The kitchen in the old manor is also up to date with appliances, and while they employ staff for the day-to-day running of the place, Lan Zhan explains to Wei Ying that they are not actually necessary at the moment. He is currently putting together their lunch and talking about this old family home.

"Are you cooking because of my preferences?" Wei Ying wants to know, sitting at the table and watching his husband-to-be expertly dice vegetables in that calm I-know-what-I'm-doing sort of way. His chin is resting on his hand as he slouches on the table, awake against his wishes.

"Yes and no. Cooking helps me relax and gather my thoughts. Besides, the staff would cook to serve Lan taste buds. It is both my duty and choice to provide for my boyfriend slash fiance." Lan Zhan pauses to glance at Wei Ying with a particularly intense stare. "Wei Ying, this is our home. You should feel comfortable while we are here."

"I am...or I will be," he amends when Lan Zhan throws him a disbelieving look. "It's just that my mind is excited, but my body is exhausted, you know?"

"Mn. We will eat and then take a nap."

"That sounds good. It's a shame XiChen had to rush off back to work. Will Uncle be joining us?"

"Even if he does, his dietary requirements are dealt with. His meal is fortified with the nutrients his body needs to make a full recovery." Lan Zhan steps back to avoid sizzling oil as he pours the chopped vegetables into the wok. "And no spices."

"I guess that makes sense. His body seems to have made a full recovery."

"Mn. But with a stroke, especially a severe one, both mind and body are connected, despite his progress. XiChen says he still forgets things. But speaking about Uncle, how do you really feel about him organising the wedding? It's our special day, so I understand if you are opposed." Lan Zhan stirs and seasons the rice into the vegetables.

Wei Ying takes a moment to properly consider the ramifications of Uncle Qiren's proposal.

"The truth is, I really don't mind," he says at last, as Lan Zhan plates their meal and pushes chopsticks towards him. "I'm guessing that if my parents were alive, then they would have had some say in what would happen, and with both of us, Uncle Qiren is the closest thing we've got to our elders. It's a nice gesture for him to offer at all, and less stress for us, right? How do YOU feel about it, though? Remember, this is a partnership and so far, it feels like you only care about what I want," Wei Ying smiles at him.

"I will answer at the end of our meal," Lan Zhan says, clearly thinking about it.

Wei Ying nods, eating between voicing his own thoughts. "As for me, I never thought about my own marriage so much. It felt daunting to make that extra effort to find someone, especially when we were all so busy in the Wen house. I'm not making excuses, it's just that dating and the whole responsibility of it felt easier when I was in college. But real life is so much harder."

Lan Zhan considers that, and Wei Ying's point of view regarding Uncle Qiren's offer. He knows Wei Ying has always felt a little awkward about living elsewhere, away from his heritage and growing up in a foreign country. And yet, he is thinking about the familial connotations of what is essentially a happy celebration of two families coming together to make a new extension, another branch on their family trees.

"Even dating doesn't necessarily mean commitment to others. I might be following the steps in my head that logically, when you meet the right person, it would automatically mean a promise to spend the rest of your lives together, but Lan Zhan, I swear, the dating scene in London was becoming like the wild, wild west out there. People, at least the ones I met, weren't interested in a long term relationship at all, and I couldn't just go for something casual. Maybe I was affected by my parents, because I know without a doubt that they married for love. And maybe I was setting the bar up too high, but I like to think my reward for not indulging in casual hookups is the fact that I met you." Wei Ying discreetly wipes his eyes, not realising that Lan Zhan has stood up.

Lan Zhan takes his dishes to the sink and then returns to Wei Ying's side, and then without warning, as soon as Wei Ying finishes his last bite, Lan Zhan pulls him up into a searing kiss. It is down-and-dirty, filthy but full of heat and not just from the chillies.

"Lan Er-Gege...what the fuck was that?" Wei Ying whispers, his arms dangling uselessly from Lan Zhan's shoulders. "How do you do that? I have brain mush!"

"Is Wei Ying complaining?" Lan Zhan makes him sit again, a smirk on his face as he deals with Wei Ying's dishes.

"Hell, no! I'm not even sure a warning from you would protect me from your magic tongue at this point." Wei Ying rubs his tired blood-shot eyes.

"Come on, let's lie down for a while," Lan Zhan takes his elbow and guides Wei Ying back to their room.

"It's further away than the other rooms," Wei Ying remarks, as they go past a few foyers connecting the different wings of this building.

"Mn. This back part was another late addition. My mother stayed here for a while before she moved away to the UK. By that point, their marriage was irreconcilable."

"Ah, sorry about that. I didn't mean to bring up something painful."

"You did not. I remember my mother whenever I come here. While I prefer staying in this, our room, whenever I want to be close with Shufu and XiChen, I live elsewhere when I want to be left alone, here in Suzhou. We can visit tomorrow, if you like." Lan Zhan closes the door behind them.

He opens their suitcases and takes out a pair of pyjamas for both of them. In no time at all, and since they're exhausted, they slide under the covers and gravitate towards each other. Lan Zhan pulls Wei Ying closer, sighing and closing his eyes immediately. He's still awake when Wei Ying starts talking.

"I don't have a photo of my parents. I don't even know if any existed...when they passed."

"We can ask Uncle to make copies." Lan Zhan murmurs. He stalls, not succumbing to sleep in case Wei Ying says anything else, but then his breathing evens out into a steadier rhythm as he falls asleep. Finally, Lan Zhan lets himself drift off, too.

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

The gentle knocking on the door wakes Lan Zhan, just as Wei Ying slips out of bed to see who it is. He hears lowered voices, a conversation that goes back and forth a few times and then thankfully, the door closes again, banishing the annoying light that had spilled inside the room against his wishes.

"Lan Zhan, are you hungry?" Wei Ying whispers close to his ear.

"No." Lan Zhan pulls him nearer, just in case he's thinking about leaving again.

Wei Ying's low laugh makes him feel even more petulant. "Don't pout, my love, otherwise I'll have to kiss it away. You look so cute, though."

"Is Wei Ying hungry?" Lan Zhan struggles to open his eyes.

"No, no. Not yet, anyway. Go back to sleep, love. I'm right here," he yawns on the last word.

"Who was that?"

"XiChen-Ge. He wanted to know if we were in any fit state to join him and Uncle Qiren for dinner, but I told him we were alright for now." Wei Ying yawns again.

"Sleep."

"Ahuh. Let's do that." Wei Ying settles against his chest, snuggling up to him.

Lan Zhan hears the smile in his tone and gives up the fight to stay conscious.

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

He's much more lucid when he wakes up the second time around. Wei Ying is awake, those beautiful fingers tracing a pattern on Lan Zhan's chest, an absentminded movement that both relaxes and comforts him. Lan Zhan's hand comes up to curl around Wei Ying's hand, stilling him.

"Oh, I didn't mean to wake you," Wei Ying murmurs. His lips find the underside of Lan Zhan's jaw and he plants a warm kiss there.

"Wei Ying did not. I have rested adequately." Lan Zhan brings Wei Ying's hand up to his mouth. "What time is it?"

Wei Ying lifts up a phone from the bedside cabinet and it lights up: 2:00 am.

"Are you hungry now?" Lan Zhan asks him, ready to get up and make something if that's the case.

"No...I can wait. Let's just stay like this for a while."

"Mn." Lan Zhan lets his free hand roam over Wei Ying's back, soothing them both. "We have time."

"Yeah."

Lan Zhan can hear a question in his tone. "Mn?"

"Well, I was wondering how you feel about Yang Zichen now? After finding out about his involvement, you know, with XiChen-Ge."

"Presumptuous and interfering. Ge is right; I already don't like him, so this doesn't help his case." Lan Zhan tells him firmly. "If anything, I am glad I have a reason to hate him."

"If it's because of me-"

"No," Lan Zhan winces, hating that he interrupted Wei Ying, but he feels impatient about explaining himself. "That's partially it, but more than that, it's the meddling in what is none of his business. It's a flimsy excuse to put my name alongside the family business, especially when I'm not involved with it."

"Maybe he's looking out for himself? What if he feels like his job is in jeopardy if something happened to your brother?" Wei Ying reasons, reaching out in the dark to rub Lan Zhan's shoulder, wanting to comfort him.

"Even if something happened, I'm third in line. If ever I was to inherit the business, I would sell it to the highest bidder. His job is always going to be in jeopardy."

"Third in line? Oh, I'm guessing after your uncle if that was the situation."

"Mn."

"Can you identify why you hate him? Perhaps we can eradicate that feeling."

"No. To both the question and that silly statement. I trust my intuition. Everytime I see him, I feel like an offended cat with my fur rubbed the wrong way."

"Oh." That's followed up with a stifled giggle. "Well, then, I guess we're hating him."

"Mn."

"You know, you never answered my question."

"Mn?"

"Do you mind if your Uncle Qiren sorts out our wedding?"

"I cannot see myself marrying in a church. Therefore, the closest thing would be the temple in Yiling, and it seems a better choice."

"Lan Zhan! That's a great idea!" Wei Ying reaches up to kiss his cheek enthusiastically. "And that would also mean Madam Lan would be close by! Genius! Can they officiate a wedding? Does it count?"

"Mn." Lan Zhan knows he sounds pleased, and it's because Wei Ying understood why he wanted their ceremony there. "So it does not matter what Shufu wants to do, as long as you are happy. We can tell him our preferences and see what happens."

"Okay, I can live with that." Wei Ying sighs happily.

"We can inform Shufu after breakfast."

"Sounds like a plan," Wei Ying murmurs softly.