Growing Pains from Growing Family (Xicheng)

Chapter 35: Nephew-in-laws

"Did you see the sign saying honeymoon room out on the door?" Lan Xichen asked as Jiang Cheng found his place in the crook of the Lan's neck. Nuzzling his head for a bit before settling down once he considered his body properly placed upon his fiancé's. His entire weight pressed down on the Lan's body like a thick layer of snow, the reassuring pressure reminding him of the Jiang's existence even if he were to close his eyes. "Do you want to have a honeymoon?"

"Ha! Like we're ever going to get one of those. Don't you know how many meetings and discussions we'll be pushed into the moment our vows have been said? We're lucky if we get a wedding night" Jiang Cheng said. He'd fully resigned himself to the fact that there would be no such thing as a honeymoon. It wasn't realistic for a sect leader to get that kind of time off and so he wasn't counting on it. But Lan Xichen didn't care if it was realistic or not. If his partner wanted it he would have it.

"We could always disguise it as a night hunt you know. Present it as a way to show off the Jiang-Lan alliance by vanquishing terrors all across our territories for a couple weeks. We could pick some easy prey and then spend the rest of the days going on dates, eating good food at restaurants, exploring new scenery. Doesn't that sound good?" Lan Xichen suggested his solution to the lack of an official 'honeymoon'.

"Weren't you the one who just promised my nephew that he could come along whenever he wanted? What if he wants to come along night hunting? Huh?" Once more the realistic one. But Lan Xichen had yet another rebuttal.

"Then I'll bring my nephew along as well. The four of us together could complete the night hunts even faster and during the daytime I'm sure those two wouldn't mind being left alone to enjoy each other's company. We could easily sneak away just the two of us. No problem" Lan Xichen replied in a cheerful tone. They could still have a very fulfilling honeymoon even with the two youngsters tagging along.

"You know about them too?" Jiang Cheng asked surprised, it wasn't as though the two youngsters had been very public or obvious about their budding romance.

"Well yes, Lan Sizhui told me that he fancied young master Jin a couple years back. I didn't see a problem with it so I told him I supported it and would be there for him if he needed help with anything. So far I have scheduled two unnecessary trips to Lanling for them to meet, but that's about it" Lan Xichen explained. Jiang Cheng was stunned.

"Years!? You've known for years and you didn't tell me?" he exclaimed, appalled that the Lan wouldn't tell him such important information.

"Of course not. My nephew confided in me on the premise that I wouldn't tell anyone. Now that you're my partner it's a different story though. And I expect this conversation to stay between the two of us." Lan Xichen stated, marking that he was very serious about the Jiang not breaking his future nephew-in-law's trust.

"Yesterday I accidentally overheard the two of them talking. I was on my way back to Hanshi from delivering your permit when I accidentally bumped into Jin Ling who was there waiting to meet up with Lan Sizhui." He admitted before explaining how he had advised the Lan to use a different bow for the competition, leaving out the reason why seeing as Lan Xichen might not be too fond of his nephew tanking his performance. The only part of importance was that Lan Sizhui had set out to use a bow different to his regular one.

But the Jin hadn't accepted the Lan's explanation of "My dad accidentally broke my bow so I'll have to borrow one of father's for the competition". Well rather than not accepting the excuse he'd offered to get the Lan a new one. After much back and forth about the Lan not wanting to spend so much money to get one made in such a short period of time and that he could just repair his old one after the competition the Jin's stubbornness eventually won.

He was going to buy and pay for an entirely new bow for the Lan. All under the guise of covering for his uncle Wei.

"Jin Ling never buys anything for his friends. EVER." Jiang Cheng emphasized. "Ever since he was young he refused to do so. I think he might have observed the way his uncle Jin operated, using money to win peoples' favor. He's not opposed to buying gifts when it comes to business and retaining favorable opinions of his sect, but not with friends. So for Jin Ling to break that rule with Lan Sizhui he must like him a lot" Jiang Cheng said. He too was under the same restrictions when it came to Jin Ling. Only ever receiving gifts he'd made or found, but never bought.

"That's a rather mature way of thinking for a kid with so much money at his disposal" Lan Xichen determined. But to this Jiang Cheng scoffed.

"Yeah right. Say that to the brat who said 'I'd rather be friendless like uncle Jiang than be surrounded by fake friends like uncle Jin'. That kid was absolutely brutal." Jiang Cheng said, pointing out his nephew had been anything but mature at the time.

Lan Xichen laughed. "That kind of honesty reminds me of someone else." But when Jiang Cheng didn't respond to his dig Lan Huan continued. "You know, someone who's very upfront with what he wants. Someone who spends important meetings telling other sect leaders what is what."

Wanyin let out a small grunt as he realized he was being teased before trying to get the conversation back on track and away from the teasing. "Having a honeymoon sounds nice. But as long as we get to spend time together I don't really care whether we're at home working or out traveling the world. We won't be able to be together like this forever you know" Jiang Cheng reminded him. Bringing the Lan back to reality once more.

Except for Jiang Cheng's short travel to Yunmeng they had spent every single day for the past six weeks together. It was the longest they had ever been together before. This was anything but the norm and in a month or so it would be over. They both had duties that couldn't wait and would need to be separated. Not all the time of course, but they wouldn't be together quite as often as despite being partners it wouldn't be seen as 'necessary'. Normally sect leaders would get a couple months off with their lovers to ensure that an heir could be produced as soon as possible, but with the two of them that custom wasn't applicable.

Lan Xichen felt cold. Had he accidentally made a hole in the wall of this inn as well? Because he felt like the cold night air was freezing his very soul at the realization. They wouldn't be this close forever. Of course they wouldn't be, but Lan Huan had pushed that fact to the back of his mind to be forgotten and ignored.

Feeling his partner tense up at the reminder Jiang Cheng decided to put a more fun spin on it all "So that's why we should take advantage of right now" he said as his hand traveled down the Lan's chest.

This time it was Lan Xichen's turn to be realistic. "Wanyin, a couple of hours of sleep is not enough for you to have recovered since last time" he said, stopping the Jiang's hand in its track before it derailed and they went beyond the point of no return. Cuddling was fine. It was enough for now. Or at least that was the case for him. Wanyin on the other hand seemed to have other thoughts on the matter.

Using his still free hand Jiang Cheng explored the no longer unfamiliar torso of the man he was about to marry. "We won't go that far. Can't we have just a little bit of fun? I'm going to miss you so much" Wanyin pleaded, effectively melting any of the walls he had built up for the Jiang's protection.

"Fine. But just a little" Lan Xichen responded as he leaned down to capture Jiang Cheng's lips with his own.