Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation: I Have Acquaintances in the Heavenly Realm - Chapter 14

Lan Wangji looked at the jars of wine scattered on the floor, his brow furrowing slightly. “Wei Ying, have you been eating properly?”

Wei Wuxian set down his Emperor’s Smile, looking a bit guilty. “Of course I have! Didn’t Hanguang-jun arrange for Sizhui and Jingyi to bring me food?” He paused, then added, “Speaking of which, they must have spent quite a bit of time today just to deliver meals to me. I hope it didn’t interfere with their lessons.”

“It did not,” Lan Wangji replied simply.

As they spoke, Wei Wuxian’s stomach let out an ill-timed growl. This Mo Xuanyu body is really too fragile, Wei Wuxian thought. I only missed one meal; how can it be making such a fuss? How did he even survive at Mo Village?

Lan Wangji’s frown deepened, and his tone carried a hint of displeasure. “Wei Ying.”

Wei Wuxian immediately grinned and hooked both hands around Lan Wangji’s arm. “Lan Er-gege, look—it’s not just my heart thinking of you, even my stomach is thinking of you. We were only apart for a little while and it’s already making such a racket. It seems to like you very much!”

Lan Wangji stared at him in silence for a long moment before turning to head for the door. Wei Wuxian quickly grabbed him. “Lan Zhan! Where are you going? Don’t be angry… I just wanted to wait for you to come back so we could eat together.”

Lan Wangji turned back to face him. “Wei Ying, I am going out for a moment. I will return shortly.”

“You’re not angry anymore?” Wei Wuxian asked, unconvinced.

Lan Wangji nodded. “Mhm.”

Wei Wuxian let go, and sure enough, Lan Wangji returned a short while later carrying a food box. He set it on the table and laid out three dishes and a soup—all of them were spicy dishes, exactly the way Wei Wuxian liked them. Driven by the aroma, Wei Wuxian sat down and began to eat ravenously.

Between bites, Wei Wuxian asked, “Lan Zhan, has the Gusu Lan kitchen started making spicy food now? And do you eat spicy food now that you’re home?”

“The private kitchen,” Lan Wangji said impassively.

Years ago, Lan Wangji had been so consumed by his longing for Wei Wuxian that he wanted to taste the food Wei Ying loved, as if doing so would bring him closer. Since the main kitchen at Cloud Recesses wouldn’t prepare such dishes, Lan Wangji built a small kitchen in the courtyard outside the Jingshi. Over the years, he had gone from eating while crying to eating with an impassive face; he had long since grown accustomed to Wei Wuxian’s palate.

“Lan Zhan! Cloud Recesses actually has a private kitchen now?” Wei Wuxian was genuinely surprised.

“Mhm,” Lan Wangji nodded.

Wei Wuxian didn’t need to ask to know that Lan Wangji must have insisted on it. Even if Lan Qiren disapproved, there was nothing he could do; at least this way, Lan Wangji would stay at Cloud Recesses.

After finishing the meal and tidying up, Lan Wangji sat at his desk to continue copying the sect rules. Wei Wuxian sat opposite him, one hand twirling Chenqing and the other propped on the desk.

He surveyed the room. “Lan Zhan, I think we should add another desk, just like in the Library Pavilion. When you’re reading or writing, I can be here with you, writing talismans.”

“Good,” Lan Wangji replied.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to Wei Wuxian. “By the way, Lan Zhan, how is Zewu-jun? At Guanyin Temple, he seemed… quite shaken.”

At the mention of his brother, Lan Wangji set down his brush, his expression clouded with worry. “Brother is not well.”

“How is he?” Wei Wuxian asked with concern.

Lan Wangji looked at Wei Wuxian for a long time, but ultimately couldn’t find the words and lowered his head. Wei Wuxian walked over and pulled Lan Wangji into a comforting embrace. “Lan Zhan, Zewu-jun will get better. We have to believe in him, right?”

He paused, then continued, “Can I go see him?”

“Mhm. Tomorrow morning,” Lan Wangji answered.

“Lan Zhan, I really have to thank Zewu-jun. If he hadn’t told me at Guanyin Temple what happened after Nightless City, I might never have remembered… I might never have known everything you did for me.” Wei Wuxian sighed. “You and Zewu-jun have very different personalities, but you are both such devoted, loyal people.”

Lan Wangji’s eyes were full of tenderness. “Wei Ying.”

Wei Wuxian cupped Lan Wangji’s face in his hands. “So, Zewu-jun is not just your brother, he is my benefactor. Let’s find a way to help him get better together, okay?”

“Mhm,” Lan Wangji nodded.

Looking at the Lan Wangji before him—no longer cold as frost or unapproachable—Wei Wuxian felt his heart skip a beat. He gave Lan Wangji a heavy kiss on the lips, then pulled back slightly and grinned. “Lan Zhan, I noticed there’s even more Emperor’s Smile today than yesterday. Did you sneak down the mountain early this morning to buy wine?”

Lan Wangji gave a faint smile but remained silent. Wei Wuxian leaned his entire weight against the other man. “Alright, Lan Zhan, you’ve really learned to be ‘bad’ now. Is this something Hanguang-jun should be doing?”

“Yes,” Lan Wangji replied.

Wei Wuxian shook his head. “Wrong! No! This isn’t what Hanguang-jun should do; it’s what the Yiling Patriarch, Wei Wuxian, should do!”

“What is the difference?” Lan Wangji asked, puzzled.

Wei Wuxian laughed. “The difference? It’s huge! Hanguang-jun is the model for all the clans, the ‘walking sect rules’ of Cloud Recesses. How could he do something that violates the rules? I’m different, I have experience in these things.”

Lan Wangji shook his head. “No.”

“What ‘no’?”

Lan Wangji said seriously, “I do not care for those empty titles. I only wish to do this.”

Wei Wuxian felt helpless. “Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan… what am I going to do with you? If you keep this up, your perfect reputation will be ruined. Your uncle must hate me to death by now! I wanted to leave a good impression on him, but aren’t you setting me up for failure?”

Lan Wangji thought for a moment. “No matter. With me here, Uncle will not make things difficult for you.”

Wei Wuxian put his hands on his hips. “Lan Zhan! That’s not what I want! I want your uncle to change his mind about me as a person, not just because of you. I don’t want you to be caught in the middle, don’t you see!”

“I am not caught in the middle,” Lan Wangji insisted.

Wei Wuxian laughed out of frustration. “Lan Zhan, you’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you!”

“Uncle will like you, Wei Ying. Do not worry.”

Wei Wuxian stared at him, his face full of disbelief. “Honestly, Lan Zhan, that’s such a fake consolation. Everyone knows Old Master Lan detests me to the core.”

But Lan Wangji only looked at him earnestly. “Wei Ying, trust me.”