Chapter 6
"WEI WUXIAN!"
Jiang Wanyin stormed into the room followed by the faint smell of burnt citrus. Startled, Wei Wuxian quickly put on his glasses and tried to look like Jiang Cheng had just interrupted him doing something important.
"Oh hey, what's up, Jiang Cheng? Haha." Wei Wuxian tapped his fingers nervously on his desk.
How did he get past Wen Ning? Wei Wuxian thought, sliding down in his chair as the omega walked over to him, withering him with an infuriated look. As if reading his mind, Jiang Cheng scowled angrily, "You think Wen Ning is your personal bodyguard??"
"Yes! I mean- no, of course not!" Wei Wuxian hastily changed his answer. "Oh come on, Jiang Cheng, chill out! Can't we talk like normal citizens!"
"Fine, then tell me why the hell you stopped me!" Jiang Cheng pulled out the chair across from the omega and sat down angrily, crossing his legs. "That omega wearing that stupid yellow sun hat was secretly taking photos of the others! And you saw it too and yet you didn't try to stop him!"
"Well, who do you think he is?" Wei Wuxian asked calmly.
"An intel," Jiang Cheng grits his teeth, "I don't recognize him and no one should be able to access this building without a membership card authorized by you or me."
"Hey, don't look at me," Wei Wuxian shrugged, taking off his fake glasses and rubbing off a smudge with his shirt, "I've never seen him before either. You know, we really need to tell the guards to actually check the omegas' cards, sorta like how they check people's IDs before they allow them into a club haha."
Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes. Wei Wuxian slid his glasses back on his nose and continued, "A-Cheng, I stopped you because that omega, as you said, is a spy. That means he's somebody's spy."
"..."
"So I put a tracker on him."
Jiang Wanyin looked at him incredulously and in disbelief. "What? When? How come I didn't notice?"
Wei Wuxian shrugged, "I don't know. Maybe I'm just too good."
"Oh, piss off," Jiang Cheng snorted. "You are crazy."
"I'll take that as a compliment," Wei Wuxian grinned. "Now let's wait and see where this little mole will lead us. Though, I have a hunch..."
Jiang Cheng threw him a look, "You aren't implying..."
"I am," Wei Wuxian said grimly. "We are not done with them yet."
"I told you to not mess with them anymore!" Jiang Cheng whispered exasperatedly. "Don't you know who they are! Their uncle is one of mom's business partners!"
"Yeah, yeah, I wasn't planning on it either! But they stepped out of the line with this one. I'm not about to let anyone take advantage of my omegas!" Wei Wuxian huffed. "Don't worry, I'm not gonna cause trouble, I'm going to just make sure they get the memo and stay out of our business."
"..."
"Somehow it's hard to believe you."
"Gosh, have some faith in me."
"You think it's easy?"
"..."
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"Thanks again for coming, A-Yao."
"Of course," the omega smiled, showing dimples. "I wanted to take a look around the city again and you gave me the perfect excuse. How's Wangji? Is the cop life suiting him well?"
"Oh, he quit. A few years ago actually," Lan Xichen said carefully.
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. He makes a fine cop."
"I agree but Wangji wanted to quit so we just leave it at that," Lan Xichen said mildly. He knew he was being vague and he was glad Meng Yao didn't question further.
"Oh, hold on, I forgot, I got another present for you," Meng Yao said, rummaging through his bag. "Here." He handed him a photo.
"...Huaisang?" Lan Xichen took the photo.
Meng Yao nodded. "I saw him there too. I'm not sure if he's close friends with them but you should keep him away from them. Jiang Wanyin and Wei Wuxian are not good influences, especially for someone like Huaisang. I thought you might let Mingjue know as well."
"..."
"Xichen?"
"Oh, sorry, Meng Yao, I got distracted," Lan Xichen tore his gaze away from the photo. "What were you saying?"
Meng Yao nearly raised an eyebrow. What was there to be distracted by? He only took a photo of Nie Huaisang sitting by a table with a hand fan covering half his face as he paid attention to the person in front of the room giving a talk.
This was true, but the person speaking was Wei Wuxian and Lan Xichen spotted another omega standing near the man, Jiang Wanyin. Since the camera was focused on Nie Huaisang, everyone else was a little blurry but it was clear as day that Jiang Wanyin had his eyes rolled up to the sky. Amused, he could barely contain a small smile.
"It's nothing. Just let Mingjue know that Huaisang's hanging out with these omegas. I don't think he'll be quite pleased. I have to go now."
"Oh, so soon?" Lan Xichen asked.
Meng Yao smiled and nodded. "I still deciding whether to settle back in Shanghai or not, but I need to do some errands either way."
"Ah..." Lan Xichen nodded. Then he thought of something else. "Meng Yao, do you... Still keep in touch with Mingjue?"
"...no. I think I'd rather not," Meng Yao said carefully and smiled. "I don't think he'll be pleased to see me either."
Lan Xichen lowered his head. I supposed that's right... Lan Xichen looked up, "How's Rusong? Is he turning fourteen this year?"
Jin Rusong is Meng Yao's son. Meng Yao gave birth to him in Shanghai but within months he and his wife left for America, so the baby was raised abroad.
"He's doing great. He'll turn fourteen in November. I'm thinking of bringing him here for the summer. School vacation starts early in America, he's already on break."
Meng Yao smiled, "He really needs to use his Mandarin more often. He always speaks in English because all his friends do. I don't want him to forget his mother tongue."
"Well, maybe he'll find some friends here to speak Mandarin with," Lan Xichen said, smiling. "One summer here will be enough for him to remember all his Chinese."
Meng Yao laughed and patted Lan Xichen on the arm, "You are too optimistic, Xichen. Well, I have to go now."
"..." Me, optimistic? Lan Xichen's gaze fell upon the omega.
"..." He reached forward.
Confused, Meng Yao looked at the alpha only for him to reach and take something off his hat.
"A tracker," Lan Xichen muttered, lowering his hand, revealing a small device the size of a dime. "Meng Yao..."
"Oh." Meng Yao blinked.
"..."
"I'm so sorry."
"I haven't been anywhere else yet," Meng Yao said quietly. "This is the only place Wei Wuxian and Jiang Wanyin would have tracked."
"That's fine," Lan Xichen said quickly. "I'm just sorry, I shouldn't have got you involved in the first place."
Meng Yao smiled and inclined his head. "Well, you have. No point in regretting it now. But Xichen, are you sure you should be getting more involved with these two? There's something off about them."
Lan Xichen smiled, "Thank you for the concern."
"Of course, you are my friend. I really should go now, though. I'll see you soon, Xichen."
"Alright, see you, Meng Yao." Lan Xichen waved goodbye. It was only moments later that it dawned on him that he stopped calling him A-Yao.
"..."
"Huh."
Maybe absence doesn't always make the heart grow fonder.
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Barely a day had gone by when a particular mail address to a Mr. Lan Wangji was dropped through the mail slot of their front door.
"...I think I know where this special letter is from," Lan Xichen said teasingly as Lan Wangji carefully opened the envelope and a coupon fell out.
"..."
Lan Wangji picked up the coupon. It was a coupon for drinks at a nearby nightclub, specifically the nightclub where the jades first encountered Wang Mingxing's mother.
"He wants to meet again?" Lan Xichen peered at the coupon. "Wangji, are you up for that?"
There was only one voucher, meaning Wei Wuxian yet again only wanted Lan Wangji to come.
"..." Lan Wangji slowly nodded.
*********************************************************************
While Wangji's dealing with Mr. Wei, there's no point for me to stall this any longer either.
Lan Xichen made his way back to Wang Mingxing's apartment.
Unfortunately, he can not keep the promise that he made to Mr. Wang.
"Ru Xiangwei."
The omega was stirring chicken broth in the kitchen when she heard the name spoken behind her. She froze.
Lan Xichen stared at her as Shu Lifen slowly turned around. Her eyes widened fearfully. "You..."
"Ru Xiangwei," Lan Xichen repeated, staring at her intently. "That's your real name, isn't it?" Lan Xichen didn't make a move forward but the woman already had her back pressed against the counter, unnerved.
"N-no.."
"You lied about your name. You lied about your heritage. In fact, you faked your whole identity and moved to Shanghai, cutting off all connections. Don't you think it's strange? I sure did. You lie about all this, Shu Lifen, what else could you have been lying about?" Lan Xichen asked calmly.
The omega panicked. "No... That isn't me, I-I can explain!"
A bowl crashed and shattered into pieces. The two spun their head around to see Wang Mingxing in the hallway, his hands shaking. The beta was in a wheelchair.
"M-mingxing!" The omega cried, about to run over.
"Is that true?"
"..." The omega halted, looking terrified. "Mingxing..."
"Is that true?" Wang Mingxing repeated. "Lifen... Did you lie to me?"
Shu Lifen bit her lips. Her eyes welled up, and a sob came over her. She hurried out of the room, the door swinging after her.
"Lifen!" Wang Mingxing stood up and was about to go after her when a pair of hands stopped him.
"Son, don't go after her, she's done for," Mrs. Wang said.
"Mom!"
Lan Xichen was equally as surprised, he didn't expect Mrs. Wang to be here. Turns out, after everything, Wang Mingxing realized the person he needed to make amends with the most was his own mother. The son had called his mother a few hours ago, wanting the three of them to act as a family for just a moment in time.
Wang Mingxing turned to Lan Xichen, who stood there, firm yet uncertain.
"You... You planned all this, didn't you?" Wang Mingxing said exasperatedly and on the brink of tears. "Why- why are you doing this? I told you, I don't care if Lifen is lying to me! I don't have much time, I have cancer, I don't care if she's-"
"You don't have cancer."
"...lying to me- wait, what?"
Stunned, Wang Mingxing stared at the alpha. "...what did you just say?"
Lan Xichen lowered his head. "I'm sorry. Mr. Wang, I'm sorry for deceiving you. That medical report was sent by me. I asked a friend for a favor and fabricated the whole thing. You don't actually have cancer, Mr. Wang."
"B-b-b-but, but," Wang Mingxing sputtered, "but I feel sick! I have these stomach pains and headaches! I lost like twenty pounds this week!"
"That's from the emotional stress you are getting which is causing you to lose weight and appetite. You also have not been eating well these few weeks, Mr. Wang. Plus believing you are actually sick might also do a number on you, Mr. Wang. I am sorry."
"But," Wang Mingxing clutched his head in disbelief. And a little embarrassed that he went all out with a wheelchair and wrote a twenty-page will. "But that doesn't matter anymore! You chased Lifen away..."
"Son, she's not worth it," Wang Mingxing's mother tried to console him. "She lied to you."
"Yes, she is, Mom! Yes, she lied to me, but..." Wang Mingxing buried his face in his hands, "But I love her."
"..."
"Oh," Mrs. Wang sighed, "Mingxing..."
Lan Xichen felt horrible. Did he not do this right? No, he doesn't think so.
"Mr. Wang-"
"Please."
Wang Mingxing interrupted and waved his hand. "Just... leave."
"..."
Lan Xichen bowed his head. "I'm sorry," He said quietly. Forgive me, friend.
The man walked past the mother and son, and the shattered bowl, mixed with soup and pieces of broken shards, long since cold.
To be continued...
Everyone made some questionable choices, huh? 😬
- I got so many mini writer's blocks in this chapter, I'm not used to writing drama and angst 😅 I mostly write comedy and lighthearted works, but I want to try something new so bear with me ❤️
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Updates will be on Tuesdays.
Next Chapter- Wangji's #2 enemy.