Ying to the back of his house, walking towards that little stream.

They sat down on the bench, and Lan Zhan brought Wei Ying closer so he could wrap both arms around him, sheltering him from the cool breeze as best as he could.

The silence was too much, and Lan Zhan decided to make an effort.

"Look. They have finished digging the swimming pool." He explained.

He could see that Wei Ying was paying attention now, so he bravely continued. "They are tiling the insides now. Will be finished by next week. Waterproofing after that. Then it's the surrounding area, preparing it for the actual pool." He went into detail, having memorised whatever the foreman had told him about the procedure.

Then, going the extra mile, he talked about how to keep the pools clean, how often, and when service was required. These were going to be heated pools, so there were minute differences to ordinary pools.

Wei Ying listened attentively, and as Lan Zhan’s deep voice washed over him, he gradually relaxed.

By doing this singular activity, he had not realised this, but he was giving his mind a break from overthinking.

Not to mention that Lan Zhan’s voice was lovely. Not only the cadence with which he spoke, but the gentle tone which he was using simultaneously soothed and eased away his worries.

When he stopped speaking, Wei Ying glanced up and found Lan Zhan’s worried eyes as they watched him.

He smiled to let him know he was feeling much better. Wei Ying raised their joined hands to his lips and kissed their hands.

They settled back in silence and let nature heal their wounds.

The last of the grasshoppers and crickets began to make their presence known, and the pretty birdsong was finally silent when they stood up to leave. The sky was a pleasant shading of peach into blue as the evening approached, and the stars began to twinkle merrily in the sky.

"Let's go home." Wei Ying said.

Lan Zhan kissed the top of his head, having not let go of him at all.

They slowly walked around to the car.

It was only when they reached the mansion that both of them realised what Wei Ying had called this place.

He blushed as they got out of the car.

But Lan Zhan knew why, and he smiled back encouragingly.

"My home is wherever Wei Ying is."

***********

Dinner was over faster than expected.

XiChen had escaped with the children to play with the train set as soon as they finished.

Lan Zhan suspected he was avoiding questions...

But he had work to do still. Wei Ying followed him up to his room, where XiChen had left the papers for him to look over and sign. They sat on the bed, and not long after, Wei Ying lay down next to him as Lan Zhan continued to work.

He was playing on his phone and looking through apps.

It took longer than he expected, and when Lan Zhan looked over, Wei Ying was fast asleep.

His phone buzzed, and Lan Zhan grabbed it to stop the noise.

"Boss, we are good to go tomorrow morning. The appropriate documents and detailed evidence have reached IRS. They're expected to take action immediately. It'll go public straight after." Huaisang told him, not wasting any time.

"Good. Also, do you know a good clean-up crew?" Lan Zhan explained what he wanted and that he wanted it done by Sunday.

"I'll take care of it, Boss."

They hung up.

Lan Zhan opened his laptop and paid a generous amount into Huaisang's account.

He was sure the man was working overtime, and Lan Zhan appreciated his effort.

Uncle Qiren always said that money greased the wheels, and Lan Zhan had understood this to be true.

It was late now.

He heard a soft knock on the door and saw their children standing on the threshold, waiting to enter. He smiled at both of them, putting his finger on his lips and pointing to a sleeping father.

They beamed in delight and rushed in. Both Mo XuanYu and A-Yuan hugged him first before kissing his cheek one after another.

"Baba tired?" A-Yuan whispered, looking worried about Wei Ying.

"Mn. He'll feel much better by tomorrow." Lan Zhan reassured them.

And then he had a wonderful idea.

"Would you both like to sleep with us tonight?"

The children's faces showed their delight.

"Go and brush your teeth and change into your pyjamas." Lan Zhan told them, happy that they were so enthusiastic.

While they rushed off to do that, Lan Zhan grabbed Wei Ying’s pyjamas and quickly changed his clothes for him. Then, once the children arrived, he got them settled in the middle of the bed with Wei Ying on one side before leaving to get ready himself.

When he came back, A-Yuan was struggling not to fall asleep. Mo XuanYu was out like a light, and Wei Ying was already asleep.

Lan Zhan closed the lights and got into bed.

A-Yuan snuggled closer and let go finally, succumbing to his sleep.

Lan Zhan listened to the sound of their breathing and fell asleep feeling complete.

*********