Drunken Mistake

DM 46

The peace of the Jingshi shattered as Wei Wuxian's phone vibrated furiously across the polished wooden table, threatening to hurl itself to the floor. He snatched it up, nearly dropping it in his haste.

[Xue Yang]: Guess who's in town, genius? We're setting this thing up tomorrow. Don't ghost me.

[Xue Yang]: Also, your logo sucks.

[Xue Yang]: I fixed it. You're welcome.

Wei Wuxian groaned, rubbing his temples as he stared at the overly edgy "Wei Software and Lan Cyber" logo Xue Yang had apparently redesigned—now featuring a dramatic red slash and pixelated lotus that looked more like a glitch."Perfect," he muttered sarcastically, tossing the phone onto the table. "The empire of bad ideas grows stronger."

Another buzz. He refused to look but still couldn't help himself. 

The phone buzzed again.

[Dr. Luo]: FYI, Lan Wangji's likely to visit you. He's... processing things.

[Dr. Luo]: Be ready. Or don't. Your call.

"Great. Perfect," Wei Wuxian said aloud, throwing his hands up. "My therapist and my business partner are conspiring to ruin me. Fantastic."

The room felt too small, too still. His mind kept circling back to one unavoidable truth: Lan Wangji was in Suzhou. The thought alone made his stomach twist. He wasn't ready yet. His plan wasn't set yet. 

Wei Wuxian paced the length of the room, his black shirt rumpling as he shoved his hands into his pockets. "Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan," he muttered under his breath, like an incantation he wasn't sure would summon disaster or salvation. "Why do you have to move so fast? Can't you slow down, just once? Let me breathe!"

He spun on his heel, grabbing the phone again. He wanted to call his Baba to prepare him for the sudden jolt. What if he insisted on heading to Jingshi first or before he had time to set up the faux Ying'er persona. The idea of facing Lan Wangji made his throat tighten, but he couldn't stop himself from scrolling through old photos. There it was—Lan Wangji at Beijing's market, holding a ridiculously oversized lotus bun Wei Wuxian had insisted he buy.

"Closure," Wei Wuxian said, forcing a laugh that came out hollow. "Closure, my ass. It's going to be chaos. Absolute chaos."

And deep down, he knew he wouldn't have it any other way.

***

The air in Suzhou was crisp, laced with the sweet yet fleeting scent of blooming osmanthus. Lan Wangji stepped off the plane, the gleaming white scarf draped over his shoulders catching the soft breeze. The hum of the terminal swirled around him—voices rising and falling like waves against the distant shoreline—but his piercing gaze cut through the chaos, landing unerringly on two familiar figures beyond the arrival gate.

Lan Xichen stood tall, his ever-serene smile a balm in the bustling crowd. Beside him, Luo Qingyang's hands fidgeted with the strap of her handbag, her expression composed but her eyes restless. She glanced up at her husband, and their shared look spoke volumes, though not in words Lan Wangji could hear. He didn't need to. The flicker of unease was as clear to him as a tremor on still water.

"Wangji," Lan Xichen greeted, his tone a tranquil ripple beneath the noise. "It's good to see you. How was the flight?"

Lan Wangji's voice, smooth as a blade slicing through silk, gave nothing away. "Uneventful."

He turned to Luo Qingyang. Her attempt at a smile was polite, but her lips barely curved. "Thank you for missing your work, both of you. I know how hectic your schedules can be," he said with a faint inclination of his head.