❃ 𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 ❃

🔹𝕿𝖍𝖎𝖗𝖙𝖞 𝕿𝖍𝖗𝖊𝖊🔹

Built among sprawling lotus ponds in the lazy shallows of a vast, meandering river, Lotus Pier shapes the halcyon days of the Jiāng siblings' youth. It is a warm and lively place, its people welcoming and carefree.

The main compound of Lotus Pier is set out loosely following the typical, traditional layout for residences containing a courtyard. Rooms are placed at the four cardinal points. With the courtyard facing south, the most important buildings are placed to the rear, such as the parents and grandparents' bedrooms and the ancestral hall, while the side rooms are placed to the east and west.

Lotus Pier was not as extensive as the Cloud Recesses—Wangji knew that much, even if he hadn't been there—but it wasn't small, and as it occupied flat land, had larger training grounds than they did at Gusu. With any luck, the guest accommodations were far from the training area and family rooms.

Wangji was surprised by how calm he felt walking through an unfamiliar residence, but it was a good deal warmer here than in the mountains. He was already damp beneath his arms and on his chest, and his cheeks felt flushed.

Everything felt nice except a certain someone. Lan Wangji was bothered by Wei Wuxian's long silence since the fight in dock. Wei Wuxian had not said him a word nor to his siblings. He had been silent all the way to Lotus Pier. They had been holding hands but now they had lost that small contact too. Lan Wangji had been too immersed in the natural beauty of Lotus Pier that he had been unable to notice when Wei Wuxian had pulled his hand away.

Lan Wangji looked at Wei who did not seem to be in this world. He was engaged in his own world of thoughts. Lan Wangji wanted to ask what was wrong but before he could ask anything, they were already in front of the Sect leader Jiang, Jiang Fengmian.

Jiang Fengmian wore the purple robes of the Yunmeng Jiang Clan. His face had a calm and solemn expression. Jiang Fengmian had a gentle and polite smile on his face which could ease anyone's mind instantly.

"A-Li, A-Cheng, A-Xian, it's good to see you children back. Second Master Lan, welcome to Lotus Pier." He said politely.

Jiang Cheng and Jiang Yanli hugged their father while Wei Wuxian stood rooted in place. Jiang Fengmian furrowed his brows at this unusual behaviour of his adopted son but was interrupted when Lan Wangji spoke, bowing down,

"Sect Leader Jiang, thank you for having me here. Please call me Wangji."

"Alright then, Wangji, feel home." Jiang Fengmian said laughing.

"This is my home." Lan Wangji said, side glancing Wei Wuxian who still was in his own world.

"A-Xian," Jiang Fengmian called.

Wei Wuxian did not hear for he was immersed in thinking.

"Wei..." Lan Wangji was about to call Wei Wuxian when Jiang Cheng beat him.

"Wei Wuxian!" He snorted, smacking him with his sword, "Are you so deaf that you cannot hear dad calling you?"

"Huh.... Uncle Jiang!" Wei Wuxian bowed, realizing for the first time since they had arrived that he was in front of Jiang Fengmian.

"A-Cheng, don't be rude," Jiang Fengmian said fir which Jiang Cheng looked down, "A-Xian, is everything alright? What's bothering you?" Jiang Fengmian asked, turning to Wei Wuxian.

"Ah... Uncle, that's nothing!" Wei Wuxian hurried, "I am just tired, that's it." He tried his best to put on a smile.

"Oh yeah," Jiang Fengmian nodded, "Go and have some rest all of you. We can chat during dinner." Jiang Fengmian everyone out of the hall, patting their heads and shoulders with love and affection. He did not forget to add, "A-Xian, take good care of Wangji."

Soon they were all out of sight of Jiang Fengmian and all four of them walked together. None of them spoke, especially because of Wei Wuxian.

"This way," Wei Wuxian finally said, taking the left fork where the wooden pathway diverged. He pointed to an attractive building as they passed it. "That's Shijie's room, that one there is Jiang Cheng's, and this one's mine."

Jiang Yanli waved them bye before waking over the direction that led to her room while Jiang Cheng just left without a word.

Now that they were alone, Wei Wuxian finally relaxed and a little of his cheerfulness returned. Lan Wangji knew that Jiang Cheng was the reason for Wei Wuxian to be upset!

Wei Wuxian proudly slid open the doors to a room a fourth the size of Wangji's, with a low table for eating and meditation, and a bed tucked into the corner. The air was warm with the scents of fading incense and something that made Wangji's chest relax. He spotted a gathering of wine bottles underneath the bed and a set of robes discarded on the floor.

"Ah . . . hahaha." Wei Wuxian noticed Lan Wangji looking at the robes and picked them up. "Sorry, Lan Zhan. I... I was in a hurry when I was packing my bag to Gusu so I had no time to clean them up. Seems like, my left was undisturbed until my return. Eh... I am sorry I didn't know you would be coming with me when I return. I... I will just clean them up now. Why don't you sit by the table until I clean up the room?"

Lan Wangji's heart was finally at ease. All these while, it was very tensed due to Wei Wuxian's unnatural silence and now that his husband had got back to normal, he too was contented.

"Wei Ying, it's alright. We can clean the room later." Lan Wangji offered.

Wei Wuxian immediately straightened, dropping all the robes that he had just picked up, and with a fuming expression he said,

"Lan Wangji, don't you dare! Don't you dare to do any chores! All that you have done for me is enough. This is my home, and I will take care of you. Not vice versa! Understood?"

Lan Wangji wanted to argue but he was too tired of it. He would talk of this later. He would make Wei Wuxian understand that this was their home. This and Jingshi both were their home and they could live the way they want.

Lan Wangji wanted to tell Wei Wuxian that they were husbands! They were spouses! And spouses help each other, despite whose home it is! They share everything, especially, house chores too!

Lan Wangji was too tired to make Wei Wuxian understand anything now but he will make sure that Wei Wuxian understands that he is not Second Master Lan but his Lan Zhan!