Meng's Revenge: Vol.4 of Life Among Clouds WangXian Series

Spicy Noodles

Wei Ying woke up slowly and lazily. Lan Zhan was slumbering with so much ease and Wei smiled to himself. The first time in four years since his husband has slept in his Jinshi and he was sleeping with the face of an innocent child. The silence just before all the winter birds, jays, and ravens, began calling, always seemed to be the time (on the rare occasions when he was awake that early) that made Wei think of how truly saturated with quiet and calm Cloud Recesses really was. If there was a perfectly serene place on earth, it would have to be here.

When Lan XiChen had finished searching and investigating his brother's disappearance and, finding absolutely no trace, the first thing he did was bring his distraught brother-in-law back to Cloud Recesses and settled him in the Jinshi. Wei Ying fought against going. He wanted to search himself until he found him, but no food and no sleep for a month was taking its toll, and with the severely under-developed core inherited from Mo Xuanyu,  he was failing fast. Lan XiChen,  desperate to save this man his brother loved, drugged him and flew home, cradling Wei the entire way. Occasionally Wei stirred during the flight, speaking to him as if he were Lan Zhan, words that XiChen locked away vowing to never allow the younger man to know that he had heard these things meant for his lost lover.

"I knew you would come back. I was so scared, my love,"

"I cannot live without you. Only you love me. Do not leave me again."

"Stay, I want to make love to you forever."

Lan XiChen was broken-hearted himself by the time they landed and he got him to bed. It took three weeks and by the time Wei recovered, he knew that Lan Zhan was not coming back soon to him. He believed with all of his heart he would be back in his arms one day, and he made sure he was on the teams that followed every false lead or rumor. But nothing for 3 long years. At least he was settled into the Jinshi, eventually taking over Lan Zhan's duties as sword instructor and teacher. Finding himself accepted here, and carving out a space of his own within the walls of Cloud Recesses was precious to him. Yet every time he opened his eyes, wide awake before the dawn, he lay in the much too large and deserted bed and relived every cherished moment they had spent here. He and his beloved A'Yuan, were lost and miserable. but were now together, thanks to the missing man they adored and became each other's closest supports.

He sighed soundlessly and snuggled back in the comfort of his sleeping partner's arms and closed his eyes. He would let Lan Zhan sleep another two hours and would kiss him awake before breakfast came.

True to his word, he roused Lan Zhan with a flurry of pecks, nuzzles and love bites. He woke with a start and grabbed Wei by the shoulders, eyes startled and still full of sleepy clouds.

"Wei?"

Wei Ying gave him a final, deep, and soulful kiss on the mouth and bounced out of bed.

"Look at you, sleeping until 7:00 on another bright morning! Aren't you ashamed of yourself? You were much too spoiled in Yungmeng!"

"You should have woken me sooner..."

"Not when you looked like an adorable baby dreaming of his favorite treat!"

"Wei Ying is the only treat I dream about. I want some now. Come back to bed."

Wei stepped a full pace backward. "I will not. Breakfast will be here in a few minutes and we have to dress.

Lan Zhan intoned,  "Wei!", in his most seductive baritone, sending excited chills down his husband's spine. Wei stuck his fingers in his ears and backed up again as Lan Zhan rose to his feet and took a step."Lan Zhan, I said NO!"

"Wei Ying!"

"You can just leave the Ying off the Wei, that is not fair play. I mean it."

Lan Zhan lunged without warning and pressed his full lips on the laughing ones in front of him...and there was a knock on the door. 

Lan Zhan dropped Wei fast, like a hot honey bun, and ran for his robe. Wei burst out laughing and sauntered to the door. He opened it to find a disciple holding the breakfast tray. He thanked the young man , whose mouth hung open as he caught a glimpse of Lan Zhan, struggling to slip his arms through the robe, ears as red as the berries in a bowl on the tray. Wei's laughter followed the boy all the way down the path.

"Tsk! What a disgrace you are Lan Wangji!. That disciple will never be the same."

He was delighted to get a gleaming, warning side-eye from his husband.

"Wei...wait until tonight..."

"Will you bring out the Headband?"

"You may safely place a wager on it."

Wei walked over, a stride that held promise and barely contained control. He stood on tiptoe and nipped Lan Zhan's red earlobe and whispered. "And I will guarantee you will lose your best tunic tonight! Let's eat breakfast." 

Lan Zhan rummaged through the kitchen then came back, face apologetic. "I am sorry, Wei Ying but I am not sure any of the hot sauce I kept here will still be any good. Your food may be too bland."

"That's okay. I'll eat whatever Cook made me."

Lan Zhan lifted the lid and stared. On one side was his usual fare of congee, plain and unadorned. On the other was a bowl of spicy noodles swimming in a bright red hot sauce."

Wei smiled happily. "Ahhh!"

Lan Zhan stammered, "How on earth?"

Wei shrugged. "While you were away, I kind of lost my appetite. So Brother sent Cook to Lotus Pier to learn my favorite dishes. They all took me under their wings. Your people became my people. I learned to set aside my own grievances and prejudices at that time. We became family as we waited."

He took a bite of noodles and pretended not to notice the tear that ran down Lan Zhan's cheek, allowing him a private moment to recover. And then the exercise from the night before caught up with them as hunger pangs hit and they wolfed their food down. It would not do to be late for Lan XiChen's first round of the War Conference.