Monday 17 days to go for the Full Moon Festival

When the car stopped at a traffic light, Wei Ying took advantage of the fact that Dan probably couldn't read or write Chinese characters. He pulled out a screwdriver that he had forgotten was in his pocket and drew out characters on the back of XiChen's hand:

We'll have to lose him somewhere...

The truth was, Wei Ying had seen how Dan had not agreed to keep their secret...so the only way they could do what they came to do...was if they managed to lose the bodyguard...then that way, Dan would not be blamed and Lan Zhan wouldn't feel like firing him...though XiChen thought that was being optimistic.

He knew that Lan Zhan’s temper was something of a legend, and if his baby brother got angry at all, which was rare, then no one could help the guilty party, not even XiChen or their Uncle.

And he had a better idea, speaking in a rapid mother tongue.

Wei Ying nodded enthusiastically.

"It's just around the corner..." XiChen was saying, when they both jumped out of the car after parking it.

XiChen hit the locks and they ran.

They were hoping that Dan would do the responsible thing and look after the car, because if he got out, since he had no way of locking it again, he'd have to hang around either inside a locked one or outside an unlocked one...it was a failsafe plan.

XiChen wasn't lying when he said the store was just around the corner.

They stood outside until they were let in past the extra security that a goldsmith's shop always had.

"XiChen! How nice to see you!" An elderly man quickly came towards them. "How is the family? Your uncle alright?"

XiChen made small talk with the obvious proprietor while Wei Ying studied him.

He was perhaps in his sixties and had a pleasant face, with jowls that moved with each swing of his head. He seemed nice.

"Now...I understand you want to buy something rather special?" The owner was saying, this time to Wei Ying.

XiChen let Wei Ying take over. He already knew why they were here, especially since  Wei Ying had confided in him the day before, so he wasn't surprised.

"Yes...please, I'm looking for something special because I want to propose to my boyfriend...and I'm sorry because I don't know what I'm looking for...but I'll know it when I see it..." He felt a little ridiculous explaining that part.

It was only the truth though.

The man pulled out lots of trays. Each one was covered in white velvet with indents filled with rings, and began explaining to Wei Ying a little bit about the procedure on how and why they were created.

"Do you have his size? And yours?" He asked.

Wei Ying nodded.

He had tied a cord around Lan Zhan’s finger when he fell asleep last night, and he pulled it out now. He was expecting the man to look down on how he had the relevant information but he brought out a solid gold carrot shape, narrow at the top and thicker as it grew longer at its base.

The owner slid the rope down as far as it would go without being tight and hummed when it hit the correct groove.

"Did you want a matching set?" Wei Ying was asked.

He nodded enthusiastically and then he wondered about the price. Just how much did these rings cost anyway? He wondered that accidentally out loud.

"Don't worry about that..." the owner assured him. "Let's just find something you like."

It was a good plan...only, Wei Ying found he was quite picky about the ring itself.

He didn't want it to be a yellow gold, or a light gold, or even a rose gold. Nor silver because it felt cold to him...and Lan Zhan was the warmest person he knew.

"What about platinum gold?" The owner had by now, offered around twenty trays of wedding rings, all of which Wei Ying had rejected.

XiChen looked up and saw Dan standing outside, his face a mask of relief and annoyance before clearing.

He told the owner to ignore the man standing outside...in his opinion, Dan didn't need to be inside with them. He saw Dan on the phone and figured he had already ratted them out to his baby brother...oh well...they had tried to keep it a secret.

The rings were plain gold bands and while Wei Ying’s magpie heart loved anything shiny if it was tasteful, he could not pick one from another...and then he felt that he wasn't doing Lan Zhan any justice by picking one of many that looked the same.

If his boyfriend was unique, then he had to have a unique ring...and that was that.

But...

Why was this so hard?

When he shook his head yet again, the owner smiled.

"Actually...I'll let you in on a little secret." He whispered, though there was no one but them in the closed shop. He leaned forward as if divulging an extremely sensitive piece of information. "I have craftsmen who work for me...in designing these...trinkets. But...I like fiddling around myself and a few nights ago, I had a spectacular dream. I dreamt of cherry blossoms on the beach...at midnight." He smiled, sheepishly. "I know how that sounds...more than a little bit crazy...but it inspired me. I shot up in bed and drew a design...I shall show you." He exclaimed, proudly.

First, he put away every single white velvet tray in its place before locking each glass cabinet. Then he disappeared into the back.

He came back out a few minutes later.

"Here are just some of the designs that I was inspired to create. Some of these are complete, a twin and its mate."

This was more like it!

Wei Ying saw the exact rings he could imagine Lan Zhan and himself wearing, made from rose gold and silver, on a platinum base. These two rings looked plain, a white gold basically. But there was a cylindrical shape that turned and four cherry blossoms were revealed...the centres of which were made from the rose gold part. The actual petals were tastefully silver, and so intricately carved, Wei Ying was blown away.

Each one of the cherry blossoms was like the four of them...the two in the centre being the larger ones could represent himself and Lan Zhan...the two next to them on either side could represent A-Yuan and Mo XuanYu...these were perfect!

"They're in high demand...whoever I show them to...they ask me a price and are willing to pay whatever I tell them. I tell you the truth now...I could not part with them because giving away these rings is like giving away pieces of my soul. I could not entrust them to just anyone, you understand?" The owner was saying.

Wei Ying nodded slowly. He got the feeling, no matter how honest the man was being, that the price he was going to suggest might be too high....but if Wei Ying worked solidly and diligently until the house was finished?...maybe then?

If he asked, he was sure that Lan Zhan would help him out.

But wasn't that the trouble?

How could he buy rings..their wedding rings...from borrowed money?

No...Wei Ying steeled himself.

"I'll help you pay for them...A-Xian." XiChen was saying.

"Let's see what he says." Wei Ying said with more confidence than he actually had.

"I've quoted people this much...and they've told me it was cheap." The owner said a price.

Wei Ying strove not to let his eyes go wild at that figure.

He understood that this was a precious pair of rings...and the work on them, down to the littlest detail was expertly created. And XiChen trusted this man...so he would have to trust him too.

"But because I like you, young man...you seem courageous...so I'll do this price for you." The owner claimed.

It was still higher than he could afford.

"A-Xian...please...let me." XiChen said, reaching for his card.

"No...no, XiChen-Ge."

Something about his tone made XiChen pause.

"I want to be able to buy them myself. With money I earned from my own blood and sweat. Clean, honest money." Wei Ying swallowed hard. "I'm not saying that yours is bad...just that if I borrowed it...then...then it's not really mine, is it?" He didn't know why he felt so emotional about it either.

"How about this, then?" The owner said, having overheard the whole conversation. "You can pay me in full for one ring, and I shall reserve its twin until next week. You have seven days to come and make the payment in full, and I shall release the second ring for you."

"Okay. I'll find a way." Wei Ying promised.

Quietly, he transferred the amount of money one ring cost, vowing to himself that one way or another, he would find the rest of the cash.

From somewhere....

In the meantime, maybe his bank account was destined to exist on fumes rather than substance...he thought he had been doing so well too...but in a single transaction, it was almost the same as when he'd first started this job.

Still, he was not the kind of person to regret anything he had chosen himself to do, and he wasn't about to start now. Besides, him and A-Yuan finding both Lan Zhan and Mo XuanYu...that was the best thing to happen to him, and Wei Ying knew that.

Wei Ying watched as the man packed the ring away in a white velvet box, and then repack it in a white silk pouch, and put the pretty package inside a white card bag.

They thanked him and left, with Wei Ying promising to return next week to purchase the second ring.

Dan was waiting outside.

He was on the phone and answering in clipped short words.

"Yes sir, I'll tell them. And sir?...thank you so much."

Those last four words were said in such a heartfelt manner, Wei Ying felt guilty for ditching him.

"I'm sorry, Dan. Especially if you got into trouble with Lan Zhan...I didn’t mean to do that to you." He said, as soon as Dan was off the phone.

Dan looked surprised and then a little sorry himself.

"Mr. Lan wants to talk to you both immediately. As soon as we get back."

A jolt of fear ran through his body at that...Wei Ying felt cold all over.

It sounded like Lan Zhan was angry.

To be fair, if Lan Zhan was...Wei Ying knew why. He had almost died at the hands of his so called brother, and that was still another mess that had to be sorted out...so willfully ditching the bodyguard who was supposed to stop more things like that from happening...it was a stupid and reckless thing to do...and Wei Ying knew all too well, how hard it was to find a job...if his actions had caused Dan to get fired...? He shivered, getting into the car.

Dan had a young family too...

He must have gotten lost in his thoughts again, because the next thing he knew, XiChen was gently shaking his shoulder.

"A-Xian...? We're here." He smiled kindly before exiting the car.

Wei Ying pulled out the white silk pouch and stuffed it into the pocket of his black jeans. Dan was holding open the door for him.

Wei Ying smiled at him again.

"I really am sorry..." He whispered.

"I told Mr. Lan that we were parked outside a wine place." Dan confided, then.

"So you didn't rat us out?" Wei Ying beamed at him and started thinking quickly.

Maybe this day could be salvaged after all...

Dan looked amused at that.

But just then, Lan Zhan came out of the house, checking his phone and then glaring at them. The relief which had sparked for a split second vanished and he turned around and stomped back inside.

"How did you leave the car?" XiChen wanted to know.

"I rang Mr. Lan straight away and he contacted the motor company. They locked the car after I left it through a remote AI connection." Dan looked quite proud of that.

"Well, we have to go back next week, so you better practice lying." Wei Ying told him, as they reached the beautifully arched door.

He was all kinds of jittery...not scared as such but then he had never seen Lan Zhan angry. He had seen a TikTok video where couples had used unconventional methods to win arguments...and the funniest ones were coming to his mind now...

But when he followed XiChen past a shrugging Wen Qing hauling paints up the stairs, she wasn't smiling either, and she shrugged as if to say, I can't help you out of this one.

The living room was painted all white.

And felt extremely cold, though that might have been due to the frosty glares being thrown their way.

Lan Zhan was as tall as his brother, and Wei Ying was only slightly shorter...but he was remembering the times he and Jiang Cheng were punished by Madam Yu. Alright, it was mostly him and Jiang Cheng was there just to watch...but Wei Ying could feel the same vibes.

Lan Zhan grabbed the single chair that stood on the side and put it in front of them.

Then he sat down, coldly staring at his brother.

"You put Wei Ying in danger." His glare went up ten notches on the ice scale.

"It was only a bit of fun. Besides, Dan found us...so no harm no foul...right, Didi?"

If anything, that made Lan Zhan angrier.

The temperature dropped several degrees.

"Um...my love...-" Wei Ying started to say something, but a single glare froze his words.

"I will talk to you in a minute."

Lan Zhan, usually so warm and loving...this voice was the direct opposite of that...and Wei Ying shivered, feeling all kinds of turned on. His voice was turning Wei Ying’s knees to jelly, a nervous electricity running over his skin. He clasped his cold hands together to stop them from trembling.

Wei Ying was feeling hot and cold all over and he just wanted to go and sit in that inviting lap...as soon as possible. He wanted Lan Zhan to just hold him close and forget anything had happened.

"No harm, no foul?" Lan Zhan enunciated each syllable with clear disbelief on his face, in that same detached voice only hinting at the fury shimmering underneath.

"Didi-" XiChen tried to defend himself, but Lan Zhan interrupted.

"Dan is Wei Ying’s bodyguard. Where Wei Ying goes, Dan goes. It's simple. And I asked you to take him with you for a specific reason." Lan Zhan said, never looking away.

His intense golden eyes were utterly serious, conviction drowning in his words.

"Didi...I'm sorry. Really...we saw that wine store and A-Xian mentioned it and before I knew it, we were running towards it." XiChen said, effortlessly lying. "It was totally my idea."

Lan Zhan narrowed his eyes, completely aware that falsehoods were being presented.

He glanced at Wei Ying, who immediately felt like a bunny trapped by a dangerous fox.

This time, the shiver went through his whole body.

Lan Zhan stood up, took off his jacket and came to drape it over Wei Ying’s shoulders before returning to his seat. His actions were perfunctory, only a means to an end, which in this case was to keep Wei Ying warm, and there was nothing else added to that.

Wei Ying missed it, missed being looked at by Lan Zhan.

The man never did anything in half measures, and the intensity was frightening...but now it had gone...Wei Ying missed that the most. Plus the fact that he was wearing a jacket...over his overalls? That meant he was going out...With sudden clarity, Wei Ying understood that Lan Zhan had been ready to come after them himself...just to make sure Wei Ying was safe.

"You are never to compromise his safety again." Lan Zhan said, sternly.

For a second, Wei Ying wasn't sure who was older.

XiChen took those words to mean that he had escaped unscathed and beamed at both of them.

"I'll be careful from now on." He promised, waltzing out of the door, after giving Wei Ying a shoulder squeeze for bravery.

Wei Ying watched him leave, the steady click of the door sliding shut behind him sounding curiously ominous.

He turned back to find Lan Zhan staring back at him, a golden fire burning intensely.

He gulped.

Those eyes didn't miss a thing.

"You did something bad today." Lan Zhan said.

"I know." Wei Ying felt sad and sorry for making him worry. "I'm sorry."

He shrugged off the jacket, a wild plan forming in his head.

Nerves made him want to laugh in glee as he stepped forward.

"You don't look sorry." Lan Zhan accused him.

"I am...I am..." Wei Ying assured him. "For that...but not for this."

He lifted up his shirt and flashed Lan Zhan.

Those golden eyes widened in panic and desire, 0-60 in a second.

Lan Zhan sat up, extremely flustered.

"Did you...just...do you think that is helping?" He bit out after failing to form words.

Wei Ying beamed at his state, delighted at being the one to cause it.

And more importantly, Lan Zhan was back to normal.

"Let's make sure." He flashed him again, taking his time to put his shirt back down, slowly licking his lips.

He caught the tremble in Lan Zhan’s hands as he folded them in his lap over a bulge.

"Do you think doing that...is going to save you?" Lan Zhan’s voice came out hoarse.

Wei Ying wanted to pump the air with his fist.

No matter what Lan Zhan said now, his method was working and he couldn’t believe it!

"Third time's a charm." Wei Ying did it one more time.

Lan Zhan lunged for him.

He grabbed Wei Ying’s upper arms and hauled him, crashing their lips together, and overpowering any attempt Wei Ying made to get free, though it ended up being a tangle of limbs because Wei Ying only wanted to hold him closer. His fingers fisted in Lan Zhan’s beautiful hair while trying to breathe and kiss him back in all eagerness, crowing because he got his way.

Lan Zhan molded his hands on Wei Ying’s soft rump, kneading and making him groan in pleasure.

But this was supposed to be a punishment so he bit down hard...yet all it did was make Wei Ying moan into his mouth, squirming against his body.

Wei Ying was kissing him back with everything he had, revelling in the way that his heart thudded almost painfully in his chest, their lips fused together while their tongues mated, a dance of fun and fury.

They ended up on the chair, the kiss turning sweeter because there was nothing Lan Zhan would deny his Wei Ying...even forgiveness.

To have Wei Ying in his arms like this...nothing could beat that.

"I am sorry." Wei Ying said, kissing his neck, afterwards.

"About that..."

Wei Ying giggled because it seemed Lan Zhan had forgotten why they were out of sorts.

"Are you going to explain?" Those gorgeous golden eyes stared right into beautiful silver ones, hoping for a positive answer.

"Do you trust me?" Wei Ying asked him, feeling the weight of the box in his pocket.

"Always." Lan Zhan kissed his forehead, masking his disappointment.

"Then please...give me some time...I'll explain everything." Wei Ying promised, closing his eyes.

Lan Zhan held him tighter, just relieved that he was safe and warm...and here.