Chapter Text
Prologue
Jiang Cheng cast another look at Wei Wuxian, who slept restlessly at his side. Typical. Falling asleep so that he could relax and not have to drive home, forcing Jiang Cheng to take care of him. Jiang Cheng conveniently forgot that Wei Wuxian had planned on staying at Nie Huaisang's apartment for the night. That it was Jiang Cheng who had insisted that they leave.
Jiang Cheng scowled as he thought back on the night. What a terrible party it had been. He shouldn't be surprised. Nie Huaisang's parties were all the same. Full of arrogant, self-important people who treated Jiang Cheng with disdain. Jiang Cheng didn't care. Let them. He didn't want to be friends with people like that anyway. The kind of people who sucked up to Wei Wuxian all the time, flattering him and laughing every time he opened his mouth. Disgusting. What was worse, Wei Wuxian hadn't even tried to include Jiang Cheng. Too busy hanging all over that pathetic ice block of a Lan. What did Wei Wuxian even see in someone as boring as Lan Wangji? It made no sense. Wei Wuxian always wanted to play around but all Lan Wangji did was sit off in some corner bringing down the atmosphere. Still, Wei Wuxian would stay a his side. Would introduce him to people. Would involve Lan Wangji in everything. All things Wei Wuxian should have been doing for Jiang Cheng, but lately, hadn't been. If he hadn't have been driving, Jiang Cheng would have kicked Wei Wuxian in anger.
Jiang Cheng frowned. He didn't recognise where he was. With a growl of frustration he realised that he must have missed his turn. He punched Wei Wuxian's arm. Hard. It didn't wake him. This was all Wei Wuxian's fault. If Wei Wuxian had been paying attention then they wouldn't be on the wrong road now. With a growl of frustration, Jiang Cheng jerked at the wheel, tyres squealing as the wheels fought for traction. They caught, swinging the car around, barrelling into several trash cans as it did so. Jiang Cheng ignored them, heading back the way he had come.
Up ahead he saw the junction where he should have turned left but had been too preoccupied. He made for it, turning the car at speed. The car veered into the wrong lane. Jiang Cheng cursed, pulling at the steering wheel, struggling for control. Without warning blinding lights pierced the darkness. Jiang Cheng slammed on the brakes. They caught with a jarring shriek but it was too late. Nothing could stop what was to come.
The force of the impact jolted Jiang Cheng forward. The airbag deployed with a violent pop, slamming into Jiang Cheng's chest with the force of a cannon. All around the air reverberated with the sickening crunch of metal. The windshield exploded into a million tiny shards that scattered across the asphalt, glinting in the moonlight. Jiang Cheng pushed away the airbag, breathing deeply. The smell of burnt rubber filled his lungs as he tried to make sense of what had happened. With a panicked cry he turned to check on Wei Wuxian, lying slumped in his seat. Blood was on his face, running freely from a cut on his head. He was still asleep, or more likely unconscious. Jiang Cheng tried again to wake him, shaking his arm. Wei Wuxian's head rolled sickeningly. He didn't wake. Reaching out, Jiang Cheng checked for a pulse. He closed his eyes, moaning with relief when he felt one. Slow but there. Wei Wuxian was alive.
Jiang Cheng forced his door open, falling out into the eerie stillness, reality only now beginning to sink in. They had crashed. He, Jiang Cheng, had been on the wrong side of the road and had hit another car. He looked up, and there it was. A small car, smaller than Jiang Cheng's, flipped over by the force of the impact. It lay upside down in the road, wedged against a tree. Jiang Cheng went over to look. A woman, dressed only in pyjamas, hung from her seat belt in the driving seat. Behind her, something that stopped Jiang Cheng's breath with shock. A baby, maybe even younger than his little nephew, limp in a child's car seat. Both were unmoving and blood soaked.
Jiang Cheng sank to the floor. He had done this. If the mother and child were dead, it was his fault. He didn't know what to do. How to find a way out of this mess. Horrified and so so scared, he reached for his phone, dialling the only number he could think of. The only person who he knew would help him. The only person who would know what to do.
Yu Ziyuan woke with a scowl, reaching automatically for the phone ringing on her nightstand. Her scowl deepened when she saw her son's name lighting up the screen. A quick look at the clock showed her that it was past two in the morning. A call so late could never be good. “A-Cheng, Tell me what's wrong.”
“Mom, Mom, I don't know what to do! It came out of nowhere. I just...I didn't see it and then...Mom, I think they're dead.”
“Pull yourself together, boy. Who is dead?”
“The people in the other car. A woman and a baby. Mom, there's so much blood. What do I do?”
Yu Ziyuan took a deep breath. This was bad. “Where is Wei Wuxian?” He should be there, taking care of things, taking care of Jiang Cheng, so why wasn't he?
“In the car. Unconscious. He hit his head in the accident.”
An idea began to form. Yu Ziyuan shook her husband. “Fengmian, A-Cheng needs us. Get up.” She watched him with a sneer as he sat up, looking around, confused. Completely useless, as always. She went back to her phone. “A-Cheng, where are you? Is there anybody there? Did anyone see the accident?”
On his end, Jiang Cheng took a deep breath. “I'm on Crescent Road, just passed the turn. There's no one here. I haven't seen anyone on the road for ages.”
“Good. Wait there. Your father and I are coming. Do nothing until we get there.”
Yu Ziyuan took in the situation immediately. Her son's car, hood crumpled, her son sitting on the ground leaning against the driver's side door. The other car in a much worse state a short distance away. She went over to it, bending down to look in. She paused, shaking her head. The two were obviously dead, but still, Yu Ziyuan checked for any signs of life. Pointless, although the child was still warm. Might even have survived with immediate medical care. Too late to worry about that now.
Jiang Cheng had stood as soon as he realised that is parents had arrived. He rushed to his mother. “Mom...are they?”
“Both dead.” She moved over to her son's car, reaching in to check on a still unresponsive Wei Wuxian.
“He's alive, Mom. I checked right away.” Jiang Cheng hurried to say.
Yu Ziyuan nodded blankly, looking around to asses the situation. She studied her son. “You've been drinking?”
“No, well, I mean, it was a party so I had one or two. I'm not drunk, Mom, I'm not. I was distracted, that's all. I missed the turn and then that car was just...there. They came out of nowhere, right at me. I couldn't swerve out if the way in time. What even is someone doing out at this time of night with a child?”
“Are you saying it was the other driver's fault?”
Jiang Cheng shrugged. “I didn't say that, exactly. Just, Mom. It was so fast.”
Yu Ziyuan shook her head. A mother and child. They would never be blamed for the accident, not when her son was coming from a party where he had been drinking. She looked up, scanning the area. No cameras. There would have been one at the junction maybe, but it would not have visibility of the crash site. There was only one way. One chance of saving her son. Of preserving the bright future in front of him. Of keeping the family name unsullied. “Fengmian. Help me move him.”
Jiang Fengmian startled. He had been staring blankly at his son's damaged car. He blinked at his wife. “What?”
“Wei Wuxian. Help me move him. You too, A-Cheng.”
“Mom?”
“No-one saw, A-Cheng. You said that Wei Wuxian was asleep?”
“Yes, but...”
“Then as far as anyone will know, he was driving, so stop standing around uselessly and help me get him into the driver's seat.”
Jiang Fengmian shook his head. “Ziyuan, no, we can't. This...”
“Would you rather see your son's future snatched away from him because of one mistake? Our family name dragged through the mud? Is your precious Wei Wuxian so important to you that you're willing to sacrifice your own son to keep him safe?”
“Of course not, but what if anyone finds out? What if it doesn't work?
“It will work; why wouldn't it?”
“Mom, people saw us leave the party. Wuxian was already pretty far gone. What if they say he couldn't have been driving?”
“Did anyone see you get into the car?”
“No, Mom, but...”
“Then stop making problems. Say the fresh air revived him, that he insisted on driving. Your father and I will leave. As far as anyone knows, we were never here. Give us ten minutes to get home then call the emergency services. Tell them there's been an accident. Tell them that you were also knocked out at first, but called as soon as you woke up. You must say that you and Wei Wuxian were arguing. That Wei Wuxian wasn't paying attention because he was drunk and irritated. Stay as close to the truth as possible. Say that he missed the turn and so he was speeding. Put it all on him. This will work. We know people. We have influence. We can make sure this is dealt with quickly, before anyone can object.”
She reached in, first wiping the driving wheel, then undoing Wei Wuxian's seat belt and pulling on his limp body. If they were lucky, he would never wake to deny the story they would tell. After a moment, her husband and son stepped up to help her.