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——D I E S I R A E P A R S I V : L A C R I M O S A——
"CHEERS!" the host exclaimed to the guests, with the sound of glasses clinking and cheerful voices all around. The banquet hall was buzzing with noise and excitement as the Wens and their guests mingled and savored the food while they waited for their leader.
"Master Wen Chao!" Yao Junior shouted with excitement as he saw the man strut into the busy hall.
"Ah, Young Master Yao." Wen Chao greeted him with a handshake, "Is everything going smoothly?"
"Yes, Master Wen! All the guests loved the food. They said this banquet is one of the best ever! The hall looks stunning, and they praised the owner!" Yao Junior chuckled joyfully.
Wen Chao nodded absentmindedly while scanning the room. The hall was indeed beautifully adorned. However, something felt a bit… off.
"Why does it seem like there are more people than I initially requested?" Wen Chao inquired as he surveyed the crowd, "And… the decorations…"
"Aiya, Master Wen Chao! Some folks heard about your banquet and decided to crash the party, hoping to get something out of it, you know?" Yao Junior raised his eyebrow playfully.
"What do you mean?" Wen Chao asked.
"Aiya..." Yao Junior hesitated before rubbing his thumb and index finger together, "You know, money."
Wen Chao rolled his eyes at the idea. "Naturally, money makes the world go round. All they care about is cash. Who doesn’t?"
"Not me, that’s for sure!" Yao Junior chuckled heartily again.
"And what’s up with this walkway and that arch?" Wen Chao pointed to the center.
"Aiya, the walkway is for you, Master! And that arch is for anyone who wants to give a speech. Plus, it really enhances the whole place, don’t you think?" Yao Junior waved dismissively.
Wen Chao nodded at the explanations, "It’s a banquet for my late brother, but whatever. I hope you didn’t face any issues setting this up?" he inquired.
"Of course not! No one would dare!" Yao Junior laughed, "Our team was thorough in making sure the banquet was flawless, no one else is any the wiser!"
Wen Chao pointed a finger at the guy, a proud grin on his face, "Good. Very good. I knew hosting this banquet at your place was a great idea."
Wen Chao pulled out a stack of cash and slapped it on the slimy dude’s chest, "Here’s the remaining payment plus a tip. Enjoy yourself."
Yao Junior beamed with joy as he bowed deeply to express his gratitude, "Thank you, Master Wen Chao! Thank you!"
Wen Chao strolled over to the table where his family was seated and started toasting and digging into the food. They reminisced about their deceased relative and chatted with the crowd. Most of the guests had some odd things to say to Wen Chao that didn’t quite make sense, but he shrugged it off as the drinks began to affect him.
A few hours later, during a quiet moment of the banquet, Yao Junior dashed up on stage and stood in front of the arch, waving his arms to grab everyone’s attention.
“Attention everyone, attention!”
The Wens and all the guests turned to face the host as he flashed them a smile.
“Welcome to the banquet!” Yao Junior grinned, “I am your host for the day, Yao Junior. I would like to say on behalf of my father and everyone else involved that we appreciate every single one of you for attending the banquet.”
“We thank you for your kind words and appreciation towards the banquet and food, it is such a wonderful opportunity for us all. It took us weeks to plan it out perfectly for this moment, and to know that it is a great success is a proud moment for all of us! Please, a round of applause to everyone!”
Spattering claps thundered the hall as everyone began clapping at the host’s words. Yao Junior waved a hand once more to quiet the people.
“We do have another surprise for the banquet. We have special guests with us that will be joining us in a moment, so please, spare me your attention for the moment!”
Wen Chao and the others glanced at each other, not really knowing who the guest was or what was in store for them. Wen Chao figured it’s just one of those times where the host would do their best to entertain the Wens in return for some monetary payment, so he didn’t think much about it.
“Our guests will be joining us for the banquet to celebrate their special occasion. They hoped that it would be the event of a lifetime, one that would be the talk of the town for many years to come! Let us all give our blessings and hope that it is to your liking!” Yao Junior raised his head to look at the back end of the hall and clapped his hand twice. “And now, I humbly invite the groom to enter the hall!”
The vast difference of reaction coming from the crowd was comical. Half of them were clapping and cheering at the announcement, while the Wen’s and their acquaintances clapped reluctantly in confusion.
Groom?
Wen Chao and the others were confused. What groom? Wasn’t this supposed to be the banquet for their fallen brother? Wen Chao glared at Yao Junior before turning to the backdoors, fully intending to see who had dared to hijack the event.
The backdoors opened and there stood Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji, both brothers dressed to the nines. Lan Xichen, dressed in a navy blue mandarin collar suit with navy cloud stitches and white dress shirt, with matching colored pants and shoes. His lazy posture with his hands in his pocket made him look elegant with a touch of mischievousness as he smiled at the crowd in front of him. Lan Wangji, dressed in a grayish sky blue suit with a dragon motif, and similar colored pants by his side, a look of boredom on his face yet his eyes sharp as a knife as he scanned the area.
Decked in tasteful accessories, both brothers shine and captivate the crowd with their enticing aura. As Lan Xichen strutted down the carpeted aisle with his brother following close by, the Wens shot up to their feet, voicing out their displeasure.
“What the hell is this?”
“Lan Xichen?! Lan Wangji?!”
“How dare you?!”
Lan Xichen kept on smiling his trademark smile.
Wen Chao slammed his fist on the table, seething with rage as he watched. He turned his glare towards Yao Junior, who was still clapping at Lan Xichen’s entrance.
“Yao Jinheng! What is the meaning of this?!” He yelled out.
Yao Junior gave Wen Chao a glance of mock surprise. “What’s wrong, Master Wen? We’re celebrating, are we not?”
“Why are these bastards here?!”
Yao Junior gave Wen Chao a questioning look, “We are on Lan turf, Master Wen, of course they’d be here. And besides, it's Master Lan Xichen’s wedding. Of course, he’d definitely be here, no matter what. Without the groom, there’d be no wedding!”
“You—!”
“Oh, look who we have here?” Lan Xichen stood on the aisle, looking down at all the Wens gathered a few feet away from him. “Young Master Wen Chao, long time no see. Who would have thought that you’d put aside all differences between us and attend my wedding? How sweet.” He smiled.
“Don’t flatter yourself, Lan Xichen.” Wen Chao spat. “This is the Wen’s banquet! I paid for this hall specifically for this banquet!”
“So does that mean you paid for my wedding banquet?” Xichen gasped mockingly, “I was wondering why the host charged me so little for my wedding. Turns out that you paid for almost all of it! That’s even sweeter! What a sweetheart~”
“Fuck you! Stop your nonsense!” Wen Chao yelled out.
He turned to Yao Junior and pointed at him, “You. Explain to me! What is this?!”
Yao Junior chuckled half heartedly as he tried to look chastised, “It’s a banquet, Young Master. You asked for a banquet, I delivered.”
“I paid for this hall to be booked for the entire week! For the Wen’s banquet! I told you to get it done! Why the fuck is this guy here?!” Wen Chao screamed.
The slimy guy merely bowed half heartedly as he wrung both his hands together, “Ah, you see, you did pay for the hall. You told me to cancel their booking just for this banquet and I did! You can ask him! I cancelled it!”
“Can confirm. I was sad.” Xichen pouted.
“But then,” Yao Junior sighed out, “Aiya, Master Wen Chao… it’s like you said before! Money makes the world go round. You paid for the banquet! But then…” Yao Junior simpered, “He gave a better offer. Compared to your five hundred grand for a week, he offered 5 million for a day! And I’d be a big fool to reject such an offer, don’t you think so, Master Wen?”
Wen Chao slammed his hand on the tabletop causing most of the items on top of it to topple over and fall down to the ground, making a mess out of the area.
“You fucking bitch!”
“Yo, what a temper.” Xichen smirked, “Calm down, Young Master Wen. You’re going to give yourself a heart attack at such a young age. And I’d rather not have people die from natural causes on my wedding day. Such bad omen. My kitten wouldn’t let me live peacefully for the rest of my life if that happened.” Xichen pouted.
“You shut the fuck up, Lan.” Wen Chao sneered as he pointed at Xichen, “You think you’re clever, huh? All this is funny to you, hmm? You forget! I have all my men here in this very hall with you!”
“And I thank you for your kind consideration for letting them all attend my wedding,” Xichen bowed before wiping a non-existent tear away, “I’m so touched.”
“SHUT UP!” Wen Chao yelled once more.
Lan Wangji did nothing more but roll his eyes at the temper tantrum coming from the manchild. “Boring.”
“You pieces of shit think you’re better than us, don’t you?” Wen Chao sneered, “All of us know that the Lan’s are nothing but dirt under our shoes. You think you’re clever?”
Xichen gasped theatrically as he placed a hand on his chest, “Oh, no, Master Wen, I wouldn’t dare think so,” Xichen grinned, “I know so.”
“Of course, Gusu Lan has always been the clever ones, aren’t they?” Wen Chao sneered, “But not clever enough it seems. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have died just from a mere accident now, would they?”
Xichen’s eyes went sharp as his smile turned feral. “An accident? Is that what they called it?”
“The official report stated that they died from a freak accident. What else could it be?” Wen Chao shrugged with a look of fake innocence on his face.
“Ah yes,” Xichen drawled, “The official report that was bought by the Wen’s to state the otherwise, you mean?”
“Now, now, Lan Xichen.” Wen Chao waved a finger at him, “Do not slander us. Why would we even do that? Besides, you have no proof in regards to that.”
“The fact that the both of us witnessed the death of our parents at the hands of Wen’s is not enough proof?” Xichen said, calmly.
Xichen lay bloodied on the ground after a few rounds of hits by the Wen’s, the rain pelting down angrily against his wounds. His parents lay bloodied in a pool of blood a few metres away from him, their hands held together in a death grip.
Stabbed. Beaten. Broken.
“Father…” He wheezed, “Mother…”
His tears fell down to the ground, becoming one with the rain as his grief for the loss of his parents shot through him. The sound of the Wen’s laughing and cheering each other echoed through the air as the gurgling noise from his lungs permeated through his own body, his own cries muted by the noise around him.
A teenage Wen Chao strutted up to Lan Xichen with a haughty look on his face as he sneered down at his beaten rival. Xichen painfully turned to see his own younger brother’s motionless body being strewn up by the arms against a wooden pillar, blood staining his shirt and face, unconscious from all the abuse. Blood dripped down his feet, pooling below him like a pig ready to be slaughtered, slowly.
“I won’t let you… get away…” Xichen wheezes through gritted teeth as he glares up at Wen Chao.
“Yo, he’s still alive?” Wen Chao jeered, “Looks like we didn’t do a proper job of breaking this son of bitch.”
Wen Chao then raised his feet and began stomping down on Xichen’s body, breaking his ribs even more, puncturing his lungs once again. Xichen couldn’t even yell from all the blood flooding through his throat, from the pain that was seizing his entire body.
His body was weak from fatigue and from the amount of torture he had gone through for days, yet his mind was clear. Clear enough to suffer through the pain. Clear enough to survive the ordeal.
Clear enough to become crazed with revenge.
“Apparently not, since the official report doesn’t state that, did it?” Wen Chao grinned.
“Hmm,” Xichen hummed, “What a shame. If you had changed your answer, today’s outcome would have been different.”
“Whatever you have to say to us doesn’t matter, you crazy madman.” Wen Chao pointed to Lan Xichen, “To think you have the gall to hijack my banquet just for your so-called ‘wedding’. Are you that cheap, Lan Xichen?”
“Cheap? No, not really. My spouse likes to call it ‘thrifty’.” Xichen grinned.
“To think that someone would even want to marry you.” Wen Chao pointed to Xichen, “You, the crazy Tyrant of Gusu,” He then pointed to Lan Wangji, “And you, Second Lan, the useless freak with no expression.”
They all ignored a familiar muffled yell coming from the back area of the hall, followed by the sound of someone struggling.
“It’s more of a resting bitch face, actually.” Lan Xichen turned to his brother to analyze his face, “He was born with it. And I do have to thank you for that title, Master Wen. If it weren't for you, I wouldn’t be this way.” Xichen’s feral grin was menacing to the core.
“You’re giving me credit for what you’ve become?” Wen Chao laughed, “You are indeed crazy, Lan Xichen.”
“I do my best,” Lan Xichen bowed slightly.
“I wonder who would even dare to marry you, the Tyrant of Gusu. Someone with the brain capacity of a child, maybe? Or did you kidnap someone and force them to marry you?” Wen Chao laughed.
“Well, I offered, they accepted.” Xichen shrugged, “It’s more to the extent of them kidnapping my heart and soul.” Xichen smiled with his eyes closed.
“I don’t believe you,” Wen Chao scoffed. “No woman in their right mind would want to marry you, Lan Xichen, let alone willingly.”
“A woman wouldn’t, but I would.” A voice called out.
They all turned to see Jiang Cheng walking towards them on stage with Wei Wuxian behind him.
Jiang Cheng had a deep wine colored ming jacket suit with dark slacks paired with brown leather shoes, his hair tied up in an elegant high ponytail with a few wisps of hair framing his face. Wei Wuxian had a black ming jacket with red motifs, black slacks and a fan in hand, his hair tied in a similar fashion.
Wei Wuxian had a mischievous grin on his face, a stark difference to the thunderous look on Jiang Cheng’s. Both of them stood in front of the arch on stage, a few feet away from where Lan’s and the Wen’s were standing.
“My kitten!” Xichen called out sweetly.
“And who the fuck are you?” Wen Chao spat.
“I just called him my kitten, you dumb ox. How stupid can you be?” Xichen rolled his eyes at Wen Chao.
“That is a question all of us have right now, I think.” Wei Wuxian replied.
Wen Chao glanced at the two men on stage and then back at the Lan’s. He noticed the outfit they were wearing and had a moment of clarity. “A man,” Wen Chao huffed, “You are marrying a man?”
“I am marrying a kitten,” Xichen corrected, “A kitten with claws, mind you.”
“Fuck you, Lan Xichen.” Jiang Cheng retorted.
“Aw, I love you too~” Xichen’s body swayed from side to side.
“This is ridiculous,” Wen Chao turned to his fellow men and began to laugh, “This is a fucking joke! The Lan’s have gone crazy! Men marrying each other?! This is outrageous!”
Wen Chao swirled back to point at Lan Xichen with anger, “You hijacked our banquet just for this stupid facade of a wedding?! You dare to insult my brother’s death with this joke?!”
“I dare to do more than just getting married actually. A bed would have been involved, settled right here, in the middle of the hall, but my kitten forbade me from doing so,” Xichen pouted at Jiang Cheng with his hands both in his pockets, “It would have been more… pleasurable.”
“Say something disgusting one more time and I will end you, Lan Xichen.” Jiang Cheng growled.
A jolt of lightning ran down Xichen’s spine as he shivered from the threat. “My love, don’t tempt me.”
Jiang Cheng’s slit eyes glaring down at Lan Xichen did nothing to tamp down his excitement. Lan Xichen turned to Wen Chao with an adoring look on his face. “Isn’t he beautiful?”
“He’s pathetic, that’s what he is,” Wen Chao spat, totally missing the glare coming from Lan Xichen. “To even want to marry a man, let alone the crazy tyrant. Whoever you are, you’re a fool.”
“Whoever I am?” Jiang Cheng's questioning tone was taut, “You don’t remember me, do you?”
“Should I even remember someone insignificant as you?” Wen Chao retorted.
“After you caused the death of our sister, and your father caused the deaths of our parents,” Jiang Cheng spat, “You should.”
Wen Chao began laughing again as he looked around the hall, “What is this? A banquet for orphans? How many others have we made orphans, raise your hand.”
“Preferably you, by the end of this event,” Xichen said as he scuffed his shoe on the carpeted aisle, “But, we’d rather have it all wiped out.” He smiled at Wen Chao once more.
“Bull shit.” Wen Chao spat, “You can do nothing by the end of this event, you bastard.”
“I believe my parents were in a loving marriage before they had me, so…” Xichen shrugged, “Not that I can say with confidence that your parents were when they had you.”
“You—” Wen Chao stomped angrily towards Lan Xichen, glaring up at him.
“Know your place, Wen Chao.” Lan Xichen warned as he stared down his nose at Wen Chao, “For you are looking up at me, and I, down at you.”
“And is that supposed to scare me?” Wen Chao snarled.
“That is a warning to you, Master Wen.” Lan Xichen’s voice went soft as he continued to stare down Wen Chao, his hands never moving from his pockets.
“You forget,” Wen Chao smirked, “My men are all over the place.”
“And once more, I thank you for gathering them in one place.” Xichen taunted with a smile. “Makes it easier for us.”
“You don’t scare me, Lan Xichen,” Wen Chao scowled. “Not back then, not even now.”
“Back then I was merely a teenager with no knowledge of how cruel or bloodthirsty the world was,” Xichen rolled his neck with such casual ease that one would think he was talking about getting groceries from the store, “Back then I was nothing but a pure soul, but after that ordeal, after what you’ve done to me? Nothing about me is pure anymore.” Xichen seethed, “Now? The only thing pure about me would be my love for my kitten and my family, I guess?”
“You Lans couldn’t even touch us back then, let alone now. What makes you think you’re worth being feared of?” Wen Chao smiled.
“Hmm,” Xichen tilted his head to the side as he pondered for a moment, “This banquet was held in memory of your fallen brothers, is it not?” Xichen grinned, “Who do you think made them fall?”
Wen Chao’s smile slid off his face. “You? You killed them?”
“Oh no, not only I. No, I can’t really take credit for all of that, really.” Xichen directed a hand to Jiang Cheng with a smile, “My kitten helped. And so did a few of my fellow brothers, of course. Such a shame, really. They all died so quickly. Would have loved to have them suffer longer than a few minutes.”
“You! —” Wen Chao rushed up the aisle to lunge at Lan Xichen only to be kicked in the chest by Lan Wangji. Wen Chao flew backward, hitting the hard floor hard due to the force of the kick.
Lan Wangji took his position, standing guard in front of Xichen, defending him as Xichen looked down at Wen Chao with a proud grin. Back then, Lan Wangji was angry with himself for losing consciousness, unable to protect his brother, leaving him to suffer and lose his sanity from the abuse he endured at the hands of the Wens.
But now, things are different. He’s doing better. He can protect the people he cares for.
The other Wens and their friends quickly reached for their weapons, drawing them and aiming them at the twin jades. They yelled and cursed at the two men for kicking their esteemed leader.
Xichen merely gave them a disinterested glance. “Guns. How primitive. I prefer to use… the old-fashioned way.”
All of a sudden, the Wens and their companions began to cough and struggle with their weapons. They held their stomachs as they started retching and throwing up blood, spitting it onto the floor and sinking to their knees.
Wen Chao’s expression twisted in fear as he witnessed his brothers collapsing one after another, blood seeping from their mouths and noses. He didn’t have a moment to react before his own body began to fail him, his blood boiling under his skin. The instant he rolled over to rise to his knees, his stomach churned. He could feel something surge up his esophagus and throat, and before long, he was also coughing and vomiting blood.
“If it’s a feast that you want, it’s a feast you shall have.” Lan Xichen drawled.
“Should have done our vows before all this filth happened.” Jiang Cheng said with a sneer.
Lan Xichen’s demeanor did a whole 360 change as he turned to smile giddily at his future spouse. “We can do it now!”
Lan Xichen turned to the hall and snapped his fingers, “My friends, if you’d be so kind?” He said before rushing up to stand in front of Jiang Cheng by the arch, taking both Jiang Cheng’s hands in his own and swaying them side to side.
Members of the Lan family that were hidden between the crowd rushed up to all the fallen Wens and forced them onto their knees, gripping their hairs to make them face the two men. Xichen raised a brow at Yao Junior, who was trembling at the sight of the Wen’s.
“Young Master Yao? Your place?”
Yao Junior rushed to stand by the two men and began fumbling with his words.
“Dear… guests and family members… Welcome to— to the wedding of both… Lan Xichen and Jiang Wanyin.” Yao Junior wiped his forehead with the sleeve of his arms, “We are gathered here today… to witness the—”
The sound of retching and blood splatter interrupted the speech, making Yao Junior freeze in fear. Jiang Cheng’s face grimaced in disgust as he glared at the one who had interrupted them.
“Would you be so kind as to skip all of that and move forward to the vows, please? I believe we’ve not really followed the usual tradition, anyways. My kitten is impatient as it is.” Lan Xichen said nonchalantly.
“O– okay, sure. Uh…” Yao Junior fumbled as he took a glance at the two men in front of him, “Do you have… do you have anything to say to each other, please do so.”
“I do, I have something to say. Kitten,” Xichen started softly, “My saviour, my love. From the moment I first saw you, from the moment I first heard your voice, the noise in my head disappeared, my mind felt at ease for the first time in my entire life. My heart trembled, not in fear, but in appreciation after so long.” Xichen gazed lovingly into Jiang Cheng’s eyes, “You threatened me, you told me that I should live, and if I were to die, you would bring me back to life and murder me.
Xichen smiled as Jiang Cheng scoffed playfully at him.
“You threatened me, but I didn’t feel insulted. Instead, I felt relieved. I’m happy that I stole your ring,” Xichen teased, “Because if I didn’t, I wouldn’t be able to see you again. I wouldn’t be able to tell you how thankful I am for you. I wouldn’t be able to love you, cherish you,” Xichen’s eyes darkened a tad, “Keep you with me, by my side, in my bed. Worship you like the Goddess you are.”
“I am a man, Lan Xichen.” Jiang Cheng growled.
“Still a Goddess to me.” Xichen winked, “Thank you, my love. Thank you… for saving me, for being patient with me.” His hands grip a little tighter, “For loving me. I love you, Wanyin. Will you take me as your husband?”
Jiang Cheng smiled at the heartfelt speech. To listen to a man who everyone fears, make such a heartwarming speech was touching. Jiang Cheng cupped a hand on Xichen’s cheeks and nodded.
“I d—”
A loud gagging sound erupted nearby, cutting through their conversation again. Xichen's expression twisted into one of sheer rage as he glared at the crowd. "Can someone please SHUT THAT BASTARD UP!"
Out of nowhere, Nie Mingjue appeared, approached the retching Wen, one of Wen Chao's siblings, and effortlessly snapped his neck. He tossed the lifeless body to the ground and stood there with his arms crossed, as if it was just another ordinary day. Wen Chao's eyes widened in shock as he stared at the corpse of his brother lying just a few meters away.
“Brother…” He whispered.
Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes again before looking at the guy in front of him. He firmly turned Xichen’s face away from the crowd and back to himself, noticing his expression shift from anger to admiration. "Pay attention to me."
“Always, my love.”
“A-Huan, when I met you in that hotel room to get my ring back, when you made that ridiculous offer to me, I was disgusted.” Jiang Cheng started.
Xichen pouted sadly as the acquaintances nearby chuckled softly.
“How could a man like you make such a vile offer to me. All I wanted was my ring back.” Jiang Cheng then smiled softly, “Do you know when my impression of you changed?”
Xichen shook his head as the smile on his face never faltered. With his own hand, he covered Jiang Cheng's hand gently and kissed the palm of it. “No. When did it change?”
“I figured it was something precious, albeit cheap looking. I could see that it was handmade, with imperfections.”
“And, that’s it? What about the offer for revenge? Do I not get any just because I’m not interested in men?”
“You’ll get it. Granted it’s a wasted opportunity for me since you’re not interested in men. That means marriage is out of the question then.”
“I’m sad. You’re quite beautiful, you know?”
“When you took out the ring from underneath your shirt. You said that it seemed precious, even though it looked cheap. You protected that ring without knowing what it meant to me. You kept it close to your heart.”
Jiang Cheng took a deep breath before releasing it, “You complimented me, praised me, and it didn’t make me feel disgusted. You made me feel seen. Made me feel wanted. That was when I thought to myself, maybe… just maybe… you would be the one that was different. That would change my life. That would change me.”
“That’s when you accepted my offer,” Xichen replied softly.
“Yes, that was when I accepted you.” Jiang Cheng agreed.
Jiang Cheng took hold of Xichen’s hands once more, ignoring the groans of the Wen’s from around them as they departed one by one.
“I do take you, Lan Xichen, as my husband. Till the end, till death do us part. Will you take me, Jiang Wanyin, as yours?” Jiang Cheng asked.
Xichen’s eyes filled with tears as he smiled genuinely for the first time. “I do.”
"Will the person holding the rings please come forward?" Yao Junior called out.
Jin Guangyao stepped onto the stage, carrying a pillow that held two rings. Jiang Cheng took Xichen’s ring, a slightly different version of his own resin ring, which had deep black with blue swirls instead of the usual purple, and placed it on Xichen’s wedding finger.
Xichen then took Jiang Cheng’s ring, which he had custom designed to match Jiang Yanli’s but with a few diamonds embedded in it, and slid it onto Jiang Cheng’s finger. They both smiled at each other, feeling a rush of love and relief.
"With the authority given to me… and in front of everyone here, I now declare you married! You may kiss… each other, I suppose?" Yao Junior chuckled.
Xichen’s leap towards Jiang Cheng was expected as he delivered the most passionate kiss he could muster for his husband. The crowd erupted in applause and cheers for the couple, drowning out the ominous sounds around them.
Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian were the loudest in their applause, with Wei Wuxian whistling and cheering for the two. After so many years, Lan Wangji felt joy seeing his brother so happy, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. His brother, his protector, the one he loves, was finally content. Wei Wuxian beamed at his partner, thrilled to see him express his feelings, and pulled him into a tight embrace.
At the back of the hall, Lan Qiren wiped away tears as he watched Xichen finally find his place. The weight he had carried for so long lifted as he recalled the promise he made to his brother before he passed. To protect Xichen, to allow him to move forward and discover his own joy. "At last," he mused, "I’ve kept my promise to you. I hope I did right by you, brother."
Amidst the cheers and loud clapping, Wen Chao looked on in despair as he watched his family and friends gradually give in to the poison. He shook his head in disbelief, his eyes wide with terror as blood trickled from his mouth.
"This can’t be happening. It’s absurd," he murmured, "This is stupid. THIS IS RIDICULOUS!!" he shouted.
Xichen and Jiang Cheng separated slightly but stayed close, their lips just a centimeter apart, grinning with joy at being near each other. They then glanced down at Wen Chao, smirking at him.
"Wow, he’s still alive?" Xichen remarked, venom dripping from his tone. "Looks like we didn’t finish the job right."
Xichen pulled Jiang Cheng in closer by the waist to whisper in his ear, "I believe you had some plans for him? He’s all yours, darling."
Jiang Cheng shot Xichen a grateful glance before shifting his attention to Wen Chao. The onlookers were buzzing with excitement as Jiang Cheng confidently walked off the stage and approached Wen Chao, who was being held back forcefully by the Lan guards.
"You bastard," Wen Chao spat at Jiang Cheng, "You filth. Go rot in hell, you fucking piece of—"
Wen Chao's tirade was cut short by a sharp slap across his face, the diamonds on Jiang Cheng's ring tearing into his skin. Wen Chao cried out in agony, which made Jiang Cheng smirk.
"You fucker!" Wen Chao shouted again.
Jiang Cheng shook his hand, feeling the impact of the slap reverberate through his arm, making him wince slightly. Xichen, noticing this, gasped and hurried down to gently grasp his beloved's arms.
"You’re hurt!" He said softly to Jiang Cheng, gently patting his hand, then turned to Wen Chao with anger, "You hurt him!"
Xichen began to stomp on Wen Chao’s chest and ribs, delivering blow after blow to the fallen man, disregarding the cracks and screams coming from him. "How could you hurt him!"
Blood gushed from Wen Chao, splattering everywhere and onto Xichen’s pants.
Jiang Cheng quickly yanked Xichen back by the arm, clicking his tongue at him. "Cut it out. We have dinner plans after this. Don’t want to show up with his filth on you."
"It’s fine," Xichen replied, running his fingers through his hair to fix it before facing Jiang Cheng, "I can change my clothes whenever."
Xichen flashed a cheeky grin as he leaned in closer to Jiang Cheng, "It’d be even better if I had someone to help me out of these clothes. Preferably, my husband?"
Jiang Cheng's sultry smile drew Xichen in, "Behave. I’ll take care of that tonight."
Xichen let out a soft coo as he leaned in closer to Jiang Cheng, playfully biting his neck. He planted a few kisses and nibbles on the skin, marking his husband as he always did, completely ignoring the onlookers witnessing their public display of affection.
Wen Chao groaned from the ground, struggling to rise from where he was sprawled. "You’ll… never get away… with this."
Xichen stopped his playful biting to shoot a glare at Wen Chao. "Oh? But the official report said the Wens died in a freak accident. Didn’t it?"
Wen Chao went still, processing Lan Xichen’s words.
"It’s a real shame that the Wens, consumed by greed and sorrow, chose to turn on each other," Xichen remarked casually, stepping closer to Wen Chao. He crouched down near Wen Chao’s face, grinning widely as he did, "Isn’t that right?"
As Xichen did his thing, Jiang Cheng strolled over to a nearby table and grabbed a full bottle of alcohol, the same one Wen Chao had ordered a few hours earlier for them to enjoy. He popped the cork and turned back to Wen Chao, bottle in hand.
“One would think that the Wen’s would be clever enough to avoid gathering in one place after the deaths of so many of their own,” Xichen drawled as he gazed impassionately at Wen Chao. “Fortunately for us, I like to thank you for being that stupid.”
He stood up and took a few steps back, giving Jiang Cheng the room he needed to step up and pour the whole bottle of alcohol over Wen Chao. Wen Chao screamed as he tried to escape the burning sensation of the alcohol on the bloody wound on his face from the ring.
Jiang Cheng paid no mind to Wen Chao's screams and finished off the entire bottle before smashing it down on Wen Chao’s head. Shards of glass scattered everywhere, slicing Wen Chao's face and hands. Xichen reached out for Jiang Cheng, pulling him away from the mess while soothing him.
“Did the glass get you?” Xichen cooed.
"Nope, it’s all on him. I’m good." Jiang Cheng reassured Xichen with a gentle pat on his hand.
"Good, good," Xichen grinned, "Shall we continue?"
Jiang Cheng nodded. Xichen then gestured to Jin Guangyao, signaling him to let the crowd go. Jin Guangyao caught the signal and turned to face the eager crowd.
“Thank you all for attending the wedding of Lan Xichen and Jiang Wanyin. We have prepared a more acceptable dinner spread at the hotel nearby, where you can leave your gifts and well wishes for the loving couple. You may now join our lovely newlyweds for cocktail hour, followed by dinner. Please, make your way out, and thank you once more.” Jin Guangyao announced in a clear voice.
Family and friends of the Lan family exited the hall in an organized fashion, chatting and boasting about witnessing the fall of the Wen family, a once-in-a-lifetime event for them. Lan Qiren glanced at Xichen and nodded before joining the others, leaving just a few guards behind.
Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji, Jin Guangyao, Nie Mingjue, and a couple of guards started grabbing bottles of alcohol from the tables and splashing it over the remaining Wens, both dead and alive. Wei Wuxian was having a blast, laughing and dancing around while pouring the liquor everywhere, with Lan Wangji watching him with a loving gaze.
Jiang Cheng twisted the ring on his finger so the diamond faced outward and then slapped Wen Chao across the face again, making the cut worse. Xichen clicked his tongue and grabbed Jiang Cheng’s hand again, giving it a comforting pat.
“Don’t hurt yourself, my love. These lovely hands…”
“The pain is worth it,” Jiang Cheng shot back.
"I understand, kitten, but that's enough. Here," Xichen retrieved a lighter he had been toying with in his pockets and handed it to Jiang Cheng, "Shall we finish this, darling?"
Jiang Cheng, his eyes fixed on Wen Chao without wavering, accepted the lighter from Xichen and flicked it open. Wen Chao's eyes widened in fear as he followed the flame.
"What are you planning to do? You can't do this. You won't get away with it! My father—"
"Your father is in the hospital right now for a routine check-up, isn't he?" Xichen interjected, "It's a shame that such a routine procedure could go terribly wrong in a flash. Well, that's what the official report claims." He smirked.
Wen Chao was in a state of panic. He had never been in a situation where he felt so vulnerable and defeated. He was always the one taking lives, not the one in danger. Now, as he gasped for air, trying to devise a plan to escape, he felt the panic rise.
"Lan Xichen, Master Lan, please… have mercy on me." He pleaded.
Lan Xichen raised an eyebrow slightly as he tilted his head, "Oh?"
"Please spare me… I’ll leave the country! I’ll vanish from here, I promise! I won’t trouble you again! Spare me!" Wen Chao cried out, his mouth bloodied.
"Spare you?" Xichen grinned, "Why would I do that?"
Before Wen Chao could utter another word, he started to cough up more blood onto the ground. The poison was finally taking effect. Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes at the situation and grabbed Xichen’s arms, pulling him away from the chaos.
"Let’s go, we’ll miss dinner and I’ll get grumpy again," he remarked.
"Oh dear, yes, we wouldn’t want that. Not on my wedding night," Xichen joked.
"You say that like you’ve been a saint for tonight," Jiang Cheng retorted, "We both know you’re anything but, Lan Xichen."
"But it’s our wedding night," Xichen complained, "We only get one wedding night in our lives."
"Pervert," Jiang Cheng shot back with a laugh.
"Seductress," Xichen grinned in response.
As they made their way to join the other guests for dinner, Jiang Cheng casually tossed the lighter over his shoulder, not bothering to check where it fell. The small flame landed on the alcohol-soaked floor and instantly ignited, catching the hem of Wen Chao’s alcohol-soaked pants.
Wen Chao screamed.
The Lan family strolled out of the hall, completely ignoring the chaos and screams of terror coming from the Wen family behind them. They stepped outside and closed the door, taking a deep breath of the fresh air, while the darkness loomed behind them.
"Finally," Wei Wuxian let out, "Lan Zhan! Let’s go! I really want to try that mala soup the hotel is serving. I saw it on the menu the other day and it looked delicious, come on!" Wei Wuxian kept chatting as he pulled a reluctant Lan Wangji towards the hotel.
"Emergency teams on their way?" Xichen asked Nie Mingjue.
"They’ll be here in five minutes," Nie Mingjue replied.
"Delay them by ten. Let it burn a little longer," Xichen instructed. “And what about the insurance company?"
"It's been taken care of and they'll be compensating the hall shortly," Jin Guangyao chimed in.
“Good,” Xichen grinned and then offered his elbow to his partner, "Shall we?"
Jiang Cheng placed his arm over the elbow and nodded, "We shall."
As Nie Mingjue and Jin Guangyao handled the necessary cleanup, Xichen and Jiang Cheng made their way to the hotel in a relaxed manner.
"Finally married," Xichen chuckled, "I must say, you always find a way to catch me off guard, my love."
"How so?" Jiang Cheng inquired.
"Well," Xichen hesitated, "I honestly didn’t think you’d say yes to my marriage proposal back when you came to pick up your ring."
"Really?" Jiang Cheng frowned, "But you were the one who proposed and you gave such a convincing speech about needing my spark, my fire for your inspiration, and all that nonsense."
"Do you even know who I am?" Xichen exclaimed, "I’m the crazy tyrant, or whatever they call me. I’m just used to rambling nonsense on and on."
Jiang Cheng came to a stop, making Xichen pause as well. His frown made Xichen anxious, "So you don’t think I’m interesting? You don’t see my beauty, my eyes, my voice—"
"No, I do!" Xichen reassured Jiang Cheng by pulling him close around the waist. "I think all of that is amazing, I love it. But honestly, I didn’t think you’d say yes to my marriage proposal. I mean, I even suggested we sleep together before that, and your reaction was so enticing that I wanted more, so it’s understandable I was caught off guard. I figured you’d turn me down no matter what."
Jiang Cheng’s frown transformed into a gentle smile as he wrapped his arms around Xichen’s neck, their eyes locking for a brief moment. "You had nothing to fear, Lan Xichen." Jiang Cheng leaned in and kissed Xichen softly, "You had me at revenge."
-- T H E E N D --