baby it's cold outside (WangXian FF)

26

The next few days went by so fast, as they were all fussing about the kids, and unfortunately the time to go back to the village had come.

They packed all the gifts and Shen Qingqiu handled the delivery back to the palace – along with tons of other gifts they bought for the others.

When they arrived at the palace, Lan Wangji was stunned with how crowded the place was.

There were a lot of people and Lan Wangji could recognize most of them as the people from the village, and he could also see that Luo Qingge was busy with the food and drinks inside the red tents with gold ribbons all over it.

When he saw Lan Wangji, his face brightened and he spoke to someone beside him and everyone soon turned around to look at Lan Wangji and everyone who came out of the van.

“Glad you guys made it back safely!” Luo Qingge and a few other village elders welcomed them. “The villagers wanted to have a Christmas party to welcome you guys back and to show our appreciation for all the things that you’ve done, Wangji.”

The people approached them and they gave Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian a warm hug and a pat on the back, and Lan Wangji couldn’t help but feel touched.

“We sincerely appreciate everything that you’ve done for us, Wangji. Rest assured that we will be alright, and it’s time for you to chase your own happiness.” The eldest elder hugged Lan Wangji, and Lan Wangji couldn’t help but feel touched.

“Thank you so much, elder. Please enjoy the food, we have prepared gifts for you guys.” Wei Wuxian smoothly spoke to the elder and he pointed at the people with Santa’s hats who stood next to the huge Christmas tree loaded with gifts.

“Yayy, gifts!” The kids shouted in joy as they all ran toward Santa's helper – followed by the elders who seemed to be amused by the commotion.

After they were all busy with the gifts, Lan Wangji took a deep breath and noticed that the palace looked different.

For the week they went out to the city, the workers were working nonstop to finish the renovation, and the palace now looked grand – just like when it was in its former glory.

Lan Wangji knew that the palace was going to be renovated, he just did not know the scale of it. Judging by how everything looked great, he was happy – and also felt a pang of guilt in his heart.

He was happy because the palace was back to the way it was supposed to be, but he felt guilty because he had to let it go although he knew that Wei Wuxian would take care of it.

“Do you like it?” Wei Wuxian hooked his arms around Lan Wangji’s. “This place is going to become like the way it was soon enough. But this is not what I want to show you.” He signaled Shen Qingqiu to take care of the others while he led Lan Wangji to the back of the property where there was a beautiful lotus pond.

When they arrived there, Lan Wangji stopped on his tracks from another surprise.

There was a newly built gazebo in the middle of the frozen lake with an already lit fire pit and a beautifully carved red mahogany table to put the guqin on when Lan Wangji wanted to play.

“I– I love it.” They walked forward the gazebo and the inside was decorated with soft pillows and custom sofas to fit the circular gazebo – for when someone, or anyone, wanted to listen to the music, or just to enjoy the view of the beautiful lotus.

But why did Wei Wuxian build this when he was supposed to leave after New Year?

“Good. Now let’s go to see your other gifts then.”

Lan Wangji couldn’t even take a minute to think when Wei Wuxian seemed to read his mind and dragged him out to the edge of the forest where the old utility shack was located.

He was confused as to why Wei Wuxian brought them there, but when they arrived at the place, he understood why.

In lieu of the old shack, there was a beautiful log cottage and when they entered, the inside was spacious and cozy with leather furniture and a huge TV in front of it. There were stairs to the attic loft where it was converted to an office with a bed and lots of windows on the slated roof right on top of the bed.

“You can push the roof and go outside, there is a secret hideout to see stars, or smoking.” Wei Wuxian climbed on the bed and pushed the roof to show it to Lan Wangji. “There are also two bedrooms downstairs, two toilets and a bath, and a full kitchen.”

“What’s this all for?” Lan Wangji was confused. Did Wei Wuxian fix the palace to live in it? And why would he show him the place where he would obviously live?

He became devastated to be reminded that the clock was ticking and he had to leave soon.

“Well, Lan Zhan, I have a confession to make.” Wei Wuxian was weirdly sheepish as he walked toward the center of the cottage. “I actually made this for you. For us, more precisely.” He looked so shy that his words were not getting to Lan Wangji.

He made this house for him?

“I know this must be so sudden for you, but I contacted the China’s Cultural Heritage Preservation, and they wanted to declare this palace as a Historical Place and they will give us funds to maintain this place’s authenticity – well, sans the toilet and the heater of course – but the good news are, you will have to stay here as the living Duke of the Lan family. There will be shows, but you don’t have to do it yourself, instead, you can hire people to do some flying and fighting stuff and sell your first album that shows that you are the Duke Lan and the fans would surely come flocking here, and…”

Wei Wuxian’s words were stopped by a searing hot kiss from Lan Wangji as he pulled him closer and kissed him until they were both out of breath.

“Oh wow, I guess you like my ideas, huh?” Wei Wuxian chuckled as he hugged Lan Wangji. “I will stay here in the cottage when I come here to write, and don’t worry about the kids. I bought a house in the city and they can live and go to school there with Yaoyao and Qiuqiu. We can also do that if you want.”

Was this what he wanted?

From how the elder spoke just now, he knew that they would be fine without him. But would it be fine with him without them? After all he spent more than half of his life in this place and this was the only thing that he knew what to do.

“I like it.” Lan Wangji smiled.

He finally realized that he belonged to this place – and to the man beside him.

“I will stay with you – and the kids – and we will be together for as long as we can.”

Wei Wuxian was touched by Lan Wangji’s statement.

True, he was having doubts when he thought about his and Lan Wangji’s relationship – or the lack of it.

Sure, he lusted for his body, but would it be enough for them to stay together? Especially when there were kids involved.

But then he realized that life was short, and he enjoyed where he was at this point, so why didn’t he just take a step forward and for once tried to be responsible? He liked Lan Wangji and the kids, and he knew his friends liked Lan Wangji’s friends too.

And somehow, he knew that he would make it work.

They would make it work.

“Merry Christmas Lan Zhan.”

“Merry Christmas, Wei Ying.”

The End