Chapter 63: Bloom and Gloom

The flustered pair exchanged glances as soon as the door closed behind Jiang Yanli. Xiao Zhan ran his fingers through his free hair in frustration when he heard the chuckle continue to ring outside the room before gradually fading away. He muttered despondently, "That's just great."

Lan Wangji cleared his throat awkwardly before saying in a soft tone of voice, "We should probably clean up first before eating."

"Right... Let's do that." Xiao Zhan agreed, rubbing his face and trying not to think about what happened last night or the fact that his martial sister caught them in such a compromising position.  He stood up from the bed and stretched his back before walking around the room to collect all the scattered clothing and handed Lan Wangji his white robes back. He gave him an apologetic smile, "Sorry, I put you in in tight spot once again."

Lan Wangji shook his head lightly, taking the garments from his hands, "Why are you apologizing? It's not your fault".

Xiao Zhan bit his lip guiltily as he replied, "But it is my fault that we got caught like this."

Lan Wangji smiled reassuringly, "It's not the first time we got caught."

"Still...", Xiao Zhan countered with an exasperated sigh. "Never mind. Let's get cleaned up so we can eat."

"Mn".

After both men were all freshened up and dressed up properly, they sat down across each other and ate the brunch that Jiang Yanli had prepared in silence. Eventually, Xiao Zhan could feel the tension between them build up exponentially and he couldn't stand the awkwardness anymore, so he finally spoke first after finishing his bowl of porridge. "Lan Zhan, why don't we sneak out and leave this place quietly?"

Lan Wangji turned his attention to his partner, "You mean, run away?"

"Yes," Xiao Zhan replied immediately, nodding vigorously.

"Don't be ridiculous, Wei Ying." Lan Wangji shook his head with disapproval. "Why do we need to run away?"

Xiao Zhan pouted in dissatisfaction, "You know we might have to face a situation more difficult than subjugating a monster today if we stay, right?"

"How bad can it be?" Lan Wangji said calmly although he could sense uneasiness building up inside.

"Very bad. If you think your brother's teasing is embarrassing, think again." Xiao Zhan replied, dreading the day of reckoning. The thing about Yunmeng Jiang sect was that, its disciples were notorious for being a rowdy lot who enjoyed pranks and troublemaking. Xiao Zhan's former self used to be the leader of them all. Thus, He knew that the two of them would be teased to no end if they didn't leave quickly. "It's for your own good, Lan Zhan".

"... You are exaggerating." Lan Wangji responded with a flat expression after a brief pause.

"Fine, don't say I never warn you. "Xiao Zhan raised an eyebrow at Lan Wangji and huffed, "Just prepare yourself mentally or use that silence spell of yours if necessary."

"I'm sure it will be fine." Lan Wangji continued to give his partner a placid expression.

"I wish I was." Xiao Zhan warned him one last time and then stood up. He looked at the other man seriously and declared, "Since you're so optimistic, so be it."

Lan Wangji merely blinked at him naively.

"Alright then, let's get this day over." Xiao Zhan inhaled deeply before opening the door to reveal the chaos awaiting them. It looked like there was a parade of sorts with the entire hallway filled to the brim with the disciples of Yunmeng Jiang, whose eyes glittered with curiosity staring at them and their faces reflected varying levels of excitement and mischief. He groaned irritably as he stared at the crowd, not bothering to say any sort of greeting. A cacophony of hollering shouts from disciples and giggles from the audience echoed through the area. He rubbed at his temple in annoyance and sighed heavily before turning to look at Lan Wangji, "See for yourself."

Lan Wangji walked up towards Xiao Zhan and stood next to him in silence. He turned to look at him inquisitively, "What is happening?"

Xiao Zhan merely lifted his shoulder in a shrug as an answer. The students grew louder after the Second Jade made his appearance and started clapping loudly with obvious joy.

"We pay our respect to our new Brother-in-law," One disciple declared loudly before all of them bowed in a smooth synchronization towards Lan Wangji's direction.

Lan Wangji flinched in surprise, unsure of what to make of the sudden attention. He repeated in an inaudible voice, "Brother-in-law?"

Xiao Zhan pinched the bridge of his nose, knowing that there wasn't any escaping the inevitable and called out, "Stop the crap, guys."

"Da Shixiong, do you feel uncomfortable anywhere? Does anything hurt?" Sixth Shidi who was leading the bunch asked with a clear smirk on his face. Xiao Zhan glared daggers at him which only served to further amuse the junior of his. His fellow disciples laughed uproariously at his reaction. Their laughter died down after they noticed Lan Wangji was glaring at them. They seemed slightly intimidated by their new 'brother-in-law' although that didn't stop their intention to cause mischief.

"Brother-in-law, please rest assure that you have our utmost support." Sixth Shidi said with a hand on his chest as he tried to show his sincerity. His fellow disciple nodded along and bowed once more in unison after Sixth Shidi declared loudly, "We will support you two till death do you part."

"..." Lan Wangji stared speechlessly at them, dumbfounded. The tip of his ears felt like they would burn out of embarrassment.

"Alright, that's enough! All of you, get lost!" Xiao Zhan yelled in exasperation.

There was a moment of silence as everyone stared at him, stunned and uncertain. Then, another round of boisterous laughter erupted amongst them. Xiao Zhan scowled even more furiously, "Seriously, these little..."

"Brother-in-law, how do you usually manage our Da Shixiong's temper?" Someone among the group asked innocently.

"Or his foul mouth?" Another disciple added. There was a collective gasp and several snickered among themselves.

"He's so scary when he gets mad." Second Shidi stated as he gave Xiao Zhan an impish grin. He quickly added to lessen the aftermath of the head disciple's wrath later, "But he is so handsome and powerful too!"

"What made you fell for him anyway?" Another disciple piped up curiously. Everyone was curious about this story, especially when it involved someone as handsome and immaculate as the Second Young Master of Gusu Lan.

Before the disciples could bombard the duo with many more questions, Xiao Zhan snapped his fingers together, effectively petrifying the noisy ones. He put out a threat, "I'm going to freeze each one of you solid if you all continue with this nonsense."

"Ah, Da Shixiong and his nasty temper. Brother-in-law, save us. Please!" The group shouted unanimously in chorus, looking at Lan Wangji with puppy eyes and successfully made Xiao Zhan more peevish. They really did love to tease him relentlessly.

Xiao Zhan was starting to get irk by their persistent juvenile antics, he gritted his teeth, "I'm going to kick every one of your asses."

"Wei Ying, please calm down." Lan Wangji said softly.

"You're just going to encourage these brats, Lan Zhan." Xiao Zhan rolled his eyes in response and folded his arms across his chest.

Right on cue, a couple of disciples started to make their own reenactment of romantic scenes as their voices rose into a higher pitch as they acted out their roles. The first lead dropped onto his knees dramatically, "My love, my darling, my life! I will take responsibility for you. Will you marry me?"

The second lead followed suit, hugging the first one, "Oh heavens, yes! Take me! My body, soul, and everything important to me!"

The disciples seemed to have an endless supply of ideas on how to infuriate the two of them with shame and aggravation.

Eventually, Lan Wangji resorted to his silence spell as well, silencing all of them and putting an abrupt stop to their shenanigans. The disciples quickly put their hands up in the air as a sign of surrender at the unexpected turn of event. Xiao Zhan didn't even bother to suppress a satisfied smile as he spoke tauntingly, "Sorry, did you all say something?"

"..." The disciples simply protested wordlessly, unable to speak.

Xiao Zhan smirked, "The spell will last for an incense stick time, boys. Enjoy your silent time."

At that moment, Jiang Fengmian stepped into the hallways to see the disciples surrounding the pair with their hands moving animatedly in protest while their mouths were zipped shut. Their expressions were clearly telling him that they had received their punishment for their misdeeds. He couldn't help but laugh. There was something oddly endearing and comical about the scene. The couple turned their heads to look at him with surprised expressions and greeted him courteously. The juniors were all looking at him expectantly in hope for his intervention and asked for their release from Gusu Lan's charm that left them unable to open their lips from the indifferent looking Lan Wangji, which only served to increase his mirth. He simply shook his head, "Just wait until the time is up. Now everyone, go back to your training."

"A-Ying, Second Young Master Lan. I apologize for these boys' behavior." Jiang Fengmian stated, smiling kindly as he looked between Xiao Zhan and Lan Wangji. He noticed that they looked a little red from ingloriousness. "Why don't we talk somewhere else?"

Before they knew it, they were in Jiang Fengmian's study, sitting side by side. Xiao Zhan sighed, putting his face in his hand. He felt exhausted by the antics of the teenagers he called his junior martial brothers. Lan Wangji looked rather composed despite the ongoing turmoil in his heart.

"How do you feel now, A-Ying?" Jiang Fengmian asked as he sat down across from Xiao Zhan. "You were pretty drunk last night. Have you sobered up?"

"I'm alright, Uncle Jiang", Xiao Zhan answered without lifting his face from his hands. He knew his uncle would have the same misunderstanding. "And I am completely sober. One hundred percent."

"Are you sure? Your face is redder than usual." The older male remarked.

"Yes, I'm really fine." Xiao Zhan insisted firmly. He took a deep breath to steady himself as he finally lifted his head and looked directly at the sect leader's eyes. "Uncle Jiang, we did—"

"A-Ying, it's okay." Jiang Fengmian interrupted gently, holding Xiao Zhan's gaze steadily, not wavering even for a moment. "I know you two are together and how drunk you were. You two are already adults after all. Just spare me the details."

"It's not like that, Uncle Jiang." Xiao Zhan said quietly, his face becoming slightly redder as he tried to hide his blush.

"Young Master Lan, I'm sure you had a hard time against our drunk Wei Ying." Jiang Fengmian spoke gently, ignoring his nephew's reaction as he smiled softly at him. "I know he could be a handful and I could understand if you gave in to him. It doesn't matter what happened last night. Just know that I support both of you and I know you'll take good care of my nephew."

Lan Wangji lowered his head as his face turned red once more, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips at Jiang  Fengmian's words. He was grateful that the latter had no intention of questioning him regarding their relationship.

Xiao Zhan tilted his head to look at Lan Wangji with a frown and whispered with a disapproving tone, "You're not supposed to smile in this situation, Lan Zhan."

"Why are acting so shy, A-Ying?" Jiang Fengmian chuckled and shook his head slightly at his nephew's comment before addressing Lan Wangji again, "My nephew is a little hot headed, am I right?"

"Uncle Jiang...." Xiao Zhan whined pitifully, covering his face with both of his hands; his uncle really had no boundaries. "Please stop."

Lan Wangji remained silent. He didn't say anything because he couldn't disagree with what Jiang Fengmian just said. His lover was indeed a little short tempered.

"A-Ying, we should have that talk now. I know it might be a little too late now, but it will be helpful later on in the future." Jiang Fengmian said with a light chuckle.

"Oh, come on, Uncle Jiang. Can we not do it today? "Xiao Zhan begged helplessly. He was definitely not going to have that talk now, or ever.

Lan Wangji frowned in confusion, unable to comprehend why the elder was suddenly pushing for that talk or why Xiao Zhan was hesitating about that particular subject. This was the second time that he heard about the 'talk' and he was curious about it. However, this was not the right time or place to satisfy his curiosity. He would wait for Xiao Zhan to explain to him when they were alone later.

Jiang Fengmian's eyes darted between the two of them before he finally shot Xiao Zhan an amused glance. "Ah, I see. You're embarrassed because your partner is here."

"That's not what I-" Xiao Zhan cut himself off in irritation as he realized he couldn't escape Jiang Fengmian's teasing. He immediately changed tactics and talked seriously instead. "Uncle Jiang, I think there's more important matters to tend to first."

Jiang Fengmian chuckled at his attempt to escape from having the discussion and held up his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. What matters did you wish to discuss then?"

Xiao Zhan breathed in deeply to compose himself. He was grateful that his uncle did not push the topic further; he'd rather avoid unnecessary embarrassment right now. He began to speak in earnest after a few seconds of hesitation. "Are you aware of the rumor about me, Uncle Jiang?"

"Yes, I heard of it." Jiang Fengmian responded calmly. Of course, he was aware of the matter as his nephew's name had been a hot topic discussed openly around the cultivation world. Many were posing their interest in the young cultivator's cultivation level and abilities. "Several clan leaders had been asking questions. Jin Guangshan is especially interested."

Xiao Zhan raised his brow upon hearing that name. "Oh, is it because of how I taught his son a lesson?"

"Yes, it has something to do with that." Jiang Fengmian acknowledged. "He wanted to know why you were appointed as trainer of Gusu Lan Sect and he was eager to know why his son looks up to you so much. Either way, he's keeping the engagement between his son and A-Li intact."

"Hmm... That sly old man," Xiao Zhan muttered in annoyance. "Well, I suppose there's nothing I can do about that."

Lan Wangji shifted uncomfortably at his seat. He had intense dislike towards the Jin clan leader as he knew the true nature of that man.  But he refrained from saying anything because it wasn't his business.

"Is there a reason you have negative reaction to Sect Leader Jin, A-Ying?" Jiang Fengmian inquired.

"I just don't trust him."  Xiao Zhan replied honestly. He couldn't exactly tell Jiang Fengmian that he disliked the man because he had already known the greed and malice that the Jin sect hid beneath the facade of benevolence.

"I see." Jiang Fengmian said neutrally. He decided not to make any comments about Jin Guangshan's conduct. There was no point in stirring up trouble with Lanling Jin Sect at this current time. He could also see that his nephew didn't want to talk about those things anyway and that was also enough reason for him to drop the topic. After a short while, he glanced at Xiao Zhan's face again and came up with a different subject with grave tone, "Also, Wen Ruohan has asked me about you several times lately. Actually, both of your names are being brought to the table as a matter of late."

The young couple tensed up and stared at each other meaningfully. They had expected that something would be brought to the forefront and the Qishan Wen Clan would notice the rising fame of the two young cultivators. After all, the Sect of Wen clan was known for his desire to stay at the top rank. In the past, he had always been able to maintain his spot within the hierarchy and no one dared challenge him. Now, however, it had come to his attention that the two young cultivators had managed to surpass all the sects' most talented disciples in mere months, both with their cultivation levels increasing rapidly.

"We've become quite popular among people in the cultivation world, huh?" Xiao Zhan chuckled dryly, his mind running wild at the prospect of that unwanted attention. It could only mean troubles ahead.

Lan Wangji was also thinking along similar lines, though he did not show his feelings outwardly.

"It's nothing to be worried about for now." Jiang Fengmian assured them. Deep in his heart, he felt anxious for his nephew, knowing very well how dangerous that kind of attention could cause.

The two nodded solemnly and the atmosphere grew heavy. The silence between the three men became suffocating as the subject continued to hover over them for some time.

"A-Ying, please be careful. There are plenty of envious and ambitious individuals out there," Jiang Fengmian said sternly, his voice full of concern.

"Don't worry Uncle. I can handle them." Xiao Zhan responded confidently as the corner of his mouth lifted into a small smile.

"I know you can. Still, try to avoid unnecessary fights if possible. I don't want you to get hurt." Jiang Fengmian stated with a serious tone in his voice. He paused for a second before reiterating his words, "Maybe I should be more concerned about the safety of those who want to harm you instead. Either way, just try to be safe. Alright?"

Xiao Zhan chuckled softly at his uncle's words. He understood his concerns very clearly and he appreciated them, nonetheless. He nodded, "I got it."

"Second Young Master Lan, please do me a favor and keep my nephew from harm." Jiang Fengmian requested sincerely as he looked at Lan Wangji with earnest expression.

"I will keep him safe, Sect Leader Jiang." Lan Wangji agreed with conviction. Xiao Zhan couldn't help the smile that formed on his lips at Lan Wangji's promise.

The temperature was fairly pleasant for the summertime. The day went by rather quickly with more teasing from Jiang Yanli and the rest of the members of Jiang sect. Xue Yang was no exception either. The small boy joined the fun with enthusiasm when he grasped what was going on. He was more than happy to know that his 'parents' were together. The couple could only endure those endless streams of ribbing for a while longer until they left the residence that evening. There was no way they would prolong their stay with that kind of nonsense for long.

As much as the duo liked the idea that the whole Jiang sect was very open about their acceptance on the relationship between them, neither of them thought they could tolerate the teasing for a prolonged period. They needed to leave sooner rather than later.

"Lan Zhan, I will definitely stay with you in Gusu after this." Xiao Zhan declared in full determination right after they left the chaotic place. At least, in Cloud Recesses there was only one Lan Xichen while Yunmeng Jiang was full of clones of Lan Xichen.

Lan Wangji gladly welcomed that idea with open arms and smiled at Xiao Zhan lovingly. "As you wish, Wei Ying."

Lan Wangji looked at Xiao Zhan who looked lost somewhere deep in his thoughts. It had been three days since they left Lotus Pier and resumed their mission, but it seemed like his partner was bothered about something. He finally broke the silence with a calm voice which seemed to snap Xiao Zhan back to reality, "Wei Ying, what's bothering you?"

The other man blinked rapidly to clear his vision and took a deep breath. He said in a low voice, looking out into nothingness, "I'm just thinking about the future."

"Why?" Lan Wangji asked as he gently squeezed the man's hand.

"I'm just worried. There are so many people that I want to protect now. If I fail..." Xiao Zhan's voice faltered, and he stopped speaking abruptly. It felt like there was a heavy burden on his shoulders that he was struggling to keep on balance. Since leaving Yunmeng, he gave more thoughts about what Jiang Fengmian had told them and he had been constantly worrying whether he could protect everyone he came to care about at the moment.

The Jiang sect had been treating him like family and the same went to the Lan sect. He highly regarded Jiang Yanli like his actual sister and had begun to feel close and protective toward her. He cherished the little boy named Xue Yang las his little brother and he wanted nothing more than keeping the boy safe from any harm. Even if he bickered and fought a lot with Jiang Cheng, he still considered him his younger brother. The same went to Jiang Fengmian, who had been nothing but a kind uncle towards him.  He greatly appreciated the ever so supportive Lan Xichen despite his maddening raillery, the certifiably intellectual array master Qingheng-Jun who couldn't stop talking about mathematics, and all the other members of the Lan family, including the oh so cranky old man Lan Qiren.  He could not help but to be concerned of each and every one of his former trainees who had been under their wings for more than half a year even if some of them were... well, questionable in the beginning. These people had wriggled their way into the soft spot of his heart unknowingly, and he felt obligated to keep everyone alive. He had not realized until now; there was also a lot of pressure building inside of him which threatened to crush every ounce of hope he held onto. He feared failure because failure would mean death and he did not want anyone to die.

And the most important person in this gnawing, was his beloved Lan Wangji. The thought of losing the man even at the slightest made him ache inside. His heart felt raw and fragile, and sometimes the pain seemed almost physical.

"Why would you think that you 're going to fail?" Lan Wangji asked as his eyebrows furrowed together. He knew Xiao Zhan's mind often wandered when something troubled him, but the man had never failed at anything yet. If anything, he was always sure of his own abilities. He cupped Xiao Zhan's cheek with his free hand and questioned, "Why are you doubting yourself now? It's unlike you, Wei Ying."

"It's not that I doubt myself. I just... " Xiao Zhan said softly, eyes casted down at their entwined fingers. He knew that he had advantages of knowing the future but what if the changes that he had made so far resulted in unpredictable variables? What if he accidentally caused more damage than good? What if the whole plan fell apart? "What if I screw this up? What if I do not do everything right?"

"You will not," Lan Wangji insisted as he lifted his chin up.

"Do you think that I am strong enough now?" Xiao Zhan said in barely above a whisper.

"You are the strongest person I have ever met. Look around you, Wei Ying." Lan Wangji pointed out at their surroundings. The carcasses of beasts laid everywhere as they were torn apart by the legion of spirits under Xiao Zhan 's command. They cleared out the forest in record time, and even though Lan Zhan disliked the display of violence and blood, he could only admit that they were efficient at doing their job. Xiao Zhan's fierce spirits easily tore through any enemies in their path and made their hunting.  The fact that Xiao Zhan was able to transform those mindless spirits into a highly tactical assault team was truly unthinkable, it rather felt like it was an army of powerful warriors led by a terrifyingly capable leader.  A formidable force, indeed. Lan Wangji thought as he raised his hands to clasp Xiao Zhan's face firmly, "If anything, your strength grows stronger every day. So long as you are standing beside me, I will be able to hold off any attack that comes our way. I will protect you."

"I know you will, Lan Zhan. I never doubt that even for a second." Xiao Zhan smiled. His words sounded too hollow compared to the fierce spirit's power and conviction behind them. He was still worried about what could possibly happen as he ask in uncertainty, "What about Wen Ruohan? Do you think I can go against him?"

"If you are talking about one-on-one fight, you can't possibly lose to him." Lan Wangji stated firmly, "Although when it comes to a full-scale battle, the entire clan is a formidable force. Their sheer numbers exceed all of us combined."

"We're still outnumbered, huh?" Xiao Zhan chuckled humorlessly, trying not to let his nerves show too clearly. He then gazed straight at Lan Wangji's earnest eyes, his voice sounding more serious than ever as he inquired," Do you remember what I've told you about Stygian Amulet?"

From his knowledge, Stygian Amulet was probably the key of winning the war and a powerful tool that could help him to magnify his existing control on resentful energy alike to a great extent. However, he also apprehended the danger of messing around with it and he wanted to stay as much away from artifact as possible because of its potential dangerousness. There were plenty of greedy people out there that would do anything to obtain the artifact and it was imperative that he kept the existence of the item hidden from the world of cultivation.

"What about it?" Lan Wangji responded immediately with the same amount of solemnity in his tone. Truthfully, he did not like where that conversation was heading.

"What if we can't win the war without it?"  Xiao Zhan asked tentatively. Without the Amulet, the battle would be a hundred times harder and if he were to be honest, he was not sure if he could win this battle without it. For now, he could only summon few hundred spirits and corpses but that was it. They were too weak in numbers. Even with his current skills, there was no telling how he may mess up and get someone hurt or even killed in the process. His frown deepened and the lines on his forehead turned down as his mouth formed a grim line. "What if I am not strong enough without it?"

"You do not need it." Wangji replied decisively. "You're not just strong, Wei Ying, but the power you wield is not something Wen Ruohan can stand against."

"How can you be so sure?"  Xiao Zhan sighed.

Lan Wangji paused as he searched for the right words to explain himself and answered after thinking for a while, "You know more than anyone about warfare. You have already strategized, planned for every possible scenario, and thought through every eventuality of every battle. You're skilled and arrays and talismans as well. I can list down more of your talents, but you know your own abilities more than me. Please do not underestimate yourself."

Xiao Zhan could not deny that what Lan Wangji had spoken. He had yet to find a single flaw or problem in all his plans that he had devised, and he was not weak either. He was just afraid he would not be able to hold up the weight of responsibility fell upon him. He exhaled a defeated sigh before muttering, "I know. I just cannot help feeling like this. Planning and reality are two different things. I just do not want to lose anyone. Especially you, Lan Zhan."

A warm smile appeared on Lan Wangji's face as he pulled Xiao Zhan closer to him. He assured as he caressed Xiao Zhan's hair lovingly. "That's not going to happen, Wei Ying. I promise. I believe in you."

Xiao Zhan rested his head on Lan Wangji's chest and allowed himself to get lost in the steady thump of the man's heart which resonated soothingly in his ears. He closed his eyes and savored the warmth of the comforting embrace. "I don't know if I can do this without you."

"I won't leave your side." Lan Wangji vowed, tightening his hold around him. He would protect Xiao Zhan with all that he had, and the rest of the world could rot in hell before he allowed any harm to come near the love of his life. "I will be with you no matter what."

"Lan Zhan, you're so precious." Xiao Zhan sighed as he gave him a soft smile. His eyes lit with a bright intensity that Lan Wangji found mesmerizing. It was so intense that it seemed to glow from within his very being.

"Your eyes are beautiful," Lan Wangji commented quietly as he traced the shape of the other man's brow ridges with his index finger before leaning forward and captured the other man's lips.

"You're such a honey trap," Xiao Zhan murmured against his lips while wrapping his arms tightly around Lan Wangji's body and drew him in close. He stated after they parted, "But I like it."

Lan Wangji hummed contentedly as he pressed a tender kiss against Xiao Zhan's forehead. He smiled, "It's nice knowing that my affections make you happy."

"I am." Xiao Zhan chuckled heartily. His bright laugh echoed in the quiet night like music, as the two men stood in the middle of a field surrounded by nothing but wilderness and moonlight. There were dead bodies of monsters too in bits and pieces everywhere around them, but neither of them cared about these as they remained entwined in each other's arms, wrapped up in the silky warmth of their embrace.

"Wei Ying, there's something that I've been meaning to ask," Lan Wangji uttered in a gentle voice as his eyes stared intently at his lover with curiosity burning brightly within them.

"Hmm?" Xiao Zhan hummed in reply as he slowly opened his eyes and gazed into the other man's golden orbs.

"What did your uncle mean by the 'talk'?" Lan Wangji asked while keeping his eyes glued unto Xiao Zhan.

"Way to kill the mood, Lan Zhan!" Xiao Zhan teased as he playfully nudged his ribs with his elbow.

"You said you would explain it to me." Lan Wangji stated stubbornly. He even waited patiently for three days without getting an explanation.

"Did I? I was drunk. I do not remember saying anything of the sort, did I?" Xiao Zhan replied cheekily.

Lan Wangji reminded with a stern frown, "You had yet to drink a drop of liquor that time."

A strange expression took possession of Xiao Zhan's face, and he bit his lip before sighing and replied softly, "It's nothing important."

Lan Wangji frowned at the response and leaned towards Xiao Zhan to inquire further, "Are you hiding something?"

"No!" Xiao Zhan denied immediately. He averted his eyes away and lowered his voice before answering reluctantly, "Do I really need to say it?"

"Yes," Lan Wangji agreed resolutely, "Tell me."

Xiao Zhan could already feel heat spreading throughout his body making him feel extremely flustered at the thought. He cleared his throat before continuing, "The talk is about... hmm... you know..."

"I don't." Lan Wangji said simply, his expression growing soft as he waited patiently for Xiao Zhan to speak.

Xiao Zhan swallowed nervously; his throat dry as he tried to think of how to word his question. He then proceeded cautiously as he avoided eye contact with Lan Wangji, "...He wanted to give me some advice..."

"Advice?" Lan Wangji repeated, trying to apprehend the statement.

Xiao Zhan nodded hesitantly. He could not believe he had to tell Lan Wangji this. He should have known it would come up sooner or later.  He sighed tiredly before looking down at his hands and mumbling lowly, "...sex."

There was a moment of complete silence. He heard nothing but the loud beating of his own heart and the sound of the cicadas buzzing loudly in the distance. He finally lifted his gaze again only to see Lan Wangji staring at him with a dumbfounded look on his face. His eyes were wide and almost as though his eyes would pop out if they didn't close soon.

"He was just overly excited about us. So please, just forget about this."  Xiao Zhan said, unable to meet the other man's gaze anymore as he lowered his own head down in embarrassment, his palms beginning to sweat profusely. He was hoping that Lan Wangji would brush aside the topic.

"Will you have the talk?"  Lan Wangji eventually spoke up after several minutes had passed.

"Nope."  Xiao Zhan said firmly without hesitation.

Lan Wangji asked innocently, "Why not?"

"I don't need it." Xiao Zhan replied while biting his lower lip in embarrassment.

"Why don't you?"

"I already know everything I need to know."

"Everything?" Lan Wangji asked.

"Yup!"

"For example?"

"Lan Zhan, are you going to be shameless?"

"Mn."

"..." Xiao Zhan gaped at him blankly in shock before letting out a small chuckle at the absurdity of it all. Looking at Lan Wangji all serious face, Xiao Zhan stopped laughing, "You... You're not joking?"

"Should I learn about it then?"

"Are you seriously asking me this?" Xiao Zhan asked.

"Since you already know everything, it will only be fair for me to learn about it too." Lan Wangji replied with a straight face, causing Xiao Zhan stared speechlessly up at him for a few moments.

".... You're really brazen sometimes, Lan Zhan." Xiao Zhan grumbled as he rubbed the bridge of his nose while shaking his head. "Learn what you want. Just not from me."

Lan Wangji couldn't hide his amusement from his face. He called out in a sweet tone, "Wei Ying."

"No! Not gonna happen!" Xiao Zhan cut him off and pushed him away while shooting him a warning glare.

Lan Wangji's smile grew wider as he observed the way Xiao Zhan's cheeks flushed a little before turning his heels to walk away with a huff. At that point, he discovered that it was a rather joyful feeling to tease someone, and he enjoyed the feeling quite a lot. He caught up to his lover's side swiftly, "Why not?"

"Lan Zhan!"