Fluffy WangXian Oneshots Book Two

Crime & Chaos Part 5

Wen Qing made them relocate to the lounge. Wen Ning made them all mugs of hot chocolate, and now they were all sitting on the couch. Well, Lan Zhan and Wei WuXian are sitting there, while the siblings are in the two single high back chairs on either side.

"You need to start explaining yourself," Wen Qing glares at Lan Zhan.

Wei WuXian has a moment of relief that she's not looking at him like that, but it's a moment too soon, because the frostiness of her scowl amps up by a hundred when she does.

"And YOU! I thought we agreed to go to sleep and think about what to do in the morning?"

"That was you." Wei WuXian tries not to cower. I'm a strong, independent woman, he tells himself, before recalling that that was HER mantra. "Qing-Jie.... " he whines, looking down. "I had to do something! He's bad for our business! And anyway, now our score sheet is three points to us, and one tiny, teenie point for him! I thought you'd be happy!"

Wen Qing breathes slowly from her mouth, pinching the bridge of her nose. She closes her eyes and makes a sincere effort not to fling the TV remote at his head.

"Okay, you know what? I'm not unpacking any of that right now. You!" She points at Lan Zhan. "Start talking. Why is the fan a map?"

"It was part of my mother's dowry, given to her by her parents, but her brother refused to honour that promise. She said something precious is hidden inside a box, and that map is the key." Lan Zhan tells them.

They all stare at the fan which is now open and on the coffee table between them.

"There had to be a reason, right? No one could make something that ugly without just cause!"

Lan Zhan gives him the side eye.

"Am I wrong?" Wei WuXian knows he's goading him, but really, what did Lan Zhan expect?

He's operating on a severe lack of sleep, an adrenaline high the likes of which only dangerous allergy sufferers know about, and a cracked heart. At least the heart part of all this is the least concerning. And even better, it's progressing from being a shattered one, so there's that...

"Who's your uncle? Your mother's brother?" Wen Qing is asking, just as Wei WuXian picks up the fan again, because he's noticed something.

Upon first glance, the fan looks ordinary and generic, albeit in an unsightly way. But there's something about the branches of cherry blossoms on one side that does not, in any way, resemble a real one. There are too many corners and sharp angles. The silk is old and fragile, and Wei WuXian can feel Lan Zhan's eyes on him as he examines it. He turns it around, only vaguely registering what they're saying. His full attention is on the back side of the fan where there are multiple dots and straight lines, and they're so random that it doesn't make any sense.

"Wen Ruohan."

His head snaps up at that, as his eyes dart to Wen Qing's face. She looks just as shocked as Wei WuXian knows he is.

"No way!"

Lan Zhan ignores him.

"My parents...it was an arranged marriage. Both sides of the families were surprised that it worked out, because my parents were compatible, it seems. When the contracts were drawn, the Wens promised to give the Lans the Jewel of Nightless City. But Wen Ruohan kept making excuses and wouldn't give it up.

"The elders in both of our families began making trouble, accusing each other of going back on their words, and it escalated when my mother passed away. Wen Ruohan claimed that now, the dowry was a moot point since his sister was dead."