We Were Who We Should Have Been (MDZS)

by TheCompanyIKeep

Xue Yang has returned, and he's angry. In a series of convoluted events, an unlikely team forms to deal with the unruly demonic cultivator. It's time for Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng to work together again, but can they manage it? Can Lan Xichen move on from past betrayals? And can Jin Ling and Jiang Cheng come to terms with their new self-realizations?

52. Attempt the Impossible

It was the last day that everyone would spend in Jinlintai. And it was already decided to be a bad day.

As it turned out, Wei Wuxian had gone around asking everyone to stay a bit longer so that any who wanted to be there for the ceremony could be.

They were saying goodbye to Wen Ning today.

And Sizhui had asked both Jingyi and Jin Ling to be there.

Jin Ling wasn't sure it was entirely appropriate for him to show his face, though. He'd spent so long hating the Ghost General who'd killed his father. It was still very strange to be around him now that he knew the truth.

He'd expressed his concerns to Sizhui, but Sizhui assured him it would be fine. He'd told him that Wen Ning harbored no ill feelings toward Jin Ling and that he might actually appreciate him being there.

Jin Ling wasn't so sure.

He walked alone through the halls. They were to meet at the outskirts of the city, far from anyone who might disturb their ceremony.

Jin Ling had no idea what Sizhui and Wei Wuxian had prepared. But he'd given them access to anything they needed in the palace. And for the past day or so, he'd seen them every once in a while, dragging supplies off to the woods.

"-stupid, Jiang Cheng!"

Jin Ling stopped dead in his tracks. He hadn't been paying attention to where he was and had accidentally taken the route through the palace that brought him past the guest rooms where everyone had been staying.

His uncle's door was ajar and Wei Wuxian's raised voice could be heard quite clearly from outside.

"It isn't stupid!" Jiang Cheng shouted back at him. "I shouldn't be there! I don't know why you would try to convince me otherwise!"

"If you don't make a scene, he won't care!"

"If he won't care one way or the other, why should I go?!"

Jin Ling debated whether or not to move along. It was obviously a conversation that no one was intended to hear (no matter how loudly they'd decided to have it).

But curiosity got the better of him and he pressed himself against the wall to make it less likely that they might see him outside.

"I thought you were turning over a new leaf or something!" Wei Wuxian said heatedly. "I thought you were 'setting things right' or whatever!"

"I'm trying!"

"So, set this right!"

Set what right? What were they talking about?

Jin Ling leaned in closer to listen even though he could hear them just fine.

"There is nothing I can say or do to make anything right with Wen Ning," Jiang Cheng said quietly. "It's best that I leave him alone."

"This is your last chance to talk to him, Jiang Cheng. You'll never be able to talk to Wen Qing, but did he not help you just as much?"

"Yes, I know!" Jiang Cheng screamed. "I owe everything to them! I owe everything to you! Do you think I don't know that?! Do you think I appreciate you reminding me of it all the time?!"

"If I don't remind you," Wei Wuxian said firmly, "how are you going to remember to say the things you want to say?"

"He doesn't care what I think of him! I have nothing to offer him! And I'm not going down there just to talk and make myself feel better!"

"Jiang Cheng," Wei Wuxian pleaded, "this is killing you. He'll forgive you if you-"

"For fuck's sake, Wei Wuxian!" Jiang Cheng bellowed. "How many times do I have to tell you that I don't want to be forgiven?! So what if it's killing me?! That's what I deserve - more than I deserve, really! Let me pay the price for my own mistakes! You can't fix everything for me!"

"What? Too scared to go? Is that it?"

"I know what you're doing," Jiang Cheng said darkly. "It's not going to work."

"That's the brilliance of it," Wei Wuxian said cheerily. "Whether you know that I'm baiting you or not, it doesn't matter. Your competitive spirit just can't let it slide."

"I'm not going. That's final."

"Just thank him and apologize. He'll appreciate it. I know he will."

"I'M NOT FUCKING GOING!"

Something crashed inside the room. Jin Ling jumped and then hurried away to hide down the next hallway as he heard footsteps approach.

Wei Wuxian threw open the door and leapt outside with all of the extravagance and flair that he usually had. He seemed in good spirits for what had sounded like such a serious discussion.

He turned around and hollered back inside, "I thought you already got in trouble for breaking Jin Ling's stuff!"

"The next thing I'll break will be your legs if you don't get the fuck out of here!"

"I'll tell Jin Ling to save a seat for you, shall I?"

Jin Ling cringed in anticipation. Sure enough, a metal pan came shooting out of the open doorway, straight at Wei Wuxian's torso. He dodged it smoothly.

"Stop being too proud to apologize!" Wei Wuxian yelled. "No shame in being scared! Only in letting your fear rule you!"

"We'll be planning your funeral next, mark my words!"

"Fine! I'm going!" Wei Wuxian brushed off his clothes. Jin Ling caught the flash of a smirk on his face just before he called over his shoulder, "I'll see you out there!"

"FUCK OFF!"

He cackled and practically skipped down the hallway toward Jin Ling's hiding spot. Jin Ling considered running off, so he wouldn't notice him. But at the last second, he changed his mind.

"What was that about?" he asked, stepping out and trying to make it seem as if he'd only just gotten there.

Wei Wuxian wasn't fooled, though.

After his initial surprise had passed, he narrowed his eyes at Jin Ling. "How much of that did you hear?"

"Enough to know my uncle has some debt to pay to the Ghost General, and I want to know what it is."

"Ah, so you've been eavesdropping for a while then."

"Not for very long!" Jin Ling insisted. "Besides, can it be called eavesdropping when I don't have to strain to hear it at all?"

Wei Wuxian put his hands on his hips. "You didn't need to stick around to listen."

"Shut up."

"Yeah sure," Wei Wuxian said, heading off down the hall. "I have better things to be doing anyway."

"Wait!"

Jin Ling jogged to catch up. Wei Wuxian looked askance at him.

"You're going to the ceremony?" he asked.

"Yes," Jin Ling said crossly. "What? Am I not supposed to? Are you going to bar me from it?"

"Not at all," said Wei Wuxian. "I'm glad you're going. I wish your uncle could get over himself enough to join us. I think he will, though. If I just give him some space. We'll have to stall for a bit until he can get the idea through his thick skull. Are you up to help me with that?"

"What?"

"Help me stall the ceremony, Jin Ling. Goodness! Try to keep up here!"

Jin Ling frowned. "You planned it, didn't you? You can stall it if you want."

Wei Wuxian impatiently waved his words away. "Never mind. It's fine. He'll be there."

"I really don't think he will be."

"Oh, he will be. Trust me."

Jin Ling gave him a skeptical look, but Wei Wuxian just winked at him.

"Why are you so happy?" Jin Ling asked. "Shouldn't you be sad?"

Wei Wuxian chuckled, but his smile faltered. Only for a moment, but Jin Ling saw it.

"Why should I be sad?"

"I thought you were close with the Ghost General?"

"I was," Wei Wuxian said. "I am. But that's precisely why I should be in good spirits today. I get to right a terrible wrong of mine. Not many people have the opportunity to do that."

Right a terrible wrong? What was he talking about? Was it so wrong to have given Wen Ning a second chance at life? He was being very strange - more so than was normal for him.

"Have you been drinking?" Jin Ling asked.

Wei Wuxian laughed. "Of course not! I have something important to do today and you think I'd be drinking?"

"Let me smell your breath."

"Now who's behaving strangely?!"

"You're not going if you're drunk," Jin Ling said sternly. "I'll make you stay here to sober up so you don't make a mess of everything."

"As I am known to do," Wei Wuxian said with another wink. "I didn't realize you cared so much for Wen Ning. I'm proud of you. That's real growth."

"It's not..." Jin Ling paused, rethinking his words to be sure he didn't say something rude. "I like the Ghost General as much as anyone, but it's not about him exactly..."

Wei Wuxian gave him a knowing look. "A-Yuan, yes?"

Jin Ling picked at his sleeve, trying to come up with a way to agree without making Wei Wuxian suspicious about the nature of his relationship with Sizhui.

Before he could, Wei Wuxian clapped him on the shoulder. "I'm glad to see you're just as willing to protect him as he is you. That's important."

"Important for what?"

"A friendship," Wei Wuxian said. He then lowered his voice to whisper scandalously, "Or something more."

Jin Ling threw his hand off his shoulder. "Ridiculous! Who's been spreading rumors?!"

A couple disciples looked their direction but asked no questions as they passed.

Wei Wuxian pressed his palm to his forehead. "No one told me anything! But I do have functioning eyes, Jin Ling. Who was it who collected you from that laboratory? I saw them. Though I had suspected before."

Was there any sense in arguing? Jin Ling remembered what Luo Qingyang had said about people who knew what to look for and people who had no idea. Wei Wuxian would know what to look for. Unfortunately.

"All talk!" Jin Ling snapped. "Say what you want. No one here will believe you."

"Think I don't know that?" Wei Wuxian said, exasperated. "I'm not out here running my mouth. It'll stay between us."

Jin Ling scowled. Then begrudgingly said, "Thanks."

"And," Wei Wuxian said devilishly, "if you want advice on anything, you can-"

"Stop! No!" Jin Ling cried, slamming his hands down over his ears. "I'm not asking you for advice. Ever."

Wei Wuxian tugged at Jin Ling's sleeve. Tentatively, he uncovered his ears.

"I was going to say if you want advice on anything, you can ask Hanguang-jun. He's the real expert between us."

"NO! I DON'T NEED TO HEAR THIS!"

Wei Wuxian cackled as Jin Ling clamped his hands back down and hurried forward so he wouldn't have to walk with him.

He stepped outside alone, allowing the door to close on Wei Wuxian behind him. The sun was bright and hot. A cool breeze tugged at his hair and clothes. White peonies bowed as he passed them, mimicking the disciples that moved around him as they headed inside from training.

Jin Ling pulled Suihua from his belt, preparing to fly out to meet Jingyi and Sizhui. But he paused, sword hovering in the air in front of him.

"Don't know where to go, do you?" said a sly voice at his shoulder.

He turned to find Wei Wuxian twirling Chenqing lazily between his fingers.

"If you weren't so secretive about where we're all to meet, I would be there by now," Jin Ling said hotly.

"Are you going to keep complaining, or are you going to follow me?" Wei Wuxian asked, pulling Suibian free to hover beside Suihua.

The two swords glinted blindingly in the light.

"I can complain and follow you," Jin Ling grumbled, hopping lightly onto Suihua.

"I have such a talented nephew. Lucky me."

Wei Wuxian took off, but Jin Ling idled.

Nephew? The word sounded strange coming from his mouth. He hadn't expected it.

"I thought you could complain and fly at the same time!" Wei Wuxian called back at him. "You aren't doing either of those things!"

"Watch me!"

As Jin Ling caught up to him and proceeded to race him out of the city, he realized that the word 'nephew' really didn't sound that strange at all. He imagined it was precisely the term that his mother would have wanted for them. So, by the time they'd landed, he'd resigned not to tell Wei Wuxian off for using it. He did, however, complain to him as promised.

They touched down at the edge of the woods beside a farmer's field. The farmhouse was visible in the distance, but there was no one around in either direction even though the dirt road they stood on wasn't particularly narrow. Jin Ling wondered if Wei Wuxian had gone through the trouble of blocking it off somehow.

Hanging low in the trees were two red paper lanterns. They jostled against the branches when caught by the wind. A little farther back, Jin Ling saw another pair, and then another pair behind that.

"Follow them," Wei Wuxian said. Although he'd smiled when he'd spoken, his tone was much heavier than it had been back in Jinlintai.

Jin Ling nodded and walked into the forest.

They didn't speak. And with each step, Jin Ling began to feel more and more like he shouldn't be there.

This was a private affair. It should have been for Wen Ning, Wei Wuxian, and Sizhui. Jin Ling didn't belong there. He was imposing.

As if he could read his mind, Wei Wuxian said quietly, "Sizhui will be happy to see you."

"How long has he been out here?" Jin Ling asked, glancing over at him.

Wei Wuxian shrugged. "Since he woke, I think."

"Is he... all right?"

"He'll be okay. Just try to cheer him up. This should be happy. Wen Ning wants it to be happy."

"How can it be?"

Wei Wuxian made a face at him. "We're saying farewell to someone who is ready to leave. He's ready to move on. Shouldn't we be happy that he can go to be at peace?"

"But he's not just leaving," Jin Ling insisted. "He's dying."

"He's been dead for a very long time, Jin Ling," Wei Wuxian said. "His family is gone - well - practically gone, and he can't live a normal life as a corpse. He can't talk to other people. He can't walk around and enjoy the delights of the city."

"He can talk to us!"

"And when we're gone, who will he have?" Wei Wuxian asked.

"If we achieve immortality-"

"And if he wanted to be with other people. If we fight and cannot reconcile, who would he turn to?"

"..."

"He's been dead for a very long time," Wei Wuxian repeated. "And he doesn't want to be here to see anyone else he cares about die. Can you understand this?"

The forest grew darker and denser. Long slender branches reached across the thin dirt path to brush Jin Ling's cheeks. It was almost welcoming, beckoning him forward into the quiet. Those little red lanterns illuminated the way, warm lights in the dark.

"I don't know," he answered. "Maybe."

"So, help Sizhui have fun," Wei Wuxian said. "He's losing a link to his past, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have a future. Help remind him of that."

He was so serious. Sizhui must have really been upset.

Jin Ling started to panic, wondering how he could ever think of the right thing to say.

He knew it wasn't fair for him to panic like he was. Sizhui and Jingyi had gone out of their way to be there for him when he thought he was losing everything. It was his turn to be there for Sizhui, and he wasn't sure he could do it.

Guilt and fear wrapped their strong fingers around his lungs, squeezing just enough to remind him they were there.

Jin Ling could feel Wei Wuxian's eyes upon him.

"You're going to be all right," Wei Wuxian said. "Sizhui only wants you to be there. Don't put so much pressure on yourself."

"Tch. I'm not."

"Sure."

The path beneath their feet disappeared. The forest started to open up. Trees stood farther apart from one another. Eventually, they reached a sunny glade, quiet and empty aside from the single person in white who stood with his back to them.

"Sizhui!" Jin Ling called to him.

Sizhui straightened and turned around. Jin Ling caught a glimpse of the table laden with food and flowers behind him.

As soon as he caught sight of them, Sizhui smiled warmly and came over.

"Jin Ling," he said, stopping in front of them, "I'm glad you could make it."

"Obviously I would come," Jin Ling said flippantly. "You think I'd rather go to a council meeting than a party?"

"Oh?" he said, eyes flicking to Wei Wuxian for a moment. "In that case, would you like to help me set up?"

"I guess."

Sizhui led him back to the table and instructed him on where to put things. There was a wide variety of food and pretty little vases with red and white flowers. Wei Wuxian grabbed a string of blossoms and walked away to drape it along the perimeter of the glade. Jin Ling suspected he was doing what he could to give the two of them space.

"I think he'll be happy with this," Sizhui said at last after resituating the same platter at least five times.

"He's aware that we're doing this, isn't he?" Jin Ling asked. "I'd expected him to be here already."

"He knows we're saying goodbye. We didn't tell him the details."

"Oh, so this is a surprise?"

"You could call it that," Sizhui said with a smile.

Jin Ling had more questions, but he didn't want to ask. He didn't understand where Wen Ning was to be buried. He didn't know if they were expected to be present when Wei Wuxian set him free.

But none of those things really mattered.

Asking would only hurt Sizhui, and Jin Ling was resigned to stay for as long as he was wanted. If Sizhui wanted him to be there to watch Wen Ning be put to rest, he would stay. So, asking served no real purpose.

"No incense?" Jin Ling asked instead, looking around. It seemed appropriate to offer incense. This was essentially a funeral, even if they dressed it up a little differently.

Sizhui shook his head. "Wei-qianbei said we shouldn't. He said it might give the wrong impression."

He bit back his response. He longed to point out that Wei Wuxian was wrong and it wouldn't give the wrong impression. But Jin Ling wasn't going to say that. Again, it would only serve to upset Sizhui.

"Did you want to have it?" Jin Ling asked. "Did he overrule you? I'll go fight him."

"No," Sizhui said with a laugh. "I agree with him. It might be upsetting. I know Ning-shushu doesn't want a big deal made of his leaving in the first place. I'm a little nervous he won't even like this."

"Oh. No, I think he'll be okay."

Sizhui didn't respond. He went back to messing with the decorations until Jin Ling gently swatted his hand to make him stop fretting.

Before long, they were joined by Lan Xichen, Lan Wangji, and Jingyi.

Jingyi bounded up to them with all the cheerful, excited energy that Jin Ling was struggling to summon up. He threw his arms around both of them. Jin Ling fought back a little, but he was no match for Jingyi's upper body strength.

Reluctantly, he was pulled into the hug with Sizhui.

"So, what's the plan?" Jingyi asked brightly. "Music? Games? Ooo! You've got food!"

"No, that's-" Jin Ling started to say, but Sizhui cut him off.

"It's for eating," he said. "You are free to it."

No offerings. He supposed that made sense.

Though he did hope someone would make offerings to Wen Ning, even if they didn't do it here.

"Well come on then!" Jingyi said, taking each of them by the hand and leading them over to the little table.

As Jingyi reached for a steamed bun, Lan Wangji appeared at his side.

"Not yet," he said softly. "Wait."

Sadly, Jingyi withdrew his hand. "What are we waiting for?"

"Wei Wuxian."

Jin Ling frowned and looked around. Sure enough, Wei Wuxian was nowhere to be seen even though he'd been straightening flower garlands just a moment ago.

So, the three of them sat around the table while Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji lingered off to the side, conversing quietly.

Jingyi and Jin Ling tried to distract Sizhui with talk of future plans. What were the Lan juniors going to do when they got back to the Cloud Recesses? When would they all see each other again? Could they borrow Fairy for a week to teach her how to dance?

It was clear that Sizhui was hardly listening. He would nod or mutter a brief answer occasionally, but he always went back to watching the trail of red lanterns.

Jingyi exchanged a helpless look with Jin Ling. They didn't know what to do for him.

Jin Ling wasn't sure if he should keep following Wei Wuxian's advice and continue to act like the occasion was purely a happy one or if he should admit to Sizhui that it wasn't. He knew that if Sizhui and Jingyi had come to him in the medical laboratory that night and tried to act like everything was fine, he would have swiftly kicked them out.

This was a little different, though. And Jin Ling simply had no idea what to do.

Jingyi timidly scooted closer to Sizhui. He very slowly snaked one arm around his waist, as if worried that Sizhui would tell him off. When he noticed, however, Sizhui did no such thing.

He smiled and scooted closer.

"What is this?" a hoarse voice asked then.

Jin Ling had already assumed someone was coming their way since Sizhui had perked up, but the sound of Wen Ning's voice confirmed it. He looked over to find the Ghost General looking baffled as Wei Wuxian threw his arm across his shoulders.

"It's for you!" Wei Wuxian said. "We wanted to celebrate with you!"

Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen both bowed deeply as Wen Ning stepped out into the sunny glade. Seeing this, the boys leapt to their feet as well and mimicked them.

Had he any tears to shed, Jin Ling felt quite sure that Wen Ning would have cried. He seemed very touched by the display.

"You arranged this for me?" he asked.

"Not just me!" Wei Wuxian said excitedly. "A-Yuan helped pick things out and put it all together! And Jin Ling supplied everything we could need!"

Wen Ning glanced at Jin Ling, surprised. Then, he started to bow to all of them, but Wei Wuxian caught his arm.

"No, no, no," he said. "You don't bow. You don't do that anymore, understand?"

"Um, okay."

Wen Ning straightened awkwardly. He stood there like he was waiting to be told what to do.

"Come sit!" Jingyi called to him, patting the ground beside him.

Wen Ning flashed a lopsided grin and walked over to sit where Jingyi had indicated. Though the table was small, Lan Wangji, Lan Xichen, and Wei Wuxian were all able to find space around it.

There was a beat of silence after they were all situated. No one seemed sure how to proceed.

But the silence didn't last for long. Wei Wuxian wouldn't allow it.

"Eat," he said forcefully. "Let me tell you about what a fantastic archer our Wen Ning was!"

Jin Ling was skeptical but said nothing as he took a plate and listened to Wei Wuxian tell the story.

It was strange to hear about his life. The way that Wei Wuxian described him sounded so... good-natured. Harmless, even. Jin Ling never would have imagined the fierce corpse before him to have been a shy, stuttering boy who trembled so much when put on the spot that he missed a target entirely from no more than sixty paces. Though Wei Wuxian had been trying to make the case that he was a good archer, Wen Ning apparently couldn't help but correct it by divulging that story on his own.

Humble, shy, and kind. Jin Ling knew Wen Ning hadn't really been at fault for his father's death, but it was still hard to reconcile what he was being told with his own long-held beliefs.

The conversation lulled a little and Wei Wuxian screwed up his face, likely trying to think of another story to share. But Jingyi came to his rescue, recounting the time that Wen Ning had helped them fight the corpses at the Second Siege of the Burial Mounds.

The smile that Sizhui granted him couldn't have been warmer.

And it went on like that.

Jingyi and Wei Wuxian carried the conversation as best they could. And when they couldn't, someone else would share a story instead.

Wen Ning looked at all of them as if he'd never seen them before. Many times, he was flustered by their kind words. But mostly, he sat quietly and listened, oddly reticent.

Wei Wuxian raised his glass of wine and looked Wen Ning straight in the eye.

"I may have died young," he said, "but I would have died younger if not for you. Thank you."

Wen Ning shook his head. "Don't thank me for it."

"What else am I to do?" Wei Wuxian asked. "You defied orders for Jiang Cheng and me. You risked your life for us. All I can do is thank you."

Jin Ling perked up at the mention of his uncle. "What do you mean?"

"It's nothing, Sect Leader Jin," Wen Ning said quickly. "It was a long time ago."

"It isn't nothing," Wei Wuxian said crossly, giving Wen Ning a stern look before turning to address Jin Ling. "When Lotus Pier was taken by Wen Ruohan all those years ago, your uncle was captured by them and dragged back to Yunmeng. Wen Ning got him out of there. He returned him to me. And if he hadn't, I would have... well, I wouldn't have become the Yiling Patriarch. Let's just put it that way."

Jin Ling stared at him, almost not daring to believe what he'd said. But Wei Wuxian's gaze didn't waver. He wasn't lying.

Why in the world wasn't Jiang Cheng there?

Jin Ling was angry on Wen Ning's behalf. Everything that Jiang Cheng had hated him for was proven to be the fault of someone else. All that remained was this - a history of a good man who had given everything to help people he barely knew. Jiang Cheng should have been there, just like Wei Wuxian had said.

"I didn't know," Jin Ling breathed.

The tone had changed. Their merry gathering had turned heavy and sorrowful. No one knew what to say.

They sat in quiet contemplation for a time, until eventually, Wen Ning got to his feet.

"Thank you for this," he said.

"There is no need to thank us," said Lan Xichen with a gentle smile. "You deserved much more than we gave you today."

Wen Ning dropped his gaze to the ground. "You're very kind, Zewu-jun," he mumbled.

"Not as kind as I should have been. I shall have to learn from your stories."

When Wen Ning seemed to be at a loss for words, Wei Wuxian slowly rose. His hand, which hadn't been visible beneath the table, slipped from Lan Wangji's loosened grasp.

"Are you ready?" he asked in a thin voice.

"Almost," Wen Ning answered.

He turned to Sizhui, who immediately leapt up. He hurried around the table and Wen Ning wrapped him tightly in his arms. Sizhui hugged him back just as hard.

Jin Ling could hardly bear to watch. He knew what it meant to hold family like that. He knew how much it hurt. And he knew he couldn't take that pain away from him.

Wen Ning whispered something to Sizhui that Jin Ling couldn't hear. For a moment, their embrace tightened even more. And then, Wen Ning released him.

Tears streamed down Sizhui's cheeks. As Wen Ning moved toward Wei Wuxian, Sizhui took a half-step, as if to follow.

Everyone at the table stood.

"Not in front of them," Wen Ning said quietly to Wei Wuxian.

"I know," Wei Wuxian answered, equally quiet. "Where?"

Wen Ning thought for a moment. "Qishan," he said. "I will show you where."

"Okay. Whenever you're ready."

Wen Ning cast one last lingering look at Sizhui and then said, "I'm ready."

"Okay."

Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen bowed deeply to him. Jin Ling and Jingyi were quick to follow. He wasn't sure if Sizhui had done the same, but he supposed it probably didn't matter if he hadn't.

When he straightened again, Wei Wuxian and Wen Ning were already walking away. Beside him, he heard Jingyi sniffle. Jin Ling didn't look at him, though. His focus was on Sizhui, who remained frozen in place, watching as the last of his bloodline stepped into the shadow of the trees.

The silence was deafening. The calls of birds and the rustle of creatures in the underbrush sounded strangely muted. Jin Ling imagined that Sizhui couldn't hear any of it at all.

A few moments later, a blinding tower of flame shot into the sky, high above the canopy of the trees. Then, as suddenly as it had appeared, it vanished.

Wei Wuxian and Wen Ning had gone to Qishan.

Sizhui's chest swelled. His shoulders began to shake.

In an instant, Lan Wangji moved around the table to go to him.

"I'm sorry," Lan Wangji said.

Sizhui practically collapsed against him. Lan Wangji tenderly moved his hair from his face and held him as he sobbed.

Jin Ling's eyes began to sting. He looked away.

The sounds of the forest had returned after the initial startle of the transportation talisman. He tried hard to listen to the whisper of the trees instead. He wanted to help Sizhui but couldn't. He wanted to leave but couldn't.

So, he and Jingyi and Lan Xichen just stood there until Sizhui stepped away and wiped his face with his hands. He squared his shoulders and met Lan Xichen's gaze.

"I want to take my name again," he said firmly. "I thank you for the protection the Lan Clan has offered me for all these years. But now I wish to return your name to you."

"Are you sure?" Lan Xichen asked. "It may be dangerous to reclaim the name of Wen."

"I'm sure."

And he was. Jin Ling had never seen him look so determined. His eyes shone with a new radiance and his black hair gleamed in the sunlight as he bowed his head to remove his cloud embroidered headband.

Lan Wangji gently caught his hands. Sizhui glanced up at him, puzzled.

"Keep it," he murmured.

"Lan or Wen, you will always be family," Lan Xichen concurred. "You will still have our protection."

Sizhui looked back at Lan Wangji. Lan Wangji nodded solemnly. Sizhui's eyes glistened as he re-tied his headband. He then bowed to both of them.

"Are you sure you're sure?" Jingyi asked tentatively. "Did you tell Ghost Gen - Wen-qianbei what you were going to do?"

Lan Xichen walked over to them as they spoke.

"I didn't tell him," Sizhui said. "He would have worried."

" I'm worried!" Jingyi cried. "I know you want-!"

He cut off abruptly as Lan Xichen placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Zewu-jun," Jingyi mumbled sheepishly.

"This is important to him," Lan Xichen said. "You are allowed to be worried, but you should not question him so. We should support him in this."

"I know. I'm sorry."

Lan Xichen gave him a pat and released him.

Though he agreed with what Lan Xichen had said, Jin Ling couldn't help but agree with Jingyi too. Looking at Sizhui - Wen Sizhui - his heart was filled with a fear unlike any he'd ever known. A fear that he would be hunted.

"Where are you going?" Lan Xichen asked.

Jin Ling snapped out of his thoughts and looked around to find that Lan Wangji had started off across the glade. At Lan Xichen's query, he paused and turned back toward them.

"I think I've waited long enough," Lan Wangji said. "He asked me to collect him after."

"Why?"

"After using a transportation talisman and putting him to rest, Wei Ying doesn't think he'll have enough spiritual energy to make it back."

"Even using Huaisang's method?"

Lan Wangji nodded.

"I see," said Lan Xichen. "Would you like us to wait here for you?"

He nodded again.

"Very well. We'll-"

Crack!

A storm gate opened beside Lan Xichen. Everyone shielded their faces against the wind. Lan Wangji quickly slapped a protective talisman over the table to keep everything from flying off of it as the trees at the outskirts of the glade bowed and creaked.

From under his arm, Jin Ling saw two figures on the other side of the gate, one carrying the other on their back.

His stomach sank. Had the effort to put Wen Ning to rest been in vain? Had Wei Wuxian failed?

The gate closed behind the pair and the air stood still again. Jin Ling lowered his arms to take in the unexpected sight of Jiang Cheng carrying an unconscious Wei Wuxian on his back.

"It's done," Jiang Cheng said woodenly.

He seemed like he'd aged by about a hundred years. His face was drawn and his shoulders slumped. Jin Ling wasn't sure he'd ever seen his uncle exhausted in such a way before.

Sizhui sank down. Jingyi went to his side.

"You shouldn't be carrying him," Lan Xichen said, hurrying forward to help Jiang Cheng lower Wei Wuxian to the ground. "You aren't fully recovered yet."

"I'm aware," Jiang Cheng panted.

Wei Wuxian's skin was paler than usual, but his breathing was deep and even. His brow furrowed a little in his sleep. He mumbled something that Jin Ling couldn't hear.

Jiang Cheng gave Lan Wangji a testy look when he knelt beside Wei Wuxian and pressed two fingers against his wrist to check his meridians.

"You should have gone with him," Jiang Cheng said sternly as Lan Wangji withdrew his hand.

Lan Wangji's expression turned frosty. "He asked me to stay here."

"And it's not as if he abandoned him!" Jingyi piped up indignantly. "He was just about to go get him!"

Jiang Cheng shot a brief glare in Jingyi's direction before speaking again to Lan Wangji.

"He barely had the strength to... to do what needed to be done," Jiang Cheng said. "You should have gone with him anyway."

Jin Ling bit his lip nervously. It really wouldn't do for the two of them to start a fight here in front of everyone. But he also didn't know how he could stop them if they started trading blows.

Thankfully, they didn't fight. Lan Wangji didn't even look angry like Jin Ling had expected him to.

He simply nodded and muttered, "Maybe."

With as much tenderness as one could muster, Lan Wangji took Wei Wuxian's arms and lifted him up onto his own back. Jiang Cheng stood too but not with his usual steadiness. It seemed that carrying Wei Wuxian really had taken a lot out of him.

Lan Xichen almost imperceptibly slipped his arm under Jiang Cheng's to help stabilize him.

"I'll clean up," Sizhui said suddenly. He walked dazedly to the table and started to gather dishes at one end.

"You don't need to," Jingyi replied, following him.

"I want to."

"Then I'll stay and help you."

He looked back at Jin Ling as if to ask if he was going to stay with Sizhui too. Jin Ling wanted to, but he wasn't sure if he should go with his uncle to make sure he was okay.

He studied him as Jiang Cheng sent Lan Xichen off to follow Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian back to Jinlintai. He didn't seem terribly hurt. But he couldn't be sure.

Jingyi seemed to take his lack of response to mean that he wouldn't stay. He went back to helping Sizhui clear the table.

Jiang Cheng, however, noticed Jin Ling idling by himself and made his way over to him.

"Why aren't you helping them?" he asked, nodding his head toward Sizhui and Jingyi. "It's important to spend time with your harem, you know."

He'd spoken quietly enough that no one would have been able to hear him. Jin Ling was annoyed nonetheless.

"I told you they aren't my... that!" he hissed.

"And I told you that I don't care."

"Tch."

Jiang Cheng glanced over at the three who were leaving the glade. He seemed like he wanted to follow them.

"Did you do what you needed to?" Jin Ling asked.

"What?"

"With... Wen-qianbei," Jin Ling said, taking the term that Jingyi had used. 'Ghost General' didn't really feel right anymore. "You spoke with him before the end, didn't you?"

"I did," Jiang Cheng said solemnly. "I did what I could."

"Good."

Jiang Cheng gave him a strange look but didn't comment.

"Go be with them," Jiang Cheng said. "The quiet one could use the company, I think."

"Was it peaceful?" Jin Ling asked. "It didn't hurt him, did it?"

Jiang Cheng knit his brow. "It was peaceful. No pain. Wei Wuxian did it such that he didn't know when it was going to happen so he wouldn't worry."

Jin Ling imagined the two of them - Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian - saying their goodbyes to the man who'd saved their lives all those years ago.

Jiang Cheng would have been awkward and uncomfortable as he thanked him and apologized for what he'd done. His farewell would have been formal.

But Wei Wuxian's would have been warm and familiar. Jin Ling imagined him thanking Wen Ning as well and maybe even cracking a few jokes before pulling him into a hug that served both as a goodbye and the release that would put him to rest. Wen Ning simply fell asleep in his arms.

That was the story that Jin Ling told himself, anyway. He knew neither Jiang Cheng nor Wei Wuxian would ever tell him all of it. He was lucky to have been told as much as he had.

"Good," Jin Ling said. "Good. I'll tell him that. He'll want to know."

"Lan Sizhui? Why?"

Jin Ling deliberated whether or not he should explain. Jiang Cheng had just gone to try to make things right with Wen Ning, and Sizhui had said he wanted to be publicly known as a Wen. But that protectiveness he'd felt before held the words in the back of Jin Ling's throat. He was afraid to say them.

"He'll be relieved to know that the last of his family has gone peacefully," Jin Ling said at last, forcing back his fear.

"Family?" Jiang Cheng said, confused.

He glanced over his shoulder at Sizhui. His furrowed brow relaxed as realization set in. His expression grew strange and inscrutable.

"Family," Jiang Cheng said again. "Wen. Not Lan."

Jin Ling nodded.

"I see. In that case, keep a close eye on that one."

It was a warning, not a threat. Jiang Cheng sounded almost worried for Sizhui.

Jin Ling nodded again.

"I'll be getting my things together if you need me. I won't leave before shen time."

"Okay."

"I expect you'll come to see me before then."

"I will."

"Very good. I'll see you then."

Jiang Cheng turned on his heel and left the glade, following the red lantern path that Lan Xichen, Lan Wangji, and Wei Wuxian had taken.

And so, Jin Ling was free to return to Sizhui's side. Jingyi seemed surprised that he was still there, but he didn't say anything about it. He simply flashed him a small smile and continued to clear the table.

They stayed there, even after everything was packed up. Sizhui wasn't ready to leave and they weren't going to force him.

They held him when he wanted to be held and talked when he wanted to talk. Jin Ling told them that Wen Ning's passing was peaceful. Sizhui was happy to hear it even though his tears returned.

When he was finally ready, they returned to Jinlintai.

The Lans and their Wen packed up and prepared to return to Gusu. Wei Wuxian would accompany them. And Jiang Cheng would, of course, return to Lotus Pier.

The time came for Jin Ling to bid everyone farewell. He did so with a heavy heart, worried that he might not see any of them again for a very long time even though they all assured him that wouldn't be the case.

Fairy came to see them off too. She kept a respectable distance from Wei Wuxian but demanded attention from everyone else. Perhaps because he felt bad, Wei Wuxian asked Lan Wangji to give Fairy a pat on the head for him. So he did, patting her once for Wei Wuxian and once again for himself.

Fairy was happy. Jin Ling was neither happy nor upset.

It was a day of remembrance. It was a day of new beginnings. But it wasn't a bad day.

Days turned into weeks which turned into months. The passage of time brought with it certain realizations for Jiang Cheng as he strove to be the man he should have been.

Someone his father could be proud of. Someone Xichen could be proud of. Someone Jin Ling could be proud of.

But mostly, someone he could be proud of.

His unnatural growth from child to adult, from seventeen to seventeen with all the responsibilities of a mature man, had been just that, he realized - unnatural. It hadn't made him stronger, and it hadn't corrupted, broken, or poisoned him either.

The rage that he'd wrapped around his shoulders to keep himself warm when loving arms were gone had not protected him like he'd thought it would. It had only burned him.

What he'd endured made him neither stronger nor weaker than anyone else. It had only left him wounded.

And unfair though it was that he'd had to endure it in the first place, it was even more unfair that he was left to pick up the pieces of a fractured life that he hadn't chosen for himself.

But it was the case. It simply was.

Because he was wounded. And he was the only one with the power to decide whether he would heal and grow strong or would allow it to fester until he withered away to nothing. And it just wasn't fucking fair.

Festering was easy.

But healing?

Slowly, he was waking from a dream – a nightmare – and realizing that he was late to living his own life. Cycles and cycles of mistakes and hurting and lashing out. It was so frustratingly repetitive.

Jiang Cheng tried, though. He fought for it.

He had already subjected himself to the awful humiliation of asking for Xichen's affections. So, he fought to maintain it.

And they'd grown closer.

Xichen was also committed to supporting him as long as Jiang Cheng continued to fight for himself.

After a little over a month, they made their relationship known to others.

Lan Qiren reacted how Xichen said he would. He wasn't particularly pleased since he'd been holding out hope that Xichen would find a nice woman to settle down with and would pass on the family name to their children.

However, he admitted that he'd seen it coming for some time and was resigned to whatever made his nephew happy.

Overall, there was surprisingly little reaction from others aside from initial shock and some gossip. Jiang Cheng imagined it was Xichen's good name that protected them from much backlash. That, or people weren't too unfamiliar with the idea since everyone already knew about Hanguang-jun and the Yiling Patriarch.

The important thing was, it had had the effect that Jiang Cheng had wanted.

Shortly after they'd made their affections public, Jin Ling stopped hiding his. By that point, no one made much of a fuss over Lan Jingyi and Wen Sizhui. People generally seemed to think it was funny and started taking bets as to how long it would be before the leader of the Nie Clan found a male suitor of his own.

That was the easy part. And even that had come with some discomfort as talk of heirs always brought back painful memories for Jiang Cheng.

It took much longer to learn intimacy, both at an emotional level and a physical one. He hated feeling so vulnerable.

Xichen was patient, but Jiang Cheng knew he was frustrated at times. And he couldn't blame him. He was frustrated too.

But it was impossible to know for sure when his touch would be pleasant or when it would suffocate him.

Xichen tried to understand, he really did. But even after Jiang Cheng finally told him what had happened all those years ago, there was still a barrier between them.

Sometimes it was small, no more than a crack in the earth that could be easily reached across. And sometimes it was a great yawning chasm, stretching for miles and miles, so far that they couldn't even hear each other anymore.

He didn't want his pity. He wanted him to understand.

And he knew he asked the impossible of him. After all, how could he understand when Jiang Cheng didn't fully understand himself?

Xichen tried. Jiang Cheng loved him for that. But sometimes he hated him for failing.

At his darkest moments, he wondered what version of him Xichen held in his mind. There was a version of Jiang Cheng that lived in Wei Wuxian's mind and Jin Ling's and Lan Wangji's, and each of them held varying degrees of truth as to who he really was.

So he wondered what traits Xichen had kept for him and what idealizations he had made. And he worried that one day he would wake and realize that he'd been lying to himself just as he'd lied to himself about Jin Guangyao. He worried Xichen would finally see that Jiang Cheng wasn't anywhere close to being good enough for him.

And that thought scared him more and more as time went on, as he grew to love Xichen more deeply than he'd thought would ever be possible for him.

But he'd grown so much since he'd made the decision to try. On good days, he was able to give control to Xichen and had even found that he preferred that kind of intimacy, which was strange since he needed control in almost every other aspect of his life.

But he didn't need control on his good days. And he'd been having more and more of those.

So even though he was frightened of what the future would hold (as he'd always been), he was optimistic for the first time since he could remember.

Xichen loved Jiang Cheng just as deeply. With each passing day, each letter, each visit, he fell more in love with him.

No. He wasn't falling in love. That made it sound accidental.

It didn't sneak up on him. He didn't tumble off some cliff into sudden infatuation.

It was slow and intentional. They shared the good parts of themselves with one another and they shared the bad parts too.

And it was hard, even more so than he'd anticipated. It was so difficult to do what needed to be done.

So many times they'd inadvertently wounded each other. He'd known that they would, but that didn't make it hurt any less when it happened.

Xichen would have been lying to claim that he'd never wondered if the pain was worth it. There were times, usually after he'd hurt Jiang Cheng, when he thought maybe it would be better if they each found someone with fewer ghosts in their past. It was hard enough for one person to heal and grow. Maybe two was too much.

But every time, whether it was Jiang Cheng or Xichen who was knocked down, they always came back to try again.

And there were good things too. Great things.

As it turned out, Jiang Cheng was surprisingly playful. Xichen had always thought Wei Wuxian was the troublemaker back when Wei Wuxian, Jiang Cheng, and Huaisang were learning in Gusu. But Jiang Cheng had a mischievous spirit too. It was a wonder that those three hadn't gotten into more trouble during their time in the Cloud Recesses since there wasn't an actual voice of reason among them.

It took a long time for Xichen to really see that playful side of him. But when he started to tease Xichen in private or would try to con him into helping to inconvenience someone who was rude to someone he cared about, Xichen found himself having a lot more fun than he'd had in a long time.

And Jiang Cheng did his part to help Xichen heal too.

He was an incredibly light sleeper. Any time Xichen woke with a start in the night during one of their visits, Jiang Cheng would scoot closer to him and mumble where they were and assure him that he was safe. Xichen never even got the chance to ask, disoriented, where he was. Jiang Cheng always told him right away. It was the first thing out of his mouth every time.

But in general, Jiang Cheng preferred action over words.

When Xichen told him places he didn't want to go because of bad memories attached to them, Jiang Cheng asked few questions. Xichen could explain to him as much or as little as he wanted. But Jiang Cheng would remember the places he'd told him and would plan around them as much as he could.

When they couldn't avoid going somewhere he hated, Jiang Cheng made it a point to do something fun or memorable there.

One particular trip Xichen had needed to take required him to assess an observation tower near where he'd first met Jin Guangyao. It wasn't a task that often required a sect leader to perform in person, but they wanted his opinion as to whether or not the tower should remain or if it possessed qualities that may allow it to be used for nefarious purposes like the observation towers around Guanyin Temple had been used.

So, he had to go. And he'd asked Jiang Cheng to accompany him.

He'd told him it was a difficult place for him to return to, but he didn't tell him why. As much as he could, he avoided bringing up the topic of Jin Guangyao around him since Jiang Cheng never seemed to know how he should react.

Jiang Cheng did his usual things there. He tried to distract him with local food and entertainment, but Xichen was so lost in his own thoughts that Jiang Cheng eventually got fed up and dragged him to a shop they'd passed on their way into town.

There, he told him to pick out any cat he wanted.

Xichen, of course, was confused. Animals weren't allowed in the Cloud Recesses. He would have nowhere to keep it.

But Jiang Cheng reminded him that he was a sect leader and could change that rule if he so chose. And, if he was too worried about breaking tradition, Jiang Cheng said he would keep the cat at Lotus Pier for him to visit whenever he liked.

Still hesitant, Jiang Cheng had taken his arm and led him inside, telling him it wouldn't hurt to browse.

Naturally, Xichen found one that he liked – several actually - but he was able to settle on one. She was a young, mild-tempered thing with golden brown fur patterned almost like flowers and bright green eyes. Xichen carried her with him everywhere for the rest of the day, paying no mind to the hair she left on his sleeves and chest.

He vividly recalled the kiss that Jiang Cheng had given him upon their departure from that town and what he'd said to him.

Now this is also the place where I gave you your first cat.

He had little trouble returning there now.

And after a few weeks, Xichen had made arrangements for Xiao Lian to live in the Cloud Recesses with him, ever careful to keep her far from Wangji's rabbits.

It wasn't easy to heal. But it was worth it.

Jinlintai surprisingly wasn't in absolute chaos since Jin Ling had been away. Jin Qiang had done well to keep everything in order and running smoothly.

Even so, it took Jin Ling a few weeks to be fully caught up on everything and to settle back into his position.

Luo Qingyang still loathed her council seat. She didn't say anything about it. She didn't complain. But Jin Ling could tell.

When everything had settled down and Jin Ling was on top of his schedule again, he made her an offer. She could go back to her rogue cultivation if she agreed to advise him personally when requested. He would still afford her family all protections from before and would give them a home in the city where they could live a bit removed from the politics that Luo Qingyang hated so deeply.

Needless to say, she and her wife were thrilled. She must have spent that entire day thanking him without pause. Especially after he and Yu Qingqi surprised her with a puppy for Mianmian.

Luo Qingyang and Yu Qingqi still made sure to visit often, even when not summoned.

Jiang Cheng also visited frequently, though he'd done that before everything had happened. More was said between them than before. Jin Ling divulged things that he would have never told anyone aside from perhaps Sizhui and Jingyi.

They still didn't say sappy things to one another, but Jin Ling was closer to his uncle than he'd ever been and heard so many stories about his mother and father that he began to truly believe they would have been proud of him. His mother would have, at the very least.

Jiang Cheng was accepting of Sizhui and Jingyi as he said he would be. Jin Ling formally introduced him to the two of them like he'd promised, and surprisingly, Jiang Cheng was cordial with them.

After Jin Ling had been with them for quite some time and Jiang Cheng had had a chance to get to know them a little bit, he went beyond just accepting the two. On the anniversary of their relationship, when Sizhui and Jingyi decided to move to Jinlintai permanently, Jiang Cheng gifted each of them a clarity bell.

Jingyi wasn't sure what to make of it since the clarity bell was primarily a token of the Jiang Clan. He wasn't sure whether he should wear it or not, even when Jin Ling told him there was no point in having it if he wasn't going to wear it.

Sizhui, however, seemed to understand. He tied his bell to his waistband without hesitation and asked Jin Ling to pass his sincerest gratitude to his uncle.

As far as his relationship with Jingyi and Sizhui went, it had not been without its challenges. It was hard to figure out how to divide attention and what ground rules were needed for communication.

One of the first things they'd had to do was establish the rule that if two of them were fighting, it was expected that they would not try to involve the third, who usually happened to be Sizhui. Too many times he had been caught between Jin Ling and Jingyi, and he wasn't keen on continuing the trend.

There were other trends too that Sizhui wanted to shift.

He was adamant that Jingyi not be Jin Ling's first for everything. He was the first person he'd kissed and the first person who'd kissed him. But Sizhui wanted to share in a first with him.

He didn't really say as much, though, until the opportunity arose.

It was early morning and mist covered the garden outside of Jin Ling's private quarters. Since Jingyi had been called off to help Zewu-jun with something, only Jin Ling and Sizhui were cozied together under the covers.

For some time, Jin Ling had wanted to ask for more, but he didn't know how.

He was thankful that Sizhui made the suggestion himself, even if Jin Ling was more nervous than he'd ever been to try it.

They were clumsy, but Sizhui was careful and attentive in his intimacy. He also exuded a surprising amount of confidence, which helped Jin Ling feel more at ease.

When they lay side by side, out of breath and closer than they'd ever been before, that was when Sizhui confessed that he'd wanted to be his first. Jin Ling had laughed and asked how Jingyi felt about that. Sizhui said he didn't know, but he thought he was less likely to mind if Jin Ling made sure to be his first. Sizhui had been Jingyi's first kiss. So, it only seemed fair that Jin Ling take the next first.

So, he did. And Sizhui was right. Jingyi didn't mind in the slightest.

But he couldn't for the life of him remember which, between Sizhui or Jingyi, he'd first confessed that he loved. Jin Ling thought he'd said it to Jingyi, but Jingyi swore he'd told Sizhui before.

It didn't really matter though. It was a first each time he said it. His love for Jingyi was a separate entity, a different nature and intensity than his love for Sizhui. He loved them both fiercely but differently. And sometimes that was confusing and messy, but mostly it was good.

Jin Ling wouldn't have had it any other way.

Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan disappeared together almost as quickly as they could. They accompanied the other Lans (and Wen Sizhui) back to the Cloud Recesses initially so that Lan Zhan could check in with Lan Qiren and make sure everything was settled before he and Wei Wuxian took off.

They had a lot of lost time to make up for. A lot.

But Wei Wuxian was more than happy to oblige. He'd wanted nothing more than to be with Lan Zhan again, without a care in the world.

After a few weeks, though, they needed to return to reality.

Lan Zhan went back to his duties. Occasionally, Wei Wuxian would help him with tasks when he needed it, but mostly, Wei Wuxian did whatever took his fancy in the moment. He lived as one already in retirement, except that Lan Zhan insisted that he resume his cultivation training so he wouldn't have to rely on the dark arts so heavily.

If that was what it took to keep Lan Zhan from worrying so much, Wei Wuxian wasn't going to argue, though he knew his cultivation would never be as it was. He just didn't have enough time to achieve such a powerful base again.

But that was okay. If he needed it, the dark arts were always still an option.

Thankfully, he rarely needed it.

As they returned to reality, they made sure to return to family too.

Living in Gusu, it was easy enough to spend time with Lan Xichen and Sizhui, and they certainly did. But they put in the effort to see others too.

Things were good with Jiang Cheng, maybe better than they'd ever been. He and Wei Wuxian had taken to calling each other 'didi' much to the confusion and dismay of everyone around them. But it was too funny for them to stop.

When Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan had first started making joint trips to Lotus Pier, Lan Zhan's reluctance was palpable. He and Jiang Cheng would sit across from each other, vaguely sour looks on their faces.

It took some doing and a lot of diplomacy on Wei Wuxian's part, but as time passed, it seemed that the feud between Lan Zhan and Jiang Cheng eased. They never really liked each other per se, but they didn't hate each other either. Wei Wuxian took it as a success, knowing he would be unlikely to achieve anything better with those two.

Visits with Jiang Cheng in general were better with a buffer if Lan Zhan was going to be there. Eventually, they made their gatherings a full family affair, inviting Lan Xichen, Jin Ling, Jingyi, and Sizhui along too.

It was difficult to get them all there at the same time, but when they did, it was quite the event. They were wild and silly and, most importantly, happy.

It was times like that when Wei Wuxian missed Yanli the most. He missed her so much it hurt.

He would look across the table at Jiang Cheng, and sometimes he swore he saw that loss in his eyes too. They would share a look and Wei Wuxian would know that they were both missing her.

But they had each other again, at least. And he knew that would have made her proud.