Chapter Text
iang Cheng was dying. Or rather, that’s what it felt like. He had absolutely no energy to do anything, save for scrambling out of bed and running to the bathroom to go and puke his guts up every so often. It had been a month since the initial doctor’s visit, and the morning sickness was still going strong. According to Dr. Long, it would likely last for a couple more months. The thought of such a fate only made him want to die all the more.
Unfortunately for him, life had to continue on despite the morning sickness. Some days were better than others, in which he would be able to actually head in to work and survive the day by sipping ginger tea and nibbling on soda crackers. And then other days he would be forced to work from home, typing out emails in bed and forcing himself to look somewhat presentable enough to attend a meeting over a zoom call with his board of directors. And he would also take the occasional phone call with his secretary, as she sought to catch him up on everything that was happening at the office.
“Jin Guangshan stopped by to visit this morning,” his secretary informed him. “He wants to meet with you in person, and asked that you call his office to arrange a time and place.”
The CEO of KOI and head of the Jin family wanted to meet with him? “Did he give any reason for wanting to meet with me?” Jiang Cheng asked wearily, one hand holding the phone up to his ear while the other massaged his stomach, which was still sore from all the dry-heaving he had been doing.
“No sir, but I would take extra caution around him if I were you,” his secretary warned him. “I didn’t like the look in his eyes. Then again, that could have just been because of the way he was staring at my breasts the entire time.”
“He didn’t actually try anything with you, did he?”
A faint sigh echoed through the speakers. “Thankfully, no. He might have though had there not been two other alpha’s nearby watching us at the time. Most of your staff knows better than to trust that old pervert around anyone with a pretty face and an attractive body.”
Which was exactly why he wasn’t looking forward to meeting with him. People had often told Jiang Cheng that he had a pretty face, be it rather distorted by his trademark scowl. It was a trick that his mother had taught him to keep people at bay. A trick that had proved quite handy over the years. However, some people were still able to look past it. Lan Xichen being one of them. And he was afraid Jin Guangshan would still try something with him in spite of it as well.
There had been a noticeable increase in his pheromones since he got pregnant and he feared it was going to only get more noticeable the more it progressed. He had increased his dosage of cologne to try and remedy it, but even that was going to prove useless eventually.
He ended the call soon after, collapsing back in bed for a moment to let himself breathe. He lost all track of time as he simply laid there. At some point he must have fallen asleep, as he suddenly opened his eyes to find Lan Xichen seated next to him on the bed, hands raised midway through undoing his tie.
“What time is it?” Jiang Cheng asked, his voice sounding groggy.
Lan Xichen turned towards him with a warm smile, leaning in to press a kiss to his lips as he motioned to the alarm clock on the nightstand beside them. The clock read that it was just after six in the evening, and glancing out the window at the sky revealed that as much time had indeed passed.
“Shit,” Jiang Cheng groaned with a yawn as he went to sit up. “I’ve still got work to do.”
However, Lan Xichen wasn’t having it, and reached out to urge him back down into bed. “I’ll help you with it later if you want, but for now you need to rest. Your body is clearly exhausted.”
Ordinarily he probably would have tried to fight the alpha on it, but even he couldn’t deny that what he said was true. His muscles practically sighed in relief as he laid back down, eagerly curling into Lan Xichen’s embrace as he laid down beside him and held him close.
“I hate feeling like this, A-Huan,” he grumbled.
Lan Xichen made a sympathetic noise as he nuzzled his face into the crook of his neck. “I know, Wanyin, and I’m sorry for causing you to be like this.”
He shook his head. “It takes two people to make a kid,” he reminded the alpha. “I’m just as much to blame for my current state as you are.”
The alpha’s hand began to drift down towards his abdomen, tugging his shirt up a bit so that the bare skin there was exposed. It was a habit that Lan Xichen had taken to doing a lot in recent weeks. Ever since they found out that he was indeed pregnant. His hands were always finding their way over to his middle, where he would proceed to rub it in soothing circular motions that threatened to put him to sleep. Even though there was nothing there to feel.
Well, almost nothing…
“Your abs are becoming a bit less pronounced,” the alpha noted not ungently.
Jiang Cheng stiffened at that. He knew it well, having witnessed the proof of it for himself that morning. It had caught him off guard when he happened to glance upon himself in the bathroom mirror the other day. He had just finished eating dinner and had yet to throw up. In fact, that was the reason he went into the bathroom to begin with, fearing that the food might come back up at any given moment. And yes, a large part of it had to do with bloating, but still the sight and feel of it triggered his anxiety.
He moved his hand to rest alongside his mate’s. Even now, the skin wasn’t as firm and solid as it once was. “I’m going to have to start looking for more loose fitting clothes to hide it,” he noted. Maybe not right away, but within the next month. Maybe some bigger suit jackets that he could use to hide the bloating and actual growth. And he would have to get some pants with a stretchier waistline. He was already starting to feel a bit tight in his current dress pants on days when he was feeling particularly bloated.
“Perhaps a new suit as well,” Lan Xichen added. “That is, unless you aren't planning to attend the Lan Entertainment Company’s annual charity gala.”
He had completely forgotten about the charity gala that the Lans held every year on the anniversary of their company’s founding. It was a way of celebrating their own success while also giving to those who were less fortunate. The charity in question was a charity of their own patronage, which strove to make musical education more affordable for families who were struggling to make ends meet.
“When is that again?”
“In two weeks time.”
Well, it was still far enough away that he would have time to make the necessary preparations. However, there were obviously certain things that couldn’t be prepared for. Things like the severity of his morning sickness, or the size of his ever changing waistline.
“I already sent back the RSVP months ago saying that I would be there,” he said with a sigh. “However, I’m going to have to try and come up with an excuse as to why I’m not drinking.” If anything, that would be a big giveaway. While he had never been known to go overboard on drinking like his brother, he had never been one to shy away from it either. His mother, who would be attending as well, would no doubt notice that something was up.
“Don’t worry about it,” Lan Xichen assured him, leaning in to give him another quick kiss. How he was able to stand kissing him in his current state of disarray was beyond him. “I’ll come up with a solution for you.”
And Jiang Cheng, feeling himself being pulled under by sleep once more, decided that he would take his alpha’s word for it.
He agreed to meet up with Jin Guangshan, be it reluctantly, at one of his company’s own restaurants. This was done to ensure that they would be very much out in a public place, with plenty of onlookers in case things should start to go awry. As usual, Jiang Cheng arrived early, where he was escorted to one of the best tables in the building, which he had reserved ahead of time. He may not trust Jin Guangshan, but he still wanted to make a good impression on him as a fellow CEO as well as his sister's father-in-law.
He immediately began picking through the menu, trying to figure out what he could safely eat without having to worry about running to the bathroom to throw up. As much as he typically loved seafood, there was just something about all the seafood options that seemed off to him. And of course there were things he just couldn't have in general, like any uncooked meats and alcohol. He shook his head in frustration. This was already proving to be an issue.
Jin Guangshan arrived fashionably late, as to be expected, dressed in a dazzling suit of gold. Honestly, it hurt his eyes just looking at him, especially when he got too close to the chandelier. “You’ll have to forgive me for my tardiness, Mr. Jiang,” he apologized insincerely as he came to take his seat across from him. “I was held up by a previous meeting. I'm sure you understand.”
He was fairly certain that the Jin head had not been in a business meeting, but rather one of pleasure. The man practically reeked of sex. He had to physically restrain himself from gagging at the stench right then and there. “Of course,” he chose to wave the matter aside.
Jiang Cheng sat and watched as Jin Guangshan browsed through his menu, all the while slowly sipping on the cup of tea he had ordered. If the older man thought him bored and uninterested, so be it. All the better for him.
The waitress came by to take their order soon after, and Jiang Cheng once more fought the urge not to gag when he spotted Jin Guangshan clearly ogling the young woman's breasts. In the end, he ended up going for the steak special, making sure to specify that he wanted it well done. And Jin Guangshan, ever the man of extravagance, ordered the lobster and caviar with a glass of their finest vintage wine.
“I'm sure you must be wondering why I've suddenly asked to meet with you,” Jin Guangshan began as he took his first sip from his wine glass. “Our families are now connected through the marriage of your sister to my son. And so I thought, what better way to further join us than to propose a business partnership.”
Jiang Cheng stiffened at the idea. “What kind of business partnership are you proposing?”
“Well, it's more of a collaboration really. My fashion company is set to come out with a brand new line later this year. My designers were inspired by images of your lake house in Yunmeng, and want to go with a water based theme. We're thinking about snake print and koi design. The former of which is known to be one of your family’s known motifs. What I'm proposing is that we collaborate on this line, with you allowing us to use your family’s motif in our designs.”
“And what do I get in return?”
Jin Guangshan cracked a particularly disturbing smile that sent shivers up his spine. “You're a shrewd businessman, I see. Of course, your name would be attached to the designs, therefore giving your company's additional publicity. All it takes is a few good words from me and everyone who's anyone will be flocking to your restaurants. And of course, people will also want to visit the place that inspired the genius designs. You really stand nothing to lose in this deal.”
He may say that, but there was always a catch with such business deals. There had to be some ulterior motive. Something else that he wanted that he wasn't letting on to. “I would need to see a contract first before I agree to anything,” he stated, sipping from his cup of tea. “I'm actually not too keen on the idea of my family’s lake house becoming a tourist destination.”
It was meant as a place to get away from the rush of city life and unwind in the serenity of nature. The place held many good memories from his own childhood. Of swimming in the lake with his siblings. Not to mention it was the place he was considering retreating to in the later months of his pregnancy. He didn't want everyone gawking at him when he was big and properly swollen.
“Of course, I can have my team draw up a contract and send it to you next week,” Jin Guangshan offered eagerly. “As for the other matter, we can merely state that the inspiration came from the region of Yunmeng, without expressly stating a certain place.”
Thankfully the subject was soon dropped as their food arrived. Jiang Cheng started to cut into his steak only to see that the cook hadn’t cooked it quite well enough. There was still some pink visible inside. Ordinarily he wouldn’t have made a fuss about it and just eaten it the way it was, but with his current condition being the way it was, he was left with no choice but to send it back with the waitress and ask them to cook it longer.
Jin Guangshan raised a brow at this, but oddly enough didn’t seem too taken aback by it. “The help nowadays isn’t what it used to be,” he remarked, giving his head a shake.
Jiang Cheng didn’t bother to reply to that. It wasn’t entirely the cook who was to blame, but rather the fact that he had unexpectedly changed his eating habits. The cook knew his typical preferences well enough to know how he used to take his steak. A part of him couldn’t help but feel a bit bad about putting the cook in such a situation where he might feel ashamed for such a mistake. He made a mental note to go and assure him that he wouldn't be fired for it later.
His food was eventually brought back, fully cooked this time, allowing him to finally eat without worrying about whether or not it was going to make him sick. Thankfully he was able to eat the well done steak with no issues, not feeling queasy or turned off by it in the slightest. The whole ordeal was undoubtedly frustrating. However, it made him realize just how much care and thought had to go into even the most seemingly insignificant aspects of daily life when it came to ushering a new life into the world.
He had to restrain himself from allowing his hand to gravitate towards his abdomen, lest anyone catch a glimpse of such a gesture. Glancing out of the corner of his eyes, he thought he saw a group of photographers and journalists crouching in the bushes outside the window. No doubt they had followed Jin Guangshan. Or maybe the attention-seeking man had even tipped them off about what was happening. It wouldn't have surprised him.
The dinner ended and the two CEO’s parted ways by shaking hands. Jin Guangshan reaffirmed his promise to send the contract within the next week and that he looked forward to doing business with him. Then he took his leave. Jiang Cheng quickly slipped into the kitchen to go and reassure the chef, who was also deeply apologetic. Then he returned to his own car, getting snapped by a couple of photographers along the way. He made sure to hold his suit jacket a specific way to make sure they wouldn't catch sight of his stomach, which was no doubt bloated from the steak he ate.
Lan Xichen was waiting for him when he got home, reclined on the couch scrolling through his phone while listening to the latest news on TV. However, he immediately forgot about what he was doing and picked his head up at the sound of the door opening. “Welcome home, Wanyin,” he greeted him with a big grin.
Jiang Cheng immediately took off his shoes and shed his suit jacket, hanging it on the coat hanger before crossing over to the living room area to join Lan Xichen on the couch. His inner omega practically started purring as Lan Xichen set his phone down and eagerly reached out to wrap his arms around him and hold him close. And he didn’t hesitate in the slightest to curl up against him. It was all strangely domestic, and Jiang Cheng found that he thoroughly enjoyed it.
“How was your business dinner?” Lan Xichen asked. “What did Jin Guangshan want?”
Heaving a small sigh, he went on to tell him all about it, as well as what the head of KOI had proposed. “What do you think of it all?”
Lan Xichen assumed a thoughtful expression as he considered what his omega had said for a while before responding. “I agree that there is definitely something more to it than that. If it were just about using your family’s motif for his designs, he wouldn't have bothered with getting your approval. And I find it interesting that he would bring up your lake house in Yunmeng. Is there any reason you can think of that he would be interested in the place?”
He shook his head. “From what I know of him, his two favorite things are gold and pretty omegas.” Neither of which were things he was going to find at the Jiang’s family lake house. Well, unless he was after his Yu Ziyuan, which seemed unlikely. Not only was she best friends with his own wife, but he knew that she would likely tear him to shreds before he could even try to get her into his bed.
The topic was soon forgotten about as Jiang Cheng stretched out on the couch with his head in Lan Xichen’s lap. And feeling a bit uncomfortable, he reached out to unfasten his belt and untuck his shirt. He sighed in relief at the feeling of freedom. Finally he allowed his hands to find their way to his bloated abdomen. Lan Xichen's came to join his shortly after.
“I already feel fat just from eating dinner,” he remarked with a slight hint of bitterness. “I dread to think how I'm going to look and feel in seven months from now.”
“Don't think of it so much as you're gaining weight, but rather that you're growing our child,” the alpha offered sympathetically. “And if it makes you feel better, you'll always be beautiful to me. In fact, a part of me is looking forward to seeing you with a proper baby bump.”
He snorted at that. “I bet you are.”
Lan Xichen then went on to tell him about his own day. Apparently he had met up with his brother for lunch. Though Jiang Cheng personally couldn't see that being awfully exciting. Lan Wangji had never been the most talkative. He could never understand how someone like that could fall in love with someone like Wei Wuxian.
Speaking of which.
“Wangji was mentioning that he hasn't seen Wei Gongzi lately,” Lan Xichen stated. “He’s been trying to get into contact with him since the wedding, but he’s not answering his phone.”
Lan Wangji was trying to call Wei Wuxian? He wasn’t sure how he felt about that. Still, the older Lan was clearly curious, waiting patiently for him to answer his unspoken question. And he supposed that it would be safe to tell him the truth. He had proved himself trustworthy with the rest of his secrets.
“There’s a reason for that, but you have to promise not to tell anyone.”
Lan Xichen furrowed a brow. “May I tell Wangji?”
He considered it for a moment. It might actually be good for him to tell his brother. Up until then, Lan Wangji had been oblivious to the damage he had done to Wei Wuxian. He still wasn’t exactly sure what had happened, but he assumed the youngest Lan had been the one to break up with him. Then again, he supposed that it was entirely possible that Wei Wuxian could have done something stupid to break them up as well.
Finally, he nodded his head to give his consent. “Wei Wuxian has been away at a rehab center these past three months,” he began. “He only came back for our sister’s wedding before leaving again.”
“A rehab center?” the alpha asked, his eyes widening with the realization.
“I don’t know what happened between him and your brother, but it seriously messed him up. He was already mourning the loss of my father, who had taken him in after his own parents died. Then he came back one day and claimed that the two of them were broken up. It was like he was suddenly a different person. As if he didn’t care about anything anymore. He started drowning his sorrows with drinking and sex. It got so bad that he was starting to get violent. So, my sister and I dragged him back home, sat him down and convinced him to get some help.”
Lan Xichen remained silent throughout the whole explanation, his expression one of shock that slowly shifted as a look of dawning horror washed over him. “Was he ever violent with you?”
Jiang Cheng couldn’t help but hang his head slightly in shame, not wanting to outright admit it to the alpha. Unfortunately, that action in itself seemed to provide Lan Xichen with the answer he was looking for. A moment later, a hand reached out to grab his arm, pushing up the fabric of his sleeve to reveal the faint scars hidden beneath. The alpha had no doubt seen them during their lovemaking sessions, but had never asked him about them before. Until that moment.
“Did he give you these scars?”
He didn’t want to lie to Lan Xichen, so he reluctantly nodded his head.
Lan Xichen’s horror gave way to an even darker look. The kind of look that Jiang Cheng had only seen once before. It was remarkably similar yet not exactly the same as the expression Lan Xichen had worn at his sister’s wedding when he got jealous of him getting too close to Wen Qing. Except this wasn’t the look of a jealous alpha, but rather that of an alpha who was ready to do anything to protect his mate.
“I’ll kill him.” Lan Xichen let out a low growl.
“You will do no such thing,” he said, taking the alpha’s face in his hands and pulling it towards him so that he would look him fully in the eyes. “Wei Wuxian didn’t know what he was doing. He didn’t even remember the incident until I told him. He’s already cried his eyes out and apologized to me for it. And I’ve forgiven him, so there’s no need for you to get all overprotective alpha on him.”
Some of the rage drained from Lan Xichen’s expression, his gaze softening visibly. “But he hurt you…”
“And your brother hurt him,” he retorted. “That doesn’t mean I want you to kill him either.”
It took him a few moments of controlled breathing to fully calm himself down, in which he loosened his hold on the omega’s arm, silently staring at the scars there before reaching out to hug him tightly to his chest. However, he loosened his hold once more when he remembered his rather delicate condition.
“I will have a talk with Wangji on the matter,” he stated after an extended period of silence. “I might have to tell him about us to explain how I know about Wei Wuxian. That is, if it’s alright with you.”
Jiang Cheng nodded his head. “You can tell him, but he has to promise to stop trying to contact my brother. To give him time to get better and make up his mind about what he wants.”
There was obviously still some chemistry between them, as witnessed at the wedding. However, Jiang Cheng couldn’t deny that there also appeared to be something between Wei Wuxian and Wen Qing. He had returned from his romantic rendezvous with Lan Xichen in the hotel to find the two of them slow dancing. And though he might not have been paying her much attention during the feast, he was certainly paying attention to her at that moment.
What struck him the most at that moment as he just stood and watched them was that Wei Wuxian actually looked happy with her. He was smiling and laughing in a way resemblant of the way he used to be, before everything went downhill. He stood by his opinion that Wen Qing was good for him. However, at the end of the day, it was Wei Wuxian’s decision to make. If he decided later on that he wanted to get back together with Lan Wangji and give their relationship another try, then he would respect that.
As long as the younger Lan didn’t break his brother’s heart all over again. Then he might just end up killing the youngest Lan himself. Or at the very least breaking his legs.