Wei Ying was awake.

Lan Zhan knew this not only from the change in his breath, but also his heart beat. That was the sound Lan Zhan really loved, and now that he could tell it apart from all others…it felt even better.

But…Wei Ying sounded distressed.

"Mn?"

The sound feels too loud in the quiet of the night.

"I slept…but now I can't stop thinking about JingYi." Wei Ying whispers. "How could someone do something like that to him? He's just a baby, Lan Zhan! Only six years old…did you see his back?" Wei Ying suddenly shivers at the memory.

Lan Zhan pulls their blanket more securely around his shoulders, and holds him closer. His lips kiss the top of Wei Ying's head, hoping to give him some peace.

"We should do something." He says, quietly.

"I was thinking about calling social services. But…I know what the system is like…and if there's a way we can save him from that, then I wish for us to do that instead." Wei Ying sounds so matter-of-fact about it.

"Wei Ying was a Foster child?" Lan Zhan asks him.

He wants to know everything there is to know about Wei Ying. And now he realises how very little they know about each other.

"Um…yeah. My parents died in a car crash…when I was around six. I was in the system for about a year until Uncle Jiang came to find me." He becomes silent.

"Wei Ying doesn't have to talk about it, if he doesn't wish to…but I would like to know…if you want to tell me." Lan Zhan offers.

"Well…there's not much to tell. I had a bad experience with a bunch of dogs and…and it made me super scared of them. Jiang Cheng had little puppies and when I moved in, I was still so scared…and then he had to give them up. He wasn't very forgiving about that."

Lan Zhan feels the softest lips graze his skin.

There's a magnetism about Wei Ying that Lan Zhan cannot resist.

It's more than just the pull of their bodies, more than how they feel about each other. It feels as if their creator decided to weave each other into their DNA, so that now neither one can survive without the other.

Another wave of protection flows through Lan Zhan and he shifts so that Wei Ying is tucked into his side.

From what he's saying about the Jiangs, to Lan Zhan, it feels as if Wei Ying isn't that close to them…if he ever was.

"I don't mind telling you…" Wei Ying says. "We grew up together, Jiang Cheng, ShiJie and I. When I said I was going to adopt A-Yuan…Madam Yu gave me an ultimatum. Basically telling me to decide between my Little Radish and … and them."

Lan Zhan can tell Wei Ying is trying his hardest not to say anything about his true feelings. Whether this is because of some misplaced sense of loyalty, or just because Wei Ying isn't the kind of person who talks behind people's backs…Lan Zhan isn't sure. He does know that even if he has only known Wei Ying for a week, he is an excellent judge of character and can confidently say that he is a good person.

It is a nice feeling.

But the choice that the Jiangs gave to Wei Ying…doesn't sit well with Lan Zhan.

What kind of family asks one of their own to choose between a child definitely younger than six, and themselves? Why not help the person of their own family and have both?

Lan Zhan cannot understand this.

"Why were they so opposed?" Lan Zhan tries to keep his tone neutral, because he tries not to judge people.

Circumstances and temperament go a long way in making decisions and no two situations are identical; who knew what the Jiangs were going through, what fuelled their response?

But even so, A-Yuan would still have been younger than six…a small child.

The Jiangs…Lan Zhan knew of them, but didn't actually know them. Right now, they are financially quite well off. So it might not have been a wealth issue, the affordability of looking after an extra mouth to feed…so then, what?

"Madam Yu never told me the exact reason. She mostly went on about how I didn't know anything about bringing up a child and I was going to regret my decision. I think I surprised her…by going ahead anyway. Lan Zhan…if you saw A-Yuan when he was three….? Oh my God! My little Radish was so cute!!! There's no way anyone could resist him! His cheeks were so squishy and he was just adorable." Wei Ying lets out a quiet squeal.

Lan Zhan smiles into the darkness of the room.

Just how much Wei Ying loves his son is apparent all over his face, in his voice.

"Wei Ying is an excellent father." Lan Zhan tells him, proudly. "And A-Yuan is flourishing. He's a happy child."

"You really think so?" Wei Ying asks.

Uncertainty has crept into his voice.

"Mn. Lans do not lie. And I see it every day."

"A-Yuan wasn't always like that." Wei Ying says softly. "His parents died when he was two…and then, someone left him on the bus, the one I happened to be on. He spent about a year between A-Qing and A-Ning, Wen PoPo, myself and some other relatives. But A-Ning and A-Qing were both studying and they couldn't provide a stable home environment, PoPo said she wanted to adopt, and she would have if she was twenty years younger…and then the relatives who were helping them out, they moved back to Qishan. A-Yuan would've gone into the system and there was no guarantee he would be okay…or even if he would be allowed to see his blood family ever again."

"So Wei Ying stepped up. It cannot have been easy…" Lan Zhan murmured. He was trying to recall what he was doing three years ago.

"For the first year, A-Yuan didn't speak."

A noise of distress leaves Lan Zhan at the thought of the bright child, now so bubbly and bright, being so traumatised that he didn't want to talk.

"What happened?" The scent of vanilla and lotus flowers surrounds him, calming his agitation.

"We kind of developed our own sign language. It became a fun game because obviously, he had needs, and I was tearing my hair out - privately, of course - because I didn't know what to do. He didn't even try to play with anything, or engage in any way. I took him to a child psychologist who told me that he was still terrified of change, and I shouldn't lose hope…that everything was going to be okay. Once A-Yuan figured out that he was safe and his situation was going to be stable, he would start developing on his own…with help." Wei Ying smiles, his lips curving against Lan Zhan’s cool skin.

"Did it work?" Lan Zhan was marvelling at how wonderful a parent Wei Ying had become.

"It took a lot of patience. Every day when I woke him up, I would give him positive affirmations. I told him how much I loved him, how important he was to me. And I'd ask him if he was okay to give me a hug. In the beginning, I would hug him first. And then…one day, I thought he was still asleep, so I tried to get my finances sorted. But the bills were piling up and I really needed a second job…that day was particularly hard. I started crying…and the next thing I knew, A-Yuan was hugging me! All by himself!! I tell you, Lan Zhan…I couldn't believe it, at first. When his soft little arms came around my neck, those tears turned into good ones. I knew he trusted me, then. Everything changed after that."

"Mn?"

Wei Ying sniffed.

Lan Zhan felt his shoulder becoming a little damp.

If Wei Ying needed to cry then he was going to be his strength. Lan Zhan thought this and another wave of protective energy flowed through him. Wei Ying was such a precious soul.

How many people did Lan Zhan know, who would have given up a life of relative ease, where he didn't have to worry about where his next meal was coming from, to a life where it was immediately necessary to work two jobs? Where every expense was calculated into degrees of urgent need?

"I think the Universe gave him to me because I needed to change, too. Living with A-Yuan instantly made me into a grown up…you know what I mean? Suddenly, there wasn't anyone else I could go to if I had a problem. I had to support myself and I couldn't fail, because then they would take A-Yuan away from me. But that one hug…and the ones that followed afterwards, they made everything so much better."

"A-Yuan told me hugs were important ... .in not so many words." Lan Zhan recalls those first few days after he had woken up.

"They are." Wei Ying squeezes his arms, which are wrapped around Lan Zhan’s body. "Who knew how much, though? Did you know, Lan Zhan? There's a lady in Kerala…she's called the Hugging Saint. She just goes around hugging people. I think that's so cool!!"

Lan Zhan didn't know…and he thought it was cool too.

"A-Yuan started talking after that. Just one, one word at a time then, and he became so much better at expressing himself, too."

"Wei Ying should write a book. On parenting." Lan Zhan encourages him.

"Me?" Wei Ying lifts himself up to stare into liquid pools of dark honey. "I don't have a degree in that…there's nothing that qualifies me as an expert."

"Wei Ying has his experience. It counts for a lot, maybe more than people who can only sit at a computer and write theories. Wei Ying has hands-on, practical knowledge, he knows things that can be applied to similar situations." Lan Zhan argues back, raising himself up so he can kiss Wei Ying’s pout.

"People aren't going to listen to me. I don't know anything." He insists.

"But Wei Ying…while you were going through that difficult time, when you didn't know what you were doing…didn't it feel good when the person you talked to, encouraged you? When they gave you strength, unintentionally? That's what I mean. How many first time parents wish there was someone to advise them? Wei Ying is the kindest man I know, next to my brother and my uncle." The more Lan Zhan thought about this, the more he was convinced. "All you have to do is tell people about what happened to you. People want to relate. If you can hold their hand while they are trying their best, isn't that like giving them hope that things will get better? Wei Ying can do this. I will help." Lan Zhan pulls him down into a full body hug once more.

He's behaving as if it is already decided.

"It might be nice...to write it all down." Wei Ying admits. "I'll think about it."

"We can start slowly. One chapter a week." Lan Zhan kisses his hair, silently vowing to himself that he's going to make this happen. He believes in Wei Ying's ability to change the world, one parent at a time.

"You sound like you know what you're talking about." Wei Ying says. He's feeling sleepy again.

"I do." Lan Zhan can't help feeling a little bit proud of his own achievements. "When I first started putting pictures up of my own fitness journey, it was a way for me to document my own progress. But then, people started following me, and then they began asking me questions…and then they started to listen. I could not believe it."

"This was in addition to your regular job? And what exactly is your day job?" Wei Ying giggles.

"Mn?"

"Well…I just thought, we've slept together, you know, the whole papapa…and I don’t even know what my man does for a living…" He giggles again.

Lan Zhan is immensely glad that he's not crying any more. His laughter is precious and Lan Zhan would much rather listen to that than anything else.

"I trained as an architect. And now I work at my family firm. My father started the business with Uncle Qiren…a long time ago. Then my parents passed away, first my father and then later, my mother. I… I did not take it well." Lan Zhan tries not to think about that time.

Wei Ying remembers their first meeting and how much Lan Zhan didn't want to go to the hospital. And then his explanation as to why, and the two week incarceration after his health declined. He gets the feeling that Lan Zhan doesn't want to talk about this again, so he decides to change the subject.

"Why did you pick architecture?"

"I like it." Lan Zhan surprises himself by saying that. It's true and that's even more surprising.

"Really? Why? What about it gets you excited?" Wei Ying cups his face, smiling at his expression.

"In our family…it was always expected that XiChen and I would follow in our father's footsteps. I didn't think about it…but I really like planning what a building will look like. It's like a jigsaw puzzle. We know what the building will finally look like when it's finished…but I enjoy the process. To decide if a door should go here or there…to know that there are rules to help you decide on these points…it is a fulfilling job." Lan Zhan smiles back at him.

It's a nice feeling to finally understand that even though he wasn't really given a choice for his career, had he been, it would have been the same. He would have picked Architecture…no question about it.

"I'm glad you like doing it. But then…how … Why did you start Instagram? It seems unrelated…" Wei Ying yawned.

Lan Zhan began patting his back rhythmically, lulling him back to sleep and speaking at a lower volume so Wei Ying could rest properly.

"Instagram was kind of a dare. I heard two people arguing in the bathroom, one of them challenged the other to a meat-free diet because he said that kind of protein was a must. I was already a vegetarian, and I practise yoga regularly. I had the lean muscles, and those people challenged that it wasn't possible…I wanted to prove them wrong. So it started with a before and after picture, and then I documented everything I was doing, everything I ate and drank, my exercise regime, the core poses I returned to, after my workout. I was surprised at how much people wanted to change, and how much the truth was disguised under well-manufactured lies that were manipulating the weight-loss market." Lan Zhan smiled when he heard a cute little snore.

Wei Ying was asleep.

***********

"JingYi!"

Lan Zhan is startled by Wei Ying jerking up into a blind panic.

It's still too early in the morning.

"He's fine now." Lan Zhan soothes, bringing him back down into the comfort of his arms.

It takes a few moments for Wei Ying to fully relax again.

"What are we going to do about him?" Wei Ying asks. "I'm thinking about finding a Sunday job."

Both of these comments sound unrelated.

"Mn?" Lan Zhan stifles the worry that Wei Ying causes by this seemingly innocent talk.

"Well…I just thought, if we're gonna try and adopt another kid…I Should -"

Lan Zhan flips them over so fast, Wei Ying sees stars.

Eager, adamant lips cover his in a bruising kiss and the gremlin comes out to play in retaliation. Wei Ying bites down on Lan Zhan’s bottom lip, and Lan Zhan growls. The force of his kiss becomes harder in order to subdue the naughty man, a fight for dominance.

Wei Ying is kissing him back just as passionately, his arms wrapping around Lan Zhan’s neck to hold him closer.

Teeth clack and tongues fight, a sensual duel of love.

This kiss feels different…as if Lan Zhan is trying to prove a point.

They're panting and Wei Ying is out of breath when finally their lips part.

"What was that?" Wei Ying asks, in a daze.

"Wei Ying is not alone." Lan Zhan growls into his ear, still holding him down.

"Um…I know that. You're here." Wei Ying smiles beautifully back at him.

Lan Zhan has never wanted to bite someone so bad.

"No…you don't. You are behaving as if I don't matter." Lan Zhan accuses him.

"No! I would never!" Wei Ying gasps, hurt by his statement.

"Then why is Wei Ying thinking about a third job?" Lan Zhan fires back.

"Because the two jobs barely cover me and A-Yuan…if we're gonna have JingYi too, then … then I'm afraid, it's the only way. That's all…" Wei Ying replies, in a small voice.

"Wei Ying is a dummy." Lan Zhan pouts. "I am here."

"I'm not a dummy! You're the dummy! I just explained to you why!" Wei Ying wriggles out from under him and straddles the still pouting Lan Zhan. He's half laughing and half in outraged disbelief that Lan Zhan called him a dummy.

"Wei Ying still doesn't understand." Lan Zhan raised himself up and lightly bit his bottom lip, not enough to draw blood.

"Ow! What don't I understand?" Wei Ying presses closer to him. "And if you're gonna bite, do it properly!" He huffs out, wriggling some more and waking other parts of their bodies.

Lan Zhan’s long fingers dig into his hips, holding him fast. Now, Wei Ying cannot move.

"We are together, yes?" Lan Zhan asks him.

He does not blink even, staring back into granite eyes sparkling with barely concealed humour.

Wei Ying nods slowly. "But what's that got to do with -"

"Everything!" Lan Zhan flips them over again, so his whole weight is pushing down on Wei Ying’s body.

"But Lan Zhan…you're already doing enough. You keep buying us groceries…you're cooking and cleaning for us…I can't take your money as well!" Wei Ying sounds distressed.

This time, when Lan Zhan bites him, it's a bit harder, and his tongue licks away at the tiny cut, sealing it.

"Explain what a partnership is?" Lan Zhan demands.

"It's when two people decide to live and work together…but my love! That's my point! You're already contributing so much…"

Lan Zhan covers his mouth to stop him from speaking.

Wei Ying is too shocked to say anything.

Lan Zhan takes advantage of this, and speaks.

"We are together." He emphasises firmly. "I want to help, and that's the difference. It is no longer my money and your money…it is our money. Wei Ying is still a dummy."

Wei Ying opens his mouth and licks Lan Zhan’s fingers. His silver eyes gleam with satisfaction when Lan Zhan snatches his hand away as if it's burning.

And then, Lan Zhan is inspired.

His whole face lights up.

"I was thinking about hiring Wei Ying." He says, absolutely sure of his words.

"What? What do you mean?" Wei Ying raises himself up, resting his torso on his forearms.

"I have a lot of followers on Instagram…and now I want to make a cooking channel. But now…I do not need to eat food. So I need an official taster. And if we do a spin-off, a section for kids and catering to their tastes, and finding a way to make vegetables exciting…I need both of you, A-Yuan and JingYi, and you…so I will pay you. But you have to be honest."

Wei Ying throws himself into Lan Zhan’s arms.

"You ridiculous man! I'd do that for free!" He sniffs, kissing Lan Zhan’s neck.

He's too clever not to see through Lan Zhan’s plan, and he knows what Lan Zhan is really suggesting.

"It's not a ridiculous idea to want to spend more time with you. I hardly see you as it is." Lan Zhan says, though his voice is infinitely kinder.

"I know." Wei Ying whispers.

"So…I would like Wei Ying to think about this. To think about the possibilities of changing careers. What I am proposing will pay more and Wei Ying will have to work less…it's a good idea. And we will get to see more of each other." Lan Zhan kisses his cheek.

"Let me think about it." Wei Ying replies. "I'm not gonna lie, it's a scary thought. To give up either of my jobs. I feel…untethered. Like a lost kite."

Lan Zhan pulls away so he can look into his eyes.

Very carefully, he holds Wei Ying’s face in his big hands.

"Do you trust me?" He asks.

"Yes." Wei Ying nods, as well.

"Then, let me do this for us. You can be a free kite, not a lost one."

Wei Ying is looking into uncompromising golden eyes, filled with nothing but love.

Lan Zhan believed wholeheartedly in what he was suggesting, and in them.

If Wei Ying doubted any of that, wasn't that the same as saying he doubted them?

And the thing was, he didn't.

"I trust you." Wei Ying breathes out, solidifying his thoughts. "I do…" He gathers his thoughts, trying to make sense of them at the same time. "And…I'm sorry. I've been alone for so long…I've forgotten what it's like to have someone I can rely on. But…but I want to change that. I want to rely on you." He says, ever so earnestly. "It would really help me if you…you keep reminding me…for us."

"Mn. Will always remind Wei Ying. I am here."

Wei Ying brings their lips together for the sweetest kiss of them all.

**********

Together, they wake up the children and get them ready for school.

When JingYi goes to use the bathroom, Wei Ying goes to help him.

Lan Zhan is surprised when A-Yuan climbs into his lap for a hug.

He's reminded of what Wei Ying had confided in him earlier that morning, that A-Yuan hadn't spoken for a year.

It gave even more meaning to this hug.

Lan Zhan rubs his back warmly, sighing internally when the boy seems to melt into him.

"Why does JingYi hurt so much?" A-Yuan asks him.

Lan Zhan isn't prepared for this question.

He doesn't think he could ever be, and he thinks carefully before answering.

"Someone is hurting him." Lan Zhan says quietly, that even if JingYi was to return unexpectedly, he wouldn't overhear anything that could hurt him.

A-Yuan's bottom lip comes out, and starts to wobble.

Oh no…that's a bad sign.

"A-Yuan…I have to ask you a big boy's question. Please will you listen to me?" Lan Zhan says quickly, because Wei Ying could be back really soon and he doesn't want to explain why A-Yuan is upset.

His words are distracting enough for A-Yuan to pause.

"We want to help JingYi." He adds.

"I want to help JingYi, too." A-Yuan says, anxiously.

"You're already helping him." Lan Zhan assures him.

"How?" A-Yuan wants to know.

"You're making JingYi laugh. You make him have fun. When he's with you, he can forget about his…problem." Lan Zhan kisses the top of his head.

"But…if someone is hurting him…I want to stop them!" A-Yuan says, sounding more certain even than Wei Ying.

"So…this is the really important thing I have to tell you. You don't have to worry about that part of the problem, okay? Because your Baba and me, we can take care of it. Alright? There are ways we can help JingYi and we're going to do our best." He promises.

A-Yuan nods.

"All you have to do, is make sure JingYi doesn't worry about anything, for now. Can you do that for us?"

"Mn."

It is said so seriously, that once again, Lan Zhan feels his eyes burn.

Truly, Wei Ying has done a brilliant job raising this kid. Lan Zhan feels so proud of both of them.

JingYi and Wei Ying return, and A-Yuan gives Lan Zhan a sloppy kiss on his cheek, pausing to look deeply into his eyes.

Then he jumps off Lan Zhan’s lap and leads JingYi to the door to get ready for school.

"What was that about?" Wei Ying slides into the place vacated by his son only seconds ago.

"A-Yuan is worried about JingYi." Lan Zhan tells him truthfully.

"He's such a sweet kid." Wei Ying nods, quietly.

"Mostly because of you." Lan Zhan tells him quickly.

Wei Ying whines, burying his face in the crook of Lan Zhan’s neck.

"I'm coming with you all to school." Lan Zhan tells him.

He's expecting an argument but Wei Ying nods. He climbs off Lan Zhan reluctantly and holds a hand out to him, hauling him out of the chair with a giggle.

The trip to school is uneventful.

Lan Zhan is preoccupied with watching Wei Ying.

He seems better today, not so tired.

Lan Zhan wants to discuss many things with Wei Ying, and he knows it'll have to wait until they are alone.

***********

It's on the way back home that Wei Ying brings up what Lan Zhan is thinking about.

"Don't you think it's strange that neither of JingYi's parents have come looking for him?"

"Mn. I expected someone to knock on your door last night. There is something really wrong with that family." Lan Zhan says. He reaches over to clasp their hands together.

"Lan Zhan…?"

"Mn?"

They're walking back from the bus stop, hand in hand.

It's a nice day, not too chilly with dusky sunshine shimmering in the air.

"Well…the thing is, I don't want to give JingYi back to them…I mean, if they come looking, then obviously we have to give them their child back…but I don't want to rush it. If we can give him even one normal day…I want that for him." Wei Ying says, anxiously.

"It is coming from a place of concern. And I agree. Let's keep JingYi with us for now." Lan Zhan brings their joined hands up to his lips. "We can research social services in the meantime, and I have something to show you."

"You do?" Wei Ying pushes open the door to his apartment building.

Lan Zhan scoops him up into his arms when they get near the stairs. Wei Ying frowns at him, but he's actually quite tired and this harmless act from his boyfriend is really a kind gesture. So he says nothing, just smiles at Lan Zhan.

"I like carrying Wei Ying." Lan Zhan says proudly, answering his expression.

"Well, not gonna lie, I like being carried. You're so strong, my love." Wei Ying glances at Lan Zhan’s biceps appreciatively.

Lan Zhan brings him into the living room after a brief struggle with the door. He switches on his laptop.

"What have you got for me?" Wei Ying leans forward to look at the screen.

"F4keSt0ries." Lan Zhan tells him. "What shall we ask him?"