a compromising position
by verity

a compromising position

verity

Summary

The hot springs were deep enough here that the water lapped at Lan Jingyi's thighs. He couldn't see much of the man in front of him except that his hair was tied up and he'd been taller than Lan Jingyi before he got on his knees. To suck Lan Jingyi's dick. Because Lan Jingyi was having anonymous sex in the gay hot springs in Qinghe and getting his dick sucked by a stranger.

Notes

Chapter One

Lan Jingyi bit his bottom lip and tried not to nut like this was the very first time he'd ever had someone breathe hotly onto his dick.

Okay... it was the first time.

But he could stay cool! He was capable of being cool!

The hot springs were deep enough here that the water lapped at his thighs. Lan Jingyi couldn't see much of the man in front of him except that his hair was tied up and he'd been taller than Lan Jingyi before he got on his knees. To suck Lan Jingyi's dick. Because Lan Jingyi was having anonymous sex in the gay hot springs in Qinghe and getting his dick sucked by a stranger.

Anxiety suffused Lan Jingyi. It made his boner harder.

The man kneeling in the water took Lan Jingyi into his mouth. His tongue wrapped around Lan Jingyi's dick and Lan Jingyi's knees wobbled. Holy shit. People were not joking about this sex stuff.

Lan Jingyi reached out for something to steady himself and oops, his hand was on the guy's head, fingers scraping over his ear. The man moaned around his dick and his mouth was warm and slick and oh no, oh no, Lan Jingyi was not able to handle this. He was gonna—his hand gripped the man's bun—he was gonna lose it, oh shit, he was—

He came so hard that his core vibrated with the intensity.

The man had to grab Lan Jingyi by the thighs so he didn't knock them both into the water. Lan Jingyi was suddenly very sleepy, which he should have thought about before he snuck out of the Lan guest quarters at 4am to get a blowjob in the hot springs. Also, his dick was still in the man's mouth, which felt both really nice and very confusing. How was Lan Jingyi supposed to get it out? What was the etiquette for this?

A familiar voice said, quite cheerfully, "Good morning, Jingyi!"

For a moment, Lan Jingyi thought with great horror that he'd just gotten blown by the First Jade of Lan. Then he remembered where his dick was.

"Um," Lan Jingyi said.

Three things happened next:

The sun peeked over the horizon.

Zewu-Jun stepped into full view.

The man who had Lan Jingyi's dick in mouth finally released it, a long trail of spit tying them together, and Lan Jingyi saw his face in clear light for the first time. He was Sect Leader Jiang.

Lan Jingyi immediately fell backward into the water. He would have brained his head on a rock had Sect Leader Jiang not caught him with a hand behind his back, the other still gripping his thigh. Hot, sulphurous water splashed up Lan Jingyi's nose, but at least his dick was now out of view.

Lan Xichen was fully dressed except for his boots, which he was holding in one hand. His mouth opened in surprise.

"Zewu-Jun," Lan Jingyi gasped. "I can explain!" He could not explain. "We're—we're—in a relationship!"

A long pause stretched between the three of them.

Sect Leader Jiang cleared his throat. "We are courting," he said angrily.

"Oh," Zewu-Jun said. "I see. Have you—you must have discussed this with Wangji."

Lan Jingyi didn't want to think about Hanguang-Jun at a time like this. He wanted to take a nap, or perhaps drown very aesthetically, in his prime, in a way that prevented him from ever having to process the fact that he had just had sex with Jin Ling's uncle.

"Why would I discuss anything with him?" Sect Leader Jiang said. He was still holding Lan Jingyi beneath the water, hand splayed over Lan Jingyi's back. He had big hands. How big was his dick? How was Lan Jingyi still thinking about that at a time like this?

Zewu-Jun's face smoothed ominously into his usual pleasant countenance.

Now there was no way Lan Jingyi could admit to violating at least twenty rules, including his sleeping hours, to have anonymous sex while at the discussion conference. He had to make this look real. "We didn't want to tell anyone until—" He swallowed. "Until it was serious."

"So Sandu Shengshou intends to ask for Jingyi's hand," Zewu-Jun said.

Lan Jingyi looked at Sect Leader Jiang in alarm. Sect Leader Jiang looked back at him, expression unreadable. "Yes," he said.

The walk back through the hills was longer in the daylight with Jingyi's inner robes damp and all of him smelling like rotten eggs. Sect Leader Jiang trailed behind him with his usual vaguely menacing aura. Zewu-Jun had stayed behind to soak his feet, like that was totally fine to do in the pond where he'd just seen Lan Jingyi's dick in Sect Leader Jiang's mouth.

"Sect Leader Jiang," Lan Jingyi said. "That..."

What was he supposed to say? He was twenty and a senior disciple; he wasn't too young to get married, but marriage wasn't on his mind when he snuck out to go to the cut-sleeve hot springs he'd heard about from Ouyang Zizhen. Lan Jingyi was trying to figure out exactly what he was into. Meanwhile, Sect Leader Jiang was notorious for turning down marriage offers from other sects and notable families with charming and eligible daughters.

Well... maybe that made sense, after all.

"I'm not getting into a conflict at a discussion conference because I besmirched a Lan's honor," Sect Leader Jiang said. "Do you have a better solution?"

The morning air grew more chill the further they ventured from the springs. Lan Jingyi shivered. "No," he admitted.

Sect Leader Jiang sighed. "This was foolish."

"Do you—" Lan Jingyi grasped for a conversational thread. "Do you come here often?"

"Never."

"Oh," Lan Jingyi said. "This was my first time, too."

A tense silence filled the air. "Fuck," said Sect Leader Jiang.

By the time he got back to the room he was sharing with Lan Sizhui, it was nearly time for breakfast. If Lan Jingyi was lucky, he'd be able to wash off the smell of the hot spring in solitude, and possibly also travel backward through time and redo the past shichen of his life.

Lan Jingyi was not lucky.

"Where were you?" Lan Sizhui said. He narrowed his eyes. "Where's your forehead ribbon?"

Lan Jingyi froze, then fumbled for his qiankun pouch. Please, please—oh, thank goodness. "Here. I forgot to put it back on, after..." Lan Sizhui gave him an earnest, kind look, the sort that Lan Jingyi feared more than Master Lan's wrath. He cracked immediately. "I went to the hot springs for cut-sleeves that Ouyang Zizhen told us about and now I'm engaged to Sect Leader Jiang."

"That does sound like something that would happen to you," Lan Sizhui said after a moment.

Lan Jingyi swallowed. "Sect Leader Jiang..." He was torn between offering up the truth and not traumatizing Lan Sizhui any further.

"Did he do something?" Lan Sizhui said in the very precise way that reminded the listener he was Hanguang-Jun's son.

"No," Lan Jingyi said. "I mean, yes, and I also—Zewu-Jun saw us! Why was Zewu-Jun there?"

Lan Sizhui frowned. "You don't have to get married to Sect Leader Jiang." Oh no, now Lan Sizhui definitely thought Sect Leader Jiang had taken advantage of him.

"Sect Leader Jiang sucked my dick," Lan Jingyi hissed. "It was great."

They stared at each other, equally embarrassed.

Lan Jingyi dropped his eyes first. "Also, the hot springs smell like resentful energy and I got some water up my nose."

While this was the first time Lan Jingyi had ended up in this type of hot water, it was hardly the first scrape Lan Sizhui had helped bail him out of. Together, they hauled in enough bathwater to fill the tub. Lan Sizhui went to get them breakfast while Lan Jingyi washed up. God, the scent clung to everything, even his hair. Sect Leader Jiang had the right idea putting his hair up. Lan Jingyi wanted to put his hands in—

Lan Jingyi shuddered as he scrubbed his skin. Nope! No more of this! He had to pull himself together.

He had just enough reprieve to get himself out of the bath and dressed in his inner robes before the door to the room slammed open. "JINGYI," said the intruder. "WHAT THE fUCK."

"Ah," Lan Jingyi said weakly. "Jin Ling."

Jin Ling clenched his fists so hard that his knuckles went white. He looked like he was about to cry. They met each other's eyes nervously across the room. "Jiujiu said that you're—" His voice cracked. "Getting married?"

"What, he's telling people?!"

Jin Ling paled.

"You didn't miss anything! This just happened!"

"Jiujiu said he'd been courting you, and now he and Zewu-Jun are working out the terms of your engagement," Jin Ling said. "How did that just happen?"

"I don't think you're going to like the answer to this," Lan Jingyi said, and explained.

While his mouth was rambling through the least explicit version of this morning he could muster, Lan Jingyi was rapidly cycling through disbelief and terror. Would Zewu-Jun really marry him off just like that? If there were some secret Lan covenant specifically against semi-public blowjobs, Hanguang-Jun and Senior Wei would already have been banned from the Cloud Recesses instead of gently encouraged to go on as many night hunts as they pleased. Surely there was something here he was missing.

Jin Ling's mouth was set. "So you really— with jiujiu—-"

"It was dark!" Lan Jingyi said. "I wanted to see if I liked it!"

They hadn't exchanged much conversation. Sect Leader Jiang had said, Hello, and Lan Jingyi had said, Um, are you interested in sucking my dick and wow! It turned out that Sect Leader Jiang was! Except then they had only been two bodies under the new moon with the steam of the springs rising around them, like something out of a dream—and then something out of a spring dream. Remembering it made Lan Jingyi's cheeks hot.

Jin Ling squinted at him. "What are you going to do about this?"

"I don't know." Lan Jingyi's shoulders slumped. "I haven't even eaten breakfast."

"Me either," Jin Ling admitted, deflating.

Fortunately, Lan Sizhui brought back enough food for all three of them. They ate together silently, in a manner if not an attitude pleasing to the Lan ancestors. The congee was blander than chewing a sheet of paper. Had the cooks even salted it?

"We'll figure this out," Lan Sizhui said. "Hanguang-Jun and Senior Wei will know what to do."

Lan Jingyi dropped his spoon into his bowl and congee splattered over his hand. "No! No, we can't tell them. No one else can know what actually happened. I'll die!"

"It's pretty embarrassing," Jin Ling agreed.

"What if the entire cultivation world gets into a fight over my honor?"

Okay, maybe Lan Jingyi was being a little dramatic, but—still! The balance of power hadn't really settled since Senior Wei came back from the dead. Jin Ling was still figuring out how to lead a sect, Zewu-Jun had only just come out of seclusion, and Sect Leader Nie was taking way too much enjoyment in playing host for once. Lan Jingyi didn't exactly have a head for politics. If he did, he probably wouldn't have gotten into this situation at all.

Lan Sizhui sighed. "Jingyi, that's not going to happen."

"I will fight," Jin Ling said tremulously.

"For who?" Lan Jingyi said. "No way. We're not doing this."

The first day of the discussion conference was held inside the cool halls of the Unclean Realm. For once, Lan Jingyi's heavy formal robes came in handy. He couldn't help but glance at the leaders of the major sects at their respective tables. Zewu-Jun was smiling, Jin Ling was barely restraining a scowl, and Sect Leader Nie was bright-eyed over his fan. Sect Leader Jiang looked exactly like he usually did: grumpy, immaculately dressed, and ready to murder someone. Zidian glistened on his finger. Had he been wearing it in the hot springs when he was holding Lan Jingyi up by the thighs?

Lan Jingyi dragged his eyes away to stare at the back of Senior Wei's head; he was leaning against Hanguang-Jun and lightly snoring. Was this what the rest of Lan Jingyi's life was going to be like, now that another person had touched his dick? Even hornier than when he was a teenager? For the first time, Lan Jingyi seriously considered the virtues of meditation.

"Let us commence the day," Sect Leader Nie said, his voice ringing in the hall. "What is the first order of business?"

Please, please, let it be something normal. Something Senior Wei could sleep through.

Sect Leader Jiang rose to his feet. "I have a matter to address with Sect Leader Lan."

Lan Jingyi closed his eyes.

"Yunmeng Jiang has a proposal for Gusu Lan."

The knowledge of what was to come sunk into Lan Jingyi's chest like a lead weight. He opened his eyes again to see Sect Leader Nie's gaze settle on Zewu-Jun. Did he already know?

"Gusu Lan will hear this proposal," Zewu-Jun said.

Senior Wei let out a little snuffle and rubbed his face against Hanguang-Jun's shoulder. Hanguang-Jun patted his thigh.

"Yunmeng Jiang desires a formal alliance with Gusu Lan," Sect Leader Jiang said grimly. "I am requesting Lan Jingyi's hand in marriage, provided that Yunmeng Jiang and Gusu Lan can reach acceptable terms."

Two hundred elders, seniors, and disciples alike turned their eyes on Lan Jingyi. Lan Jingyi smiled nervously, which probably made him look like he'd just received a death sentence. Being alive was nice! He'd miss it! Whether it was at the hands of Lanling Jin or his own treacherous boner, Lan Jingyi's end was surely imminent.

Zewu-Jun nodded. "Gusu Lan consents."

Few in the hall managed to hide their gasps. Hanguang-Jun made no noise, but his posture went even stiffer. Senior Wei yawned.

Lan Jingyi looked back to Sect Leader Jiang and found that Sect Leader Jiang was staring back at him. His eyes were dark and searching. No Lan prohibition could prevent Lan Jingyi's whole body from flushing.

"Let us move on to the opening item on our agenda," Hanguang-Jun said calmly.

Zewu-Jun nodded. "I concur."

Senior Wei lifted his head and whispered loudly into Hanguang-Jun's ear. "Lan Zhan! Did I miss something?"

The rest of the day passed in a blur. All of the participants in the midday archery competition were easily outshot by Jin Ling, except for a Nie senior disciple; they went alone against each other for three rounds until the competition was called in Jin Ling's favor. At least it was a clear enough victory that no one could accuse Lanling Jin of buying the judges. Jin Ling strode back into the grand hall sweaty and red-faced, ducking his head when Lan Jingyi tried to catch his eye. Great.

After the afternoon session concluded, Lan Jingyi narrowly escaped Senior Wei's concerned clutches to scurry back toward the guest quarters before anyone else could interrogate him. He didn't quite run through the hallways, and his boots didn't quite skid on the floorboards when he rounded the last corner and saw Sect Leader Jiang leaning against the wall.

"We need to talk," Sect Leader Jiang said.

"Uh," Lan Jingyi said. "I guess, yes, that would make sense..."

Sect Leader Jiang was already heading down the hallway, like he just expected Lan Jingyi to follow him. How rude! Jingyi frowned, but he followed Sect Leader Jiang further into the Unclean Realm anyway. If nothing else, they had to get their story straight.

The rooms that Sect Leader Jiang occupied were a few steps above the single room that Lan Jingyi shared with Lan Sizhui. Lan Jingyi didn't get much of a chance to look at them before Sect Leader Jiang got way too far into his personal space and said, "Did you say anything to Wei Wuxian or your Hanguang-Jun?"

"What?" Lan Jingyi said, stumbling back. Sect Leader Jiang grabbed him by the front of his robes. "No! Why would I do that? I'm not stupid." He could feel the warmth of Sect Leader Jiang's hand against his chest.

This engagement was really off to a promising start.

"Wei Wuxian does not see this marriage as in your best interest," Sect Leader Jiang said. "Are you going to go along with it?"

"Yes," Lan Jingyi said.

Sect Leader Jiang looked skeptical. "Why?

Lan Jingyi's head hurt. "I take it back," he said. "I'm stupid. I don't know anything. How else am I supposed to explain what—what—and you went ahead and—you just did that! You told Jin Ling!"

"Of course, I told him," Sect Leader Jiang said. "What did you tell him?"

"The truth! Minus the details!"

Oh no. Lan Jingyi was thinking about Sect Leader Jiang's mouth again. It was right there in front of him, and his lips were so red. Lan Jingyi had never even kissed anyone before. Everything kept happening so fast. He glanced up to Sect Leader Jiang's eyes and realized, upsettingly, that he really wanted to have sex with Jin Ling's uncle again.

"What do you mean by that," Sect Leader Jiang said slowly.

"You know what? I'm really tired of talking about it, actually! What if, I— what if—-" Lan Jingyi trembled. Why couldn't he shut up, just this once? "We got interrupted before."

Sect Leader Jiang drew him closer. Time slowed down from its feverish pitch into an eternity in the moments it took their mouths to meet. Lan Jingyi was so into it he shook as Sect Leader Jiang pressed their lips together. He fisted his hand in Sect Leader Jiang's outer robe where it gathered above his belt. This was really happening. He was kissing Sect Leader Jiang. He was kissing someone he could only think of as "Sect Leader Jiang."

"This is a bad idea," Sect Leader Jiang said as they drew apart.

Lan Jingyi didn't let go of him. "Do you have a better one?"

Sect Leader Jiang was wearing that wild expression that Lan Jingyi had only seen on him before when he was confronting Wei Wuxian or lesser demonic cultivators, but the impression it gave was rather different in context. Seeing him so openly affected was... hot. Lan Jingyi's brain went offline. His dick was in charge now.

"No," Sect Leader Jiang said.

"Okay," Lan Jingyi said. "I want to, uh. Get you off."

They ended up on the luohan bed in the front room with Lan Jingyi in Sect Leader Jiang's lap. The kissing went on for longer than Lan Jingyi anticipated; he'd expected at least one of them would know what to do with their tongues. The confusion still made him shiver all over, his hands clumsy on the ties of their robes. Sect Leader Jiang made no effort to assist him. His hands wandered over Lan Jingyi's back, skimming over the place where he'd supported him in the hot spring to grab his ass. Lan Jingyi moaned into his mouth.

In the end, Lan Jingyi could only pull Sect Leader Jiang's dick out of his pants and go for it, jerking Sect Leader Jiang off with absolutely zero finesse. Their bare chests were pressed together and sweat made Lan Jingyi's bangs stick to his forehead; he was full of the nervous awareness that he was about to come in his own formal pants. "Sect Leader Jiang," he groaned into Sect Leader Jiang's ear.

"Don't call me that while we're—" Sect Leader Jiang said, or started to say, because Jingyi bit his ear and Sect Leader Jiang came all over his hand.

Afterward, Lan Jingyi's seat in Sect Leader Jiang's lap was kind of awkward. Sect Leader Jiang's dick lay soft against his belly, covered in their mess. Lan Jingyi looked down at it for a while before he leaned back and made eye contact with Sect Leader Jiang. What were you supposed to say after you had sex with someone? Thank you?

"It's Jiang Wanyin," Sect Leader Jiang said. "We're engaged to be married. Do not call me Sect Leader Jiang."

Lan Jinyi glanced down again. "Is Sandu Shengshou out, too?"

Sect Leader Jiang pushed Lan Jingyi off his lap into the pile of cushions on the bench and stood up. His whole chest was pink. "You look—" His mouth tightened. "You can't go to dinner like that."

"I guess not," Lan Jingyi said as he tied his robes closed and prepared for his second walk of shame for the day.

"There's a mark on your neck."

Lan Jingyi sighed.

"I'll see you at dinner," Sect Leader Jiang said.

Lan Jingyi's skin was starting to get dry from all this bathing. He left his formal trousers to soak and put on a more casual pair; no one was going to be looking at them at dinner, or after. Probably. Right? He rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands and groaned. All of the lectures he'd ever received about Righteous And Respectful Intimate Behavior And The Associated Rules Which Were Sufficiently Euphemistic To Carve Into The Side Of A Cliff kept running through his head. By the time he finished cleaning up, Lan Jingyi was feeling as thoroughly sorry for himself as it was possible to feel when he'd just had sex for the first time twice in one day.

He felt even sorrier when he opened the door to his quarters and found Senior Wei lurking there, slouching against the opposite wall and thumbing through a book. "Ah, there you are, Jingyi," he said, slotting his thumb between the pages. "I'm hoping you can explain your recent and suspicious engagement to me, since Jiang Cheng doesn't seem likely to."

"Uh," Lan Jingyi said. "I think I understand about as much as you, Senior Wei."

Why did people keep asking him this? Did they think good explanations grew on trees?

Senior Wei nodded. "Were you asked? Was your grandmother consulted?"

"Nainai is in closed-door meditation for another year, remember?" Lan Jingyi said. "Zewu-Jun is the only person who has to agree. Aside from me. Which I did."

"Sure," Senior Wei said with his scariest smile, the one Lan Jingyi was used to seeing whenever Senior Wei was about to eliminate whomever or whatever had bullied his juniors; it made Lan Jingyi feel very safe. "Zewu-Jun said that my brother has been courting you. Is that true? When, and how, exactly?"

This morning?? This afternoon?? With his body??? Lan Jingyi didn't like this line of questioning. When had he even seen Sect Leader Jiang last, anyway? Jin Ling's birthday? "A little while," he hedged. "It's true."

Senior Wei studied Lan Jingyi's face. "I know that some things are difficult to talk to your elders about."

"Yes," Lan Jingyi agreed with heartfelt sincerity.

"You don't have to get married to anyone unless you want to," Senior Wei said. "If Jiang Cheng has done anything to harm or coerce you, I will make very, very sure that he never does it again."

Senior Wei could and would get Lan Jingyi out of this mess, even if it meant the whole world went to hell, which was the problem with talking to Senior Wei in the first place. Lan Jingyi shook his head even though he wanted to confess everything so, so badly. "Sect Leader Jiang hasn't done anything like that," Lan Jingyi said truthfully. "I promise, Senior Wei. If he ever did, I would tell you."

"Okay," Senior Wei said.

"Okay?" Lan Jingyi couldn't believe Senior Wei was letting him off this easily.

"Just two things, Jingyi." Senior Wei's eyes twinkled. "One, the bruise on your neck is absolutely not covered in any way, shape, or form. Two, if you are dual cultivating with Sect Leader Jiang, I don't ever want to know about what you're doing with my golden core."

"Senior Wei!"

As usual, the discussion conference included a lot of stuff that Lan Jingyi was supposed to be paying attention to, but he spent most of it just screaming internally and avoiding eye contact with people who normally treated him like he was just a unit of Lan disciple who needed a flavorless vegetarian meal reserved at every banquet. Why couldn't Lan Jingyi have meat, huh? He could eat spicy food! Senior Wei was constantly serving them things that made him cry!

"How does this even work," Jin Ling said on the following night as he threw himself despairing onto Lan Sizhui's bed and also Lan Sizhui, who patiently wriggled out from under him and scooted back against the wall. "Are you going to have a real wedding? Who's going to be the bride?"

"I see you've moved past denial, young mistress," Lan Jingyi said. "I have not. I'm still there, and it's great! I love it!"

"No one has to be the bride." Lan Sizhui had paid more attention to the lectures on Righteous And Respectful Intimate Behavior. "Senior Wei is not like every cut-sleeve."

Jin Ling groaned. "Don't make me think about Senior Wei and Hanguang-Jun."

Lan Jingyi couldn't let that go unchallenged. Yes, everyone knew way too much about Senior Wei and Hanguang-Jun's relationship, but they were Lan Sizhui's dads. "They're happy together," Lan Jingyi said. "How many people do we know who can say that, huh? Anyone should be happy to have a marriage like theirs."

"If I see you and jiujiu hold hands, I will vomit."

"That's fair," Lan Sizhui said diplomatically.

Lan Jingyi thought about holding hands with Sect Leader Jiang, and then he thought about holding Sect Leader Jiang down by the wrists while making out with him. New vistas were opening up before him, but like, pornographically. "We will not hold hands," Lan Jingyi said. "I promise."

`

Sect Leader Jiang approached Lan Jingyi at lunch. He had been scarce ever since the time they had tried to have an actual conversation and Lan Jingyi had just jerked him off instead, but he was also doing important diplomacy work while Lan Jingyi was sitting around restless and horny. "I will accompany you to the Cloud Recesses at the conclusion of the conference," Sect Leader Jiang said stiffly. "Zewu-Jun feels the most auspicious time to negotiate the terms of our betrothal agreement is at the beginning of the next month."

"Ah." What would Lan Jingyi say if he'd been secretly courting Sect Leader Jiang for months? "That's great, Sect Leader Jiang." So romantic!

"We'll discuss this later," Sect Leader Jiang said, and left.

Some people were engaged for years—was Lan Jingyi going to have to get married immediately? Was this his punishment for violating A Lot of rules? Hanguang-Jun had also gotten married to Wei Wuxian right away, but he'd clearly wanted to exchange bows from the moment they were reunited on Dafan Mountain. Lan Jingyi looked at his lunch, but it held no answers for him.

When he raised his head again, Hanguang-Jun was standing in the space that Sect Leader Jiang had just vacated. Lan Jingyi almost fell over.

"Steady, Jingyi," Hanguang-Jun said. "We must speak privately."

Hanguang-Jun knew! He knew about the rules!

Lan Jingyi nodded and rose to his feet. "Of course, Hanguang-Jun."

"Through negotiations with Yunmeng," Hanguang-Jun said as they knelt to sit at the table in his and Senior Wei's rooms, "I learned that the same person suggested that both Xichen and Jiang Wanyin visit the hot springs the other night."

The horrible moment where Lan Jingyi had sincerely wondered if Zewu-Jun had sucked his dick flashed before Lan Jingyi's eyes. "Ah," he said.

"Did anyone approach you to suggest you visit them?"

Lan Jingyi shook his head. "No. Ouyang Zizhen mentioned them in a letter during his last visit to Qinghe. He's not even here right now—he's home recovering from a broken leg."

Hanguang-Jun nodded. "It was Jiang Wanyin's idea that you go to the hot springs?"

"I think it was both of our ideas," Lan Jingyi said, then thought about how that sounded. His cheeks flushed. "I mean—I don't remember, Hanguang-Jun. I didn't think I was going to have to get married about it!"

Hanguang-Jun's expression did not change.

"I know the rules," Lan Jingyi said miserably. "I just wasn't thinking about them."

"Mn," Hanguang-Jun said. "What kind of punishment do you think you deserve?"

Lan Jingyi knew better than to try to answer Hanguang-Jun's trick questions. "Why would someone try to get Zewu-Jun and Sect Leader Jiang into the hot springs at the same time?"

"Zewu-Jun, Sect Leader Jiang, and you."

"Same question!"

"Wei Ying and I have thought of several possibilities," Hanguang-Jun said. "Someone could have wanted to upset the relationship between my brother and Jiang Wanyin, or even to disturb the peace between the Cloud Recesses and Lotus Pier. There could be someone concerned for you, Jingyi. Zewu-Jun found these reasons pressing enough to ask Yunmeng Jiang to act quickly."

Well, that answered that question.

"Is there anything you wish to tell me?" Hanguang-Jun said.

After dinner, Lan Jingyi went to Sect Leader Jiang's quarters again, which was probably scandalous to do without a chaperone—but that was the least of their problems. He knocked once before Sect Leader Jiang answered the door, his outer robe discarded and hair down. This was not helping him with Righteous And Respectful Intimate Behavior, Sect Leader Jiang!

"Finally," Sect Leader Jiang said as he shut the door. "I have something I need to tell you."

"Are you already married? Do you have a secret child?"

Sect Leader Jiang stared at him. "No."

"Good," Lan Jingyi said. "Just checking."

"Sect Leader Nie seems to have approached both Lan Xichen and me to suggest we go to the hot springs," Sect Leader Jiang said.

Lan Jingyi narrowed his eyes; a horrible feeling washed over him. "Do you think you were intended to... run into each other?" Was he seriously in the middle of sect intrigue just because he had wanted to have anonymous sex while representing Gusu Lan at a discussion conference?

Sect Leader Jiang laughed. "What is Nie Huaisang ever doing, just playing with all of us? I don't know."

"Wait, he sent you to the cut-sleeve hot springs and you went?" Lan Jingyi said.

"So did you," Sect Leader Jiang said.

They exchanged cautious glances.

Being caught in a political conspiracy, interrogated by Hanguang-Jun with loving concern, and dealing with intrusive thoughts about having sex again all day long had really gotten to Lan Jingyi. Anyone would be worn down in his situation! Susceptible! Lan Jingyi inhaled a shaky breath. "Is there, ah, a reason, not to..." He couldn't help but look at Sect Leader Jiang's unbound hair, and also the rest of Sect Leader Jiang. He was tall, handsome, and well-muscled—you could even see that fully-clothed. Lan Jingyi was weak!

"I thought the Lan felt sex should be reserved for marriage."

"I mean, it's advised," Lan Jingyi said. "There's not a rule. Technically."

This time they did it lying down with Lan Jingyi's dick between Sect Leader Jiang's thighs. Somehow, Lan Jingyi kept ending up on top; he wasn't sure how to ask whether Sect Leader Jiang was into that while he covered his dick with fancy hair oil before he slid it between Sect Leader Jiang's legs. Instead, he said, emboldened by having his dick out— "Can I hold your wrists while we do it?"

Sect Leader Jiang stared at him even as his thighs tightened around Lan Jingyi. Ah, there were those muscles. Lan Jingyi felt light-headed. "Fine," he spat out.

It was even hotter than Lan Jingyi had imagined. He pinned Sect Leader Jiang's hands by his head and thrust, his dick slipping against Sect Leader Jiang's balls and brushing his opening. Oh, fuck, what if Lan Jingyi went inside him. What if that happened. Would he die? He took a gulping breath of air and squeezed Sect Leader Jiang's wrists. "Se—Jiang Wanyin."

Sect Leader Jiang immediately came all over them. Again.

Virtuously, Lan Jingyi stumbled back to the Lan quarters with enough time to bathe before curfew. Lan Sizhui gave him a single glance that somehow managed to suggest both concern and gentle, impartial judgement. "I know," Lan Jingyi said as he stepped into the tub. "Sizhui, I think this is why we had to go to all those lectures."

"Caring intimacy with a partner is not prohibited," Lan Sizhui said.

That certainly wasn't how Jingyi would describe his relationship with Sect Leader Jiang—which wasn't even a real relationship! He bit his lip. "Sizhui..." What was he supposed to say? Lan Sizhui would understand if someone sucked his dick? That seemed rude, and maybe not true, either. "You haven't..."

"Ah," Lan Sizhui said lightly. "I have, though."

Lan Jingyi nearly flipped the tub over. "WHAT."

Lan Sizhui peeked around the corner of the screen. His cheeks were a little pink. "I was worried that if you knew, you would feel left out."

"Jin Ling?" Lan Jingyi sunk back into the water, stunned. "But he's—"

"Our friend?"

Lan Jingyi shook his head. "He's so angry! How can he still be this tightly wound if you're—" His voice wobbled. "Having sex with him."

Wow, Lan Sizhui was not wrong. Lan Jingyi did feel left out, but in a weird way where he didn't really want to be let in, either. Lan Sizhui was like his brother, so that was an obvious no, but was it good or bad that he'd rather have sex with Jin Ling's uncle than Jin Ling?

"Jin Ling is very anxious," Lan Sizhui said. "You know that."

Lan Jingyi covered his face with his hands, sighed, then collected himself. "Caring intimacy, though?"

Lan Sizhui said, fondly, "He likes to hold hands. That's why he teased you about it."

"This is too much," Lan Jingyi said as he scooted down far enough into the tub that the water hit his chin and he had to hug his knees to his chest. "I'm very happy for you. Don't tell me any more."

Less than an incense time before, Lan Jingyi had been ready to laugh off the idea of caring intimacy when coming between Sect Leader Jiang's thighs was still fresh in his mind. Lan Jingyi hadn't known that his friends were having feelings!!! while he was getting engaged to someone else just because he had wanted to get his dick wet. In Sect Leader Jiang's mouth, which had felt amazing, thank you! Lan Jingyi pressed his face against his knees and groaned.

After breakfast, the Lan representatives gathered to return to the Cloud Recesses. Jin Ling came out to say goodbye and spent a conspicuously long time fidgeting in front of Lan Jingyi and Lan Sizhui. "See you soon," he said, making intense eye contact with Lan Sizhui. "You should come to Lanling this time."

Lan Jingyi tactfully refrained from sharing his fresh understanding of Jin Ling's behavior.

"Yes," Lan Sizhui said, smiling. "I will."

Behind them, Wei Wuxian was shamelessly cozying up to Lan Wangji on Bichen. Lan Jingyi averted his eyes. Why was romance everywhere? Must he be personally victimized like this?

Sect Leader Jiang strode out of the Unclean Realm with Sect Leader Nie on his heels. "Please have a safe journey," Sect Leader Nie said, his fan fluttering. "Stay in good health until I see you next!" His mouth curved in an extremely fake looking way. Lan Jingyi did not exactly like Sect Leader Nie, but he also didn't want to get murdered, so he made a polite bow. Lan Sizhui followed suit.

Meanwhile, Sect Leader Jiang whipped out Sandu. "I'll see you later," he said to Sect Leader Nie, and then, to Jin Ling, "Are you ready?"

Lan Jingyi looked away before someone noticed him staring at Sandu Shengshou's ass.

After two days of flying and avoiding eye contact with Sect Leader Jiang in front of an audience, Lan Jingyi returned to an even more socially awkward setting: a formal welcome dinner hosted by Master Lan.

The person Master Lan singled out for his displeasure at these events was generally Senior Wei. Today, Senior Wei didn't rate a second look when he sat beside Hanguang-Jun in front of the dias and immediately relaxed into a posture inappropriate to welcome a sect guest. Master Lan's eyes were locked on the guest in question. "Sect Leader Jiang, what an unexpected surprise."

Weirdly, Sect Leader Jiang appeared to fidget before he responded. "I am grateful for your generosity in hosting Yunmeng Jiang this week." He was seated properly at his desk next to Zewu-Jun, dressed in the most formal robes Lan Jingyi had ever seen him wear. Was Sect Leader Jiang afraid of Master Lan?

Lan Jingyi glanced to the desk beside him and met Lan Sizhui's eyes for a moment, raising his eyebrows. Lan Sizhui gave the most delicate suggestion of a shrug. Sure, Master Lan was scary, but Hanguang-Jun was approximately ninety times scarier and Sect Leader Jiang still constantly antagonized him.

"The Cloud Recesses is honored to host you while we continue to negotiate our alliance," Zewu-Jun said.

"Of course, we must evaluate Sect Leader Jiang's suitability as a Lan spouse," Master Lan said. "Will he be able to live up to the reputation of my nephew's wife?"

Senior Wei sat up straight, his eyes going wide; Hanguang-Jun placed a hand on his shoulder before he could say anything.

Meanwhile, Lan Jingyi nearly knocked over his dining desk. How could anyone live up to Senior Wei's reputation? He was the Yiling Patriarch! He was married to Hanguang-Jun! He came back from the dead! He was the most shameless person Lan Jingyi had ever met, let alone the most shameless person to ever reside in the Cloud Recesses! What did Master Lan want, for Sect Leader Jiang to drape himself over his dining desk, robes smoking with resentful energy, and start referring to himself as 人家?

"Tell me, is there anyone who is Wei Wuxian's equal?" Sect Leader Jiang said sharply. "What standards Gusu Lan has adopted! I certainly can't claim to have broken half the rules or had any created because of me."

Zewu-Jun managed a very natural smile as he smoothed his robes over his knee. "I see that our servers have arrived. Let us refrain from speech until after the meal has concluded."

Mealtimes in the formal hall were never silent: servers moved through the central aisle, chopsticks and spoons clinked against bowls, and, when he was present, Senior Wei's occasional murmurs to Hanguang-Jun. Lan Jingyi had always found the soft background noise comforting. He certainly preferred it to the forbidding hush that settled over the hall like a shroud. Even Senior Wei was deathly quiet.

Up on the dias, Sect Leader Jiang was picking at his bowl. As the flush of anger subsided, his face grew pale and hunted. Lan Jingyi couldn't help looking at him. If Lan Jingyi had really been engaged in a secret courtship with Sect Leader Jiang for some time, he would definitely be Concerned! How convenient that in reality, Lan Jingyi was concerned for other reasons, namely that Master Lan was trying to humiliate Sect Leader Jiang for some end that Lan Jingyi himself couldn't fathom.

Master Lan, Zewu-Jun, and Sect Leader Jiang adjourned the dinner to meet privately, leaving Lan Jingyi to stew in his own thoughts. How had Zewu-Jun explained Lan Jingyi's engagement to Sect Leader Jiang? Did he act like this was some strategic political move or did he admit that he'd seen Lan Jingyi's dick in Sect Leader Jiang's mouth? Every possibility Lan Jingyi considered filled him with more dread, and not even checking in on Hanguang-Jun's rabbits could distract him.

There was only one thing to do about it.

"What now?" Sect Leader Jiang said when he opened the door, and then, "Oh, it's you."

Why did that make Lan Jingyi feel so turned on? "Can I come in?"

"Fine," Sect Leader Jiang snapped.

As soon as they were inside, Lan Jingyi kissed him. His tongue nudged at Sect Leader Jiang's pursed lips until they opened, turning the kiss hot and wet. Sect Leader Jiang put his hands around Lan Jingyi's waist—they were almost big enough to span it completely—and Lan Jingyi groaned into Sect Leader Jiang's mouth. For the first time in days, he felt like his brain wasn't just rattling around in his head with nerves—maybe because all of the blood there had fled elsewhere. No thinking allowed! Only sex, which they both seemed to be pretty into!

Abruptly, Sect Leader Jiang pushed him away. "Is this all you think marriage is?"

Lan Jingyi blinked at him. "What?" His mouth was having trouble with the transition.

"You think there's no consequences to your actions?" Sect Leader Jiang said.

"Uh," Lan Jingyi said. "Weren't you the one who sucked my dick?"

They stared at each other. Sect Leader Jiang's cheeks turned an unexpected shade of pink.

"As your Master Lan was so eager to remind me, Yunmeng Jiang is well-known for our poor matches." Sect Leader Jiang clenched his fists at his sides. "I don't even like you that much."

This was not a conversation that Lan Jingyi had expected his boner to lead him to. "Well, we don't really know each other," he said as the desire pooled in his belly drained right out of him. "How would you know?"

Sect Leader Jiang's chest heaved, his breath coming fast. He looked away. "I don't," he admitted.

What was Lan Jingyi supposed to say? Getting to know Sect Leader Jiang seemed like trying to climb up the Wall of Discipline, the top hidden somewhere in the clouds. Maybe this was why everyone thought their fake romance was fake? He cleared his throat. "I don't regret asking you to blow me," Lan Jingyi said, then immediately covered his face with his hands. "You were really good at it."

"Ah," said Sect Leader Jiang in a very different tone of voice.

The air between them simmered.

"Do you at least enjoy..." Lan Jingyi hesitated.

Sect Leader Jiang glared at him. "Yes," he said, and then, "I don't dislike you, either."

Lan Jingyi let his hands fall. "This is a very confusing conversation."

"Are you telling me you want to get married to me?" Sect Leader Jiang laughed. It wasn't a very fun laugh. "That you like—"

This didn't seem like a safe conversational track, either. Surely there was some Jiang elder whom Sect Leader Jiang could talk to about this? Or maybe not... yikes. Summoning the strength of the horny jitters that had propelled him here this evening, Lan Jingyi said, "I don't know yet, but I'd definitely like to keep having sex with you."

If he'd learned anything from Senior Wei and Hanguang-Jun, it was that using your words was even better than romance.

"...I see." Sect Leader Jiang's expression looked rather like Little Apple's when she was deciding whether the potential of a bribe outweighed whatever she felt like doing. "I—that's—fine."

"It's fine?" Lan Jingyi said pointedly.

"I'll do it," Sect Leader Jiang said, and then, in a rush, "I want to keep having sex with you."

Oh no, Lan Jingyi was not prepared for how incredibly hot that would be. For the first time, he understood why one of the rules for Righteous And Respectful Intimate Behavior was to confirm mutual desire, because was there anything more arousing than someone telling you they wanted to have sex with you? This was even more thrilling than getting his dick sucked by an anonymous mouth in the forbidden cut-sleeve hot springs. "Can I put my dick in this time?"

Sect Leader Jiang didn't answer him. Maybe Lan Jingyi should have phrased that differently? Sect Leader Jiang just seemed like he was into that while they were having sex, and at absolutely no other time. Oh... he was untying his robes. Lan Jingyi redirected his attention to putting his hands on Sect Leader Jiang's shoulders and failing to assist.

All reservations faded away when Lan Jingyi tilted up his head to meet Sect Leader Jiang's mouth with his own. He kissed Sect Leader Jiang hard, tugging him close enough that he could feel Sect Leader Jiang's dick pressed against his groin. Lan Jingyi groaned and ground his hips up against Sect Leader Jiang's. It was getting really weird to think of him as Sect Leader Jiang while they were doing this.

Lan Jingyi broke the kiss to bite at Sect Leader Jiang's throat, then brought his mouth close to Sect Leader Jiang's ear. "Jiang Wangyin," he said experimentally, and discovered this made Se-Jiang Wanyin shudder so hard that only Lan Jingyi's white-knuckled grip on his shoulders kept them upright. "Do you want to lie down or something?"

Jiang Wanyin nodded. "Here," he said, and caught Lan Jingyi's sleeve as he turned toward the bed, as if Lan Jingyi wasn't already holding onto him. He towed Lan Jingyi along with him as far as the foot of the bed, then stopped abruptly. Was actually lying down like, too intense for him? Lan Jingyi slid Jiang Wanyin's inner robes off his shoulders and then undertook the less exciting task of undressing himself.

The guest bed was more cushioned than the austere ones in the Cloud Recesses dorms. Lan Jingyi pushed Jiang Wanyin down on it and sighed with the ecstasy of having padding beneath his knees and someone between them. He propped himself up on his elbows as he lowered the rest of his body over Jiang Wanyin's and revealed the vial he had on one of his hands. "I'm going to..."

"Turn me over," Jiang Wanyin said, closing his eyes. His cheeks were as flushed as if he'd been running.

"Why?" Lan Jingyi said. "I want to see your face while I do it." Wasn't the whole point of this that they weren't having anonymous cut-sleeve hot springs sex now?

Having Jiang Wanyin pinned under him wasn't a good position for touching him there, but it was great for making out again with their dicks getting acquainted with each other. Jiang Wanyin's chest was pressed up against Lan Jingyi's, so Lan Jingyi could feel Jiang Wanyin's heaving breaths resonate through his own body. Every time they had sex, Lan Jingyi learned more unexpected things that turned him on. He dragged his hand up and down Jiang Wanyin's arm, aimless, restless. He wanted—he wanted—

Somehow, one of Jiang Wanyin's legs ended up over Lan Jingyi's shoulder when he went to put his fingers in Jiang Wanyin's ass. He got oil all over his hand in his eagerness, which probably wasn't bad. The whole point of sex was to continue to blow his mind, and also Jiang Wanyin's mind, and he didn't want to break that streak now.

Oil alone couldn't help Jiang Wanyin loosen up. Why was Lan Jingyi surprised? After a few minutes of idly circling Jiang Wanyin's asshole, he ducked between Jiang Wanyin's legs and took Jiang Wanyin's dick into his mouth. It tasted better than Lan Jingyi had expected. Jiang Wanyin grabbed at Lan Jingyi's hair as he licked at Jiang Wanyin cautiously, wrapping his tongue around Jiang Wanyin's dick. What had Jiang Wanyin done to him? Well, Lan Jingyi hadn't been taking notes.

"What," Jiang Wanyin said, red-faced, as Lan Jingyi took him deeper into his mouth. "What are you—doing—" He groaned when Lan Jingyi finally managed to work a finger inside him, his body no longer protesting.

Lan Jingyi was a genius. He sucked Jiang Wanyin's dick with renewed vigor.

By the time Jiang Wanyin came in his mouth, Lan Jingyi had three fingers inside him and he was struggling not to just rub off against the mattress. If Lan Jingyi could endure being this aroused, he could endure anything. "Do you need a minute?"

Jiang Wanyin turned his head away, like Lan Jingyi couldn't see his just-spent dick twitch against his belly. "It's fine."

Lan Jingyi slid between his legs as smoothly as some other thing that was equally well-oiled—a cog? a wrestler?—and lasted approximately four strokes inside.

He pulled out and fell asleep on top of Jiang Wanyin immediately.

In the morning, Lan Jingyi was still on top of Jiang Wanyin, still naked, and still lying in a very comfortable bed. He was too sleepy to register any of this as a concern until Jiang Wanyin tensed beneath him. "Someone's at the door."

Oh, there was someone knocking. That must be why Lan Jingyi had woken up. "No," he said, burrowing beneath the blanket further.

"Hide under the bed," Jiang Wanyin hissed.

"I'm too tall?"

"Even I could fit under there!"

Was it even five? It couldn't be. Lan Jingyi's body had been horribly, relentlessly trained for two decades to wake up at that inhumane hour. What finally roused him from his stupor was the realization that only one person was likely to be seeing the early morning from the other side. He sat straight up in bed. "It's Senior Wei," he said with dawning horror.

They dressed frantically as the knocking continued, not that clothes were much help. Jiang Wanyin looked like a ravished maiden. Lan Jingyi would have ravished him further under other circumstances.

"Finally," Senior Wei said as Jiang Wanyin opened the door. He took in the scene with a single look. "Oh, I see that I don't have to roust Jingyi out of bed as well. Convenient."

Lan Jingyi wanted to sink through the floor.

"Leave," Jiang Wanyin said.

Senior Wei's foot was stuck firmly in the door. "I know you won't admit that you want help, but you'd better not turn it down now that it's here." He was talking to Jiang Wanyin, not Lan Jingyi. "Open up, or I'll be loud."

"Senior Wei gets very loud." Lan Jingyi was experiencing a premonition. "I think you should let him in."

Jiang Wanyin scowled. "As if I don't know what Wei Wuxian is like!"

"Thank you, thank you," Wei Wuxian said. "I'll just keep letting myself in, then. Love the hospitality." He leaned his shoulder against the door and pushed until Jiang Wanyin stumbled back, right into Lan Jingyi's arms.

Somehow, this seemed more revealing than being in Jiang Wanyin's quarters in the middle of the night, half-dressed, with his hair down. Lan Jingyi was holding! Jiang! Wanyin! Jiang Wanyin was letting him! Carefully, Lan Jingyi nudged Jiang Wanyin upright while Wei Wuxian was still preoccupied with locking up again. "What do you think you can help with?" Lan Jingyi said. "I mean, Senior Wei..."

Whether it was the matter of Jiang Wanyin's reputation, Lan Jingyi's virtue, or sect alliances, no one could claim Lan Jingyi and Jiang Wanyin had been discreet. They hadn't even managed to have anonymous sex in the very place you went to for that!

Senior Wei's face softened. "Jingyi, I know that you weren't in a relationship with Jiang Cheng before all of this started." His eyes lifted toward Jiang Wanyin. "As for you, can you blame anyone for thinking you'd never get together without another person setting you up? And you still missed it!"

"I don't think anything was missed," Jiang Wanyin said woodenly.

"Think!" Senior Wei said. "Jingyi was never supposed to be there! Why would anyone who didn't know him assume he would be out trying to experience sexual enlightenment before Lan rising time?"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Lan Jingyi's cheeks were growing hot.

Senior Wei smiled. "Like our Hanguang-Jun, you are always where the chaos is. It's just usually not on purpose."

Even though Lan Jingyi knew Senior Wei didn't mean it unkindly, the words still stung. "I did mean to be there, though! I was going to the cut-sleeve hot springs for their intended purpose, unlike everyone else, apparently."

"I was there for their intended purpose," Jiang Wanyin said after a moment.

"That is so cute," Senior Wei said. "Lan Zhan and I have also been there for their intended purpose. Very scenic, right?"

"Please," Lan Jingyi said. "Please tell me that Zewu-Jun—"

Senior Wei shook his head. "No, Zewu-Jun was just out there to dip his toes in. Nie Huaisang told him the waters were invigorating."

Jiang Wanyin frowned. "Lan Xichen is not..."

"He isn't seeking a cultivation partner, or indeed a partner of any kind," Senior Wei said, then glanced at Lan Jingyi. "So it is very much his interest that Jingyi and Sizhui marry well."

"That's it?" Jiang Wanyin said. "That's all of it? There's nothing else to Nie Huaisang's latest scheme?"

"Jiang Cheng, be reasonable. He's our friend! He just wants to see you happy! What else is he supposed to do?"

"Nothing!"

"Exactly," said Senior Wei, as if that proved his point.

Lan Jingyi was still stuck on why Zewu-Jun was so concerned about his marital prospects. Everyone knew Lan Sizhui was the presumptive heir, but Lan Jingyi wasn't the top of anyone's lists for anything, was he?

Jiang Wanyin sighed. "How is that supposed to help now? Everything's done. I can hardly break the engagement after all this."

"You don't have to get married, or get married now, anyway," Senior Wei said. "You could be engaged for... quite some time. How old are you now, Jiang Cheng? Not even forty? That's basically a child. Nowhere near ready for marriage."

Lan Jingyi couldn't help but laugh.

"That's not fair to Jingyi," Jiang Wanyin said.

It turned out that having someone you're having sex with suddenly refer to you more intimately really did make your knees wobble. "That sounds okay to me, actually," Lan Jingyi said, steadying himself with one hand on Jiang Wanyin's arm. "A long engagement is fine. A very, very long engagement. What do you think?"

[ONE YEAR LATER]

"So I hear that all the lotus ponds around here have owners." Lan Jingyi leaned over the side of the boat and trailed his fingers through the water, watching the ripples in their wake. "Do you own any of them?"

Jiang Wanyin snorted. "Obviously." He was sitting in the front of the boat, one arm behind him braced against the bow and the other balanced on his raised knee. His hair gleamed in the sun.

Recently, Lan Jingyi had learned how to tell when Jiang Wanyin was having a good time. He directed his smile toward the water so it didn't give him away. "What if I, a guest in Yunmeng, freshly arrived for this year's Discussion Conference—"

"It was last week," Jiang Wanyin said.

"FRESHLY ARRIVED," Lan Jingyi continued. "What if I decided that it was very important to me for my personal growth...and self discovery...and cultivation... to visit the lotus pond frequented by the cut-sleeves of the region? For an anonymous assignment?"

He was met by silence.

"So anonymous, no way of knowing who could possibly be there, despite it being a privately-owned lotus pond, a lotus pond that contained only you and, of course, me—"

"Do you really want to get up that early in the morning?"

"We could end up there later," Lan Jingyi said, lifting his head. "We could even go there together, but approach the lake from opposite sides, so when we see each other we'll technically be meeting for the first time. In that pond." He waggled his eyebrows. "You know... to get into the mood."

Jiang Wanyin threw back his head and laughed.

art by edori/sleepychengzi