The children were excited to see them when they returned to the manor in the morning. Wei Ying had set his alarm earlier, so they made it on time for breakfast with the family, and then Wei Ying and Lan Zhan went to drop them off to school.
Baoshan Sanren had insisted on the security detail to stay on the children for now, just until they hashed out the details between the vampires and themselves later that evening. Lan Zhan wasn't taking any chances either, and the security guards hired by XiChen were staying until further notice.
They were driving back from school when Wei Ying spoke. He'd seemed lost in thought on the way, so Lan Zhan was hoping he would talk about whatever was on his mind.
"Not gonna lie, I'm sure glad our children aren't being threatened any more," he said, turning in his seat so he was half facing Lan Zhan, as much as the seat belt would allow.
"Mn."
Wei Ying was fidgeting with his hands, twisting the ring on his third finger. When they stop at a traffic light, Lan Zhan reaches across and puts his hand over Wei Ying's, wanting to comfort him.
"What is it?"
Wei Ying takes a deep breath. "The thing is, now that we're getting married, and I know I never really asked you this, but I remember telling you that A-Yuan and I are a package deal, and now we've got JingYi-"
"I am going to assume that there's a point in there, somewhere?" Lan Zhan smiles, looking straight ahead and moving forward.
Wei Ying sighs. "I guess my point is this: how do you feel about children?"
"Our children?" Lan Zhan is startled enough to ask.
"Well, yeah? Kind of? Maybe I'm going about this the wrong way." He tries again. "Okay, before you met me, what was your opinion on children? Did you ever think about wanting to have any? Or were you pro no kids?"
Lan Zhan considers this, wondering why Wei Ying was asking him this now. He thought they had already established a common opinion on kids because they both wanted JingYi to join their little family, and this was basically a moot point by now. So he goes with the truth.
"I had not given much thought to this. Mostly because I had not found anyone I was immediately interested in as a partner, and in the logical sense, that would come first as a typical order of conduct. But then, after I met A-Yuan and then JingYi, I would say I am pro children. Why is Wei Ying asking me this now?" He parks the car in his usual parking spot.
Wei Ying realises that while he's been thinking about this and how to ask Lan Zhan his questions, they have reached the manor.
"Two reasons." Wei Ying holds up two fingers.
Now it's Lan Zhan twisting towards him. "Mn?"
"Firstly, I'm stressing about Social services, because it's been two weeks already and we've not heard anything from them about JingYi. Secondly, I was wondering how you felt about having more kids one day...?" Wei Ying blushes, looking down.
"I am not familiar with the procedure regarding adoption, so I would imagine that they're quite busy, and that must be the reason they haven't contacted us yet." Lan Zhan thinks about the second part of his statement. "I think I would like to have a big family, one we can cope with in the best way."
"Okay, okay! That's good, that's really good!" Wei Ying says, an excited smile decorating his face. "I'm not saying now and now, obviously, because I think we should get a bit settled first, but eventually we could think about inviting more kids to live with us. Now that I can afford it," he beams and changes his words when Lan Zhan frowns at him. "I mean, we! We can afford it!"
"Mn."
A tapping on the glass makes Lan Zhan roll down his window. It's Da Tuzi, looking a little anxious.
"Nie Huaisang is waiting for you in the study," he says, bowing at both of them.
"I wonder what he wants," Wei Ying says, undoing his seat belt.
Lan Zhan is on his other side in a matter of seconds, opening his door for him.
"I will serve tea," Da Tuzi informs them, leading the way back into the manor.
Lan Zhan takes Wei Ying's hand, and he kisses the ring. It feels monumental, their date night, and the resulting conclusion of the proposal. Like it's really going to happen, and soon. Wei Ying feels like this is another milestone event: his first was moving out from under the Jiangs and adopting A-Yuan, and now this means that he's truly an adult now. It's still a scary prospect.
He giggles at the thoughts in his head. Lan Zhan raises a brow, wanting to know what's so funny, so Wei Ying explains.
"I was just thinking, us getting married means we're not kids anymore. You know what I mean," he nudges Lan Zhan's shoulder. "But we've waged a war on the bad vampires and come out on the other side still alive and rip-roaring to go. If that part doesn't make us adult material, I'm not sure what would, instead."
"Mn. I also have a question I would like to ask Wei Ying, after this," Lan Zhan motions towards the door of the study.
"Yes, my love. We can talk later." Wei Ying leans up and kisses his cheek.
Lan Zhan is so used to Wei Ying touching him without any warning, the little signs of affection that he loves showering upon Lan Zhan during the day, that he wonders how he had ever lived before, without them.
There's no time to reflect on this though, because they have a guest.
Da Tuzi enters the study minutes after they get comfortable, serving jasmine tea in little white porcelain cups, and tiny plates of bunny shaped sugar cookies.
Huaisang nods at both of them, recalling their recent interactions. It's always been to do with vampires, so far.
"I'm going to get straight to the point," he says, once Da Tuzi leaves them alone.
"Mn." Lan Zhan has a tone.
Wei Ying has come to realise that he doesn't like surprises. Lan Zhan likes to be prepared, and that explains in a small way, why Lan Zhan was never late, why he liked to plan things in advance.
"So, I know XiChen-Ge has told you something about my investigations, and he showed you my data." Huaisang whips out a fan and starts fanning himself furiously. "But I've seen all sorts of strange activity online, ever since Sunday, and my informant says something big went down. I just want to know, what exactly? Mostly because I'm sitting on so much proof implicating Wen Rouhan and his minions, and I want to know if it's time to blow the whistle yet?"
Wei Ying is internally panicking. He had forgotten Huaisang's involvement with the vampires, and found out so many people had gone missing. And now what he was talking about meant exposure for the vampire world, something he was sure that his grandmother would oppose.
Now the question was, how much to tell him?
"I deserve to know," Huaisang adds, pointedly, staring at Wei Ying.
"Okay, the truth is, a lot has happened. But my reason for keeping it from you is purely because I want to keep you safe." Wei Ying tells him. "You're important to XiChen-Ge, and XiChen-Ge is important to Lan Zhan, and frankly speaking, I think you're one of the good guys. But having said that, it's not up to us to decide."
Lan Zhan is also nodding at this.
"I'm going to make a phone call," Wei Ying says, after thinking about it carefully. His grandmother would know what to do about this. "I'm just outside," he motions towards the door, glancing at Lan Zhan, who nods back.
"Does MingJue-Ge know you're here?" He hears Lan Zhan asking Huaisang.
"No, they're both sleeping late these days. They've been busy moving XiChen-Ge in to live with us." Huaisang explains.
Their voices are muffled as Wei Ying closes the door and fishes out his phone to call Baoshan Sanren. She answers on the first ring.
"A-Ying?"
"Good morning, grandmother! We have a slight problem and I was hoping to get some advice," he launches straight into it, knowing his grandmother wouldn't want him to beat around the bush.
"Explain?" She asks him cautiously.
Wei Ying tells her everything he knows about Huaisang.
"The thing is, there's nothing stopping him from going to the papers and singing his heart out, especially if he feels like he's doing a good thing," Baoshan Sanren says, thinking aloud.
Wei Ying can see her tapping her nose whilst talking to him.
"What if we explain the whole situation to him?" Wei Ying suggests, keeping his voice low. He knows that Lan Zhan can definitely hear him, and maybe even what his grandmother is saying.
"But will that be enough? What if he doesn't believe you?"
"You have a point. But I have to say, telling someone not to do something usually results in the opposite action happening anyway. Like when you tell a kid, don't do such and such, they only want to do that, and will do anything to do the thing you don't want them to." Wei Ying begins to pace. "What if we show-"
"Him everything?" Baoshan Sanren interrupts him, suddenly excited about this.
"Yeah, you know, seeing is believing etcetera. He'll be more likely to stop and think if he has the story from both sides rather than just the human point of view, don't you think?"
"It's risky," she admits. "What if after we show him my place, explain to him everything we do, and he still decides to expose us?"
"I think it has to be a chance we've got to take. I know that if it was me in his shoes, I'd want to make up my own mind about the whole situation. If he sees how much good you're doing, grandmother, maybe he will decide to keep quiet. It's fifty-fifty right now." Wei Ying can hear her breathing into the phone, thinking about what he's saying.
"Alright, bring him with you this evening. If he's comfortable enough, we can take him to the meeting so he can decide. But get him to promise something first, along the lines of full exposure in exchange for discretion in terms of what he wants to leak. He must know the stakes that are involved."
Wei Ying is stunned and then he's cackling. "Good pun, grandma. Stakes! Geddit??"
"Yes, that's so funny," she says drily. "Especially to a vampire."
"It absolutely is! Anyway, what time are we coming to you? I've forgotten what you said."
"I called Wen Qing, she says by eight all the staff currently allowed inside will be done with their work, so anytime after that. Tripod says nine is better."
"Tripod?"
"Yeah, you guys briefly met outside the Wen Laboratories that night. He has dreadlocks and a fab attitude...?"
Wei Ying remembers him, and says so. "Nine is better because we can put the kids to bed by eightish. Then we'll pick up Huaisang and come to you. I don't want to miss putting them to sleep for another night running."
"Why? Where were you yesterday?" Her tone turns sharper.
"Lan Zhan took me out on a date," Wei Ying is filled with happy bubbles at this, shyness coating his words.
"Haizi...you sound happy. I'm glad for you."
"Grandmother, we have good news, too! He proposed last night, and now we're engaged." Wei Ying lifts up his hand to stare at the ring.
It's beautiful in exact measure to its gaudiness, and yet isn't there a thin line between fashionable and ugly? Wei Ying loves this one and to him, it's the loveliest piece of jewellery he owns now.
"Oh, congratulations! To both of you!" She replies, full of joyful enthusiasm. "That's wonderful news! I'll tell your uncle!"
They exchange further pleasantries and then end the call.
Wei Ying braces himself before entering, reminding himself of what he has to do, regarding Huaisang.
Both Lan Zhan and Huaisang turn towards him when he re-enters the study, going to sit by Lan Zhan immediately. Their hands join together naturally, as if neither could stand being apart.
"Congratulations," Huaisang says, staring at Wei Ying's ring.
"Oh, thanks!" Wei Ying blushes, telling himself that this is normal and he better get used to it. "So, um, we have a proposal for you." He makes himself sit up straighter. He can feel Lan Zhan becoming tense next to him.
"I'm listening." Huaisang keeps his tone neutral, not giving anything away. He puts the fan down.
"So, we think it's important you know the whole story first, before you decide what to do with all the information you have. We want you to see for yourself, so you can make a better judgement... on everything." Wei Ying swallows hard, and Lan Zhan pushes his cup towards him.
"I'm sensing a but. I take it that there's a price?" Huaisang calmly sits back, watching them shrewdly.
"You're right. My grandmother wants a promise from you: in return for full exposure, she wants you to exercise discretion in what you put out there." Wei Ying watches him back apprehensively.
"So you're saying I'll have access to everything, but you're tying my hands in exchange? Then, what's the point? I could go public now, you know." A threat lurks in his cold dark eyes.
"We know. And we're not tying your hands, so to speak. The thing is, you don't know what's at stake." Wei Ying bites his bottom lip to stop the giggle from escaping. He hurries to make his point. "To sweeten the deal, and only if you want to, my grandmother is inviting you to attend the secret meeting tonight. You'll learn much that you had no idea of."
"Secret meeting? Between who?" Huaisang leans forward, now extremely interested.
"The Network of Vampires, the new head of the Wen Empire, and us." Wei Ying doesn't break eye contact.
The air between them feels heavy with static.
Huaisang is considering everything in that short sentence, and Wei Ying thinks it only fair; there's a lot to unpack there.
"So in return for being allowed to join the meeting, and presumably meeting your grandmother, I can publish what I want, within reason if it's approved by you? That's what you're saying, right?" Huaisang looks as if he's weighing his options.
"Yeah, basically that's it."
"Then I want a guarantee that while I'm with you guys, nothing happens to my stuff. It would be a shame if, while there's no one at home, I get burgled. If you know what I mean?"
"Oh, come on! As if you don't have any backups!" Wei Ying grins at him, while shooting off a text to his grandmother.
Huaisang merely smiled quietly.
"She said that's fine, she wasn't going to do anything, anyway." Wei Ying glances at his phone to confirm.
"What time are we leaving?" Huaisang asks, clearly changing the subject.
"Can you be back here by eight? Hopefully, we'll be free then, too." Wei Ying informs him, as Huaisang stands up.
"Alright, see you then." Huaisang leaves them with a little wave.
The moment they're alone, Wei Ying climbs onto Lan Zhan's lap and lets go of the stress holding his shoulders up. Lan Zhan holds him close, rubbing his back sympathetically.
"Wei Ying told grandmother about us." Lan Zhan says, in a bid to get his mind off tonight.
"Yeah? Did you want to do it together? I'm sorry, I didn't think-"
Lan Zhan's lips find his before he can continue speaking.
The kiss is sweet and calming, because Lan Zhan doesn't want to start something they can't finish yet. But he pours all of his love into it, making sure Wei Ying understands fully where he's coming from. To be honest, Wei Ying is kissing him back with gusto, so the distraction worked.
"Wei Ying can tell whoever he wants to, I'm okay with that," Lan Zhan tells him, when they part.
"Is it okay if I just stay here for a while?" Wei Ying asks him, smiling but still needing something from him.
"Mn."
Together, they listen to the sounds the house is making as people go about their daily chores. The ticking of the grandfather clock, the clicks of the lucky cat waving its paw, and the sound of Wei Ying's breathing. Lan Zhan knows that last one is his favourite now.
"Didn't you want to ask me something?" Wei Ying says, a little bit later.
"Mn. I wanted to know if Wei Ying has thought about what he would like to do, as a career path." Lan Zhan replies, his arms tightening as Wei Ying nuzzles at his neck.
"Not really, you know?" He doesn't wait for an answer. "I think I'm drifting for a while." And then he sits up, a worried frown on his face. "Is that bad?"
Lan Zhan is already shaking his head in denial.
He takes Wei Ying's hand and begins kissing his fingers, one by one.
"Wei Ying has worked very hard, twice as hard as normal people. It is okay to wait, to drift. For however long it takes. I like Wei Ying being around," he smirks, loving the way Wei Ying's eyes widen before the frown disappears and is replaced by the widest smile.
"Oh, you do, do you?" He wiggles sitting there, where normally wiggling would lead to something else.
"Not just for that," Lan Zhan clarifies, holding him tighter. "I just like being with you. In and of itself."
And just like that, Wei Ying melts into a puddle.