[曦澄 | XiCheng]: The Fear Of Falling In Love [~PART 1~]

[62.] Our birthday.

The Guest Hall was brimming with people today  –  it was a double celebration, and all the Clans had come to pay respects to the Leaders of both the Yunmeng Jiang Clan and the Gusu Lan Clan. 

Now as the Masters entered the Hall, and walked up to their seats at the top, everybody gasped  -  Sandu Shengshou looked like a Master from the Lan Clan  –  his hair was down, apart from a hair decoration matching his husband's, and he looked magnificent in the official Gusu Lan robe which accentuated his pale skin. The only thing that reminded the people of his own Clan was the purple ribbon on his forehead. 

They both were smiling and greeting everybody, as if nothing had happened just hours beforehand. Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji were seated next to them, and Jiang Wanyin thanked their housekeeper in his mind for the seating arrangements, as his parents were nowhere near him and his husband.

They sat down, looking radiant. Jiang Yanli noticed that her brother was keeping his hand on his belly, and never even tasted any of the food. She bit her lip  –  she saw how flushed he was, and how Lan Xichen was hugging his shoulders, constantly asking him if he needed anything, and she knew. It had happened to her too just over a year ago. Holding a sleeping Jin Ling in her arms, she approached him.

- Happy birthday, A-Cheng! I am so glad to see you so fresh today!

- Shìjiè!  -  Jiang Wanyin exclaimed. –  I wish we could have spent some more time together yesterday! Will you stay a little longer? How is my beautiful nephew?  –  he babbled, but melted when she offered to give him the baby.

- Just be careful. He is tired now, but once he takes his nap  –  it will be screams to the Heavens! He is so small, but so fussy!  –  she laughed.

- Oh... - Jiang Cheng was close to tears, holding the baby gently, caressing his little fingers carefully.  –  Can I please hold him... Just a little...  -  he whispered, begging.

She smiled and nodded.

***

Wei Wuxian was observing everything, smiling. It had been so rare to ever witness Jiang Cheng so happy, so smiling, so calm. He now thought that those two must really be sharing a strong love in order to be able to get over the awful scene from the previous night. He knew too well how weak Jiang Wanyin could be, how emotional. Lan Xichen was giving him strength, supporting him. 

He watched him return the baby to their sister, and lean in his head towards his husband, listening to something whispered in his ear, smiling yet again.

After last night, Zewu-Jun was not worried about showing his affection openly, and was now holding his husband's hand, putting food on his plate and making sure there was tea and wine on the table, constantly asking him how he was. Sandu Shengshou was blushing and placing his husband's hand over his belly, careful to drink more tea, and very little wine, and trying to eat some food, although he was wincing at it most of the time.

He looked around for his own family. Hanguang-Jun was staring at his uncle, frowning. Lan Qiren was discussing something with Madam Yu. Wei Wuxian guessed his thoughts  –  he expected trouble too. His eyes roamed the room to spot his sons  –  he just needed to detect the places of the loudest noise.

***  


All of Jiang Cheng's nephews loved their uncles. 

Uncle Huan, miraculously, always had presents for them, and always gave them hugs and kisses, just like their dads, and often, while they were still very young, they would call him "Daddy"  too, confusing him with Lan Wangji, to his great pleasure.

Uncle Wanyin was fascinating too  –  he had a very cool ring, and he knew cool words that they loved screaming at the top of their lungs later, much to the dismay of their parents; this uncle really loved yelling together with their Papa, and they loved yelling together with them too, whenever they played that game.

Their Auntie had all the food in the world, and gave them candy secretly, but now she had a baby too, so she paid more attention to it, and not to them, and they were sulking. Their dads were trying to explain to them that when they were babies they paid so much attention to them too, but they wanted to play with their Auntie now, and not later.

Now Wei Wuxian's eldest son hid quickly behind his back and whispered in his ear too loudly, so that everybody around heard him:

- Papa, why is Uncle Huan kissing Uncle Wanyin? Like, the way you are kissing Daddy? Are they daddies too?  –  he tilted his head to the side, trying to find the logic.

Jiang Cheng choked on his wine, and Lan Xichen blushed so deeply that Lan Wangji was afraid he might be sick, as all his blood rushed so suddenly to his head.

- Ehhh, what kind of questions are you asking now, my love?  –  Wei Wuxian was grinning, too proud of his son.  –  Who is kissing who is not your business!  Go play, and no sugar! Are we clear?  –  he raised an eyebrow.

- But... but... but, Papa!

- Now.  –  Lan Wangji needed to say just one word.

- Alright, Daddy! No sugar, Papa! I will let Auntie know!  –  he grinned naughtily and ran.

- I swear, this child is yours,  Wei Ying.  –  Lan Wangji mumbled.

- Ah, husband, I know what you mean.  –  Wei Wuxian kissed his cheek happily.  –  This one will be a troublemaker, huh. –  he mumbled too.

The youngest one was already very tired and came to cuddle, sleepy, but as he now had a choice of four or five laps in which to fall asleep, he decided to choose the place where it was least likely to get any punishments, so he chose his Uncle Wanyin.

- Hugs!  –  he cooed, lifting his little arms up, begging to be held.

Lan Wangji frowned and was about to say something and call a nanny, but Jiang Cheng smiled and swept him off his feet too quickly.

- Always, my precious love.  –  he murmured, taking him in his embrace, and lulling him in his arms.

Totally ignoring all the guests, he now focused on the child only. The little one snuggled in his warm robes, giggling, enjoying his uncle's caresses and kisses, grabbing at locks of his long hair and playing with the ends of the purple ribbon. 

Lan Xichen's heart was singing, he was extremely glad to see his husband so happy. He leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on his nephew's cheek, and, as his hair fell to the front, he used the precious seconds to place a soft kiss on his husband's lips too while they were hidden from the world, making him blush with pleasure. 

The child clapped his hands, locked between them, cozy in their shared warmth, and yelled happily: "Daddy! Daddy!",  and earned a second kiss both from his Uncle Wanyin and from his Uncle Huan.

He fell asleep too soon afterwards, and Wei Wuxian offered to take him off his brother's hands, but Jiang Wanyin begged him to let him hold him a little longer, now staring at him sleeping, listening to his calm breathing, pressing him to his body hungrily.

Zewu-Jun was accepting presents and greetings from the Clans on both their behalves, as now Sandu Shengshou had the perfect excuse to ignore absolutely everyone. Still, he could feel his mother's scorching eyes on himself, but decided that today this was not going to bother him. He also avoided Lan Wangji's disapproving stare. 

Adoring his son did not mean truce between the two of them.