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One thing that should be known about Wei Ying, besides the fact that he is a demonic cultivator and is married to Hanguang Jun, is that he loves to fuss over his son. Some, like Jiang Cheng think that he is bothering and pestering others, but that is just Wei Ying’s way of showing love.
Wei Ying is currently fussing over Lan Yuan by trying to force feed him peanuts and tea. The teenager just came back from a nighthunt and already had dinner but Wei Ying wants to make sure that he is adequately fed. He also loves babying his son, he has already missed so many years of his life and wants to make up for it. However, Wei Ying has the suspicion that he will continue to fuss over his A-Yuan even when he becomes an adult.
The other’s at the table are used to this behavior and continue to drink their own tea in silence. If you would have told teenager Wei Ying that in future he would be having tea in the evenings with not only Lan Zhan but also Lan Qiren and Zewu Jun he would have laughed in your face and wondered how Old Master Lan Qiren could tolerate his presence nearly every evening.
But present Wei Ying enjoys having tea with Lan Zhan’s family and their son. It's nice to have some domestic time after all that they have been through. And now Zewu Jun is starting to take on more Sect Leader duties after his seclusion period, meaning that Wei Ying and Lan Zhan can now go and visit Jin Ling and Jiang Cheng more often.
Wei Ying is currently trying to add another peanut into Lan Yuan’s already full mouth when his son tries to bat his hand away.
“Baba please, I am already full”, Lan Yuan says. His hand covering his mouth which makes Wei Ying want to pinch his cheeks, his son definitely got his manners and good table etiquette from Lan Zhan.
“Alright, Alright. I just wanted to make sure that my one and only son is getting enough to eat”.
Wei Ying puts his hands up in surrender and leans away from Lan Yuan in order to place the peanuts in his hands back into the bowl on the table. He also picks up the broken shells that were also left on the table before Lan Qiren could glare at him.
Lan Yuan finishes chewing his food and quietly says thank you. His A-Yuan really is the best son, it doesn’t matter that Wei Ying doesn’t have any other sons or children, A-Yuan is still ranked number one. Well him and Jin Ling are ranked number one, but Lan Yuan is his favorite son and Jin Ling is his favorite nephew and Lan Zhan is his favorite person.
Wait no, Wie Ying thinks, that doesn’t make sense. If Lan Zhan was his favorite person then everyone else would come after him. So that means Lan Zhan, Lan Yuan, and Jin Ling are all tied for his favorite person. But then he also has Jiang Cheng and Wen Ning to worry about.
It's hard to rank who is the best, but Lan Yuan is definitely one of his favorites.
Wei Ying cups the side of his A-Yuan’s face and swipes his thumb over his temple and the edge of his forehead ribbon. Lan Yuan gives a bright smile and leans into his touch.
Wei Ying realizes how lucky he is to be able to see his son again. He might have missed a couple years but he wouldn’t trade what he has now, the ability to talk to, hug, and pester his son, for the world.
They sit like that for a bit, Wei Ying gently touching Lan Yuan’s hair, temple, and forehead, while Lan Zhan looks at them with a soft expression. Lan Xichen smiles into his tea at the scene across from him and Lan Qiren is just glad that it is silent for once.
Wei Ying looks at his son’s face and is filled with so much love and pride. He has Lan Zhan’s face shape and eyes but his nose, mouth, and eyebrows are Wei Ying’s. While gazing at his son he also realizes that he never noticed that Lan Yuan’s head ribbon was different from Lan Zhan’s. Now that he is looking closer he realizes that there is no cloud-shaped piece made of metal that the ribbon is supposed to be threaded through in the middle of Lan Yuan’s forehead. Instead it is just a plain white ribbon with some embroidery in the center.
“Lan Zhan why does our son have the forehead ribbon of an inner disciple and not one of the inner family?”
The man turns away from his son and looks at his husband instead. But before he can ask more questions, Lan Qiren clears his throat.
Placing his tea cup on the table he says, “Most children who are adopted by inner disciples become outer disciples themselves and do not receive a ribbon. However, Wangi is part of the inner family so when he adopted Sizhui, Sizhui was made an inner disciple. Only those who are blood related or those who marry into the direct inner family will receive the decorated ribbon”.
“Blood related!?” Wei Ying yells out, pushing himself up so he can stare down Lan Qiren.
“Our A-Yuan is blood related!” Wei Ying is fuming, it's one thing for the Lans to disregard him and to not mention the rights he has as Lan Zhan’s spouse but it's another to disregard their son.
“Master Wei, please explain what you mean”. Zewu Jun looks concerned but Wei Ying can’t find it within himself to care about stepping on anyone’s toes if they are going to discredit his son.
“I know that he was born out of wedlock, but Lan Qiren himself just said that being blood related is the only thing that matters!”
“Born out of wedlock!” Lan Qiren looks as if he is going to faint, and Wei Ying would typically find that very amusing but right now he’s angry and confused at why these Lans are acting so dense.
“Yes? We weren’t married at the time and it was only shortly after the Sunshot Campaign but that doesn’t mean that A-Yuan is any less of an heir. I will not let my son be treated like one of Jin Guangshan’s illegitimate children!”
Wei Ying looks around and notices that now everyone looks like they are going to faint, including Lan Zhan. Why are they acting like this is new information, like they are just now realizing that Lan Yuan is his son.
Wait a moment, Wei Ying thinks. He quickly grabs Lan Zhan’s forearm and looks him in the eye.
“Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan. You know that A-Yuan is biologically our son, right? Right?” Wei Ying shakes his husband’s arm trying to shake some sense into him, they all can’t be that oblivious can they?
Lan Zhan’s lips are slightly parted and his eyes are big and questioning. And he simply says, “Wei Ying?”
“No, no. Come on Lan Zhan you knew, you knew. I- I” Wei Ying is frantic, how did he not know?
Did Lan Zhan only take in A-Yuan because he thought that Wei Ying had adopted him? Lan Zhan’s heart is so full of love that he would take in what he thought was his soulmate's adopted son. Wei Ying can’t believe this.
“Come on Lan Zhan”, Wei Ying pleads. “When we met in Yiling I told you that I birthed him from my own body. At the Burial Mounds he constantly called me Mama. He even looks like what you did when you were a teenager!”
“I thought Wei Ying was only teasing”. Lan Zhan looks embarrassed and also horrified and Wei Ying never wants to see that look on his face again. Lan Zhan should only be happy and smiling.
“How-” Zewu Jun clears his throat. “How did this happen?”
“Well the actual act itself happened during the hunt on Phoenix Mountain”. Lan Qiren chokes on his spit and starts coughing but Wei Ying only has eyes for Lan Zhan.
“We are Zhijis Lan Zhan, you know what could've happened if we Duel Cultivated together”. Wei Ying shakes his husband's arm again, maybe if he does it enough times Lan Zhan will understand.
“You were alone, pregnant with A-Yuan while living in the Burial Mounds?” Lan Zhan looks like he is going to cry and that is unacceptable. Wei Ying starts to feel tears of his own escape his eyes.
“You make it sound so horrible. I had the Wen’s with me and I had Wen Qing who was the best doctor in the whole Cultivator World. Please stop looking so sad Lan Zhan, all I wanted to know was why A-Yuan didn’t have the proper forehead ribbon”.
Speaking of his son, Wei Ying turns and sees Lan Yuan is also crying.
“Oh no, it's okay, you’re okay”. Wei Ying wraps his arms around Lan Yuan, pulling him towards his chest and shushing him gently.
He rocks his son back and forth like he used to when he was a baby. Lan Zhan comes up behind them and embraces them both.
“I didn’t know”, Lan Yuan says between hiccups.
“Shh shh, it's alright. You had a fever when you were little and you forgot a lot. I don’t blame you, I will never blame you. I will always be your Baba”.
Lan Yuan kneels down and hugs his knee just like he did when he was younger and when he found out Wei Ying was his father, now he is finding out that Wei Ying is his birth parent. Wei Ying lays a hand on the top of his head and smiles down at him. Lan Zhan is leaning on his side, one of his arms is around Wei Ying’s back while he uses his other hand to wipe the tears off of his husband’s face.
Wei Ying lets out a broken laugh but smiles again, this time at Lan Zhan.
After everyone’s tears have dried and they are done hugging, Lan Qiren and Zewu Jun express their deepest apologies to both Wei Ying and Lan Yuan for not realizing sooner and not doing enough in the past to help out with the Wens and when Lan Yuan was a baby.
Wei Ying waves them off saying that the past is in the past and if they want to make it up to them then they should get A-Yuan his proper forehead ribbon, which they do the very next day.
Fin.