Chapter Text
”Okay, so is everyone ready to begin?” a cheerful voice echoed in the buzzing lounge, cameras rolling and ready to capture every moment. Wei Wuxian lifted his eyes towards the platform where the two hosts stood in their designer outfits, charming, toothy smiles plastered on their bright faces.
Wei Wuxian himself was wearing a casual, oversized gray t-shirt and tight, black jeans, an outfit that didn’t really speak much of himself. But at least he wasn’t as pretentious as one of the other dance instructors, prancing around in their sparkling, almost see-through yoga pants. Wei Wuxian prided himself to have more self-awareness than some, thank you very much.
Today was the first shooting of the newest season of the reality show ’Dancing with the Stars’, which Wei Wuxian was taking part in. He had hesitated for a while when signing up for the role, not having been in the professional dance circle for over three years now. But when the application period had come near to its end and Wei Wuxian had lost his job as a part-time barista in the tiny café close to his apartment, it had seemed like the perfect opportunity to ease himself back into professional dancing.
But when he had heard he wouldn’t get to know which celebrity he’d be paired up with until the first day of filming, for the sake of keeping the audience on their toes or something, he’d gotten quite nervous. Not being able to do any background check was tough, but it wasn’t as if he’d be able to back off after accepting the job. And so Wei Wuxian could only hope he’d get paired with someone nice, someone who he would be able to work with him and his personality as smoothly as one could.
Untying the red ribbon from his hair and holding it between his lips as he tightened his high ponytail, Wei Wuxian listened with half an ear as the hosts told the cameras the same thing he’d been briefed on while being powdered and glammed up.
”Okay, so the first one to be paired with is Chen Hao,” the male host explained, and the cameras focused on a red-haired man in floral shorts. ”Your celebrity will be...”
Wei Wuxian stared curiously at the screen behind the hosts. To think that behind it, dozens of celebrities were chilling with each other, waiting to be paired with the dancers. Wei Wuxian snorted at the silly thought of any of them being even half as nervous as the dancers were. Celebrities were used to working in front of cameras, as it came with their job. Their stomachs surely wouldn’t do somersaults for small things like this.
”What are you laughing at?” the dancer standing next to Wei Wuxian, a modest man called Xie Lian, asked, tilting his head slightly as he studied Wei Wuxian’s face. He was wearing a white shirt with lace sleeves and a pair of white skinny jeans, which gave him an innocent aura. Wei Wuxian had been drawn close to him by his friendly attitude, and also the fact that he had been the first one capable of tolerating Wei Wuxian’s overly enthusiastic blabbering.
”Just had a stupid thought, that what if the celebrity I get paired with is someone terrible,” Wei Wuxian answered, grinning as the first celebrity stepped in from behind the screen. The crowd started cheering the moment her beaming face came to the spotlight, the dancer squealing quite loudly when he saw her.
”Who is she?” Wei Wuxian mouthed, barely recognising the face from some soap commercial he’d seen. Xie Lian chuckled next to him, a gentle smile on his face.
”The lead singer of the band 'Fierce Corpse',” he explained, staring at the woman in her gorgeous red dress and ten-inch heels shaking the hand of the trembling dancer.
Wei Wuxian cocked his head as he tried to remember if he’d ever heard her sing before. Xie Lian must’ve noticed he still didn’t recognise her, and continued on. ” City of Coffins is hers, I bet you’ve heard it? It was a summer hit two years ago, if I remember correctly.”
Wei Wuxian nodded, connecting the face to the ringtone his brother used to have on his phone for the better part of a year. Poor Jiang Cheng, always trying to claim girl bands were for wimps. Good thing that Wei Wuxian knew him for he truly was, a wimp, that is.
When Wei Wuxian returned his eyes to the platform, it was already the time for the second celebrity. As another strange face came through the door, a terrifying idea crossed his mind. He turned to Xie Lian, a puzzled look on his face. ”What if I don’t recognize even my own celebrity? Do I have to fake a surprised look, or would it be preferred I just smile and wave?”
Xie Lian laughed, smoothing up the sleeves of his shirt. ”I don’t think it matters, just be yourself. I’m sure they’ll get enough material from all of us, this part is probably just gonna be skimmed through anyways.”
”Hm, you’re probably right…” Wei Wuxian sighed, wondering whether he should’ve prepared himself better for this, or maybe even taken some liquid courage before showing up. But it was too late now, and so he could only watch with a fake smile as Xie Lian’s name was called up, and his comforting presence left Wei Wuxian’s side with a courteous smile on his soft face.
Wei Wuxian stared at the already paired celebrities and dancers standing in a semi-circle on the platform, and odd feeling rising in his chest when he noticed how casual and alright they all seemed. Would he be able to do the same? He had always been a cheerful and easygoing guy, but somehow the idea of messing this up made his stomach turn to knots.
After Xie Lian had been paired with Hua Cheng, a well-known actor even Wei Wuxian had heard of, the rest of the celebrities seemed to appear faster and faster. The first one to surprise Wei Wuxian was Luo Binghe, a world-famous idol from a boy band currently working on his solo career. He had been the hot topic of all the gossip news for the past year, so it would've been a great miracle to not know his name.
After the beefy idol was paired with an elegant dancer glad in green sash, it was finally Wei Wuxian’s turn, and he walked to the platform with a wide grin on his face.
”Wei Wuxian’s celebrity will be…” the female host sing-songed while the male one held Wei Wuxian’s hands, both of them radiating enthusiasm that was difficult to not get affected by. And so Wei Wuxian felt every fiber of his being slowly starting to vibrate with excitement as he stared at the white screen, momentarily forgetting the existence of the cameras completely.
A figure stepped onto the platform, and time stopped as Wei Wuxian’s breath hitched in his throat.
It was Lan Wangji— The Lan Wangji, one of the modern days’ most renowned musicians, the one who graduated top of his class from the Cloud Recesses Academy, the most prestigious music school in the world. It was found by the Lan family generations ago, and the ’twin jades of Gusu’ (as the two current heir brother’s of the family were called) were known throughout the country as the talents of the decade. But if the fact that Lan Wangji had mastered five instruments wasn’t enough to impress someone, the handsome man had been the number one most eligible bachelor of all the gossip magazines for nearly four years in a row, only having been passed by Luo Binghe earlier this year.
”Ah,” Wei Wuxian let out a noise that vaguely sounded like a tire deflating, his smile frozen on his face. Lan Wangji stood there, just a mere meter away from him, wearing a white suit and a serene, almost stern look on his statuesque face that would surely make Michelangelo bust a nut. He had ink-black, short hair that framed his slender face beautifully, highlighting his sharp cheekbones and gorgeous nose.
And then the male god turned his head slightly, and their eyes locked together. Wei Wuxian had never seen such striking eyes before, the golden color unlike any other. It reminded him a little of the yellow koi carp in his jiejie's husband’s family coat of arms, but at the same time, the depth was too intense to even be mentioned in the same sentence with the limp fish.
”Wei Wuxian?” the female host’s voice snapped Wei Wuxian out of the daze, making his cheeks heat up, but he quickly brushed it off by casting a dazzling smile at Lan Wangji, offering his hand for a shake. Lan Wangji looked at the offered palm, a hint of distaste in his features. Wei Wuxian didn’t let it bother him, and pulled his hand back before the moment would turn any more awkward.
Together, they joined the other pairs, the cameras following their every move. Wei Wuxian could sense the deep discomfort radiating from the multimillionaire next to him, something that he'd rather ignore completely. Wei Wuxian sighed inwardly, trying his best to not let the iciness affect him.
”So, Lan Wangji,” Wei Wuxian leaned closer to the celebrity when the next dancer was called up to the platform, his fingers brushing the expensive fabric on his shoulder as he whispered to his ear. ”How come you don’t look happy? Could it be that I’m not up to your standards, huh?”
Lan Wangji brushed Wei Wuxian’s hand off, giving him an annoyed yet stern look indicating that he should shut up. But somehow seeing the rigorous face had the opposite reaction in Wei Wuxian, evoking an inexplicable desire to tease and rile the man up further.
”What, you really don’t like me? I’m wounded!” he wailed and brought his hand to his chest in mock hurt, careful to keep his voice low enough to not disturb the cameras. ”Such a handsome face you have, it’s too pitiful to use it for such sour expression!”
”Be quiet.” The voice was deeper and smoother than Wei Wuxian had thought, and hearing it threw him aback for a second. Just when he was about to open his mouth for a witty retort, the last of the pairs had been announced. The hosts clapped their hands together, the same plastic smiles on their cheerful faces.
”What a joy, to see all the happy dancers paired up with the most fantastic celebrities!” the female host sighed, her eyes lingering on Luo Binghe's figure a second longer than on any of the other celebrities. Wei Wuxian snorted, knowing full well the singer was the hottest name the show had ever had participating in.
”It is a wonderful first-meeting indeed, and I guess it’d be best if we left our lovely pairs to get to know each other, while we take a cheatstart on how the first day of practice went!
”Haha,” the female host giggled, playfully smacking the man with the cards in her hands. ”Don’t forget to share your opinion on who’s the best couple on our social media with our hashtag below to let others know who you are rooting for!”
Together, they ended their lines in a chirpy tone.”See you on the other end, dear viewers!”
After that, the pairs were instructed to spread around the lounge so that the camera crew could take a couple more wide shots of them bonding together, and then the hosts repeated a few lines. Wei Wuxian smiled goofily at Lan Wangji, poking at his sides to get his attention back on him whenever it wavered even the slightest.
”Lan Wangji! Hey, look at me,” he exclaimed once more, finding great joy in the way the vein in the porcelain temple twitched. ”We’re supposed to be having fun here, so how come you’re looking like someone killed your cat?”
Lan Wangji looked unimpressed, his eyes scanning the crowd with an air of hostility around him. Wei Wuxian noticed the female singer in the red dress looking as if she wanted to approach them, only to pull back when her eyes met Lan Wangji’s. Shaking his head in dismay, Wei Wuxian tutted as he grabbed Lan Wangji by the arm, forcing the man to face him.
”How can you ever attract any women if you keep that face on?” Wei Wuxian sighed dejectedly, pulling Lan Wangji towards the singer. ”You see, as the second most eligible bachelor of the year, it is sheer robbery to see you sulk in the corner all the time! Just think about all the broken hearts you’re leaving behind with that attitude!”
Somehow Lan Wangji managed to give the dancer a look that was frostier than the chickens Wei Wuxian always forgot to take from the refrigerator when Madam Yu asked him to. Goosebumps ran up Wei Wuxian’s spine, but just as he was about to open his mouth to rephrase his words, Lan Wangji yanked his hand free, staring Wei Wuxian dead in the eye.
”Don’t touch me.”
His tone was dripping with venom, and Wei Wuxian felt his own smile dropping slightly. He’d never met anyone as unsociable as the man before his eyes was. But well, Wei Wuxian wasn’t one to back off from a challenge.
And so he laughed louder than before, holding both his hands up in surrender. ”Okay, okay! I won’t touch you. But you are aware that we have to get real close together once the practice starts?”
Although he was grinning like he’d won some imaginary competition, Wei Wuxian’s heart squeezed almost painfully in his chest once the words left his lips. The corners of his mouth quivered, and he couldn’t bear looking at Lan Wangji’s face to see if he’d managed to get a reaction out of him. Instead, he inhaled deeply and turned to look at the people surrounding them.
”I’ll go grab something to drink,” he said, not giving Lan Wangji time to answer before he made his way through the crowd towards the table holding glasses of champagne and some snacks. There was a small group of people loitering around there, and Wei Wuxian flashed them all a toothy grin as he reached out for two glasses.
”Having fun, I hope?” he said, changing meaningless pleasantries for a moment before bidding the people goodbye, his eyes looking for his awkward celebrity.
Soon enough he saw the man standing in the middle of the floor, on the exact same spot he’d left him minutes ago. Somehow seeing the tall and lean man in neat, white suit looking utterly lost as people tried and failed to make conversation with him made something warm stir in Wei Wuxian’s heart. Who would’ve thought the famous musician could be such inept with social situations?
”Ladies, our Lan Wangji here doesn’t really enjoy skin-contact that much,” Wei Wuxian said in a teasing tone, having reached them in a blink of an eye. A female dancer and celebrity pair giggled, but let go of Lan Wangji’s arms nevertheless.
”We’re sorry,” they said in unison, giving loving eyes at Lan Wangji, who in turn was staring at the drinks in Wei Wuxian’s hands as if they were poison.
”It’s okay, just something to be aware of,” Wei Wuxian explained, offering Lan Wangji the other drink. ”Here, I brought this for you!”
Lan Wangji turned his nose up as he looked at the drink in question before lifting his eyes to meet Wei Wuxian’s. ”I don’t drink.”
”Oh!” Wei Wuxian blinked, momentarily stunned before the first person to have ever refused a drink offered by him. He drew his hand back, letting out an airy laugh to cover up the awkwardness threatening to creep from the prolonged silence. ”Well, more for me, then. Unless you ladies would be up to sharing a drink with me?”
The celebrity laughed, wrapping her arms securely around her dance instructor’s waist, leaning her head on her shoulder. ”Maybe some other time, we have our own plans.”
And so Wei Wuxian was left alone with a tense celebrity and two glasses of champagne. Taking a moment to scream his frustration out in his head, Wei Wuxian downed both of the glasses in one go, deciding that he would not want to be sober for the rest of the evening.
*
”How did it go?”
Wei Wuxian groaned as he made his way towards the coffeemaker, pouring himself a cup before turning towards his roommate. ”It was so so. There were a couple big names there this year, I don’t know how their budget was high enough to get them all in. At least Luo Binghe, he’s rumoured to be a tough one to get into anything these days. I wonder what made him accept the offer this time? But my celebrity is so uptight, I bet he hates me! But teasing him is pretty fun, so I’m lowkey looking forward to dancing with him…”
Wen Ning looked at him with round eyes, dropping the sandwich he’d been eating back on the plate. ”L – Luo Binghe is in this year?”
”Ah shit, I forgot I wasn’t allowed to reveal anything yet,” Wei Wuxian cursed, but then took a look at Wen Ning’s flushed cheeks, a sly grin spreading to his face. ”Oh well, it’s not as if I have to threaten you to keep it a secret until Saturday, do I?”
The way Wen Ning’s face paled when he heard Wei Wuxian’s words was almost comical. He rushed to shake his head, his voice quivering when he spoke. ”I would never! You can trust me!”
Wei Wuxian burst into laughter when he heard how seriously his friend was taking the matter. He wiped his tears off, shaking his hand dismissively while leaning against the kitchen counter.
”No need to swear on your grave, it’s not that huge of a matter anyways,” he laughed. ”But enough of me, how did the exam go?”
Wen Ning’s shoulders dropped, and he picked the sandwich back up with shaking hands. ”I’d rather not talk about it… My sister is surely gonna kill me once she sees the result.”
”Nonsense, she could never, you’re too precious to her!” Wei Wuxian shuddered when he thought of Wen Qing’s temper. ”I’m the one you should feel sorry for, she’s gonna blame me for ruining your study peace or something. So, chin up! It isn’t the end of the world.”
His words seemed to only manage to make Wen Ning even more dejected than before. Wei Wuxian didn’t let it bother him, but rummaged through the fridge in search of something to eat. ”But if you want to, we could go to the store and grab some comforting ice-cream and curl up on the couch to watch something stupid on Netflix?”
”Hm, that’d be nice,” Wen Ning smiled shyly. Wei Wuxian beamed, finishing his coffee in a blink of an eye so that he could pamper his friend to the best of his abilities.
*
Saturday came sooner than Wei Wuxian would’ve liked, and yet he found himself once again sitting in front of the makeup table, getting readied for the cameras. Unlike the last time, he was wearing a designer suit, his long hair plaited in two french braids, striking red lipstick on his lips. He was playing some mobile game on his phone as his stylist made the last finishing touches, not really focusing on the action.
Soon they would have the press conference where the pairs would be announced to the public. Wei Wuxian bit his lips, wondering how well Lan Wangji would handle being in front of the cameras this time.
The tall musician was a mystery that intrigued Wei Wuxian more than he was ready to admit to himself. His slender face and slim body that made super models all over the country green from jealousy were contrasted by such a sullen scowl and a posture that screamed ’stay the fuck off’. Somehow, seeing a crack on the man’s inanimate expression brought a refreshing sense of liveliness Wei Wuxian hadn’t felt in ages, if ever.
And so he found himself looking forward to seeing his celebrity again, not paying attention even when his game character died six times in a row. When his stylist gave him the go, Wei Wuxian was out of the stool faster than lightning.
He smiled at the other dancers and celebrities he met in the corridor, stretching his neck to see a glimpse of Lan Wangji among them. Pouting when he didn’t find him, Wei Wuxian made his way to the corner where Xie Lian was chatting with his celebrity, Hua Cheng. When Wei Wuxian walked over, his eyes locked with the actor’s, and he felt cold sparks of hostility rise up his back.
”Wei Wuxian! Nice to see you,” Xie Lian waved at him, making room for him between himself and the tall celebrity. Hua Cheng’s smile was wide, but it looked threateningly forced as he let Wei Wuxian join them.
”How did it go with Lan Wangji?” Xie Lian asked, and Wei Wuxian let out a sparkling laughter, deciding to not let Hua Cheng’s attitude bother him.
”So interesting!” Wei Wuxian blurted, ignoring his heating cheeks as he recalled how his encounters with Lan Wangji had gone. ”He is so different from what I’d thought he’d be… Like, I’ve never met anyone so quiet before, not even my roommate! I can’t believe he was being shy; he didn’t seem like he was uncomfortable. So, I guess he just doesn’t talk much? But like, why? Ah, I want to know all his secrets!”
Xie Lian smiled, exchanging a look with Hua Cheng. Wei Wuxian nearly had to take a double take with the way the actor returned the smile. There was no trace of the hostility from before, Hua Cheng’s face was filled with pure adoration instead. Wei Wuxian felt as if the air between them was getting thicker all of a sudden.
Coughing, he excused himself before he’d get too affected by the weird change in the atmosphere. Xie Lian didn’t seem to notice anything amiss, but Wei Wuxian was certain there was a hint of smugness and possessiveness in the actor’s eyes when he gave him a curt nod, his hand inching its way around Xie Lian’s waist.
Wei Wuxian shook his head as he turned away and made his way through the crowd. Feeling bored, he wished Lan Wangji would arrive sooner rather than later. He didn’t make it far when there was a hand grabbing his arm. Wei Wuxian’s heart jumped to his throat, and he yanked himself free before turning to look at the culprit.
“Ah, I’m sorry!” It was one of the female dance teachers whose name Wei Wuxian wasn’t sure of. Her hair was half up in in two buns, a light pink flower attached to each one, a rose silk dress flowing beautifully down her body. Seeing the apologetic look on her face, Wei Wuxian relaxed.
“It’s okay, I was just spacing out a little and go startled,” he laughed, tilting his head as he tried to remember her name. “Mianmian, was it?”
The woman’s face turned from happy to sour in a split second. She stomped her feet on Wei Wuxian’s black leather shoes, her eyes sparkling with immense dislike. “Who said you could use that name? It’s Luo Qingyang for you!”
“Sure, Mianmian,” Wei Wuxian teased, laughing at the unimpressed look she gave him. “C’mon, it fits you well! Do you know who I am?”
“If you’re going to say Yuan Dao, then just for your information, you’re not being original at all, and secondly, I know you’re Wei Wuxian,” she said, her tone flat, hands over her chest. “And I actually had something to tell you so if you’d stop messing around, I’d appreciate that.”
“Ah, you’re no fun,” Wei Wuxian smiled, following the woman as she led him back to the dressing rooms. When she pulled the door open to one, Wei Wuxian froze, the smirk on his face turning into awed astonishment as he stared at the celebrity he'd been looking for.
“Lan Wangji was asking for you,” Luo Qingyang said, pushing the astounded Wei Wuxian inside the room, nearly making him collide with the ever so graceful Lan Wangji, who was standing with his back towards him, currently in the middle of straightening his sleeves. He was wearing a white suit, but this time it had faint, light blue rose patterns all over, the silky petals shining when light touched them. His short hair was smoothed back with gel, and Wei Wuxian nearly squealed aloud with how handsome the celebrity looked.
“Ah, Lan Wangji! I didn’t see you there,” Wei Wuxian laughed restrainedly. Pressed snugly against the broad back, he didn’t want to detach himself from the comfortable warmth radiating from the man.
Lan Wangji took a step back as he turned to meet Wei Wuxian’s eyes, making him mourn the loss of contact. “Wei Wuxian.”
“Yeah, it’s me!” Wei Wuxian chirped. “Mianmian told me you were looking for me?”
“Mn.” Lan Wangji said, momentarily confused by the name he called her. “The filming starts in fifteen minutes.”
“Oh, it is that soon already? Shouldn’t we be making our way to the hall then?” Wei Wuxian babbled, his fingers digging their way to his braids. He was still clinging onto the fact Lan Wangji had been looking for him, weirdly finding it hard to start a natural conversation. “You look good in the suit, by the way.”
Lan Wangji ignored his comment, walking straight to the doorway, where he waited for Wei Wuxian to catch up. And so Wei Wuxian could only follow after him, somehow not finding himself offended of the way he was being ignored.
They walked through the corridor, following behind the other pairs as they made their way towards the hall where the filming would occur. Wei Wuxian found his attention wavering when Lan Wangji took hold of his shoulder when they squeezed into a tight spot. It was as if every nerve end on his body was conscious of the spot Lan Wangji’s warm hand was touching him, the sparks it sent through his body quite disturbing.
“Ah, it sure is a bit cramped in here,” he laughed to take his thoughts off the dangerous trail they’d been spiralling into. “Who do you think will be the audience’s favourite pair?”
“Gossiping is forbidden,” Lan Wangji stated, staring forward emotionlessly. Wei Wuxian snorted at his words, finding them utterly ridiculous.
“C’mon, you’re a celebrity, you know how these things work, do you?” he said, pointing his finger at the muscular figure standing next to a slim, neat dancer ahead of them. “I bet my savings on Luo Binghe and Shen Yuan. I mean, isn’t Luo Binghe the fan favourite in everything he does? Man, I wonder what’s so cool about idols anyways…”
Lan Wangji didn’t bother answering. It was probably because the weird rules he was following forbade it, Wei Wuxian thought. He got a sudden need to get the man tell them all to him, just so that he could make him break them all one by one.
Wei Wuxian continued on babbling nonsense, and soon enough they arrived at the hall. They were instructed to stand in a neat row behind the curtains, to make a dramatic effect when the pairs would be released. There was a buzzing behind the curtains, the press already waiting eagerly for the confirmation of the pairs. There had been quite a bit of speculation of who would be in, some more accurate than others.
“Ah, are you excited, Lan Wangji?” Wei Wuxian whispered when they settled next to Nie Huaisang, a dancer Wei Wuxian had known since his study days. “How do you think people will react?”
“Be quiet,” Lan Wangji said. Wei Wuxian pouted, turning to poke Nie Huaisang’s arm instead.
“What?” The dancer whispered, his posture relaxing when he noticed it was Wei Wuxian.
“I just wanted to ask you who do you think will be the audience’s favourite pair?”
He seemed to ponder about it for a while, and was about to open his mouth when there was a loud shriek to their left. As they turned their eyes to look there, they saw Luo Binghe with a strangely sheepish look on his face, with a redder than a tomato Shen Yuan standing next to him, looking as if he was seconds away from exploding. He saw all the eyes on him, and shrunk to hide behind the idol, all the while glaring at him murderously.
“Hmph,” Nie Huaisang’s shoulder’s dropped slightly, and he gave Wei Wuxian a pointed look. “I guess it isn’t much of a question really. But, well, Shen Yuan is a talented dancer so I won’t be too sad about it. You know, he always has such pretty fans with his outfits…”
Wei Wuxian smirked, eyeing the idol in question up and down. “Hm, but I kinda get why he’s so popular,” he said, stroking his chin as he stared at the toned muscles visible against the tight, v-neck dress jacket. “He has the build for it.”
Nie Huaisang giggled. “To each their own I guess… But I’d rather someone new, someone with less of a toxic fanbase would take the first place. But who knows, maybe Luo Binghe can actually dance.”
For some reason, Lan Wangji’s face had turned several degrees colder. He placed his hand on Wei Wuxian’s shoulder, effectively capturing his attention. Wei Wuxian turned to look at him, his confused look melting into a smile when he heard his words. “Stand still.”
“Aw, Lan Wangji, so you do care about me!” Wei Wuxian beamed. He didn’t get to say anything else as the hosts started speaking right then.
“Hello everyone, and welcome to the press conference for ‘Dancing with the Stars’! We’re very excited to see all of you here with us today,” the female host said. Wei Wuxian quieted down, stealing a glance at Lan Wangji. The celebrity was staring straight ahead, and Wei Wuxian found himself admiring his silhouette. Somehow the man was beautiful from every angle, a fact Wei Wuxian found quite fascinating.
“Well, without further ado, here are our dazzling pairs!” the male host said after they were finished with the filler speech. His words were accompanied by loud applause, and then the curtains were drawn. Wei Wuxian was momentarily blinded by the shining spotlights, and he blinked rapidly before the stunned audience came clearer in front of his eyes.
A moment of silence, and then the audience burst into chatter, each reporter trying their best to have their voice heard over the others. The cameras were clicking, and it was overall very chaotic.
It wasn’t until the hosts opened their mouths again that order somewhat returned to the hall. “Now, we’ll interview the pairs one by one, and then you’re free to ask questions!”
Wei Wuxian didn’t realise he felt angsty under the cameras until Lan Wangji grabbed his palm, squeezing it with his hand. Wei Wuxian dropped his eyes to stare at it, a lump rising to his throat when he noticed he’d started shaking.
With the reporters and cameras all over them, he didn’t dare voice his gratefulness, and could only squeeze Lan Wangji’s hand back, hoping the man would get the message. He took a deep breath before plastering his widest, fake smile on, turning his eyes straight ahead without truly seeing what was in front of him.
The rest of the evening went on in a blur, and Lan Wangji didn’t let go of Wei Wuxian’s hand for one moment.