Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian entered the shooting location sometimes after midnight, and the place was already bustling with people in ancient costumes. 

Lan Wangji walked to his changing room, followed by a hoard of people bringing costume and make up, and Wei Wuxian decided to take a look around. But before that he gestured to Lan Wangji to talk to him alone.

"Here." He gave Lan Wangji a small device like a laser pointer. "If anyone ever sends you any package, you should scan it with this. Just point and click the button, when the package contains a bomb, the reading will turn red." Wei Wuxian showed Lan Wangji how to operate it. "And when it turns red, it will inform me immediately." Wei Wuxian pointed to his watch.

"How nice of you, Wei Ying. How do I know if this will scan for a bomb or activate it immediately?" Lan Wangji eyed the device curiously.

"Well, it's up to you, Lan Zhan, I don't give a fuck if you believe me or not, I'm just doing my job here." Wei Wuxian turned his back and walked out of the changing room when he heard the snicker from the direction of Lan Wangji.

Such a strange man.

Lan Wangji watched Wei Wuxian's back as he left his changing room, and he couldn't help but admired his physique. Wei Wuxian was tall and he had messy black hair with the mesmerising silver eyes. He was very strong although his body looked lanky, the proof was when he pinned him down twice. Not many people had that kind of dangerous aura to them too.

Lan Wangji then paid attention to the device Wei Wuxian gave him. It looked ordinary enough to be a common laser pointer, but he knew better.

This was one of the new techs that his brother developed for the military and it was a super secret project. So he wondered how Wei Wuxian could get ahold of it. Maybe he should ask Xichen.

"Lan laoshi, it's your turn now." The assistant director called him from the door and Lan Wangji stood up and went to the shooting location.

Wei Wuxian watched as Lan Wangji acted in front of the camera, and he had to admit that the man was good. He did every take in a very efficient way, with almost no mistake. 

Unlike his co-star.

It was obvious that the girl was using her private connection to get the main female lead, because truthfully, she sucked. Big time. Even Wei Wuxian could see that. She was sending Lan Wangji heart eyes, and acted coquettish, while the script demanded her to be tough and independent.

Wei Wuxian almost lost his patience seeing how the girl behaved, and he could only imagine how the petty Lan Wangji truly felt. But never once he took off his mask. 

Lan Wangji showed every bit of his professionalism by smiling politely and helping the girl, although Wei Wuxian also could see that the mask was slowly slipping away at its edge, by his eyes that's getting colder and colder.

Thankfully the director finally told them to take a break and Lan Wangji walked back to his changing room.

Wei Wuxian was about to follow when someone shoved him a big vase with flowers inside and told him to carefully bring them to Lan Wangji's room.

"From your fan." Wei Wuxian put the vase down on the table.

Lan Wangji didn't even glance at it. He was sitting on the couch in a meditation pose with his back on Wei Wuxian.

Wei Wuxian shrugged and noticed that there were a lot of packages and gifts on the corner of the room.

"I've scanned them all, it's all safe." Lan Wangji spoke without turning himself around.

Wei Wuxian nodded and he was about to sit when Lan Wangji spoke again.

"But I haven't scan the vase you brought in." He threw the pen out to Wei Wuxian, who caught it and pointed it to the vase.

"It's fine." Wei Wuxian looked at the indicator at his watch. "But, wait a minute, why does my watch turn red?" He turned around to face Lan Wangji who hummed something with his back on Wei Wuxian's face. "What did you do just now?" He walked closer to Lan Wangji, who was still humming and not answering him.

"Stand back." Lan Wangji stopped Wei Wuxian from moving closer.

"What do you mean stand back? I was supposed to protect… oh shit." Wei Wuxian caught a glance on a medium box in front of Lan Wangji, which was opened and revealed an intricate design. In the middle of it was a tube, filled with clear liquid, and a timer. Which showed only three minutes left. 

"Move away Lan Zhan." Wei Wuxian grabbed Lan Wangji's hand but he shrugged it off.

"I'm afraid I can't do that, Wei Ying." He pointed at the wire underneath the box, which was connected to his chair. "It's a pressure triggered bomb. With nitroglycerin, very unstable." Lan Wangji pointed at the clear liquid. "And also they put a lot of nails underneath it. It was very clever and vicious. And they really want to make sure that I'm going to die, along with everybody else in the vicinity." Lan Wangji's voice was very calm. "I need you to call Jingyi right now. No police. Tell him to get Xingchen here. After that, I need you to leave. As quiet and as far as possible from this room."

"What the hell are you talking about, Lan Zhan? I am the police, I'm the one who is supposed to protect you! Not the other way!" Wei Wuxian was clearly pissed and he was on the verge to shoot Lan Wangji himself if he survived the bomb blast in three minutes.

"Call Jingyi first. Make it quick. Then get out of here."

Wei Wuxian really did not understand this man. He was very different from the other people he ever knew. He acted like no one he ever encountered before, and he encountered many many people. But he wanted to see where all of this would go, so he called Jingyi and told him to get Xingchen ASAP to Lan Wangji's shooting location, and Jingyi seemed to understand since he ended the connection without further word.

"I did what you asked me to do." Wei Wuxian locked the door to the changing room. "Now will you let me do my job?" He approached Lan Wangji, who looked very calm.

"Do you have any experience dismantling bombs? Aren't you just… ordinary detective?" 

Wei Wuxian could hear the mockery in Lan Wangji's tone, but he ignored it.

"I learned from observing people." He crouched down beside Lan Wangji to take a look at the bomb. The clock showed the countdown was down to two minutes and thirteen seconds.

"That was… comforting. So, can you do it in two minutes?"

"Oh, I could do a lot more in two minutes, maybe if we survive this, I'll show you." Wei Wuxian grinned and took a closer look at the mechanism of the bomb. 

"If I can disconnect this pressure plate from the nitroglycerin, we can go out of here and be safe." He took out a swiss knife from his pocket and lit the flashlight on his phone. "Here, hold this, I'd like to see the wires first."

This time, Lan Wangji obediently took the flashlight and helped Wei Wuxian to observe the bomb.

"I was pretty sure you'll leave straight away when I told you to." Suddenly Lan Wangji spoke in a soft voice.

"Well, I'm not a saint, but not that big of an asshole too, leaving someone I'm in charge for, for my own safety." Wei Wuxian looked at the cross wires, and suddenly felt nervous all over.

"You know what, Wei Ying? The clock's ticking." Lan Wangji pointed at the timer, which showed that only less than one minute left.

"You still have time to leave, you know. I don't want any other casualties."

It was unnerving how calm Lan Wangji sounded.

"You know what, Lan Zhan? You're a stubborn motherfucker, but I'm more stubborn than you, so shut up, and let me do my job. Or we'll perish together in less than a minute."

Lan Wangji chuckled.

"This is the first time I'm being called a stubborn motherfucker by anyone."

"There's always the first time, Lan Zhan. And I bet this won't be the last I call you that, rest easy."

"I know." Lan Wangji smiled. 

By the time the timer showed that they only had thirteen seconds left, Wei Wuxian cursed out loud.

"Lan Zhan, I need you to follow my instruction. I will replace you to sit on the chair, and by the time I do, I want you to get out of this room and keep yourself safe. Capisce?"

Lan Wangji chuckled again, as if he heard the most fascinating humor.

"Boy, what a huge hero complex you have there, Wei Ying." He grabbed Wei Wuxian's sweaty hand. "But, I'd like to say thank you." He dragged Wei Wuxian close, and whispered in his ear. "And I'm sorry." 

Wei Wuxian was confused with Lan Zhan's words, when he felt a sharp pain on the back of his neck, and everything went dark. 

The last thing that crossed his mind was a solemn thought of regret that he failed in protecting Lan Wangji.