Author Notes: Hello again, everyone! Enjoy the next chapter :)

- Chapter Start -

Yang WuXie had always thought of himself as a pragmatic person, one who used logic and reasoning to come up with sound solutions. He was also a man of his word so he ignored his awkwardness, thanked Liu LianXin again for the hairpin and assured her that she would get to see him give it to Su MengZhen. After dinner and in private, of course.

Liu LianXin thanked him in turn and excused herself, saying she wanted to meet the others before dinner. She also promised not to say anything about the gift.

Once he was alone, Yang WuXie's brave smile morphed into a grimace. He ran a hand down his face and sighed. Marriage was supposed to change one for the better, not make them blurt out words without thinking!

Opening his other hand, he studied the red hairpin in detail. It was as elegant and expertly crafted as his green one with one exception - the row of tiny red flowers along one side. He gave a wry grin as he ran a gentle fingertip over them. Su MengZhen would still proudly wear the hairpin for all to see and somehow, the flowers would only enhance his masculinity instead of detracting from it.

Yang WuXie found himself sighing again. Two weeks ago, a fully healed Su MengZhen decided that he wanted him as his cultivation partner. He refused to take no for an answer, dismissed Yang WuXie's protests that Lei Chun was a better candidate, and insisted that he wanted someone who understood him best and had always fought by his side.

Yang WuXie was happy that his two decades of devoted friendship and loyalty were appreciated, and that his love was returned. He still believed that Su MengZhen could do better, much better, than marrying his Military Advisor who was not only older but a worrywart as well. Except that Su MengZhen sneakily arranged for a quick ceremony the next day and Yang WuXie found the two of them making their bows before their friends and the entire House of Sunset Drizzle.

Liu LianXin was right. Su MengZhen was as determined a man just as his father had been!

Shaking his head, Yang WuXie snagged the last bao from the tray and made his way to the rooms he shared with Su MengZhen. There was still an hour left before he needed to get ready for dinner.

A nap sounded very good right now.

- o -

The large dining hall at Sunset Drizzle was crowded and noisy, filled with familiar faces and the heartwarming sounds of eating, chatting and laughter. The food was excellent and plentiful - very important since Ye BaiYi was here - and there was a bottle of good liquor at every table.

Seated at the largest round table in the front of the hall, Su MengZhen looked around and smiled. He couldn't be more contented than right this minute, restored to full health and surrounded by family, friends and trusted allies. On his right was his dear Yang WuXie followed by his two sworn brothers Bai ChouFei and Wang XiaoShi, then old Wo FuZi and his wife Cha Hua, Liu LianXin, Wen Rou, Lei Chun, Lei Sun, Di FeiJing and Ye BaiYi who sat on Su MengZhen's left.

Despite her protests, Su MengZhen insisted that Liu LianXin join his table for tonight and echoed Yang WuXie's invitation to stay for a few days.

"Da-bai, you haven't taken any vegetables." Wang XiaoShi placed two slices of lotus root in Bai ChouFei's bowl.

"I don't like lotus root." Bai ChouFei attempted to give them back, but Wang XiaoShi was faster and covered his bowl with his hand.

"Uh uh. You are going to swallow whatever I give you," he announced which made Bai ChouFei turn red at once and glare at him. Wang XiaoShi blinked at him and then he too blushed and hastily looked down.

For a moment, Su MengZhen wondered why before the smirk on Ye BaiYi's face, the shock on Di FeiJing's and the gasp from Yang WuXie clued him in. Thankfully, Wo FuZi, Lei Sun and the ladies didn't realise the double meaning.

"Little Rock is right. Here, let me!" Never one to miss an opportunity to help, Wen Rou picked up the last few slices of lotus root from the shared platter and stretched over to dump them in Bai ChouFei's bowl.

"Wen Rou, I just said I don't like this vegetable!" Bai ChouFei sounded aggrieved, making Su MengZhen wonder what sort of bad experience he had had with them.

"Wen Rou, you gave him the rest? They're my favourite," Lei Chun pouted.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Chun-jie! I'll get them back for you!" Desperate to make amends, Wen Rou stretched again, chopsticks aimed at Bai ChouFei's bowl and almost fell into Liu LianXin's lap.

"Too late, they're mine now," Ye BaiYi announced. With a blur of movement too fast to track, all the slices from Bai ChouFei's bowl ended up in his. He smirked at an affronted Wen Rou. "This is what you get when you talk more than you - hey!"

Di FeiJing proved he was just as skilled with his chopsticks as he transferred half of them to Lei Chun's bowl.

"Thank you, Di-dage." Lei Chun bestowed a gracious smile on him and they both ignored Ye BaiYi kicking up a fuss about having his food stolen from under his nose and by his lover, no less.

Snickering, Wang XiaoShi began placing slices of carrots in Bai ChouFei's bowl instead which started another round of protests. Yang WuXie, Wo FuZi and his wife decided that discretion was best and continued eating. Seeing Su MengZhen's amused grin, Lei Sun felt obliged to mutter apologies for his daughter and foster son's poor table manners. He added a sly insinuation that they were much better behaved at Six Half Hall before getting to know their new partners.

"Now, wait a minute," Ye BaiYi started.

"I agree, it's all Wen Rou's fault," Bai ChouFei quipped.

"Hey, Little Rock started it! You should just take whatever he gives, no arguing!" Wen Rou protested and blinked when Bai ChouFei and Wang XiaoShi choked and turned red again.

Su MengZhen turned to grin at Yang WuXie who cleared his throat at once.

"It appears that the House Masters of Sunset Drizzle and Six Half House are dining with a bunch of children tonight," he remarked in a louder than normal voice which put an abrupt end to the argument.

"Don't worry, I'm enjoying myself," Su MengZhen assured him, nudging him in the shoulder. His twinkling eyes lifted to Yang WuXie's hair as it so often did.

"If you keep staring at my hairpin, I'll think you want it back."

Su MengZhen's grin widened and he shook his head at once.

"I gave it to you so it's yours."

"In that case-" Yang WuXie broke off.

"In that case, what?" Su MengZhen shifted closer.

"It's nothing."

"You were about to say something." Su MengZhen leaned in.

"I'll tell you later." Yang WuXie pushed him back.

"How much later?" Su MengZhen wanted to know, crowding close again.

"Oi, who's acting like children now?" Ye BaiYi's loud voice made them both jerk apart at once.

- o -

Two hours later...

The dining hall was quiet and mostly empty. Ye BaiYi had eaten every last bit of food from the platters and all their guests had either returned home or to their rooms.

Su MengZhen didn't seem in a hurry to leave the dining hall, savouring the last bottle of wine as he chatted with Liu LianXin. Now that the pain of losing someone very dear to both of them had eased a little, they could reminisce about happier days when Su ZheMu was still alive.

Yang WuXie saw the servants hovering outside the doors, patiently waiting for them to leave so they could begin clearing up. If it were up to him, he wouldn't keep them waiting, knowing they had a lot of work to do before they could retire for the night. At the same time, he didn't want to interrupt Su MengZhen and Liu LianXin's chat.

"I'm glad you'll be staying a few more days, LianXin-jie," Su MengZhen said. "Oh, I should go go thank QingJiao-jie for providing such a feast."

"I will do that tomorrow morning," Yang WuXie promised and gave a little eye roll when Su MengZhen captured his hand. "A-Zhen, I want my hand back."

Instead, his incorrigible husband raised his hand to his lips and proceeded to kiss each fingertip.

"A-Zhen!" Yang WuXie tried to pull his hand back as his blush flared up again.

"Since LianXin-jie missed our wedding ceremony, I feel obliged to give her a small memory," Su MengZhen countered. "If it doesn't make her uncomfortable, of course."

"Not at all, House Master," Liu LianXin assured him with a wide smile. "I'm sure your parents would be happy to know you have someone so devoted and loyal to you."

"Thank you," Su MengZhen told her gravely and turned to Yang WuXie. "See? Nothing to feel shy about."

"Yes, well..."

Yang WuXie had planned to find a vacant room after dinner to give Su MengZhen the hairpin, but it was burning a hole in his pocket all evening. He couldn't wait any longer. The sooner he got this over with, the better. There was no one else in the dining hall now except for the three of them.

Taking a deep breath, he cleared his throat. Su MengZhen and Liu LianXin turned to him at once, the former with an enquiring look and the latter with an expectant one.

Yang WuXie brought out the precious silk wrapped package with his free hand. His heart was pounding and he had to unstick his tongue from the roof of his mouth before he could speak.

"A-Zhen, you gave me your mother's precious hairpin when we were married. I'm sorry to say that I completely forgot I didn't give you anything in return."

Su MengZhen started to speak, but Yang WuXie quickly shook his head.

"I know you don't mind. You also know I don't own many pretty things. I didn't even have a nice hairpin until you gave me the one I'm wearing now so..."

Further words failed him. He grabbed Su MengZhen's hand and placed the silk bundle in it, causing it to unfold. Su MengZhen stared down at the red hairpin for a long moment before looking up at him.

"This looks so familiar. Where did you get it?" His voice was hushed.

Yang WuXie glanced at Liu LianXin who was smiling at them with bright eyes.

"It belonged to your late mother. The late House Master gave it to LianXin-Jie and she gave it to me this afternoon."

Su MengZhen turned to her at once.

"LianXin-jie, this is yours. You should keep it."

Liu LianXin smiled and shook her head.

"I prefer to think that the late House Master gave it to me for safekeeping until I could give it to the person it was meant for."

Su MengZhen opened his mouth and closed it again. Then he nodded once.

"Since this was my mother's, I can't bring myself to refuse it. Thank you. What can I give you in return?"

Yang WuXie already knew what Liu LianXin's reply would be and he was right.

"A memory. I would like to see your husband presenting it to you and placing it in your hair."

"That's it?"

"That's it," Liu LianXin assured him.

"Isn't it enough?" Yang WuXie muttered. He had never done anyone's hair except his own!

"Well then," Su MengZhen turned to Yang WuXie, his eyes very bright. "I'm ready whenever you are, A-Xie."

- Chapter End -

A/N: Thank you for reading! Please leave a comment if you enjoyed it :)