#untamed fanfiction

[gh0st-0f-luke]

six excerpts from a modern/epistolary mdzs au where wangxian torment jiang cheng to insanity on his financial advice podcast

one for the money, two for the show by livinginaworldofnoise on ao3!

[noenvyy]

"A Good Man is Hard to Find" Nieyao Fanfic Excerpt

So happy to finally get to post this amazing piece which @littlesmartart was gracious enough to take on as a commission. I have admired their 3zun art for so long and I was over the moon to be able to have part of my fic "A Good Man is Hard to Find" interpreted by them. Please check out their amazing blog! If you like the comic you can read more on A03 at the link below. Please also check out the fic that it is based on "All Men are the same" by @mostlikelytofangirl Who allowed me to write a companion piece for they incredible Nieyao fic You can find the link to their original story below at: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29890200/chapters/73559001

Note: Art reposted with artist permission

[thirteenis-myluckynumber]

Wedding vows

Man, choosing a gif is harder than I thought *cries*

Pairing: Nie Huaisang x f!reader

Word Count: 4856 words

Warnings/tags: fluff, just love all around, Chinese wedding ensues, suggestive content, smut, this one is nsfw minors dni

Notes: (C/N)-your clan's name, (Y/N)-your name

A/N: This is the 2nd part of Proposal. You can read this is as a stand-alone, but some context might be lost. I can't believe its done, have a feast, dears!

Special thanks to this post, for providing information about Chinese weddings. I did take some liberties, but at least I did it knowingly.

It's been almost a month now that you were living in the Unclean Realm. Your brother agreed, begrudgingly at first, to let you go before the wedding because he saw how painful it was for you to stay away from your soon-to-be husband. In the end, he saw it was the right decision to let you get used to your new home beforehand.

Just one week before the wedding basically everything was turned upside down in the Unclean Realm. Both you and Nie Huaisang took part in the planning as there were no close relative of his who could take on the task. He, of course, had an exceptionally good eye for decoration, and while he was busy with clan leader's stuff, you coordinated the disciples and servants when needed.

You quickly got used to the almost colourless picture of the Unclean Realm and appreciated the calmly elegant black-grey-silver colours of your new home. The vivid red and gold decorations of the upcoming wedding, hinted with a little bit of silver, almost felt weirdly out of place now. As you entered the main hall to check on the servants' progress before retiring for the night, you stopped in awe at the entrance. Almost everything was in place now, only some adjustments were needed here and there. A huge smile spread across your face, as you couldn't help but imagine yourself entering the hall on Huaisang's arm, dressed in beautiful red and every guest's attention on you.

Speaking of Huaisang, you wondered what he was doing, as you haven't seen him all day. You decided to check on him before returning to your chambers. As you passed down the hallways, the servants were busy lighting some lanterns for the night. The sky already started to darken, and they politely greeted you as you passed them by. The guards also haven't paid attention to you, you were allowed to move freely, and they quickly got used to your presence after you moved in.

When you approached Huaisang's door, you knocked lightly to let him know of your presence but didn't actually wait for him to open the door himself. With guards present, his door was unlocked so you figured he hasn't retired for the night yet. You entered and instantly noticed his sitting form by the desk. He seemed to be completely engrossed in something, which you assumed was official documents. A light, calming incense could be smelled in the air of the warmly lit room. As you stepped closer, you noticed the not-so-neatly scattered papers on the table and some even around it on the ground. You also noticed a brush and ink, probably for writing letters. His usual fan also sat discarded on the edge of the table. Yes, he was definitely working all day, you concluded.

You stepped next to the table on his left side and shot a quick glance at the paper in front of him. It was clearly clan business. He only became aware of your presence in that moment, and he looked up at you with a tired but happy smile playing on the edge of his lips.

"Miss (C/N), it's so good to see you! Only you can make this miserable day better!"

"Oh, Huaisang, I'm sorry you had to work all day! I stopped by the main hall, and everything is almost completely ready now. You should check it out tomorrow. What's all this anyway?" You asked gesturing at the scattered papers all around his desk.

"You wouldn't believe it! Almost all of this are letters offering support, inquiring about accommodation, or asking for details about the banquet. There are also official papers about finances and clan politics. And I have to sort these out before the wedding! Why does everybody want a piece of me?"

"Hmm, I think," you pretended to think hard while you sat down next to him on the ground, "you are quite a catch."

He let out a disbelieving sound, but you continued, counting on your fingers.

"You are wealthy, the leader of one of the four big clans, a clever and intelligent man, you are a very talented artist, you have great taste in clothing, you do what you need to but don't meddle in other's business, you are funny and kind. Oh, and have I mentioned exceptionally handsome?"

"Ahh, stop, stop, stop, stop!" He protested, nose scrunched up and hands held out in front of his chest.

You let out a short laugh because of his adorably childish attitude and turned your body so you were sitting face to face now. You reached out and grabbed his hands. So warm and soft, they fit perfectly into yours.

"I'm serious," you said looking into his eyes.

And he believed you. His face straightened out, his eyes searching yours, lips parted only a tiny bit in awe, but you couldn't help but notice. He also noticed where you were looking, his eyes wandering down to your lips in turn. When your eyes met again, you could see the question in his eyes and you leaned closer to him, a barely noticeable movement. But that's all he needed. The next moment he leaned in, and his lips were on yours, hands moving around your waist to pull you closer. You gasped, one hand touching his chest for purchase, the other reaching up to cradle his cheek. His kisses were slow and sensual.

"I don't think you should praise me this much. I might become overly confident," he whispered into your lips between kisses.

"Well, surely we don't need another peacock."

You let go of each other's lips and burst out laughing, your foreheads touching the whole time.

��• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••

The day of the wedding arrived quickly. As you were getting ready with help of your maids, you listened to the commotion outside as guests continued to arrive. Everyone had to settle in their temporary rooms and led to the main hall where the wedding will take place. Once everyone was here the ceremony started while food and drinks were being prepared by the servants for the following banquet.

You were quite nervous because basically the whole cultivation world will witness your union. At least the other three big clans, the Lanling Jin, the Gusu Lan and the Yunmeng Jiang were obviously invited, and some of the smaller clans too thanks to your side. Jiang Wanyin was Huaisang's old friend, while Lan Xichen and Jin Guangyao were Nie Mingjue's sworn brothers so you were sure they will be attending. Lan Wangji apparently made up some excuse, so he didn't need to come and if you were honest, you liked it this way. His achievements certainly deserved respect, but he was famously uninterested in, even disgusted by celebrations which involved lively music and drinking.

Putting on the wedding dress was the quickest part of the whole procedure as braiding your hair in the Nie style and preparing your make-up took a few hours. Finally, your head was covered with a red veil to complete the look. Soon you were being led out to meet your husband the entrance of the main hall. Nervousness rose in your chest, but it subsided somewhat when you arrived. You were signaled to stop, and you felt warm hands gently wrapping around yours.

"Huaisang?" Your words came out as barely a whisper because somehow you felt like the wedding atmosphere shouldn't be bothered by talking.

"I'm here," he answered in kind and squeezed your hand a little as reassurance before wrapping a soft red silk ribbon around your wrist. It was to ensure you won't trip as you could barely see anything through your veil, and it also symbolised your union.

You only noticed the soft music and light chatter in the background when you started to walk up the few stairs leading to the main hall. But the hushed voices completely stopped when you stepped into the hall. Thankfully you knew how the room was prepared, so you remembered that you only had to take a few steps before you reached the pillows placed on the ground for you to perform your bows. Huaisang also made sure to make measured movements and helped you the best he could in signalling when you needed to stop walking and kneel down.

Being led by Huaisang while you almost couldn't see anything felt strangely romantic to you, like he was the only person in the whole world you could trust and to whom you could give complete control over yourself. This vulnerability felt frightening at first as you could feel every guest's eyes on your back, like realizing a dangerous predator is stalking you in the forest. But soon your senses focused completely on Huaisang. You could almost feel his warmth radiating through the cloth that bound your hands together.

You bowed in sync, first to pay respect to Heaven and Earth, second to Huaisang's parents, and finally to each other. You stood up and felt your legs shaking from relief and happiness. You were married! You still couldn't believe it. Soon you heard the commotion as your guests stood up and drank a cup of liquor to your marriage. One by one they approached you to congratulate you and wish you health and happiness. Huaisang held your hand in his and you could feel his palm was sweaty from nerves, but you didn't mind. You thanked the guests for their well-wishes and also said farewell. You recognized some of the voices and you were glad that your husband will be taken care of by people like Lan Xichen and Jiang Wanyin during the banquet.

The few hours you spent alone, sitting in silence on your now shared bed in Nie Huaisang's room felt like a relief after the ceremony. So far everything went well, you completed the wedding without any mishaps, and you hoped that everything goes smoothly at the banquet too. Time flew by surprisingly quickly while you meditated. Your focus was disturbed by muffled voices coming through the closed door. When it slid open, you could hear the finishing sentences of the two people's conversation outside.

"Don't be nervous. Everything will be fine," you recognized the soft and calm voice of Jin Guangyao.

"Thank you, San-ge," replied Huaisang, and closed the door behind him as he stepped into the room.

He didn't move for a few seconds and the anticipation in you grew stronger and stronger. You were patient the whole day, but now you just wanted to finally see him, see him in his wedding robes. He walked closer, ever so slow, hesitation palpable. In the dim light of the candles, you could see his silhouette when he stepped in front of you. You felt it when he finally grabbed your veil at the sides and with a quick motion, he lifted it up, letting it float down to the floor.

You were not one of those old traditional couples in the sense that you already knew each other before the wedding. Yet now, when both of you finally looked at each other, it felt like seeing a heavenly being for the first time. Wide eyes, lips parted you marvelled at each other's beauty. He has seen you in your dress during the ceremony, but your face adorned with tasteful make-up and your hair decorated with jewelry, braided specially to signify you were now the wife of a Nie took his breath away. You, on the other hand, had to take in his full visage. His red robes, with gold and black woven in, were of a thinner material than his usual attire, so it perfectly accentuated his snatched waist and wide shoulders. The guan in his hair were gold and it had a bolder style than his usual silver ones, just like the braids. When your gaze stopped at his face your breath hitched in your throat because of the open love and desire you saw in his eyes.

"You are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen," he finally spoke, his voice low.

"I...," you had to clear your throat after not speaking for such a long time, "we should drink the alcohol," you managed to say, standing up and walking to the table nervously.

You poured the fine liquor into two small cups and handed one to Huaisang. He took it gently and waited for you with his arm held out. You joined him, holding your own cup, and you intertwined your arms as you drank the alcohol with one gulp. When you finished you looked at each other, arms still linked and smiled, feeling the tension of the day leaving your body. You almost knocked your heads together as you wanted to put the cups down back on the table at the same time.

"We should sit down," he suggested, but the suggestion sounded like a tentative question.

You nodded your head. He must be tired after entertaining your guests, you thought. Luckily, he was not drunk so his friends must have kept a close eye on him. He could also direct some of his qi to get rid of the alcohol, but that also exhausted him after a while. You knew what was expected of you on your wedding night, but you didn't want to pressure him if he felt too tired after such a long day.

So, you sat on the edge of your bed in silence for a few moments before you felt his hand reaching out for yours. You flicked your gaze over where your hand rested on the bed between your bodies. His hand was not much bigger than yours but still big enough to cradle yours, and you always marveled at how soft and warm they felt. You noticed how his other hand were playing with the jade pendant hanging from his belt and you moved your free hand to gently lay on his thigh. You intended to soothe his nerves, but the moment your hand connected with his leg, you felt his muscles twitch. You looked up into his eyes and what you saw made your breath quicken. His dark brown eyes looked almost completely black now as his pupils widened. For a split second his gaze moved down to your mouth, and you did the same in return. You noticed how his lips relaxed, opening only the slightest amount and you found yourself wanting to kiss him so bad. When your gazes met again, he leaned towards you slowly, still holding your gaze, gauging your reaction.

And your lips connected.

It felt like fireworks exploded between you. You felt how his hand pushed yours into the mattress as he leaned in closer, his body weight shifting to his arm between you. His other arm sneaked around your waist to pull you closer, as he always did when you were kissing, only this time the kiss was different. It was much more forceful, brave, and charged with desire.

When you let go of each other's lips for a moment, both of you were breathing hard.

"I love you so much. You are the best thing in my life," he breathed into your lips, and you swore you saw his eyes shining.

"I love you too, I love you-," you said in return, the last syllable muffled as he captured your lips again.

Sitting with your feet on the ground while your body turned towards him started to feel uncomfortable, so you moved to sit on his lap, not letting go of his lips or hand for a second. When you settled your weight on his thighs, he moved his hands to your cheeks at first, then moved them down to your neck, tracing your collar bones with his fingers. You grabbed onto his robes and let go of his lips with a sigh. His hands moved away immediately, thinking his touch were unwelcome.

"Don't stop. It... felt good," you said nervously and smiled shyly at him.

This time he moved his hands to your waist, where the sash held your garments together.

"May I?" He asked seriously, his voice trembling a little.

You gulped and nodded your head rapidly. His touch was featherlight, you almost couldn't feel it when he reached for the opening of your sash and carefully removed it. The material of your robe loosened, and he moved to remove your outer garment entirely. You realized you were sitting on the skirt, so you needed to stand back up if you wanted to remove the whole thing.

"I need to get up to get this out of the way," you said to him when he freed your arms and only your undershirt remained on the upper half of your body.

You quickly realized that part of his nervousness came from the fact that he didn't want to scare you away, so you warned him of your intentions beforehand. He nodded and reluctantly let go of you as you stood up from his lap.

The room was warm, but you still felt a slight chill as your outer robe descended to the floor. The coldness faded when you looked into Huaisang's fiery gaze and the air suddenly felt impossibly hot as he stepped closer to you. His hands moved to your shoulders, gently caressing them and slowly moving towards your chest. Your breath quickened, his light touches searing hot through your thin undergarment. A shiver ran through your whole body as his hands gently cradled your soft breasts and he sucked in a sharp breath when your nipples hardened under his thumbs.

"Please, Huaisang, I want to feel your touch on my skin!" You felt a little embarrassed about how whiny your voice sounded, but you wanted to show him how much you wanted his touch.

He leaned in to kiss at your jawline and neck while his hands deftly removed your undergarments. As your clothes pooled around your ankles, he took a step back to admire your naked body. You suddenly felt self-conscious, and your hands instinctively moved to cover yourself up. Huaisang noticed it and took your hands into his to stop you.

"Don't be shy. I still can't believe I've managed to get myself such a beautiful and intelligent wife" he said, looking into your eyes the whole time.

You wanted to say something witty and clever, but the moment felt too sincere for it, so instead you answered:

"Don't forget that I wanted to be yours."

He stepped closer to you again, his mouth finding yours. He kissed you like a drowning man, never wanting to let go of you. His hands roamed over every part of your body he could reach and you wanted to finally touch his skin too. Your hands tugged on the lapels of his dress, signalling you wanted it off. He broke the kiss when he felt a more insistent tug.

"Take it off!" You managed to breath out and he chuckled at your insistence.

"You want more of me, huh?" He asked with that cocky self-assurance he only used with his closest friends back at Cloud Recesses.

You crossed your arms across your chest with a defiant look and you must have looked funny standing like that while being stark naked. But it worked, and Huaisang looked at you as if he were saying "Fine, fine," and reached for his belt. The strength gradually left your arms as you watched him undress, and by the time he only had his white underrobe on, your arms were hanging by your side.

When he moved to remove it too, you couldn't just stand there anymore and stepped in front of him, grabbing onto his hands. Your sudden movement startled him a little as his focus were completely on his clothes. You reached for the cloth that bound his underrobe together and undid it slowly, looking into his eyes the whole time. He moved his hands out of the way and followed the path of yours with his eyes as you reached up to his shoulders, pushing the light fabric down.

And he stood there only in a pair of white trousers, chest bare, skin like pristine jade, accentuated by his dark hair cascading down his back. You couldn't help but marvel at his beauty. As a healer you saw many men and women in various stages of undress, mostly injured soldiers. At those times your interest was not particularly focused on their looks, but you remembered how strong and muscular they were. Now, as you were looking at your husband's bare upper body, you realised that you never really found them attractive. Compared to them Huaisang had a soft body, but his chest was nicely toned and you could see the lean muscles of his arms.

You reached up and traced his collar bones with your fingers then moved downwards and stopped on his chest. You could feel how strong and fast his heart was beating under your right palm. His skin was so soft, smooth and warm, you couldn't help but tenderly caress the shape of his pecs, noticing how his small nipples stood at attention from your touch, much like yours before. You slowly slid your hands down to his stomach, following the made-up path of the cute little moles that were scattered everywhere on his skin. You felt the muscles tensing under the skin of his stomach as you went even lower, stopping where a soft patch of dark hair disappeared under the band of his underpants. As you ran your fingers over his happy trail, loving how the soft hairs tickled your fingertips, you heard Huaisang biting back a whiny moan. Your eyes moved back to his face and oh, what you saw took your breath away. He bit down on his lower lip, eyebrows furrowed, as he watched with half-lidded eyes where your hands were going.

You moved your hands out of your line of sight and your gaze lowered past the waist of his pants. He was already hard enough to form a nicely visible tent in his pants. You realised there was no turning back if you took the next step and it scared you a little, but also made you incredibly excited. You wanted it and you wanted him, but it still surprised you how boldly you reached down and caressed him lightly through his pants. This time his moan was deeper, more guttural, and he almost literally fell on you as he rested his forehead on your shoulder. Your knowledge was mostly medical about how the male body worked, so the late-night conversations with your already married friends came in handy. You felt proud about how much your touch affected Huaisang. Your next caress was a little firmer and you felt him twitch under your palm. Gathering his every strength, Huaisang stepped back and pulled you towards the bed.

"(Y/N), please, it's been too long, and I fear I won't last long if you keep this up. I want all of you tonight. Can I show you how much?"

"Okay," your voice was barely a whisper, and you let yourself being laid down on the bed.

Huaisang quickly got rid of his remaining garments and carefully removed the intricate guan, now only a black silk ribbon keeping his hair together. As he climbed on top of you, you instinctively opened your legs to make room for him as he rested his weight on his elbows next to your shoulders. This way he was the only thing you could see, but there was nothing else you wished to see at this moment. A large amount of his long hair fell over his shoulders and caressed your cheeks. He was so beautiful as a soft smile played on his lips and you reached up to kiss him. It quickly turned heated and Huaisang soon left your lips in order to kiss all over your face and neck. Then he moved lower and grabbed one of your breasts with his hand while he occupied his mouth with sucking on the other nipple. Your sighs of pleasure encouraged him to move his hand lower while his mouth kept playing with your nipples.

At first your hips shied away from his touch but when his deft fingers found the most pleasurable spot between your legs you couldn't bite back a moan. His mouth left your breasts as he moved to carefully watch your reaction while his other hand kept your legs in place.

"You are doing amazing, you are so wet already," he praised and slowly pushed his index finger inside you.

"Huaisang...," you moaned his name as you watched his finger disappear inside you.

This was something you already tried yourself on lonely nights but the fact that it was his finger made the experience completely different and so much better. He moved his finger slowly in and out of you and when you felt like you couldn't take it anymore, he removed his hand. You whined at the sudden loss of contact, but he moved back on top of you and kissed the complaints off of your lips.

"Are you ready?" He asked, and you were never this sure about anything in your life.

"Yes, I want you, please."

He reached down and guided his cock to your entrance, rubbing it over your wetness, using your combined arousal as a lubricant. Even this little delay and the feeling of his hot member so close to where you wanted it made you squirm. He was looking into your eyes the whole time and you saw how he had to fight he urge to close them when he started to finally push inside you. He was slow and careful, and when he was fully seated inside both of you stopped to catch your breaths. The stretch was unfamiliar but not unpleasant. You moaned when you felt his cock twitching and your insides tightened around him in response. Now it was his turn to let out a shaky breath as he let his forehead rest against yours. He simply couldn't hold his composure anymore, so he slowly started to pull out and push back again. At first you felt a tiny prick of pain, but it soon faded and was replaced by pure pleasure. And he was quick to react to your signs, so when you reached up and grabbed onto his hair to find support, he knew he found that special spot. Soon you were a moaning mess, being so close to your release and he was no different, his skin shining from sweat and strands of his hair sticking to his cheeks and neck.

"a-Sang!" You repeated over and over, and finally hearing you calling him that, it was enough to push him through the edge.

He sealed your lips in a desperate kiss, one of his hands reaching down to rub your clit, his other arm shaking from the effort of keeping his body from fully collapsing on top of you. The feeling of his desperate thrusts, his hand on your most sensitive spot and his shaky moans calling your name finally triggered your orgasm. You felt your inner walls clenching impossibly tight around him and you desperately clawed at his back, not really caring at that moment if you were leaving marks on his skin.

He collapsed on top you, the last of his strength leaving his body as both of you tried to catch your breath. Your vision slowly cleared, and the ringing disappeared from your eyes as you subconsciously caressed his head and shoulders. He burrowed his head into the crook of your neck, and you swore you could hear him practically purring like a cat.

The air in the room slowly started to dry off the sweat from your bodies and it soon made you both shiver. Huaisang rolled off of you with a series of unintelligible whines and went to fetch a cloth to clean yourselves up. He wetted it with the prepared warm water and carefully cleaned your most sensitive spots. He couldn't help but leave some lazy kisses around your hips and thighs in the process and the feeling of his gentle touches were almost enough to lull you into sleep.

He quickly cleaned himself up too and climbed back into the bed next to you, pulling the luxurious covers over your naked bodies. You moved to lay your head on his chest, positioning your ear over his heart, its steady beating made you feel completely safe. He sneaked his arms around you, pulling you even closer. You looked up at him and you smiled at how his hair was a complete mess now, yet he looked so handsome in the faint glow of the candlelight, his eyes shining with so much love you thought your chest will explode because of it.

"Thank you, tonight was incredible," you said as you drew small patterns on his chest with your fingers.

You swore you could see his ears redden even in the faint light, and you planted a soft kiss on his pecs before you fully relaxed in his arms.

"I love you a-(Y/N), get some sleep now," you heard him say before you fell into a blissful sleep.

THE END

ps. I have a half written morning-after snippet, let me know if you are interested and I'll finish it.

[pickmans-muse]

I want to see a MDZS K-Pop Demon Hunters AU, featuring:

Wei Ying as a half-demon cultivator like Rumi, who got exposed at the height of his popularity by the Jin and fell off the radar for years

Lan Zhan as the Jade Prince of Gusu Lan, who always sang alone …until Wei Ying

The juniors being a boy band…Lan Sizhui as the golden boy lead, Lan Jingyi as the sassy one, Jin Ling as a total brat the fans love anyway, Ouyang Zizhen as the quiet one in the back at interviews

Lan Xichen and Nie Mingjue and Jin Guangyao as “Triad”, the band that broke up under mysterious circumstances after Nie Mingjue’s breakdown onstage

Wen Ning as a demon who came back to Wei Ying after he died, thanks to Wei Ying’s music, and is free of the demon king’s control

Jin Guangshan as the demon king, Jin Guangyao as essentially Jinu (and yes we do see him have a moment of redemption at the end with Lan Xichen)

Nie Huaisang is the only one who knows about the Jins (other than his brother, who was driven to a qi deviation when he found out)

I’ll write it on AO3 just you watch me…

[rosethornewrites]

From the next chapter of “the thread may stretch or tangle but it will never break.”

——————

“You gave him your eyes, didn’t you?” Wei Ying asks softly. “I found him afterward, and Wen Qing treated him.”

“He doesn’t know,” Xiao Xingchen says. “And he would if he saw me like this.”

Wei Ying looks as empathetic as Lan Wangji has ever seen.

“I gave Jiang Cheng, my brother, my jindan,” he confesses.

[moon11nia]

The final chapter 4 of lanterns in the fog is updated now

https://archiveofourown.org/works/65981722/chapters/171955855

[sweatsnervously47]

The Untamed really be like:

WWX: *Homeless man who has been fired from every job he's ever worked at, who is couch surfing on the Mo family couch*

In comes, Lan Wanji, a man with a credit score of 850, clean house, job, adopted kids, immaculate lawn, meal plan for the next 3 years, socks always match, volunteers, so very much autism, perfect form and function, crops watered, guchin master, best swordplayer ever.

WWX: Lan Zhan is going to want to fix me. :( I am broken.

Lan Zhan: *handcrafts a pizza and gingerly places it in a box and then into a garbage can so that WWX can still have Trash Pizza whenever he wants*

[amber-horizon]

Written in Ink

https://archiveofourown.org/works/62976670/chapters/161277928

Welcome to my Wangxian Soulmate AU! Best described by AO3 reader toothpickonsalt: “Choosing you over the idea of you”

A companion piece from WWX’s POV is in the works! I would love love love suggestions for a name!

[remma3760]

WHY DO I DO THIS?

So, I started writing fanfiction years ago but then I stopped as I just got too busy. Now I've started again. I write exclusively in the Untamed fandom.

WHY? WHY? WHY? Why would I do that?

I'm not Chinese. I don't speak Chinese. I don't fully inderstand Chinese culture or the Chinese mindset, yet here I am, writing fanfiction for a C-Drama.

I am truly gobsmacked by the amonunt of research I do for this.

I now know how to address my mother's younger sister, my mother's older sister, paternal grandfather, maternal grandmother, et al.

I know what they ate in ancient china, what kind of plumbing they had, what weddings were like, even what games the children played ffs.

I honsestly did less research for my dissertation. So WHY? Why am I doing this? I don't get paid, it takes up a frankly ridiculous amount of my time and I even forgot to eat the other day because I was on a roll.

So please, someone tell me, WHY AM I DOING THIS?

[randomness-is-my-order]

so, i wrote a thing about wei wuxian and jin ling because they’re my favourite uncle/nephew pair in all of media, forever, and they will always stay in my heart. so if you wanna read about them having tea together, post-war, and talking about yanli and some other things while bantering and being kinda tender and stuff, here you goooooo:

[haveyoureadthisfanfic]

Summary: a short story collection about wangxian

Author: virtual1979

Note from submitter: This is the fic that is responsible for the ao3 tag limit

[gh0st-0f-luke]

six excerpts from a wangxian fic told entirely through ratemyprofessors reviews

[noenvyy]

"Bring Me Tomorrow/Stay With Me" A MDZS AO3 Fanfic Excerpt

A chapter from my most recent finished work commission done by the incredibly talented @silverink58 who took so much time and care into making one of my chapters comes to live with their amazing work! Please give them a follow at: https://silverink58.tumblr.com/

And check out the fic on Ao3 at the link above! Note: Art reposted with artist permission

[thirteenis-myluckynumber]

Proposal - Nie Huaisang

Pairing: Nie Huaisang x f!reader

Word Count: 1669 words

Warnings/tags: none i think, the events leading up to the wedding, fluff

Notes: (C/N)-your clan's name, (Y/N)-your name

A/N: I planned this to be a one-shot but I got carried away, so the actual action *wink wink* will happen in the next chapter.

I did some completely unnecessary research for this (my adhd ass basically got distracted) but nothing specific. My cultural knowledge is from the show so I'm sorry for any possible mistakes regarding culture. This is my first time writing The Untamed. Also English is not my first language.

Part 2

You met Nie Huaisang at one of the cultivation meetings Jin Guangyao held in Carp Tower. You were a member of one of the smaller clans, so you didn't attend such gatherings in general. That one time your older brother insisted for you to come, as there were some issues to be discussed which might need your expertise as a healer.

During the many battles of the Sunshot Campaign, you actively participated in the healing of wounded soldiers, so many members from the bigger clans also knew you. So it was no wonder they were all pleasantly surprised to see you there at the meeting. After the greetings and toasts you were free to mingle, and almost everyone greeted you with a pleasant smile and grateful eyes. You also greeted them politely, asking about their family and health.

After a while you noticed that Zewu-jun were looking at you, wanting to invite you over to where he was standing with his brother Lan Wangji, Jin Guangyao and another finely dressed young man. As you walked over Lianfang-zun excused himself to greet the other guests. You turned to the remaining three men with a smile, and they bowed to you in return.

"(C/N)(Y/N). It's so nice to see you. What brings you here?" Lan Xichen asked with a small smile on his lips.

"Apparently, Lianfang-zun requires my help with something. And I took the chance to reunite with old acquaintances."

Lan Wangji stared at you in his usual way, not showing any of his emotions. You also wanted to ask what brought him here, but with a curt nod to you and his brother he also excused himself. Finally, you turned to the man now standing next to Lan Xichen. You had an attention to detail, so only a quick glance was enough for you to notice his handsome face and elegant clothing however, you didn't remember meeting him before.

"It's nice to meet you, Master...," you trailed off somewhat nervously as you didn't know how to address him.

He appeared lost in thought for a moment as he seemed to ever so slightly jump at your words. Still, he quickly schooled his expression into a calm and dignified look, but you could still see his nervousness underneath.

"I am Nie Huaisang. Pleased to meet you Lady (C/N)," he said as he bowed to you again, holding his fan in his hands.

As you realized your previous mistake, you were quick to return his bow.

"Ahh, please excuse my rudeness Clan Leader Nie."

He didn't seem offended at all as he glanced at you with a small smile, which appeared to be sad to you. You knew the story of his ascension to clan leader, after all his brother's death was still a widely discussed topic between cultivators. You also heard the various mean stories about Nie Huaisang himself, in which cultivators often referred to him as the Head Shaker or Good-For-Nothing. Stealing another glance at the man, he didn't seem quite as incompetent to you as these stories described him. He might not carry a sword and appear generally nervous, but you could also see the intelligence in his eyes. Right when you wanted to ask him about the situation in Qinghe, your brother called out to you to return to your tables. You exchanged bows with the two men again and returned to where your clan was sitting. However, you didn't seem to think about anything else that day but the handsome and mysterious Clan Leader Nie.

In the upcoming weeks you had the chance to meet with Nie Huaisang many more times, at political meetings and at night hunts too. You were not one to attend often, but as time went by you became more and more interested in the leader of the Nie Clan. As far as men go, he was the first one with whom you could always stir up meaningful conversations about various topics, not just politics or war. As someone who were always interested in music and arts, you found it exceptionally refreshing to listen to him talk about his passions, especially painting and his favourite fans. Looking at him, it always made you happy to see him quite relaxed during your conversations. After a while he even became bolder and started to show you his beautiful smile and laugh and you had to realize, that you, at the same time, started to fall in love with him.

Your brother always had a watchful eye on you two and he always let you know when he thought you spent enough time in the company of the clan leader. You understood his reasoning of course, so you always rejoined your family after a short conversation with Nie Huaisang.

After a few such meetings though, you started receiving gifts from him. At first you didn't know from whom they came from, but one time a messenger, who delivered some letters to your brother, handed you a neatly packaged hand-painted folding fan. It was the most beautiful thing you have ever seen, and you instantly knew who it was from. As you carefully traced the intricately painted lines on the fan with your fingertips your heart was beating so hard you felt it might jump out of your chest at any moment.

The next week your brother informed you that Clan Leader Nie requested a lunch with him and that you should also attend. Despite his reputation, everyone in your home made sure the preparation for the lunch were going smoothly. Everyone seemed excited to host such a high-ranking cultivator in your home. To say that you were nervous when the day finally arrived was an understatement. Actually, you thought you were never this nervous before.

During the lunch you were actually becoming calmer until your brother finally steered the conversation toward the actual meaning of the whole thing.

"Clan Leader Nie, may I ask the reason of your visit?" Your brother inquired after you exhausted all the general conversation topics.

Nie Huaisang seemed rather nervous too during the whole lunch, but looking at him now you were worried he might actually faint. Good thing you are a healer, you thought. For a few moments he sat there completely silent and almost motionless. Only his hands fiddling with his closed fan revealed his emotions. He looked up at your brother and opened his fan to hide behind it. The longer he spoke the quicker his hand moved the elegant accessory, and it seemed his face got redder by the minute.

"Clan Leader (C/N), as you probably noticed, we became quite well-acquainted with your sister. I would like to believe we became rather close even in the past few weeks. And you didn't seem opposed by my advances either. What I mean by all this is that...," he trailed off, even his ears were bright red by now. He appeared to be steeling himself for his next words. Finally he reluctantly lowered his fan and looked at you with frightened but hopeful eyes. God, you just wanted to hug him at that moment. But you couldn't, so you mustered your most encouraging smile and nodded at him. You were certain your cheeks were also red at that point. Nie Huaisang looked straight into your brother's eyes and said:

"I would like to ask for your permission to take your sister as my wife."

When he finally said it, it seemed like a huge stone was lifted off of his shoulders. His posture became more relaxed, but the fan opened again, only at his chest though, not covering his face. Now it was your turn to nervously glance at your brother. His face didn't show anger or disgust, only deep contemplation, which was a good sign, you thought.

"Clan Leader Nie, I am honored you think so highly of my sister. I have to say however, your bad reputation is not something I can ignore..."

"Gege!" You exclaimed, looking at your brother shocked and scared. Thinking back, you never thought your brother believed all those mean rumors about Nie Huaisang because he was just as good at reading people as you were.

"Meimei, let me finish," your brother said not even looking at you, a slight warning in his voice.

"Clan Leader Nie, as you said, I never opposed your relations with my sister. You seem to me an honorable man, and you never behaved inappropriately around her. But you have to understand, my sister's future depends on me. That's why I brought up your reputation. They say you are incompetent, but that's not what I see. I think you are very good at this whole political game. All I ask of you is to take care of my sister and don't let her reputation be ruined."

As he finished speaking you instantly turned to Nie Huaisang, who seemed to freeze, only his eyes turned impossibly big. His mind probably stuck to the same thought as yours, because that meant your brother actually agreed, right?

With his next sentence, he confirmed your suspicions: "I accept your proposal. If my sister agrees, she is yours."

You could only nod your head furiously as Nie Huaisang stood up and bowed deeply to your brother in thanks.

"Clan Leader (C/N), I assure you, your sister's happiness will always be my top priority. I will take care of her until my last day," Nie Huaisang said, his voice shaky.

As he straightened up, you could see his eyes glistening with unshed tears and you couldn't hold yourself back anymore. You basically jumped up, walked around the table and grabbed his shaking hands.

"I would love to be yours, Nie Huaisang," you said squeezing his hands.

He looked at you with that self-assured half smile you loved so much, and which he showed so rarely these days, but it always signaled some kind of mischief.

You didn't notice your brother looking at you two with a fond look on his face.

To be continued

[von-zeppelin]

[rosethornewrites]

Fic: the thread may stretch or tangle but it will never break, ch. 32

Relationships: L��n Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī & Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn, Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī & Wēn Qíng, Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī/Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn, Jiāng Chéng | Jiāng Wǎnyín & Jiāng Yànlí & Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn, Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén & Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī

Characters: Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī, Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn, Wēn Qíng, Wēn Níng | Wēn Qiónglín, Granny Wēn, Lán Yuàn | Lán Sīzhuī, Wēn Remnants, , Fourth Uncle, Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén, Jiang Yanli, Jiang Cheng | Jiang Wanyin, Original Characters, Niè Míngjué, Niè Huáisāng, Niè Zōnghuī, Jīn Zǐxuān

Additional Tags: Pre-Slash, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Secrets, Crying, Masks, Soulmates, Truth, Self-Esteem Issues, Regret, It was supposed to be a one-shot, Fix-It, Eventual Relationships, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, wwx needs a hug, Nightmares, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Filial Piety, Handfasting, Phobias, Sleeping Together, Fear, Panic Attacks, Love Confessions, Getting Together, First Kiss, Kissing, Boys Kissing, Family, and they were married, Bathing/Washing, Hair Braiding, Hair Brushing, Feels, Sex Education, Implied Sexual Content, First Time, Aftercare, Morning After, Afterglow, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Torture, Scars, Eventual Happy Ending, Hand Jobs, Chronic Pain, Biting, Conversations, Self-Sacrifice, POV Third Person, POV Lan WangJi, Bugs & Insects, Adoption, Ancestors, Ancestor Veneration, Golden Core Reveal, Top Lan Wangji | Lan Zhan/Bottom Wei Wuxian | Wei Ying, First Time Blow Jobs, Multiple Orgasms, Switching, sex-related injury, Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī Stays at the Burial Mounds, Lán Yuàn | Lán Sīzhuī is a Wèi, Good Sibling Jiāng Chéng | Jiāng Wǎnyín, Dissociation, Burial Mounds Settlement Days, Disability, Scheming Niè Huáisāng, Disabled Character, somnophilia

Summary: Xiao Xingchen comes to the Burial Mounds.

Notes: See end of each chapter

AO3 link

Chapters: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25-6 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31

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Xiao Xingcheng sets the girl in his arms down, careful to help her find her feet, as she seems to be blind as well, to her clear discontent. The interaction makes it clear he is not a potential threat to the child, though Lan Wangji would have been appalled if he was, it is so out of line with his exploits since his descent from the Celestial Mountain. 

“Hush, A-Qing,” the man murmurs gently. 

The girl crosses her arms in a pout, but makes no further argument, and Xiao Xingcheng bows in their direction. 

Wei Ying leaves the wards to urge him out of the bow. 

“You don’t need to bow to me, Shishu.”

“From the sound of things, you deserve my respect, Shizhi,” Xiao Xingchen says with a smile, letting Wei Ying lead him toward the barrier. “Though there had been ugly rumors for a while, and I worried about your fate.”

Lan Wangji relaxes—it is clear Xiao Xingchen will not harm Wei Ying. He knows many of the rumors he speaks of, and can only imagine what the other man thought of them. 

“It seemed for a while that the jianghu might attack you, and I wasn’t going to come,” Xiao Xingchen continues, “but then the poem began to be read in tea houses.”

Nie Huaisang’s plan has clearly had some impact on Wei Ying’s reputation, and Lan Wangji hopes it is enough to keep the jianghu at bay until they are safe in Lotus Pier. That it brought Xiao Xingchen is fortuitous. 

“So you came to help?” Wei Qing asks. 

Xiao Xingchen nods, the motion almost a short bow. 

“Yes, Wei-daifu. My sword is alerting to resentful energy beside you. May I assume that is your brother, Wei Ning?”

“It—it is,” Wei Ning says, and Wei Qing gives him a disapproving look, still unsure. 

Several other children emerge from behind rocks and bushes, looking hesitant but hopeful. 

“Is it safe, Daozhang?” one boy asks.

Xiao Xingcheng answers affirmatively, and the little girl, A-Qing, looks up at Wei Ying with a skeptical expression. 

“Are you the Yiling Laozu? You look like a bum.”

Wei Ying is wearing the rough-spun robes dyed and sewn by the aunties, having planned to experiment with his compass project later in the day. 

“That’s me,” Wei Ying says and laughs. “I guess you’re not blind, after all.”

The girl scowls at that and then turns to Xiao Xingchen to insist he pick her up. 

It takes a moment for Wei Ying to let them through the wards, and they head up toward the settlement. On the way there, he lets the children know that they can keep their family names, or they may be adopted as Wei or Jiang. 

“I’m afraid our living situation is basic for the moment,” Wei Ying tells his shishu.

“I require nothing fancy.”

“Good. We have tea, at least,” Wei Qing says. “You can tell us more about what brought you here.”

Nie Huaisang meets them at the boundary of the settlement, brightening when he sees Xiao Xingchen. 

“Bright Moon and Gentle Breeze,” he breathes. “How good to see you again, Daozhang.”

None of them have seen Xiao Xingchen since they parted with him and Song Lan after taking Xue Yang into custody. Lan Wangji realizes they have heard nothing of the young delinquent, and makes a mental note to bring him up to Wei Ying. He also wonders where Song Zichen is, how they came to be separated, how Xiao Xingchen came to lose his sight, his eyes covered with a simple strip of white fabric, tied at the back of his head. 

An auntie comes to get the children, though A-Qing protests being separated from Xiao Xingchen until food is mentioned. Wei Ying assures her that she can rejoin them at any time. 

They take Xiao Xingchen to the main hall, where Wei Ning splits off to go make tea, and they sit at a larger table, the same one where the remnants of osmanthus cakes are still. 

“The poem assured me that you weren’t what the rumors claimed,” Xiao Xingchen says once he’s seated. “And then I knew I could help—and escort the children. I met A-Qing first, and everywhere we stopped she gathered others. It was safer to travel as a group.”

Lan Wangji takes it to mean he would not have come if not for that reassurance, that he would instead have avoided his nephew if not for the yuefu. He has a moment of appreciation for Nie Huaisang’s machinations, not for the first time. Nie Huaisang looks smug, but he has to admit that he’s earned it. 

“We’re eventually all going to Lotus Pier,” Wei Ying tells him, “but we can’t put that in the yuefu for obvious reasons. I have to destroy the Seal first.”

“If I can offer my support in any way, I would like to,” Xiao Xingchen says. “Though I do not know if I will be much help.”

“Just having family close is good enough for me.”

Wei Ying values what family he has, of which the former Wen remnants are now a big part, and Lan Wangji knows how much it means to him that Xiao Xingchen has reached out to him, how hard it had been for him to part the first time they met. 

“Shishu, what of Song Zichen?” Wei Ying asks. “I heard of what happened. Have you reunited?”

Xiao Xingchen bows his head.

“I do not believe Zichen wishes to have anything to do with me after the events at Baixue Temple.”

His tone is somber. 

“You gave him your eyes, didn’t you?” Wei Ying asks softly, and Lan Wangji has to suppress a gasp of surprise. “I found him afterward, and Wei Qing treated him.”

This must have been, Lan Wangji realizes, after the fall of Lotus Pier when Wei Qing hid them in Yiling, just before Wei Ying gave his jindan to Jiang Wanyin. 

“The surgery was well-done, and he was well on his way to full recovery when he left,” Wei Qing tells him. 

“Thank you. He doesn’t know,” Xiao Xingchen says. “And he would if he saw me like this.”

Wei Ying looks as empathetic as Lan Wangji has ever seen. He can see Nie Huaisang looking at Wei Ying with sympathy, knowing the way Xiao Xingchen’s story is similar to his. 

“Shishu,” he murmurs, but he says nothing else. 

“I would like to examine your eyes, what remains of them, at some point,” Wei Qing says.

“Of course. I welcome your care.”

Wei Ning brings in tea and snacks, and Xiao Xingcheng tells them of his travels, the people he has met, the night hunts he has done since the last time they were together. It is amazing to think of him so active despite his lack of sight. He just simply continued as he had despite the loss of his eyes. 

“I heard that Xue Yang escaped punishment,” Xiao Xingchen says. “He is too wily for me alone to recapture.”

“There are rumors he’s with the Jin, anyway,” Nie Huaisang says darkly. 

Wei Ying and Wei Qing both snort in derision—in unison, which makes them both laugh for a moment, diffusing some tension.  

“Of course he is. Jin-zongzhu wants my power, and will recreate it if he can.”

His voice is bitter, and only reminds Lan Wangji of what his husband lost and thought gone forever. That someone could massacre an entire clan and be welcomed while he saved the remnants of a clan and was vilified. 

“Can he succeed?” Xiao Xingchen asks, concerned. 

“Unlikely,” Wei Ying answers after a long pause. “I developed my ghost path after I was dropped in here, the Burial Mounds, without a core.”

Lan Wangji notices he doesn’t mention the Seal. 

Xiao Xingchen flinches minutely at the idea. 

“That part of the yuefu is true?”

“Yes.”

Wei Ying holds his wrist out to Xiao Xingchen’s hand, brushing his fingertips with his wrist, and Xiao Xingchen understands, sending his qi through and finding what Lan Wangji did so many weeks ago. His expression turns mournful. 

“The surgery must have been painful,” he whispers, knowing of the transfer from the yuefu and likely from Baoshan Sanren’s surgery with his own eyes. “You would have had to concentrate on your core throughout.”

“He did,” Wei Qing said softly, the first time she has spoken in some time. “For a day and two nights.”

“Wei-xiong,” Nie Huaisang breathes, horrified. 

He was so quiet, watching and listening behind his fan, that Lan Wangji nearly forgot he was there. He believes this quietness probably allows him to learn a lot, aiding in his penchant for gossip. 

Wei Ying pulls his hand back, looking away. 

“It was unpleasant,” he demurs. 

Lan Wangji puts a hand to the small of his back, offering comfort from the memory. 

“And anyway, I eventually had to tell Jiang Cheng the truth.”

Xiao Xingchen winces and nods, understanding he was referring to telling Song Zichen. 

“We could add your arrival to the Burial Mounds to the revised yuefu,” Nie Huaisang suggests after a short silence. “Then Song Zichen can decide if he wishes to come see you himself.”

Xiao Xingchen is silent for a bit, then nods. 

“I also believe my presence and support may help your reputation, Shizhi. It may imply the support of the Celestial Mountain. I’m certain Baoshan Sanren would support you if she knew of this.”

Wei Ning returns with more tea, interrupting any response Wei Ying can make, and serves them. He makes sure to put Xiao Xingchen’s down with an audible click so he knows where it is, and he takes a sip with an audible sigh of pleasure. 

“It’s lotus tea, from Yun—Yunmeng,” Wei Ning tells him. 

“It’s lovely,” Xiao Xingchen says kindly. “I wish to stay, if you are amenable?”

He phrases it as a question, as though there is any. Lan Wangji is pleased to add him to the list of Wei Ying’s allies. 

“You’re welcome to stay, Shishu. We have extra beds, and Jifu’s hut is empty, so you can have privacy.”

“Thank you,” Xiao Xingchen says, smiling. “I foresee A-Qing will stay with me, as well.”

“I—I can bring in a second… second bed,” Wei Ning offers, and Xiao Xingchen nods thankfully. 

Nie Huaisang pulls the sheaf of paper containing the revised yuefu from his sleeve, clearing his throat. He also pulls out an ink stone and a brush, setting those to one side. 

“I’ll work on adding you to the yuefu, and Wei-xiong will make sure I’m using the proper baihua.”

Xiao Xingchen turns in his direction and offers a deferential nod. 

“Thank you, Nie-gongzi.”

Wei Ying chatters while Nie Huaisang works, telling Xiao Xingchen of life at the Burial Mounds and how it has improved of late with the sworn brotherhood and support of Qinghe, Gusu, and Yunmeng. Wei Ning is in and out, likely doing chores around the settlement, and is visibly embarrassed when Wei Ying talks of bringing back his spiritual cognition. 

Eventually the Nies return from their night hunt and the children—A-Yuan, A-Zhi, and A-Qing—come looking for attention, so Wei Ning serves more snacks and tea. A-Qing is wearing a new cute little dress, and happily chatters about it to Xiao Xingchen. 

The children, full from a meal already, snub the snacks, while the Nies attack them with gusto. 

Nie Mingjue applauds their plan to include Xiao Xingchen in the yuefu.

“With your reputation, your presence will give some pause when considering the Jins’ rumors, which is a good goal.”

The doubt that Bright Moon and Gentle Breeze would support Wei Ying if he were what the Jins’ claim would be enough for some to dismiss those rumors entirely. Others would continue to believe, but this would help significantly. 

By the time Luo Qingyang returns from her surveillance of Yiling, the yuefu is fully revised and Lan Wangji and Wei Ying have sleepy toddlers on their hands, and A-Qing is drowsing in Xiao Xingchen’s arms. Wei Qing calls for a break. 

“I want to treat Wei Wuxian, and the boys need naps,” she explains.

A-Qing protests that she’s not tired, but Xiao Xingchen tells her he would like to rest and she calms, willing to follow his lead. 

“I mo—moved a child’s bed into Jifu’s hut. I can escort you there?” Wei Ning offers, asking instead of offering. 

“That would be lovely. It has been quite the day, and some rest will be welcome.”

Wei Ning kindly leads Xiao Xingchen toward Jifu’s hut, while Wei Qing leads Wei Ying, Lan Wangji, and their children to their alcove in the cave. They’re able to trust the Nies to handle themselves by this point, and Lan Wangji hears Nie Huaisang start to explain the changes to the yuefu with his less enthused brother. They will be occupied for a bit. 

A-Yuan and A-Zhi sit beside Wei Ying and hold his hands while Wei Qing places the acupuncture needles, keeping up a lively chatter about a game they invented while playing with the other children. 

Shortly after Lan Wangji starts to play, the boys fall asleep on either side of Wei Ying, who doesn’t take much longer to succumb to sleep himself. They work on removing resentment from some of the muscles in his back, several also affected by the scars from Zidian. 

Wei Qing removes the acupuncture needles and covers Wei Ying and their children with a blanket. 

“I’ll handle the Nie,” she says before she leaves, an effective dismissal that allows Lan Wangji to focus on his husband and children. 

He spends his time on Wei Ying’s most recent notes on the destruction of the Seal, something he was all too willing to spend time deciphering to straighten them out. It was yet another way he could be of assistance to his husband, and Lan Wangji would do anything he could do for him. He doesn’t get through the latest sheaf before Wei Qing comes to summon them for dinner. 

Luo Qingyang reports no known Jin or rogue cultivator activity in Yiling. She’s happy to be more formally introduced to Xiao Xingchen when he and A-Qing make their appearance. . 

“It’s good for Wei Wuxian to have more allies,” she says, sounding satisfied. “And he can never have too much family.”

After dinner, Wei Ying informs the new children he would be happy to adopt them and give them the family name Wei if they’d like, or they can keep the one they have or wait to become Jiangs. 

“If you become a Wei, you can choose to have me be a father, a gege, or a tangge to you.”

A-Qing loudly protests, using some words not fit for polite company that show her years on the street for such a young girl. 

“I want to be Xiao Qing,” she insists. “Like Daozhang.”

Xiao Xingcheng looks shocked, but despite his protests she digs in her heels. 

“Daozhang or no adoption,” she says, crossing her arms and pouting. 

“As your gege?” Xiao Xingchen asks.

“No. Daozhang is Baba.”

Wei Ying puts a hand on Xiao Xingchen’s arm. 

“My A-Yuan insisted I’m his die. Then A-Zhi. When they choose us, they choose us.”

While Xiao Xingchen digests that, he asks the children again what they want, and several who do not know their surnames step forward. The ceremony is brief, with each child wanting Wei Ying to be their gege, one so shy he can only nod when Wei Ying suggests it. 

Afterward, Xiao Xingchen does his own ceremony, using the altar to introduce A-Qing to his shijie, Cangse Sanren standing in for parents he doesn’t remember. 

Nie Huaisang looks sentimental as he offers congratulations to all the children, and Nie Mingjue also offers his gruff well-wishes as well. 

The children go out to play in the lingering twilight, accompanied by several Wei aunties for supervision. 

“What a lovely day,” Nie Huaisang comments. 

Lan Wangji can’t help but agree, pleased that it brought to them new allies and family, and an updated yuefu that will continue to fight the Jins’ lies about Wei Ying. Tomorrow the Nie will leave and Nie Huaisang will put things into motion. He is content, Wei Ying leaning against him with a full stomach, relaxed. 

They sit and drink tea and visit until darkness falls.

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A bit of a shorter chapter this time. Sorry for the delay. Thinking is hard and so creating is also difficult. I’m hoping my new medication changes this, but it’s a crapshoot since not much is known about long covid and how to treat it. 

baihua = means plain speech, the vernacular form of Chinese

daifu = doctor

daozhang = daoist priest or master

die = dad

gege = older brother 

jianghu = cultivation world

jindan = golden core

shishu = martial uncle

shizhi = martial nephew

tangge = cousin

yuefu = a genre of Chinese poetry, often set to music in the style of folk songs. The Ballad of Mulan is an example