Wei Ying was already in bed when Lan Zhan came in their room after putting the food away. He was turned away from him, and his face was hidden in the covers, so he was unable to tell if he were asleep or not.

He sighed as he changed into his nightclothes, wishing the day had gone much better. Then he crawled over to Wei Ying and kissed his hair. "I love you, baobei," he murmured.

Lan Zhan had just pulled the blanket over himself when he suddenly responded, startling him.

"I love you too," he whispered. "Airen?"

"Mn?"

Wei Ying moved to lay his head on his chest. "Can you hold me? Please?"

Lan Zhan nodded and wrapped his arms around him. "Mn. Anything."

"Thank you. I'm...I'm sorry, sweetheart."

"For what? You have not done anything wrong."

"But I did. I should have listened to you and chosen to stay home. If we hadn't gone over to Jiang-shushu's, Wang Lingjiao wouldn't have looked for us there, and maybe what happened earlier wouldn't have."

"You don't know that. As furious she was, I believe it would have no matter where we were."

He shifted. "Maybe...but at least she wouldn't have gotten our family involved if we hadn't gone anywhere. It was me that she wanted. What if Madam Yu had gotten hurt? Or Jiang-shushu, or everyone else? She could have hurt you too, even if we were here instead."

"You know that none of us would ever have let her do that if we could help it. And if we were at home, I would not have allowed her to come near you or in this house."

Wei Ying exhaled deeply. "I know. But I'm still sorry."

Lan Zhan rubbed his back. "Don't be. What she did is entirely her fault and not yours, baobei. She was the one who had made the decision to start trouble. And even if something had happened to us, it still would have been, so please stop blaming yourself for her actions. But we will take care of the situation tomorrow. We shall go to the police department to explain what Wang Lingjiao did and get a restraining order against her."

"But what if she meant what she said? What if she tries to follow us there?"

"Then we will need to be even more careful either way and hope that she leaves us alone. Hopefully, she will keep away from us once she realizes where we are going also."

Wei Ying knew that this probably wouldn't do any good, but they didn't have many options. They couldn't ask one of his detectives to bring a restraining order form to their house. For some reason, they could only always be filed at the police department, which really sucked.

"Okay," he conceded with a nod. "Are we still going to your uncle's house for dinner tomorrow?" he queried.

"I don't know yet. It may not be safe. But if we do, I will tell Shufu and Xiongzhang about Wang Lingjiao, and ask one of them to pick us up. That would be better, since she will not know we aren't at home."

"Unless she's watching us, or having us watched."

"Mn. We will stay home if that is the case. That she is or not will be found out as we go to the police department."

"Yeah."

Next Day

Lan Zhan was still as dubious about how everything would go as Wei Ying clearly was the following morning. He knew that they would be taking a great risk by even standing on the path in front of the house, let alone driving to the police department. However, it needed to be done. He could not allow Wang Lingjiao to harass Wei Ying or any of them again without facing the consequences for it.

His brother and Lan Qiren were quite upset when he informed them of the previous night's events. Lan Xichen told him that he would be more than willing to drive them to their uncle's house, or he could ask Meng Yao to if that was better instead.

"I could also take you both to the police department myself. I do not want either of you to run into a dangerous situation. If she or Wen Chao's gang are not scoping your house or your block, they will not even suspect that you had left," he offered.

"Mn. I will let you know, Xiongzhang. But I think that I will be able to handle it."

He knew that Wei Ying would blame himself if something happened to his brother, and frankly, so would he.

Lan Xichen grew quiet for a moment before asking in concern, "Are you sure, didi? It would be not be a problem for me. Please think it over. I can always escort you two if you don't want me to drive you and call the police if any of them show up during the trip there."

"All right. I will consider that and speak to you later."

"Thank you, Wangji. Call if you need anything else."

"Mn."

Lan Zhan woke Wei Ying up a little after ten thirty, though he was somewhat sorry that he did. He still looked tired, having slept restlessly the night before. However, he felt it was best in case it was safe for them to have dinner at his uncle's. They might be at the police department for a while, and he did not want to take the chance of being late if it was. Of course, he knew that his uncle he would not have minded due to their current circumstances.

He told him about his phone call with Lan Xichen as he ate his breakfast soon after. Wei Ying had to agree that he really didn't want him to be involved in this for his own safety, but he didn't know if it would be a good idea for them to go alone either.

"What do you think we should do? Do you think we should let him take us?" the latter queried, picking at his food nervously.

"As much as I do not wish to admit it, that or having him escort us is likely the best option," Lan Zhan replied.

"Mmm. That's true, but I hate that it is. Are you going to call him back?"

He thought it over for a moment, then nodded once. "Yes. I just hope that we do not run into trouble."

"Yeah. Me too."

Lan Xichen arrived shortly after he did. He looked tense, but smiled when he stepped inside. "Good morning," he greeted as he hugged his brother.

"Hi Er-ge," Wei Ying returned, embracing him next.

He patted his back. "How are you two today?"

"I am fine, Xiongzhang," Lan Zhan said.

Wei Ying just shrugged, but Lan Xichen understood and didn't press him further.

"Excellent. I am grateful that you are allowing me to do this, Wangji. I was beginning to think that you would not."

Lan Zhan nodded a second time. "I almost didn't. Neither of us want anything to happen to you."

"I know, didi. But I would feel terrible if something came up and you didn't have help, especially when I offered you mine."

"Mn. Was there anything or anyone suspicious outside?"

He shook his head. "Not that I or Meng Yao could see; he's in the car. He knows what Wang Lingjiao's and Wen Chao's gang members vehicles look like too, as well as his father's, and he hasn't noticed them anywhere on the street. We had circled the block a few times."

"Good. But we should be leave. I do not know how long we will take at the police department. We may be there for some time."

Lan Xichen hummed. "Yes. I will go out first and let you know if it's safe. If it is, you can follow me, but I want you both to stay in if it isn't."

Everything was clearly all right because he gestured for them to come out seconds later. Then he quickly led them over to his car, keeping a vigilant eye on their surroundings as they got in and said hello to Meng Yao. He returned them greeting politely, shaking their hands while asking how they were.

Wei Ying fiddled with his seat belt anxiously as Lan Xichen drove away from their house. Lan Zhan noticed and kissed his fingers.

"We will be all right," he murmured in reassurance.

"I hope so."

Thankfully, nothing happened at all, and they made it to the police department without incident. Lan Xichen and Meng Yao decided to remain in the parking lot and wait for them.

"Please call or send me a message when you are done," the former requested. "I shall warn you if we see Wang Lingjiao or the others close by."

"Be careful," Meng Yao added.

"Mn. Thank you," Lan Zhan said.

Fifteen minutes passed before Detective Gang was available. If he was surprised to see him and Wei Ying, it was not apparent. He was looked as grim as he did the first time they had met him. Detective Ding wasn't with him; he must have been off for the day or attending to his other duties.

He nodded after walking over to where they were standing. "Good morning, Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji. I was not expecting either of you to be here today," he remarked.

They bowed slightly and shook his proffered hand.

"Yes, I know. I apologize for not contacting you earlier," Wei Ying stated.

"It is all right. What can I help you with?" Detective Gang inquired.

Lan Zhan answered him this time. "We have an urgent matter to discuss with you. Something happened last night, and I am afraid that the situation has gotten out of hand."

His brow furrowed. "I understand. Come with me to my office, please. We can talk about it there."

Wei Ying and Lan Zhan wasted no time in explaining the ruckus Wang Lingjiao had caused at Uncle Jiang's house once they were. It turned out that Detective Gang was already aware of it, but he still listened as they told him what happened in more detail.

"Did she bring anyone else along with her?" he questioned in a serious voice.

"Not that we know of. If she did, they were hiding somewhere," Wei Ying responded.

"I see. And did she attempt to come in the house?"

He pursed his lips. "I don't know. She might have if Madam Yu hadn't stopped her, or perhaps she would have just gone up to the window."

Detective Gang nodded. "It is a relief that Madam Yu did. Did Wang Lingjiao break the window at any point? Were any of you injured?"

"No. We were unharmed, though I am surprised that it was not broken. She had thrown both rocks quite hard."

"That is good that none of you were. I have no trouble in helping you two file a restraining order against her. And for your safety, do you want it to include Wen Ruohan and his Wen Chao's gang members as well?"

Wei Ying nodded. "Yes, please, if it isn't any trouble," he replied.

"Of course it isn't. The last thing you need is for one of them to cause trouble for you next, or for Wang Lingjiao to give you more. And if any of your family or friends feel the need for one too, let them know that they are more than welcome to file one."

"Thank you."

Detective Gang then retrieved the paperwork they needed, waiting patiently as they filled them out. He took them after they were finished and put them away.

"I will put these in the system and take care of everything for you," he remarked as they stood to leave. "Let me take you back downstairs. You may get lost in here, and I can keep an eye out as you go to your car. You did manage to get here without a problem, I hope?"

"Yes, thankfully. My brother and his husband drove us here. They are concerned for our safety after what happened last night," Lan Zhan murmured.

"It is good that they did. You may not have arrived here without trouble if they had not. Someone may be trying to have you followed."

"Mn."

"And do not forget to call me or my partner if you see any one of them. We will help you immediately."

Wei Ying and Lan Zhan nodded.

Once they were led to the front entrance, Detective Gang shook their hands and remained there. He kept an eye on them and the area around the parking lot as they walked over to Lan Xichen's car. Lan Zhan had already received a text from him stating that the coast was clear, but they would rather be safe than sorry.

The owner of said vehicle gave them a small smile when they stepped inside. "Did everything go well? Were you able to file the restraining order?" he queried.

"Yes," Lan Zhan replied.

"Good. I called Shufu not long before A-Yao and I picked you up. He said I may take you and Wei Ying straight over to his house for lunch and dinner if you left the police department early enough. But he will understand if you only want to be there for dinner."

Lan Zhan gave Wei Ying a questioning look. The latter didn't respond at first. He was surprised that their uncle had agreed to let them come sooner. He rarely, if ever, saw eye-to eye with him on anything. As much as Wei Ying liked to tease and playfully hassle him, he was aware that Lan Qiren just barely tolerated him for Lan Zhan's sake. He also knew that he was only allowing them to be married because Lan Zhan all but respectfully threatened to elope with him if he refused to. Lan Qiren knew how stubborn his nephew could be, and Lan Zhan was certainly not going to take "no" for an answer in this instance.

Wei Ying could only imagine what he thought of him now after what happened. He knew that it probably wasn't good, whatever it was.

After a few moments, he decided to take him up on his offer despite his reluctance. At least he wouldn't be sitting around at home feeling nervous about who would might give him and Lan Zhan trouble next. Of course, he didn't know if it would be much better at his uncle's house.

"Sure. That's all right with me," he said in a quiet voice.

Lan Zhan inclined his head. "Mn. I am not opposed to going early either. I will ask our next-door neighbor Mr. Lai to keep watch on our house and car for us. He will contact me if anything happens."

"Very well. We should get going, then. We do not want to linger here," Lan Xichen admonished.

The trip to their uncle's house was short due to the fact that it wasn't far from the police department. Mr. Lai assured Lan Zhan that everything was fine while they were on their way there and promised to let him know if he saw anyone or anything suspicious. He didn't ask why this was requested of him, but Wei Ying and Lan Zhan knew that he wouldn't. Mr. Lai stayed out of other people's business most of the time.

Lan Qiren must have heard Lan Xichen parking his car after they arrived minutes later; he opened the door when everybody stepped out of it. Wei Ying noticed his tense expression and couldn't help but feel guilty. It wouldn't like this if he and Lan Zhan had remained at home yesterday. Perhaps Wang Lingjiao wouldn't have bothered them and his family, then.

"Good afternoon," Lan Qiren declared in a serious voice when they drew level with him. He stepped back to let them in and closed the door. "I hope that you did not have any trouble getting here?"

With a bow, Lan Xichen returned, "Hello, Shufu. No, we had none. Everything has been pretty calm so far."

He inclined his head. "That is good. Wangji," he added as his younger nephew bowed to him next.

"Shufu. Are you well?" he queried.

"As well as can be expected. Thank you."

Wei Ying approached him after Meng Yao greeted him. The former didn't make eye contact as he bowed to him without a word. He knew that he was probably being judged and was not in the mood to see the dislike in his eyes.

Lan Qiren rose an eyebrow at this. His greetings were typically more exuberant than this. Too exuberant, in his opinion. But as much as he didn't care for them, the silent one he gave him seemed...worse, somehow.

Of course, he should have anticipated this after what had happened to him. He couldn't help but feel sorry that it did. Even though he disapproved of Wei Ying, the last thing he wanted was for him to actually suffer. He had been horrified when Lan Xichen told him that Wen Chao had attacked and assaulted him. That was something he never, ever deserved.

And while Lan Zhan did not show it, Lan Qiren could see how terribly this was affecting him. His face was more drawn than usual, and he also looked tired; it was clear that he had not been sleeping well.

In spite of how much Wei Ying exasperated him to no end, and how much of a recalcitrant he was, Lan Qiren knew deep down that he meant well.

He did not say this or comment on how quiet he was, however. Instead, he nodded again. "How are you today, Wei Wuxian?" he inquired.

"I'm all right, I guess. Thank you," he mumbled. Then he stood next to Lan Zhan.

Lan Qiren hummed, sensing that it would best not to pry further or ask more questions. To be honest, he really did not know what else to say to him. And even if he did, he would have preferred to talk to him alone.

"I see. Well, lunch is already prepared. I suppose you are hungry," he announced to him and the others.

Everybody inclined their heads and joined him in the dining room. The food that was already on the table was steaming, indicating that he set it out only moments before they arrived.

The meal was a quiet one as it nearly always was. No one spoke as they ate. But instead of the tranquil silence that usually pervaded the room, it was replaced with a strained one. They were all feeling rather on edge, as if they were waiting for something to happen any second now.

Wei Ying, in particular, became so uncomfortable that he wished that Lan Qiren would disregard his "No talking while eating" rule just for today. He didn't, though, knowing that he would be upset if he spoke in the first place. Plus, he would refuse to anyway.

Little did he have any idea that Lan Qiren actually almost allowed them to talk. Almost. For once, he could not bear the silence either. Nevertheless, he decided against it. Everybody would have thought he had cracked if he did, especially his nephews. He wondered if he himself was losing his mind for even considering it. He could imagine how mercilessly Wei Ying would have teased him - on any other day, that is - if he had the ability to read his thoughts.

Fortunately, it was not much longer before they were finished eating. Lan Zhan and Lan Xichen assisted their uncle with the dishes since it was their turn to do so this Sunday. Wei Ying and Meng Yao wiped the table down before going to the living room.

"Do you want to play a game of Xiangqi with me, Wei Wuxian? I bet I'll beat you again this time," the latter challenged.

They would often play board games whenever they were there. None of them watched television unless Lan Qiren gave them permission to. Even then, the channels were set on stations that only he approved of, which meant that a greater number of the shows they could watch were boring as hell.

Of course, Wei Ying would also play pranks on Lan Qiren whenever he had the notion to. Meng Yao would join him occasionally, helping him carry them out with a level of stealth and sneakiness that even he didn't have. Plus, he was lighter on his feet. Together, they made a good - if not dangerous - team.

Wei Ying smiled for the first time that day. "Oh, please. You only won last week because you cheated!" he joked.

Meng Yao chuckled. "No, I won because I played better than you," he retorted smoothly.

"Maybe. I'll admit that you are good, but I still beat you in most of the games we play. I know I will this time!"

"We'll see about that."

They took the game off of the shelf it was on and set it up.

"Seriously, though. How are you?" Meng Yao inquired while they did. "You have barely said a word all day, not counting lunch. And you didn't seem all right when Lan-shufu asked."

Wei Ying exhaled deeply. He wasn't surprised that he noticed this, but he really wished that he wasn't so perceptive right then.

"I could be better. Some days are okay, but on others...I feel like shit. It's been tough with everything that's been going on. But I'll be fine, A-Yao," he replied.

He nodded pensively. "Believe me, I understand...more than you might think. As I said in the message I sent the other day, you can always speak or vent to me or Huan-ge. But you know that neither of us will pressure you if you aren't comfortable with that. Or, if you want, you can talk to A-Niang. She could help you more than I can."

Wei Ying knew that his mother, Meng Shi, had been a prostitute when he was a child. Like Lan Xichen, he never judged him for it any more than they judged her. They understood why she made the choices she did. She recently quit, however, and was now working at a store in the city's mall.

"Oh. Does she...does she know about what happened to me?" he asked.

"No. I didn't tell her out of respect for your privacy. Plus, I didn't want to because it would only bring up memories that she would rather forget."

Wei Ying's mouth fell a little. The idea of her going through the same thing filled him with shock and dismay. She was a kind woman despite everything, and she loved Meng Yao very much. She never mistreated him and raised him as well as she could. Why would anybody want to hurt her?

After a moment, he hesitated. "Well...I don't know. Maybe not anytime soon. I don't want her to relive those either."

Meng Yao clapped his shoulder. "I understand," he repeated. "I just wanted to put that out there. I won't tell her if you prefer that I don't."

"I appreciate you trying to help, though. Really, I do." Then he sat down. "But let's think about this later. Come on. Let's see who will win today. And no cheating this time!"

"Bring it on."

Meanwhile, several minutes earlier, the three Lans were also having a discussion about Wei Ying in the kitchen.

"I never thought I would see the day when he was not chattering incessantly, barring when he is playing tricks on me," Lan Qiren commented as he washed a plate. "But I am not happy about it due to the reason why he is. If it were for any other, it would be different."

Lan Xichen sighed. "I agree, Shufu. As I mentioned to you before, he is not himself, and I do not like it at all. He barely spoke to me or A-Yao after I came to pick him and Wangji up this morning. Before we were on the way here, he only did once," he remarked. Then he turned to Lan Zhan. "How has Wei Ying been at home since I visited on Tuesday, didi?"

He dried a cup he handed to him. "There are moments when he is the same as always. But most of the time, he is understandably anxious and depressed. He is often tired and withdrawn as well. And ever since Jiang Wanyin and Wen Qionglin confronted Wen Chao, and what happened last night, he is even more so. He blames himself both incidents, even though isn't his fault."

Leaning forward, Lan Qiren queried in concern, "And what about you, Wangji? How are you? How are you handling everything?"

"I admit that it has been very hard for me. I hate seeing him in pain like this. He does not deserve to suffer in this way. But I will be all right, Shufu. I am doing my best to help him when he needs it. Only I do not think it will be enough in the long run."

"Has he considered going into therapy, or perhaps even joining a support group? There is one here in the city."

Lan Zhan bobbed his head. "Our doctor gave him the phone number of a therapist he knows, but Wei Ying has not contacted them yet."

He frowned. "Why not?"

"I do not know, but I told him that he should not be afraid to. I hope he considers it more soon."

Lan Xichen patted his back. "So do I. And I hope that everything will calm down as far as the situation with Wang Lingjiao goes. That includes Wen Chao's father and his gang members too."

"Mn."

Once all of the dishes had been dried and put away, Lan Qiren went to his office to do some paperwork. Lan Zhan and his brother left to find Wei Ying and Meng Yao.

They didn't have to search far; their fiancé and husband were playing Xiangqi in the living room. From the looks of it, they were well into their game. Lan Zhan and Lan Xichen sat down quietly so as not to disturb them.

So far, Wei Ying and Meng Yao were evenly matched. This was not surprising; they were both quite skilled. Lan Zhan almost smiled when he noticed that Wei Ying was having fun. It was as if it a long time had passed since he had truly enjoyed doing anything.

He and his brother watched as they took their time, thinking over each move carefully before making it. If one of them was lucky, they managed to capture a piece from the other.

"Who do you think will win?" Lan Xichen questioned with interest.

Lan Zhan peered at the board closely. "From what I can see, Wei Ying has a slight advantage over Meng Yao. But it can still go either way." he pointed out.

"Mmm. Yes. That is what happened last time."

Wei Ying glared at Lan Xichen playfully. "What happened was that your husband cheated. The scamp just won't admit it."

Meng Yao snorted. "I have no need to cheat when I'm as good as you. It's not my fault you can't handle losing."

He stuck his tongue at him.

"Ah, there is the Wei Ying we know," Lan Xichen observed, chuckling gently at their bickering. "Happy to see him."

Lan Zhan nodded in agreement, giving him a loving look.

With a tiny smile, Wei Ying returned his attention to the game.

Lan Zhan checked his phone occasionally as he continued to watch them to see if Mr. Lai had texted him. He sent a couple messages, letting him know that everything was all right. There was no sign of Wang Lingjiao or anyone else who looked suspicious. He felt relieved about that. The last thing he wanted or needed was for something to happen to the house or the car.

The game became tense near the end of it. Wei Ying had kept the upper hand for a while, but Meng Yao drew even with him halfway through. If it was difficult to tell which one of them would win earlier, it was impossible to now. Before everybody knew it, they only had one piece left. They stared at each other with narrowed eyes, waiting for just wrong move to be made.

All of them were taken aback when it ended in a draw. That was something that rarely happened for any of them. Still, they were amused when Wei Ying smacked Meng Yao's piece off of the board, saying that it wasn't a draw anymore. It was just like old times.

Lan Qiren checked on them before making dinner while his nephews were playing their own game. It lasted longer than theirs, with Lan Xichen eventually winning, though Lan Zhan had almost defeated him. The former then excused himself and helped his uncle in the kitchen.

Dinner was just as quiet as lunch had been, but the silence was amicable this time. Wei Ying and Meng Yao took care of the dishes with Lan Qiren afterwards since their fiancé and husband did already. The latter then joined them in the living room so that he could watch the evening news.

Wei Ying spent that hour updating Jiang Yanli on the events of the day and looking at stuff on his phone. He didn't care much for the news unless it was really important. The last thing he was in the mood for was to hear about something else terrible happening. Enough was going on in his own life as it was.

They got ready to leave after seven o'clock. Lan Zhan contacted their neighbor to make sure that it was safe for them to go home. Mr. Lai informed him that it was minutes later, noting that their block had been peaceful all day.

Nevertheless, Lan Xichen was still cautious. He and Meng Yao went outside first after saying good-bye to Lan Qiren. Wei Ying and Lan Zhan did next, slightly bowing to him.

"I will call you once we are in the house, Shufu. And I will see you at the firm on Tuesday," the latter said.

"Please do. Good-bye, Wangji and Wei Wuxian. Be careful out there," Lan Qiren admonished.

They bowed to him again and turned to leave.

"Wei Wuxian," he suddenly called out.

Wei Ying faced him. "Yes?" he replied.

"Are you forgetting something?"

He frowned in bewilderment. It wasn't likely that he did. All he brought with him was his phone.

Lan Qiren's eyebrows rose. "No kisses today?"

Comprehension dawned in his expression after staring at him for another moment.

Ah. That.

Wei Ying was surprised that he mentioned this. Lan Qiren couldn't stand it when he gave him kisses. The first time he had dared to, he angrily wiped off his face and shouted at him. But he was so used to it at this point - somewhat - that he would just glare at him before shaking his head with irritation. However, Wei Ying just did it to see if he would loosen up a bit. Even though he was strict old fuddy-duddy, he still had a great deal of respect for him, especially since he would be marrying his nephew.

Looking at his feet, he shook his head. "No...no kisses. You don't have to worry about me doing that anymore. I know you hate it," he whispered.

Besides, he would probably be disgusted if he had, and he wouldn't blame him at all.

Lan Qiren frowned. It was not as if he was wrong, of course. He did not understand why he brought this up either. After all, it wasn't as if he wanted a kiss from him.

However, something was not right about his response. It made him feel rather uneasy. Gazing at Lan Zhan, he noticed that he too looked concerned.

"Wei Wuxian, are you sure that you are all right?" the former queried, honestly starting to feel worried himself. This behavior really wasn't characteristic of him.

"Yes. I'm fine," he mumbled. He didn't know why he cared if he was or not. He didn't like him anyway. "Well...we better get going. We don't want to keep Er-ge waiting."

"...All right. If either of you need anything, please call me. And remember to call me once you are home, Wangji."

Lan Zhan nodded. "I will, Shufu. Good-bye."

"Good-bye, Shufu," Wei Ying added.

Lan Qiren inclined his head.

As Lan Xichen drove them to their place, he asked how they would be getting to school the next day. He didn't think that they should go by themselves, knowing that they could still run into trouble.

"I can take you both there since A-Yao has classes tomorrow too. I can also drop him and Wei Ying off on Tuesday and bring you to work with me," he suggested to his brother.

"Mmm. I will think about it and let you know, Xiongzhang. But I do not want to take up too much of your time," Lan Zhan replied.

"Nonsense, didi. I do not mind. It would be on my conscience if you two went alone and something happened."

"I understand that, but I would feel just as guilty if you ended up hurt for trying to help us."

Lan Xichen pursed his lips. "It is a risk I have already undertaken willingly. If you do decide to go by yourselves, please be as safe as you can."

"We will."

Once he had parked in front of their house, he and Meng Yao walked Wei Ying and Lan Zhan up to the door.

"Go in, quickly. I will call you in the morning. And no matter what, be mindful of your surroundings," Lan Xichen said, hugging the latter two.

"Mn. Please have a safe trip home, Xiongzhang. I will let you know whether or not to drive us to school. If nothing else, you may escort us there."

"That sounds fine. Thank you."

Meng Yao shook Lan Zhan's hand after that, then hugged Wei Ying briefly. "See you later, Wei Wuxian. Don't forget what I told you about my mother."

"I won't. Good night, A-Yao."

And on that note, he and Lan Zhan went inside, and waved as Lan Xichen and Meng Yao drove away before closing the door.

Author's note: Hello, everyone! Long time, no see. I hope that you are all well and that you enjoyed the chapter. I plan to start writing the next one at some point tomorrow. Oh, and for those of you who don't know, Xiangqi is Chinese Chess.

If I do not have the next chapter posted by the 27th, I just want to say Happy Third Anniversary to The Untamed! I really don't know what my life would be like if I hadn't seen it! See you all soon! Until next time!