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Chapter 21: Affectionate Love

Wednesday comes around faster than Wei Ying expects, faster than any Wednesday in the history of past Wednesdays has any right to. And he'd be fine with that, honestly, he would...except for that teenie tiny unforgettable fact that Wen Qing is coming to see Lan Zhan tonight, in the late afternoon, at five o'clock to be specific, and the man in question has no idea about it.

The fault lies primarily at Wei Ying's feet, right on his metaphorical doorstep, and he's well aware of it.

Was that conversation only five days ago? And how is time passing by so quickly?

Wei Ying has been busy, that's the truth. After talking to the most important people in his life, including A-Yuan, he's thought long and hard about what he wants. And what he wants is for his courting gifts to be meaningful in the way that Mianmian suggested they should be, that whatever he chooses should be with care and not necessarily expensive - in fact, the monetary value should be irrelevant. So Wei Ying has been working on three very special projects.

Keeping them a secret and working on them in his own time has been a separate challenge, one he's sacrificed sleeping for, and more time spent with Lan Zhan, but he's justified it in his head. As long as he's doing it for Lan Zhan, that makes it alright. He's nearly finished with them too, and that part is the true miracle.

Every day while at the shop, he's been working on one of the gifts secretly, and it makes him giddy with nerves and joy to be doing it right under Lan Zhan's nose. Lan Zhan hardly ever pays attention to Wei Ying's hands on the sewing machine, choosing to listen to him chattering on about this and that, or whenever he looks at Wei Ying, it's an intense concentration on his face over any other body part which works out in Wei Ying's favour. The other two gifts are worked on after Wei Ying has put A-Yuan to bed and seen Lan Zhan off.

Lan Zhan hasn't voiced his request for Wei Ying to move in with him again, and Wei Ying is simultaneously relieved and disappointed by its absence.

If Lan Zhan were to ask him again, he knows he would agree in a heartbeat, but then he wouldn't be able to finish making his presents, so really, it's a vicious circle of wanting things he can't have immediately. But at the same time, Wei Ying knows, or he can guess why Lan Zhan hasn't brought up the subject of Wei Ying's residence again. Lan Zhan has always been traumatised by his parents' breakup, the way they loved each other appearing unbalanced in a way, stronger from his father's side than his mother, and the evidence of his mother's ambivalence being the premises where they're currently spending their daylight hours. The truth of his mother's growth and happiness sprouting and thriving, away from their family unit, has brought Lan Zhan the understanding that to love someone means giving them the freedom to choose their own steps. That holding that person close can be achieved too, through a fearless determination not to make them a prisoner of one's own dreams.

Which brings him back to today.

"Wei Ying?"

Lan Zhan sounds closer, and as Wei Ying startles himself into the present, he hears the echoing sound of the little silver bell over the door of the shop, signalling the leaving of another customer. They're finally alone now.

He smiles at Lan Zhan, because that's his default mode. Everything is better by smiling.

Lan Zhan takes his hands, squeezing them gently. He looks worried. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah? Why?" Wei Ying winces internally at the forced brightness in his tone.

Lan Zhan winces externally. "You've been distracted...lately. Are you sleeping well?"

Wei Ying chews on his bottom lip, thinking fast on how to avoid answering. He can't admit to any of that because of obvious reasons but it DOES give him an opening about tonight. This time, his smile is more genuine, and reassures Lan Zhan that he's at least partially alright. Those strong, dependable shoulders lower a little as some of the tension seeps away from Lan Zhan.

"I have a favour to ask," Wei Ying says, grateful that the words come out sounding more confident than he feels.

"Anything." Lan Zhan immediately softens, his gorgeous golden eyes darkening with feeling, and the rest of his tension evaporates as if it was never there.

This, Wei Ying thinks, is what love is. He lets go of Lan Zhan's hands with the urge of wanting to hide the sudden, overwhelming tears in his eyes, and he pulls Lan Zhan into an embrace that hides his wet cheeks. Lan Zhan always seems to know what Wei Ying needs, even when he doesn't know himself sometimes, and his arms tighten in response.

"Mn?"

"Are you doing anything tonight?"

"Other than being with you? I don't think so."

"Great! BecauseWenQingSaidSheWantsToComeAroundAtFiveToVisitAndIDon'tKnowWhy. Is that okay?" All of that comes out in a single breath.

Lan Zhan huffs, and since that is the equivalent of him laughing, Wei Ying's whole body relaxes into his chest.

"That's why you were stressed?" He asks Wei Ying.

"Yes, I think so? In my head, it was all building up to something major. But if you don't mind, then I guess I was working myself up for nothing." Wei Ying smiles, his mouth resting against the soft skin under Lan Zhan's jaw.

"I want us to make a promise." Lan Zhan's hot breath ghosts past his ear, heating it up.

"Anything," Wei Ying vows, an echo of Lan Zhan's word.

"No matter what we want to say to each other, it must come from a belief that whatever the issue is, it will not be able to unbalance either of us. Wei Ying should understand that I will do anything for him."

For the second time today, Wei Ying's throat closes up as his eyes leak, hot drops of moisture making Lan Zhan's shoulder damp. He's nodding because speaking is undoable right now. Lan Zhan rubs circles on his back in a bid to comfort him.

"I promise." Wei Ying says, a few moments later. "And you must know, it's the same for me."

To answer him, Lan Zhan kisses the side of his head gently, his lips lingering as if he doesn't want to let go. He sighs, and then releases Wei Ying, smiling when he makes a protesting noise.

"If Wen Qing is coming at five, then it's time to close up," Lan Zhan explains.

"Oh. Okay."

They close up together, a routine developed after doing it for so long. Wei Ying checks the lights and everything electric is switched off, while Lan Zhan cashes up. Once they're ready, they lock the front door and ease the shutter down.

"I guess we're just waiting for Wen Qing, then." Wei Ying murmurs behind Lan Zhan as they make their way back up the stairs to his apartment.

"Mn." Lan Zhan goes straight to the kitchen to make them some tea.

********************

At five o'clock sharp, Lan Zhan's bell downstairs goes off. Their eyes meet and Wei Ying gives him an encouraging smile, and Lan Zhan realises that Wei Ying is also not aware of the purpose for this visit. That makes him feel marginally better, though not by much. The Wens, aside from Uncle Four when he was contracted to work here, haven't been around and so it begs the question: why do they want to visit him today? It can't be anything casual because otherwise they would have just dropped by, not made the equivalent of an appointment to make sure of Lan Zhan's attendance.

Still, he glides down the stairs faster than normal, and opens the door.

Oh.

Not just Wen Qing, then.

Five faces beam back at him, three of them with shrewdly calculating expressions of varying degrees. Lan Zhan thinks his speculation was correct because this is no ordinary visit. He bows respectfully and stands back to let them enter. The only two innocent parties, Wen Yuan and Wen Ning give him guileless matching grins, and Lan Zhan nods at them, grateful for the balance they bring to whatever this turns out to be.

"Wei Ying is up there," he gestures with a hand, closing the door behind Wen Qing.

They shuffle up the stairs, Uncle Four holding onto Popo's elbow as she uses the bannister for support, leading the group into Lan Zhan's home. Lan Zhan follows after A-Yuan throws himself into his arms, switching from Wen Ning. He nods along to A-Yuan's excited chatter, the boy not making much sense with the speed of his babbling. Lan Zhan catches surprise in the noise Wei Ying must have made upon seeing the entirety of his family arrive.

When Lan Zhan closes the door behind himself, he turns around to find his living room looking rather crowded, and definitely seeming smaller.

Uncle Four is seated on the single armchair, while Popo, Wen Qing and Wen Ning are sitting on the sofa, leaving the loveseat for himself and Wei Ying, with A-Yuan jumping over to Wei Ying's lap. Lan Zhan allows himself a few moments of looking at them, the way it's an unconscious kiss that Wei Ying plants in the toddler's hair, cuddling him close by way of a greeting. Wei Ying is excellent with him, caring naturally, easily. Even if A-Yuan is an easy child to love.

"I bet you're wondering why we all came to see you," Popo smirks to balance out her words.

"We're giving you the opportunity to approach us for permission." Wen Qing takes over.

"Permission?" Lan Zhan blurts out.

Lan Zhan never blurts anything out. Except...except when it has to do with Wei Ying. He looks over to Wei Ying now, and finds a much paler version staring back at him incredulously. Then the colour reaches his cheeks remarkably fast until his whole face is red.

"Qing-Jie-"

"Shut it. We're here. We're doing this," she tells Wei Ying firmly, the last words tinged with more than kindness. The sharpness only returns when she switches her formidable gaze towards Lan Zhan.

"The Dwagon looks after everyone," A-Yuan says, nodding to himself as if all of this is okay.

Lan Zhan swallows hard, the realisation slamming into him like a wrecking ball. This is going to be THat kind of meeting. He stands up to move the coffee table out of the way.

"Lan Zhan-"

Lan Zhang ignores him and sweeps into a low bow.

"This one formally requests the permission of Wei Ying's immediate family, of his sincerest wish to court Wei WuXian, with the intention to marry. If you allow it."

There's a collective gasp as Uncle Four comes to him to help him stand up, even as Wen Qing says, "And what will you do if we say no?"

"Qing-Jie!" Wei Ying's betrayed voice rises.

Lan Zhan looks up in time to see her wicked grin transform into a wince as both Popo and Wen Ning elbow her sides in an unspoken but joint disagreement.

"I shall try harder," Lan Zhan still answers, because in a meeting like this, everything is a test.

Wen Qing nods as if he's passed.

"We have brought you courting gifts, as is our right of being Wei Ying's family." Uncle Four tells them, smiling at both Wei Ying and Lan Zhan. "This is Yunnan Pu-erh tea, the oldest we could find at such short notice. Please pay our respects to your Uncle and your older brother." Uncle Four bows when he hands over the little lacquered box.

Lan Zhan accepts the gift with both hands, bowing in return and promising to do just that.

Then they take turns. Wen Popo gives him a sapling already planted in a red and gold pot with fertilised soil, a miniature mandarin tree. Wen Qing hands over special packets of mixed nuts, and Wen Ning gives Lan Zhan dried fruits. He then beckons A-Yuan over and gives him a red silk bag. A-Yuan waddles back to Lan Zhan and thrusts the bag up into his hands, following that up by grabbing onto his leg and looking up at him with the biggest smile, his cheeks round and full with happiness.

"Pwetty-Gege is family now," he says confidently.

"Popo...this is too much," Wei Ying says, the value of the tea alone not lost upon him.

"A-Ying. Be quiet. Let us do this for you. Let us be your family now." Popo tells him.

Wei Ying promptly bursts into tears, and that has a domino effect on everyone with not a dry eye in sight. The only one who appears unaffected is little A-Yuan, who makes Lan Zhan share out the chocolate part of his contribution with red-rimmed eyes and a sturdy lump in his throat.

He looks around at all of them, five determined people who want the best for Wei Ying, and who have generously opened their arms to welcome Lan Zhan into their family. People who are kind-hearted and have understood that they needed to make this point to Wei Ying even more than to himself, to make him understand that he's not alone. To show Lan Zhan that Wei Ying has family here, people who care about him, too.

So he stands up again and bows once more.

"Thank you, Popo. Shushu, Qing-Jie, Ning-Didi. A-Yuan. I am proud and grateful that Wei Ying has such a good family to care for him."

This time, it's Wen Qing who stands up and comes over to hug him.

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