WangXian Forever Book 9: The Flower Demon

Chapter 122 Snowflakes

It was the day before Lan Zhan's birthday, and Wei Ying giggles to himself because he's in charge of the best secret, and it's the thrill of keeping silent about it.

They are leaving the Jingshi hand in hand, and Lan Zhan turns back at the sound of his amusement, the fondest expression on his face, golden eyes soft with love.

They're both dressed in identical warm cloaks lined with fur, and yet for Lan Zhan, seeing Wei Ying in his Clan's white colours will never get old. He steps into Wei Ying's personal space, delighting in the widening of beautiful starlight eyes. His thumb caresses a pink cheek as Wei Ying's breath mists between them.

"Mn?"

Wei Ying holds his hand out to catch the first snowflakes of the day, his smile radiant and bright as the snow covered peaks of Cloud Recesses high up above them.

"Did you know, my love? No two flakes are the same?" He muses, staring at his own palm, and hoping to distract his husband. He's sure Lan Zhan was about to ask him why Wei Ying had laughed, but it's imperative that he does not suspect a thing.

Wei Ying sticks out his tongue to capture a few, always curious for a taste. His eyes close, lost in this experience.

Lan Zhan watches him back with rapture, willingly held captive by this beautiful man.

The cold air has reddened his cheeks and the tip of his cute button nose, his eyes are sparkling like snow glistening under the moonlight, and he's happy.

Wei Ying looks lovely this morning, as he does every day... but today, he's hiding something.

Though it matters not, because Lan Zhan has learned to be patient.

When it suits him.

So he faithfully answers Wei Ying, his voice muffled in the shroud of the falling snow.

"Mn. It is chaos. The balance of nature."

"What do you mean?" Wei Ying lifts his face up, sensing Lan Zhan coming closer. He's not above begging for a kiss. Ever.

"The balance part is visible in the even shape of the trees, for example, and the uniformity of their leaves. Also in each blade of grass next to its twin growing to the same length, the number of petals in any given group of flowers."

His warm breath coasts over Wei Ying's face, and he leans forward, eager.

"So I think the Universe likes to let go, when no one is looking." Lan Zhan pecks at Wei Ying's lips, sure that the action would be unsatisfactory. Was Wei Ying going to chase his lips?

Of course, he was.

And as always, Lan Zhan is unprepared for how sweet and wonderful Wei Ying truly is, when it's a concentrated effort to wind up in Lan Zhan's arms, and then when he's successful at that, the first step in getting what he wants, his single-minded focus on kissing Lan Zhan so thoroughly that he forgets his own name.

His cold lips are warmed up nicely, the gentle slide of warm mouths perfecting a synchronicity that neither are in a rush to end. Wei Ying hums his approval, his fingers tugging on Lan Zhan's white ribbon, and delighting in his answering growl.

His arms are a vice around Wei Ying's smaller frame, protecting him from the cold temperature of winter in Cloud Recesses, when it was only safe to venture out with heating talismans on one's person.

They teleport just like that, an unconscious move on Wei Ying's part as the cheers from the waiting crowd separate them finally.

"Happy birthday, Hanguang-Jun!" The guests chorus in one voice and Lan Zhan is forced to accept it: today, his husband managed to surprise him.

"Isn't it tomorrow?" He mutters to Wei Ying under his breath, as the first well wishers come forward with presents.

"Yes," Wei Ying slid an arm around him, waiting for the gap in people coming forward, so that he could angle his face away from everyone else, and only Lan Zhan could hear him. "But my love, tomorrow...you are mine." And with that, Wei Ying bites into his earlobe, earning himself a full body shudder.

Those intense golden eyes bore into him, even as Wei Ying slipped out of his arms and went on a mingling trip around the room. He giggled to himself, because who knew that the Second Jade could be so riled up over a few words?

Okay...so maybe he DID know...

And that was why Wei Ying had insisted on celebrating his dear beloved husband's birthday today, a day early, so everyone could get it out of their system today and leave him alone tomorrow.

For tomorrow, he had plans.

***********

SiZhui came along and hugged Lan Zhan, with Jin Ling just behind him, trying not to make eye contact while pretending to talk to QuQu. Their little girl was a robust young lady of three now, and just as mischievous as ever. Her beautiful curls bounced as she turned her head, looking with new interest towards the cake on the buffet table.

Lan Zhan thought it was quite funny how all of their ducklings had such varied personalities. Here was sweet, sweet SiZhui, their A-Yuan, the cherubic little darling of Yiling, now a grown young man with his own family, such a responsible and caring person.

Jin Ling had also changed from being a spoilt brat with a courageous heart into a much more sensible one, though that might have been because Wei Ying had once threatened him with turning his farts green...

JingYi was ever the outspoken, way-too-honest kid, the one that was the most unLan Lan in their Sect, and Lan Zhan would have it no other way.

Ouyang Zizhen too, was a romantic little soul, who even now, kept staring between him and Wei Ying, sighing and smiling to himself with happiness.

They all followed SiZhui one by one, giving Lan Zhan a present and hurrying away, except SiZhui who stayed right next to him.

Lan Zhan was polite, and he didn't care that it was the end of the list for his behaviour this evening. His golden eyes flitted across the room, watching Wei Ying move like a social butterfly, dancing between one group of guests to another, and pointedly staying away from him. He saw Wei Ying glancing back at him more than a few times, and they both knew what he was doing.

The spark had been lit, and the embers blown; now only the fire remained to be caught.

So Lan Zhan decided to be petty.

What better way to entice Wei Ying back to his side, than to pretend an interest in another? Wei Ying knew full well that Lan Zhan would never so much as look at anyone else, and yet...would it work?

Only one way to find out.