"Rouruan! Rouruan!" Wei Wuxian tumbled down the hill to land face-down on the clearing. He groaned and stood up, hastily looking around as the other three who fell with him stood up and brushed their robes. "Rouruan–!"

Something was tugging at his robes. He looked down to see a ball of black biting into the hem of his robes, pulling for attention. "ROURUAN!" Wei Wuxian picked it up and hugged it, cuddling it against his neck, twirling in joy. "Where have you been all these days? Doesn't matter, thank heavens you're back!" Wei Wuxian skipped with Rouruan to the heap of bunnies rolling around a few feet away. He plumped down on the grass, rubbing the crowding rabbits behind their ears with one hand, stroking Rouruan with the other.

"Rouruan?"

Wei Ying looked up to see Lan Zhan had arrived and was seating himself beside his husband. The three sons huddled close.

"Yes. Rouruan. Because he's a softie! See? He loves cuddles!" Wei Wuxian explained in a light-hearted baby voice and cuddled Rouruan tight, before handing him to Lan Zhan. "I was thinking of a name for him the past few days. Here, he's your bestie anyway."

Lan Zhan took the black rabbit and laid it on his lap, stroking it to sleep. A white bunny, the same size as Rouruan, hopped close and nudged his pink nose on the point where Lan Zhan's and Wei Ying's knees touched. Lan Zhan took it up too and laid it beside Rouruan. "Little Ying."

The four babies looked at each other with surprised round eyes. The tallest tot asked, "A-Zhan, what did you call him just now?"

"Little Ying," Lan Zhan replied expressionlessly as he stroked the two bunnies' backs.

"That's my name!"

"Yes."

Wei Wuxian badly wanted to ask him whether Lan Zhan saw him as a soft little bunny to play with but restrained his urge for the children's sake. The five, fathers and sons alike, played with Little Ying, Rouruan and the rest for quite some time, before Lan Zhan declared it was time for lunch.

**********

The children went with their fathers to the Lunch Hall, where they joined their classmates to eat at the juniors' left side of the Hall. The seniors were already seated along the other side. As Lan Wangji walked in, junior and senior disciples alike stood and bowed to Hanguang-Jun and his partner. Most waited for Lan Zhan to pass before waving to their friendly Master Wei, who gladly waved back. 

There was a curved dais at the front of the room. The seat at the centre of the dais was empty today, but the seat to its left had a goatee-stroking uncle on it. The other Elders were seated beside him. Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian bowed to them. The three elders An, Ning and Chen smiled at Wei Wuxian, while Lan Qiren actually nodded. Elated with his acceptance, both moved away. Hanguang-Jun sat to the right of Sect Leader Lan's seat, and Master Wei sat beside his husband. 

"Xiongzhang is still unconscious," Lan Zhan mumbled to the Elders. 

"Then, let's eat," Elder An nodded to the Hall. Everybody picked up their chopsticks and began the meal. 

Wei Wuxian turned to his right, looking at the juniors sitting less than a foot away from him at their own tables. He scooted a bit towards them before bending almost imperceptibly. "Rulan." 

"Daddy?"

"Where's Jiujiu?" 

"Jiujiu... didn't see him on the way here," Jin Ling whispered back. 

"Daddy, I saw Sect Leader Jiang walking across the compound at one point," Jinyi whispered from the second seat. "He walked that way," he pointed in a direction under the table. 

"Oh? Straight past the Hall? Doesn't that lead to the rooms?" 

"Yes. But also the Library, he must have gone to the Library," Sizhui whispered before tugging the other three's robes from the back and returning to his meal. Jingyi and Jin Ling followed. 

Wei Wuxian waited for a few minutes before slowly scooting back to where he was. Oh? Library... or the Hanshi? Wei Wuxian grinned as he looked down at his plate. The grin vanished as soon as it came. 

Greens. Bitter, bland vegetables. Accompanied with a cup of water. Wei Wuxian sighed. He picked with his chopsticks before gulping down a bit of the lifeless leaves. Can't they add just a pinch of pepper?

Lan Zhan watched for a while as he chewed his own food. Without a word, he reached into his sleeve and pulled out a jar and placed it beside Wei Ying's plate. Wei Ying, who was bored to death, sulkily munching on the greens, turned his head to look. 

"Woah!" he shouted. Upon the glare from Lan Qiren, he mumbled an apology, before silently taking the jar. As he opened the lid, a strong tantalising smell tickled his nostrils. What? Chilli paste? 

Wei Wuxian squealed inside. He turned to Lan Zhan. Lan Wangji pretended nothing had happened, but Wei Wuxian just couldn't stand it. He shifted a bit back so that his body was well covered by Lan Wangji's muscular one, then did what he badly longed to in a flash. He pushed himself up, pecked Lan Zhan's cheek and flopped back down. He poured the jar's contents on the vegetables, before hungrily chomping the food down. 

"Hey, you guys want some?" He whispered, waving the jar of chilli at the juniors. 

Jingyi and Sizhui shook their heads furiously should their Shifu bark at them. 

Jin Ling, on the contrary, had had enough. He wasn't a Lan: born a Jin, bred with Jiangs, he was in no less a plight than Wei Wuxian was in. He put out his hand without daring to look up from the plate. Wei Wuxian placed it on his son's palm and returned to his food. In seconds, Wei Wuxian and Jin Rulan had licked their plates clean. Under the table, they high-fived each other. 

Lan Zhan, their benefactor, had tried with all his might to restrain the embarrassment. But failed. There he sat, beside the absent Sect Leader Lan's seat, ears already cherry-red. It was no use, the blood and bashfulness pumping through his veins were things all of his Lan strength gathered together could not hold back. The crimson spread to his still tingling cheek, forehead, neck and right down to his faintly trembling hands. This Wei Ying... I'll get his back. Wait till we get home. 

Lunch was over. The seniors and juniors all left with smiles at the memory of what had passed: turns out, only Lan Qiren hadn't seen it. Sizhui and Jingyi excused themselves saying they needed to talk to a teacher of theirs. Wei Ying and Lan Zhan walked with Jin Ling towards the Hanshi, but Wei Ying dragged them to peak in at the window. The three sneaked past the door, tiptoed to the Hanshi's window and peeked in. Sure enough, there stood Jiang Cheng, pacing up and down the room. "Ji–"

Wei Wuxian covered his mouth with his hand, shutting him off. Seeing that though Jin Ling was struggling, he couldn't move his mouth at all, he grinned and let go. Jin Ling pulled his mouth, but gave up on the third attempt. Lan Wangji's silencing charm was simply unbreakable. 

Wei Ying dragged his son and husband to the compound. When they reached there, he poked Lan Zhan in the chest. "Hey, you can remove it now."

Lan Zhan turned his head to Jin Ling. In less than a second, Jin Ling was shouting, "Daddy, what happened? What's Jiujiu doing there?" 

"Jiujiu's busy, he's taking care of your Lan Shushu," Wei Wuxian explained while signalling to Jin Ling to lower his voice. 

"Jiujiu's taking care of Lan Shushu? Are they all friendly now? I've seen Jiujiu coming to practise with Lan Shushu a lot..." Jin Ling was scratching his head trying to understand. 

"Yes. They're very close friends now. Don't disturb them or Jiujiu will get mad at you. Now then, go back to your rooms, look Sizhui has returned and is waiting," Wei Wuxian rotated his son and shoved him forth to Lan Sizhui. 

"Daddy, we'll go back to our rooms now, will Daddy come with us to night hunt tonight?" Sizhui ran to his fathers.

"Don't go yet," Lan Zhan said. 

"Wait for Lan Shushu to wake up. If something should happen, the Sect Leader better be there," Wei Ying nodded. 

"But if Daddy comes along nothing will happen!" Sizhui exclaimed confidently. 

"Hmph. That sure of me, aren't you? We'll wait for him to wake up. If I go, your Father's coming too. Who's going to be in charge of the sect then? Your old Goatee Shifu?" 

The three kids burst into laughter while Lan Zhan shook his head. "Alright, Daddy, we won't go then. Oh, right! A-Ling, come quick!"

"What is it?"

"Jingyi's in a fight! I don't want to participate but I know you'll love this fight!" 

"Ey, Sizhui, aren't you a peace-lover? What's all this excitement about a fight?" 

"Oh, Daddy, it's an epic fight! They started with words but ended up with swords! Jingyi seemed to be winning when I ran here to call A-Ling," Sizhui said. 

"Fights in Cloud Recesses?" Lan Zhan's icy voice enquired. 

"Hehe brilliant!" Wei Wuxian grinned. "Let me guess who's brave enough to pick a fight in the Cloud Recesses. One has to be my son: right, Jingyi's there. Versus... Jin Chan!" 

Sizhui gawked. "Woah! Daddy how did you guess?" 

Wei Wuxian chuckled. "The only ones able to pick a fight even in those days without fear of consequences were Jin Zixuan and I. Earlier you told me Jin Ling fought with Jingyi, makes sense. This time, since Jin Ling is here, the only other Jin as arrogant as him is that Jin Chan!" 

"Daddy, who said I'm arrogant?!"

"You are," the icy voice answered again. Wei Wuxian doubled up at his husband's eternal support before waving the children away. On second thoughts... 

"Hey, wait for me!" Wei Wuxian started running — but couldn't. Something was holding him back by his sleeve.

"Lan Zhan! Let me go!"

"No." Lan Zhan began dragging Wei Ying away while Wei Ying kept trying to run after his sons.

"Please? Pretty please? I wanna go see!"

"I know you," Lan Zhan muttered.

"Oh?" Wei Wuxian stopped struggling and turned to his husband, tracing his fingers up and down the latter's arm, teasing. "Lan Er-Gege, what do you know about me?"

Lan Zhan gulped back the urge and muttered, "You won't just see. You'll help. Cheat. Let Jingyi win."

"But of course he should win! No son of mine can let themselves be defeated by those Jin peacocks!"

"Jingyi's losing interest in practice. This might teach him a lesson." They had reached the solitude of the forest outside the compound and were nearing the archway to their garden of gentians.

"Oh... Amazing, Hanguang-Jun, you're always right! Er... Lan Zhan, why are you dragging me home anyway? I thought we're going to see the bunnies again–"

"My turn."

"Huh? For what?"

"To teach you a lesson." Lan Wangji picked up the Yiling Laozu, now the Yingxiong Laozu, and carried the reddening man to the Jingshi. 

**********

Two days later, two fathers and three sons convened at the Library. Two who had lost their battles stared at the shelves, still red-faced, still exhausted. After lessons were taught to both Daddy and son, the Father was sated. His talkative Lan son had created chaos at the students' rooms but lost to Jin Chan, and his baby of a husband had misbehaved at lunch and now sat there, the very breath of life sucked out of him. Now they'd know to hold back, to maintain discipline, Hanguang-Jun thought.

Jingyi, Sizhui and Jin Ling were sitting with Lan Wangji at one side of the Library, going through some books Lan Wangji had suggested to them. True enough, they helped a lot: detailed descriptions of martial art moves, accompanied with helpful illustrations. Wonderful, Jin Ling thought. I should see where I can get books like this, might help me in my mission...

"Father?"

"Mn?" Lan Wangji asked without looking up from his zither music script. He'd found the manuscript for Pure Heart from his xiongzhang's room.

"Father, are there places that give books like these? Shops? Or tradesmen?"

Lan Zhan looked up. "Books like those I gave to you were written by our ancestors. Handed down through generations of Lans. Not bought. Why do you ask?"

"Little Rulan, that's how it is in every sect," Wei Wuxian added.

"Oh." Jin Ling was shut up by that last sentence. Every sect but his! So much for his mission...

"Little Rulan," Wei Wuxian had come all the way from his seat at the other corner of the Library to his son's side in a flash. He sat by Jin Ling and laid a hand on his shoulder. "What is it? Do you want more books like this?"

"I can give you," Lan Zhan nodded.

"No no, Father, I can't accept that. It's not for me..."

"Then?" Wei Wuxian raised his eyebrows.

"I... Please don't tell anyone yet," Jin Ling turned to beg his two friends, who shook their heads seeing his distress. "Well... I was thinking of building a library at Koi Tower."

There. He'd said it. Spat it out. 

Wei Wuxian blinked. "Don't you have a library already?"

"We do, how else do we learn at home? But it's not enough. It's absolutely naught compared to the Gusu Library."

"Jin Ling, the GusuLan sect has the best library in the world, you shouldn't compare it with others, you'd never be satisfied!" Wei Wuxian exclaimed.

"No no, it's not just the GusuLan sect's Library. QingheNie sect's Library is massive too, ever since Huaisang Shushu became sect leader. And Lotus Pier? The YunmengJiang sect has a lot of books too!"

"True. We did have hordes of books. Your grandfather's suggestion. He used to say 'read, imagine, practise, fight' to us when he trained us," Wei Wuxian reminisced. "But the way you say it, it's almost like you Jins barely have a hundred books!"

"We don't! Just..." Jin Ling strained his memory. "Somewhere in the eighties. I keep searching for places with good books. So far, I've only found some books left by rogue cultivators."

Wei Wuxian beamed. "Little Rulan, you're a wonderful sect leader. It's a wonder you managed even that far! Judging by your Jin father's and uncles' brains, before you, there might not have been even fifty books!" Wei Wuxian snorted.

"So you want to add more books?" Lan Zhan asked.

"Yes, Father. But how?" Jin Ling looked down at the book in his hands.

"You could always copy out these Lan books, but that would count as stealing the Lans' stuff. Plus, there's a difference between the Lans and the Jins. You guys just can't fight that way," Wei Wuxian tapped his nose. "Until your Father finds a solution, here's mine. I know quite a lot of your LanlingJin sect's moves, so I'll help you out. I'll teach you, and you'd note them down. Note down not just the actions, but also the benefits and drawbacks of each. There's quite a lot I do know, you could add about a ten books with those alone... Beyond that..." Wei Wuxian frowned.

But Jin Ling was more than happy. He flung his arms around Wei Wuxian's neck and hugged him tight, crying, "Thank you, Daddy!" Wei Wuxian smiled cheerily.

"We can ask her for help. If she's willing, she might help. At least if you ask."

Wei Wuxian and Jin Ling turned to look at Lan Zhan. What was he talking about?

"A-Zhan, what are you saying?"

"We can ask her. She'd help if you ask her," Lan Zhan pointed to Wei Wuxian with his paintbrush.

"Huh? Who's this 'her'?"

Lan Zhan gave him an 'Are-you-kidding-me?' look. "The one Jin woman who's still alive?"

"Mianmian!"

"Mianmian?" Sizhui asked, remembering the famous poem.

"Yes, Mianmian. Remember you guys asked me about the brandmark on my chest? That mistress of Wen Chao's wanted to brand Mianmian's face. She used to be a fantastic Jin. I jumped in-between to save her, hence the mark. Good friends ever since."

"Woah! How heroic, Daddy!" Jingyi whisper-shouted. But his eyes asked the real thing: Was she pretty?

Wei Wuxian laughed. "She was pretty. Exceptional figure. Bright eyes. But jeez... fiery temper," Wei Wuxian shuddered.

"Daddy, why do you say she used to be a Jin?" Jin Ling asked.

"Ah... she defected. She seceded from her own sect."

"Why?" Lan Sizhui was amazed by this woman's backbone.

Wei Wuxian didn't know how to say.

"She stood up for Wei Ying. Chided the Jins for calling him an indiscriminate killer. Defected," Lan Zhan explained. The juniors gaped in awe. What a woman...

Somehow, a pang of sorrow flowed through Wei Ying at the memory of Mianmian's trust in him. To think that one woman had actually stood up for him, defected from her own sect to verify her sense of justice. When even Jiang Cheng, Huaisang and the others were conflicted, this girl screwed everything else and spoke for him. A true friend.

And then Lan Zhan. The whips on his breathtaking back... The three years of 'secluded cultivation' which he spent kneeling in the cold caves... Getting drunk... Looking for Chenqing... Branding his beautiful chest... Playing Inquiry till those pretty fingers bled... Bringing up A-Yuan...

This man deserved much more than a trouble-attracting idiot like himself. But Wei Wuxian would try his best to keep his husband happy till the end of their days. Never let him suffer again.

Wei Wuxian instinctively turned his head away, sensing the lone tear that dripped down his face. But though he could hide it from the rest of the world, let alone his sons, he could never hide it form his sweetheart. Lan Zhan almost imperceptibly shout out a finger, sending forth an invisible beam of energy to dry the tear. Wei Ying turned back, smiling at him gratefully.

"This woman... Defected from our sect... Luo Qingyang?" Jin Ling asked. 

"Yes. You know her?"

"Not personally. But I know her as the only Jin woman to defect," Jin Ling explained. "So, Father means to say she'll help?"

"Yes. She was a Jin. She knows the Jin style best."

"Right! I got it!" Wei Wuxian stood up. While pacing up and down, he described his idea. "Learn the Jin way from Mianmian. Understand the style of the Jins and grasp the difference in system between the Lans and the Jins. Then, you can study Lan Zhan's books and alter the moves to suit your Jin methodology, and note them down! Now, that would bring you thousands of books! You better get Jin Chan's and the others' help along the way. I'll help too. Lan Zhan?" Wei Wuxian sat beside his husband.

"Mn."

Jin Ling leapt up in joy. While Sizhui caught the book that flew away from Jin Ling's lap, Jin Ling ran to his fathers and hugged them before returning to his seat beside Sizhui.

Wei Wuxian chuckled at his childishness. He turned to see Lan Zhan's reaction: Lan Zhan was staring at the air in front of him, round-eyed at the surprise hug. "Only used to hugging me, aren't you?" Wei Wuxian chuckled, giving Lan Zhan a strong hug and a light kiss on the forehead, before skipping back to his seat.

"What's A-Ying reading?"

"The notes on destroying the Seal. Better get it done soon. I'll spend tonight reading this through, digesting the gist of it, then start cultivating from tomorrow."

"Two weeks?"

"Two weeks."

"Need help?"

"Nah. Don't think so. The only break I'll be taking is at lunchtime, we'll eat together, then I'll go back to meditating. At that rate, I might beat Baoshan Sanren," Wei Wuxian laughed. 

"I'll accompany you."

"Huh? No! What about gege? We'll wait until he wakes up, then," Wei Wuxian suggested with a hopeless sigh. Lan Zhan wasn't letting him off so soon.

Just then, a butterfly flew into the Library. Lan Zhan put out his hand but it flew to Wei Wuxian. Ignoring the humiliation, Lan Zhan watched. The butterfly, accepting Wei Wuxian not as a Jiang or demonic cultivator, but as a Madam Lan, settled on his shoulder.

'Come to the Hanshi. Your gege's woken up,' a stern voice spoke in his mind.

Wei Wuxian listened and nodded. "Thank you." The butterfly faded.

"Message from Shifu. Guys, let's go. Gege's woken up."

Jin Ling hopped over to his Daddy's side and ran outside with him. Lan Wangji, Lan Sizhui and Lan Jingyi all stared. So the stern Mr Goatee Shifu had informed Wei Wuxian of Sect Leader Lan's awakening? Not even Sect Leader Lan's own brother? 

"What the heck?" Jingyi whispered to Sizhui as they followed their defeated Lan father out.

**********

Xichen had woken up and was sitting at the table with a much calmer Jiang Wanyin when his brothers and nephews entered. Lan Qiren had checked on him with the doctor and left after sending notice to Wei Ying.

"GEGE!" Wei Wuxian ran to Lan Xichen.

"Wuxian-di, come here," Lan Xichen stood and opened his arms wide, and Wei Wuxian threw himself into Lan Xichen's hug. When he saw Lan Zhan standing beside him, Lan Xichen pulled him in too. For the first time, Lan Xichen was actually hugging him. Lan Huan, like his brother, was pretty cool with people, let alone his brother, but here they were, the Twin Jades of Gusu, soft-hearted and hugging. All thanks to Wei Ying.

They had tea and a long chat. Lan Xichen seemed better than he'd ever been: Yanli's soup had done wonders. Jiang Cheng remained silent, just watched the others talk. And none pestered him either. Wei Wuxian made a mental note to speak to Lan Xichen at another time. These two needed to know about each other's sacrifices.

Lan Xichen had described Lan Wangji's sacrifices to Wei Wuxian long ago. Wei Wuxian would only be returning the favour.

"Didi, how far are you getting with the Seal?"

"I'll be reading through the notes for the last time tonight, ge. From tomorrow morning, the two weeks of continuous cultivation shall begin."

"Any breaks?"

"Lunchtime."

"Any help I can offer?"

"No, ge. Oh... actually..."

"Er... well. I don't know how to say this, it's embarrassing."

"What's the matter? You can tell me anything."

"While I cultivate, I'll be building up my energy. I need to build my core energy to an extreme. And you know my core is all demonic energy. Along with the accumulation of energy, I shall have to gather up some dark energy of resentment and grief. According to my notes..." Wei Wuxian pulled out his script. He placed it on the table and pointed to a verse written and circled in red. Lan Sizhui read it aloud:

                          "Darkness, malevolence and regrets reveal

                            Thy inner core's rancour and demonic appeal:

                            Summon it together to break the Seal." 

The Lans, Jiang and Jin looked up horrified. Wei Wuxian nodded with a sigh.

"Yes. I have to muster up all that.

Darkness: easy I can keep thinking of the time alone at the Burial Mounds.

Malevolence: basically the one thing thrown at me those days.

Regrets: many. So many. Shijie, Lotus Pier, Madam Yu and Jiang Shushu, A-Zhan. Not hard at all.

So I just have to summon up all that resentment, let it stockpile, before unleashing it all with well-cultivated energy on the Stygian Tiger Seal. That should do it," Wei Wuxian explicated.

"What's the favour you need from Xichen?" Jiang Cheng asked. 

"Well... since it's demonic energy I'll be assembling, I might go out of control. God knows, I might even turn into the Devil! I need gege to calm me. Liebing can do miracles." 

Lan Huan nodded.

Lan Zhan was already holding his hand tight under the table. "I'll accompany him. Cultivating for two weeks."

Lan Xichen shook away the despair at Wei Wuxian's words and composed himself. He nodded. "It'll help you to increase your power too. Good, Wangji."

The group talked for a while longer before parting. Jiang Cheng left with Auntie Yue for Yunmeng immediately, he'd already spent several days and nights here. Jin Ling returned with his friends to the dormitories while Wei Ying and Lan Zhan walked back home. The sky was turning a lustrous pink.

"A-Zhan," he caressed the addressee's hand which was still in his.

"Mn?"

"Remind me to build that communication system in our rings while meditating tomorrow."

"Mn."

"You're not upset?"

"For what?"

"I'll be cultivating at night, too..."

"Lunch break is enough."

"LAN ZHAN!"