#private : wen ning.

[lcngliive]

parker & wen ning ( @coreofgold )

“I’m so excited for summer!” Parker grinned. “it’s one of the best season - no cold snow or bitter winds - just sunshine galore!”

[llycaons]

also be serious do you think wei wuxiam is opening up to a stranger. do you think he's going to talk about his suicidal ideation and abusive parents and self-worth issues with someone he knows has the legal right to detain him and admit him to a hospital where he will lose his phyiscal autonomy. in his paranoid state of the post-ss arc, after being tortured and abused by authority figures and an invading army, in a modern au after being failed by whatever social system presumably exists during his time on the streets, or EVER? lwj and jc are also extremely repressed and uncommunicative and put up walls to project strength and untouchability but if there's one character who's absolutely never going to talk to cops its wwx

[lovesruined]

wen ning was quiet as he possibly could be as he shuffled forward, tongue swiping over full lips that are dried, cracked as hand reached forward to gently tap them on the shoulder. " sorry for being late. " wen ning murmured, moving to finally sit across from the other. / @dcstinyscdgc.

[qiu-yan]

secretly afab jiang cheng poll

(someone once wrote a post about a similar scenario but i cannot find it. if someone finds it please send me the link)

consider the following scenario:

yu ziyuan gives birth to two biologically female children. her second birth in particular is difficult and renders it impossible for her to have any more children. determined to have one of her children inherit, however, yu ziyuan lies, and announces to the cultivation world the birth of a son, jiang cheng.

jiang cheng is raised as a boy. only yu ziyuan and a handful of trusted maids know the truth. jiang fengmian never finds out. jiang yanli never finds out. even wei wuxian somehow never finds out.

as time goes on, various other parties discover the truth at different points in jiang cheng's life--wen chao and his men after jiang cheng is captured in wei wuxian's place, wen qing and wen ning during the golden core transfer, possibly jin guangyao as well--but, due to various circumstances, everyone who knows dies before they can spread the information. eventually, the only person left alive who knows the truth is jiang cheng himself.

jiang cheng leads his sect. jiang cheng purposefully gets himself blacklisted by all matchmakers. jiang cheng raises jin ling. somehow, for the entirety of the 13 year timeskip and beyond, jiang cheng is able to hide the truth of his body from the entire world. wei wuxian returns after 13 years of death, the present half of the plot plays out exactly as it does in canon, and somehow this specific information just never comes up. even after wen ning's return, wen ning somehow never brings it up either, because he assumes wei wuxian knows already.

then, some time after the end of canon, wei wuxian finds out the truth: that jiang cheng, who he fully believed to be biologically male, was in fact biologically female this entire time, and also that jiang cheng managed to hide this information from him all the way up until now. maybe wen ning finally spills the beans or something.

how does wei wuxian react?

things to consider:

how does jiang cheng think of himself in this scenario? as a woman pretending to be a man? as the ancient fantasy chinese version of a transgender man?

how does jiang cheng wish to live in this scenario? does he wish to live as a woman? does he wish he were biologically male?

have jiang cheng and wei wuxian reconciled?

how would wei wuxian react to learning that there was a huge chunk of jiang cheng's life he had zero idea about?

what kinds of attitudes towards women has wei wuxian exhibited in the text?

what kinds of attitudes towards women has mxtx exhibited in the text?

explain your reasoning in the notes!!!

[purgatoryandme]

Underdiscussed MDZS topic: I think it has been broadly concluded that Wen Ning is 1) Best Boy and 2) unduly influenced by Wei Wuxian since his fierce corpse transformation, causing him to murder Jin Zixuan in a situation where he otherwise would not have. It would appear that most of the cultivation world has concluded the same thing, though they’re probably pretty on the fence about #1. 

Wen Ning’s intro in the novel is as a corpse puppet. Countless accusations fly around regarding his free will and Wei Wuxian’s own cruel denial of it during his darkest times. Our perception as readers is often split between that of the cultivation world at large and that of the people who know and have FEELINGS about the main characters, and the schism between those perceptions is made most obvious regarding the Burial Mounds period. Especially because of how little exposition the novel provides about it - and how unwilling Wei Wuxian is to speak of it later.

Public perspective: Wen Ning is Wei Wuxian’s puppet, unable to form his own thoughts and feelings, and is the vessel of Wei Wuxian’s hatred for the world. He was brought back to life to be a weapon, and the Wens, as evil people fleeing their reckoning, approve of these evil arts.

Private perspective: Wei Wuxian was trying to collect the shards of many broken lives, desperately trying to bring a sense of good into a deeply twisted situation, and created a very complicated outcome. He brought a brother back to his sister and gave Wen Ning an opportunity to live again, albeit in an upsetting way, and respected his autonomy as best he could while their lives crumbled around them. Wen Ning himself took joy in protecting his family for what little time they had left, and was grateful for the comfort provided to his sister despite having...complex repressed feelings about being a corpse. He was happy to see Wei Wuxian again. Wen Ning has free will and Wei Wuxian appears to really value not even attempting to overtake that.

Audience perspective: Wen Ning was brought back to life because of his sister’s request and Wei Wuxian’s desire to repay a debt/unwillingness to accept failure without consideration for his own desires. His existence is a perversion of the natural order, but his subservient nature and ties to Wei Wuxian cause him to make the best of a bad situation. He’s a good person, and has maintained an outwardly positive perspective, but cannot cry any longer, cannot have meaningful connections outside of the Wens, and is, in a way, cursed. Worse: he is vulnerable to Wei Wuxian’s control superseding his own desires, especially regarding Wei Wuxian losing control of the resentful energy that powers them both. In this, Wen Ning is a victim of Wei Wuxian’s greatest lapse. 

Wei Wuxian’s perspective is quite similar to the audience’s, as is often the case in the novel. Perhaps it is due to his bad memory, perhaps it is a response to trauma, but Wei Wuxian often internalizes his public persona in times of great stress or conflict that is truly irresolvable. He simply forgets many of the little things that form a dissonant image...or never speaks of them again, preferring to move on with his life.  (Or his death. His death is such a mysterious thing in the novel it drives me nuts)

The thing about the audience perspective, though, is that it is as flawed as the other perspectives. In particular: Wen Ning clearly disagrees with it. Arguments can be made for him protecting Wei Wuxian from his own actions, piggybacking on Wen Ning’s meek and mild attitude...but the novel proves, time and again, that this is a deeply flawed approach to Wen Ning’s character. Out of the entire cast, Wen Ning is second only to Lan Wangji in his directness regarding the truth or moral core of a situation. He confronted Jiang Cheng about his golden core, despite being sworn to secrecy. He rescued Wei Wuxian despite having minimal contact with him. He stood up to his sister about this reckless rescue. He turned his back on the Wen sect!!!! He came back as a FIERCE CORPSE!!!! He willingly turned himself in when it was clear that Wei Wuxian was going to die for them all!!!!! When contrasted with the actions of the rest of the main cast, it’s obvious he’s got a spine of steel. He’s polite, he was raised to stay out of the way and to not be a liability to his sister, but he’s got even more decisiveness than her underneath it all when it comes to relationships he values. Wen Ning is clever, emotionally literate, and unafraid of facing the truth. Even Wei Wuxian forgets this at times, and is often embarrassed about underestimating Wen Ning’s character. 

This is important. 

Wen Ning doesn’t blame Wei Wuxian for Qiongqi Path. He does blame himself, though, and his regrets are largely focused on how the situation deteriorated. He isn’t as horrified by the murder he’s committed. 

Key to this: Wei Wuxian admits, in that oblique way of his, that Wen Ning killed Jin Zixuan because Wei Wuxian saw him as an enemy and Wen Ning is attuned to his emotions. Not his orders, not his control, not his resentful energy, but his emotions. 

Losing control was losing the ability to hold back the resentment that Wen Ning died with. And what does Wei Wuxian and most of the cultivation world skim over regarding this resentment? Wen Ning died on Qiongqi Path. He was killed by Jins.

The same people, wearing the same colours, who attacked the man Wen Ning is now tasked with guarding. 

Wen Ning had his own reasons for losing control that are broadly independent of Wei Wuxian, but acknowledging those reasons requires 1) acknowledging Wen Ning as his own person and 2) acknowledging that, as a person, he may have homicidal inclinations towards that people that murdered his sect, his clan, his direct family, and himself. The Wens, both victims and victimizers is the narrative, might hold some desire for retribution in their heart that echoes that of the Sunshot Campaign members. And that’s hard, because that’s complicated - no clear villains or victors here.

MXTX plays with narrative like this a lot in MDZS. It’s subtle at times, obvious at others, but it’s a consistent theme of the novel. It’s also one that a lot of discourse seems to miss. 

If the character perspectives isn’t enough support for you, though, there’s also the world-building context to look at. According to legend, Qiongqi Path is where the founder of the Qishan Wen Clan, Wen Mao, rose to fame in just one battle. Hundreds of years before the novel's beginning, he fought a divine beast for eighty-one days and ultimately claimed its life. The divine beast was the Qiongqi, a beast of chaos known to punish the good and encourage the evil, devouring the loyal and the righteous while awarding the malicious. Of course, many of the Wen clan’s legends can be looked at with suspicion. But Qiongqi Path was already a graveyard. It’s a tainted place, with tainted memories for the people involved, firmly seated in a legend that reeks of the inevitability of somebody dying there that day, regardless of one man’s ability to maintain control of another. 

[rhysiana]

Because I saw a post about how modern AU WWX would probably actually be as tall as LWJ, if not taller, since so many modern AUs don't feature him suffering as much childhood privation as canon, which reminded me of another thought I have had, about how an early life period of interrupted growth can in fact just delay a person's growth spurts rather than eliminating them. Thus: WWX who gets confusingly taller after graduating from college.

3 People Wei Ying Talked to About Suddenly Getting Taller and 1 Person Who Definitely Noticed On His Own

[Now also on AO3]

Wen Ning

Wei Ying looked down at his feet, perplexed. "Wen Ning?" he yelled down the hall. "Did something weird happen to the washing machine that you didn't tell me about?"

Wen Ning popped his head around the door to Wei Ying's room. "No? I don't think so."

"Then why are all my pants suddenly too short?" A new thought occurred to him and he looked up, now delighted. "Wen Ning! Are you actually pulling a prank on me? I know I don't have all that many clothes, but still, this must have taken so much work! I respect the dedication." He held out a fist.

Wen Ning just blinked at him. "I think... maybe you got taller, actually?"

Wei Ying scoffed. "I'm way too old for a growth spurt. Seriously, did Nie Huaisang put you up to this?"

Wen Ning gave up arguing and simply produced a tape measure instead.

~*~

Wen Qing

Wei Ying burst into Wen Qing's lab, which he might have felt worse about if she hadn't been babysitting an experiment while no one else was around. He still received an impressive glare, but he didn't have time to worry about that right now.

"Wen Qing, I need you to test me for every weird kind of chemical exposure you can think of!"

She blinked at him, looking remarkably like her brother for a moment. "Wei Ying, you're in computer science. Exactly when do you come in contact with chemicals?"

"Uh. A leak on the science campus somewhere?"

"What is actually wrong with you? Tell me in the next," she glanced at the clock, "three minutes or leave."

"I apparently grew another inch in the last month without noticing. That can't be natural. I'm 23."

She stared at him for a moment, frowned, and then her expression cleared. "You said once that you had a bad time when you were younger. Stopped growing for a while."

"Why do you even remember that?" Wei Ying asked with an uncomfortable laugh, looking away. He must have been drunk; he didn't usually bring that time of his life up in any detail. It just made people sad.

Wen Qing turned away briskly, ignoring his minor display of emotion, and checked some readouts he was pretty sure hadn't actually changed in any way yet. "Well, that's why. Your growth spurts just got delayed, not erased. It's normal. I'll send you some references tomorrow."

He swept her up in a relieved hug. "Thank you, Qing-jie. Even if this does mean I'm not developing some weird superpower mutation."

She poked him cruelly in the ribs to get him to let go. "Go away, you're distracting me."

~*~

Jiang Cheng

"You what?!" Jiang Cheng demanded at full volume. It'd been a while since they'd managed to get together in person--Wei Ying had nearly forgotten how red with frustration Jiang Cheng could get.

Wei Ying grinned and bounced a little on his toes to really rub it in. "Grew another inch."

"No! This isn't allowed! The universe can't do this to me!"

"What's the problem, little brother?" Wei Ying edged closer so he could prop his elbow on Jiang Cheng's shoulder and really lean on him. "I think I should get jiejie to measure me again and mark it on the door frame. Really make it official."

"Don't you dare!"

"Why don't I ask her now, so she'll be all ready when we see her next weekend?" Wei Ying fished out his phone and then held it up over his head, laughing, as Jiang Cheng lunged for it.

Jiang Cheng's eyes narrowed. "An inch isn't really that much," he growled, and hooked Wei Ying's leg in a takedown they'd both learned when they were 11.

Wei Ying tossed his phone out of wrestling range and turned his full attention to finding a hold that would make Jiang Cheng tap out.

~*~

Lan Zhan

"Wei Ying."

Most people claimed Lan Zhan's voice (and face) didn't have any expression, but Wei Ying could clearly hear the shock underlying his name.

"Lan Zhan!" he returned brightly. "You're back! Did you have a good trip? You've been gone for months and months!"

Wei Ying was used to the intensity of Lan Zhan's regard under normal circumstances--one of the many things he loved about being friends with him--but he didn't think he was imagining that it was particularly intense today.

"It was as I texted you," Lan Zhan said shortly, and then, surprisingly, continued before Wei Ying could get a teasing reply in. "Wei Ying... did you get taller?"

"Oh, that!" Wei Ying felt himself start to blush, for some reason. "Yeah, I did. It was so weird at first, but Qing-jie assures me it's normal, and I've almost gotten used to it now. It was just an inch but I had to go buy all new... pants..." He trailed off as Lan Zhan pushed into his personal space much closer than he ever had without Wei Ying initiating it first, as far as Wei Ying could recall. "Hi?"

They were nearly chest to chest now, and he could see it when Lan Zhan actually had to tilt his chin up just a bit to meet Wei Ying's eyes.

"Hello," Lan Zhan said, grave and low and very, very focused.

Wei Ying wasn't entirely sure what was happening right now, but he was pretty sure he was into it.

[khattikeri]

i think about the extra that reveals wen ning has been teaching sizhui wen sword techniques all the time. like i LOVE it, it's so sweet, but at the same time i'm like... damn. sizhui literally can only use it in private, with wen ning, or around lan wangji and wei wuxian who know his secret. because if anyone older than sizhui hears or sees, especially from his elders' generations, they'll recognize the technique from the sunshot campaign.

[incorrectly-quoting-mxtx]

Wen Ning: What are you doing?

Wei Wuxian: Apparently Jin Guangshan wants to know what kind of weapons we have. I’m letting him know it’s private information.

Wen Qing: This just says “fuck around and find out” in calligraphy.

[lanwangjisnow]

@fengxinwifutobecalled it turned out to be a long oneshot.

Jealous Lan Wangji x Reader

It was years ago (even a couple of years before the presence of WWX at Gusu) when Lan Wangji first saw you at Cloud Recesses.

He or almost all at Gusu didn’t know where you were from or anything about you except your name was Y/N but one thing was sure that you didn’t look like you were from anywhere around.

There were strange gossips those days that Lan Qiren found you lost in the forest , you were from a strange land and was not even familiar with language at Gusu.

Anyway, It wasn’t Lan Wangji business to get to know you or at least he thought so back then.

Then his uncle wanted Lan Wangji to teach you some basics of language and rules at Cloud Recesses.

Lan Wangji didn’t argue why he has to teach you , when you could have been sent to a class with kids (even though he assumed that you were around his age) but he just accepted the task.

You didn’t seem to be a quick learner as you pissed off Lan Wangji often by forgetting stuff he just taught, but fortunately he didn’t give up and you made him proud when finally nailed writing down a Cloud Recesses rule one day.

Once you found Lan Wangji was fond of rabbits and you always drew a rabbit under every assignment given by him earning a slight smile which was unsual

Another day you saw Lan Wangji he was staring at Gentian House in dismay and you presented him a wooden amulet carved in the shaped of a rabbit .

He widened his eyes . He knew that you did not know anything about his mother or any of his regrets yet sensed some grief in him.

Somehow it made his heart warm but he was slow to show it on his face.

Two years passed and Lan Wangji felt it didn’t matter who thought how strange or flawed you were but your simple gestures put him on much ease.

However, he didn’t know to how much he cherished your attention until one day

A batch of new students from different clans arrived at Cloud Recesses.

These curious students figured Lan Wangji was an ice prince since the day they had arrived but Yunmeng Jiang clan students especially Wei Wuxian never stopped annoying him.

First Wei Wuxian found Lan Wangji was similar to a private tutor to someone called Y/N who came to Cloud Recesses from a distant land and no new student had seen you yet.

Wei Wuxian was naturally curious of what you were like and dragged unwilling Jiang Cheng along with him to find you.

They saw someone who was looking outlandish in the library and Wei Wuxian immediately asked “So are you the secret disciple of Cloud Recesses?”

You startled by the sudden voice and few books fell from your hand . Wei Wuxian giggled.

Jiang Cheng nudged him and turned to you ���Apologies. We are Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian from Yunmeng Jiang clan. Are you Y/N? ”

“Yes” you nodded.

“Don’t you like to meet new people at Cloud Recesses or are you waiting for someone?” Wei Wuxian winked .

You froze . Did he know that you have a huge crush on Lan Wangji ? But this stranger hadn’t even spent a week at Cloud Recesses yet.

“Let’s go” while you were lost in thoughts Wei Wuxian dragged you to where some students including Wen Ning, Nie Huaisang and Jiang Yanli were getting ready to go for a stroll.

He introduced you to them and started asking random questions while walking.

“is Lan Zhan cold to you?” Wei Wuxian asked.

“He is haughty and hot tempered what else ? Isn’t it Y/N?” Jiang Cheng added.

You smiled “ No. He is not haughty. I think …”

“Bahaha” Wei Wuxian bursted into laughter. “No haughty…not haughty… haha a good one”

Accidentally, his arm clashed your shoulder and you lost your balance but luckily, Jiang Cheng threw his arm around your shoulder to prevent falling down.

Suddenly, everyone went silent and stopped walking. It seemed that they were looking at someone in front. As soon as you looked up you saw fuming Lan Wangji .

“Let go” Lan Wangji glared at Jiang Cheng whose arm was around your shoulder.

“I was just helping.” Jiang Cheng instantly retreated.

Lan Wangji turned to you “Y/N” he said strenly. “Bunking classes is not allowed”

Your avoided his eyes and looked down. Lan Wangji turned around after glaring at everyone.

Before he walked off while you were following him.“He likes drama doesn’t he?” Wei Wuxian mumbled to Nie Huaisang “Hmm why care about a little hug that much when he is not even Y/N’s boyfriend?” Nie Huaisang whispered back and it was overheard by Lan Wangji.

Lan Wangji turned back in arrow speed wielding Bichen and its blade stopped almost touching Nie Huaisang’s chest.

His furious eyes expressed “back off. It’s none of your business” and before others recovered from gasping he withdrew Bichen and strode off.

You had to run behind him to the library where Lan Wangji used to conduct classes for you.

Lan Wangji stood next to his seat but glare in his eyes had not yet left him.

“I’m sorry” fear that Lan Wangji would hate you enough to shut you off from his life teared your eyes.

“Write! No skipping classes 50 times” Lan Wangji said harshly.

Writing usually took much effort and time of you so you thought to hand over yesterday’s assignment to Lan Wangji before you started your punishment.

You slowly walked to him to handover your assignment and went to a far end corner of the library. Lan Wangji looked over it and saw the rabbit drawn by you for Lan Wangji in a separate paper.

He instantly grabbed a book from his desk and made his way to where you headed .

As you didn’t not have new papers to write you had to get some but new papers were stored in the top of a book shelf.

You weren’t a tall disciple and when no one was around it was your secret to grab a stool and climbed on it to grab books or papers from top of book shelves.

You didn’t expect Lan Wangji to follow you and when he appeared behind you were already standing on the stool.

“You made a boyfriend?”

You startled by his presence and almost fell from the stool but in the nick of time Lan Wangji caught you lightly by your waist and twirled you to face him.

“Jiang Cheng” Lan Wangji spoke bitterly as his face was still tinted with anger. You confused . Was it because Lan Wangji saw Jiang Cheng’s arm around your shoulder? Did he care?

“N..No” you muttered nervously.

“Mn” Lan Wangji uttered and released one of his hands from your waist to present the book that he was carrying.

You opened it to found that it was consisted of all rabbits that you have drawn for him.

“Lan…Lan Zhan you kept them all?” You could not hide your adoration for his man.

“Mn” pushing you against the book shelf and Lan Wangji tightening the grip on your waist.

His stunning face made his way to you at brisk, connecting his soft lips with yours.

Your mind went blank as Lan Wangji’s stole your first ever kiss.

From your lips Lan Wangji Next moved to your neck “Lan..Lan Zhan” you moaned hugging Lan Wangji, when he was marking your skin.

“Mn” Lan Wangji hummed as he caressed your shoulder like if it was the way he untainted the touch of Jiang Cheng.

Suddenly, some footsteps were heard beyond indicating you were still in a public place. “Baobei … Jingshi” Lan Wangji whispered in a husky voice before escorting you to Jingshi through a different passage to continue rest of love making.

[symphonyofsilence]

Jin Ling & his Xiao Shushu appreciation, 'cause I don't see enough of it.

Remember that Jin Ling avoided LWJ like plague 'cause he was scared of him shitless, to the point that when WWX fake called Hanguang-Jun he ran without even looking back literally seconds after WWX pulled the same trick on him with JC 'cause he didn't want to risk looking back just in case it was actually HGJ, but he stood against Hanguang-Jun AND sect leader Lan when he thought they were invading his Xiao Shushu's room? Only Jiggy's own intervention made him back down.

& IDK maybe the reason Jin Ling was there at that time was that it was the family section. But since Fairy wasn't with him, maybe he was visiting his uncle. & I find it hard to imagine, like, say, WWX visiting Jiang Fengmian or Lan Sizhui visiting Zewu-Jun or the Lan brothers visiting Lan Qiren in the middle of the night in their private chambers unless something very important has happened. I think according to the standards of their time, they must have been very close for this visit to happen.

Running to Xiao Shushu 'cause JiuJiu is angry with him & adorably hiding behind him 'cause Xiao Shushu spoils him.

Defending Xiao Shushu and having a firm belief that whatever he says is for Jin Ling's own good even in the face of his cool uncle after the rush of winning a fight against a group of his all-time bullies.

Still using the affectionate term "Xiao Shushu"even when confronting him about why would he kill his father, begging him to "say something". Give him anything to make it a little bit less painful.

Jiggy wanting to comfort Jin Ling even when he's crying because he just realized that Jiggy has killed his father.

Jin Ling looking so hurt when Jiggy says that JGS didn't let him hold Jin Ling as though he can't imagine a world in which his uncle is not allowed to hold him. Not being allowed to hold JL being a notable part of JGY's villain origin story.

Jiggy pushing Jin Ling out of danger.

Jin Ling screaming for Jiggy to run even after Jiggy took him hostage. And all the other shit.

(It's worth mentioning that in the books, Jiggy doesn't push JL out of danger and JL still screams for him to run, and he still calls him uncle instead of Sect Leader as he does in the show. It's also worth mentioning that the show made some stunning choices in the Guaniyn temple scene regardimg JGY & JL. As half of the things I'm saying about that scene here only happened in the show.)

Jiggy looking so worried as Wen Ning goes towards JL even though he himself has lost an arm and is bleeding to death. And only looking relieved when Wen Ning holds the blade.

Jin Ling being scarred for life here. Oh my poor, poor baby.

With much difficulty, he coughed up some blood. Everyone present heard a crack that was abnormally clear and brutal.

A whimper of a last breath left Jin GuangYao's throat.

Jin Ling's shoulders shivered. He shut his eyes and covered his ears, too afraid to keep watching and listening.

And my favorite scene that emotionally crushed me: Jin Ling remembering when his uncle gave him little Fairy & mourning his uncle & becoming the hero of the nation who finally told Sect Leader Yao to kindly go fuck himself. 'Cause he told him that his uncle was not worth his tears. Jin Ling thinking that they wouldn't dare to tell him such bullshits if his uncle were still alive. Baby Jin Ling feeling so comfortable around the sect leader and the Chief Cultivator that he could break things beside his feet and scream at him, and his uncle just understanding that he needs to leave him alone at that moment, his Xiao Shushu being the only one who could comfort him and make him happy at that point, his Xiao Shushu giving him his spiritual dog & one of his rare actual, geniune smiles that was so warm & kind that Jin Ling remembers to that day, this happy memory being the one that Jin Ling remembers Jiggy with after all the things he learnt in the span of two days. Him acknowledging that Jiggy's love for him was geniune and real & still choosing to continiue to love his uncle despite everything. Him learning that he can't really resent JGY, WWX or WN 'cause though they gave him reasons for that, they also gave him reasons against that. They gave him reasons to love them. And why choose hate when you can...not choose that. Him breaking a cycle of hate that few of the adults of the story did not drown in. And it must mostly be Jiang Yanli's legacy, but it also proves that Jiang Cheng & Jin Guangyao, despite their own numerous issues did something right raising such a child. He feels so secure in their love. And he's right in that feeling.

[lcngliive]

lan sizhui & wen ning ( @coreofgold )

"did you go to the valentines gala?" sizhui asked as he smiled at the other. "it was really interesting to get to roam around the museum while there was a party going on." he'd really enjoyed that more than the party.

[bl-bracket]

Deserved Better Round 1: Porchay (Kinnporsche: The Series) vs Wen Ning (The Untamed)

[Submitted Reasons Under Cut]

Porchay: "Come on! He just wanted his wattpad moment and all he got was heartbreak. Yes, Kim is emotionally constipated, but look at chay! How could you lie to him and say you never loved him! And then try to apologize to him by stealing a song he originally wrote about his brother?! Chay deserved so much better than what kim put him through. (Also wtf Porsche. Now that you’re the head of the minor family, you’ve gone and gotten your brother even more involved in the mafia. What happened to protecting him?)"

"He’s a sweet baby Angel of a boy who was orphaned at a very young age and raised by his older brother who was also a child and an uncle with a serious gambling problem that pit them in major debt to loan sharks who regularly show up and trash their house. Then when things are finally looking up his brother suddenly disappears in the middle of the night with only a note saying he’s working on a private island and his uncle has seemingly vanished too. He’s left alone and the only bright spot is that he gets to meet his famous idol/crush who starts to tutor him and flirts with him and they start some form of relationship. He even shoots his shot and admits his feelings and gets a kiss and a cuddle on the couch in return and things are looking great, except oh no! He gets kidnapped by a mafia because it turns out his brother works for the mob now and Chay’s entire life gets uprooted out of nowhere and he has to go live with the mafia where he finds out that actually his idol/crush/almost boyfriend is actually a mafia heir who is spying on him for info on his brother. He confronts him and gives Kim a chance to fix things by saying any part of their relationship was real but he just says he wouldn’t have bothered to spend time with chay if he didn’t need info on his brother and leaves him sobbing on the ground. He’s so destroyed by the whole thing he gives up the university dream he’s been working so hard for, dyes his hair blue and goes on a partygirl spiral in an attempt to move on only for Kim to show up and get angry acting like he has any day in chays life and when he confronts him (giving him yet another chance to fix it if he just admitted his feelings) he gets angrily dismissed and left behind by Kim AGAIN. He blocks him but Kim keeps trying to contact him, not letting him move on. Then his brother suddenly grabs him in the middle of the night and hides him at a bar during a mob war where he eventually turns around to find the traumatizing sight of dead bodies everywhere. After all that is done he finds out his mom isn’t dead but has been atticwifed by the crazy mob boss whose apparently his uncle and he actually could have had a parent his whole life, except she’s essentially in a waking coma and doesn’t even really react to him. Oh and Kim is still trying to contact him and sends him a YouTube ukulele apology video that doesn’t actually include the words I’m sorry or I love you. To top it all off the show ends without him ever getting a happy ending. My poor, sweet boy."

"Chay was just living his life (occasionally getting beaten up by loan sharks) and got to experience the joy of a Wattpad fanfic by dating his musical idol. Unfortunately for him his idol started dating him to get dirt on his brother. And he also gets kidnapped because he’s evidently the most kidnappable man in Thailand. Said idol also breaks his heart."

Wen Ning: no propaganda submitted

[bryonyashleysworld]

Hi, helloooo!

I don't think I've ever made a post here buuut I thought now is a great time! I've written a small self insert inspired by @queenofsovngarde fanfiction "Carefully Orchestrated Plans (no strings attached)" on Ao3 and I wanted to share it with you guys🩷

Enjoy!

-------

Ash: Mingjue will act as my family and by extension Jin Guanyao and Xichen too apparently

Jiang Cheng: Wait what

Mo Xuanyu: What's going on?

Wei Wuxian: Yeah what?

Nie Huaisang: Could you elaborate on that dear?

Ash: Okay so, remember how we said that we're doing family dinner? Well, Jiang Chengs parents graciously invited us but anyway, Mingjue and I met up today after he learned that I'm the girl from theater with Huaisang and we caught up on what's going on in our lives and all that jazz. Well, when it was my turn I had like a whole breakdown about my life, cried, it was nothing and then we talked about our latest shenanigans aaaaaand he decided to host the dinner and judge™ you guys and decide if you can (fake) marry me or not since he was always like a big bro to me until we lost contact and since my family situation is kinda wack anyway, this is great!

Wei Wuxian: ?????? BIG BRO MINGJUE???

Jiang Cheng: What the fuck

Mo Xuanyu: get wrecked guys

Lou Qingyang: I just got here but this is hilarious

Jiang Cheng: I didn't even plan this dinner okay? They decided to!

Wei Wuxian: Oh you're in trouble now brother

Ash: You know you can always just back out, right?

Jiang Cheng: :/

Nie Huaisang: Okay, she's speaking the truth.

Ash: What, you thought I was lying?

Nie Huaisang: Not about the dinner, I'm coming over now

Ash: Hey you really don't have to, oh there he goes....

Mo Xuanyu: Are we meeting up now?

Ash: Scratch that apparently because I'm already getting company?

-----------

(in privat chat between Jiang Cheng and Nie Huaisang)

Nie Huaisang: Are you at home?

Jiang Cheng: No?

Nie Huaisang: Well then get over here too

Jiang Cheng: The fuck, no

Nie Huaisang: So you're saying you don't care about Ash, proving to my brother that we are *not* serious about the (fake) marriage and I can't have that.

Jiang Cheng: Ugh, fine.

Nie Huaisang: Hurry

--------

Mo Xuanyu: Yeah well, text me if you still need me then

Ash: I will, thank you love <3

Wei Wuxian: I'm so confused????

Ash: Dw, the (fake) wedding is doing great and that's what's important

Lou Qingyang: Oh sure, the most important

Mo Xuanyu: Clearly, nothing is more important! How's the planning going btw?

Wei Wuxian: It's going great!!!

Wei Wuxian: Huaisang isn't being a huge help and A-Chang told me to fuck off but Ashley has been helping me immensely!!! We have a Pinterest board and everything

Ash: Oh yeah, we're really thriving

Lou Qingyang: Yesterday we looked at some wedding dresses with Wen Qing and Yanli, made a girls night out of it

Wei Wuxian: DDDD:

Wei Wuxian: @NieHuaisang @JiangCheng @WenNing GUYS NIGHT ON FRIDAY!!!!!

Wen Ning: Uh..? If I'm not busy

Wei Wuxian: you are now!!!

---------------

I sit in my room. On my bed are chocolates, already halfway eaten and in the background you can hear the quiet singing of Tamino playing soothing my silent cries. Today has been a lot on me and I just want the day to end so I can start fresh once more.

Through the screams of my thoughts I hear the front door opening and closing. Someone must've come home. Hushed voices make their way closer to my room and when I hear the knock I slowly look up with a tear stained face and slightly flushed from the warmth of my room.

"Ash...Ashley? It's Huaisang and A-Cheng. Can we come in? Please?" the quiet voice of Nie Huaisang speaks. Before I can utter a word, the door is being pushed open and I see them both standing in the door frame, their eyes in search of me. When they spot me sitting on the bed, Huaisang lets out a sigh and makes his way over to me, Jiang Cheng following closely but with a slight hesitance.

They find their places next to me. Finally, the words make their way to my mouth and I say "What are you two doing here? I didn't expect any visitors". I try to rub over my face as sneakily as possible while avoiding their gaze. Huaisang slowly puts an arm around me, pulling me into his arms gently. "We came because a birdy told me that you're not feeling well and how could we just let you be miserable by yourself?".

I put my head down, ashamed for them to find me in this vulnerable state. They haven't seen what a mess I can become nor did I want them to see it. " So he told you....I'm sorry, it's nothing you have to worry about" I speak quietly, my voice hoarse from all the crying I've done today. Jiang Cheng awkwardly puts a hand on my thigh and pats it softly, like a reminder that he's also there.

Huaisang smiles softly and shakes his head "No, brother didn't tell me anything I didn't already know. He just said that you looked like you would need company after you told us what has happened today. If he's your big brother, I want to be there for you too. And Jiang Cheng too, even if he is a grumpy cat." The latter grunts at Huaisang's teasing and shakes his head disapprovingly.

"I just didn't want you to be sad all by yourself. It's not right." he tells me firmly and once again, I find myself with tears in my eyes as I slowly lift up my head. "A-Chang, you-" I begin but he interrupts me "Don't make fun of me".

I choke out a small laugh and the tears start to fall without any control. "N-no I...thank you. Thank you both. This means...s-so much to me I-.."

Nie Huaisang presses me closer to himself. A warm body touches mine and suddenly I'm holding Jiang Chengs hand, all while my tears continue to fall down. I look up and into his face. A slight blush appears on his skin and he looks away, embarrassed by the affection showed so openly. "Yeah yeah, whatever.."he mumbles quietly, interlacing our fingers in the process. Despite the tears I smile. The thought that these two came here just because they were worried about me fills my heart with joy and a feeling I can't quite place while my cries continue.

After some time I calm down and clean my nose with a tissue Nie Huaisang hands me. "You guys are so cute..truly, thank you for coming here." I lean into Nie Huaisang and squeeze Jiang Chengs hand once more. "You know you can always count on us.." A-Cheng reminds me and I smile softly. Before I can reply, a sudden wave of tiredness sweeps over me and a big yawn escapes my mouth. Today's rollercoaster ride seems to finally be coming to an end. Huaisang gently pats my back and says " It's probably time to go to sleep huh? What do you say, we stay here tonight so we can make sure you get a good night's rest, hm? "

Stay? I blink my eyes in confusion and look at him: "Do you mean that?". He smiles and nods "Of course, right A-Cheng? Surely you have no problem with that" Jiang Cheng gives a small nod, his eyes softening as he squeezes my hand gently. "Yeah, I don't mind. We can keep you company."

Relief washes over me, knowing I won't be alone tonight. It's times like these where I always wished for someone to keep me company and I'm beyond happy that they are offering it to me. I manage a small, grateful smile. "Thank you. Really, it means a lot."

Huaisang pulls away slightly, just enough to reach for the box of chocolates. "Well, since we're staying, how about we finish these chocolates and then get ready for bed?"

Jiang Cheng raises an eyebrow but doesn't object as Huaisang pops a chocolate into his mouth. I let out a small laugh, the tension easing from my shoulders. "Alright," I say, my voice steadier. "But I get the last one."

Huaisang grins, nodding. "Deal."

The three of us share the remaining chocolates, the quiet sounds from us eating and the music in the background a welcome distraction. As we finish, Huaisang stands up and stretches. "I'll grab some extra blankets and pillows. A-Cheng, can you help set up?"

Jiang Cheng nods, releasing my hand reluctantly. "Yeah, sure."

I watch them move around the room, setting up a makeshift bed on the floor with extra blankets and pillows. Their presence is comforting, their quiet camaraderie a balm to my frayed nerves. When everything is ready, Huaisang turns to me with a gentle smile and reaches out his hand. "Alright, Ashley. Time to get some rest."

I nod, feeling the day's exhaustion catching up to me. I take his hand and move down to the floor where I quickly crawl under the covers, feeling a sense of safety I desperately needed. Jiang Cheng and Huaisang settle on either side of me, creating a protective barrier that solidifies this feeling of security.

"Goodnight," I whisper, my eyes already closing from how tired they are from crying.

"Goodnight," they both reply softly.

For the first time in a while I sleep through the whole night without even waking up once. As I slowly wake up the next morning, I notice some strong arms holding me tightly. It seems that during the night, both Huaisang and A-Cheng started to cuddle me in their sleep. A bright red plush appears on my face but I can't help but smile gently at this situation. I feel warm and secure between them.

As I drift off to sleep once again, I can't help but think of how lucky I am that I have such amazing people in my life, who are willing to drop everything and come to me, just to make sure that I am alright and will remain fine for the reminder of the day.

-----

If you've read this far, thank you so much and I hope you have a great day! Take a cookie on your way out (^o^)>🍪

[youhideastar]

WujiWatch: CQL Rewatch Episode 20

One thing I noticed in this episode for the first time—and yes, it has to do with the Dafan Wen again—appears in a conversation between Wang Lingjiao and Wen Chao. When Wang Lingjiao wakes up from her nightmare, at the Yiling Supervisory Office, at first she talks about Wei Wuxian – why she’s afraid of him, how he might come back to haunt them. Wen Chao blows her off. (Dun dun dun…) But then, she says, “What about Wen Qing? She’s still locked up, right?” And Wen Chao says in response: “Don’t worry. Her branch of the family is nothing, they’re worthless. They’re the dogs of the great Qishan Wen.”

The implication of this, which passed me by on previous watches, is that the Dafan Wen are considered a potential threat to rebel—or defect. It’s a threat Wen Chao dismisses—but at the same time, it’s telling that that’s where his mind immediately goes when Wang Lingjiao mentions Wen Qing. In a conversation where Wang Lingjiao and Wen Chao discuss threats to their safety, they start with Wei Wuxian and end with the Sunshot Campaign, but Wen Qing and her people are right there in the middle. (Side note: very funny that Wang Lingjiao isn’t sure whether Wen Qing is still locked up when Wen Qing is literally in her basement.)

This also sheds light on the conversation between Wen Qing and Jiang Cheng in the dungeon, after she’s rescued. Jiang Cheng says if she would leave the Wen Sect, he could save her. Then, intriguingly, he starts to offer her something else, but cuts himself off. She asks him, “What, Jiang-zongzhu? What could you do?” He is silent. She gives him a humorless smile and turns away, saying she can’t abandon Wen Ning and her people, and he—now “Jiang-gongzi”—may be able to save her, but not them.

I had noticed this distinction between “Jiang-zongzhu” and “Jiang-gongzi” in previous rewatches but didn’t know what to make of it. But knowing that the possibility of the Dafan Wen rebelling or defecting is looming over this conversation, it makes a lot more sense.

When Wen Qing asks what “Jiang-zongzhu” can do for her, she is asking Jiang Cheng what he can do in his capacity as Sect Leader—and she’s asking, really, in her capacity as leader of the Dafan Wen branch sect. When he doesn’t respond, she realizes that he’s not talking to her sect leader-to-sect leader; he's here only in his private capacity. In effect, he’s proposing a love match, not a political alliance—but a political alliance is what she needs.

“Jiang-gongzi” can offer her a comb, his heart, her personal freedom. But only Jiang-zongzhu could absorb her Dafan Wen Sect into Yunmeng Jiang Sect; only Jiang-zongzhu could facilitate the mass defection Wang Lingjiao is afraid of. Wen Qing can’t settle for a personal exchange, but Jiang Cheng can’t offer anything more than that. His heart is his to lose. But he can’t risk what little political capital his fragile, struggling sect has left.

[olderthannetfic]

I'm the anon who sent the ask about finding it hard to trust former antis.

jmtorres says the following in the notes: "certainly not everyone has a responsibility to be friends with ex-antis, but if ex-antis get treated shitty for their former beliefs, will they have motivation to stick to their new community or will they think about going back to their old community?"

This gets at the heart of the issue: if a reformed anti is at risk of sliding back into their earlier pattern of harassment and fearmongering, I don't see why anyone needs to accommodate them unduly and centre their needs over those of their victims and the community at large. ContraPoints talked about something similar in a recent video that addresses the transphobia of Megan Phelps-Roper, a former spokesperson for the Westboro Baptist Church who went on to become one of their loudest critics. I'm not saying antis are exactly like bigots, only that there are parallels. And I'm not sure why people are assuming that exercising caution is going to be super-obvious and make the ex-anti feel bad. It's more like a private rule for me, something that makes my fandom experience a little better, like keeping difficult and unstable people at arm's length. I also assume that most people won't publicize that they used to be antis out of embarrassment, so privacy works both ways.

Also, there totally are things that ex-antis do that strike me as red flags. One thing is seeking authority by organizing community events, with all the gatekeeping that entails, immediately after their "conversion" or whatever. It's fine to be suspicious in that situation. Why is a former bully so keen to jump into a leadership role?

--

I think the trouble here is that "anti" covers everyone from active harassers to dumb 14-year-olds who parroted certain kinds of widespread "Porn Bad Tho" ideas before growing the fuck up.

I think it's hard to unlearn really heinous behavior but not especially difficult to get over dumb ideas once you have exposure to counterarguments.

For my own social life, I find that people who've dipped a toe in the anti pool are usually not ready to be on my level where at some social gathering, my friend is like "Ew, how can you ship Wen Ning. He's full of holes. It would all just... ooze out." and then I make this face

😀😀😀

while she goes "No. No. NO." and I outline the plot of my future epic.

Having swum in those waters recently usually makes people awkward around the uninhibited. Others not being embarrassed embarrasses them. So I won't end up being buddies, but I wouldn't assume they're going to backslide all that much.

[ibijau]

hey, I did a xisang fic, how's that for a surprise? On A03

Although the sudden death of Wen Ruohan and much of his close family had removed much of the urgency behind the engagement, it was eventually decided to proceed with the marriage plans. Wen Ning didn’t seem like much of a threat, but his sister was widely regarded as dangerous, and it was assumed she was now the real ruler of the Wen sect, with or without the title to go with it.

Nie Huaisang told himself he did not care either way. He was lucky his brother and sect leader Lan had organised this match for him, as everyone regularly told him. And Lan Xichen was an objectively handsome boy, intelligent too, well-read, with a kind disposition, an excellent cultivation, martial art skills beyond compare… which was actually the problem. 

Lan Xichen was everything, and Nie Huaisang was just Nie Huaisang. 

Some fools might have said it probably wasn't the worst thing to get into an arranged marriage with a crush on one's soon-to-be husband. Wasn’t it a perfectly normal thing, when the future husband in question was Lan Xichen, who anyone with a brain ought to have a crush on? And yet, Nie Huaisang knew better. Unlike most idiots, he understood how humiliating it was to have such a crush, when he knew his feelings would never be reciprocated. After all, during his three years as a student in Gusu, Lan Xichen had never shown him any particular interest in spite of their engagement, merely treating him as his friend's brother, politely turning down all of Nie Huaisang's efforts to spend time together while also encouraging him to study more.

There could be no doubt that for Lan Xichen, the wedding would be a purely political one. At this point, Nie Huaisang’s only hope for a non miserable future was to discover Lan Xichen was actually very unpleasant in private, that he made noise when he ate, that he snored, that his socks stinked. Then Nie Huaisang’s crush would evaporate, and he would be free to live his life without the unbearable agony of unrequited love toward the person sharing his life. 

-

In a regrettable turn of events, Lan Xichen was delightful to live with. 

For the most part, he acted in the little house they were given much the same way he did in public. He was kind and attentive, always looking for peaceful solutions when Nie Huaisang's bad habits caused friction between them, and handling with grace their forced cohabitation. Although he was busy as a sect heir, he made time every day to exchange a few words with his new husband, and pretended to take interest in the vapid ways Nie Huaisang filled his days. He even once or twice made time to paint together and complimented Nie Huaisang’s skill, as if it wasn’t obvious at first glance which one of them consistently produced the better pieces.

All this was bad enough. 

But then, there were all the little details about Lan Xichen that were different in private. 

The frequency with which he stumbled or walked into doorways when he was just waking up, or tired after a long day, only to then curse under his breath with surprising skill for someone raised in the Lan sect.

The way he wrinkled his nose whenever their meal contained mushrooms, which he apparently hated although he controlled himself in public. Nie Huaisang found it cute at first, before having a talk with the kitchens regarding meal ingredients once he realised the true degree of his husband's disgust. Lan Xichen never commented on it, but there was no matching his sincere joy every time he realised their meal once again didn’t contain a single mushroom.

Or how embarrassed he got when summer hit them and Nie Huaisang, hating the heat, longed around their house nearly naked. It was what everyone did back in the Unclean Realm, and while Nie Huaisang usually aimed for more refinement than the brutes of his birth sect, he thought they had it right on that topic. Sometimes, removing a few layers was necessary. The fact that it made Lan Xichen blush redder than cherries was only a very amusing bonus. And it made sense, of course. No matter how unattractive Lan Xichen found his husband, he was unused to the sight of naked flesh. Sometimes he would come into Nie huaisang’s bedroom to find him longing there with nothing but light trousers on and he’d freeze in place, mouth agape, cheeks aflame, staring a long while as if he’d never seen anything so shocking. Then, more often than not, he’d turn around and rush away, never getting around to saying whatever it was he’d come there to discuss in the first place.

And they did discuss things, which was perhaps the most extraordinary part of being around Lan Xichen in private.

Nie Huaisang had largely assumed that his role as a sect leader’s spouse would be limited to smiling at guests and dressing appropriately at events. It was how his brother had presented things to him, and Lan Qiren had made it clear he didn’t think anything more could be expected of the worst student he’d ever had. 

And yet Lan Xichen liked to talk to him about things. Most often Nie Huaisang could only listen and nod, as he really didn’t understand the least thing about cultivation and teaching and most of Lan Xichen’s daily duties as a sect heir, having always avoided such responsibilities himself. It didn’t seem to him that Lan Xichen particularly needed advice or opinion anyway, but rather that he enjoyed someone he could rant to without having rules about forgiveness and diligence quoted at him if he was anything less than perfect.

Nie Huaisang would have been content with this role as an unjudging listener, this unique chance to see an unpolished side to Lan Xichen which the rest of the world would never know existed. But sometimes, Lan Xichen also spoke to him in a manner that did require a response.

Most often, the only answer Nie Huaisang had to offer was ‘I don’t know’, because he had no real opinion on anything except fashion and calligraphy. Back home, or even during his student days, that ‘I don’t know’ had been enough to make anyone give up on him, which was usually what he wanted. But Lan Xichen, for reasons known only to himself, was rarely satisfied with that. If Nie Huaisang couldn’t answer on a topic where Lan Xichen deemed an opinion necessary, he would carefully explain the situation, give as many details as he could, and patiently wait as Nie Huaisang mumbled his way through the half dozen contradictory thoughts he had on the matter. Lan Xichen would then handpick the couple of ideas he found more interesting, and encourage Nie Huaisang to develop them.

It was nice to be treated with so much patience. More than nice, in fact.

Nie Huaisang half wished Lan Xichen had been as irritated with his indecisiveness as everyone else, instead of making his crush bloom into something Nie Huaisang could very decisively call love.

-

About half a year after their marriage, Nie Huaisang thought they had fallen into a comfortable routine. He quite enjoyed being the spoiled spouse of the future sect leader, and so far that position had not brought any unpleasant duties.

This changed when the Wen sect, having apparently smoothed the last wrinkles created by the sudden demise of much of its higher disciples, announced they wished to host a cultivation conference. The Lan sect was invited, naturally, and Lan Xichen would for the first time represent his father. He was, naturally, expected to bring along his spouse, as all the other sect leaders were sure to do.

It seemed perfectly logical to Nie Huaisang, but it ended up being one of those topics about which Lan Xichen ranted at length once his father’s decision was announced to him.

Nie Huaisang was having tea inside their house when the rant started. Since he didn’t expect any contribution on his part was required, he went on drinking his tea, enjoying the sight of Lan Xichen pacing in front of him as he explained everything he disapproved about this situation.

“And what do you think?” Lan Xichen asked, suddenly stopping to look down at his husband. “Do you find it wise to go?”

Nie Huaisang put down his now empty glass on the table, and took a moment to consider things. Lan Xichen did not press him to answer faster, instead sitting down across from him to patiently await his opinion.

“It’s stupid to go, it’d be more stupid not to go,” Nie Huaisang said at last. “They’re still the most powerful sect out there, even after this mess. We just… need to be careful. Although I think you’ll be fine, since you’ll probably not eat any mushrooms.”

Lan Xichen grimaced, but did not scold Nie Huaisang for that joke. 

“Do you think Wen Qing really…” Lan Xichen started. “No, I shouldn’t gossip.”

“Is it gossip when everyone knows for a fact they died eating poisonous mushroom? That’s just a fact, gege. Nobody can blame you for stating facts. Besides, you’re allowed to gossip with me. I’m pretty sure there’s a rule about gossiping with one’s spouse. If not, there ought to be.”

“There are rules on the topic, and they’re not in favour of your argument,” Lan Xichen replied with a smile. “It is a fact they died poisoned, it is gossip to speculate whether it wasn’t an accident as the Wen sect officially announced. I really do wonder, though… I’ve heard Wen Ning was often mistreated by his cousins, and it’s a well known fact Wen Qing is… protective.”

Again, Nie Huaisang took a moment to consider this, weighing in every possible opinion on the topic before finally answering.

“If she did, I don’t blame her,” he decided. “Anyway, it’s traditional for the Wens, isn’t it? Da-ge says Wen Ruohan once killed his own brother for a chance to rule.”

“Gossip again.”

“History!” Nie Huaisang protested. “Or do you call Da-ge a liar?”

“I call him unconcerned with checking details when he hates a person,” Lan Xichen retorted, smiling again. “But I suppose Wen Ning is easier to deal with than his uncle. He’s reverted some of Wen Ruohan’s least friendly decisions, and even allowed the secession of some sects that had been forced to integrate Qishan Wen. But it could be just a ploy to make us less suspicious. If his sister and him have killed relatives on the scale we’re talking about, would they really baulk at killing a large number of sect leaders to establish their sect’s dominance?”

Nie Huaisang shivered. He’d thought all the political problems were over now that Wen Ruohan was dead, but apparently the world wasn’t so simple.

“At least we’d die in good company,” he tried to joke. “And it’ll be fun to go out a little, I’ve hardly left the Cloud Recesses since getting married, except to go shopping in town.”

Instead of the indulgent smile Nie Huaisang hoped to elicit, that comment was met by a severe look. It was not an expression that suited Lan Xichen; it made him look too much like his uncle.

“You know that you are no prisoner, don’t you?” Lan Xichen asked, oddly serious. “You’re free to leave and visit whoever you like, whenever you like, as long as you’re here for important occasions. If you miss home…”

“If I went home, Da-ge would scold me for not touching my sabre since the wedding,” Nie Huaisang said, surprised that Lan Xichen was upset about this more than about the idea of being murdered together.

“True enough,” Lan Xichen replied, trying to smile, failing to do so. “And I’d get scolded too for indulging you. But you might want to see your friends, then. You were… close to Jiang Cheng when you were students, weren’t you? I remember the two of you were always together, especially once Wei Wuxian left.”

It was surprising that Lan Xichen had noticed that. Nie Huaisang hadn’t thought his then-fiancé had paid much attention to what he did, or who he spent his time with. It pleased him more than it should have to know he’d been worth any notice.

“It was only because there was nobody else that made for good company,” Nie Huaisang explained. “We’d both rather have been with Wei Wuxian than with each other. Don’t tell him I said that, but Jiang Cheng is just as studious and boring as your brother, and neither of them are my idea of someone to have fun with.”

“I see,” Lan Xichen coldly remarked. “So it was Wei Wuxian… Well, if you wanted to see him… If there is any special closeness between the two of you… this is only an arranged marriage, you can do as you please, as long as there is no scandal. I have no right to demand more than that.”

“ Oh ,” Nie Huaisang said, suddenly realising where the conversation had drifted. He wished they could have continued talking about Wen Qing murdering her uncle, her cousins, and a bunch of other people. It was a less unpleasant topic than having to discuss the rules of their marriage. In fact, right then, Nie Huaisang would have gladly eaten any mushrooms Wen Qing might bring him, rather than talk at all.

“Well. No, there won’t be scandals, don’t worry,” Nie Huaisang mumbled, his cheeks heating up at the unavoidable shame of being in love with his own husband. “Certainly not with Wei Wuxian of all people!” he added, more confidently. “Pah, someone could kiss him and he’d still think they’re just being friendly! Good luck to anyone falling in love with him, I’d never have the patience to put up with him! But… not anyone else either, really. You have no competition, gege.”

Lan Xichen chuckled, his shoulders a little less tense, as if maybe it had upset him to think Nie Huaisang might like someone else. It would not be unpleasant, if Lan Xichen could be a little jealous, Nie Huaisang thought, at least just enough to make him feel like someone his husband would want to keep if others approached him.

“But if I’m free, then it’s only fair you should be as well,” Nie Huaisang realised, the idea sending him in agony. 

He’d never noticed Lan Xichen paying special attention to anyone. In fact, his husband only had one close friend, Nie Huaisang’s own brother, and there didn’t seem to be anything other than friendship between them. But maybe there was someone else, someone Nie Huaisang didn’t know… Lan Xichen would have needed to be careful, if he liked someone. With their engagement in the way, any romance would have been kept secret.

If such a person existed, Nie Huaisang hated them. It was one thing to be hopelessly in love with Lan Xichen when his husband didn’t love him. It was quite another to love while Lan Xichen loved another person.

“If there’s someone special to you…Well, you’re the husband in this,” Nie Huaisang grumbled. “You can do as you please, anyway. You don’t need my permission.”

“I don’t think anyone could compare to the wife given to me,” Lan Xichen replied, quickly averting his eyes. “But if you feel… differently… Even if there is no one now , if… if you ever find someone you like… if you… then…”

It was odd to hear Lan Xichen speak like that, without the quiet confidence that usually radiated from him, searching his words, struggling to find his words. It was a little cute, a word that probably nobody else in the world would have associated with the eldest of the twin jades of Gusu Lan. But right at that moment, Nie Huaisang had never seen anyone cuter than this blushing, insecure Lan Xichen, especially when the words ‘no one can compare to my wife’ made his heart beat faster than even the most elegant poetry could have.

“There’s no one I could like more than my husband,” Nie Huaisang exclaimed, too happy to find a better way to say it. “I’m… I feel this is maybe something we should have talked about a long while ago,” he then mumbled, his embarrassment only slightly abated by the fact Lan Xichen looked as awkward as he felt. “You know, boundaries and… and how we see each other.”

Lan Xichen nodded, his cheeks growing a few shades brighter. “I’ve… thought of having that conversation but I… I gave up each time,” he confessed, still adorably unsure. “If you liked someone else, if you were very unwilling about this marriage, I would have… the pain would be… but you don’t, and you’re not?”

Nie Huaisang quickly nodded, then shook his head. This was the happiest day of his life. It was everything he’d wanted for these last few months, these last few years even, everything he’d dreamed of since he’d first been told about the engagement. To think that Lan Xichen liked him back, that Lan Xichen too was hurt by the possibility of his husband preferring another… There could not be anyone happier than Nie Huaisang in the world.

And yet even like this, Nie Huaisang still couldn’t quite believe that any of it was real. He had to make sure, had to know he wasn’t misunderstanding Lan Xichen’s unfinished thoughts. So he leaned forward and pressed a quick kiss to Lan Xichen’s lips, something surer than words. That terrifying act of courage was rewarded when Lan Xichen immediately grabbed his shoulders to kiss him a second time, and then a third, pulling him closer in spite of the table between them.

They really ought to have spoken about all this right from the start, to save themselves some pain, but Nie Huaisang was too happy to care.

As it turned out, it wasn’t so bad to be in love with one’s husband after all.