Lately, Hua Cheng had been feeling strange, ever since he started to sleep with Dianxia. It's like his body moved by itself and did not listen to his brain. He felt like he was walking underwater, sluggish, and unlike him at all. He did plan to tell Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian about it after Lan Xichen's wedding, since Dianxia was very busy with his seal-breaking array. They still met at night, when he was back from work and Dianxia was staying at his penthouse all day to concentrate more. Thank god Dianxia did not need sleep or eat, and they still made love when Hua Cheng went back from work.

When he was inside of Dianxia, he felt like he was invincible, and that caused him to temporarily forget about his problems. So when Dianxia asked what's wrong with him, because he did not look that good, he only smiled and kissed his beautiful Dianxia.

"I'm fine, Dianxia." He kissed him as he became hard again. He thrust inside Dianxia's warm body with shallow movements, making him moan and soon forget about what he was going to say. 

That night, just before he went to sleep, he traced the phoenix tattoo on Dianxia's back lovingly, while murmuring, "I want to be your dragon, Dianxia, to protect you forever."

Xie Lian heard the words, and he smiled at the sleeping Hua Cheng. Tomorrow was Lan Xichen's wedding, and he was going to cast the seal-breaker array and summon the dragon for Hua Cheng. He realized that he fell in love with this incredible man, and the way he looked at him was just like the way he wanted to be looked at. Love, patience, understanding, and devotion. It was exactly like how Lan Wangji looked at Wei Wuxian. It was exactly how he wanted to be looked at ever since his Xianxian met Lan Wangji and her happily ever after. So he kissed Hua Cheng's forehead and he snuggled into his embrace.

Tomorrow could not come soon enough.

The wedding was held in the Lan's backyard with only their immediate family attending, since none of the bride or groom wanted the big wedding. The yard was decorated in all gold silks, with many kinds of red flowers. They would only do a simple ceremony and that was it.

Yuwen Mo, Yuwen Xing, and Qingheng Jun were talking at the library with Lan Xichen, waiting for the auspicious time to start the ceremony, when the door was knocked from the outside.

"Yeah, come in." 

The door opened and Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian came in, already dressed for the occasion.

"Well, isn't it my lovely daughter-in-law and son." Yuwen Xing walked closer and hugged Wei Wuxian. "You look absolutely positively glowing, darling, are you pregnant too?" Yuwen Xing smiled with hope, when her gaze fell onto the big rock on Wei Wuxian's ring finger. She gasped and took her hand to look closer at the ring. "Oh my, finally you make the right decision, Wangji." She dragged Wei Wuxian and showed her and her ring to her husband, father, and Xichen, who were thrilled with another good news. They hugged her and kissed her and Lan Wangji, and proposed a toast for both of them.

"Any other good news to share?" Yuwen Mo grinned widely. "Like, will I get another great grandchild?"

"Yeah, about that…'' Wei Wuxian looked at Lan Wangji, who nodded. "Actually, Grandpa Mo, you do know what I am right? Of course you do, since you're a Yuwen. Well, that would make this easier then…" she signaled them all to sit, and Lan Wangji stood behind her, his hand encircling her waist in a protective gesture. "Grandpa Mo, you already have a great grandson, and Mom, Dad, you already have a grandson, and you, a nephew, Xichen-ge."

The room was silent for a minute for the elders to digest Wei Wuxian's words. Then Qingheng Jun started to talk.

"Can you explain more in detail, Wei Ying? I mean, I'm pretty sure that a normal pregnancy is taking around ten months to produce a human, isn't it? Unless…"

"Thankfully, he is a human Dad, and you all already know him. It's He Xuan." Lan Wangji helped speed up the explanation. "It happened in our last life together, and someone tried to create another Wei Ying but failed. So they just abandoned the human baby, which miraculously found his way to our home."

"You said that… He Xuan… is actually your son?" Lan Xichen was looking like he just got an enlightment. "But… how?"

"Well, I did not birth him out of my womb per se, but I created him from my DNA and Lan Zhan's, and last night I also successfully merged my battle suit into him, an impossible feat if he is not of my flesh and blood." 

Lan Wangji squeezed Wei Wuxian's hand to let her know that he would find whoever did this and punish them accordingly.

"Yes, he's our son, although he was not conceived from a conventional method, not from the lack of trying, mind you." Lan Wangji chuckled.

"This… this is an auspicious day after all!" Yuwen Mo stood up and he hugged both Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian. "I gained two beautiful granddaughters-in-law, an adult great grandson, who I must say is an exceptional human, and soon-to-be another great grandson! I should break open that 50 years Glenfiddich right away!" He walked to the hidden bar behind the bookshelves when Yuwen Xing pulled him.

"Dad, no drinking before the ceremony please." She glared at her father, then she looked at her son and Wei Wuxian. "You know, I thought, after all my vast worldly experience, I should not be surprised by anything at all, but here you are, surprising me with something straight out of a science fiction story." She then hugged Wei Wuxian tight. "I knew that you were an extraordinary woman ever since the first time I laid my eyes on you." She kissed her cheeks fondly. "Thank you. For making my son happy, for making me and everyone happy. For giving us something that we never thought we would never have just a mere short year ago."

Qingheng Jun joined the hug. He was so flabbergasted at first, but when he looked at his son's soft face, he knew that this extraordinary woman was everything to him, the one that changed him for the best. And he was happy too.

"Guys, stop the tears please, this is a happy day!" Wei Wuxian laughed, but she was also in tears, from all the pent up feelings she tried to bury in her.

Right at that time a knock was heard from the door and it was opened to reveal He Xuan, who looked like he was about to enter a snake den.

"What's… going on?" He looked at Lan Wangji, the only people who did not cry. "Why is everyone crying? Has someone died?"

"Speak of the devil," Yuwen Xing wiped her tears and dragged He Xuan into her hug. "My grandson."

He Xuan was flustered when he was dragged into the group hug, and he glared at Lan Wangji. 

"You tell them?"

"Son, that's not the way to talk to your father." Lan Wangji grinned, he was having too much fun teasing He Xuan, who he always treated like a big brother. He Xuan groaned as he surrendered into the kisses and hugs. He knew that the Yuwens were an affectionate lot, if only reserved for their immediate family. But this was the first time he was being kissed and hugged so much, and he started to get a headache. Yet, he also felt some warm feelings seeping into his heart. He was not abandoned after all. He was loved, and he had found his real family, who turned out to be his adopted family after all. Funny how fate turned out like this, but he was content with everything. He started to hug them back, a little bit awkwardly, but he should get used to it. Especially when his mother was a touchy feely person. He looked at Wei Wuxian, who beamed at him as she wiped her tears of happiness, and nodded. He was still struggling to accept the fact that his parents were actually his younger brother and his fiance, but when he worked in a field of Artificial Intelligence and nanotechnology, a branch of science that was deemed a sorcery a hundred years ago, he was bound to have a more open-minded mind. Although not this open-minded. This was straight out of the science fiction story, but it was the truth. He just needed time to adjust his thoughts, that's all.

"So," Yuwen Mo spoke to Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian after all the commotion had gone down a bit, "did you guys still have other children you stashed up somewhere? I would like another five if you did." He beamed up like a christmas tree while he patted Lan Wangji's back.

"Right. It's not as if we have a self child manufacturing plant here, gramps." Lan Wangji rolled his eyes while Wei Wuxian giggled.

"It will be convenient if you did, Wangji, since if I have to wait until you produce conventionally, I would die waiting for the great grandchild that may or may not come." Yuwen Mo slapped Lan Wangji's back while guffawing.

"Well, to be honest, I have no idea, gramps, we will find out about it after the wedding. But you have to promise us to be extra careful, because I have some very dangerous enemies here." Wei Wuxian hugged him and kissed his cheeks.

"Don't you worry about this old man, darling, I have lived long enough to know how to prepare for another zombie apocalypse." He grinned and it made him look at least ten years younger, and Wei Wuxian could see how attractive he must have been when he was younger.

"Not another zombie apocalypse, Grandpa…" Lan Xichen groaned as he approached them. "Who would've believed there was a zombie apocalypse once upon a time?"

But Wei Wuxian's interest had already sparked with the mention of the zombie apocalypse, and she and Grandpa Mo soon talked about the weapons and the strategies, making Lan Wangji shake his head in disbelief.

"Come, brother, leave them be. Let's get you prepared for the ceremony."

Xie Lian was getting prepared, and instead of wearing his usual white robe, he wore a bespoke three-piece suit in white. He looked very handsome with his long hair loose, and he smiled when he looked at Hua Cheng, who stood behind him, admiring his looks before sneaking out his hand to hug him from behind.

"I have a gift for you later after the wedding." Xie Lian smiled and turned around to kiss Hua Cheng.

"I can't wait." Hua Cheng kissed him back softly.

Then someone knocked on their door, to let them know that the ceremony process would be held in fifteen minutes, and to make sure that they were ready.

"Guess we have no time for a quickie then." Xie Lian chuckled as Hua Cheng looked at him fondly. His heart was overflowing with love for this man, his saviour, his Dianxia, and he could not wait until the ceremony was over to present him his gift. 

An engagement ring.

He knew it was probably too fast, but he felt that it was just the right time. After all, he was in love with this man for more than half of his life. And after he met him, everything seemed to click into place, and he felt like he had found his home. From the look of Dianxia's eyes, he knew that the other man also felt the same, so what's the point of waiting any longer?

"Let's get this over with so I can make slow and sweet love to you, Dianxia." Hua Cheng offered his hand and Xie Lian took it with his face turned beet red, and they walked together to the backyard.

"I really hope that there everything will go smoothly today." Shen Qingqiu was fidgeting in his suit while fixing Luo Binghe's tie. "I got this feeling in my stomach that something will happen today, of all day, fuck."

"Relax, Shizun. Everything will be fine." Luo Binghe put his hand over Shen Qingqiu's and squeezed it to reassure that nothing would happen. At least today. They deserved some down time after all the ruckus.

"I sure do hope so, Binghe." He finally relented and kissed Luo Binghe. "Come on, let's get this over with. I want to get naked with you."

The ceremony was very beautiful, with Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji as bridesmaid and groomsmen. There were tears being shed everywhere, and finally when it's over and the bride and the groom were about to walk down to the tent where the food was served, Lan Wangji's perimeter alarm was sounded. He looked at his phone, then to Wei Wuxian, who quickly checked the security feed.

"Shit. We got company." 

Wei Wuxian looked around to find Xie Lian, and she quickly grabbed him.

"Have you finished the seal-breaking array?" She whispered to him in urgency. "We have visitors."

Xie Lian nodded and he took out a couple of shiny multicolored liquid from his pocket and gave one to Wei Wuxian. Then he drew an array over both of them. 

"Drink this quick."

Wei Wuxian quickly drank the liquid and he saw the array was glowing, and shot two arrows to his and Xie Lian's heart and shattered the seal. She could immediately feel the power brimming in her body as she ushered Lan Wangji and told him to take the others inside the house and to not come out no matter what. Lan Wangji nodded and he took everyone inside the house while explaining to them about the incoming attack.

Meanwhile, Xie Lian cast a barrier array over the house and its surrounding, so that nothing, or no one, could break into the perimeter, then he stood beside Wei Wuxian.

"Do you have any idea what those are?" He peeked into Wei Wuxian's phone, which showed them the security feed from the drone they installed around the perimeter. It showed some kind of a swarm, but they could not see clearly what.

Until they came closer.

"What the…" Wei Wuxian cursed when he saw what exactly the swarm was made out of. 

"It's… locusts."

"Huh, funny how they referenced the bible in this." Wei Wuxian quickly thought about the solution. "How should we handle this? Fire? Poison? Gas?"

"You do know that we have neighbours right?" Xie Lian sighed. "Poison and gas would disperse everywhere and get into humans, and seep into the soil, while fire… well, can you make a fire that big to burn them?"

"Please, you always underestimated me. Remember that I am the Grim Reaper, the one who ended the wars?"

"That's before you met Lan Wangji. Now you're just soft and in love and can't wait to settle down and produce many offspring."

"Right back at you, bro." Wei Wuxian grinned as she prepared the fire spell to cover the outer layer of the dome array. "You should get inside and check what they are doing, I can handle this. Tell Lan Zhan not to come out and stay inside."

"Fine." Xie Lian walked inside the house to check on the other people.

"What happened?" 

Xie Lian was surrounded by the concerned faces of everyone right after he went inside the house, and he tried to calm them down.

"Everyone, please calm down, it was not a dangerous situation. It's a bit bothersome, but it was handled as we speak."

"What about Wei Ying? Is she okay?" Lan Wangji tried not to show his concerned face, nevertheless, Xie Lian could see it.

"She's fine. She'll be back in ten minutes, fifteen top." He patted Lan Wangji's arm. "Now, where's Hua Cheng?"

"He went back to get some water. I think he didn't look too good, maybe we should check on him."

"No worries, I will do that. Now if you excuse me…"

Xie Lian walked to the back of the house where the kitchen was located to find Hua Cheng. He couldn't wait any longer to summon the dragon for him, he knew that the dragon would be very beautiful, just like Hua Cheng himself.

It's funny how quickly he was attached to him, when they did not even know each other this time last year. Yet, his heart told him that it was the right time, and the right person, and he never felt this happy before even when he destroyed the whole country back then, which gave him some petty satisfaction if he would care to remember.

He found Hua Cheng standing beside the sink, obviously just washed his face, and when he called him, he turned around and Xie Lian was surprised to see how pale Hua Cheng was.

"Darling, you don't look good, are you sick?" Xie Lian quickly went over to try to feel Hua Cheng's forehead, when the latter stopped him.

"Stop right there, Dianxia, I… I don't feel so good." This was the first time Hua Cheng felt this bad. He never fell sick, or hurt, ever since Dianxia saved him from the cult. He chalked it to demon possession, maybe, but it was convenient. 

Until now.

Right now he felt like his whole body was burning, as he slid down to the floor, because he could not feel his legs anymore. The last thing he saw was his beautiful Dianxia hurriedly running toward him with obvious panic in his eyes.

So, was this how he's going to die? 

Too bad, he did not have a chance to give the ring to his Dianxia. He wondered if Dianxia's going to like it, as his eyes grew heavier and his body ran out of energy.

I'm sorry… Please don't cry, Dianxia… 

To be continued to 3rd book, OF PREY AND PREDATOR

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