Courtship Rite

Sick

Meng Yao looked down at the reports laid out on his desk. Tong Dizhou had advised Lan Wangi to allow security to grab Wei Ying from more remote location, but Lan Wangji had insisted on doing the pickup himself. In a crowded bar. The idiot had probably thought he was being romantic. At least Tong Dizhou had arranged a distraction, a staged event with flaming shots and a shirt catching on fire. Still, someone in the crowd may have noticed Lan Wangji with Wei Ying.

When his cell chirped out an alarm, Meng Yao stared down at it in trepidation before answering. Most notifications were screened by his assistant, but he'd insisted that anything relating to Wei Ying come directly to his phone. The call came from the guard station in the courtesan level of the Lan residence. "Yes?"

"Uh, is this Director Meng?"

It was his own phone number. He'd given his direct line to the guards last night. Who did this imbecile think would be picking it up? "Of course."

"Oh. Right. You asked to be informed immediately of any incidents. Lan Wangji called for a doctor. He and the doctor are in courtesan room four now."

"What happened?"

"I don't know. I got a glimpse of the doctor heading into the bathroom before Lan Wangji shut the door."

"I'll be right there."

At first glance, the Lan residence had no distinguishing features. It held the same couple dozen stories as its neighbors. It had been constructed from the same materials: steel, concrete, and glass. But loiterers would be politely asked to move. If they didn't, the request would come with increasing levels of firmness. While its neighbors might have a doorman outside, the Lan residence had at least three guards at a security desk in the foyer at any given time. They knew Meng Yao well and passed him through quickly.

When Meng Yao stepped off the elevator on the courtesan level, the guards let him know that Lan Wangji and the doctor were still in courtesan room four as they checked his badge and marked down the time of his arrival. Once in the room, Meng Yao saw the robe he'd given Wei Ying in a crumpled pile by the bed, discarded on the floor. Glancing into the bathroom as he went to fetch the robe, he noticed Lan Wangji glaring at the doctor who, squatting low to the floor, seemed to be trying to take Wei Ying's pulse. "I'm sick. Leave me alone," Wei Ying shouted as he pushed the doctor away.

Meng Yao wove between the two men to wrap the robe around Wei Ying's shoulders. Had he not given Wei Ying enough time to accept his place in the Lan residence? It wasn't as if he could have put Lan Wangji off much longer. "Please," Meng Yao said. "Leave me alone with him for a moment." The doctor back out as if chased by the hounds of hell, but Lan Wangji stayed, turning his glare on Meng Yao. "Young master, please give us a moment of privacy."

Lan Wangji spared Wei Ying a worried glance before stepping out of the room, leaving the two of them alone. Before Meng Yao could ask, Wei Ying looked up from the toilet bowl and said two words. "Betrothal gifts."

Meng Yao felt as if he'd been punched in the gut. He'd told Lan Wangji not to discuss ... Oh. He'd told Lan Wangji not to mention wedding dates. It hadn't occurred to him that Lan Wanji's more literal mind wouldn't realize the prohibition included betrothal gifts. Damn, he hadn't meant for Wei Ying to be blindsided. "I'm sorry." He didn't know what else to say.

Meng Yao turned away and walked out the door. "Doctor, take him to your office for a full checkup. It's probably nothing more than a stomach bug, but it's best to be sure." That should give Wei Ying some time away from Lan Wangji, hopefully enough for him to come to terms with Lan Wangji's intentions.

"There's no stretcher here."

So? If one were needed, he could call for a stretcher. Before Meng Yao could say Wei Ying was well enough to walk, Lan Wangji entered the bathroom, picked Wei Ying up, and brought him out in a bridal carry. Of course he did. Meng Yao hid a sigh and hoped that Wei Ying wouldn't throw a fit before the doctor could put a door between him and Lan Wangji. As Lan Wangji carried Wei Ying into the hallway, the doctor trailed after like a duckling.

Meng Yao leaned against the wall and stared after them blankly. Damn all legitimate sons. What must it feel like to never think of the consequences? Meng Yao remembered the time he'd been dragged out of Koi Industries and kicked out the door. He once again heard his father's mocking laughter. How many years had mother waited for Jin Guangshan to leave his wife? How many years had she, the kindest and gentlest of women, waited for the man to marry her? As Meng Yao thought of his mother coughing up her life in a hospital bed, he felt something running down his face. He touched his fingers to his cheeks and they came back wet. As he brushed away his tears, his heart ached for his poor mother. She'd never given up hope that Jin Guangshan would take in her son and give him a better life. Meng Yao had believed her. He'd gone to his father confident of his future and full of hope. He could barely recall what that felt like. What bright future had Wei Ying been looking forward to? What had he lost?