Once upon a lifetime

New Beginnings - Part three

Revised 31/8/24

This has been in my drafts since February. I am so sorry for not realising.

***

It happened right after Wei Wuxian accosted Nie Huaisang near the dorms, planning to smuggle in the rest of the wine Lan Wangji had bought him in Caiyi Town. It had happened, and Wei Wuxian did not know how it came to be, but it just did.

"Ridiculous," said Jiang Wanyin. That was just about how Wei Wuxian would accurately sum up the situation.

He picked a leaf off the tip of his nose and then peered around the tree again, his eyes narrowing. Jin Zixuan was standing beside a field of flowers, and crowded around him was his colossal army of peacocks. And then, on the other hand, there was his sweet Shijie, weak and defenceless, all by herself.

Now, he had been about to wrestle Jin Zixuan to the ground for ganging up on his Shijie when Jiang Cheng, who had come from apparently nowhere, tackled him to the ground. Supposedly, Jin Zixuan hadn't brought along his entire Clan to bully Jiang Yanli, and they'd had a chance meeting.... Which was surprisingly pleasant.

"Hate Jin Zixuan all you want, but I won't forgive you if you ruin my sister's marriage, Wei Wuxian!" Jiang Wanyin sharply whispered. "And where is Second Young Master Lan? Aren't you always with him?"

"Jiang Cheng, what does Lan Zhan have to do with this?" said Wei Wuxian, tutting when he suddenly stopped.

He peered his head so far around it was as though it had been permanently stuck to the tree; Jiang Cheng was just as shocked, but he composed himself quickly enough to be able to look at Wei Wuxian as though he was acting like an idiot.

Because, as clearly as day, Wei Wuxian had heard his name from the Peacock's mouth.

"They're really gossiping about me?" he whispered, horrified. "Jiang Cheng, we have to stop him! Who knows what he'll tell Shijie? He surely has so much dirt on us!"

"Us?" said Jiang Wanyin, scoffing. "He said your name, not mine. And you know what, it makes complete sense to me because I haven't been running off with the Lan Clan's second Young Master!"

Wei Wuxian rolled his eyes but said no more. He was more interested in Jin Zixuan, who gestured for Jiang Yanli to follow as he walked down the path.

Their conversation had supposedly been pleasant, and it ended pleasantly enough that the peacock was inviting his shijie to walk with him! Just what universe had he entered?!

"A-Xian, A-Cheng, why are you watching me?! So shameless!" cried a voice behind him, and before he knew it, Wei Wuxian screamed and leapt up, and his head crashed into a hard jaw above him, and soon enough, two people were rolling around on the floor, clutching their heads.

It was Nie Huaisang. He had deliberately put on a high-pitched voice to mess with them, and although he was near tears from the pain, Nie Huaisang was in stitches.

"Ahahahaha! Wei-Xiong, you really– Ahahaha!"

"Nie Huaisang, you gave me a scare," tutted Jiang Wanyin, sighing loudly. "Who's that behind you?"

Wei Wuxian sniffled and looked up, only to see a pristinely-dressed Meng Yao standing before him. He felt his face heat from embarrassment, as he had just been watching his Shijie's love story with her fiance, and then proceeded to roll around on the floor like a lunatic!