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Chapter Text

The city of Shanghai was made up of five great sectors, whose heads dominated the entire Chinese business world. The first of the great five sects was Wen Enterprises. They were the giants of finance and investment, owning over half the banks and insurance brokers in the country. Next came KOI; a high fashion company and modeling agency owned by the prestigious Jin Clan. Celebrities from all over the world flocked to Shanghai just to get their hands on their designer clothes and handbags.

Third place fell to Lan Entertainment Company, who practically owned the music industry. The Lan’s were famous for producing a majority of the country’s top talent, be it singers, musicians or even dancers. In fourth place came the Jiang Corporation, who were the masters of fine dining, owning a chain of certified five-star restaurants. In addition, they also owned one of the top bottled water companies, Yunmeng Springs.

And finally came Nie Industries, who were at the head of the manufacturing world. They dealt mostly with the industrial side, but had recently also begun to dabble in the manufacturing of other products. The great five sects maintained decent relations with one another for the most part, and often had dealings with one another. Their businesses often would overlap, be it with actual business deals or marriage prospects.

For Jiang Corporation, it was both.

Jiang Yanli had been betrothed to the Jin heir, Jin Zixuan, since the two of them were children. An arrangement that had been made by their mothers, who had grown up together. It was meant to create a lasting partnership between the two sects, as well as bolster the Jiang’s standing in society. The relationship between the two children had been rocky for many years, and the engagement had even been called off at one point by Jin Zixuan himself. However, by some miracle, things had ended up working out after all when the two actually started dating. And Jin Zixuan ended up proposing to Jiang Yanli all on his own.

As a proud younger brother, Jiang Cheng was happy for his sister. However, as the newly appointed CEO of Jiang Corporation, as well as their family’s head, he couldn’t help but feel stressed by it. While their mother was handling a majority of the wedding planning, there were still some matters that could only be handled by him. And with all the business matters that required his attention on top of that, he found himself wishing that Jin Zixuan would back out once and for all and let him be done with the whole affair.

Jiang Corporation had been left to him in a fragile state after the death of his father, Jiang Fengmian. The company had been starting to show signs of crumbling in the face of the late CEO’s cancer diagnosis. With only a limited time left to live, Jiang Fengmian had decided to devote his last days almost entirely to his family, or rather to his two favorite children. And now Jiang Cheng found himself having to pick up the pieces of what his father had left behind. A part of him couldn’t help but resent the man for it, but still he was determined to prove himself and lead the company to new heights.

He was sitting at his desk, typing out a reply to one of the company’s biggest sponsors on his laptop when his secretary’s voice echoed through the speaker beside him. “Your mother is here to see you, Mr. Jiang.”

Hearing that, Jiang Cheng heaved a sigh. “Send her in,” he affirmed.

He quickly finished the sentence he had been on before saving the email to drafts until later. If there was one thing he knew about his mother, it was that there was no sense in trying to send her away. Even if his father had been the CEO in name, the company was just as much hers if not more. And he knew he wouldn’t be able to focus on his own work until his mother was finished with him.

A few minutes later, Yu Ziyuan came walking into his office with her head held high like she was the one in charge, her four-inch heels clicking against the hardwood floor with every step she took. At forty-three, his mother was very much still a beautiful woman. Or rather she would have been, had it not been for the near constant look of scorn on her face and the legendary temper that was known to send grown men running for their lives.

“We’ve reached an impasse,” she spoke without even waiting for him to greet her. “The Jins are insisting that the wedding be held at their Golden Carp Tower, while your sister and I want the wedding to take place at our Lotus Tower.”

By that she really meant that she wanted the ceremony to take place there. Jiang Yanli had always been the peacemaker in the family, always trying to diffuse tension and end arguments. Unfortunately, this also meant that she usually ended up going along with whatever their mother thought was best.

Jiang Cheng raised a brow. “And what do you expect me to do about it?”

“I want you to arrange a meeting with that foolish future son-in-law of mine and talk some sense into him,” she demanded. “Surely the two of you can reach some agreement, alpha to alpha.”

He suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. “Anything else?”

Yu Ziyuan paused for a moment in consideration before speaking again. “Find that idiot brother of yours and tell him to get his head out his ass before he manages to further ruin this family’s reputation.”

“What did Wei Wuxian do this time?”

“He showed up at Yanli’s doorstep piss drunk last night and proceeded to collapse onto her sofa without so much as a word,” she vented to him. “She showed up to breakfast this morning with bags under her eyes because she stayed up all night tending to him and his hangover.”

Wei Wuxian was his adoptive brother, the orphaned son of his father’s former best friend. Everyone else had accepted him as part of the family, except for his mother. She only saw him as a nuisance. And he had to admit that she did have good reasons to think so. Even he couldn’t help but see him as such from time to time.

For starters, Wei Wuxian had always had a bit of a habit of drinking and partying a bit more than he should. A habit that had gotten a lot worse in the last year after their father’s death. In addition to that, he had also recently suffered a bad breakup. Drinking and partying all night long wasn’t so much about having fun anymore, but rather him trying to drown his sorrows.

Jiang Cheng could well enough imagine what Yanli had been through the night before, seeing as he too had received impromptu visits from a drunk-out-of-his-mind Wei Wuxian. The state of him had scared him more than he liked to admit. His brother’s eyes had gone red and he had become violent with him after he tried to talk some sense into him. It was clear to him that Wei Wuxian needed desperate help.

“I’ve been making some private inquiries into rehab centers,” he said. “There is one in the city that has a place open for him and is willing to keep quiet about the ordeal.”

“How much are they asking?”

“Twenty-one thousand yuan a month.”

The price wasn’t so much the issue. In fact, the inheritance that their father had left to Wei Wuxian should be able to more than cover it. That was, if his brother hadn’t already managed to squander most of it on his desperate mission to forget everything.

“Then what are you waiting for?” she demanded. “Send him away for God’s sake!”

If only it was that simple, then he would gladly do so. Reaching into his desk drawer, he pulled out a small stack of paperwork to hand over to his mother. “They require both a family member as well as the patient himself to sign their consent.”

Consent that he seriously doubted Wei Wuxian would give.

Yu Ziyuan slammed the paperwork down on his desk, and grabbing a pen from his pen holder, didn’t hesitate to sign her own name along the family member’s signature line. “I don’t care what you have to do, just get it signed and get him out of our lives!”

Then, without any further delay she spun on her heels and stormed back out of her son’s office, slamming the door behind her.

Jiang Cheng heaved a sigh as he leaned back in his desk chair, a hand reaching out to pinch the bridge of his nose. Just another day in the life of the CEO of Jiang Corporation. He was seriously starting to wonder if his father had truly hated him enough to leave him with such a mess to sort out. Jiang Fengmian had always been about wanting to keep their family together, and yet he himself had been the one to leave them, even if it wasn’t by his choice.

“What am I supposed to do?” he asked no one in particular.

He didn’t like the thought of sending Wei Wuxian away, but at the same time he was afraid that his brother would become a real danger to him and their sister if he didn’t. And his mother’s resentment towards him certainly didn’t help matters. He considered it for a while before he reached a decision of sorts. He would discuss the matter with Yanli before he did anything. Now that she too had witnessed him in such a sorry state, she was more likely to understand where he was coming from.

Jiang Cheng had never been one to visit sex clubs, especially those aimed directly at omegas. And yet, somehow he found himself standing in front of such an establishment, faced with the prospect of going inside. He double checked the GPS on his phone to make sure it was the right place. Sure enough, the GPS tracker he had installed on Wei Wuxian’s phone showed that he was indeed inside.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to go with you?” Jiang Yanli asked through the open window of the car they had arrived in.

He nodded his head adamantly. “There is no way in hell I’m letting you step foot inside a place like this!”

Jiang Yanli’s brows furrowed. “Alright, but promise me you’ll be careful, and that no matter what, you’ll bring A-Xian back too.”

He nodded his head to reassure her before motioning to their driver, who he had given specific instructions to keep circling around the block until he came back out. He had also instructed Yanli to dress in dark colors, with a headscarf and glasses just in case. The last thing he wanted was for anyone to catch a glimpse of his sister waiting outside an omega sex club and risk causing a scandal before her wedding.

He waited until the car was gone before turning to go inside, taking a deep breath as if to work up the courage to pull the door open. The entry hall inside was unassuming enough, with plain walls and a clean carpeted floor. Had it not been for the bouncer stationed in front of the door and the sound of loud music echoing from behind, he might have assumed he was entering an actual reputable business.

“Omegas only,” the bouncer's voice thundered over top of the music, his nostrils flared from sniffing him as he approached.

In a blink, Jiang Cheng had removed his own sunglasses and pulled out his ID.

The bouncer blinked, glancing with wide eyes between the ID card and his face. “Mr. Jiang?” he questioned. “I'm sorry, I wasn't expecting-”

“I'm here to retrieve my brother,” Jiang Cheng cut him off.

The bouncer grunted his approval and stepped out of the way for him to pass.

“Not a word of this to anybody,” he warned as he slipped the bouncer a handful of money as a bribe.

Stepping through that door was like stepping through a portal into a completely different world. The music was loud enough that it threatened to blast his eardrums out, playing a mix of C-pop and K-pop songs. And the smell… Jiang Cheng was tempted to pinch his nose shut as the overpowering stench of slick mixed with sweat, drugs and alcohol washed over him.

The sights alone made him want to close his eyes as everywhere he turned his eyes were met with that of naked or scantily clad bodies in various different positions. Some of them were hunched over chairs and tables, either with a partner or a toy in hand, while others were out dancing and grinding away on the dance floor. Unfortunately for him, he knew he didn't have the courtesy of not looking, as he was forced to search the room for one omega in particular.

He didn't catch sight of him upon first glance, forcing him to delve deeper into the heart of chaos and debauchery. Many omega both male and female tried to get his attention, throwing their arms around him as if trying to dance with him, but one glare from him was enough to make them stop, their nostrils scrunching as they leaned in to smell him. That immediately caused them to let go and back away from him.

And then he finally spotted him. Towards the back of the room, leaned up against a pole was Wei Wuxian. His state of dress wasn't much better than the rest of the omegas in the room. His jacket had been removed and tossed onto a nearby table, his shirt looking like it had been forcibly ripped open, and his pants had been pulled down to his knees. Crouched in front of him was another male omega who was midway through sucking his dick. Meanwhile Wei Wuxian had one hand fisted in the other omega's hair, the other hand clutching a bottle of alcohol, taking regular swigs from it in between.

The mere sight of him like that made Jiang Cheng’s blood boil as he stormed over towards them and grabbed the bottle out of Wei Wuxian’s hand, tipping it back so that it poured out over his face. Wei Wuxian let out a startled yelp as his body jolted, thus causing the other omega to release him from its mouth, falling backwards on his ass in the process.

“What the hell was that for?!” he started to snap, a fist raised as if to punch him in retaliation. However he stopped short when his eyes cleared enough for him to be able to see who it was. “Jiang Cheng?” His eyes widened with alarm. His eyes were starting to turn red, but not as much as he had witnessed before. At least he was still sober enough to recognize him. “What are you doing here?”

“I came to get you, of course,” Jiang Cheng had to yell to even hear himself over the music. “Why else would I be in a place like this?”

And now that he had found his brother, all he wanted was to get the hell out. He reached to grab for Wei Wuxian’s still raised hand, but his brother just pulled away from him.

“Come on, Wei Wuxian!”

Wei Wuxian shook his head, his long unruly hair that was now sopping wet with alcohol practically whacking him in the face. “I’m not ready to leave yet!”

He gritted his teeth. His brother was seriously testing his patience. He already knew from past experience that trying to physically force him would only result in a fight breaking out between them. And so he opted for a different approach. An approach that he knew his brother would comply with no matter what.

“You’re seriously gonna make me and a-jie wait for you?” he asked.

Wei Wuxian stiffened at the mention of their sister. “You brought shijie in here?!” His brother stared at him with wide eyes of fury. That paired with the slight redness of his eyes gave Jiang Cheng goosebumps as he recalled that one altercation with his drunken brother in particular. He would never forget those eyes.

“Of course not, you asshole!” he shot back at him. “She’s waiting outside in the car!”

Wei Wuxian scowled at him, but Jiang Cheng could see the conflict in his eyes, as if he was mentally at war with himself over what to do. Ultimately, he gave in just as Jiang Cheng knew he would, and started to pull up his pants, fastening them securely back in place. Then he shoved past Jiang Cheng to go and collect his jacket.

Jiang Cheng stayed well enough away from him in case he should try to get physical, while also staying close enough to be able to stop him should he try to sneak away at some point. Thankfully the latter never happened, as Wei Wuxian seemed to have conceded enough to go with him willingly. They managed to make it back through the crowd of sweaty dancing omegas, a few of which tried to proposition both of the brothers. And once again, he scared them off with a single scowl and a whiff of his scent.

The car was just pulling around the corner when they stepped outside, and Jiang Cheng couldn’t resist the urge to breathe in the fresh night air while he waited for the driver to come around. After a few deep breaths, the overwhelming scent started to fade from his nose enough that he didn’t feel like he was about to be sick. And no sooner had the car stopped in front of them, then he reached to open the door and pushed his brother inside before climbing in himself.

“You’re the real asshole, Jiang Cheng!” Wei Wuxian shouted as he ran a hand through his still wet hair. “Why do you always have to come and ruin my fun?”

He scoffed as he buckled himself in, motioning for the driver to take off. “Fun? You call throwing your life away ‘fun’?

“Like you would know. You don’t even have a life to throw away!”

That definitely struck a nerve with Jiang Cheng. “Not everyone has the privilege of doing whatever the hell they want! Unlike you, I have to work my ass off every single day just to keep our family’s company from collapsing!”

Wei Wuxian didn’t voice a response to that, probably because he knew deep down that he was right. Instead, he turned his head away, which brought him face to face with their sister, who was just sitting there staring at them with tears in her eyes. Seeing her tears brought about an abrupt change in Wei Wuxian’s demeanor, his glare falling away as it was replaced by a look of guilt.

Yanli sniffled. “A-Xian, what has happened to you? Why are you fighting with A-Cheng so much? Don’t you realize that he’s just worried about you?”

“Don’t cry, shijie,” Wei Wuxian tried to console her, but to no avail. “We won’t fight anymore.”

Jiang Cheng couldn’t deny that it hurt to see his brother like this. And it hurt even more to see just how much their relationship had deteriorated in the past year. Wei Wuxian could only glare at him, while their sister was the only one that could make him feel guilty.

“Does that mean you’ll also stop coming home piss drunk?”

As if to prove his point further, Wei Wuxian glared back at him at the question. “I can stop whenever I want!”

Yanli shook her head as she recaptured their brother’s attention. “A-Cheng told me that you’ve been coming home drunk more and more recently. And that you’ve even been getting violent.”

Wei Wuxian of course denied the fact. “Jiang Cheng is just exaggerating.”

With that statement, Jiang Cheng had had enough and rolled up his sleeves to show them the scars that were scattered across. Some of them were smaller and more insignificant, while others were longer and had cut deeper. Yanli let out a sharp gasp at the sight of them, and Wei Wuxian’s face went white as a ghost.

“Where did you get those?” Yanli asked.

He stared straight at his brother. “Wei Wuxian showed up at my doorstep drunk out of his mind a few weeks ago, and I berated him for it. He got angry and threw a glass bottle at me.” It had been aimed at his face, but he managed to block it by bringing his arms up to try and protect himself. Thus the glass had shattered and splintered against his arms. He had to take himself to the hospital afterwards to have the glass shrapnel removed.

“I-I…” Wei Wuxian had no defense against that. To be honest, it wouldn’t have surprised him if Wei Wuxian didn’t even remember that night, he had been that out of it.

Yanli sobbed as she reached over to trace her fingers over the since healed wounds. Then she turned back to their brother once more. “A-Xian, I know you probably didn’t mean it, but you can’t keep hurting A-Cheng like this. What would father think if he were to see you?”

Jiang Cheng had to hold back the urge to roll his eyes. Their father probably wouldn’t have cared all that much about the fact that he was hurt, and would have let Wei Wuxian off with a gentle warning before easily forgiving him.

“I-I’m sorry…” Wei Wuxian didn’t even look at him as he broke down crying. And Yanli reached out to wrap her arms around him, letting him rest his head and cry on her shoulder while also crying herself. “I’m so sorry…”

The rest of the drive home passed in more or less silence, with only the occasional sniffle from Wei Wuxian or Jiang Yanli. Thankfully their eyes had mostly dried by the time they arrived, allowing them to exit the car and make their way into the lobby of Lotus Tower without anyone looking twice. Together they climbed into the elevator, which was thankfully otherwise empty, and pressed the button to take them up to the top twenty-first floor.

Wei Wuxian kept his distance from his brother and sister, shoving himself into one of the corners and keeping his head down as he waited for their stop. Yanli glanced back at him worriedly, but didn’t say a word. Finally, the elevator came to a stop and the doors slid open to reveal a long modern looking hallway. Jiang Cheng was the first one out, followed shortly after by his sister. He ended up having to physically hold the doors open to prevent them from closing back up on their brother, who lingered behind.

After a few moments, Wei Wuxian seemed to come back to himself and moved to step out as well, following after him and Yanli as they started down the hallway. Arriving in front of his apartment, Jiang Cheng swiped his pass key through the slot to open the door, holding it open for his siblings before following them in and closing the door behind him. They each slipped out of their shoes and coats, leaving them in the entryway before continuing further inside.

This was where Jiang Yanli started to take charge, as she took hold of Wei Wuxian’s hand and led him over towards the bathroom, gently instructing him to change out of his soiled clothes and take a shower. Wei Wuxian didn’t fight her on this, nodding his head as he willingly entered the bathroom to do so. They waited until they heard the sound of the shower turning on before letting their guard down enough to walk away, the two of them practically collapsing back onto the leather couch in the living room.

“We have to do something, A-Cheng,” Yanli stated, her eyes looking like she was on the verge of crying again. “It hurts too much to see him like that.”

Jiang Cheng nodded his head, glancing over at the paperwork for the rehab center he had left on the coffee table. He had already told his sister about the idea, and though she had seemed hesitant about it at the time, she hadn’t been entirely against it either.

They made themselves some tea while they waited for Wei Wuxian to finish in the shower. All the while, Jiang Cheng kept his ears attuned to the sound of running water coming from the bathroom, a small sense of relief washing over him when he heard it turn off. A part of him had feared that his brother might try something stupid like trying to literally drown himself. He didn’t want to think such things, but he did.

A few minutes later, Wei Wuxian came out, dressed in a fluffy bathrobe with a towel draped over his head. Yanli immediately motioned him over, pouring him a cup of tea, which he accepted without hesitation. He had just taken a sip of the steaming drink and set the cup down on the coffee table when he caught sight of the papers.

“What’s this?” he asked as he reached out to pick them up. His eyes widened as he quickly scanned through them. “You’re sending me away to a rehab center?” At that, he shot an accusatory glare over at Jiang Cheng.

“We’re not sending you away at all,” Jiang Yanli was quick to assure him. “However, A-Cheng and I have been talking and we think it would be good for you to get some professional help.”

“Your mother signed it.”

Jiang Cheng nodded his head. He had thought about signing it himself, but hadn’t been able to bring himself to do it. “It needs your signature in order to make it official.”

“Look, I appreciate your concern, but going there isn’t going to help,” Wei Wuxian insisted as he tossed the papers back onto the coffee table, not even bothering to clean them up as they scattered across it. “If anything, those quacks will probably just make things worse.”

Taking a deep breath to push back his rising frustration, Jiang Cheng did his best to reason with his brother. “I didn’t just come up with this idea suddenly, Wei Wuxian. I’ve spent weeks weighing the pros and cons, and doing as much research as I can on different rehab centers. Out of all of them, this one has the best reviews.”

“A-Cheng is right,” Yanli agreed with him. “I called the center myself and had a nice long chat with the people who are in charge. The methods they use are perfectly safe and not at all abusive. They even have a team of psychiatrists who are highly experienced in helping people. The number of patients who have turned their lives around as a result of their help is honestly incredible.”

A period of silence followed, in which both siblings were pleased to find that their brother actually seemed to be seriously considering it. “Where is it located? And how long would it take?”

“It’s located on the edge of the Wen’s sector. The family who run it are distant relatives of the head of Wen Enterprises,” Jiang Cheng answered the first question.

Jiang Yanli was the one to answer the second question. “As for how long it would take, they don’t give a set timeframe, because they understand that everyone’s journey of healing is different. They ask only that you stay for at least one month with the guarantee that, if you are unsatisfied with the experience, you are free to leave afterwards.”

“You’re sure they’re not going to try and electrocute me with torture devices?”

Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes. “We’re not living in the dark ages, Wei Wuxian.”

“Are you sure, because sometimes it seems like you are.”

“You-!”

Once again, Jiang Yanli was forced to intervene in order to prevent another fight from breaking out between the two of them. “So, what do you say, A-Xian?” she asked. “Are you willing to at least give it a try?”

Letting out a weary sigh, Wei Wuxian nodded his head. “For your sake, I’ll try it.”

A beaming smile lit up across Yanli’s face as she reached out to hug Wei Wuxian. And Wei Wuxian didn’t hesitate to hug her back. As usual Jiang Cheng was left out of the two’s exchange. It wasn’t at all lost on him that his brother was doing it for Yanli. Only for Yanli. Had it not been for her, Jiang Cheng wouldn’t have even been able to get him out of that sex club. It was pathetic, and it made him feel like a complete and utter failure of a brother, but he didn’t let himself dwell too much on it.

The most important thing was that Wei Wuxian was going to get help, as proven when he finally signed the paperwork, thus making it official. He could only hope that his time away wouldn’t hurt their already strained relationship even more.

Chapter Text

Wei Wuxian left for the rehab center a few days later, taking only a suitcase with him as he climbed into a taxi dressed in his hoodie and dark sunglasses. It was partially meant as a disguise to prevent anyone from recognizing him, but also to hide the red, bloodshot eyes and dark circles that he was sporting underneath. The results of his decision to go out and get majorly drunk one last time before he ‘went to meet his executioners’ as he put it.

Both Jiang Cheng and Jiang Yanli came to his apartment to see him off, bidding their farewells and well wishes in private. Or rather, Jiang Cheng tried to. Wei Wuxian was still in a foul mood from the night before and wasn't too happy with him for his part in sending him to rehab. However, he still accepted an affectionate shoulder pat from him without scowling at him too much.

It hurt to see him scowling so much, as Jiang Cheng remembered a time when Wei Wuxian was always smiling and laughing happily. Back then, it was always Jiang Cheng who was scowling and glaring. He still did, but not in the same way. Or maybe they were more similar than he thought. He admittedly didn't know what was going on in his brother's head. Somewhere along the lines, they had lost their once close connection.

The two remaining siblings watched from the window as the carrying their brother drove off out of sight. Yanli didn't stick around long after that, saying that she had a date with Jin Zixuan later that day that she needed to get ready for. And so, Jiang Cheng was left all alone, with only his thoughts to keep him company.

He could have headed to his home office to try and get ahead on some work, but he didn't. Instead he went and sat down on the couch with his head in his hands, the same couch he and his siblings had sat on that night prior. He felt like a complete and utter failure for having sent his own brother to rehab. What if Wei Wuxian was right? What if it didn't end up helping after all? What if it only made things worse?

And there was something else bothering him. Wei Wuxian’s words to him in the car on the ride home from the sex club kept nagging at his brain. “Like you would know. You don’t even have a life to throw away!” he had snapped at him.

For once in his life, Wei Wuxian was actually right. As much as he hated to admit it, he didn't have much of a life to speak of. He got up every morning, forced himself out of bed and dragged his sorry ass to another day of trying to prove to the world that he was good enough to be the CEO of his company. He was only twenty-three years old, and yet he had the lifestyle of a middle-aged workaholic. He had nothing else to live for but work.

He had no mate. His only family was his overbearing mother and siblings, one of which had now gone off to rehab. His romantic life was non-existent, and he only had one person that he could somewhat classify as a friend. Even then, he admittedly hadn't talked to him in months.

Maybe it was time to change that. If Wei Wuxian was stepping out of his comfort zone to change his lifestyle, then maybe he could do so as well.

He quickly pulled out his cellphone, searching through his contacts, which he was ashamed to say mostly consisted of business sponsors and the members of his board of directors, and dialed his old friend's number. It rang three times before he picked up.

“Hello?” a voice echoed through the speaker.

“Nie Huaisang, would you be free to meet up with me sometime later today?”

They agreed to meet at a popular sushi restaurant downtown. Jiang Cheng was the first to arrive, a full ten minutes before the assigned meeting time. He had always been punctual like that. It left a good impression in the business world. Also it made the people you were meeting feel guilty if they ended up being late. That had been how he had been dealing with most of the people who worked for his company. Make them squirm and make them afraid of disappointing him so that they are less likely to do so.

However, that wasn’t a business meeting, as he had to remind himself. The same method couldn’t necessarily be used when trying to make friends. He was going to have to work on adjusting that mindset if he ever wanted more than just the one friend. That was, if Nie Huaisang even showed up for their meeting at all. From what he remembered of his old friend, he was prone to being a bit scatterbrained at times. Always getting distracted by birds and pretty tapestries.

Thankfully his fears proved false when his friend rode up to the restaurant on a shiny black motorbike of all things, five minutes later. At first, he thought it was someone else, but then the rider took off his helmet and he saw that, sure enough, it was Nie Huaisang. He watched as his friend killed the engine and locked the bike in place with a chain before heading inside with a cheerful grin.

“Did you steal your brother’s motorbike?” he asked as his friend came to join him at the table.

Nie Huaisang shook his head as he took the seat across from him. “I didn’t steal it, I just… borrowed it without asking him.”

He snorted at that. “You do realize he’s going to murder you for that, right?”

“Ah, but that’s only if he finds out, Jiang Xiong,” Considering how paranoid Nie Mingjue was known to be, he thought it safe to say that his friend was soon to be dead meat. “Where’s Wei Wuxian?” he asked. “Isn’t he joining us?”

Jiang Cheng had known Nie Huaisang since they were kids. Him and Wei Wuxian had befriended him during a business retreat that their parents had dragged them all along on. They were instant friends, though that was mostly because they were among some of the only kids there. From what he recalled of that summer, they had managed to nearly drown themselves in the lake while fishing and had trashed the hotel room in the process of having a sleepover.

Those were the days. A part of him couldn’t help but miss them. It was a time when they had nothing to worry about, before they had even been tested to see if they were Alphas or Omegas. A time when they all got along.

He shook his head. “No, he’s not coming.”

Wei Wuxian had agreed with him and Yanli that it was best that they keep his going to rehab a secret. In the worst case scenario, he’d be back out in a month’s time and would probably go straight back to his old ways. And in the best case scenario, he’d be gone for some unspecified amount of time and come back better than before.

This response seemed to confuse their friend for a moment before he started to laugh. “He’s still sleeping off his hangover, isn’t he?”

“Probably,” Jiang Cheng neither confirmed nor denied the question.

Nie Huaisang knew all too well what Wei Wuxian was like, seeing as the two of them had gone drinking and partying together in the past. Jiang Cheng had gone along with them at first, mostly just to act as the responsible one and make sure they got home safely. Then his father died and he was burdened with taking over as CEO, and he just stopped going with them altogether. Whenever they asked him, he would just give the excuse that he didn’t have time.

“So, why did you suddenly ask to meet with me then?” Nie Huaisang asked, perceptive as ever. He also knew Jiang Cheng well enough to know that he didn’t act without a reason.

He sighed. “I realize that I’ve been neglecting our old friendship, and I wanted to rectify that. I don’t have as much time as I used to, but I can still try to make time every now and then to catch up.”

Nie Huaisang smiled warmly at him, his gaze losing much of its inquisitiveness.

From there, they began to chat a bit more easily, sharing with each other what had been going on in their lives recently. Nie Huaisang complained about his big brother and how he had been after him to devote more time to his martial arts training. They had all taken martial arts together as teenagers at an academy in Gusu, but it wasn’t really something that Nie Huaisang was interested in. He was more interested in drawing and painting, which his big brother considered a waste of time.

Jiang Cheng in turn vented his frustrations about his sister’s wedding. “Honestly, I just wish my sister and that damn peacock would stand up for themselves and put our meddling mothers in their places. The amount of times I’ve had to act as a go-between because they can’t decide over where the ceremony should take place or what flowers to order, is driving me insane!”

“That’s just the price to pay for a lifetime of love and happiness.” Spoken like a true omega.

He scoffed. “Seems to me like it’s more of a hassle than it’s worth.” He had already secretly decided that if he ever got married, he would forgo the whole wedding planning aspect and just elope.

“That’s only because you haven’t found the right person yet,” Nie Huaisang chuckled. “When was the last time you were even on a date?”

He tried to remember when the last time had been, and was ashamed to say he couldn’t remember. Something that Nie Huaisang seemed to pick up on, as he pinned him with an unimpressed look.

“Your love life is in serious need of help, Jiang Xiong.”

“It is not!”

Nie Huaisang nodded his head insistently. “As your friend, it falls to me to help you out. Just you wait and see, I’ll find you the perfect date.”

He had his doubts, but seeing as his friend had already pulled out his phone and appeared to be typing furiously away at its keyboard, he could only assume that it wouldn’t make any difference to voice them. Nie Huaisang liked to consider himself something of a matchmaker. He knew a lot of people, and was an admittedly decent judge of character. Wei Wuxian had used his dating services before. Though he couldn’t entirely say whether that was a good thing or a bad thing with his track record.

“Do you have any specific requirements?”

Jiang Cheng considered it carefully, as he did with most things. “Someone who is naturally beautiful, graceful and obedient, hard-working and thrifty. Someone who comes from a respected family, who’s personality isn’t too strong, doesn’t talk too much and whose voice isn’t too loud.”

“So, basically someone who is the opposite of Wei Wuxian.”

He nodded his head. “And don’t set me up with any of his exes either.”

“Well, that narrows down the options significantly.”

No kidding. There was one date he could recall going on when he was back in high school. It had been a girl by the name of Mianmian, whom he found out had previously dated his brother. As you can imagine, that fact ended up killing the mood and they both agreed that there was no use in going on any further dates together. Even then his options had been limited.

“Do you have a preference towards whether your date’s primary gender is male or female?”

He shook his head. “Not really.”

“And what would you say your ideal date location would be?”

He thought about it for a moment. “As long as it’s not a sex club, I don’t care.”

Nie Huaisang proceeded to ask him a few more questions about the specifics of his ideal date. Questions like, when the ideal time for him to go on a date would be, the answer to which was mostly either during his lunch break or evenings after work. And then he asked whether he was looking for something serious or just a short-term relationship.

That question he didn’t entirely know how to answer. He didn’t date just for the pleasure of it, like his brother had been known to do. Rather, when he went on a date, it was because he was actually interested in pursuing something more than friendship. Whether or not the relationship lasted past the initial first date… Needless to say, most of his previous dates never got past that point.

“I’ll just say that you’re open to either,” Nie Huaisang waved off the matter.

Their food arrived shortly after the questionnaire ended. Jiang Cheng, who had always been rather fond of seafood, ordered a combo platter of sake nigiri and tako sashimi with a side of extra rice. Meanwhile Nie Huaisang went for the negitoro maki rolls with a side of udon soup. They enjoyed their meal together in relative peace, exchanging the occasional opinion on the food in between bites.

The two of them ended up arguing over who would foot the bill, not because they couldn’t afford it, but because Nie Huaisang had a tendency of trying to whine his way out of paying so that he got a free meal. This time he insisted that it would be considered the payment for his matchmaking services. In the end, Jiang Cheng gave in and paid for them both, rolling his eyes at his friend’s antics.

They walked with each other until they reached Nie Mingue’s motorbike, which was thankfully still there without so much as a scratch. Jiang Cheng had parked his car not too far away.

“I’ll text you next week once I’ve found a suitable candidate for you, and we can arrange a time and place for the two of you to meet,” Nie Huaisang said as he bent down to unlock the chain holding the bike in place. “Trust me, Jiang Xiong, this will be the best date you’ve ever been on.”

That very well could be, considering most of his dates had been terrible. His expectations were alarmingly low in that regard. If the date ended on an even remotely positive note, he’d consider it a win.

Staying true to his word, Nie Huaisang did indeed text him a week later to say he had found a suitable candidate for him. He refused to say who the person was, saying that he wanted it to be a surprise. Kind of like a blind date situation. That immediately made Jiang Cheng nervous. He had never understood the appeal in going on blind dates. For all he knew, Nie Huaisang could be playing one of his pranks on him, setting him up with someone who was the exact opposite of what he had specified.

Regardless of whether or not it was a prank, he decided that he might as well go through with it, and made arrangements to meet them at the Shanghai Grand Theatre. The opera house company was currently doing a rendition of ‘The Sunshot Campaign’, which he was admittedly interested in watching. He figured he may as well make the date worth his while, even if it did end with the two of them going their separate ways like all the times before.

Choosing an outfit for the occasion proved to be a bit challenging. The opera wasn’t necessarily a formal setting. He wanted to be able to blend it, while still making a good first impression on his date. A part of him was tempted to call his sister and ask for her opinion, but then he thought about the fact that she had yet to so much as call him since Wei Wuxian left. She was probably busy either spending time with the peacock or making wedding preparations with their mother.

That was another issue. If he called his sister and told her about his date, she’d no doubt tell their mother, who would in turn start nagging him for details on who he was going out on a date with, as well as reminding him of the risks that came with him getting too close to anyone. It was a speech he had heard many times before, and was at least part of the reason his romantic life had been as dead as it was.

No, it definitely wasn’t a good idea to call Yanli…

Ultimately he decided on a simple yet stylish purple button down shirt with a pair of black dress pants and a black KOI blazer to throw over top. He decided to leave the top button on his shirt undone to complete the look. It was nowhere near as bold a statement as Wei Wuxian usually made, with his shirts usually lucky to have any buttons done up at all, but it was just enough to make Jiang Cheng feel a bit more confident. Something that he was going to desperately need as he prepared to step out into the terrifying world of dating once more.

Once he was satisfied with the way he looked, he quickly applied his usual cologne to his scent glands and headed out the door. His driver was waiting out front by the time he exited Lotus Tower, the older gentleman nodding his head to him in greeting as he watched his employer climb into the back seat through his rearview mirror. Jiang Cheng gave him the address and off they went down the busy city streets.

Traffic was always hectic in the city, no matter what time of day it was. If anything, you might even say that nights were worse than the daytime, as that was when everyone went out to unwind and enjoy themselves before returning to the daily grind in the morning. However, if there was anything enjoyable about driving at night, it was getting to see all the bright lights that shone all the more brightly in the absence of the sun. And if you drove fast enough, it was like witnessing a kaleidoscope of colors blurred together.

It took about half an hour to actually get to the opera house, which made him thankful that he had left well enough ahead of time. Checking the time on his phone, he was pleased to find that he still had a good half hour before the show began. And he wouldn’t have to worry about getting a good seat anyway, seeing as he had purchased seats ahead of time. If there was one thing he hated, it was having to stand and wait in a long line up at the ticket booth.

“I hope you enjoy your evening, sir,” the driver bid him farewell as he started to reach for the door handle. “I’ll come back to pick you up when the performance is over.”

Stepping out onto the sidewalk, he paused only long enough to make sure he had everything he needed before nodding his head farewell to the driver and closing the door behind him. Then he started straight for the entrance, bypassing the lineup that had already assembled, and appeared to go on for half a block. He heard a few people mutter his name, and saw a few flashes of light as people snapped photos of him in passing.

It didn’t bother him all that much. If anything, it made sense. After all, he was ranked the fifth most eligible bachelor in the entire country. And once his sister married the peacock, he would no doubt be promoted to fourth place. He had gotten used to the extra attention for the most part. Not that he had much of a choice in the matter. People were bound to recognize him in such places, especially when he wasn’t particularly trying to disguise himself.

The issue was going to be trying to keep his date a low profile and not attract too much attention by it. That was partially why he had chosen the opera. It was a place where lots of well known people came, be they celebrities or billionaires. And it wasn’t odd to see two such people sitting next to each other. And if it turned out that his date wasn’t someone who was well known, then that wouldn’t be all that odd either. The seating arrangement was random at the best of times.

Inside, he went to find a somewhat vacated part of the grand hall to stand and wait in. With nothing else to do, he pulled out his phone again and typed out a quick message to his matchmaker friend.

JC: I’m at the opera house. Are you ready to tell me who my mystery date is yet?

A few moments later, Nie Huaisang messaged him back.

NH: Nope! It’s still a surprise.
JC: How am I supposed to know who I’m waiting for?
NH: Don’t worry. You’ll figure it out ;)

He stuffed his phone back into his pocket in frustration. That wasn’t helpful in the slightest. He could be literally standing right next to the person and he wouldn’t even know it. Letting out a sigh, he turned to examine the rest of the people who had gathered in the grand hall with him. A few of them he recognized as minor celebrities and the occasional millionaire’s wife. No one he knew personally or knew his mother well enough to rat on him.

That’s when he saw him walk through the glass doors. Lan Xichen looked almost like a heavenly immortal being dressed in his suit of pure white, his long hair slicked elegantly back. Everyone in the room stopped what they were doing and turned to look at them, some even going so far as to stare at him. He was the kind of person who effortlessly attracted attention, and he did so in a way that was as elegant as he was humble.

At first Jiang Cheng wondered what he was doing there, but then he remembered that as the CEO of Lan Entertainment Company, Lan Xichen was likely a patron of the opera house. And yet, that still didn't entirely explain his presence. He doubted that the head of the Lans had time to come to every single performance at every theater they affiliated with. Just like he didn't have time to go and personally dine at every restaurant his family owned.

A sudden thought came to mind just then. And he quickly pulled his phone back out of his pocket to message Nie Huaisang again.

JC: Tell me my date isn't Lan Xichen!
NH: Surprise!

Jiang Cheng gripped his phone so hard that he could have sworn he heard it crack. He was seriously going to strangle Nie Huaisang the next time he saw him.

“Jiang Cheng?”

His head shot upright to find Lan Xichen striding towards him. Shit, he cursed internally. It was too late for him to make a break for it. He was well and truly stuck in the situation.

He couldn't say that he knew Lan Xichen particularly well. The only reason he knew him at all was because their brothers used to date each other. In fact, Lan Wangji had been the bad breakup that at least partially sent Wei Wuxian spiraling out of control. He wasn't entirely sure what had happened there. One day they were their unbearably lovey-dovey selves, and the next Wei Wuxian was yelling about how much he hated him.

“What brings you here?” Lan Xichen inquired. “I wasn't aware that you were interested in the art of the theater.”

As far as he could see, there were only two options left for him. He could lie and make up some excuse before making a hasty retreat, or he could tell him the truth and see what happened. His brain told him to go with the first option, but at the same time, there was a part of that was tempted to give the second option a try. There was something about being so close to Lan Xichen that was making him feel weird. Maybe it was his scent, the smell of honeysuckle and morning dew wafting heavily through the air around them.

“I'm supposed to be meeting someone,” he admitted reluctantly.

Lan Xichen raised a brow slightly, seeming genuinely curious. “Oh? What a coincidence. So am I. Who are you meeting?”

“I wasn't given a name,” he said. “Nie Huaisang set me up on a blind date of sorts.”

The way Lan Xichen’s eyes widened with realization was an immediate give away.

“I take it you're the one he set me up with?”

Lan Xichen nodded his head. “I assure you, I had no idea. He didn't even tell me he was pairing me with another alpha.”

Jiang Cheng winced at that. “Yeah, he didn't tell me that either.”

He had assumed that Nie Huaisang would set him up with an omega, but thinking back to their meeting the week before, he realized that he hadn't specified that. In fact, it was the one thing he hadn't specified.

They spent the next several minutes just standing there awkwardly, neither of them seeming to know what to say or what to do. Eventually Jiang Cheng worked up the courage to try and break the ice. “What do we do now?”

Lan Xichen hesitated for a moment longer before answering. “We could go through with the date, that is, if you're not opposed to the idea.”

He shook his head. “I've got nothing better to do, and I already paid for everything, so we might as well go watch the show.”

It wasn't long before more and more people started to pile into the grand hall, slowly making their way into the theater itself. Jiang Cheng and Lan Xichen made their way over as well, walking alongside each other in silence as they went in search of their seats. They were in one of the front rows, which was one of the best places to sit in Jiang Cheng’s opinion. It allowed them a clear, undisturbed view of the performance. They were also among some of the most expensive seats, but Jiang Cheng thought it was well worth the price.

The remaining time before the show was spent browsing through the program schedule, which was said to be around three hours long, including the intermission period in between. Then the lights began to dim and all talking came to a gradual cease as the orchestra began to play and the curtains were drawn to reveal the scene hidden behind. The scene was set to that of an ancient battlefield, with demonic monsters fighting against the brave clansmen who had joined together to fight.

The brave clansmen fought with all their might, but the power and brute strength of the demonic monsters was too much for them, forcing them to withdraw back to their camps. In the war strategy tent, the leaders of the four clans gathered to come up with a plan to defeat the evil sun emperor, who had destroyed their homes and taken over the land. Thus they called it the Sunshot Campaign, in which they would shoot the sun down from the sky.

In the background, two brothers were seen to be arguing. One of them was a clan leader dressed in purple, and the other was a demonic cultivator dressed in black. It was strange, but something about those two reminded Jiang Cheng of him and Wei Wuxian. The way that neither of them could seem to stop yelling at each other, even though the opera clearly showed that they did love each other deep down.

The intermission came immediately after the battle, in which the evil sun emperor was brutally slain at the hands of his trusted servant, who ended up to be a spy for one of the clansmen. And his army of demonic monsters was completely wiped out by the demonic cultivator through a strange and powerful relic called the Yin Tiger Seal that he had created for that exact purpose. By then, Jiang Cheng was in desperate need of a breather, as the performance had left him a bit wound up and on the edge of his seat.

He stepped outside the opera house doors for a breath of fresh air, not going too far so as to make sure he wouldn’t miss it when they were called back in. The line had dispatched, with only the occasional random person passing by. This came as a relief to him. There was no one to notice him and snap photos of him for miles. He could afford to let his guard down a little.

A few minutes later, Lan Xichen stepped out as well and went to stand beside him. “An intriguing storyline so far,” he noted. “I must admit, I’ve never seen this particular opera before.”

He hadn’t either, which must have meant it was fairly new to the stage. From what he had heard, it had only recently gained popularity within the last couple of years.

“I must admit, I was pleasantly surprised when Nie Huaisang told me that my date had chosen the opera as the venue,” Lan Xichen continued. “There aren’t many people, even in my own company, who can truly appreciate this particular form of theater. Movies and concerts are much more popular nowadays.”

Yeah, he could understand that. He didn’t mind movies and concerts himself, but he still liked opera. It was a totally different experience. It was like combining the two together into one. “My mother used to take me and my siblings regularly when we were younger. I enjoyed those times, even if it was a bit difficult with Wei Wuxian falling asleep on my shoulder.”

Lan Xichen raised a questioning brow. “I take it your brother isn’t a big fan of opera?”

The thought made him laugh. “Sometimes we wouldn’t even get halfway through before we would be forced to leave. We couldn’t get Wei Wuxian to sit still long enough, not to mention he’d wake up with a startle whenever the soprano hit the highest notes. And then mother would get angry and start telling him off.”

“So, that’s why you chose to come here?”

He nodded his head. “I figured that, even if the date went badly, at least I would get to enjoy the show.”

“Is it?”

Jiang Cheng stared up at the man in white in confusion.

“Is the date going badly?”

He thought about it for a moment. “I’m not sure. It’s not over yet.”

“True,” Lan Xichen admitted, gracing him with a dazzling smile.

They returned for the second half of the performance, in which the story of the brave clansmen continued, having just claimed their hard-won victory. The scene was now set at a grand banquet, where the overweight clan leader in gold declared himself the new emperor, and that the late sun emperor’s remaining family members would become his slaves. Everything was going well, that was until the demonic cultivator stormed in and demanded that he set the family members free, insisting that they were innocent.

The purple clan leader tried to reason with both sides. He tried to reason with the gold clan leader that his brother couldn’t be controlled. And he tried to reason with his brother that it was not the right time to be making demands, not when they had just reclaimed peace. Unfortunately neither his brother nor the gold clan leader listened to him. The demonic cultivator eventually left to go and rescue the remaining family of the sun emperor, riding off on horseback into the pouring rain.

From there, they followed the demonic cultivator as he went into exile with the remnants of the sun emperor’s family, hiding them away in a place that was deeply rooted in evil energy. And the longer he remained there, the more dark and twisted the demonic cultivator began. Until one fateful day when the clansmen decided that enough was enough and united once more to lay siege to the place of evil.

The remnants of the sun emperor’s family, now greatly weakened and starving, were unable to fight back and thus were slaughtered by the clansmen. The clan leader in purple was among those leading the siege, searching desperately for his brother in hopes of helping him get away. Even after everything he had done, he still loved his brother and wanted him safe. However, the demonic cultivator was too far gone. And in the end, he plunged himself from the top of a rocky cliff to end his life. The play concluded with the clansmen celebrating his death. All but the clan leader in purple, who stood silently off to the side.

Jiang Cheng had to quickly wipe the tears from his eyes as the curtain closed and the lights began to come back on. He didn’t know why the story had impacted him as much as it had. Perhaps it was because he could relate to the purple clan leader. It was almost like he had witnessed a past life of his. Thankfully, he managed to compose himself and cast it off as nothing more than the effects of a wonderful performance.

Needless to say he had definitely enjoyed it.

The congregation began to make their way out of the theater soon after, chatting animatedly amongst themselves. Even Lan Xichen couldn’t help but praise the opera’s well developed plot and the intricately fleshed out characters. None of the characters had been left unnoticed in the background, each of them having their own vital role to play. And Jiang Cheng had to agree with him on that. The purple clan leader should have been a minor side character, and yet to him he seemed as if he was the lead role.

They made it outside, where sure enough his driver was waiting for him in the car. Stopping in his tracks, he turned back to Lan Xichen to thank him for his company and to bid him goodnight, but he never got the chance as Lan Xichen began to speak.

“Would you like to go for a drink?”

He blinked at the man, not having expected that. If anything, he would have thought that Lan Xichen would have been eager to conclude their date and head back home. And yet, there he was, asking him if he wanted to go out for a drink, thus extending the date even longer. Glancing down at his newly cracked phone screen, he saw that it was only ten-thirty. By most people’s standards, the night was still considerably young.

“Alright, as long as it’s not somewhere too crowded.”

Lan Xichen shook his head. “I know just the place.”

Chapter Text

They decided to each take their own respective cars, so as not to draw any unwanted attention to themselves. Lan Xichen had given him the address beforehand, which he in turn gave to the driver, who seemed taken aback, but chose not to remark on it. Jiang Cheng couldn’t say that he blamed his driver. He was surprised himself. This was the first time he had ever extended a date past the point they had initially agreed upon.

In theory, he supposed he could have been set up with worse people on a date. He could have been set up with someone like Wen Chao. He shuddered at the thought. Lan Xichen actually made for surprisingly pleasant company. And he fit most of the requirements he had given Nie Huaisang. Lan Xichen was practically the living embodiment of graceful and naturally beautiful

Speaking of the meddlesome matchmaker. His phone vibrated to alert him that he had a text message from him.

NH: So, how'd it go?
JC: I'm still mad at you, but I don't feel the urge to strangle you anymore.
NH: I take it the date went well then.

Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes at the cracked screen, making a mental note to make an appointment to get it fixed.

NH: Well? Don't leave me hanging, Jiang Xiong! Give me all the details.
JC: Don't you have anything better to do than pry into other people's love lives?
NH: Nope! My big brother always scares away my potential dates, so I have to live vicariously through friends like you.
JC: In that case, you can wait until the next time we meet. And you're paying the bill this time.

He didn't even wait for his friend to respond before he clicked out of the conversation, putting his phone on silent to make sure no one would try to disturb him.

Before long, they pulled up in front of what appeared to be a Jazz Lounge. The choice made him chuckle slightly. It seemed they had a music related theme going. He shouldn’t have expected anything less from a Lan. Not that he entirely minded. It was different from any place he had ever gone to before, but not in a bad way.

Climbing out of the car, he told his driver to give him an hour. He figured that it wouldn’t last much longer than that. And if it did… Well, he could always text him to let him know.

Lan Xichen had arrived a bit before him and was there to meet him at the door, where he appeared to be discussing something with the bouncer. Whatever he said, it was enough for the bouncer to step aside to open the door for them. Inside they found themselves in a room that had been decorated quite tastefully with a Roaring Twenties theme in mind. As promised, the place wasn’t terribly crowded, with only a handful of people scattered here and there.

They found an empty booth to sit at, sliding in along the slick red leather seating. Lan Xichen slid in to the other side, and immediately began to point out the best drink options. It was clear that he had been there before. In the end, Jiang Cheng decided to go with an Old Fashioned, while Lan Xichen went with a Green Dragon. Then they were left to wait for their drinks, listening to the jazz singer who was performing on the stage in the far corner.

“So, is my choice to your liking?” Lan Xichen asked, hooking his hands together as he leaned his chin against them to look over at him.

He was staring at him so intently that it made Jiang Cheng feel a bit warm, causing him to tug at his collar nervously. “It’s a nice enough place. I don’t usually go out drinking, so I’m afraid my experience is limited.

“You don’t like to drink?” The man in white seemed rather upset, as if he was worried that he had chosen the wrong place to take him.

“That’s not it,” he quickly assured him. “I’m just a bit of a workaholic. Usually if I want a drink, I just go home and order one from the bar at Lotus Tower. This is the first time I’ve gone out to an actual establishment in over a year.”

“Over a year?”

He winced at the reminder. It sounded a lot worse coming from him. “Yeah, it’s been a difficult time. My father didn’t exactly leave me a manual on how to run the family business.”

“Mine didn’t either, but I’m sure you’ll get the hang of it soon enough.”

That was right. He had almost forgotten that Lan Xichen’s father had also died not too long ago. Lan Qingheng had died almost a full year before Jiang Fengmian, making it two years since Lan Xichen would have taken over Lan Entertainment Company. He no doubt understood what it felt like to be left trying to figure everything out on his own. Lan Wangji didn’t take him as the type that would be able to help his brother much either.

“Do you also have to deal with an aggravating board of directors?”

Lan Xichen nodded his head regrettably. “They’re not the worst, but it can be difficult at times to persuade them to my way of thinking.”

“I have to literally threaten mine in order to get them to do anything. And the way they go about things would make you think they’re stuck in the dark ages. They’re the type who think that being an omega means that you’re basically just a broodmare. My mother stopped attending the company meetings because they always dismiss her.”

“That’s not true,” he remarked with a frown. “I know plenty of omegas who successfully run their own businesses.”

Hearing that was like a breath of fresh air after being trapped in a room full of stuck-up, stuffy know-it-all’s. “Thank you!” he couldn’t help but exclaim. “Finally, someone with common sense.”

Their drinks arrived not too long after, which they sipped on casually as they continued to chat. Lan Xichen was remarkably easy to talk to, and listened to what Jiang Cheng had to say without interrupting. They each shared a bit about their daily lives, how he had discovered the Jazz Lounge by chance and taken an instant liking to it. His best friend, Nie Mingjue wasn't fond of jazz, calling it a sorry excuse for music, so he often came there on his own.

Jiang Cheng couldn't remember the last time he had actually enjoyed just talking with someone, and for such a long time, as he glanced at his phone to find that a full hour and a half had passed. Sure enough, he glanced out the window to find that his driver had returned. and appeared to be waiting for him. He supposed that time had slipped away from him, which was in itself yet another first for him.

Lan Xichen seemed to also realize what time it was, as he joined him in getting up. Reaching into his suit pocket, he pulled out some money to cover the cost of their two drinks and set it down on the bar as they passed by. Jiang Cheng offered to pay for his own drink, but Lan Xichen refused his offer, saying that it was the least he could do seeing as he paid for the opera. And Jiang Cheng couldn’t argue with him on that.

“So, did the date go badly?” Lan Xichen asked him again as they started through the door outside.

Jiang Cheng shook his head. Of all the words he could think of to describe the date, ‘bad’ was not one of them. “No, it was fun.”

His response seemed to please the man in white, as he gave him another one of his dazzling smiles. “Would you be open to going out again sometime?”

That caused Jiang Cheng to stop abruptly in his steps as he turned to look at him in surprise. Were his ears playing tricks on him, or had Lan Xichen just asked to go out on another date with him? When moments passed and the man in white continued to look at him hopefully, he was finally able to determine that he had indeed heard correctly.

“You want to?” he asked. “I mean, even though I’m an… alpha as well?”

“It’s not entirely uncommon for two alpha’s to date,” Lan Xichen pointed out.

He supposed that he had a point. It was a bit unconventional, but it wasn’t impossible. From what he had witnessed, omegas had no problem being with each other. And a second date didn’t necessarily mean much anyway. It just meant that he and Lan Xichen liked each other enough to want to see each other again.

“Alright,” he conceded, pulling out his phone to create a new contact.

Lan Xichen gave him his private phone number, and Jiang Cheng did the same with his own. And then, when that was done, they bid each other good night and returned to their respective cars.

The driver eyed him through the rearview mirror as he was getting into the car, waiting until he had closed the door to speak. “Mr. Lan seems like he would be a good match for you, if you don’t mind my saying so.”

“Not a word of this to my mother!” he warned.

The driver nodded his head knowingly. “Understood, sir.”

The second date turned into a third date and the third date turned into a fourth. One time they went to an exclusive art gallery viewing, the next to a movie theater to catch the latest mystery film. They even went out for coffee one day during their lunch break. And by some miracle they managed to keep a low profile each time. No photographers or journalists tailing them. Of course it probably helped that Lan Xichen had taken to wearing less flashy clothing during their dates. A white button down shirt and jeans was as casual as he was able to be it seemed.

Still, paired with a hat and a pair of sunglasses, they made it work.

Jiang Cheng felt happy for the most part. Things were going well between them. They hadn't kissed or discussed the exact nature of their relationship, but it didn't take a genius to see that things were getting serious. And that's what worried him. He had never been in a relationship that lasted any length of time, so this was completely unfamiliar territory to him. How serious was he allowed to get with Lan Xichen without going too far?

A part of him felt bad for even considering a serious relationship with him, all the while knowing that there was a secret that he was keeping from not just him, but almost everyone. His mother would probably tell him to cut ties and walk away before it even became a risk, but then again, he wouldn't even be dating Lan Xichen if he listened to her all the time.

And so, in order to keep himself distracted, he devoted almost all of his time and energy to his work.

He had managed to make some progress when it came to saving the company from ruin. He had met with and convinced new sponsors to support them, and had changed their advertising campaign to better reflect the most recent trends. It was amazing what great results social media platforms were able to provide them with. All it took was a few well known Douyin accounts to give their restaurants a good review and their business immediately picked up.

Even his pesky board of directors seemed rather pleased with the results. Well, most of them anyway. There was always one person who had to nitpick everything.

“I’m not sure what to think of this new campaign,” remarked one of the elder members of the board. “Our restaurants have always catered more to the older generations. Those who are capable of appreciating the finer things in life. Whereas the younger generations seem to prefer cheap drinks and fast food. They couldn’t care less about sophistication.”

Jiang Cheng raised a brow at the elderly board member. “Are you suggesting that I am the same, Mr. Huang?”

Mr. Huang shook his head. “Unlike most youngsters, you’ve grown up in a good family and have been taught the value of such things since your birth. I am referring to the common people who have walked into our restaurants and are surprised to find that we don’t serve soft drinks and burgers.”

He was tempted to mention that he had considered changing their menu to at least include the most popular soft drinks instead of just the usual alcohol and tea. After all, the reports showed that there had been an increase of families dining at their restaurants. Modernization wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, no matter what the old men seated alongside him might think. However, he ultimately decided against it, choosing to save that argument for another day.

The meeting was wrapped up, with the board agreeing that they would continue to closely monitor the reports and meet again accordingly.

Jiang Cheng was walking out of the board room, rubbing his temples to try and fight off the headache that was starting to form, no doubt from dealing with his board of directors, when he heard his cell phone ring. Without even bothering to look who it might be, he pulled his phone out and swiped the screen to answer it.

“Hello?” he said, his voice sounding a bit gruff.

“Jiang Cheng? Did I call at a bad time?”

He came to a screeching halt at the sound of a familiar voice echoing through the receiver. “Perfect timing, actually. I just got out of a meeting with the board of assholes.”

That remark earned him a chuckle from Lan Xichen.

“Sounds like you could use a pick me up,” he said. “Are you free tonight?”

“Depends on what you have in mind.”

“Well, I'm meeting a business associate in the area, and I thought it might be nice to stop by and visit you.”

A beat passed in which neither of them said a word, only the faint static on the phone line echoing in Jiang Cheng’s ear. Lan Xichen wanted to visit him, as in at his apartment? The thought of being completely alone with Lan Xichen sent a strange wave of heat coursing through his body. There was a tiny nagging voice in the back of his head, trying to tell him something, but he ignored it for the time being.

“That is, if you're alright with it?”

Jiang swallowed the lump that had started to form in his throat. “What time?”

“Dinner is at six, so I'd probably be there around eight.”

“That should work.”

It was currently four, which meant he would have four hours to get home and try to prepare for Lan Xichen’s visit. Not to mention try and get rid of the headache. Maybe even take a cold shower to try and calm down the strange reaction his body was having.

“Great, I'll see you then.”

Jiang Cheng didn’t realize his mistake until a half hour before Lan Xichen was expected to arrive. He was doing one last quick run through of his apartment to make sure everything was in order when he spotted his calendar on the wall. His first thought was that he would have to take it down, as it contained compromising information on it about him. And then he got closer and saw the reminder to take his heat suppressant. He always reminded himself several days ahead to ensure maximum effectiveness.

The reminder had been set for two days before, which was when he should have taken it…

He started to panic. Was that why his body had been feeling so weird all day? It would also explain why he was feeling more horny than usual. And of all the times for Lan Xichen to come to visit, it had to be on a day he had forgotten his suppressant. However, all was not lost, he told himself as he rushed to the bathroom medicine cabinet to see if he had any emergency back up supply left. Needless to say, it wasn’t the first time he had gotten carried away with his work and forgotten.

Unfortunately, luck was not on his side, as he found nothing but an empty box. He must have taken the last one and forgotten to replenish his stock.

Bracing himself on the edge of the bathroom sink, he forced himself to breathe. His heat cycle was still in the early stages, mostly just affecting him on the inside. It was hard to tell if his scent was more potent due to the scent masking cologne he always wore, but it wouldn’t hurt to apply a bit extra just in case. The important thing was that he wasn’t producing slick yet. He just needed to get through the evening, hoping that Lan Xichen wouldn’t stay too long. And maybe it wouldn’t hurt to come up with an excuse in case he needed to cut the visit short.

He pulled himself back together as he exited the bathroom, taking the calendar down and applying the extra shot of cologne to his scent glands. Lan Xichen had said that he was having dinner with a business associate, so he hadn’t bothered to order any food. Jiang Cheng himself hadn’t eaten much, but that was mostly because of his nerves. He told himself that he’d order some take out after Lan Xichen had come and gone.

Just then, there came a knock at his door. There was only one person that could be. One of the things he appreciated about Lan Xichen was that he always tried to be on time. And if something came up that forced him to cancel their plans, or simply push them back by an hour, he would notify him beforehand. He was considerate like that.

He opened the door to reveal Lan Xichen standing there on the other side, looking rather dashing in his usual white suit.

“Sorry if I’m a bit overdressed,” he apologized with a slight wince. “I didn’t have time to change before I came here.”

Jiang Cheng waved it off as he stepped aside to let him in. Even then, he was going through a mental checklist to make sure he had gotten everything that needed to be taken care of. He felt fairly confident that there shouldn’t be anything out of place. As long as Lan Xichen didn’t ask to go into his bedroom, which he doubted, they should be fine.

Lan Xichen stepped through the doorway, quickly slipping out of his polished white dress shoes before following his host further inside. Jiang Cheng’s apartment was almost as big as they came, taking up almost a good portion of the entire floor. Its amenities included a big kitchen, which he rarely ever used, a spacious living room and connecting dining room. The apartment had two bedrooms, one of them being his own and the other a guest room for whenever one of his siblings came to spend the night. He also had a private at home office, which was where he spent a majority of his time.

He led Lan Xichen over into the living room, where the electric fireplace had been turned on, bathing the room in a warm, comfortable glow. They took a seat on the black leather couch, where Jiang Cheng shuffled around to try to get comfortable. His body felt oddly restless and his stomach was feeling all in knots. Both things not being good signs, but he did his best to ignore them for the most part.

“Do you want a drink?” he asked his guest. “I can order something brought up from the bar, or I can get you something from the fridge.”

Lan Xichen shook his head. “I’m fine, I had enough to drink at the restaurant,” he said. “In fact, I was actually at one of your family’s restaurants. My associate was quite impressed with the atmosphere, as well as the quality of the food.”

Mr. Huang would be thrilled to hear that. No doubt his business associate was among those who were able to appreciate the finer things in life as it were.

“And what did you think?”

Lan Xichen hesitated for a moment. “I found the food to be a bit too spicy for my tastes,” he admitted. “Not that it wasn’t good!” he was quick to add.

He nodded his head to show that he understood. If anything, he valued Lan Xichen’s honesty, which made him feel all the worse for keeping his own secrets from him. Still, he made a mental note to address the issue at the next board meeting. They should at least have some less spicy options for those with more delicate tastes.

There was a brief period of silence that followed, in which Lan Xichen took the opportunity to look around. He was tapping his foot, almost as if he were nervous himself, which seemed so unlike Lan Xichen. The man always came off as well composed and confident in himself. Jiang Cheng couldn't help but wonder what was making him so nervous.

“I actually wanted to talk to you about something privately, which is why I wanted to come visit you,” he began.

And just like that, Jiang Cheng felt his heart drop in his chest. He already knew what was happening, having heard similar statements from other people. Lan Xichen had no doubt came to the realization that they weren't meant to be and was trying to let him down gently to avoid causing a scene. Jiang Cheng scoffed as he got up from the couch, turning away from the man in white.

“Let me guess, you don't want to date me anymore?” he asked. “You don't have to treat me like some feeble maiden, you know. I'm not so delicate.”

“What?” Lan Xichen questioned, the couch creaking as he got up and started to step towards him. “No! That's not it at all, Jiang Cheng.”

He felt Lan Xichen reach out to place a hand on his shoulder, as if urging him to turn back around to face him. He fought against the urge at first, but ultimately caved in and did so. The expression on Lan Xichen’s face was surprising. He seemed genuinely upset that he had assumed that.

“I actually wanted to ask you how you felt about making our relationship more official,” Lan Xichen clarified. “However, if you want to call it off…”

There was something about seeing him look so dejected that pulled at his heartstrings. “I didn't say that! I'm just used to people getting tired of me quickly. I've never actually been in a relationship that lasted longer than one date!”

The man in white blinked at him. “Never?”

Jiang Cheng scowled, internally berating himself for being so stupid and actually saying that out loud. “That's beside the point!” He had to pull away from Lan Xichen’s touch and take a step back, as being too close to him was making it hard for him to think. Lan Xichen’s scent was also doing something to him. He had noticed it before, but never to such an extent. Lan Xichen smelled really good. “As for making our relationship more official… Do you still want to be with me, even if we have to keep our relationship a secret from the public?”

“Of course, Jiang Cheng,” he said. “I want you whichever way you'll let me.”

If that didn’t hit him straight in the heart… “Even if there are certain things I can’t tell you?”

This time he considered it for a moment before responding. “Everyone has their secrets, and I trust that you’ll tell me when you’re ready.”

That proved to be the final straw. He wasn’t sure who made the first step, or who leaned in first. They both seemed to have the same intention as their arms reached out to wrap around one another, their lips meeting tentatively at first before they gradually became confident enough to open themselves up. The scent of honeysuckle and morning dew washed over him in a thick wave. He could feel the effects of the strong scent on his body, and judging from what he felt, Lan Xichen seemed to be having a similar reaction.

His head was screaming at him, trying desperately to get him to remember something, but at that moment it was as if he was oblivious to everything else. The only thing that mattered was that Lan Xichen was there with him, and that he wanted to be with him.

That is, until he felt Lan Xichen stiffen, and a moment later, an equally as overpowering sweet smell washed over them, mingling with the honeysuckle and morning dew. Lan Xichen pulled away just enough to look at him, a look of puzzlement crossing his face. “Why did your scent just change?” he asked, visibly sniffing the air between them. And Jiang Cheng noticed the signs of its effect of the alpha in white. The way his pupils dilated and his hardening member nudging against his thigh. “I’ve never smelled anything like it.”

“Shit!”

In a panic, Jiang Cheng began to fight against him, thrashing to try to get free. Unfortunately for him, Lan Xichen’s hold on him was too strong. And short of breaking his own arms in the process, it seemed there was no way out. It wasn’t until after he had stopped trying to fight him that Lan Xichen loosened his grip on him.

“Jiang Cheng, are you an omega?”

He swallowed the bile that threatened to creep up his throat. “Yes.”

“Why did you keep such a thing from me?” The way Lan Xichen was looking at him, you would think he had just kicked his dog or something.

It was too much for him to handle, he had to look away. “Don’t take it personally. I’ve kept it from everyone.”

“Why?” he asked again.

“It’s because my board of asshole directors wouldn’t allow me to become CEO unless I’m an alpha! I already told you what they think of omegas. And wouldn’t you know it that me and both my siblings turned out to all be omega’s. So, my mother and father came up with this brilliant scheme to hide the fact that I’m an omega and masquerade me as an alpha instead. My father didn’t even want me to inherit originally! He wanted to make Wei Wuxian his heir, even though he’s adopted! However, the board of directors wouldn’t accept that either, so he got stuck with me!”

He was left gasping for breath by the time he finished ranting, some of the tightness in his chest having lessened as a result.

Lan Xichen for his part just stood there staring at him without saying anything. On the plus side, this allowed him the opening to slip fully out of his grasp. However, he didn’t attempt to run away as he had initially intended to do. There was no point in doing so now that Lan Xichen knew the truth of who and what he was.

A part of him felt oddly relieved by it all. To finally have someone other than his immediate family members who knew his secret. To not have to worry about not getting too close to him like everyone else. And most importantly, to not have to worry that his secret would get leaked to the public. Lan Xichen was nothing if not trustworthy. He had always respected his need to keep their relationship private, and he assumed he would keep this private as well.

“I understand, and I promise you that I won’t reveal your secret,” Lan Xichen said, almost as if he had read his mind.

“Thank you.”

There was another period of silence that followed. No doubt the man in white was still trying to process it all. Every now and then he would glance over at him, with that look in his eyes. The same look that all alphas got when they were exposed to an omega who was in heat. Jiang Cheng realized this and started to back away some more. And it was these exact movements that caused Lan Xichen to wake up from the spell he had been under.

“Please, don’t back away from me,” Lan Xichen pleaded with him. “This does change things, but I still want to be with you regardless.”

He wasn’t sure how to feel about that. Deep down, his heart surged with joy at hearing those words, but another part of him twisted with uncertainty. Just as Lan Xichen had said, it would change things. Being together as an alpha and omega was different from being together as two supposed alpha’s. The most obvious difference being the fact that there was no denying the effects of his heat.

Even at that exact moment, Jiang Cheng could feel his body yearning for the alpha standing before him. His brain was yelling at him to get away before it was too late, but his heart and body wanted nothing more than to let Lan Xichen claim him as his own. That was what Lan Xichen wanted as well. He could see it in his eyes, even when they weren’t clouded by lust. They wanted each other.

“Are you sure?” he asked. “You don’t have to do this. The only reason this happened was because I got carried away with my work and forgot to take my suppressant. If you just walk away, and give me a few days until I can get this under control, we can continue on with the way things were between us before.”

Lan Xichen shook his head, refusing just as he had feared he would. “I want to stay and help you through this.”

With every moment that passed, it became harder for him to resist the urge to accept him. His body felt as though it was burning, begging for relief. He could order him out if he wanted to. He could lock himself in his bedroom and call for security to escort the alpha out. And yet, he didn’t want that. With any other alpha, he might have, but not Lan Xichen. Taking a deep breath, he nodded his head in consent.

“Fine, but you better not regret this later.”

Chapter Text

“Fine, but you better not regret this later.”

That was all that the alpha in white needed to quickly close the remaining distance between them, taking him once more in his arms as he reached out to reclaim his lips. The kiss was more frenzied this time, their hands all over each other, running through each other's hair and pulling at each other’s clothes. Lan Xichen started to back the two of them out of the living room, to which Jiang Cheng had to point him in the direction of the bedroom.

Luckily, he hadn’t thought to lock the door, as they were able to easily fumble their way inside, making a beeline straight towards the king-sized bed. Clothes were ripped off and discarded without a care. At one point, he got a bit frustrated with the alpha’s pristine white suit. There were far too many layers for his liking, but it served as further motivation for the moment he ultimately stripped him down to reveal the body hidden underneath.

And what a body it was. With his chiseled abs and broad, muscular shoulders, he looked like any omega’s dream. Jiang Cheng didn’t bother to glance at himself, but he knew well enough from previous looks in the mirror what he looked like. He had spent a substantial amount of time and effort working out in order to achieve a body that could pass off as an alpha’s. His abs weren’t as impressive as Lan Xichen’s, but at least he could say that he still had them. The most telling sign of his physique was his narrowed waist. He often had to wear a bit of padding in his shirts to disguise the fact.

He had always been rather insecure about his body, probably because he had always been forced to pretend to be something he wasn’t, but the way Lan Xichen was looking at him at that moment…

“Beautiful.”

The fire that had been building deep inside of him, ignited his face. And it only made it all the more harder for him to function. “Lan Xichen, you…” he said breathlessly. “You’re driving me wild here.”

He nodded his head, a look of knowing pleasure spreading across his face. “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you.”

The past pieces of clothing were discarded, leaving them both fully bare before one another. Jiang Cheng had felt his hardness through his pants, but to actually see its length with his own eyes, the visible proof of just how much Lan Xichen wanted him… It left him speechless.

No sooner had they both slipped out of their underwear then Lan Xichen was back on top of him, trailing kisses down his body as his dick teased at his entrance. The fire burning inside of him was becoming nearly unbearable by that point, and a pained moan couldn’t help but tear loose from his throat. He hated the sound, hated feeling so weak and at the mercy of someone else. He had spent so much time training himself to think and act like an alpha that it was a fight just to give into his true omega nature.

“I want you…” he trailed off between moans, “inside me, now!”

And the alpha wasted no time in obliging his request. The initial penetration came with a shot of pain, but it was nothing compared to the pain he felt from the heat inside of him. He gritted his teeth and bore it, waiting rather impatiently until Lan Xichen thrusted fully inside of him, earning him a full on moan of pleasure. It felt a bit strange, this being his first time, but at the same time it felt oddly good to have him inside of him. However, it wasn’t enough to fully satisfy him yet.

A knot started to form as it reached out to clench tightly around him. Then they were locked firmly together in place. Jiang Cheng could see the swelling in his abdomen as a result of the knot growing and spilling its seed inside of him. The alpha senses that had been ingrained into him began to panic. Meanwhile, his omega senses were practically purring with contentment at the sensation of fullness. And he had to admit that it did feel rather good, the fire starting to be tamed, but not yet extinguished.

“Would you allow me to mark you?”

Jiang Cheng felt his heart skip a beat inside of his chest. He knew the alpha had said that he wanted to be with him officially, but he hadn’t thought he meant to this extent. “Y-You want to be my mate?”

“With every fiber of my being,” the alpha admitted earnestly.

He hesitated for a moment before nodding his head. “Only if it goes both ways,” he warned. He had witnessed enough one sided mated couples to know that he wasn’t about to submit himself to a commitment that the other could easily back out of without reaping the consequences.

“Of course.”

While keeping their connection, Lan Xichen leaned over him fully, lips grazing over that oh-so sensitive spot on his neck. He pressed a gentle kiss there before he opened his mouth to sink his teeth into his skin. The effects of which were instantaneous.

Jiang Cheng had always thought that the act of mating would be terribly painful, and had even found himself wondering why anyone would willingly submit themselves to such torture. He could now truthfully say that it wasn’t at all like he had expected. The wave of intense pleasure that came over him was unlike anything he had ever experienced. There were no words with which to describe it. And he finally understood why people craved it so badly.

It triggered something deep inside of him, making him go feral as he dug his nails into the skin of Lan Xichen’s back, pushing himself even closer still to the alpha as he reached out to return the favor. He wanted Lan Xichen to experience the same degree of pleasure that he was feeling. He wanted to feel the alpha writhing against him, unable to get enough of him as they completed their mating.

He didn’t hesitate, nor did he show the alpha any gentleness as he bit down hard on his own neck. Lan Xichen stiffened in his hold for but a second before he began to feel the effects of it himself.

“You are mine,” Lan Xichen practically growled, a look of pure possessiveness gleaming in his eyes as he stared down at his newly mated omega.

“And now you’re mine as well.”

They went for another couple of rounds before they eventually collapsed back against the now soiled bedding underneath them, curling up in each other's arms for some much needed sleep. It was already seven in the morning by the time Jiang Cheng awoke. His body felt stiff and sore from the effects of their knotting as well as their mating, but he was pleased to find that the fire inside him had reached a much more manageable level. It would no doubt return again, especially if Lan Xichen stuck around, but he wasn’t so worried about that.

What worried him was a sudden thought that came to mind. Lan Xichen had knotted him, and spilled plenty of his seed inside of him after their mating. They had been so out of it at the time, wrapped up in their own world, that they hadn’t even stopped to think about what that meant. With that in mind, Jiang Cheng twisted around in the alpha’s arms and started shaking him. It didn’t take long for Lan Xichen to wake with a jolt, no doubt startled at being woken in such a violent manner.

It took him a moment to wake up enough before he was able to register the look of pure panic on his mate’s face. “Jiang Cheng, what’s wrong?”

“We didn’t use any form of protection, did we?”

Lan Xichen’s eyes widened as it dawned on him. He shook his head slowly. “No, we didn’t.”

“Shit!” he cursed as he sat up in bed, running a hand down his face. “I can't get pregnant right now!”

Truth be told, he wasn't sure if he'd ever be in the position to get pregnant. Not unless his entire board of directors miraculously croaked all at once. Some of them were pretty old, but still it seemed highly unlikely.

A moment later, he heard the bed creak as Lan Xichen sat up and shifted over to wrap his arms around him, resting his chin in his shoulder in a comforting gesture. “It doesn't necessarily mean that you will,” he reassured him. “It's fairly common for newly mated pairs not to conceive right away.”

That much was true. From what he had heard, only a small fraction of mated pairs ended up falling pregnant from their first few knottings. There was a good chance that it hadn't caught with him. “You're right, but still, we need to be more careful from now on.”

Lan Xichen nodded his head in agreement as he reached out to press a kiss to his mate's temple. “Everything will be fine.”

He certainly hoped so.

Seeing as they were both wide awake, they got up and started getting ready for the day. They ended up showering together, but didn't go past touching each other. He wasn't risking it any further until he got some more emergency heat suppressants, which he went and ordered online as soon as he got out. Lan Xichen offered to go and make them breakfast, even though Jiang Cheng insisted that he didn't have to. He claimed that he wanted to, and that it was his job as his mate.

Jiang Cheng shrugged it off and let him do as he wished. He wasn't sure if Lan Xichen even knew how to cook, but figured he couldn't be any worse than Wei Wuxian. Regardless, he placed an order for both suppressants and birth control, which he made sure would be delivered straight to his door later that day. The company he ordered from was known for being discreet, never disclosing information about their customers' purchases to the media no matter how well known they were. All he had to do was try and get through the day until they arrived.

Heading over to the kitchen, he was surprised to find Lan Xichen standing there, still hard at work preparing breakfast for him. He took a seat at the kitchen island while he waited, intent on watching him. There was something oddly wholesome about the scene. He had never had anyone cook for him before. Aside from the one time Wei Wuxian had tried to cook a meal for him and Yanli. The smoke detector ended up going off and they had to evacuate the apartment until the fire department could come to make sure everything was safe.

At least nothing seemed to be burning this time, which made him hopeful.

Soon enough, Lan Xichen turned to proudly show off what he had made. He had made a few of the most common breakfast foods, likely the ones he had been able to actually find the ingredients for. Jiang Cheng didn’t keep his fridge and cupboards fully stocked, seeing as he usually didn’t have time to cook. There were steamed buns, congee as well as wheat noodles with chopped up pieces of tofu mixed in.

“It might not be as flavorful as you're used to, but I hope you’ll still be able to enjoy it,” the alpha stated as he began to dish out servings, first for his mate and then for himself. When he was done with that, he sat down next to Jiang Cheng and the two of them began to eat.

Sure enough, it was a bit more bland than he typically preferred, but still tasted good regardless. A home cooked meal that he didn’t have to make himself. He didn’t want to get too spoiled by it, but he found himself thinking that he could get used to it on a somewhat regular basis. And he made sure to thank his mate for the food, as well to assure him that the taste was just fine.

It still seemed surreal to him that he actually had a mate. The proof of which would forever be etched into his neck, the mark that still stung whenever he turned it. He had looked at it a bit more closely in the mirror earlier and deduced that it would be easy enough to hide underneath his usual suit collar. Otherwise he would have to invest in some turtlenecks and other high collared shirts.

“So, where do we go from here?” Jiang Cheng asked, turning to him as they ate. “We’re mates, but we both have our separate lives as well as businesses.”

Lan Xichen stopped to consider it for a few moments. “Well, I assume things will more or less remain unchanged. Only we'll likely spend the night at each other's place from now on.”

“Does that mean I get to go over to your house?”

Lan Xichen nodded his head. “If you'd like to.”

He was definitely interested in seeing where Lan Xichen lived. Somehow he imagined it being as extravagant and immaculate as he was, decorated in varying shades of white. “You don't live with your uncle or brother, do you?”

The alpha shook his head with a slight chuckle. “No, not at all. Both Wangji and my uncle have homes of their own.”

That was a relief, because if there was one person Jiang Cheng didn't want to accidentally run into, it was his brother's ex. From there, they devised a sort-of schedule to see which days would suit who best to go to the other's place. They also made plans on how they would handle the rest of Jiang Cheng’s heat. Lan Xichen offered to call in a day off from work and stay with him to take care of him, but Jiang Cheng wouldn’t let him.

“I appreciate the thought, but I'll be fine,” he assured the alpha. “You should head back to your company and work.”

Lan Xichen nodded his head, seeming rather dejected that he couldn’t stay and care for his mate.

Jiang Cheng rolls his eyes. “You can keep yourself motivated with the knowledge that my birth control will have arrived by the time you get back.”

Lan Xichen brightened visibly at that. And Jiang Cheng seriously questioned how the alpha could be so freaking adorable.

Jiang Cheng decided to work from home that day, taking meetings over zoom rather than in person. And when his secretary asked him about it, he gave the excuse that he was starting to feel a bit worn out from all the long hours and lack of sleep. She was understanding and assured him that she would handle matters in the office for him until he was ready to come back. And it got Jiang Cheng thinking that maybe he would have to start working from home a bit more often. His home desk chair was a lot more comfortable than the one at headquarters, especially on his currently sensitive and sore body.

He was still finding it hard to believe everything that had happened the night before. His secret had been revealed, and Lan Xichen had accepted him. He was now a mated omega. A part of him wanted to shout it from the rooftops. Unfortunately, he knew he couldn't. However, even if it had to be kept a secret from the world, he could still take pride in the fact that Lan Xichen was his and his alone. That there was one person in the world that would always try and put him first. Someone who cared enough to want to stay and take care of him.

He was just getting ready for another zoom meeting when his phone started to ring and Jiang Yanli’s caller ID showed up on the screen. “Hello, A-Li,” he greeted her.

Her warm, gentle voice echoed through the phone. “Hello, A-Cheng. I’m so sorry I haven’t had time to call or even visit you recently, but I’ve just been so busy with planning the wedding, and then the Jin’s invited me over for the week so that we could get better acquainted.”

“It’s okay, A-Jie,” he reassured her. He could never resent her for anything, even if he did miss her presence in his life. “I understand that you’re going through a lot right now. No need to apologize.”

“Thank you, A-Cheng. I feel terrible about asking it of you, but do you think you could do me a favor?”

“Well, I won’t be able to leave the house much until my heat ends, but I’ll do what I can.”

A sharp gasp came through the phone. “Oh, A-Cheng, is that today?”

He went on to explain how it had caught him off guard last night after he forgot to take his suppressant. As much as he wanted to share the news of his newly mated status, he didn’t feel comfortable with dumping that information on Yanli at that particular moment. It would only make her feel all the more guilty about it all. Besides, he wasn’t sure he wanted to tell his family yet. Knowing his mother, she’d make a big deal out of it as she marched over to Lan Entertainment Company to interrogate Lan Xichen and threaten him into keeping quiet. And frankly, he had enough on his plate without dealing with all that.

“I’ll try to stop by tomorrow and bring you some of my lotus root pork rib soup,” she promised.

As much as he didn’t want to bother her with the extra effort, he would never deny himself the chance to eat her soup. Out of everyone in their family, Yanli was by far the best at cooking, her specialty being lotus root pork rib soup. And considering she was getting married in little over a week, he realized that it might well be the last time he ever got to eat it. “I’d appreciate that,” he admitted with a sad smile. “Now, tell me about this favor you want.”

“A-Xian texted me earlier to let me know he’ll be able to make it for the wedding after all. However, he’s going to need someone to pick him up. I’d offer to do it myself, but I’m going to be so busy that day that I won’t have time. Would it be possible for you to go pick him up for me? He gets out four days from now, which should be enough time for your heat to pass. And I would need you to take him to get a tux as well, as I doubt he has anything ready.”

Jiang Cheng heaved a sigh. “What time?”

“He gets out at noon.”

He’d have to extend his lunch break, but he figured he could make it work. “Alright, I’ll do it. Tell him to meet me at the gas station down the street from the rehab center.”

“Thank you, A-Cheng. You’re the best.”

He rolled his eyes, his face heating a bit at the praise. “Yeah, yeah.”

The call ended shortly after, as he heard their mother calling her in the background. If she was there with her, then chances were she already knew that Wei Wuxian was coming back. And no doubt she was pissed about it. His only consolation was that their mother was unlikely to cause a scene on Yanli’s big day. She wouldn’t dare jeopardize the marriage she had worked so hard to make reality.

He quickly sent off a message to his secretary to inform her of the change to his schedule for that particular day before leaning back in his chair. It had already been a month since Wei Wuxian left for rehab. Was he back for good, or was he just coming for their sister's wedding? Did the rehab work? Or had it only made things worse. Only time would tell.

The fact that Wei Wuxian had texted Yanli and not him wasn’t lost on him either. Maybe it was just the effects of his heat playing havoc with his emotions, but it hurt him more than it should have. Clearly he was still sore at him over what had happened. Jiang Cheng could only hope that Wei Wuxian was able to be somewhat civil with him. For their sister’s sake if nothing else.

Chapter Text

As agreed, Wei Wuxian was waiting for him at the gas station across the street from the rehab center when the car pulled up. They needed fuel anyway, so it was a convenient cover up for why they had truly come. Stepping out of the car, Jiang Cheng did a quick survey of his surroundings before making his way over to where the familiar man dressed in red and black stood, staring down at his phone in his hands.

Wei Wuxian glanced up at him as he approached, giving Jiang Cheng his first look at his brother’s face in a month. All things considered, he looked relatively well. His eyes weren't showing any sign of redness, nor were there dark circles underneath them. He appeared to have regained a bit of weight in his face, making his cheeks look less sunken and hollow. His hair was still long, but it actually looked like he had combed it for once.

“Hi,” was the only word Jiang Cheng managed to get out to greet him with.

Wei Wuxian managed to give him something of a weak, half-hearted smile. It wasn't the full faced smile that he used to give him, but it was much better than the glares he had been giving him in the past year. Maybe there was some hope left for them. “Thanks for coming to get me.”

He shrugged it off. “No problem.”

There was a period of silence in which they both just stood there, not quite meeting each other's gaze. Then Jiang Cheng noticed that Wei Wuxian only had the one suitcase with him, rather than the two he had arrived with. That could only mean one thing. However he waited until they were finished fueling up and were back in the car to address the matter.

“You're planning to go back for further treatment?”

Wei Wuxian nodded his head. “I'll admit, I was skeptical at first, but it actually is helping. It's been rough, but I've managed to stay sober since I arrived. And I've even made some new friends while I was there. The owners have a couple of kids my age who help out. Their daughter, Wen Qing is training to be a doctor, and their son Wen Ning wants to follow in his parents footsteps.”

He couldn't help the jealousy he felt as his brother went on and on about these new friends of his. There he was, feeling guilty for having neglected Wei Wuxian and Nie Huaisang, when Wei Wuxian just turned around and got himself brand new friends. Had it not been for the fact that he had promised Yanli, as well as himself, that he would make a real effort to get along with him, he probably would have given in to the temptation to yell at him.

However, he was soon distracted from his own personal resentment when he noticed Wei Wuxian leaning in to sniff him. “You smell different,” he noted.

“What do you mean I smell different?”

“I don't know,” Wei Wuxian smelled him again, getting dangerously close to the mark that lay hidden beneath his collar. “You smell more flowery than usual, kinda like morning dew.”

Jiang Cheng stiffened at that. What his brother was describing was no doubt the effect of his mating with Lan Xichen. His scent had changed because their two scents had combined when they marked each other. “I'm experimenting with a new cologne,” he came up with a quick excuse.

Wei Wuxian gave him an odd look. “Won't that kinda raise suspicions with people when they notice your scent has changed? They'll start to think you're mated or something.”

He knew the latter remark was meant teasingly, but still he couldn't help but wince at how close he was to the truth. “People wear cologne all the time, Wei Wuxian. If anyone asks, I'll just tell them that.”

Thankfully this seemed convincing enough for Wei Wuxian to let the topic drop. He didn't say anything more, his hands fidgeting slightly as he kept reaching for his phone. Jiang Cheng had done enough research on addictions to know it was a sign of someone who was still struggling to overcome it. And feeling sympathetic, he reached out and offered him his hand to squeeze instead. To which Wei Wuxian accepted with a surprised yet grateful look.

Their next stop was the men's formalwear store, where they went inside to find something suitable for Wei Wuxian. This was where the two brothers started to truly butt heads with one another, as it became increasingly clear that they had two very different styles. Wei Wuxian wanted something flashy, while Jiang Cheng tried to steer him towards something a bit more normal.

“I look like every other boring, stuck up businessman in the city,” Wei Wuxian whined as he came out from trying on one of the suits his brother had chosen for him. “I look like you.”

Jiang Cheng raised a brow at that. “Well, excuse me if not everyone likes dressing like a manwhore.”

Wei Wuxian nearly choked over his own saliva at that remark. “I’m not a manwhore! I just like to enjoy my life, unlike someone I know.”

“Not everyone has the privilege of being able to live so freely!”

He thought for sure that it was the start of yet another argument between them. He had braced himself for Wei Wuxian to turn and glare at him, but he didn’t. Instead, he seemed oddly remorseful. “I know, and I’m sorry about that.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“It’s not yours either.”

They didn’t speak much after that, aside from making some minor remarks on the style of tuxedos Wei Wuxian kept trying on. In the end, Jiang Cheng allowed him to pick something out a bit more flashy than usual, but still simple enough that it wouldn’t outshine the groom at his own wedding.

When they were done shopping, and had paid for their purchases, they climbed back into the car and headed back to Lotus Tower. Jiang Cheng was a bit nervous about bringing his brother back to his apartment. He had hired a maid to give the place a thorough cleaning to try and get rid of all the evidence of what he had done with Lan Xichen only a couple of nights before. And he was scared that part of the smell would linger even in spite of the fact.

Lan Xichen had more or less stayed with him throughout his entire heat cycle, only leaving when he had to go to work, and even then he did so reluctantly. The bedroom was likely to be where the smells still lingered the most, as that was where they had spent most of their time together. Luckily he had an extra bedroom to put Wei Wuxian in. And if he kept his own bedroom door closed, he figured he might be able to get away with it.

It felt a bit strange walking through the door with his brother, as he recalled the last time he had done so. Only this time Wei Wuxian wasn’t drunk. Technically his brother had an apartment of his own just two storeys below, but he had asked to stay with him instead, fearing that he might be tempted to drink if he was alone. Jiang Cheng had made sure that there was no alcohol to be found in the apartment in preparation. He had even spoken with the bartender who worked at the tower’s resident bar in the lobby, warning him not to give Wei Wuxian anything, even if he asked for it.

Setting his suitcase down, Wei Wuxian followed his brother into the living room where the two of them sat down, an awkward silence washing over them as they struggled to figure out what to say. The memories of the last time the two of them had done so were still fresh in their minds. In the end, it was Wei Wuxian who took the initiative to break the silence.

“So, how have you been?” he asked, trying his best to seem casual. “Anything interesting happen while I was gone?”

Jiang Cheng thought about it. “I’ve started hanging out with Nie Huaisang again.”

“Really?” Wei Wuxian’s brows raised in surprise. “I always thought you found him annoying.”

Jiang Cheng couldn’t help but snort at that. “He is annoying, but he can be a decent enough friend when he wants to be.”

The two of them had met up for lunch the day before, in which Jiang Cheng did end up sharing some of what had happened between him and Lan Xichen. He left out the fact that they had mated, even though he had a feeling Nie Huaisang had figured it out on his own. That man was oddly perceptive. It was extremely hard to keep anything a secret from him. However, he had never betrayed his trust by blabbing his secrets to anyone else, so he wasn’t too bothered by it.

“He showed up on his brother’s motorbike of all things,” he remarked. “It’s a wonder his brother hasn’t murdered him yet.”

Wei Wuxian chuckled at that. “We all know that Nie Mingjue has a soft spot for his baby brother.”

That was true. Nie Huaisang had done a lot of stupid things over the years, to which his older brother would always yell at him for, but somehow still let him off easy.

“Just like how you used to have a soft spot for me,” Wei Wuxian continued. “Remember that time I accidentally broke your mom’s favorite vase? And you took the blame for it.”

He rolled his eyes at the reminder. “Yeah, because I knew you'd be miserable for the next week and keep me awake at night with your crying.” The two of them had shared a bedroom for most of their childhood, only getting their own individual rooms once they reached their teenage years. And considering how many girlfriends and boyfriends Wei Wuxian had had back then, he was glad they were sleeping in different rooms.

“Well, can you blame me?” Wei Wuxian asked with a pout. “Your mom is scary when she’s mad!”

No kidding. Which was yet another reason he had covered for his brother. He knew that his mother dealt much more severely with Wei Wuxian than she did with him. All she did was yell at him for breaking the vase. Then she confiscated his allowance for the entire year to pay to have it replaced. And Wei Wuxian thanked him for his sacrifice by sharing his own measly allowance with him.

“I miss those days sometimes.”

“Yeah, me too,” Wei Wuxian agreed. “You and shijie were always looking out for me, and you still are.”

Jiang Cheng didn’t know what to say to that. It wasn’t like his brother to be so sappy and sentimental. Maybe the rehab was helping more than he initially thought. Either way, he wasn’t entirely mad about it.

“I’m sorry for the hell I put you through. And for causing you to get those scars on your arms. I honestly didn’t mean it.”

He nodded his head. “I know you didn’t.”

The day of Jiang Yanli and Jin Zixuan’s wedding finally came, the festivities of which lasted basically the entire day, starting in the morning when the groom went to pick up his bride from her apartment. As a long standing tradition, he and his groomsmen, which consisted mostly of his three brothers, were locked out of the building and had to go through a series of tests before they were allowed to enter and make their way to the bride. Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian had been allowed to take part in this particular custom, making their soon to be brother-in-law do all sorts of ridiculous things in order to pass the hallway leading to their sister.

Jiang Cheng chose to make the damned peacock do thirty pushups. And Wei Wuxian made him profess his undying love for Yanli in the form of a song in front of them. Despite all the stress and planning that he had gone through to reach that day, Jiang Cheng had to admit that it was actually kind of fun. However the highlight of the day by far was getting to see their sister dressed in her lavish white wedding dress. Yanli had always been beautiful in their eyes, even if some people considered her plain, but seeing her in that dress took their breath away.

Wei Wuxian had even started crying when he saw her. And Jiang Cheng definitely hadn’t cried, as he argued with his brother later.

The first tea ceremony was held at the banquet hall at Lotus Tower, where the bride and groom served tea to the bride's mother and paid their respects to her late father. They partook of the soup made of peanuts, dates, longans and lotus seeds and received their red envelopes from Yu Ziyuan.

“I wish A-Die could be here with us,” Yanli admitted with a tearful smile as she reached out to give each of her brothers a hug as her and her groom prepared to depart for the second tea ceremony that was being held at Golden Carp Tower.

“He would be so proud of you, A-Jie,” Jiang Cheng assured her. Of that much he was completely sure.

Wei Wuxian nodded his head in agreement. “Just as we are.”

Then the bride and groom were off, driving away in their fancy stretch limousine that had been rented for the occasion. And the two brothers stayed and watched them until they were out of sight. “How much do you want to bet that the peacock gets her pregnant within the next couple of months,” he leaned in to whisper to his brother.

Wei Wuxian groaned, pulling a face at the thought of the two of them no doubt completing their mating ritual later that night. “If I had my way, he’d never so much as lay a finger on her.”

That much they could agree on. Still, Jiang Cheng was certain that it wouldn’t take long for them to start a family. And Yanli would make a wonderful mother. A part of him couldn’t wait for that, as he was looking forward to having nieces and nephews to spoil. He didn’t mind kids in general. He just didn’t have many chances to interact with them.

They met back up with their sister at the reception later that day. The Jin’s had rented out the ballroom of one of the fanciest and most expensive hotels in Shanghai, the whole room having been decorated extravagantly in red and gold. By then, Yanli had changed into her traditional wedding cheongsam. The guest list consisted of about a thousand guests, with all five of the leading sect’s families in attendance.

Jiang Cheng spotted Lan Xichen across the ballroom, standing with his uncle and brother. He felt the pull of their bond, tempting him to go over to him, but forcibly held himself back from doing so. If he was lucky, he might find a spare moment to go and speak with him for a few moments, but much more would be risking it at such a public social event. Still, the alpha met his gaze overtop of the crowd and offered him a discreet smile. To which he returned with one of his own.

Wei Wuxian had shown up to the reception with a date of his own; a stunning female alpha whom he introduced as Wen Qing. The same woman he had befriended while at the rehab center.

“So, my brother says you’re training to be a doctor.” He initiated a conversation with her after Wei Wuxian left to go and catch up with some of his old friends. He wanted to at least get a feel for her before he decided whether or not she was a good influence in Wei Wuxian’s life.

Wen Qing nodded her head. “It’s been a lifelong dream of mine,” she explained. “My little brother was born sickly, so I’ve spent a lot of time taking care of him. I guess it inspired me to want to help others like him.”

“Between your brother and mine, I imagine you must have your hands full.”

Wen Qing rolled her eyes. “Has Wei Wuxian always been so infuriatingly stubborn and lazy?”

He nodded his head sympathetically. “You should see his bedroom back at my place. He just throws his clothes on the floor as he pleases and doesn’t bother to pick up after himself.”

“His room back at the center is much the same,” she informed him. “I always dread having to go in there to wake him up in the mornings.”

“You wouldn’t happen to have any dogs there, would you?”

She raised a single finely shaped brow in question. “No, why?”

“Wei Wuxian is afraid of them.”

Wen Qing got this look in her eye, as if he had just presented her with the solution to all her problems. “Would a small, fluffy dog work?”

He nodded his head. “He doesn’t even need to see it. All he needs to do is hear it bark and he starts freaking out.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

They chatted for a while longer, to which Jiang Cheng found that he genuinely enjoyed their conversation. Wen Qing wasn’t as bad as he had initially assumed. And he thought it was safe to say that she was indeed a good influence on his brother. She had a strong enough will that she could keep him effectively in line, as he later witnessed her dragging him away from the table where the wine was being kept. At least with her around he didn’t have to spend so much time worrying about his brother. And could instead focus more on his sister.

Yanli looked radiant throughout the entire banquet, gazing lovingly at her new husband. He was happy for her, even if she was married to someone he considered to be an insufferably arrogant peacock. When it came time for the wedding feast, he ended up sitting at the same table as Wei Wuxian, Wen Qing, Nie Huaisang and his brother, along with the three Lans. It made for quite the group, especially considering Wei Wuxian got stuck sitting between his ex and his current date. Wen Qing for her part seemed completely unaffected, while Lan Wangji looked as if he was ready to bite the other alpha’s head off.

On the plus side, Lan Xichen had conveniently chosen the seat next to Jiang Cheng, which made his inner omega practically purr with contentment. It was just a shame he couldn’t actually act on his desires towards him. Either way, it was safe to say that it was likely to be a long, painful and awkward meal to get through.

Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji didn’t so much as say a word to one another, only glancing at each other out of the corner of their eyes when they thought the other wasn’t looking. It was blatantly obvious that the two of them still had feelings for each other, but neither of them seemed willing to admit it. Still, it wasn’t Jiang Cheng’s place to meddle. Though, judging from the look in Nie Huaisang’s eyes, he assumed he had a plan in mind to do exactly that. He left his friend to his scheming and turned to Wen Qing who was seated on his other side. His brother wasn’t exactly paying her much attention, and she didn’t exactly know anyone else at the table.

“So, you’re related to the head of Wen Industries, right?”

Wen Qing nodded her head, seemingly grateful for the distraction. “Wen Ruohan is my uncle, though most people don’t know it. My parents aren’t terribly close with him.”

“I can certainly see why.”

Wen Ruohan was known for being something of a tyrant, as he ran his company as if he were the king, and all of his employees were nothing more than his mindless slaves. Thankfully said man was seated on the other side of the ballroom and couldn’t hear them talking about him. No doubt he would have started a full out war otherwise.

“I take it you’ve had some dealings with him before.”

He nodded his head. The five sects often had dealings with each other, and Wen Ruohan was by far the most demanding. The worst dealings weren’t ones that he had personally experienced, but had heard about from his parents. His father had clashed a lot with the tyrant. It was to be expected, considering his father had always been searching for ways to deal with situations peacefully rather than resorting to more desperate means.

The two of them continued to talk some more, and at one point Wen Qing ended up dropping her bracelet on the floor. Being raised to be somewhat of a gentleman, Jiang Cheng leaned over to pick it up for her and help her slide it back on her wrist. However, he didn’t realize his mistake until he suddenly felt a hand shoot out to grab his leg under the table, gripping it tightly. And a moment later, he heard a small yet still audible growl come from his left.

Every head at the table turned towards that of Lan Xichen, who was quick to cover himself by pretending to clear his throat. “My apologies, there was something caught in my throat.”

It took Jiang Cheng a moment to figure out what had happened. He felt like slapping himself in the face, and quite possibly his overprotective mate as well.

The rest of the meal passed in relative peace, with Lan Xichen keeping his hand firmly on his leg whenever he wasn’t using it to eat. And Jiang Cheng took the hint and stopped trying to talk to Wen Qing. The latter of whose eyes shone with understanding as she glanced at him knowingly. And she discreetly nodded her head as if to reassure him that she wouldn’t tell.

He excused himself after the meal and headed out of the ballroom to get away from the crowd for a while, hiding himself away in a part of the hotel that was far enough away from the banquet that no one would be able to see him. It wasn’t long before he heard the tell-tale sounds of dress shoes following his trail. And sure enough, he saw that his suspicions were confirmed. It was Lan Xichen.

“All that just because I leaned over to pick up her bracelet?” He raised a brow at him.

For once, Lan Xichen wasn’t smiling. He wasn’t exactly frowning either, but the dangerous look in his eyes was telling of his mood. “You are mine!” he growled as he crossed the remaining distance between them and pinned him back against the wall.

Jiang Cheng had never seen his mate go fully alpha on him before. And his inner omega was going absolutely wild for it. Even though the part of him that had been forced to think like an alpha hated it.

“Calm down,” he attempted to placate him. “She’s Wei Wuxian’s date, not mine. I have no interest in her romantically.”

It took him a moment, but he managed to come back to his senses as he let the omega go, closing his eyes as he focused on his breathing. “I’m sorry, I just couldn’t help myself, watching you get so close to another alpha.”

He understood that much, and didn’t blame him for it. “It’s fine. We’re both new to this. I’ll try to be more careful in the future, not to mention be more considerate of how my overprotective alpha is feeling.”

That brought a slight smile to Lan Xichen’s face. “I would appreciate that,” he said. “Also, I like hearing you refer to me as ‘your alpha’.”

Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes. And glancing around to make sure no one was around to see them, he reached out and wrapped his arms around the alpha’s neck, claiming his lips in a searing kiss. A kiss that Lan Xichen immediately reciprocated, kissing him back with a ravenous hunger as he sought to erase all thought of the other alpha from their minds. And even though his heat had ended, Jiang Cheng could still feel the heat of his desire for his mate pooling deep inside of him. The truth was sure and simple. He needed to have his alpha inside of him soon. And he could feel that Lan Xichen needed to be inside of him as well.

They broke apart unwillingly, knowing that they couldn’t seek the much needed release where they were currently standing, and so they silently came to a joint decision to sneak away somewhere that they wouldn’t be disturbed. They were in a hotel after all. All they had to do was go and get a room. The wedding party was getting to the point where it was almost over anyway. Jiang Cheng figured that he had about an hour. He figured that should be enough time to show his alpha just how much he belonged to him before either of their families came looking for them.

Chapter Text

A month had passed since the wedding. Jiang Yanli had left with her husband for their two month long honeymoon in the Bahamas. And Wei Wuxian had gone back with Wen Qing to the rehab center without giving any approximate date when he'd come back. And so Jiang Cheng found himself all alone again. Well, not entirely alone, he supposed. He had Lan Xichen, which he was deeply grateful for. Going to visit his mate at the end of the day was one of the only things he looked forward to.

That particular night he was set to go to Lan Xichen’s apartment at Cloud Recesses. He had been a few times before by that point, so he mostly knew what to expect and who to look out for. The receptionist would warn him in advance if either Lan Qiren or Lan Wangji were in the building. And seeing as she didn't, he could only assume that it was safe for him to go up. And so, he got into the elevator and hit the button to take him up to the penthouse suite on the top floor, which was where Lan Xichen lived.

However something strange happened as the elevator started to ascend. He staggered backward against the handrails as he was suddenly overtaken by dizziness. Not only that, but he could feel his stomach churning uncomfortably. He had been experiencing random spurts of queasiness all throughout the day. Maybe he had eaten something that didn't agree with him. They had ordered take out the night before and something about it had tasted off to him. Even though Lan Xichen claimed it tasted just fine to him.

By the time the elevator finally came to a stop and the doors opened, Jiang Cheng was feeling as though he was going to get sick. He made a mad dash towards the door to Lan Xichen’s penthouse, opening it with the pass key that had been provided for him, before hurrying inside.

The scent of whatever Lan Xichen was cooking in the kitchen wafted heavily through the air, which only made Jiang Cheng feel even more rotten. “Welcome back, A-Cheng,” Lan Xichen called out to him. “How was your day?”

Jiang Cheng didn't dare respond as slipped out of his shoes and went straight for the nearest bathroom. He made it just in time to throw up the food he had eaten for lunch earlier that day. Lan Xichen must have heard him, as a few moments later, he came rushing around the corner to find him heaving into the toilet bowl. In a blink, the alpha had knelt beside him, rubbing soothing circular motions along his back as he waited for him to finish.

It took a while for him to be able to stop, and even then, he was still dry heaving. At one point Lan Xichen went to fetch him a glass of water, which helped soothe his burning throat.

“What happened, Jiang Cheng?” he asked, his forehead scrunched with visible concern. “You threw up this morning before you left for work. Did you get sick at work as well?”

He shook his head. “I didn't exactly feel great, but no, I didn't actually feel the need to throw up until I got in the elevator.”

Feeling completely drained of energy, Jiang Cheng could only lean back against the wall behind him for support, tipping his head back as he tried to catch his breath.

“I assume you're not feeling up to eating much?”

Jiang Cheng shook his head as he glanced over at him. “I'm sorry. You went through the trouble of cooking, and I can't even bring myself to eat it.”

“It's okay,” Lan Xichen assured him as he came and sat down beside him, letting Jiang Cheng rest his head on his shoulder. “Your well being is more important.”

The two of them just sat there for a while until Jiang Cheng felt that it was safe enough for him to leave the bathroom. They headed straight up the stairs for the bedroom, as all he truthfully felt like doing was going to sleep. That was another thing. He had been feeling a lot more tired recently. Initially he assumed it was just his long hours of work catching up with him, but now he was starting to wonder if it wasn’t something else.

He practically flopped into the bed, his body sighing with contentment at its softness. Honestly, it felt like he was sleeping on a cloud. And with the panoramic views from the floor to ceiling windows that lined the walls, it was all too easy to imagine that he really was. The apartment itself was everything he could have imagined of his alpha and more. In addition to all the normal amenities, it also had a grand piano as well as a meditation room.

Seeing that his mate was properly situated in bed, Lan Xichen went to go and clean up the food he had been cooking, telling his poor sick mate to call out to him if he needed anything. And all Jiang Cheng could do was nod his head as he listened to the sound of his retreating footsteps. Before long, the sound of footsteps got far enough away that he couldn’t hear them any longer, and instead only heard the distant clattering of dishes. He felt bad about wasting the alpha’s time and effort, but knew that there was no point in even trying to eat.

His mind began to run wild as he laid there flat on his stomach, and it was one such stray thought that had him turning over onto his back. What if he was pregnant? He had been doing some research on his phone during his lunch break, trying to find a way to soothe his queasy stomach, when the mention of pregnancy came up. One thing led to another and he ended up looking up the exact symptoms of it. Of course, they included fatigue, dizziness, nausea and food aversions.

It all added up, and he was terrified by it.

By the time the alpha returned, Jiang Cheng had curled in on himself into a tight ball, hugging his knees tightly to his chest as he did his best not to cry. Lan Xichen, of course, saw this and immediately came over to lay down on the bed next to him, wrapping his arms around him as he tried to meet his gaze.

“What’s wrong, Jiang Cheng?” Lan Xichen asked, reaching out with a hand to wipe away a tear that was starting to well up in his eyes. “Talk to me.”

Jiang Cheng let out a shaky sigh. “I know you said it was unlikely for us to conceive in those first few times after our mating, but…” he trailed off. “What if I am pregnant?”

Lan Xichen didn’t seem surprised by this line of thinking, almost as if he had already considered the possibility himself. “Well, I know it would be problematic for you, but I like to think we would manage.”

It would definitely be problematic. If he was pregnant, then he might as well kiss his position as CEO of Jiang Corporation goodbye. He had already put so much hard work into saving his family’s company, and for that to crumble to dust before him… It was nothing short of tragic. This was exactly why his mother had always warned him not to get too close to other people, especially alpha’s. Why he had never been able to properly fall in love before. And why he assumed that he would spend the rest of his life alone until his dying breath.

However, now that he knew what it was like to be loved, and to be faced with the potential reality of having a child, he found himself wondering if it was entirely worth the life of secrets and solitude. Who would inherit the company after him when he died? And who would take over if his board of directors disinherited him for being an omega? His father had no other legitimate, living relatives. Just him and his siblings.

The sexist pigs wouldn’t consider Yanli because she was a woman as well as an omega. Not to mention she was now married to a Jin. And Wei Wuxian was adopted, meaning he couldn’t inherit no matter what. The law of inheritance clearly dictated that the company had to go to a blood relative. The nonsense about omegas not being allowed to inherit was just something the board came up with. Technically, they were stuck with him. He just had to find a way to get that through their thick skulls.

However, he was getting ahead of himself. It wasn’t for certain yet that he was in fact pregnant.

“Is there any way to tell without going to a doctor?”

Lan Xichen appeared to be deep in thought as he considered it. “I’ve heard that an omega’s scent changes when they're pregnant,” he claimed. “Apparently it causes them to smell like milk.”

That was odd, but he supposed it made sense, considering a pregnant omega’s body was known to produce milk. Straightening himself out, he motioned for the alpha to smell him, waiting with bated breath as Lan Xichen leaned in to do so. First he sniffed at his scent glands, then directly at his abdomen. There he lingered for an additional moment, as if trying to concentrate on something.

“Well?” he asked.

“Your scent is a bit more creamy than usual,” Lan Xichen admitted as he pulled away to face him once more.

Jiang Cheng placed a hand over his flat abdomen, feeling a bit conflicted about the revelation. It wasn't known for a hundred percent certainty. He would need to go see his doctor to know that. Still, the chances seemed pretty high regardless.

Lan Xichen joined him in placing his own hand overtop of his. “We're going to get through this either way. One day at a time.”

He nodded his head in agreement. That was all they could do.

Jiang Cheng arranged an appointment with his doctor a couple of days later. It was a private clinic that he had been going to since he had first been tested as an omega. The good thing about it was that they had a strict confidentiality policy in place. Medical records and other personal information remained between the doctors and their patients. They never leaked. And their security system was state of the art, ensuring that they were never hacked.

There was only one issue. The media had been following him a bit more closely since his sister left on her honeymoon and his brother had seemingly flown off the radar. He couldn’t risk them catching him going to a clinic specifically for omegas. His secret would be outed before he even had the chance to come up with a plan for how to deal with the repercussions. And so, they were forced to enter through a back entrance, dressed in disguises as an extra precaution.

Once inside, they were led to a small seating area to wait, where the two of them took off their sunglasses and the hooded jackets they were wearing. Lan Xichen, who had taken time off to come with him, gave his hand a reassuring squeeze as they sat down. To say that Jiang Cheng was nervous was an understatement. This appointment would either confirm or deny his suspicions, even though he was already fairly certain his suspicions were in fact correct.

Every now and then he would find his hand drawn towards his abdomen. He didn't know why, seeing as there was nothing even there yet to feel. There was something about the contact that served the purpose of keeping him calm and anchored to that moment in time. Not thinking about the future and everything that was potentially to come.

Thankfully they didn't have to wait long before the doctor called them into the examination room. The doctor herself was an omega who had long specialized in the care of both male and female omegas alike. She was a woman in her mid to late fifties, with a kind smile and graying hair, dressed in the typical white doctor's coat over top of her normal clothes.

“Hello, Mr. Jiang,” Dr. Long greeted him as she bid him to climb up on the examination bed. “How are you feeling?”

“I've thrown up twice already earlier this morning, but right now I'm not doing too bad.”

She nodded her head as she pulled out her clipboard to begin writing things down. She asked him a series of questions, such as what his symptoms were and when his last heat had taken place. All of which he answered honestly. However, he did start to feel a bit awkward when she started getting more into the intricate details of his and Lan Xichen’s knottings after they had mated.

“Based on what you told me, there definitely is a chance, but we can still perform a test to be sure,” Dr. Long stated. “Would you prefer the urine test or the blood test?”

Jiang Chest hesitated. “What’s the difference in results?”

“Both have a high percent accuracy. However, the blood test results would take a few days to get back.”

Meaning a few days in which he would be left wondering whether or not he truly was pregnant. “I guess I’ll go with the… other test, then.”

The doctor nodded her head and produced a small cup, handing it to him as she pointed him in the direction of the adjoining bathroom. Jiang Cheng reluctantly took it and crossed over to the admittedly small room, which only hosted a toilet and a small sink with which to wash your hands. He accomplished the necessary deed as quickly as possible, trying not to think about it too much, lest it become even more awkward. And stepping back out, he handed the cup back to the doctor.

Taking an eyedropper, she filled it with the liquid and placed a couple of drops onto a chemical strip. Once that was done, they were made to sit for the required two minute waiting period until the test results became clear. Jiang Cheng swore those were some of the longest two minutes in his life. Comparable only to those moments he had sat waiting with his brother while they waited for their test results to come back stating whether they were alpha or omega.

Dr. Long glanced at the test for a moment before glancing over at him and nodding her head. “The test is positive,” she announced. “I suppose congratulations are in order, Mr. Jiang.”

“And to you as well, Mr. Lan.”

Lan Xichen nodded his head as he gave the doctor a small smile, his eyes glossy.

Meanwhile, Jiang Cheng was still processing it all. His suspicions had been confirmed. He truly was pregnant. And as you would imagine, he had mixed feelings about it. The part of him that had been trained to think of the family business above all else saw this as a problem, but his inner omega couldn’t help but feel overjoyed. There was a tiny human being growing inside of him. A child that was part him and part his mate.

He had thought he was prepared for the results either way, but still it managed to overwhelm him.

“I understand that this news might be a bit difficult for you, given your circumstances,” Dr. Long said empathetically, being well aware of the reason for his masquerading as an alpha.

“How long do you think I will have before I start showing?”

“It's hard to say, as every person's body is different. However, in most cases, it isn't until somewhere around the fifth month that the pregnancy truly begins to reveal itself. If you take careful measures, you may be able to hide your body's gradual changes until then.”

He nodded his head in understanding. Five months. In theory, it didn't seem like a lot, but he supposed it was enough time to come up with a plan on how he was going to announce his pregnancy, as well as how he was going to do so while also retaining his title as CEO.

The doctor talked to them for a while longer, explaining some of the things to look out for. What he would need to refrain from eating and drinking from that point forward. What activities he would need to be more considerate of. She also wrote out a prescription of the vitamins and supplements he would need to start taking regularly. Aside from that, there wasn't much that she could do or tell them until the checkups to follow, one of which would include their first ultrasound.

“I'll see you in two weeks, but please feel free to drop by if anything happens, or give me a call if you have any concerns.”

They thanked her for her time and services and took their leave. Neither of them spoke so much as a word to one another until they were back in the car, driving away from the clinic. Then Lan Xichen turned to his mate, wrapping an arm around his shoulders as he pressed a kiss to the side of his head.

“How are you feeling about it?”

He considered the question for a moment. “Frightened, but oddly happy. I never thought I'd have any of this in my life. A mate who's willing to stand beside me in spite of my flaws, and now a child of my own on the way.”

“It was cruel of your parents to try to deprive you of such joy,” Lan Xichen claimed.

He shook his head. “I don't blame them. They thought they were doing what was best.”

Or at least his mother did. Although, he wasn't looking forward to telling her the news either. Who knew how she would react. It could be good, or it could be bad. And then there were his siblings. He had no idea when Wei Wuxian would be coming home from rehab, nor did he know how he would react. Their relationship was on the mend, but it still wasn't what it once was. If there was one thing he knew for certain, it was that Yanli would be over the moon with excitement.

“I admit, I also had my doubts whether I would ever have a family of my own.”

He turned his head towards the alpha, who had an oddly melancholic look on his face. “Really? Why is that?”

“Like you, I also believed that I would end up alone. Not because I felt I had to, but because my last real relationship ended badly.”

They had admittedly never spoken much about their previous relationships. Jiang Cheng had admitted that he had never gotten past the first date with anyone, and he assumed that Lan Xichen had likely dated before unsuccessfully, seeing as Nie Huaisang set them up together. However, he had never asked for the specifics.

“What happened?”

“I'm not sure if you're familiar with Meng Yao, or rather Jin Guangyao as he goes by now. We dated all throughout our high school years as well as afterwards. We broke up over a year ago, after I found out he had betrayed me. It took me a while to get over it. In fact, our first date together was the first time I had gone out on a date since the breakup.”

Of course he knew of Jin Guangyao, seeing as he was technically Jin Zixuan’s half-brother. One of Jin Guangshan's many illegitimate children. Nobody knew the exact number, but he had recognized at least three of them and welcomed them into his family as well as his company. As he recalled, they had all been present at the wedding. Which meant that Lan Xichen would have likely encountered him there. No wonder he had been so tense.

“You don't have any feelings left for him, do you?”

Lan Xichen shook his head adamantly. “None at all. If anything, being with you has made me realize just how blind I was to all of A-Yao's red flags. And looking back on it, I wonder if he even loved me at all, or if he was just using me as a means of gaining status.”

Personally he had always thought Jin Guangyao pleasant enough, but from what Lan Xichen told him, it sounded like he was a real asshole. Much like his father was rumored to be. No one had ever been able to provide evidence, but it was said that the head of KOI was known to have many suspicious dealings. Thankfully his legitimate son didn't seem to have any connections to such dealings. Jiang Cheng would have never let him marry his sister if he had.

“So, I take it children was something you originally wanted, or at least thought about at some point?”

Lan Xichen nodded his head. “Indeed, I've always known that I wanted to have children someday. A-Yao and I often argued about it. Even though he was an omega, he was insistent on not wanting to have children of his own. I was disappointed, but I tried to be understanding.

“What about you? You don't seem to be taking the news too terribly, all things considered, so I assume you are not entirely opposed to having kids.”

He shrugged. “I like kids in general. And yeah, I never expected to be able to have my own, but I figured I'd at least have nieces and nephews to spoil some day. I was looking forward to that.”

“Now you'll get to spoil our own child.”

“Not too much!” he insisted. “I don't want the kid thinking they can get away with whatever the hell they want.”

Lan Xichen smiled at him fondly. “Of course not.”

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.

Chapter Text

“Why do you look so uncomfortable?” was the first question that came out of his mother’s mouth as she slid into the backseat of the car beside him.

Dressed in a stunning floor-length evening gown of royal purple, Yu Ziyuan looked every bit as glamorous as the actresses and singers who were no doubt going to be in attendance at the night’s event. Her make-up was impeccably done, with smokey eyeshadow and bright red lipstick that made her stand out all the more. And her jewelry was chosen with care, donning the family’s snake motif in its design as she was known to do. As always, her taste in fashion was impeccable.

“It’s nothing, I’m just a bit nervous,” he said as he shifted in his seat.

She gave her head a shake as she settled herself into her seat before motioning for the driver to go. “It’s just a charity gala, A-Cheng. You’ve been to plenty of them before.”

That was true. He had been to charity galas before. However, this was his first charity gala since he had found out he was pregnant. That in itself wasn’t entirely the issue. The true cause for his discomfort was his suit. His pants in particular were causing him grief. They weren’t too bad when he was standing, but they started to feel a bit tight when he went to sit down as he currently was. It was a good thing his suit jacket was still loose enough that, when closed, it hid the barely constrained roundness of his stomach poking out from the snug fit of his tucked in shirt.

He had meant to go shopping for a new suit, but had gotten carried away with trying to catch up with his work and had completely forgotten until it was too late. And so he determined that he would just have to make do with what he had, regardless of his own discomfort.

The decision to go with his mother had been a last minute decision as well. And by that, he meant it was a last minute decision on her part. She had called him and informed him of this decision only the night before, stating it as if she expected him to already know about it. And thus leaving him with literally no other choice. Not that he had planned to go with anyone else. Previous years he had always taken his sister as his so-called ‘date’, but with her married and still off on her honeymoon, that was no longer an option.

And he couldn't have asked anyone to go as his date even if he wanted to. Not without risking the jealousy of his mate anyway. The last thing he needed was for Lan Xichen to cause a scene at his own company’s event.

It didn't take them long to arrive at their destination, the car pulling up in front of the steps to the Lan Modern Arts Center. The entire pathway leading from their car to the doors themselves was laid out with a long red carpet. Jiang Cheng was the first to step out of the car, taking a deep breath as he mentally prepared himself for a night of internal paranoia and chaos, before going around to open the door for his mother. She nodded her head in silent thanks, taking hold of his arm as the two of them began their procession up the red carpet.

Photographers and journalists were crowded along the sidelines, kept back by the line of security that had been put in place. They were calling out to them to stop and pose for photos, which his mother forced him to do. Dozens of flashing lights went off as their cameras went off, the photographers now calling for them to turn to different angles. Jiang Cheng was ever conscious of himself and stood rather rigidly for the photos, fighting the urge to glance down at himself and make sure nothing was visible.

Finally they were able to escape the cameras and headed inside, where the multitude of guests were already gathered, mingling each with a glass of champagne in hand. Jiang Cheng couldn't help but feel uneasy at the sight of them all. Lan Xichen had assured him that he would come up with a solution for him, so as not to raise suspicions.

Speaking of said alpha…

Lan Xichen was standing near the entrance along with his uncle, greeting their guests as they entered. Lan Xichen’s face lit up when he met his gaze before he quickly schooled his features. Thankfully his mother seemed oblivious to it, as the two of them stepped forward for their turn to be greeted by the hosts.

“Welcome to the gala, Mr. Jiang. You as well, Madam Yu,” Lan Qiren greeted them both with a respectful bow. To which they returned the gesture. The elder Lan had always been strict in upholding the old, traditional ways. He was pleasant enough if you showed him the proper respect and courtesy, but if you were like Wei Wuxian, he could be a terrible nag. And for that reason, he was actually glad his brother wasn't in attendance.

“We're so glad you could join us tonight,” Lan Xichen greeted them with a smile as he turned towards a platter of drinks that was stationed behind them, and reaching out, he deliberately picked out a certain cup to the far side of the platter and handed it to Jiang Cheng. “Please, relax and have a drink, Jiang Cheng.”

Jiang Cheng hesitated for a moment. And Lan Xichen must have sensed his apprehension, as he gave him a discreet nod of the head to reassure him it was fine. With that in mind, he accepted the drink from him. “Thank you, Lan Xichen.”

Not wanting his previous action to seem suspicious, he then picked up another glass and handed it to his mother. Yu Ziyuan immediately accepted it without hesitation. The two of them shared a few more words of pleasantry before moving past them to join the rest of the guests in the grand hall.

“I wasn't aware that you were friends with the head of Lan Entertainment Company,” his mother remarked as she took a sip from her champagne glass.

He shrugged it off as nonchalantly as possible. “I wouldn't say we're exactly friends.” That much was true. If anything, they were much much more than friends. “However I suppose we are on decent enough terms.”

Strangely enough, Yu Ziyuan actually nodded her head in approval. “It's a smart move to get on the Lans’ good side. Just don't get too close to him. He is an alpha after all.” The latter remark was said in a hushed tone to prevent anyone from overhearing.

He rolled his eyes. “I’m well aware, mother.” If only his mother knew just how close the two of them truly were.

With that said, Yu Ziyuan decided it was time to take her leave as she spotted some of her friends across the room, leaving Jiang Cheng to his own devices.

He glanced down at the glass in his hand, which he raised to his face, leaning in for a sniff. It didn't smell like champagne at all. If anything, it smelled like lemon infused sparkling water. And sure enough, a small taste confirmed the theory. He couldn't help but smirk at Lan Xichen's clever cover up. It looked close enough to champagne that no one would question it, while also leaving him with the peace of mind that he wouldn’t have to worry about harming his unborn child by drinking it.

“Jiang Xiong!”

His moment of undisturbed peace was soon interrupted when Nie Huaisang spotted him in the crowd, waving his arm like an idiot as he came rushing over. Abandoning his older brother, who could be seen rolling his eyes at him as he spoke with Lan Xichen. He always forgot that he and Nie Mingjue were close friends. That explained why Nie Huaisang had set him up on a date with Jiang Cheng in the first place. He was likely trying to help his brother’s best friend out.

Initially Jiang Cheng had been a bit pissed at Nie Huaisang for setting him up with Lan Xichen, but now, after everything that had happened, he was secretly grateful to him. His life would still be empty, filled with nothing but work if it wasn't for his meddling. Not to mention he wouldn't be carrying his unborn child. He considered sharing the good news with his matchmaker friend, but ultimately decided against it. At least not at that exact moment. It was neither the time nor the place.

“Another year, another charity gala,” Nie Huaisang remarked fondly. “What do you think of this year's theme?”

Each year the Lan’s held their annual charity gala with a specific theme in mind for the decoration. The theme in recent years had revolved around the lunar new year cycle, with that particular year being the year of the dragon. Thus the giant dragon sculpture that had been hand carved, acting as the room's centerpiece.

“At least it’s not the year of the rabbit,” he said with a sigh, shaking his head at the mere thought of last year’s fiasco.

Someone had thought it would be a great idea to unleash an entire colony of white rabbits on the event. They started hopping all over the place, making a mess of the tables and the food that had been set out across them. The event concluded with Lan Qiren yelling at Wei Wuxian in front of everyone until he was nearly blue in the face. And then of course, after the event, came his mother’s turn to yell at him for being such a nuisance. That had been right before things started to go downhill. A time when Wei Wuxian was still capable of laughing things off.

“Speaking of which, where is our favorite troublemaker?” Nie Huaisang asked, glancing around as if to look for him.

“He’s not coming.”

Nie Huaisang blinked at him. “Why not?”

“He’s too busy with Wen Qing.” He didn’t know what else to say. And it was close enough to the truth without being a complete lie.

Nie Huaisang almost seemed a bit disappointed by this. “He really does seem to have moved on from Lan Wangji,” he remarked. “And here I thought the two of them were made for each other.”

He noticed that the youngest Lan hadn’t been with his brother and uncle, and a glance around the room revealed that Lan Wangji appeared to be sulking in the corner of the room. At least he assumed he was sulking. It was always hard to tell with the lack of visible emotion on the youngest Lan’s face. Lan Xichen had indeed talked to him as he said he would, and had made him promise to stop calling Wei Wuxian. Though he still hadn’t learned the full story of what happened between the two of them.

“So, how are things going with you and Lan-er-ge?” Nie Huaisang leaned in to whisper to him, a knowing grin tugging at the corners of his lips.

Glancing over at the alpha in question, Jiang Cheng managed to catch his gaze for a moment, to which Lan Xichen gave him a quick smile before returning to greeting his guests. He knew that his mate would likely be busy for a good portion of the evening, meaning that they wouldn’t get much chance to be alone together. It would be difficult, as even at that moment, all he wanted was to go to him and never leave his side.

Being separated from his mate was starting to get a bit more difficult. And he knew it would only get worse the more time that passed, especially now that he was pregnant. His inner omega craved the comfort of his mate’s presence and the relief of his protection. It certainly didn’t help matters that he was constantly on edge around other people, paranoid that they might notice something different about him.

“I’ll tell you later.”

“Fine, but I’ll hold you to that,” Nie Huaisang pouted. “I know there’s something the two of you aren’t telling me.”

Once every last one of the guests had arrived and had been properly greeted, the hosts were free to take their leave to go and socialize a bit more freely. Then it came time for everyone to gather into the banquet hall for the meal and entertainment. A wide variety of talent had been selected to perform on the stage for the occasion, ranging from some of the more well-known pop artists to classical musicians.

Jiang Cheng ended up seated at a table with his mother, along with the Jins. He found this arrangement particularly uncomfortable seeing as he was seated next to Jin Guangyao. Personally he had nothing against the man, but knowing that he was Lan Xichen’s ex, and having heard some of the terrible things he had done to his mate was more than enough to make him wary of him.

Then came the lavish three-course meal. For the first course appetizer, they were served steamed scallops with glass noodles. He knew in an instant that the night was going to be a long and miserable one. Ordinarily he loved seafood, but there was just something about the sight of the scallops that just turned him off. Still, he couldn’t exactly refuse to eat at all, not with everyone else digging in without hesitation. And so he forced himself to eat some of the glass noodles instead.

“Why aren’t you eating your scallops, A-Cheng?” his mother leaned in to ask, eyeing his plate with a scrutinizing glare. Everyone else had finished their food, their plates empty. Meanwhile his scallops had practically remained untouched.

“I’m trying to save room for the rest of the meal,” he waved it off like it was nothing.

She gave him a strange look, but thankfully made no further remarks.

The next and main course was the Cantonese roast duck with rice. Of which Jiang Cheng was pleased to find he had no such aversion to, and didn’t hesitate to dig into in the slightest. If anything, he practically devoured what was on his plate. This seemed to cause his mother to forget all about the scallops issue.

“So, have you had time to look over the contract I sent you?” Jin Guangshan began to engage him in conversation. “I trust that the conditions we came up with are to your satisfaction.”

He had indeed looked it over, several times at that, and had even sent it off to his team of lawyers to get their opinion on it. From a legal standpoint, there was absolutely nothing wrong with the deal he was proposing. And he couldn’t find anything wrong with it. He had even run it by the board of directors and they all actively encouraged him to go for it, reasoning that it would be a major boost to their business to have even more of a connection to the Jins. However, there was one thing still holding him back.

“You mentioned in the fine print that you would require us to allow you access to our family’s lake house for an entire month,” he stated. “Would you care to explain your reasoning?”

“I believe I’ve already mentioned how my designers were inspired by the nature surrounding the property. They feel it would be best if they could go and witness the beauty of it with their own eyes in order to fully capture their creative vision.”

Somehow he got the impression that it was less about what the designers wanted, and more about what Jin Guangshan wanted. He exchanged looks with his mother, the two of them seeming to think along the same lines. “I’m afraid your use of the property is not up to me, but rather my mother here, who was given ownership of the land after the death of my father.”

Jin Guangshan’s expression changed, the easy grin vanishing from his face as he turned towards that of Yu Ziyuan.
His mother, who had never been one to back down from anyone or anything, met the man’s gaze head on. “You must understand, Mr. Jin, that this place is very dear to us. It has been in our family for hundreds of years and possesses much sentimental value.”

“It would only be for a month,” Jin Guangshan tried to reason with her. “And I assure you, my designers would take the utmost care and caution in ensuring the place remains untouched.”

Yu Ziyuan shook her head. “I’m afraid I cannot give you permission to intrude upon our private property. However, I would be willing to have additional photos taken of any specific parts of the property they might need for their designs. After all, how hard is it to capture the likeness of lotus flowers and water snakes?”

Jin Guangshan clenched his jaw at that, clearly not pleased by it. “As you wish,” he relented as he turned back to face Jiang Cheng. “I will have an updated contract drawn out with that agreement in mind.”

The tense discussion came to an end as the dessert course was served in the form of a platter of different cakes for them to choose from

Unfortunately, by this point Jiang Cheng had encountered yet another issue. With all the food he had eaten, his stomach had started to bloat quite substantially, making his clothes feel almost unbearably tight. He managed to swallow down the last bite of his Osmanthus cake before he carefully rose from his seat and excused himself to head to the bathroom, moving at a casual speed so as not to seem like he was in a hurry.

No sooner was he safely sequestered inside of the bathroom and had checked all of the stalls to make sure he was alone, then he immediately opened his suit jacket, and undid the button on his dress pants. His bloated belly immediately protruded forward, taking full advantage of the newfound freedom it had been given. Glancing down at himself, he couldn’t help but bring a hand up to cup the roundness there.

“You’re really not making things easy for me, are you?” he muttered, more so to himself than anyone else, as he knew the baby growing inside couldn’t possibly hear him.

He gave himself a few minutes to breathe, watching his belly rise and fall with every inhale and exhale. Unfortunately, he knew he couldn’t stay in there forever, and he certainly couldn’t go back out there with his pants undone. And so, he reluctantly tucked his shirt back in and buttoned his pants back up, sucking in his belly a bit in order to make them fit. However, instead of leaving, he turned to the side and glanced at his side profile in the mirror, pushing his coat back to reveal the full, unobscured view of it.

There was definitely a significant swell there. Not large enough for people to immediately realize he was pregnant. If anything, they might just think he had eaten an entire roast duck by himself. However, one thing was becoming blatantly obvious. He couldn’t keep this up. He was going to have to start pulling himself out of the public eye, turning down as many social event invitations as he possibly could. Dr. Long had said he would probably have five months, but he was starting to have his suspicions that he was going to start showing sooner.

“I'm sorry for squishing you.” He heaved a sigh, giving his belly one last quick rub before he pulled his coat closed once more. Even then he noticed that it was poking through a bit, brushing against the fabric with certain movements. “I just need to make it through the next half hour or so, and then I can go home and get out of these clothes.”

Stepping back out into the banquet hall, he returned to his seat just in time for the grand finale to begin. The Lans had previously stated that there would be a special performance at the very end, in which both Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji would be performing a collection of pieces they themselves had composed.

Jiang Cheng had to admit that he was particularly keen to watch Lan Xichen. He knew that the alpha was musically gifted, having heard small snippets of him playing the piano when he came to spend the night with him at his penthouse. However he had never heard him perform a full piece. He had never heard him sing either.

And what a voice he turned out to have as Lan Xichen poured out his very heart and soil into his performance. His voice was rich and powerful, capable of reaching all the right notes, while also possessing a gentleness to it. The melody he played and the words he sang were extremely moving, enough so to threaten to bring him to tears.

The crowd let out a thunderous round of applause when he finished his piece. And Jiang Cheng was among them, clapping as loudly as he possibly could. A part of him was tempted to walk up on stage, grab him by the collar and kiss him right then and there, announcing to the world that Lan Xichen was his mate, and that he was damn proud of him. Unfortunately, he knew that he couldn't do that. And so he strove to wait until later that night to show him just how proud of him he was.

A week later, Jiang Cheng was back with Lan Xichen at the doctor’s office, the two of them sitting in the examination room while they waited for Dr. Long to arrive. And Jiang Cheng couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous, finding it hard to sit still. Although, he didn’t know why. It wasn’t like it was his first check-up, seeing as he had been going to them regularly. However this would be the first time he was getting a real ultrasound done. Meaning that he would be able to actually see the baby growing inside of him.

Naturally he had some questions he wanted to ask his doctor, as well as some concerns he wanted to raise.

“Everything is going to be fine,” Lan Xichen reassured him. “I'm sure there's nothing wrong with the baby, or with you for that matter.”

Jiang Cheng just nodded his head. It wasn't the first time his mate had had to reassure him before a doctor's appointment. And he knew deep down that he would likely feel it himself if something was wrong, but he just couldn't shake this feeling that something wasn't quite right. Like something was different from what it was supposed to be.

Thankfully for him, he didn't have to wait much longer, as Dr. Long entered the room soon after.

“Welcome back, Mr. Jiang,” the omega doctor greeted him with a warm smile. “How are you and the little one feeling today?”

Like he seriously needed to go to the bathroom, but he didn’t actually say that out loud. He had been instructed to drink an entire bottle of water beforehand. Something about his bladder needing to be full in order to perform the ultrasound.

“I'm feeling fine, but I have been noticing a few things that seem irregular.”

“Oh?” She raised a brow as she pulled out her clipboard in preparation to write things down. “Would you care to tell me what they are?”

“I noticed that I've been feeling more and more tired. Also, I've noticed lately that I'm starting to show already. Initially you said it likely wouldn't happen until closer to the fifth month, and yet I'm only in my third month yet.”

She nodded her head. “Yes, but I also said that everyone's body handles pregnancy differently. Some people will start to show sooner than others. As for tiredness, that is also fairly common. Your body is hard at work growing this baby, and so naturally you grow tired quicker. I would recommend taking short naps throughout the day to help keep your energy levels up.”

It came as a relief to know that these things were normal and weren't because his body was failing him in some way. Dr. Long asked him a few more questions about symptoms he had been experiencing since their last check-up, continuing to write things down as she went. Then came time for the part he had been waiting for. Setting her clipboard aside, the doctor instructed him to lay back on the examination bed and to lift up his shirt for her.

He couldn't help but feel a touch embarrassed about it, but did as instructed regardless, baring the bloated swell of his belly. He couldn't help but wince at the sight of it. All that water he had drank certainly hadn't helped matters in terms of its size. Lan Xichen reached out to hold his hand, giving it a slight squeeze to silently reassure him.

She squeezed out some sort of clear gel onto his lower belly, the sensation of which was cold and made him shiver. Then she picked up the ultrasound wand and pressed down against his swollen skin, spreading the gel around as she moved the wand. It felt a bit uncomfortable, but thankfully not painful. A few moments later, Jiang Cheng’s attention was grabbed by the somewhat blurry image that showed up on the screen beside him.

It was hard to tell what was what, with so many different lines and shapes. However, as the doctor began to zoom in on one particular area, it became increasingly clear that there was indeed a small human looking figure inside there. And from the looks of it, it was moving around something fierce. He glanced back down at his belly, amazed by the fact that he couldn’t feel those movements he was seeing.

“There’s the baby,” the doctor announced as she moved to point it out with her finger. “And what’s this?” She stopped as she seemed to notice something else. The screen zoomed out a bit more to show what looked like yet another hollow black spot on the screen. However, when she zoomed in on that place, they saw that there was something in it as well. “It would appear there are two babies.”

The world seemed to come to a momentary stand still as the doctor’s words registered in Jiang Cheng’s mind. Two babies… There were two babies growing inside of him. He slowly turned his head towards that of his mate, whose eyes were equally as wide as he imagined his own to be.

“We’re having twins?” Lan Xichen managed to ask.

Dr. Long nodded her head. “Yes, there are definitely two babies in there,” she clarified after going back to make sure. “I suppose that would also explain why you’ve started to show sooner than others.”

In other words, it wasn’t entirely that he was just bloated all the time, but rather that his belly was already starting to grow to make room for the two babies. Just thinking about that sent him spiraling into a panic. He had a basic concept of how large a person’s belly would grow during a normal singleton pregnancy, but for twins… He could only imagine that he would grow to be massive.

And of course, this also meant that he wasn’t going to have as much time to try and come up with a strategy of how he was going to convince his board of directors not to disinherit him from his position as CEO. Lan Xichen seemed to realize this too, judging from the slightly worried look he gave him.

“Would you care to listen to the heart beats?” Dr. Long offered gently, no doubt realizing the tension in the room at this surprising revelation.

Jiang Cheng could only nod his head, unable to find the words to speak. His throat felt too tight and in knots for that.

A few moments later, there was a steady thump-thumping noise coming through the speakers of the machine. It was soon followed by a second noise that was almost exactly the same, overlapping with the first. It took a moment for him to calm down enough to fully realize that these were the sounds of the two tiny hearts beating inside of him. There was something oddly soothing about it. To know that those tiny hearts were there because he and his mate had created them.

“Would you like some pictures to take home with you?”

Once again, Jiang Cheng just nodded his head. And out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Lan Xichen nodding his head as well. It took a few tries to get decent shots of both of them, seeing as they didn’t seem to want to stay still long enough for her to do so, but eventually she got the images, and left to go and retrieve the printed out images for them, thus giving them a much needed moment alone.

“How are we going to take care of two kids, A-Huan?” Jiang Cheng asked as he reached out to wipe the gel off of his belly with the cloth that had been provided for him.

“We will manage, Wanyin. I don’t exactly know how we will manage, but I know that we will,” he assured his mate, bringing their still joined hands up so that he could press a gentle kiss to the omega’s knuckles. “However, I think we need to start sharing the news with our families. Perhaps they’ll have some ideas on how to convince your board of directors to let you remain CEO even as an omega.”

Even as an omega who was pregnant with twins…

He had his doubts, but still he nodded his head in agreement, choosing to cling to Lan Xichen’s optimism for the moment. If only because he didn’t know what else to do.

Chapter Text

Lan Xichen and Jiang Cheng agreed that they would wait until Jiang Yanli was back from her honeymoon, which thankfully was only a few weeks later. And by some strange sense of luck, he got a text from Wei Wuxian not even three days later saying that he was ready to come home for good. This time Yanli agreed to pick him up and bring him back to Lotus Tower. And Jiang Cheng had asked both of them to come see him, as he had something to talk to them about.

And thus, he found himself standing in front of the window of his living room, watching and waiting for his sister's car to pull up. His nerves were a tangled mess, making him feel like he had a tight knot in his stomach. Or maybe it was just the babies making him feel that way. Either way, he had taken to absently rubbing his belly to try and calm himself down.

His belly was definitely becoming more noticeable. It had seemed to double in size just in a matter of weeks. He had been forced to change up his wardrobe, exchanging his usual business suits for a pair of stretchy sweatpants and oversized t-shirts. Lan Xichen had tried to talk him into purchasing some actual maternity wear, but he had adamantly refused. He refused to wear maternity clothes until he had absolutely no other choice. Until then he would make do with what he had.

He had also been forced to withdraw almost completely from the public eye. He gave his employees notice that he would be working solely from home for the foreseeable future due to a personal situation he was dealing with. Some of his board of directors emailed him to ask for further details on this ‘situation’, but he refused, basically telling them to go and stick their incredibly long noses up each other's asses.

He didn't mean to piss them off, but he found that he just didn’t have the patience to be dealing with anyone's bullshit. This also had to do with his pregnancy. He had been feeling so tired lately, both mentally and physically that he couldn't help but snap at people who got in his way. He had even snapped at Lan Xichen one day for hovering over him too much. The way Lan Xichen acted, you would think he was made of glass.

Finally he caught sight of his sister's fancy sports car, a gift from her new husband, and soon enough the two of them were stepping outside. Meaning that Jiang Cheng would likely have a good ten more minutes before they made it up to his apartment.

Taking a deep breath, he crossed over to the couch and positioned himself carefully onto the leather cushions, draping a blanket over his lap and pulling it up so that it covered his belly. He hoped that it would hide it somewhat until he got to the point of telling them. Lan Xichen had offered to stay and support him during the meeting with his siblings, but Jiang Cheng had thought it better that he wasn't there.

Soon enough, a knock came at the door, and Jiang Cheng called for them to let themselves in. He couldn't exactly get up and greet them at the door without giving himself away. Besides, he knew that both his siblings had a key card to his place, just as he had key cards to both of their old apartments. It was a measure they had taken in case anything should happen. That and Wei Wuxian had ended up locking himself out on more than one occasion.

The door opened and both Wei Wuxian and Jiang Yanli walked in moments later. It took them a few moments of searching before they spotted him sitting there on the couch, and immediately came over to join him.

“Are you alright, A-Cheng?” Yanli asked as she sat down next to him, reaching out to move a stray lock of hair out of his face. “You look pale.”

“Are you sick?” Wei Wuxian asked.

Jiang Cheng hesitated. “I have been sick recently, but I’m starting to get better.”

This only proved to worry Jiang Yanli even more. “Oh, poor A-Cheng. If I had known beforehand, I would have brought you some soup.”

The idea of eating his sister’s soup was enticing. Even more so than usual. His morning sickness had started to become less and less, his appetite returning stronger than ever before. He found himself craving sweets in particular. He just couldn't get enough of them. And Lan Xichen had been spoiling him as a result, always returning from work with a box of sweets from a nearby sweet shop. And he almost always ate them in a single sitting. However, being the good mate that Lan Xichen was, he made sure that he ate healthy foods as well. And all the supplements he had been prescribed to help with the babies’ development.

“It's okay, A-Jie,” he assured her.

“You said you wanted to talk to us about something,” Wei Wuxian reminded him.

He nodded his head. “There are some things I need to tell you. Things I've been keeping to myself because I didn't want to bother you by adding to your own problems.”

“You're not a bother, A-Cheng,” Yanli reached out to place a comforting hand on his shoulder. “I know I've been busy, but you can always come to me and I'll try to make time for you.”

“What is it you haven't been telling us?” Wei Wuxian asked, looking oddly uneasy about the way the conversation was going. “You're not dying, are you?”

He shook his head. “No, not at all.”

In fact, he was quite literally bursting with life. However, finding the words to tell them that was proving more difficult than he had initially expected. Taking a deep breath, he decided to take a different approach and start at the beginning of the story.

“Do you remember what you said when I came to pick you up before a-jie’s wedding?” he asked, giving his brother a moment to respond. Wei Wuxian on his part seemed to have completely forgotten, judging by the way his face was scrunched up in confusion. And so, Jiang Cheng had no choice but to remind him. “You said that I smelled different.”

Wei Wuxian’s face lit up slightly as it finally came back to him. “That’s right! I remember you smelled a bit flowery. You said you were trying out a new cologne or something.”

“That was a lie.”

Wei Wuxian looked absolutely gobsmacked by that admission, almost as if he couldn’t believe his ears. “What?”

“I wasn’t experimenting with a new cologne,” he reiterated. “The reason I smell different is because of this.”

Gathering his resolve, he bent his head forward and pushed back the collar of his shirt so that they could both see the mark there. The mark that branded him as a mated omega. A mark that his brother and sister clearly recognized, as two audible gasps echoed through the air shortly after. And when he lifted his head back up to face them, they saw varying looks of shock on their faces.

“You’re mated?” Jiang Yanli asked.

He nodded his head.

“It wasn’t done by force, was it?” Wei Wuxian asked.

He shook his head. “I’d been dating the alpha for a while before it happened. He didn’t even know I was an omega. And my heat cycle ended up coming the day he was set to come over to visit. It wasn’t exactly something I had planned for, but I promise you nothing was done against my will.”

This seemed to bring some relief to his siblings, and yet Wei Wuxian still seemed upset by it. “So, you were already mated at the wedding? And you didn’t even tell me? Who even is this alpha who dared to claim you?”

“That’s part of the reason I didn’t tell you,” Jiang Cheng admitted. “You already know him, and I wasn’t sure how you’d take it because of his relation to another person you know.”

Wei Wuxian’s brows furrowed once more.

“Who is it?”

A beat passed before he replied. “Lan Xichen.”

Wei Wuxian’s eyes widened. “You’re mated to Lan Zhan’s brother?”

“I am.”

He gave his siblings a few minutes to try and fully process that piece of information. They were both undoubtedly surprised by it. Yanli seemed happy for him, as she started to smile, but he couldn’t help noticing that her smile was a bit sadder than usual. And of course Wei Wuxian still looked a bit hurt by the fact that he hadn’t told him sooner. Jiang Cheng felt a bit guilty about making them feel bad. He hadn’t meant to hurt them, but at the same time, it wasn’t entirely his fault. They weren’t exactly around for him to have been able to tell them. They were busy with their own lives, and he understood that. Clearly they hadn’t expected him to secretly have a life of his own.

“There’s one more thing I need to tell you, or perhaps it would be better to show you this as well.”

Much like the mating mark on his neck, the sight of this second news was undeniable. And so, he reached out to grab the blanket he had pulled over himself, pulling it away to give them a full, unobscured view of his belly.

“A-Cheng… you’re pregnant?” Yanli gasped.

He nodded his head. “Four months along,” he remarked, letting his hand drift to the swell, which only made it all the more visible. “I just found out a few weeks ago that there are two of them in there.”

“Twins?” Yanli was starting to tear up by this point, and unable to help herself, she reached out to hug her younger brother. “Oh, A-Cheng, I’m so happy for you!”

Jiang Cheng didn’t hesitate to hug her back. Looking over at Wei Wuxian over his sister’s shoulder, he saw the look on his face. He wasn’t sure how it was possible, but his brother looked both happy and sad at the same time. There was a small smile tugging at his lips, but also a deep sense of sadness and regret glistening in his eyes.

“Can I touch it?” Yanli asked as they broke apart from their hug, her eyes set intently on his belly.

Jiang Cheng shrugged his shoulders. “You won’t feel anything yet, but go ahead.”

Yanli reached out and placed her hands gently on his belly, silently marveling at the sight and feel of the swell beneath. “I’m going to be an aunt.” Then she turned and looked at Wei Wuxian. “You’re going to be an uncle, A-Xian.”

“I’m going to be a bobo…”

Jiang Cheng nodded his head. “Unless you’re not interested in being part of their lives.”

“What do you mean ‘unless I'm not interested’?!” That certainly woke Wei Wuxian up, as he practically leapt from his seat and went to crouch in front of him. “Of course I'm interested!”

Yanli retracted her hands from his belly, only for them to be replaced by Wei Wuxian’s much larger ones. Surprisingly enough, he was gentle with his touch, almost as if he thought he’d hurt them if he put too much pressure on his belly. Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes and placed his own hands over top of them.

It felt good to finally tell someone, to not have to keep it buried inside of him anymore. Like a weight had been lifted from his chest, allowing him to breathe a bit easier. Unfortunately, the weight hadn’t completely lifted and he still couldn’t breathe entirely free. There were still other people who needed to be told, and issues that needed to be resolved.

“YOU’RE WHAT!?”

All three of the Jiang children winced, covering their ears at the immense volume of Yu Ziyuan’s voice. Jiang Cheng had made the decision to call her over shortly after he told his siblings. Initially he had planned to save the task for another day, but ultimately decided to just get it out of the way while he was still feeling somewhat motivated to do so. A decision that he found himself regretting deeply, as he was certain that everyone in the entire building could hear her scream.

Heaving a sigh, Jiang Cheng moved from his position on the couch to stand, bringing his hands up to hug the swell of his belly so that she could see it clearly “I'm four months pregnant with Lan Xichen’s babies.”

Yu Ziyuan just stood there before him, her eyes wide with a mix of fury and horror. “Babies, as in plural?”

He nodded his head. “I'm carrying twins.”

His mother honestly looked like she was about to faint. Either that or she was about to explode like a volcano spewing out molten lava. She staggered back a step, to which Yanli immediately stepped forward to help steady her.

“Of course it was Lan Xichen,” she muttered. “I knew something was off about the way he was looking at you at the charity gala.

“Damn those Lans, thinking they can do whatever they want just because they rank third place in the business world! They've never had to fight for their positions because the Lans always produce nothing but alphas!”

If that was the case, Jiang Cheng might just be lucky enough to end up with one of his kids being alphas. Maybe even both. Not that it really mattered at the end of the day. He was fine if they both ended up being omegas like him. However he couldn't deny that life for them would undoubtedly be easier as alphas. Especially when it came to dealing with his board of directors.

“Calm down, A-Niang” Yanli tried to reason with her. “This is a good thing.”

Yu Ziyuan turned to her daughter. “A good thing? How can this possibly be a good thing? Your brother has just foolishly thrown away his entire future as the CEO of our family’s company! The board of directors will never let him remain as CEO once they find out he's not only an omega, but a pregnant one at that. And don't forget that those babies are also Lans. Lan Entertainment Company will likely claim them as their own heirs.”

The more his mother vented her anger and frustration, the more Jiang Cheng's head began to ache. And with it his patience began to wane. “Can you stop talking like you're my boss for once and actually talk like you're my freaking mother!?” he snapped at her, bringing everyone in the room to a standstill as they all turned to look at him in shock. “I don't want to lose my position as CEO, but I'm also sick and tired of you constantly telling me not to get too close to anybody because you're afraid people will find out my secret.

“A secret that you and A-Die forced me to keep, by the way. Do you have any idea how that impacted me? Do you have any idea how utterly alone I've felt these past years? And now, I've found someone who loves me in spite of my flaws. If you cared about my personal well being at all, you'd realize that I'm actually happy for the first time in years, and that I want these babies that are growing inside of me!”

There was a period of silence that followed, in which no one dared to say so much as a word. Jiang Cheng felt his body stiffen as he waited for the moment when his mother would retaliate with her own cutting words, telling him everything that he had ever feared to hear her say. How he was nothing but a disappointment to her, and how he was worthless without his title as CEO. However, moments passed and she continued to remain silent, not saying a word as she just stood there, staring at him. There was something different about the way she looked at him though, as if she was only truly seeing him for the first time at that exact moment. It was the same way they were all looking at him.

Just then, their attention was caught by the sound of the door opening. And moments later, Lan Xichen of all people stepped through the door. He came to an abrupt halt as he was met with the sight of all four of the Jiang’s, including Jiang Cheng himself, standing tensely as if mid way through a confrontation. It didn’t take him more than a minute to break free from his temporary paralysis and rush to his mate’s side, wrapping an arm protectively around his waist as he moved to place himself between his mate and his mother.

“What is he doing here?” Yu Ziyuan asked.

Jiang Cheng heaved a sigh as he reached out to try and calm his over protective mate down. “He’s been living here with me some of the time,” he explained. “We alternate between his place and mine.” Only they had been spending more time at Lotus Tower since the pregnancy had been confirmed. Lan Xichen had insisted that he be the one to go to him, saving him from having to drive all the way to Cloud Recesses in his condition.

Speaking of his being here…

“Weren’t you supposed to be at work?” he leaned in to whisper to him.

Lan Xichen nodded his head. “I got worried and decided to come home early.”

He couldn’t help but roll his eyes at that, but was secretly glad that he had come when he did. As much as he wanted to deny it, he felt undeniably safer with his alpha present. Especially while faced with his mother. He didn’t think she would physically harm him. She never had before. However, her words were seldom kind.

“Madam Yu, I love your son with my entire being. As do I love the children growing inside of him. I understand the difficult situation your family is placed in due to your company’s board of directors and their discrimination against omegas. However, it is also unfair of you to deny Jiang Wanyin the right to fall in love and have a family of his own if he wishes.”

“Do you also think it unfair of me to want my son to achieve the level of success he deserves?” Yu Ziyuan retorted.

Lan Xichen shook his head. “Not at all. I think that it is admirable that you want your son to succeed. However, that doesn’t mean he can’t also be happy at the same time.”

She shook her head. “It’s impossible to have it both ways.”

“It is possible, A-Niang, but only if you help us,” Jiang Cheng stated. “I know that they don’t listen to you, but perhaps they might listen if we convince enough people to join our cause. Other CEO’s and important figures in the business world, be they alphas or omegas. We just have to convince the board members that their opinions are invalid. That omegas can run a business at least just as good as any alpha.”

“And if we can’t convince them?”

Jiang Cheng didn’t know how to respond to that. He admittedly hadn’t thought that far. And he couldn’t help but mentally berate himself for not doing so.

However, it seemed that Lan Xichen had, as he proceeded to pull a piece of paper out of his suit pocket and hand it to his mother. “According to my own company’s bylaws, which I assume are similar to your own, Jiang Wanyin could technically fire the board members if he were to buy out the shareholders, thus replacing them with new members who are more tolerant of him being an omega.”

Everyone held their breath as they awaited Yu Ziyuan’s response, anxious to hear if the idea would meet her approval. She took several moments to browse through the paper Lan Xichen had given her before raising her head to return her gaze towards them. “You would need to convince the shareholders to let you buy out their shares for that to work.”

“Who are the shareholders?” Jiang Yanli questioned.

Jiang Cheng was well aware of who they were, having practically memorized the list when he first took up the position of CEO. There were three of them. “Our grandfather, Yu Muchen, is one of them. A-Die gave him one of the shares when he married A-Niang. The second is an old friend of his from university, Mr. Ouyang.”

Neither of which he was likely to have any real trouble with.

“And the third?” Lan Xichen inquired.

Jiang Cheng heaved a sigh. “The third shareholder is Jin Guangshan.”

Which was exactly where their trouble lied, as everyone clearly came to realize, judging from the expressions on their faces. The late Jiang Fengmian had given him a share when Jiang Yanli and Jin Zixuan were originally arranged to be wed. Jiang Cheng wasn't entirely sure why his father had allowed him to keep the share after the marriage was called off, but he assumed that Jin Guangshan had talked him into it.

“Surely Zixuan could convince his father to let A-Cheng buy him out,” Jiang Yanli suggested.

Yu Ziyuan scoffed at that. “He'll never agree to it. Jin Guangshan is as greedy as he is rich. He won't be willing to relinquish his share unless there's something equally or more valuable for him to gain in return.”

“We'll just have to come up with something,” Jiang Cheng said, determined to make this plan of his work one way or another. “Will you help us or not, A-Niang?”

Everyone turned once more towards Yu Ziyuan. Jiang Yanli took a deliberate step closer to her mother, reaching out to gently touch her arm. “Please, A-Niang,” she pleaded with her. “It means so much to A-Cheng.”

Yu Ziyuan finally relented, unable to resist her children's pleas. “Fine, I will agree to help to the best of my abilities. However, you had better be right about this, A-Cheng.”

Jiang Cheng nodded his head, a relieved smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Thank you, A-Niang.”

The next to learn the truth of their relationship, as well as the pregnancy, was Lan Xichen’s family. Namely his uncle and brother, the former of which looked like he was about to have a heart attack when they told him. Lan Wangji on the other hand didn’t show much reaction at all, aside from a slight widening of his eyes.

“Shufu, are you alright?” Lan Xichen asked, eyeing his uncle worryingly. The older man’s face had gone awfully pale and his eyes were twitching almost as if there was a speck in them.

“Surely I must have misheard you…” Lan Qiren began, shaking his head in clear denial. “You couldn’t have possibly gotten Jiang Cheng pregnant. You’re both alphas!”

And Jiang Cheng took that as his que to step forward, opening his jacket to reveal the undeniable proof that was his swollen belly. The generous swell that was all the more accentuated by the fact that his shirt was tucked into his pants. He had been forced to change into something more resemblant of what he usually wore to make the trip over to meet with the Lans. Thankfully his current pants had a bigger waistline than his old ones.

“I’m actually an omega.”

Lan Qiren’s face somehow seemed to go several shades paler, his eyes almost bugging as they stared openly at his belly. He eventually dragged his gaze away from it to meet both his own and Lan Xichen. “Explain yourselves!” he demanded, pointing an accusatory finger at them.

And so they explained the situation to them, how Jiang Cheng had been forced to hide his true status in order to become CEO of his father’s company. A secret that was now more and more at risk of being exposed as his belly continued to grow. They also explained how their own relationship had come about, and even showed them their mated marks. The sight of which made Lan Qiren sway where he stood. Thankfully both of his nephews reached out to steady him before he could actually fall. And Lan Xichen left momentarily to go and fetch his uncle a glass of water.

“Well, to say that I am surprised by this is an understatement,” Lan Qiren stated after he had managed to calm down a bit and had come to terms with everything. “I might have expected this sort of thing from Wangji while he was dating that awful Wei Wuxian, but certainly not from you, Xichen.” That remark earned him a glare from his youngest nephew.

“I understand, shufu, and I apologize for keeping it from you until now,” Lan Xichen bowed his head in apology.

Lan Qiren let out a weary sounding sigh as he turned his attention once more towards Jiang Cheng. “How far along are you?”

“Four months, but I’m carrying twins, so it’s likely that I won’t be able to hide them behind my coat for much longer.”

The older man nodded his head in understanding, reaching up with a hand to stroke his beard as he assumed a thoughtful expression. “From what you told me, it sounds as if you are well prepared to fight against the prejudice of your board of directors. As for my support, you may rest assured that I will stand behind you when the time comes.”

Lan Xichen beamed. “Thank you, shufu.”

“However, I expect the two of you to be wed properly,” Lan Qiren stated. “Preferably before the children are born. This will also help to ensure the legitimacy of your children’s future claims to either company.”

Just the idea of having to plan another wedding was enough to make him groan. Not to mention the fact that it would be his own wedding, while he was pregnant no less. “I don’t suppose you’d be satisfied if we went and eloped, would you?”

Lan Qiren shook his head. “No, but I will accept a small, private ceremony with only family and close friends in attendance.”

He supposed he could live with that. “Fine, but it doesn’t get announced to the public until after we’ve dealt with the board of directors.”

“Agreed.”

Chapter Text

The wedding was set to take place three weeks later at the Jiang family’s lake house in Yunmeng. The Jiangs had gone there a few days beforehand to get ready for the festivities before the rest of the attendees were set to arrive. It felt bittersweet to be back at that place, surrounded by all the memories from childhood, as well as the memories of their father’s last few days, which had been spent there. Wei Wuxian didn’t dare step foot inside his former office. And Yu Ziyuan didn’t dare sleep in the room they had once shared.

Thankfully none of them had much time to dwell on the absence of Jiang Fengmian’s presence, as they were far too busy with wedding preparations. Even though it was just a small, private affair, not to mention it had been arranged on such short notice, Yu Ziyuan had still insisted on going all out with the decorations, as well as the catering for the guests. Jiang Cheng was relieved to not have to do the work himself for once.

Not that he could have done any physical work even if he wanted to. He had made the mistake of trying to help carry chairs into the garden, only to find himself being stopped short as his sister and mother quickly ran to stop him.

“You shouldn’t be carrying chairs in your condition, A-Cheng,” Yanli had stated as she took the chair from him. “Too much heavy lifting might harm the babies.”

He raised a brow at that. It had only been the one chair he was carrying, and it was hardly what he would consider heavy. “Then what am I supposed to do?”

“You should be resting for the big day tomorrow,” his mother snapped at him as she proceeded to shoo him over towards the nearest bench and made him sit down. Then she turned and went to rejoin the others.

Jiang Cheng found himself caught between feeling annoyed at the fact that his family was treating him like he was made of glass, and feeling oddly touched that they cared enough to dote upon him in such a way. In the end, he relented and entertained himself by watching his brother and sister slave away under their mother’s stern instruction. It was particularly amusing when Wei Wuxian accidentally ended up falling backwards into the lake. He came out a few minutes later looking like a drowned rat.

“Stop laughing at me, Jiang Cheng!” Wei Wuxian hollered. “It’s not fair! I can’t even push you into the lake to get back at you!”

He supposed being pregnant did have its advantages. It meant that his brother had no choice but to be nice to him.

Jiang Cheng slept surprisingly well that night, even though he had found himself missing the warmth and security of his alpha’s embrace. He reassured himself that Lan Xichen would be back with him soon enough. They just had to get through that next day and then they would be allowed to sleep in the same bed again.

Morning came all too soon, to which he was woken up early by his family in order to get him ready for the day’s events. Lan Qiren and Yu Ziyuan had been messaging each other back and forth to discuss the wedding attire, and had eventually agreed upon going for the more traditional attire for the actual marriage ceremony itself as well as the tea ceremonies. And then he would change into a modern formal suit for the banquet.

Staring at himself in the mirror, dressed in his vibrant red and gold Chang Pao Ma Gua, it finally started to sink in that he was actually getting married. To Lan Xichen of all people. It seemed almost like a dream that he was going to wake up from at any given moment. He hadn’t spent much time imagining what his wedding would be like, mostly because he never expected to get married in the first place.

“You look so handsome, A-Cheng,” Yanli gushed as she reached out to wrap her arms around his shoulders.

He rolled his eyes, turning this way and that to look at himself from every angle. “I look fat.” It wasn’t visible from the front, but when he looked upon himself from either side, it was quite clear that he was expecting. At five months, his belly had grown large enough that it couldn’t be hidden no matter what he wore. They had even had to make last minute alterations to his costume so that it would fit him properly.

“Don’t be silly, A-Cheng,” she said as she spun him around to face her instead of the mirror. “You’re carrying your mate’s children. It’s something to be proud of. This wedding is more of a formality than anything else. We both know that you and Lan Xichen are helplessly in love with one another.

“You do love him, don’t you?”

“Of course I do!” he exclaimed. “I wouldn’t be standing here, let alone carrying his children if I didn’t!”

Yanli smiled at him, visibly pleased by his answer. “Then don’t worry so much about the way you look, and just try to enjoy yourself today.”

He took a deep breath as he nodded his head. She was right. Even if it was just a formality to make sure no one could deny the legitimacy of his children, it was still his wedding day and he ought to enjoy it.

“Where’s Wei Wuxian?” he asked, noticing that he wasn’t in the room with him.

“That useless lump that you call a brother is still in bed, refusing to get up,” Yu Ziyuan declared, throwing her hands up into the air as she stalked over to the door as if to go get him. “At this rate he’s going to show up to the tea ceremony still dressed in his underwear!”

Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes. It wouldn’t have entirely surprised him if his brother ended up doing exactly that.

Yu Ziyuan returned a few minutes later with a thankfully dressed, yet still half asleep, Wei Wuxian in tow. “Do you think I’m your mother, making me dress you as if you're a child?” she chastised him as she shoved him into the room. “You had better not embarrass this family!”

The fact that she had gone so far as to dress him herself was telling that she didn’t in fact despise him as much as she might claim to.

With all of them finally assembled, they could prepare to meet the other groom's party. The Lans arrived right on time, and as per tradition, had to fight their way through the house just to get to him. Yu Ziyuan didn't make it easy on her soon-to-be son-in-law, grilling him with questions about her son. She only let him pass when she was satisfied with his answers. Jiang Yanli made him recite poetry declaring his undying love to her little brother, which in turn made Jiang Cheng blush like a tomato.

And Wei Wuxian decided to subject Lan Xichen to the pain of eating a specialty Yunmeng dish, which was admittedly spicy enough to make anyone's taste buds burn. Lan Xichen ended up eating it, even though he couldn’t handle spicy foods. It was honestly heartwarming to see that the alpha was willing to eat such a dish for his mate. Thankfully Jiang Yanli had pity on him and brought him a glass of milk to help wash it down.

Finally, after bribing them with money, the two grooms were once more reunited. Lan Xichen offered him his arm, which Jiang Cheng gladly took as the two of them made their way out of the room and down the stairs where the tea ceremony was set to take place. “You look beautiful in red,” the alpha leaned in to whisper compliments to his mate.

“You don’t look entirely bad yourself.”

And he didn’t. In fact, Jiang Cheng was entirely convinced that the alpha would look good in anything he wore. White and blue were obviously still the colors Lan Xichen looked best in. However, he couldn’t help but think that his alpha looked the most appealing while wearing nothing at all. The thought caused a surge of heat to wash through him, but he did his best to ignore it. They couldn’t exactly sneak off in the middle of their own wedding like they had at his sister’s wedding.

It was a long day, in which Jiang Cheng finally started to realize why his sister and mother had wanted him to rest instead of helping them work. They were barely an hour into the festivities and he was already starting to feel tired, his feet aching from standing and he felt oddly out of breath, as if he had run a marathon. More than once he was forced to sit down to catch his breath and rest his feet.

“Are you alright, Wanyin?” Lan Xichen asked, his forehead scrunched with concern.

He nodded his head, taking yet another deep breath. “I don’t know why I feel so tired all of a sudden,” he remarked. “It’s not like I’ve done that much walking.”

Lan Xichen gave him a sympathetic look as he leaned in to press a kiss to his cheek. “The doctor did warn us that this would happen.”

That was true. Dr. Long had explained that he would likely have more trouble maintaining his energy levels as well as have trouble breathing as the pregnancy progressed. It had something to do with the additional strain on his body of growing two babies instead of just one. His hands gravitated towards his swollen belly at the thought. He had definitely started to feel their growth in recent weeks, as he was actually able to feel their weight inside of him. And every now and then he thought he felt something. They weren’t strong enough to be kicks yet. If anything they were more like flutters.

Their guest list was admittedly small, and yet still somehow big enough that Jiang Cheng quickly grew tired of greeting everyone. Nie Mingjue and Nie Huaisang had been invited as friends, having been made aware of the situation and agreed to stand with them against the board of directors. Nie Huaisang had been obsessing over his baby bump ever since he found out, claiming that he deserved some of the credit for their conception, seeing as he had been the one to set their parents up together. Nie Mingjue just rolled his eyes as he congratulated his own long-time friend both on his marriage as well as his upcoming parenthood.

The Jins hadn’t been invited or even informed of the wedding for obvious reasons. Jiang Yanli had insisted that her husband be allowed to come with her, stating that it would seem suspicious if she went off somewhere without him. Jin Zixuan had in turn promised to keep the whole thing a secret from his family, fully understanding why they didn’t want them to find out. Or rather, why they didn’t want his father to find out.

Speaking of Jin Guangshan…

“Do you have any idea why your father was so insistent on wanting to come here?” he asked, approaching his brother-in-law during a free moment.

Jin Zixuan hesitated, glancing around nervously as if to make sure no one was close enough to overhear them. “I don’t know all the details, but I heard him talking with A-Yao one night. They mentioned your late father, and something that they believed to have been hidden here in this house.”

The admission surprised him. What could his father have possibly kept at the lake house that Jin Guangshan would want so badly? He had never known his father to be sneaky. Then again, he supposed he hadn’t truly known his father all that well.

“They didn’t say what exactly it was?”

Jin Zixuan shook his head. “If they did, I must have missed that part.”

Despite being the oldest son and heir to his father’s business, Jin Zixuan was oddly left out in certain business manners. Matters that Jin Guangshan only seemed to share with his other son, Jin Guangyao. It was suspicious enough in theory, even without knowing what kind of person Jin Guangyao was.

He was soon distracted from his train of thought as he noticed Lan Xichen come up beside him, wrapping an arm around his waist as he pulled him in closer to him. “Excuse me, Jin Gongzi, but would you mind terribly if I stole my husband away from you?” He was technically smiling at Jin Zixuan, but there was something off about it. As if it wasn’t entirely genuine for once.

Jiang Cheng realized what was happening with a sigh. Jin Zixuan was an alpha, and even though he was married to Jiang Cheng’s sister, it didn’t change the fact that, in Lan Xichen’s eyes, he was encroaching upon his territory. “Thank you for the information,” he said as he bid his brother-in-law to return to his sister’s side.

No sooner was the other alpha gone, then he felt Lan Xichen visibly relax. He rolled his eyes over at his overprotective and possessive mate. “At least you didn’t growl at him this time.”

Said alpha leaned in to nuzzle his neck. “I can’t help but be possessive over you, especially when you’re so radiant and full of our children.” His hands moved to rest on top of his belly, as if silently declaring to the entire room of guests that he was the one responsible for making his omega that way.

“Why do I feel like these aren’t going to be the only children we end up having?”

Lan Xichen smiled, this time genuinely. “I wouldn’t be opposed to the idea of keeping you filled with our children all the time.”

“You had better be joking!” he squawked in indignation. “I’ll be the size of a whale by the time I reach forty!”

“Don’t worry, Wanyin,” Lan Xichen said with a slight chuckle. “Male omegas are known to bounce back quickly. And even if you do end up retaining some of the baby weight, I’ll still love you just as much, if not more.”

And just like that Jiang Cheng felt himself melting into his mate’s hold, every ounce of the indignation he had felt draining away. “You’re lucky I love you as much as I do, otherwise I might have made you sleep on the couch tonight.”

Lan Xichen stiffened at the idea, his face going pale as his face morphed into something resembling a pout. “You’re not actually going to do that, are you?”

He shook his head, if only because he knew that they would both be miserable if he did.

Meanwhile, Wei Wuxian could be seen actually talking with Lan Wangji, much to both Jiang Cheng and Lan Xichen’s surprise. It made Jiang Cheng feel a bit nervous, and he made a point of keeping an eye on them every now and then, but from what he could see, they seemed to be civil enough with one another. At one point, later in the evening, they saw the two of them head out into the garden alone. A part of Jiang Cheng was tempted to trail after them to make sure nothing bad was happening, but ultimately decided to leave them alone.

It was Wei Wuxian’s decision.

He soon forgot all about Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji as the banquet came to a close and the newly married couple were finally allowed to leave for their honeymoon suite, the guests cheering and throwing rice as they went. Finally, enclosed in the privacy of their room, Jiang Cheng allowed himself to fall back onto the bed with a sigh of relief.

Lan Xichen allowed him a few moments to relax as he took to removing his suit jacket and tie, setting them off to the side before he climbed onto the bed alongside him. “How is my dearest husband feeling?”

Husband… Lan Xichen had called him that during the banquet, but he had been too distracted by his mate's possessiveness to fully comprehend it. However, it was true. He was Lan Xichen’s husband. Just as Lan Xichen was his. It seemed almost too good to be true, and yet there they were.

“Tired, but otherwise happy.”

The alpha brought a hand up to suggestively toy with the buttons of his shirt. “Too tired to consummate our marriage?”

Jiang Cheng raised a brow as he glanced at his belly. “The fact that I'm pregnant suggests that we technically already did that.”

Lan Xichen smiled down at the sight of it, his nimble fingers prying open every last button, the fabric of his shirt being pushed away so that the rounded bump was bare before him. Then he leaned his head down to press a gentle kiss atop of it. “That doesn't mean we can't do it again.”

As much as Jiang yearned for his mate, he was still a bit apprehensive. “I'm not exactly feeling the most attractive right now,” he stated. “And wouldn’t the bump just get in the way?”

Lan Xichen shook his head. “You are the most stunning omega to ever walk this earth, Jiang Wanyin. Seeing your body swell with new life… It drives me crazy, making me want you more than words can express. I wasn't joking when I said I wouldn't mind keeping you like this all the time. You are so incredibly attractive to me that I struggled to contain myself throughout the banquet.”

He could tell, both from the tightness of his pants as well as the burning desire in his eyes. And it was in those eyes that he lost all sense of his own insecurity, giving in to the undeniable truth that they both wanted, no, needed each other.

No words were necessary as Lan Xichen read the answer in his omegas eyes. He continued to trail kisses along the swell of his belly, working his way up to his chest and neck before finally claiming his lips beneath his own. Lan Xichen’s lips were ravenous as they threatened to devour him. And soon enough their hands were all over each other, pulling at each other's clothes in a desperate attempt to have nothing standing in between them.

And no sooner were they completely unclothed, then Lan Xichen was inside of him, deciding to forego any foreplay. The time they had spent apart, although considerably short, had felt like an eternity to their bodies. Jiang Cheng couldn't help the moan that escaped him at the feeling of finally having his mate back where he belonged.

“Fuck… It feels so good to have you inside of me again.”

Lan Xichen just nodded his head in agreement, seemingly unable to speak as he focused entirely on thrusting inside of him. The impact of which made his belly shake, to which Jiang Cheng had to reach out and hold in place lest it become too uncomfortable for the babies. The doctor had given them the go-ahead to engage in sexual activities, that it was perfectly safe and wouldn’t harm the babies, but still Jiang Cheng couldn’t help but feel the need to be a bit careful. Still in the womb and already he was feeling protective of his kids.

Eventually they climaxed together and ended up falling back into bed together, limbs wound around each other as they came down from their high. Lan Xichen, being the considerate husband and mate that he was, pulled away just enough to clean up his omega, wiping away any excess bodily fluids from his entrance as well as the underside of his belly. The rounded protrusion in his abdomen did get in the way to some extent, and Jiang Cheng was certain that it would only get worse the bigger it grew.

“How are you feeling?” Lan Xichen asked as he returned to his omega’s arms. “It didn’t hurt, did it?”

He shook his head. “My back felt a bit strained from the weight of the twins pressing up against my insides, but nothing too bad.”

Lan Xichen nodded his head in understanding. “We might have to experiment with some different positions to put less strain on you and the babies. Perhaps it would be better if you were on top.”

“I can do that?” He had always heard that Alphas preferred to always be the ones on top, as part of their dominant nature.

“Of course you can, Wanyin,” Lan Xichen assured him, reaching out to caress his cheek before leaning in to press a kiss to his nose. “If it will make the experience more comfortable for you, I’d gladly swallow my pride and let you be on top of me.”

Knowing that he had somehow managed to snag such a mate… Well, it made him feel like he was on top of the world. “I’m glad I didn’t run away from you that night at the Opera House.”

Lan Xichen smiled widely, his eyes practically sparkling with pure, unfiltered love and adoration. “And I’m glad I decided to open my heart to you, even though I was afraid it would get broken again.”

Jiang Cheng shifted closer to his embrace, letting his head rest against his alpha’s chest. His own body was practically purring, feeling properly satiated and content. And with the sound of his mate’s heartbeat echoing in his ear, he ended up quickly drifting off to sleep.

The newlywed couple awoke the next morning to find the house empty, not a soul other than themselves to be found anywhere. They were expecting this, but it still came as a bit of a surprise. Jiang Cheng had been half convinced that his mother would insist on staying to thoroughly pick through all the details of their plan, which would be put into action once they returned to the city. The fact that she had left as well indicated that Yanli must have been able to talk her into letting them have some privacy.

They had been granted a few extra days to stay at the lake house for their honeymoon. It wasn’t anywhere near as extravagant as Jin Zixuan and Jiang Yanli’s two month trip to the Bahamas, but both he and Lan Xichen seemed satisfied enough with the arrangement. They figured that they could always take a more lavish holiday after everything was dealt with and settled. It would probably have to be sometime after the twins were born, but still. They didn’t mind. At least they were alone together.

“And what are my wonderful husband and children hungry for this morning?” Lan Xichen asked as he tied an apron around his waist and took up position in the kitchen, leaving said husband to watch from his seat at the table.

Jiang Cheng considered the question for a few moments, rubbing his belly in slow, smooth movements. “We’re feeling like something sweet. Other than that, we don’t care. As long as it’s served in large quantities.”

He was definitely eating a lot more than he did before. A part of him couldn’t help but feel a bit self conscious about it, but he kept reminding himself that there was a reason for it. The babies growing inside of him needed as much nutrition as they could get to grow big and strong. And so he told himself that he was free to eat as much as he wanted, at least of the foods he was actually able to eat.

After breakfast, the two of them ventured out to the lake for a swim. And Jiang Cheng became increasingly grateful that there was no one else around to see him dressed in nothing but his swim trunks. He thought he looked rather ridiculous and was tempted to return to the house to get a t-shirt to cover up with. However, he stopped short as Lan Xichen wrapped his arms around his waist.

“No one is around to see you, Wanyin,” the alpha reminded him. “Besides, swimming is good for you.”

A fact that he soon became aware of, as he felt his body become weightless in the water. It felt so good that he never wanted to leave, and even forgot for a little while that he was even pregnant at all. The two of them swam around for a good hour or so before their skin started to wrinkle and they were forced to make their way back to shore. In which case the full weight of his body returned, hitting him with enough impact that it made it difficult for him to walk at first. Thankfully Lan Xichen was there to help him.

“What do you want to do now?” Lan Xichen asked after they had returned to the house to shower and dry off.

There were many things he wanted to do. Lots of things he wanted to share with Lan Xichen. However, there was a significantly more pressing matter that came to mind. “Do you remember the conversation I had with Jin Zixuan yesterday.”

“I was too focused on chasing him away from you,” Lan Xichen admitted. “I wasn’t paying attention to what the two of you were talking about.”

He rolled his eyes at the alpha. He supposed that he should have anticipated as much. “I was asking him about why his father was so insistent on wanting to come here. He told me that he overheard him talking with Jin Guangyao about something they believed my father was hiding in this house.”

“Can you think of anywhere your father might have hidden something? A place where people are unlikely to look?”

Jiang Cheng considered it carefully, running through a mental map of the entire house as he knew it. His father had spent most of his time in bed during his final days, but there were a few instances where they caught him coming out of his office. With that in mind, the two of them immediately made their way through the house to where the office was located. The door was locked, as it had been since the day of Jiang Fengmian’s death. Thankfully Jiang Cheng knew where the key to it was, allowing them access inside.

Stepping inside was like stepping into a haunted house. The place hadn’t been touched in well over a year, the furniture being covered in a thick layer of dust and cobwebs. Jiang Cheng was half convinced that his father’s ghost would appear out of thin air and order them out of the room. However, as moments passed and no such supernatural happenings occurred, they were able to relax enough to step further inside.

He was sure that whatever Jin Guangshan was after had to be hidden in that office. It was only a matter of finding it. The first place they checked were the desk drawers, searching for any secret hidden compartments at all within the desk. When that attempt failed, they moved on to the cabinets and bookshelves that lined the walls. Sadly all they found were some old half-empty bottles of wine. His father’s secret stash, it would seem.

They had just been on the verge of giving up when Jiang Cheng noticed that the one and only painting on the wall was a bit crooked. He couldn’t quite explain why, but something about it just seemed to be calling to him. And motioning to Lan Xichen, he started to advance towards it. Lan Xichen insisted on being the one to take it down for him, insisting that he shouldn’t be doing so in his condition. However, his annoyance at the alpha’s behavior was short lived as they found that of a safe hidden in the wall behind the painting.

This had to be it!

Unfortunately, they were presented with a new issue as they soon realized that the safe required a combination to get into. As tempted as he was to just break it open, they didn’t exactly have the necessary tools to do so on hand. Not to mention Lan Xichen probably wouldn’t have let him use them anyway.

“Do you have any idea what your father might have chosen for a combination?”

He shrugged his shoulders as he stepped forward to try and figure it out, thinking of numbers that might have served some significance to his father. His first thought was to try Yanli’s birthday, then the day that Wei Wuxian had been brought to live with them, but neither of those seemed to work. He didn’t even bother trying his own birthday, knowing that his father wouldn’t have viewed that as a significant day. Just like he didn’t think his father would use the date of his wedding either.

“Do you remember the last time your father was in this room?”
He nodded his head. It had been a week before he died. He could barely walk on his own, but still he had managed to sneak past his wife and kids to get there. Understanding where Lan Xichen was going with that line of questioning, he immediately began to turn the dial to punch in that date.

And sure enough, it actually worked, as the safe could be heard unlocking a few seconds later.

Jiang Cheng eagerly reached out to pull it open, not entirely sure what he would find inside. A part of him expected something like a stack of gold that he had cheated or stolen from the Jins. However, that was not the case, as the only thing to be found inside was a file folder of papers. The two of them exchanged looks with one another before they reached in to pull it out. It didn’t take them long to figure out why it had been hidden away the way it had, as they opened the folder to find at least a dozen photos. All of which showcased Jin Guangshan with young, beautiful women in various sexual positions.

“How old are the women in these photos?” Lan Xichen asked as he held one of said photos up for closer inspection. “The one in this photo looks like she can’t be much older than sixteen.”

Jiang Cheng felt like he was going to be sick. “And the one in this one looks like she’s thirteen.”

He didn’t know how his father had managed to get ahold of these photos, but somehow he had managed to catch Jin Guangshan in the act of having sexual relations with these teenage girls. And Jin Guangshan clearly knew that he had these photos if he was so desperate to get his hands on them. As disgusting as it was to think about, it gave Jiang Cheng an idea. An idea that might just solve some of his own issues.

Chapter Text

A few days later, Jiang Cheng was back in the comforts of his own apartment, seated at his desk where he was in the middle of preparing himself for a very important video call meeting. Lan Xichen was at work, so it was just himself at home, which was fine. The alpha likely would have just spent his time hovering outside the door to his office the whole time, listening in to make sure nothing bad was happening. This was something he had to do on his own. He couldn't drag his mate into it. At least not quite yet.

Taking a deep breath, he made sure that he looked presentable enough. He was wearing a business suit, be it one that was several sizes bigger than he usually wore. And after adjusting the webcam to make sure it wouldn't show his belly, he made the move to start the call. He had to wait a couple of minutes before the call was accepted on the other end. And moments later, Jin Guangshan's face appeared on his screen.

“Good Morning, Mr. Jiang,” the older man greeted him with a grin. “Sorry if I was a few minutes late, but work never stops, as I'm sure you know.”

“Of course,” he agreed. Only their definitions of work seemed to differ greatly, as Jin Guangshan was seen to have a bit of bright red lipstick smudged on his face.

“You said in your email that there was something you wanted to speak to me about, face to face? Though I don't understand why we couldn't have just met up for dinner again. Your restaurant's food was actually quite delicious, and I admit I'm eager to indulge myself once more.”

The reason they hadn't met up in person was because seeing him in his current state would have been a dead giveaway, and he wasn't quite ready yet to unveil his secret. Which was exactly why he had arranged a video call so that they could still see each other without seeing each other fully.

“I have something in my possession that I think you'll be interested in,” he stated, using every inch of his willpower not to smirk and give himself away.

Jin Guangshan raised a brow as he appeared to lean in closer to the screen. “Oh really?”

Jiang Cheng nodded his head as he reached out to grab the folder he had set next to his computer on the desk. He watched and waited as the older man's expression morphed from confusion to that of dawning horror. And with that, he saw fit to open it and pull out one of the photos, holding it up real close to the camera so that there was no doubt about its contents.

“I have to wonder, Mr. Jin, just how old are those women you're pictured with? They look almost young enough to be teenagers.”

By that point Jin Guangshan had lost almost all color in his face. His lips parted as if to try to deny the evidence, and yet no audible words came out. He was literally shocked speechless.

“This was why you were so desperate to visit my family’s lake house, right? You wouldn't have found them even if you were to have gone there.”

There was a period of silence, in which the only thing to be heard was the static coming through the speakers. For a moment he even started to wonder whether the video had frozen on him or something, as the man didn't seem to be moving at all.

Finally, Jin Guangshan began to move again, his hands seen to be tightly gripping the edge of the desk as he met his gaze seriously. “What do you want? I'll give you any amount of money if you'll just agree to hand those photos over to me.”

Jiang Cheng pretended to think about it for a good minute, making the old pervert sweat some more. “I want you to sell your portion of my company's shares to me.”

Jin Guangshan blinked, seemingly taken back by this request. “That's all?”

He nodded his head. “That's all I want from you.”

“Why?”

He decided to go with the truth, or rather a certain version of the truth. “There’s a certain person on my board of directors I’d like to fire. We don’t see eye to eye, and I need your portion of the shares to do so.”

“How do I know you’re not just bluffing?”

Jiang Cheng reached out to hold up even more images, showing them one by one to further emphasize the amount of evidence he had against him. Thankfully this seemed to do the trick, as he was soon starting to sweat. And it was by the seventh image that he finally relented.

“Fine, I’ll give you my portion of your company’s shares!” Jin Guangshan exclaimed. “It wasn’t doing me much good anyway. Your company can hardly compare to my own in terms of success.” It was funny how quickly he could go from dishing out endless compliments to insulting your company in a matter of minutes.

“I’ll have the photos sent to you personally, in a discreet manner, of course,” he assured him. “Where would you like me to send them?”

Jin Guangshan thought about it for a moment before he answered. “Have your secretary meet me at the Golden Carp Tower.” The older man had a disgusting look in his eyes, as if the mere thought of his secretary was fulfilling all of his sick, perverted fantasies. “I trust an omega like her can keep her mouth shut.”

Jiang Cheng would have to warn her properly beforehand. He felt a bit bad about making her walk straight into the alpha’s lair, but he trusted that she knew how to take care of herself, and would manage to walk out unscathed.

“I’ll have her stop by with the photos at eight.”

“Make it nine, I’m taking my wife out to dinner tonight to celebrate our wedding anniversary.”

Oh how he wished he could just reach through the screen and strange the man right then and there. “As you wish, Mr. Jin, but you better not back down on your end of the deal.”

He nodded his head. “I’ll hand over my portion of the shares as soon as the photos are in my hands.”

Jiang Cheng received word from his secretary at close to midnight. As tired as he was, he had refused to go to bed until he knew that the deal had gone through, waiting for either his phone to ring or for a notification to show up saying that he had an email from her. It turned out to be the former in this case, to which he immediately reached for his phone and swiped to answer.

“How did it go?” He demanded. “Did you get the shares from him?”

“Calm down, Mr. Jiang. The deal was a success. I have the documents on me as we speak. All you need to do is sign them and then they’re officially yours,” his secretary explained through the speaker.

He couldn’t help but let out a breath of relief. “And how are you doing? He didn’t get you into bed with him, did he?”

“Oh, he certainly tried. Good think I spiked his drink to knock him out before he could even undo his pants. He’ll wake up in the morning with a nasty hangover and won’t even know what hit him.”

He couldn’t help but laugh at the thought. “Remind me to give you a raise the next time I see you.”

“I’ll hold you to that, Mr. Jiang.”

The call ended shortly after, both sides hanging up. And Jiang Cheng flopped back into his bed, where Lan Xichen was waiting for him.

“I got it, A-Huan! I actually got it!” A part of him wanted to shout it from the rooftops. It was like a huge burden had been lifted from his shoulders.

Lan Xichen reached out to pull him closer to him. “I'm so happy for you, Wanyin.”

Had he not been so tired from a long day of working and stressing over whether everything would go smoothly, he might have suggested that they celebrate the victory in some way. As it was, all he wanted to do was curl up with his alpha and sleep for a good eight-to-ten hours. They could save the celebration for after they dealt with the board of directors.

“What are you going to do about Jin Guangshan? You're not just going to let him get away with it, are you?”

“Of course not!” He insisted. “I'm going to give him a couple of weeks, lull him into a false sense of security, then pull the rug out from underneath him and expose him as the disgusting pervert that he is.”

“Won't exposing him put your sister and her husband in a tight spot?”

“Not necessarily. As far as I know, Jin Zixuan is unaware of the details of his father's shady business. Jin Guangyao on the other hand might have some trouble, as he seems to work closely with him.”

Lan Xichen nodded his head, seemingly accepting that such was likely to be the case. “A-Yao always strove for his father's approval, even though he knew what sort of a man he was. I never understood why he agreed to work with him after everything he did to him.”

“What did his father do?”

“He only mentioned one incident, but I'm certain there were others. A-Yao got pushed down the stairs at Golden Carp Tower by his father. He was only a teenager at the time. It left him hospitalized for a week.”

So not only was Jin Guangshan an ephebophile, but he was also abusive towards his child. He didn't think Jin Zixuan had received such abuse. His brother-in-law had grown up very spoiled and had become an arrogant teenager as a result. Then again, he supposed there were different forms of abuse. Not just physical. In the end, he supposed that it would all come down to whether Jin Guangyao was willing to follow his father all the way to prison or not.

“I’ll call my sister in the morning and give her the heads up.” With any luck, that would give Jin Zixuan enough time to make sure him and Yanli would be safe.

Walking into the Jiang Corporation headquarters took a lot of focus and willpower, as he tried to avoid his employees' gazes, all of which were staring at him in shock. Or rather, they were staring at his belly. There was nothing he could do to hide it anymore, and so he didn’t even try. Thankfully he wasn’t alone in this endeavor, seeing as he had an entire entourage of fellow CEO’s with him.

In addition to Lan Xichen, who stood by his side, there was also his mother, Wei Wuxian and Jiang Yanli. Jin Zixuan had even agreed to offer his support, though he assumed that had more to do with Yanli’s influence than anything else. Then there were Nie Mingue and Nie Huaisang, as well as Lan Qiren and Lan Wangji. Even Wen Qing had come to support them. Oddly enough, she was standing alongside both Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji. There was definitely something there, but he didn't have time to ask about it.

Finally they came upon the conference room, where the entire board of directors were waiting. Jiang Cheng would never forget the look of pure shock and horror on their faces when they took in the sight of him. However, he ignored them for the time being as he went to take his seat at the head of the table.

“Thank you for agreeing to meet with me today, gentlemen,” he greeted them as casually as possible. “As I mentioned in the email I sent out to all of you, there is something of the utmost priority that I must discuss with you.-”

The silence that had fallen over the room was almost deafening as the board of directors just continued to stare at him. Eventually Mr. Huang stood abruptly from his seat, banging his fists against the table, which in turn startled the rest of the board members from whatever shock induced trance they had been in.

“What madness is this?!” Mr. Huang declared. “How can you possibly be pregnant when you're an Alpha?”

Jiang Cheng raised a challenging brow. “Am I?”

Mr. Huang's nostrils flared visibly as he sniffed the air around the CEO, his body tensing when he smelled the Omega in him. For once Jiang Cheng had ditched his scent masking cologne to reveal his true scent to the world.

“How is this possible?”

“It's quite simple, Mr. Huang. I've been hiding my true status all these years. You thought I was an alpha like the rest of you, but I'm not. And I'm tired of hiding it from you people, which is exactly why I've called you all here. It's time for things to change. I'm done with your prejudice against omegas. You think they can't run a business? I'd say I've been doing quite well this past year and a half.”

The board members exchanged glances with one another, some of them seeming to agree while others were in blatant denial.

“It has nothing to do with personal opinions,” Mr. Huang argued. “It is merely a proven fact that omegas, be they male or female, aren't suitable for positions of leadership. The fact that you are clearly pregnant only proves that point further. The company will start to decline as your omega nature shifts to focus on the wellbeing of your mate and child.”

Lan Xichen stepped forward to intervene. “You’re wrong. I know plenty of omegas who successfully run their own businesses, while also caring for their families. I've also met omegas who have neglected their own children in pursuit of climbing the ranks of their career.”

“Thank you, Mr. Lan, but I don't believe this matter concerns you.”

A sudden low growl caught everyone off guard. “It very much does concern me, considering it is my mate who you are disrespecting.”

Mr. Huang became several shades more pale at that statement. “Y-Your mate?”

Jiang Cheng nodded his head. “Lan Xichen and I are mated, as well as married for that matter. If you don't believe us, I'd be more than happy to show you our marriage certificate.”

No one dared to voice any such doubts. Of course, this didn't silence Mr. Huang, who seemed to enjoy arguing.

“And that's another issue! It's a conflict of interest to have a CEO who's married to the CEO of yet another company! Not to mention a company that ranks above us!”

There was some agreement to that particular issue.

“I assure you, Lan Xichen and I will keep our individual businesses separate, and won't allow it to become an issue.”

Still the board of directors seemed uncertain. Not to mention Mr. Huang was dead set against them. “It doesn't matter what you say, Mr. Jiang. We simply cannot accept you as our CEO any longer.”

Jiang Cheng smirked. He had been waiting for him to say that. “Then you're fired.”

“You can't fire us,” Mr. Huang scoffed at that. “We fire you, Mr. Jiang.”

He shook his head, motioning to his mother who stepped forward to hand him the papers, which he then laid out across the table for them all to see. “I bought out all of the company’s shareholders, which means that I have every right to fire you as I see fit.”

Mr. Huang immediately lunged for the papers, surprising everyone with how quickly he could move. His eyes went wide with horror, his face turning pale as he finally realized that he had lost this battle. The rest of the board members gathered around to have a look for themselves once he was done and had started to slowly back away. Of course, his exit was blocked off by the crowd of people who had come to support Jiang Cheng. Nie Mingjue in particular looked like he would rather punch the man in the face rather than let him pass.

“If you're willing to work with me, knowing that I'm a mated omega, you are free to keep your job. However, if you can't accept these facts like Mr. Huang over there, then I have no choice but to ask you to get the hell out of my company!”

There were a few minutes of debate amongst them all. A few did ultimately end up joining Mr. Huang, who was eventually allowed to leave the room. Nie Mingjue begrudgingly moved out of the way at the behest of Lan Xichen. However, some of them did remain where they stood, bowing their heads as they expressed how they had never been entirely against omegas in leadership roles, but rather that they had felt pressured to conform with the rest of the board. Either way, Jiang Cheng didn't care. As long as those who stayed were accepting of him, that was all that mattered.

A lot of changes followed in the weeks to come. New board members were hired to replace the ones who had walked out, all of which supported the idea of an omega being CEO, or at the very least were tolerant of it. His secretary was given a raise, as promised, to compensate her for having to deal with Jin Guangshan. And Jiang Cheng began to put in place new policies to ensure that any and all omegas who worked for him wouldn't be made to feel like they were less than, while also providing them with the necessary time and resources to care for their families as well.

However the biggest change came after two weeks, when the police were tipped off about Jin Guangshan's shady business deals and were presented with a file folder full of evidence. A few days later it was broadcasted on the news that Jin Guangshan had been investigated and arrested as a sex offender. The former head of KOI had been pronounced guilty in his court hearing and given a life-long prison sentence. Jin Guangyao only managed to avoid sharing the same fate by admitting to having been physically assaulted by his father.

Naturally such events had a major impact on KOI, who suffered many losses in terms of government fines as well as many of their clients boycotting the brand. Thankfully Jin Zixuan had managed to get his inheritance beforehand and separated it from his father's name completely. There was some debate over whether Jin Zixuan would take over the business in his father’s absence. As you can imagine, Jin Zixuan wasn't exactly eager to tackle that mess.

According to Yanli, he was discussing the option of handing the business over to his mother, who knew the runnings of the business infinitely better than him. Not only would this move gain them sympathy and potentially earn them back some of their more loyal clients, but it would also help further the movement of Omega's being placed in roles of leadership. Jiang Cheng had immediately affirmed his support of the decision.

All things considered, it was a satisfying conclusion to the chain of events. And Jiang Cheng felt himself finally at peace about it all. So much so that he agreed to take his entire family out to celebrate at one of their restaurants, Jins and Lans included. Lan Qiren refused the offer as he had a prior business engagement to attend on behalf of the Lan Entertainment Company. However, Lan Wangji did attend. And oddly enough, so did Wen Qing, both of them arriving with Wei Wuxian.

“What's the deal with you and Lan Wangji and Wen Qing?” he asked his brother in private that evening as he pulled him into a quiet corner to talk.

“Yeah, I've actually been meaning to talk to you about that,” Wei Wuxian admitted a bit sheepishly, rubbing at his neck. “We're actually together.”

Jiang Cheng blinked. “All three of you?”

Wei Wuxian nodded.

And now that he mentioned it, his scent did appear to be different than before. His brother’s hair was too long for him to see properly, but he bet that there was at least one mark on his neck, if not two.

“Does that even work with two alpha’s?” He couldn't help but question, knowing all too well how his own alpha got when he got anywhere near another alpha, regardless of whether said alpha was his brother-in-law.

Wei Wuxian shrugged. “We're still working out some of the details of how it's going to work, but Lan Zhan and Wen Qing seem to get along well enough for the most part. I mean, they do argue over who gets to spend the night alone with me sometimes. Mostly we just end up as a threescore.”

There was a period of silence that followed, in which Jiang Cheng attempted to process this revelation. It wasn't exactly something that happened regularly, but then again, it didn't surprise him all that much the more he thought about it. If anything, it seemed like just the sort of thing Wei Wuxian would do, defying typical society standards by having two partners rather than one.

“Are you okay with that?” Wei Wuxian asked nervously.

“I never expected you to get back together with Lan Wangji, especially after everything that happened surrounding your break up with him.”

Wei Wuxian’s gaze dropped as he stared down at his feet. “There was a misunderstanding between us. He didn't know that our dad was dying. He caught me on one of those nights where I was trying to drown my sorrows and he got mad at me for drinking. I ended up snapping at him, and he said something that I took the wrong way. I don't want to rehash all the details, but we have talked things out and now have a better understanding of one another and what went wrong before.”

“As long as your relationship doesn’t end up causing you the same grief as before, I have no issue with it,” he stated, eyeing their three alpha’s, who appeared to be conversing with one another not too far away. “What about you?”

“What about me?”

Jiang Cheng pinned him with a knowing look. “Are you okay with me and Lan Xichen?”

Wei Wuxian thought about it for a moment, seemingly staring at said alpha in particular before he returned his gaze towards his brother. “The two of you are good for each other. I just feel bad that I let our relationship drift so far that you felt like you couldn’t even tell me.”

“It's not entirely your fault. I wasn't able to sympathize with you the same way a-jie was, probably because you were both mourning father and I couldn’t.”

Or rather, he couldn’t mourn his father in the same way as they could. He did shed tears over his death, but not for the same reason. His brother and sister had all these wonderful, happy memories with him. Whereas Jiang Cheng could only ever remember being seen as a disappointment in his father’s eyes. The son that should have been an alpha, but wasn't. The son who took more after his mother.

“He did love you Jiang Cheng,” Wei Wuxian insisted. “He asked about you a few times when me and shijie sat with him while he was on his deathbed. He asked how you were holding up, and whether you were ready to take over as CEO. I remember he looked really proud when we told him how hard you were working, but he was also sad. And he admitted that he wished he would have treated you better.”

It genuinely surprised him to hear that his father had actually said those words. A small part of him couldn’t help but doubt whether he said those things, but looking at Wei Wuxian, it seemed that he was being genuine. “I wish he had told me that to my face before he died.”

Wei Wuxian nodded his head in agreement. “I think he wanted to, but was too ashamed to face you, admitting all his wrongs.”

That sounded just like him. Jiang Fengmian had always been one to take the cowards way out. He preferred peace, but never dealt properly with the conflicts that he was faced with. Instead he would just walk away in hopes that the issues would somehow resolve themselves. That was how he had handled everything; his company, his marriage as well as his family.

After the celebration dinner had come to a close, they all loaded into their cars and went their separate ways. Wei Wuxian and Wen Qing went back with Lan Wangji to his apartment. And seeing as the two Lan brothers lived in the same building, Lan Xichen decided it would be best if he and Jiang Cheng went back to Lotus Tower for the night instead.

Jiang Cheng was exhausted after such a long day, and practically curled up against his mate as they slid into the car to head home. Thankfully his alpha didn't seem to have any such complaints about this, as he gladly reached out to pull him close, one hand wrapped around his shoulders while the other gently caressed his swollen belly.

“Do you think I'll make a good parent?” he asked curiously.

Lan Xichen craned his neck to look him in the eye. “Why would you ever doubt that?”

Jiang Cheng shrugged. “I don't exactly have the best examples. My parents treated me more like a successor than anything. I guess I'm just scared my kids will grow to resent me.”

Lan Xichen took hold of the omega's hands and placed them deliberately over the bump where their children currently resided, nestled deep inside. Sometimes Jiang Cheng thought he could feel some movements from within. Nothing too strong yet, just light flutters. The only reason he knew they were the twins' movements was because he had seen them doing flips and everything during the ultrasounds.

“Children are known to be difficult, and there will no doubt be times that they test our patience. However, having met your mother and seen first hand how she treats you, I can honestly say that the two of you are not the same. I've seen how you instinctively hold your belly whenever she is close by, as if you're trying to protect them from her. I have every faith that you will make an excellent parent. You already are.”

Jiang Cheng didn't know what to say to that. And he was pretty sure it was due to his damn pregnancy hormones, but his eyes started to fill with tears. “Fuck you, why did you have to make me so emotional?”

Lan Xichen let out a light chuckle. “I didn't mean to make you cry, but I'll gladly fuck you when we get home.”

“Deal.”