The Fated Meeting

Lan Wangji flew out on his sword upon walking briskly out of home.

Caiyi Town is three hours away on sword.

Upon arrival, he fixed his hair and headpiece before entering town. Rushing...messed his hair and made his ribbon go lopsided.

He looked for where Wuxian can possibly be.

Caiyi Town has four taverns that serves Emperor's Smile, his favorite wine. He has to look for Wuxian in those places...and found him on the third bar, 'The Perky Trout'.

He was upstairs, drinking solo, dressed in a sleeveless dark green shirt held in place by a white sash with matching trousers and shoes. His skin is whiter than his previous youth. his long hair is on its high ponytail as usual, in that same colored ribbon. His hair was also a few inches shorter, that unlike his former ponytail that reached his waist, the tip now touches his upper back, reflecting his commoner lineage, even if his parents have prestigious backgrounds.

The stronger one's cultivation is, it would reflect on their looks, starting with their skin.

To be fair-skinned, you'd have to be in the Middle Core like himself. For a disciple of that strength, they classify as Senior Class already. Skin aside, they can also manipulate how they would look. But vanity is beneath the Lan Sect, obviously.

Wei Wuxian simply raised his level enough to be white skinned, whiter than he was last time when before, his skin has this fair-peach tinge. He had only gained slight whiteness prior to using his new cultivation.

'Lan er-gege, you're staring.' said Wuxian, amused as Lan Wangji was looking at him as if saying '-is this real?'

'...you're not in Yunmeng Jiang this time?'

'No. I ensured my parents live longer by showing what a...genius I was.' Wuxian snorted. 'That got them excited into sticking around to teach me. I still don't know what killed them to this day when I was a child. But they left me in Yiling...where I lived for years as a street kid before Uncle Jiang found me.'

'And then they died when you were twelve.'

'Yeah...something else killed them this time and we were living in Laoling for a month at the time.' said Wuxian with a sad smile. 'At least I had longer with them this time around. Being Rogue is what puts food on the table after all. They can't be picky with jobs.'

'How have you been since?' Wangji inquired. Wuxian's expression went dark.

'I did what I had to do. I killed Meng Yao as that guy advised.' said Wuxian. 'He was...truly a good son to his mother. His only mistake, was becoming a scheming murderer to please Jin Guangshan...who'll never give him what he truly wanted while making him commit crimes for him in exchange for his so-called paternal love. Heck, I had a student who was also one of his illegitimates.' he snarked. 'And I raised that kid to have morals and virtues...and he is nothing like his father. I made sure of that.' he chuckled with twinkling eyes. 'I taught him the heart of some of your Lan Rules applicable in life that applies to family, studying and becoming a good person in general...and what it means to be a bad person who will only meet a bad end...and he realized that no matter how long his mother waits, no prince on a white horse will save them.'

'...what happened?'

'Y'know, him tricking gullible women just to sleep in their bed...but in Mo Village ruled by the Mo Family as landlords, he touched Mo erguniang, the daughter of a local lord with a maid. She was indeed beautiful more than his legal daughter. And you know how petty people can be that she suffered just for being an illegitimate daughter. Her mother who only wanted acknowledgment, was put to death by the legal wife, while the father allowed his second daughter to live...and that was it.'

'The plan was to marry her off as soon as possible, but Jin Guangshan happened when she was sixteen. Mo Xuanyu was the result...but he eventually tired of her when the boy was four.' Wuxian continued. 'Life was very hard, being abused and castigated by everyone, and her father didn't give a damn as she was a reminder that he cheated on his wife and she clung onto hope. I began mentoring the kid so he will not become another Meng Yao. He has potential to be one incase anything happens to Jin Zixuan and Jin Guangshan manipulates his feelings, I nipped it in the bud...and I hope he has a ticket to Lan Sect someday. Golden Core at a typical 10-11 years old so his future is a bright one.' Wangji nodded as he'll ensure the boy gets an admission letter to the Lan Sect to keep him away from his father.

Indeed, they don't need another Jin Guangyao, thank you!

Forming a Golden Core before puberty is very important. Because upon hitting puberty, you classify as 'an adult' in a spiritual way. Children grow quickly while growth slows down in adulthood reflected on the cores many times over. Thus, form it late in life, you'll just be a mediocre cultivator with little hope for advancement. Form it early, it will be a powerful aid, absorbing so much qi for you. Especially if you're an active cultivator.

'A-Yu lacked talent in cultivating that progress was slower than average, but the Feng Shui in Mo Village made up for his lacking that he made it in time. The Golden Core will then do the rest for him but I did tell him to be an active cultivator while I left him physical training menu. How about you, Lan Zhan? Any changes?'

'...I was able to avert mother's death as well.' said Wangji. 'I knew all the codes and spells that I was able to tell her where her sword was, and a spell that enables me to use my Jade Token to withdraw 10000 silver taels for her from family coffers. A spell only xiongzhang and I were allowed to know when we're fifteen years old. I also told her to get herself checked with the doctors you trusted as precaution as mother gets weaker and weaker...and chaos occurred when she vanished, that even my father left seclusion to look for her.' Wuxian went O.O before cackling.

'Ahhh...that explains why I saw so many Lans pass by Mo Village, claiming they're after a ghost that escaped them!' Wangji nodded though his eyebrow twitched. 'Making her go to that certain place is a good idea indeed. She's very safe there. They can't search there or piss off the sun.'

'Mother said she was poisoned ever since I weaned off her milk.' Wuxian choked on his wine. 'That was the estimated timeline by her doctor when he checked her. She was slipped trace poison in her food so she never knew. She has two years and a half's worth when I came back. Powerful enough that she was so weakened in using up her core to heal passively and she never knew. She will recover and come send me a letter when she fully heals. By New Years' Day, she might tell me her progress. Its been years since she last wrote me.' he said. 'I'm a little worried.'

'Then, we have a month before the lectures.' Wuxian told him. 'Wanna see her?' he suggested. 'You might wanna lose that robe and ribbon if she'll be wary of any Lan coming back to drag her back and drug her to the gills again.'

And so...

Wuxian wondered why was Wangji blushing like some maiden, when he lent him his clothes. And it took some argument to take off that half-bun and his headpiece, and his forehead ribbon because the ribbon marks him as a Lan and if they go to a certain place, its basically the same as selling out his mother which made Wangji take it off eventually and wear his hair into a ponytail too. 'Er...Lan er-gege?'

He was muttering something but when he went near, he heard,

'I'm wearing Wei Ying...'

"O-Oi?!" Wuxian sweatdropped awkwardly. Just how repressed are Lans with all their damn rules, that they're total idiots when in love?!

Again, this guy, is in love with him.

Why him, was the question, he thought as he recalled that day in the mounds. That heartfelt confession that was also probably, the only day Lan Wangji talked so much at his most honest because he really regretted for ten years that he hardly talked that Wuxian ended up misunderstanding him, creating a rift Wangji didn't want and realized how much he screwed up.

Not everyone was like his brother who can understand what he wanted to say behind his few words.

DUH?!

'Lan er-gege? We have a month...c'mon...'

xxx

Dafan, four days away from Caiyi because they had to be discreet...

They came to visit with gift baskets.

'A-Zhan!' Wuxian saw Wangji's mother for the first time. Doggone, she's a beauty!

But she's definitely seen better years. Due to her situation, she looks like a woman in her late twenties when her Golden Core should have kept her youthful. And she cut her long hair judging by Wangji's shock at her very short hair...unbefitting of a madam, as only commoners have short hair.

For commoner women due to their work, its permitted to wear their hair short based on their job occupations. Only the rich can truly respect the rule about hair because they can afford to grow it so long.

And Madam Lan wears her hair like how most women do, up to their mid-back and braided to keep it out of her way. And she wore a simple cultivator's outfit in pink and red.

'A-niang...' Wangji was happy to see her. 'How have you been?'

'Well, I definitely felt better for the low-low cost of consuming medicine so yucky and feels like sludge down my throat.' Madam Lan giggled. 'At least they more than made up for it with food. Its definitely more palatable than you-know-where! I can definitely go to Dongying next month once Doctor Wen Qing gives me the Go.' Wangji smiled as he hugged his mother after putting the gift basket by her bedside. 'And who is the young lad with you?'

'A-niang...let me introduce you.' said Wangji. 'Wei Ying, Wei Wuxian...I hope to marry him one day.' his mother's reaction was comedy gold.

'...to be fair he confessed to me first.' said Wuxian wryly. 'I did not see that coming from er-gege.' he said sitting with the pair. 'We have it a little...complicated.' he said. 'I spent quite the time piecing things out and letting it sink in because I was on the road all my life as my family are Rogue Cultivators. My social life is as dead as his.' that made Madam Lan laugh feebly.

'Aiya...that just means no rival for my A-Zhan then.' Madam Lan smiled, making the boys sputter, red-faced. 'I hope things go well unlike mine.'

'Mother...why were you poisoned?' Wangji asked his mother in a pained voice. Madam Lan grimaced.

'I guess I should start now...' she said, giving Wangji a letter. 'Sneak this into A-Huan's room, OK?' Wangji nodded, putting it in his qiankun pouch. 'I was a Rogue myself, A-Zhan...after I learned from my teacher who was also a Rogue. He took in many students with potential, I among them down south.' she said. 'When I was an adult and made a name for myself, I met your father when I was 18 on a night hunt. It started off friendly enough.'

'He was shy, awkward, clumsy when talking...he looked like a maiden who put rouge on.' Madam Lan snorted as the boys had an imagine spot. 'Suddenly, his visits became more frequent. He began bringing my gifts in times we meet on Hunts as it can be anywhere...he apparently, tracks me down like a hound. A friend told me what a moron I was for not seeing it. And suddenly...things changed between us. Now it was me who was the clumsy one.'

It was a typical romantic story.

'But one day, when I was 21, I saw many assassins after my life.' Madam Lan continued. 'I killed them all. I had a bad feeling because a man who is the Clan Hair of a prominent clan, is my suitor. These assassins are no doubt, political cause. I'm an eyesore. Someone within the Lan Clan wanted further power and influence by marrying their daughter to him but as long as I live, he would never look at their daughter.'

'It proved true when finally, a Lan Elder came to finish me off himself. Too bad for the bastard I'm the better fighter and Qingheng-jun saw us fight to the death. He was in shock as the man was apparently, his teacher. He asked me why, and I told him what was happening lately. He was deeply shaken. Conflicted with my murder of the man he loved as a father as well as said man attempting to kill me so he can politically marry his daughter to him...his mind was in a whirl.'

'He secretly married me as his idea of protection.' Madam Lan continued. 'When we were discovered, Qingheng-Jun told everyone that I would be his one and only wife, and that whoever wanted to harm her would have to pass through him first. In both guilt and hatred, he imprisoned me in that house since, and built a house next to mine by ten minutes away. I lost half my heart as his hatred was stronger than his love even though I was the victim in all this...when he sees me every night, it was for the sake of two children only...and after that, no more. I gave my remaining heart to my sons who I hope, will never be anything like him.'

'So the poisoner is most likely, someone close to the guy and his daughter is prime suspect.' Wuxian speculated. 'But what will you do madam? Go there as planned?'

'Yes...my heart for him is long dead, A-Xian.' said Madam Lan and she clearly meant it. 'I hope that your and A-Zhan's story won't end up like mine. I pray that your love will be happier.' she said with a sad smile. 'I'll find a future for myself in Dongying while lying about my age. And maybe, find a man who will truly love me and give me my dead heart back.'

'Mother...'

'Take this with you.' Wuxian gave her a green jade bracelet. 'It contains an illusory array that will respond to how you imagine yourself to look as a normal human ages.' he said as he also gave her a small box. 'And some spares incase that one broke.'

'Thank you.'

'Mother, before you go, please see xiongzhang after I give him the letter.' Wangji pleaded. 'Gossip is forbidden, but everyone ran their mouths that he is contemptible of everyone since.' he informed her. 'And father left seclusion to look for you and he's been out for years, angering uncle.'

'How come the ol' fuddy-duddy's pissed?' Wuxian asked him as Madam Lan burst into snorts at her son-in-law's word of choice.

'As you know, father is Sect Leader, but due to his seclusion, uncle became Regent for him.' Wangji told him. 'In the past he was annoyed with his irresponsibility regarding his Sect and his own children, foisting everything on him. That was why uncle raised us in ways to not follow his footsteps.'

'Hmph, he did, did he?' Madam Lan said coldly in contempt. 'One good lesson you got from your uncle at least!' she then sighed. 'I'll see A-Huan in my last week here, A-Zhan. I healed from poisoning in five years, and I spent the rest gaining my old shape back while eating well. This withered flower is back to life.' she said.

'Lan Zhan, I'll stay in an inn alright?' Wuxian told Wangji. 'Spend time with your mother while you still can.' he suggested. 'I'll also look out for any Lans and misdirect them from this hospital.'

'Thank you, Wei Ying.' said Wangji gratefully as Wuxian left.

xxx

A week later, Wangji came back to Cloud Recesses, sneaking a letter into his brother's house, under his blanket on his bed.

Naturally, he got a visit from his brother past Haishi. He waited, obviously.

'A-Zhan.' he walked in a rush and he was clearly shaken. 'You knew...how long?'

'...I looked where our clan will never look into...and I had to sneak around a lot in order to help her better.' said Wangji. 'And everything else is in there. The truth only the elders and father know. I don't know if uncle knows, but I don't want to ask.' he said. Xichen gripped the letter tightly. 'What will you do?'

'I will wait until the Guest Lectures begin before I act.' said Xichen, shaking where he stood. 'I wish to see mother but as Sect Heir, I have many eyes on me. These watchful eyes will only lax when there are guests about. That should be sufficient time to go Night-Hunting for mother as everyone else did.'

Unknown to Xichen, the truth was a lot edited in his case, but the end remains the same. It was Madam Lan and Wuxian who forged 'a fake story' to cover up for Wangji who masterminded his mother's flight at four years old as Wangji can't lie worth a damn.

'Mm...and mother's only wish for us is for us to never repeat their story, xiongzhang.' said Wangji. 'You should love who your heart chose. We only have one Fated. Our treasure. They failed once, they'll definitely try again on you more than me.'

'Mm...by the way, where's your ribbon?!'

'...I gave it to my intended.' Xichen's eyes widened.

'W-Wangji?! Does uncle know?!'

'He knows and he looked like he was made to smell socks...I'm a cutsleeve as my heart chose a man. Cangse Sanren's son Wei Ying, Wei Wuxian. I will marry him when we're 18.'

'Well, at least you did one thing right...we Lans are different from everyone but apparently, some elders are choosing to go native.' Xichen frowned. 'No wonder mother said our clan's hypocritical...looks like I must find who has half my heart as well and give it before anyone gets any funny ideas.'

xxx

And so, it begins.

The night before the entrance to Cloud Recesses opens...

The Twin Jades visited a certain guy's apartment at night.

'Its time already eh? For a little make-up?' Wuxian grinned, looking like he's going to have fun real soon. Xichen eyed the man who has his brother's heart...and wore his ribbon on his left forearm, like a bandage. The son of the famed Cangse Sanren, one of the strongest female cultivators in the land.

Her son is just as talented, by the looks of his skin alone. He is also well-groomed and very clean with himself. But carries the smell of wine as he has...ten jars of the stuff.

'You're into this as well aren't you?'

'Heheh, I met my fiancee's mother...she was wasted in a glorified birdcage.' said Wuxian, taking out a pack from another chair. 'An unhappy bird will peck their way to freedom and soar for the sky.' Inside the pack, was clothes and a pair of clean shoes.

'...'

He took off his robes and wore the clothes given to him, and he tied all his hair into a bun, while keeping his ribbon with his clothes. He only kept his jade token for money, and wrapped his sword in a cloth.

'Ahahaha...I never thought I'd look this different...' said Xichen, looking at himself before a mirror. He could not believe that the reflection, was himself.

'Only Sect Leaders, Heirs and a few assistants knows what you look like. You Lans hardly go out so your identities are mostly secret~' said Wuxian with a mischievous smile. 'This factor is veeeery handy for a little incognito mission!' he said as Wangji put away his brother's clothes. 'Did Lan Zhan tell you where?'

'Mm.' said Xichen. 'I too, will accompany mother to Nanyi Port...and see her off.' he said. 'Mother suffered enough. Wangji, aren't you coming?' Wangji shook his head.

'I want to be fair.' said Wangji. 'One week with mother, so should you.' he said. 'Next time we meet...we may have little siblings from a stepfather and that's fine with me too.'

'Wangji...'

Xichen then left, exploiting the darkness of the night so Xichen can fly as fast as he can, unseen.

'There he goes.' said Wuxian as they watched him go by the outskirts of the town, disguised as commoners.

'Mm.' said Wangji, wrapping his arms around Wuxian's waist. 'Its his turn to be with her now. He has it longer without her as well, being older.'

'So sweet~'

'I am husband. I should be sweet to my spouse.' Wuxian put a tomato to shame. 'I will never hurt or upset Wei Ying.'

"D-Does that make me the wife now?!"

xxx

Next day...because Wuxian has no ties to the Jiang any more, he avoided a certain...incident as its none of his business now. Besides, no matter what happens, peacock will still marry shijie for love. But still, he needs a beating for a wake-up call. That's Jiang Cheng's job now, not his.

He would miss them though.

For now, he wants to invest on a friendship with Huaisang out of gratitude for this second chance at life.