.
When Wuxian was poor, which was most of his life until recently, he couldn't wait to have money to spend it. Now that he has more than he cares to admit, he feels guilty wasting it away.
Apparently, Sizhui shared Wangji's aversion for shopping. They both followed with stoic faces, while Wuxian dragged an enthusiastic Jingyi with him from one stall to the other. Jingyi's personality is an acquired taste. His inability to filter what goes through his head had placed him in so much trouble in the past. Many Lan teachers have tried to discipline him, warn him and even punish him for his loose tongue. Wuxian on the other hand enjoyed his unrestrained commentary and loud personality. It was like adding salt to a bland porridge.
Wuxian placed his arm around Jingyi's shoulder and pulled him close to whisper: "Jingyi, what do girls your age like?"
Jingyi narrows his eyes at him: "How should I know?"
Wuxian: "Come on! Think!"
Jingyi: "I don't know many girls! Why do you ask?"
Wuxian looks around then pulls him closer: "I want to buy something for Sizhui to give Linao when they meet again."
Jingyi snorts: "Shouldn't he be the one buying it?"
Wuxian snorts back: "He was raised by Lan Zhan. It took that man 18 years to admit that he loves me."
They both turned judgmental eyes at the two innocent looking men behind them. Jingyi tsks at them while Wuxian shakes his head in disapproval then they both turn to huddle back.
Jingyi: "I see your point. How about a hair comb?"
Wuxian: "So basic. He's the son of two great men! His gift has to be amazing."
Wuxian feels a heavy arm land on his shoulder and someone whispering on his other side: "What are we scheming today?"
They both jumped out of surprise. Jingyi shouts: "BE GONE, DEMON!"
Wuxian smacks her arm away: "You almost gave me a heart attack!"
Yuxio smiles widely at him and takes out a bag of small round cakes and hands it to Wuxian: "Tada! I brought you a gift."
Wuxian takes it after glaring at her then resumes their huddle while he munches on the delicious food. Jingyi eyes Yuxio and says: "Maybe she can help? She is a girl.. I think."
Yuxio winks at him: "I slay with my feminine ways!"
Wuxian coughs, almost choking on his treats: "Don't say stupid things, pervert! But Jingyi is right, you might have a useful input."
They tell her about Sizhui's 'situation'. Wuxian: "I don't want something big or too expensive. Something tasteful that says: I like you but not in a forceful way."
Yuxio scratches her chin and says: "Maybe something she can wear to show off if she reciprocates his feelings?"
Wuxian nods: "I like that idea."
Yuxio snaps her finger: "I got it! Get her a body shield."
Wuxian smacks her head: "How are you human? Cultivators don't wear shields casually! We're not at war!"
Yuxio rubs her head: "I would love a shield as a gift!"
Jingyi: "Demons usually need protection more than others."
Wuxian: "What about a tassel? She can hang it on her sword or her belt."
Jingyi: "If we get her a Jade one it would be perfect! Gusu Lan Clan is known for its Jade ornaments!"
Wuxian nods his approval and the three set out to look for the perfect tassel with Jade ornament for Sizhui's crush. Wuxian saw one with a red fringe. It reminded him of Wen Clan colors and thought it would be the perfect combination to represent his son's origins and current standing. A plan hatches in his head to teach his son a few tricks to make this a more special gift.
With the perfect tassel in hand, Wuxian sent the kids with Yuxio away to enjoy a short stroll with Wangji. They walked hand-in-hand, fingers intertwined around the lake, silently enjoying the busy scene around them. They suddenly hear someone yelling: "LAN ZHAN!"
Wangji snapped into action, pushing Wuxian behind him and gripping Bichen. A man their age sporting mismatched pieces of clothing and odd ornaments in his hair ran towards them and stopped before Wangji. He took a second to catch his breath then smacks Wangji's shoulder while smiling: "Lan Zhan! I didn't know you were coming to the winter festival. You normally hate crowded places."
Wuxian frowned: 'Who is this man.. calling Wangji by his birth name?'
He peeked around Wangji's shoulder to take a look. A handsome man, same built and height as Wangji, stood in front of them looking at ease. That was rare. Wangji has a talent of making people tense and uncomfortable with his cold demeanor.
Wuxian whispers to his soul-bond: "Lan Zhan, who's this?"
Wangji glares at the man before him and says: "Thief."
The man fakes a wounded look and says: "Come on! Don't be sour."
He leans to take a look at Wuxian and smile widely at him: "Wah! You're so beautiful!"
Wuxian can feel Wangji tense up and before things get bloody, he steps from behind Wangji and glares at the man: ".. and you are?"
The man bows without taking his eyes off of Wuxian and says: "I'm Liwei. The best finder in the continent."
Wuxian frowns in confusion: "Finder?"
Liwei smirks: "I can find anything that has been lost, stolen or misplaced. I have a perfect record until this sour face ruined it." He points at Wangji, who's staring blankly at him.
Wuxian looks between them and asks hesitantly: "How do you know each other?"
Liwei smiles: "We're best friends! I've known him since we were kids."
Wangji turns to Wuxian: "Our fathers were acquaintances."
Wuxian feels a little bang of jealousy. He thought he was Wangji's first friend.
Liwei steps closer to take a better look at Wuxian and asks: "Lan Zhan, aren't you going to introduce us?"
Wangji tightens his hold on Wuxian's hand and says: "This is my soul-bond."
Liwei stepped a few paces back from shock: "WHAT? WHO? WHEN DID YOU GET SOUL-BONDED? WHY WASN'T I INVITED!"
He gets closer and whispers loudly: "What happened to the other guy you were crushing over?"
Wangji ignores him and turns to walk away, dragging a confused Wuxian along. The man followed them, making Wuxian uncomfortable. To anyone else, Wangji would've looked like he's hostile towards Liwei. But Wuxian knows better. His soul-bond hasn't threatened or glared for more than a few seconds at that man.. he knows that Wangji actually likes Liwei.
Wuxian asks timidly: "I can go with Wen Ning for a while if you want to sit and talk with your friend?"
Wangji looked at him like he's grown an extra head and continues to drag him along.
Wuxian's stomach betrays him by growling loudly. Liwei, still following them, apparently has bat ears: "Let's have dinner together! I know an amazing place that serves premium veggies just around the corner."
Wangji looks at Wuxian for approval and receives a nod.
Liwei was staring openly at the couple sitting at the table with him. He felt like the Wangji he knew was switched with someone else. The man before him was glued to his soul-bond, openly and publicly smiling at him, eyes only on him, pushing food towards him, filling his water cup the moment he drank from it. Liwei knew for a fact that Wangji never wanted to get married or be in any sort of relationship. This Lan Wangji was not the man he last saw a few years ago. Whoever this golden haired thing is, it definitely bewitched his friend somehow.
Liwei leaned over the table and whispered to Wuxian: "Are you human?"
Wuxian coughs when a piece of rice goes the wrong pipe from the sudden question and puts his chopsticks down to glare at the man: "What else would I be? I know Lan Zhan feeds me like a cow but I assure you.. I'm not a cow."
Liwei laughs out loud: "Such an odd thing to hear from a delicate looking man."
Wuxian picks up his cup and throws it at the man: "I AM NOT DELICATE!"
Liwei catches the cup mid flight and smirks: "Alright.. Alright.. Calm do.. mmm.. mm?"
Liwei looks angrily at Wangji. Wuxian smiles at Wangji: "I forgot you can do that."
The meal went on more peacefully with the silent spell on the best friend. When they finished their meal and ordered tea, Wuxian looked at the man before him and asked: "You don't know who I am, do you?"
Liwei stares at him for a few seconds and says: "I've been traveling the south, looking for something for my latest client. I just got back in time for the winter festival. Am I supposed to know who you are?"
Wuxian scratches his neck: "Well.. You will find out soon enough. I've never met a finder before. What do you normally find?"
Liwei: "Missing items.. people.. books.. You name it, I can find it."
Wuxian narrows his eyes at him: "How did Wangji ruin your perfect record?"
Liwei looks skeptically at Wangji and when he didn't receive any warning looks he said: "Sour-face sent me to look for someone a few years back. I never found them."
Wuxian looks sadly at Wangji: "You sent him to look for me?" Wangji nods his head, grabbing Wuxian's hand and kissing it.
Liwei points at Wuxian: "THAT'S WEI WUXIAN?"
Wuxian sighs at him: "Yes. I'm Wei Wuxian.. last time I checked."
Liwei stared at Wuxian for a minute then turned to look accusingly at Wangji: "Are you blind? He looks nothing like the description you gave me!"
Wuxian suppresses a laugh and asks: "What did he say I look like?"
Liwei takes out a stack of folded papers from his robes and looks through them. He takes one paper out of the bunch and reads: "Wei Wuxian: A bit taller than Lan Zhan with the same body built. Black hair, dark brown eyes, red hair band, plays the flute, big eyes, beauty mark under his lip.."
Wuxian turns to stare at a slightly blushing Wangji as Liwei continues: ".. has a burn mark on his chest and a scar from a stab wound on his side. Smart, talks a lot, bunny teeth.."
Wangji coughs out loud and Liwei stops. Wuxian raises an eyebrow at Wangji: "Talks a lot? Bunny teeth?"
Wangji drinks his tea and looks anywhere but at his soul-bond.
Liwei slams the paper on the table and says with annoyance: "This is nothing like your soul-bond! You set me up for failure!"
Wuxian pours him a cup of tea and says: "I'm right here. That means your record can return to being perfect, so calm down."
Liwei grumbled while drinking his tea. Wuxian turns to Wangji and pulls his sleeve: "Lan Zhan, can we order desert. I'm still hungry."
Liwei's eyes widen: "You just ate a mountain of food and you're skinny as a twig. Where does it all go?"
Wuxian smiles wickedly at him and opens his robes a little. Da Ziran slithers from underneath and hisses at Liwei's face. The man shouts and drops from his seat, trying to get away: "WHAT IS THAT? WHY IS THAT SNAKE SO BIG?"
Wuxian clutched his side from laughter while Wangji shakes his head. Wuxian pets Ziran and says: "This is my spirit animal: Da Ziran. We share our energy so I eat for the both of us."
Liwei eyes it skeptically: "I've never seen a snake spirit animal before. Where did you find it?"
Wuxian: "I didn't find her. She found me."
Liwei sits at the furthest edge of his seat, away from the snake carrying man. He looks around and sees that no one else seems to be bothered by the big white scary snake moving around Wuxian's body. Wuxian's comment from before came back to him and he asks: "Wei Wuxian, who are you exactly?"
Lan Wangji looks him in the eye and says: "He is the Treasure of Gusu Lan Clan and the one blessed by the Earth Deity. He is known as the Divine Oracle."
Liwei sits up straight: "Wait.. wait.. You're the man that heals ailments and speaks to the dead?"
Wuxian nods. Liwei's mouth dropped open and he was speechless for a few minutes.
Liwei swallows hard then whispers to Wuxian: "Am I supposed to kneel to you or something?"
Wuxian chuckles at him: "Please don't. Just be your.. weird normal self."
Liwei punches Wangji's arm and says: "Only you would pick the most unobtainable man in the continent to be your soul-bond!"
Wangji glares at him and flags the waiter to order more food for Wuxian.
Wuxian leans closer to speak with Liwei: "Does your talents include finding information?"
Liwei smirks at him: "Of course!"
Wuxian takes out a piece of gold rock and places it in front of Liwei: "Come tomorrow morning to Cloud Recesses. I have a job for you."
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