The Lonely Bridge (WangXian Fan fiction)✔️

A Union and A Reunion

"Do what, Lan Zhan?" Wei Ying enquires, his brows knit; he notices that his usually confident husband's tone is hesitant. "Lan Zhan, whatever it is, I am ready for it." He reassures, holding the latter's hand.

"Wei Ying, I want us to visit my mother's shrine. She," Lan Zhan pauses and leaves a shaky breath, "she killed herself a few days after we met at Yunmeng for the first time."

"What!? Why?" Wei Ying blurts out before he can stop himself and immediately pulls his husband in his arms, "I am so sorry, Lan Zhan. I had no idea. You don't have to answer that if you don't want to."

"Wei Ying, she did not have the will to go on anymore. At least that's what brother had told me at the time." The light bearer pulls away and holds his husband's gaze, "They refused to give her a place in the ancestral shrine. So father made a different one for her and instructed uncle to place his tablet next to mother's."

Wei Ying hears in silence, his face somber, his eyes soft and accepting. When Lan Zhan doesn't continue, he guesses, "Lan Zhan, is that all?"

"Mn." Lan Zhan holds Wei Ying's hand, "Remember the place we had the lantern ceremony?"

"Yes."

"It's a little way up that mountain. Father wanted to build it in a secluded location. I was wondering if we could go there."

"Alright." Wei Ying replies, and a thought begins to take shape in his mind, "Lan Zhan, when Jiang Cheng came to visit last evening, he told me that the annual lantern ceremony is tomorrow."

"Yes. Would you like to go, Wei Ying?"

"Can we?"

"Yes." Lan Zhan pulls Wei Ying in his arms, "Wei Ying, there is one more thing."

"Yes to all." The Yiling patriarch beams, "Why are you hesitating now?"

"I want to marry you." Lan Zhan blurts, tightening his hold on Wei Ying, scared that the proposal might freak the man who hates to be tied down.

Wei Ying chuckles, "You already did, remember?"

"Yes, I did, but I had kept things from you then; our families were not with us; this time, I want to do it properly. I want to introduce you to my mother and father. I want them to meet you. But if you- "

"I want to!" Wei Ying exclaims, throwing himself at Lan Zhan, "I want to, Lan Zhan. And we can tell Zewu Jun and Jiang Cheng to witness our union."

"I would like that. Wei Ying, can we get married tomorrow before we attend the lantern ceremony?"

"Will your uncle be okay with that? He has forbidden me from appearing in front of him." The younger man reminds; Lan Zhan's face falls, "Not just you, he has forbidden both of us. You are right; we can't attend it."

Wei Ying can't bear to look at Lan Zhan's defeated eyes. He holds the latter's hand and intertwines their fingers, "Lan Zhan, how about we get married in the shrine and go for the lantern ceremony after everyone has left?"

Lan Zhan beams. "Yes! We can tell A Yuan to keep an eye on the proceedings and tell us when everyone has left!"

"A Yuan?"

"They are here. A Yuan and Wen Ning are in cloud recesses." Lan Zhan informs, surprising the latter, "They are here!?"

"They arrived at dawn. Since last week they have been asking me if they could meet you, but I told them that they could do so once you have recovered."

"Lan Zhan, be honest, you wanted me all to yourself, didn't you? That's why you told them to wait." Wei Ying wiggles his brows.

With technically nothing to hold him back, the light bearer, in an unexpected move, snakes his arms around Wei Ying's waist and pulls him in his lap. Capturing his lips in a kiss that leaves the younger man hard, he squeezes the Yiling patriarch's behind, dragging a rough moan from the latter. With the smirk wiped off of his lips, eyes dazed, and breaths labored, Wei Ying tries to rid Lan Zhan of his clothes.