Sit Softly On Your Shoulder

Chapter 27: Difficult Conversations

The kitchen in the old manor is also up to date with appliances, and while they employ staff for the day-to-day running of the place, Lan Zhan explains to Wei Ying that they are not actually necessary at the moment. He is currently putting together their lunch and talking about this old family home.

"Are you cooking because of my preferences?" Wei Ying wants to know, sitting at the table and watching his husband-to-be expertly dice vegetables in that calm I-know-what-I'm-doing sort of way. His chin is resting on his hand as he slouches on the table, awake against his wishes.

"Yes and no. Cooking helps me relax and gather my thoughts. Besides, the staff would cook to serve Lan taste buds. It is both my duty and choice to provide for my boyfriend slash fiance." Lan Zhan pauses to glance at Wei Ying with a particularly intense stare. "Wei Ying, this is our home. You should feel comfortable while we are here."

"I am...or I will be," he amends when Lan Zhan throws him a disbelieving look. "It's just that my mind is excited, but my body is exhausted, you know?"

"Mn. We will eat and then take a nap."

"That sounds good. It's a shame XiChen had to rush off back to work. Will Uncle be joining us?"

"Even if he does, his dietary requirements are dealt with. His meal is fortified with the nutrients his body needs to make a full recovery." Lan Zhan steps back to avoid sizzling oil as he pours the chopped vegetables into the wok. "And no spices."

"I guess that makes sense. His body seems to have made a full recovery."

"Mn. But with a stroke, especially a severe one, both mind and body are connected, despite his progress. XiChen says he still forgets things. But speaking about Uncle, how do you really feel about him organising the wedding? It's our special day, so I understand if you are opposed." Lan Zhan stirs and seasons the rice into the vegetables.

Wei Ying takes a moment to properly consider the ramifications of Uncle Qiren's proposal.

"The truth is, I really don't mind," he says at last, as Lan Zhan plates their meal and pushes chopsticks towards him. "I'm guessing that if my parents were alive, then they would have had some say in what would happen, and with both of us, Uncle Qiren is the closest thing we've got to our elders. It's a nice gesture for him to offer at all, and less stress for us, right? How do YOU feel about it, though? Remember, this is a partnership and so far, it feels like you only care about what I want," Wei Ying smiles at him.

"I will answer at the end of our meal," Lan Zhan says, clearly thinking about it.

Wei Ying nods, eating between voicing his own thoughts. "As for me, I never thought about my own marriage so much. It felt daunting to make that extra effort to find someone, especially when we were all so busy in the Wen house. I'm not making excuses, it's just that dating and the whole responsibility of it felt easier when I was in college. But real life is so much harder."

Lan Zhan considers that, and Wei Ying's point of view regarding Uncle Qiren's offer. He knows Wei Ying has always felt a little awkward about living elsewhere, away from his heritage and growing up in a foreign country. And yet, he is thinking about the familial connotations of what is essentially a happy celebration of two families coming together to make a new extension, another branch on their family trees.

"Even dating doesn't necessarily mean commitment to others. I might be following the steps in my head that logically, when you meet the right person, it would automatically mean a promise to spend the rest of your lives together, but Lan Zhan, I swear, the dating scene in London was becoming like the wild, wild west out there. People, at least the ones I met, weren't interested in a long term relationship at all, and I couldn't just go for something casual. Maybe I was affected by my parents, because I know without a doubt that they married for love. And maybe I was setting the bar up too high, but I like to think my reward for not indulging in casual hookups is the fact that I met you." Wei Ying discreetly wipes his eyes, not realising that Lan Zhan has stood up.