To be Free of Envy

To be Harboured

『 Day 4,5,6: ghost!Xian, innkeeper!Xian, the streets of Yiling 』

"Yiling." was the stall owner's gruff answer to Lan Wangji's inquiry.

It had been a hectic week at work, leaving Lan Wangji extremely drained that Friday afternoon. He had fallen asleep in the bus and woke up to find himself in an unfamiliar town.

Lan Wangji thanked the stall owner and took out his wallet to pay for his food. But a grimy child swooped in and snatched his wallet. They swiftly ran and slipped into narrow streets. Lan Wangji chased after them but soon was able to slink away.

Left without his wallet, Lan Wangji turned back and wandered through the winding streets of Yiling, trying to return to the bus stop.

But time trickled away and it seemed he was just going around in circles.

Lan Wangji had only gotten himself all the more lost.

The sun had set and it started to rain. He had forgotten to bring an umbrella.

Lan Wangji trudged through his misfortune, searching for shelter. But the lights of all the establishments he passed by were turned off. Or perhaps the buildings were abandoned.

The streets of Yiling were desolate-blanketed by freezing ominous haze.

A door creaked open, spilling artificial light and muffled music onto the street.

Lan Wangji turned to look, and found a beautiful man grinning brightly at him. The stranger said, "Hi there, handsome! What are you doing there in the rain? Come in, come in!"

Lan Wangji belatedly noticed the flickering sign announcing the inn's name hanging above the entrance.

He took the stranger's invitation and entered. The latter's grin brightened some more, and he pulled Lan Wangji's wrist to lead him to a table. "Wait here!"

Lan Wangji sat down and took in his surroundings. The hall was well-lit and filled with patrons. The jaunty tune playing from hidden speakers was almost drowned out by the spirited customers dining with their family or drinking with friends.

Wei Wuxian shortly returned, presenting a tray with varying dishes.

"I apologise, my wallet was stolen-"

"Oh, I figured that already, Gege. Don't worry, it's on the house!"

Lan Wangji shook his head. "I-"

"If you're not comfortable with that, how about tell me your name as payment?" he tilted his head, looking at Lan Wangji through his long lashes.

Lan Wangji's ears suddenly felt like they were burning. "Lan Zhan."

"Lan Zhan," the other man echoed.

Whatever possessed Lan Wangji to give his birth name, he didn't know. But his name falling from the stranger's lips just felt-... so right.

"Nice to meet you Lan Zhan!" he said and flopped down on the chair beside Lan Wangji. "I'm Wei Wuxian. Though I would prefer if a handsome man like you would call me by my birth name, Wei Ying"

"Shameless!"

Wei Wuxian's laugh tinkled with delight, not offended.

Instead, that only spurned him to continue to flirt teasingly with Lan Wangji, laughing victoriously when he elicited some reaction from Lan Wangji.

It made Lan Wangji's stomach churn with inexplicable emotions he didn't want to examine yet.

It didn't take long until Wei Wuxian's teasing had led to a topic both of them were quite passionate about.