Lan Wangji stood with his hands clasped respectfully in front of him, his face an impassive mask as he listened to the police chief describe the new task he was likely going to be assigned. Truth be told, he would rather be anywhere else but there at the moment, listening to what was turning into a twenty minute description starting from the beginning of a long series of events. The only reason why he really tolerated the police chief was that the older man was the reincarnation of his uncle, the respected Lan Qiren of the Lan Clan of Gusu. The first time Lan Wangji had entered the chief’s office, he had almost on instinct folded his hands in front of him and bowed to the chief as if they were back in Gusu! Fate certainly had an odd way of working in Lan Wangji’s life. 

“In short, Yibo, our agent has been lost for six months out there with no way of contacting us without risking his life.” Chief Qi concluded, “I would like you to become his new handler and help him finish his mission.” Lan Wangji frowned and crossed his arms.

“With all due respect, may I ask to be assigned to the Yingrong Group case instead?” He replied, dodging the obvious fact that he had just been assigned the new job of looking after the orphaned police agent floating somewhere out there in the midst of the crowded Beijing streets. 

May I, Wei Wuxian, destroy the evil and protect the weak, and have no regrets.

Weiying’s voice echoed in his head, the wish that he had made long ago when they were students in Gusu. Things had been far simpler then; although the Wen Clan had been hanging over everyone’s heads with their abuse of power, at least at that time Lan Wangji could spend a little time on trivial matters like lighting paper lanterns to make a wish. As he had heard Weiying making his wish, Lan Wangji had silently made the same wish as well, swearing to protect the weak and destroy evil. Although Weiying had been the one to openly follow up on his wish, Lan Wangji had decided to keep his word and do the same in the years following Weiying’s death. It was the least he could do after finally destroying Jing Guangyao and restoring Weiying’s reputation.

At the same time though, Lan Wangji was fairly certain this orphaned spy was nowhere near weak and in need of protection. To have been chosen to be an undercover agent, the man had surely proven himself as capable on multiple occasions. If anything, the fact that he was still alive and had sent useful information back before losing contact was a sure sign of his capabilities. If he wanted to restore a connection with the police department, surely he could find a way, right?

Chief Qi chuckled at Yibo’s expressionless face and reached down to unlock a drawer before handing Yibo a thin file.

“I had a feeling you would say that.” He said, “As it so happens, our lost agent is currently hidden deep in Yingrong Group. If your wish is to go after that mafia and the department’s wish is to find our agent, then you’ll be able to do both at the same time.” Yibo frowned, but picked up the file and flipped it open anyway, his gaze traveling over the lines of text in boredom. Some of the file already repeated what he had read in the earlier reports on Yingrong Group, some of the pages focused on what the undercover agent had been able to give to the police department, and the final page...Lan Wangji’s slender fingers froze on the corner of the manila folder, his lips parting slightly in shock as his gaze landed on the profile photo of the agent the police had sent into Yingrong Group. It was a small and simple photo, a photo of an unsmiling young man dressed in an official police uniform, short black hair peeking out from under his dark colored hat with the police department ensignia emblazoned in gold on it. But even so...Lan Wangji’s heart pounded in his chest, his throat constricting as his fingers tightened on the edge of the folder. Even with this photo in front of him, Lan Wangji could imagine the unsmiling face brightened up with a brilliant playful smile that lit up the young man’s eyes, his short hair replaced with long black hair tied back only slightly with a red ribbon. At the same time, he could imagine the same smiling man standing on the edge of a tall cliff, tears overflowing in his eyes and down his cheeks to mix with the blood dripping from the edge of his lips, the result of overexerting his body from playing the seemingly innocuous Chenqing as he gazed in horror at the ruins of what his world had become. No matter what it was, Lan Wangji would recognize that face anywhere. 

Weiying.

It was him, it had to be. Even after thousands of years, Lan Wangji wouldn’t forget the face of the sole cultivator he had chosen to trust as a confidante. Lan Wangji’s fingers trembled as they traveled over the page to the words typed out on the personal information page.

Name: Xiao Zhan.

A small smirk turned up the corner of Lan Wangji’s lips.

Zhan...what a fitting name for a man who spent his life fighting for what the thought was right.

“Yibo?” Chief Qi asked, seeming to have picked up on the barely suppressed rush of emotions on Lan Wangji’s face. Lan Wangji closed the file with an audible thwack and bowed politely to Chief Qi.

“I’ll do it.” He stated, “I will certainly bring him back safely, and make sure Yingrong Group is brought down for good.” Chief Qi looked surprised at the sudden change in opinion, then smiled ever so slightly.

“I know you will.” He replied.

____________________________________________________________________________

Yingrong Group Headquarters

A sleek black car approached a tall modern silver building in the business district of Beijing, sending men hurrying for the car to greet its driver.

“Zhan-Ge.”

“Zhan-Ge.”

“Good morning, Zhan-Ge.” 

Members and regular employees of Yingrong Group greeted Xiao Zhan as he stepped out of his car and tossed the keys casually to a nearby employee before straightening his jacket and stepping through the revolving glass doors. Xiao Zhan nodded politely to each of them with a small smile on his face, all the while keeping his back straight and eyes never betraying more than mere courtesy. Each person he walked by treated him with respect at the moment, but the young agent knew better than to let his full emotions flow through his expressions. Although Yingrong Group was a business corporation, it was still a mafia. For a person like him sat second highest in the line of power, all eyes would be watching for his every move. Which way he leaned, who he supported, which person he smiled and talked the most to; all of them could serve as hidden implications of favor that could later work against him. Not only that, if he wasn’t careful enough, any member of the corporation wishing to work their way up the ladder could find out more than the young police agent would prefer.

“Xiao-xian sheng, the CEO is looking for you.” Xiao Zhan paused midstep in his walk down the hallway towards his office as he felt a small tug on his sleeve. He smiled as he recognized the voice and turned to see a young man with wide eyes and round cheeks standing next to him, his head ducked shyly. Xiao Zhan chuckled and ruffled the boy’s hair.

“Thank you, Wen Ning. Good morning to you as well.” The young man grinned shyly and bobbed his head.

“Good morning, Xiao-xian sheng.” He replied quietly. Xiao Zhan smiled warmly at the boy. Despite his misgivings about everyone in Yingrong, Wen Ning had to be one of the few exceptions. Ever since Xiao Zhan had happened to save him from bullying by Yingrong members during his early days in this mission, Wen Ning had been nothing but a devoted and loyal friend. He was adorably shy, but Xiao Zhan knew that with some proper training, Wen Ning’s skills and intelligence would certainly come to light. Now, if only his father, Wen Ruohan would actually appreciate that fact instead of lavishing all of his attention on the older two, Wen Chao and Wen Xu, who were essentially the opposite of Wen Ning’s gentle personality. Xiao Zhan grinned and ruffled Wen Ning’s hair again.

“Ah-Ning, when are you going to call me by name?” He asked, “You’re always putting an honorific together with my name.” Wen Ning smiled shyly and shook his head.

“You are always xian sheng to me.” He replied softly. Xiao Zhan laughed and patted Wen Ning on the arm.

“As you’d like, Ah-Ning.” He conceded before waving the boy off and heading for Jiang Fengmian’s office. He paused in front of Jiang Fengmian’s office as voices wafted through the slightly cracked open door, his slender fingers silently closing on the bronze doorknob. 

“Uncle Jiang, what have you called us here for?” Xiao Zhan’s grip tightened ever so slightly as he recognized the voice.

Wen Chao.

One of Wen Ning’s older brothers, Wen Chao along with the eldest brother Wen Xu had been the reason why Xiao Zhan had been forced to miss the narrow window to reconnect with headquarters after his handler had been killed. In fact, thanks to those two brothers, there was nothing Xiao Zhan could do but burrow himself deeper into the fake identity he had taken up for this mission. He could still remember turning ever so slightly as he had fled the scene that fateful early morning in the tunnel, and in that moment had spotted Wen Xu’s crazed expression as he sent his men on the lone police officer. Not only that, Xiao Zhan could still feel the cold touch of Wen Chao’s gun against his forehead after he had stabilized his emotions and managed to return to Yingrong in one piece, only to find that a few certain somebodies were waiting for him.

“Just admit it! You’re the spy, aren’t you?” Wen Chao growled, “You were the only one out during that time!” The early morning sunlight reflected off the silver surface of the sleek pistol currently pressed against Xiao Zhan’s head, one that he knew better than to think was locked or unloaded. Although the young police agent’s heart jumped ever so slightly at the accusation, he forced his expression to be calm and looked over to where Jiang Fengmian sat at his desk. The older man was completely silent; he was leaning casually against the big leather chair, one hand resting lightly on the surface of the mahogany desk. Still, despite his unwavering expression, Xiao Zhan knew that many wheels were turning behind that placid demeanor. Jiang Fengmian hadn’t risen to the top echelons of the dark side of one of Beijing’s most lucrative markets by being naive and foolish. One wrong move, one wrong word said, and Xiao Zhan would be finished then and there. There was no time to panic.

 Luckily, Xiao Zhan had long predicted that this could happen one day, and so had taken steps every time he went out to see his handler to prevent his cover from being blown. Namely, he only went to see his handler when Jiang Fengmian sent him out to complete tasks on his own, or when he could concoct something to do outside the company. That way, even if something went wrong, he could find a way to explain his innocence.

With Jiang Fengmian’s watchful gaze on him, Xiao Zhan carefully slipped his bag off his shoulder, Wen Chao’s furious gaze and the cold touch of his pistol never leaving his head. His cold gaze rising to meet Wen Chao’s narrowed eyes, Xiao Zhan pulled a small stack of papers from the bag and held it out in the air.

“Uncle Jiang, if you are wondering what I was doing for the past few hours, my answer is right here.” He replied, “You can take a look for yourself at what it says.” Jiang Fengmian gazed at Xiao Zhan with narrowed eyes for a long moment, as if wondering if he should trust the young man or not. Then, he slowly rose from the large mahogany desk and stepped over to where the younger two men were currently frozen in place. Taking the papers from Xiao Zhan’s hand, the older man’s gaze slid carefully over the typed up words, surprise briefly flickering through his eyes.

“You got Jin Guangshan to sign away the rights to the European weapons black market for three years?” Jiang Fengmian said, “But Guangshan…”

“Boss Jin never writes agreements down on paper.” Xiao Zhan finished the sentence, “Because that would make it far easier to go back on his word if it was beneficial to him. And it is well known that the European black market is a large source of income for Lanling Group.” Not only had the agreement been written and signed, it was also stamped with Lanling’s official ensignia. There was no going back from this agreement.

“Wen Chao, put your gun down.” Jiang Fengmian ordered. The other young man began to protest, but shut his mouth as Jiang Fengmian glared at him.

“Don’t make me repeat myself.” The boss of Yingrong Group growled. Wen Chao glared at Xiao Zhan one more time before reluctantly lowering the gun to his side. Xiao Zhan silently exhaled in relief as Jiang Fengmian returned to his big leather chair.

“Tell me, Xiao Zhan.” Jiang Fengmian said, “How did you convince Jin Guangshan to sign away such a large source of income?” Xiao Zhan smiled mysteriously.

“Jin Guangshan is too confident.” He replied, “He took a large order of black market drugs onto one ship to be taken to South Africa. The amount and quality of goods on that ship is worth at least two years of weapons to Europe. I had my connections in Lanling Group...take the ship hostage so to speak as it was crossing a blind spot in maritime security, and used it as bait to make him agree. Either way, he was going to lose something major, but for us it would be a benefit no matter what he chose. I guessed that it would be better for him to give the European line to use than to anger the South African traders for losing a large batch of goods, and I was right.” Wen Chao scoffed, although the small hints of a smile were visible on Jiang Fengmian’s face.

“You should have kidnapped Jin Zixuan and held him hostage instead of the ship.” Wen Chao scoffed. Xiao Zhan smirked as he turned to look at Wen Chao.

“And risk that he’d do the same thing to us in the future? I would never take that gamble.” He replied smoothly, “And if there’s anything Jin Guangshan cares about most, it’s money, and that makes it his biggest weakness.” The sound of clapping drew his attention, and Xiao Zhan turned to see Jiang Fengmian clapping, a big smile on his face. 

“Xiao Zhan, come here.” He said. Xiao Zhan cautiously did as he was told, and Jiang Fengmian rose from his seat as the younger man approached.

“You have done very well.” He said, “It seems that the trust Ah-Li and Ah-Cheng put in you was not wrong.” Xiao Zhan smiled and bowed.

“I was just doing my job, Uncle Jiang.” He replied. Jiang Fengmian smiled again.

“Xiao Zhan, from this moment on, I am promoting you to vice president of Yingrong Group.” He declared, “It has not been long since you joined, but you have proven yourself worthy and capable of the position.” Xiao Zhan’s eyes widened, and he heard Wen Chao splutter incoherent protests behind him. 

“Uncle, I-!” Xiao Zhan protested, but looked at the stern expression in Jiang Fengmian’s eyes and bowed his head, swallowing down any protests. It was more than he could ever ask for; a position right by the most powerful person in the mafia, access to unfathomable amounts of information and opportunities. At the same time, it was almost certainly the most dangerous position to be in; one wrong move, and Jiang Fengmian would see right through him. But that was a risk he was willing to take.

“Thank you, Uncle.”

“Let us wait for Ah-Zhan before I say anything.” Jiang Fengmian’s voice drew Xiao Zhan out of his memories and back to the present. Wen Chao scoffed in irritation, but didn’t say anything, probably to avoid irking Jiang Fengmian. Xiao Zhan swallowed hard. The Wen brothers’ roles in the fiasco from six months ago had not been small; he was sure of that, and the two men hadn’t made things easy for Xiao Zhan afterwards either.

One of these days, Wen Chao and Wen Xu will pay.

Xiao Zhan wasn’t the type to hold grudges and get revenge, but the handler who had died had been like a mentor and a father figure to him. A life for a life; isn’t that what people in the past ancient days had said? That saying seemed more than applicable here at the present moment. Taking a deep breath, Xiao Zhan knocked twice and then opened the door.

“Uncle Jiang, you were looking for me?” He said as he stepped into the office. He paused as he spotted the other older figure in the room and bowed his head politely.

“Uncle Wen.” The stern, frowning elder of Yingrong Group nodded in response, lightly acknowledging Xiao Zhan’s greeting.

“Ah Zhan, come here.” Jiang Fengmian patted the chair next to him, who obediently walked past the Wen and took the offered seat. Jiang Fengmian took a black leather folder from next to him and handed it to Xiao Zhan.

“You handled the shipment of drugs overseas very well last month.” He said, “I’ve decided to give you this as a reward.” Xiao Zhan frowned in confusion, then opened the folder curiously. His eyes widened at the sheet of paper tucked neatly inside the sleek black folder. 

“Uncle, this is…?” He said in surprise. Jiang Fengmian smiled.

“I talked it over with the elders already, and they all agreed this is the right thing to do.” He said, “I am giving you full control of the club in Dongcheng District.” Xiao Zhan stared at the older man in disbelief. Dongcheng District was arguably the most popular tourist district in all of Beijing, and each night, the streets would be flooded with people well into the night hours and early morning. It was one of the most lucrative places to have business, and Yingrong’s club there was well known to be one of the most popular places for young people to go to. It was also a prime place to do business through the black market, making it one of the most desirable businesses for members of Yingrong to control. And right now, the deed to both the club and the land it sat on was sitting in Xiao Zhan’s hands.

“Uncle Jiang, you cannot possibly serious!” Wen Chao spluttered, “That club is under my brother’s leadership!” 

“Your brother who is currently serving time in prison after getting caught red handed last month.” Jiang Fengmian replied coldly, “Xiao Zhan had to deal with the trouble that he left behind, and I must say he wrapped everything up beautifully. This is what Ah Zhan deserves.” Wen Chao stared at Jiang Fengmian in horror before turning to his father.

“Father!” He protested, but the older man shook his head.

“Ah Xu has to pay the price for his failure.” He replied simply. Wen Chao spluttered incoherently for a few seconds before rising abruptly from his seat.

“Xiao Zhan! Don’t think you’ve won!” He snapped before storming out of the room. Xiao Zhan sighed. There was certainly going to be trouble. Jiang Fengmian patted Xiao Zhan on the shoulder.

“Do you have the confidence to keep a good eye on the Dongcheng club?” He asked. Xiao Zhan smiles and nodded.

“Of course, Uncle.”

____________________________________________________________________________

Xidan, Beijing, Xuanwu Club

The loud beats of club music thrummed in Xiao Zhan’s ears as he strode in with his group of Yingrong men in tow, Jiang Cheng next to him. Frequent club patrons greeted him as he strode past, to which he responded with a warm smile. This club had long been under his supervision, and there were few who were unaware of his position in the power ladder. Xiao Zhan paused by the bar table and beckoned to the bartender standing in front of the vast array of multicolored alcoholic concoctions. 

“Make an announcement.” He ordered, “I’m in a good mood today, everyone’s next round of drinks will be on my tab.” The bartender grinned.

“You are being very generous, Zhan-ge.” He noted, “Something really good must have happened.” Xiao Zhan grinned in return but didn’t respond directly to the question.

“Is the back room open?” He asked.

“Always.” The bartender replied. Xiao Zhan smiled and led his group to the back lounge where he usually spent his nights at Xuanwu. It wasn’t a particularly large room, just a square shaped room with a few sofas, a table, and a large television and sound system, nestled among the VIP rooms in the back of the club. Jiang Fengmian had given Xiao Zhan an office in the club itself that was away from the consistent noise and partying, but Xiao Zhan liked it better down here. He had told Jiang Fengmian it allowed him to be closer to their patrons and get to know them better; all the better for their business, after all. In reality, it allowed him to observe the smallest actions of the club’s dark underbelly from a close distance. From this angle, little escaped his eyes. 

“Zhan-Ge, here’s your drinks.” A cloud of perfume enveloped Xiao Zhan’s senses as one of the bar girls appeared with a tray of drinks and promptly sat down next to him. The sparkling makeup on her cheeks shone in the bright lights as she leaned closer to him.

“Zhan-Ge, you’re so mean.” She cooed, “It’s been so long since you came to see me!” Truth be told, Xiao Zhan could barely remember the girl’s name. Bar girls at the club changed frequently, and all of them more or less tried to get friendly with him. Still, he smiled and wrapped an arm around the girl’s shoulders. Some things were certainly unavoidable in this job.

“Have I been ignoring you?” He said softly, one finger teasingly trailing down the girl’s cheek, “It seems like I’m in the wrong.” The girl blushed and hit him lightly on the chest.

“You’re awful.” She protested, although she was smiling, “You only know how to tease me!” Xiao Zhan grinned and gave the girl a light push away from him.

“Alright, I’ll come find you later.” He promised with a flirtatious wink, “You should get back to work before the patrons start complaining the prettiest girl in Xuanwu has been monopolized.” The girl blushed again before dashing off happily. Jiang Cheng sighed and rolled his eyes.

“I really don’t know what to make of you.” He stated, “You’re always so flirtatious. Do you even know her name?” Xiao Zhan shrugged.

“Does it matter?” He replied. Jiang Cheng scoffed, and Xiao Zhan bumped him playfully with his shoulder.

“Ah-Cheng, being a sourpuss.” He said teasingly, “Good things have happened today! Smile a little!” Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes again, and Xiao Zhan grinned as he rose to his feet with a drink in his hand.

“Come come, let’s drink!” He declared, “Starting from today, I will be supervising Yingrong’s most coveted club! Cheers!” His men roared in approval at his announcement, laughter filling the room as drink glasses clinked against each other at the toast. As Xiao Zhan sipped on his drink, his gaze was suddenly drawn to the room across from him. As a rule, he had ordered that all VIP rooms in Xuanwu weren’t allowed to keep their doors closed; it was safer that way for their patrons and better for himself to observe things. The only time he ever closed the doors was when there was something regarding the black market business to discuss that he couldn’t risk being overheard by others. In the VIP lounge across from him, a young man sat alone on the large tan sofa in the room. 

Who’s that?

Xiao Zhan was certain that he knew all of the Xuanwu VIP clients; he made a point to introduce himself to anyone wealthy enough to reach that level. And yet, this young man was unfamiliar to him. He didn’t seem like a frequent club patron; he was dressed in a simple white shirt and jeans matched with a tan jacket on top. His dark brown hair was cut neatly around his face, slight bangs framing a pair of serious dark brown eyes. In his long slender fingers, he held a single crystal glass of wine half balanced lightly against his knee. And somehow, in the midst of all the noise and flashing lights in the club, the man managed to look as prim and elegantly poised as if he was someone from ancient times reading while sitting behind a long wooden table in a massive library. Xiao Zhan blinked and shook his head.

Reading while sitting behind a long wooden table? Where did that thought come from?

Still, the man had certainly piqued Xiao Zhan’s interest.

“Where are you going?” Jiang Cheng asked as Xiao Zhan headed for the door. 

“To talk with a VIP!” Xiao Zhan tossed over his shoulder before heading out to meet the mysterious man.

____________________________________________________________________________

Lan Wangji didn’t like being in clubs. They were loud, crowded, and smelled absolutely terrible, all the things that Lan Wangji disliked most. The VIP lounge that he had spent far too much money on did little to block all the noise. Still, it was unavoidable, at least for today. Xuanwu was the club that Weiying-

No, Xiao Zhan, Lan Wangji reminded himself, He likely doesn’t remember anything from his past life. He’ll only be confused if you call him by a different name.

Xuanwu was the club that Xiao Zhan frequented the most, which made it more likely that Lan Wangji would find him here. Lan Wangji lightly tapped a finger against his untouched crystal glass of wine thoughtfully as he mused over the current situation. How was he supposed to find Xiao Zhan in the midst of all these people? He couldn’t just walk up to someone and expect to get an answer; no, things didn’t work that way anymore, particularly if he wanted to avoid drawing attention. As Lan Wangji mused over any possible courses of action, the sound of footsteps coming from his left drew his attention. He barely bothered to react though; more likely than not, it was just another one of those bar girls, or a bartender asking if he wanted more alcohol. Then, the newcomer spoke.

“Yo. I don’t think I’ve seen you here before.” Lan Wangji stiffened, his hand tightening around the glass as the voice reached his ears. Turning slowly, the newcomer’s appearance slowly came into his vision. Long legs clad in a pair of black jeans, a simple dark red top, a silver necklace flashing in the room lights, and finally...a bright smile paired with an inquisitive set of dark eyes. It was all both heartwarmingly and painfully familiar. 

Weiying.

Lan Wangji wanted to stand and grab the man by the lapels, shake him and demand where he had been all this time, where his soul had been after that fateful day at Nightless City. He wanted to yell and wipe the smile off Weiying’s face, wanted to let him know just how long Lan Wangji had been waiting for his soul to return and be reborn. He wanted to ask him, what right did Wei Wuxian think he had to make Lan Wangji wait for so long? Who was Wei Wuxian, to do such a thing to the man who had broken all the rules just for one person? 

Of course, Lan Wangji knew that he couldn’t do that, and he already had an answer to all his own questions.

I waited because I chose Weiying as my lifetime confidante. I waited because I just knew he would come back one day. Who is Wei Wuxian? The only person who found a way through the thick wall I so carefully placed around myself, earning both my trust and admiration.

And in any event, this new version of Weiying would have no idea what was going on if Lan Wangji launched into such a tirade. And so, Lan Wangji simply tightened his grip around his cup and leveled his gaze with Xiao Zhan.

“I don’t think I’ve seen you before either.” He replied coolly. Xiao Zhan stared at him for a long moment before laughing.

“Naturally.” He replied, dropping into the seat across from Lan Wangji without so much as asking if he could.

“So, what brings you here to Xuanwu?” Xiao Zhan asked, “I’d say I know almost everyone who likes to come here. You must have a lot of money if you’re paying enough for a VIP suite the first time you’re here.” Lan Wangji sighed internally as Xiao Zhan peppered him with questions.

Wei Wuxian or not, his penchant for talking never changes.

“Is there something wrong with our alcohol?” Xiao Zhan’s voice drew Lan Wangji out of his thoughts, and he looked up to see Xiao Zhan looking curiously at the cup in Lan Wangji’s hand. 

“Why do you ask?” Lan Wangji replied. Xiao Zhan smirked and pointed at Lan Wangji’s cup.

“You have half a cup in your hand, which makes it look like you’ve had some.” He observed, “But based on the amount left in the bottle, that was the only time you poured anything out of it.” Xiao Zhan leaned over slightly, his eyes narrowing. 

“Is there something you’d like to tell me?” He said. Lan Wangji couldn’t help but smirk slightly. Ah yes, there it was. No matter what reincarnation he was in, Weiying was cheerful, but astute, kind but cautious at the same time. His ability to observe the smallest things only seemed to have been improved by his time undercover in Yingrong. 

“I simply have low liquor tolerance.” Lan Wangji replied. Xiao Zhan blinked before chuckling.

“Surely, you are not implying that you cannot even take a sip?” He replied. Lan Wangji simply looked at the other man and raised an eyebrow. Indeed, while Lan Xichen had learned how to use his cultivation to push out the alcoholic contents in wine, it was a skill Lan Wangji had never learned. And although Lan Wangji had to admit that he partook in alcohol when the pain of losing Weiying became too much to bear while sober, he saw little reason to learn his brother’s skill of avoiding being drunk. What was the point of staying sober if he wanted to numb the pain of losing his confidante?

Xiao Zhan’s jaw dropped as he realized what Lan Wangji’s silent stare meant.

“How can someone get drunk after one sip?” He exclaimed. Lan Wangji simply shrugged and placed his untouched cup on the table. Xiao Zhan raised an eyebrow as he looked from the wine to Lan Wangji and back again.

“So why did you bother ordering drinks if you weren’t going to have any?” He queried, “You are quite an interesting person.” Before Lan Wangji could bother saying a short answer, Xiao Zhan smirked and snapped his fingers.

“Don’t tell me...you came to look for me?” He asked with an amused glint in his eyes, “I must admit, I am quite popular around these parts of town!” Lan Wangji stiffened ever so slightly before collecting himself and looking over at the other man. He could still recall the last time those same words had left Weiying’s mouth, the same playful look in his dark eyes as they had stood in the middle of a bustling street in Yiling. Swallowing hard, Lan Wangji reached out a hand across the table towards Xiao Zhan.

“My name is Wang Yibo.” He said. Xiao Zhan grinned and shook his head.

“I am Xiao Zhan.” He responded, “I am the manager of this club.” Without saying anything, Lan Wangji nodded slightly, then turned his hand ever so slightly so that the top of his hand was visible to the other man. Just as he had planned, the bright club lights flashed off the ring on his finger, immediately catching Xiao Zhan’s observant gaze. The other man looked down towards Lan Wangji’s hand, and then, his expression immediately shifted ever so slightly.

____________________________________________________________________________

If anything happens to me, look for the man who wears a ring with a cloud design emblazoned on it.

Despite the loud music thrumming through the walls of the VIP lounge, Xiao Zhan could almost hear his previous handler’s voice in his ear as he gazed down at the hand of the person who had just introduced himself as Wang Yibo. In the bright flashing lights of Xuanwu Club, Xiao Zhan could see that the man wore a silver ring on his right hand, but that wasn’t what had caught his attention. What had made Xiao Zhan pause was the swirling cloud pattern emblazoned on Wang Yibo’s ring. It was an elegant pattern, made to look like a set of clouds flowing in the wind. The only other time Xiao Zhan had seen it was the one time his previous handler had shown a drawing of the cloud pattern to him.

Why? He had asked his handler then, Why this ring in particular? What is special about that man?

That man will be the one who takes over supervising your mission. His handler had responded, I’ve already arranged for it, should anything happen to me.

Xiao Zhan had scoffed at it then and brushed the comment off quickly, certain that nothing would happen to the older man. But here he was, six months into a period of no connection with headquarters. And now, the man with the cloud ring had appeared in front of him. Carefully smoothing over the slightly startled look that had taken over his face, Xiao Zhan smiled and let go of Wang Yibo’s hand before returning to his seat.

“Welcome to Xuanwu, Wang Yibo.” He said, resting one hand on the armrest, “With me here, I’ll make sure you have the time of your life, even without alcohol.” As he spoke, Xiao Zhan carefully tapped his index finger against the leather armrest and saw Wang Yibo’s gaze move slightly towards his hand in response. If this man was his new handler, then he certainly would recognize the code that only undercover agents and their handlers were taught.

You are…? 

Wang Yibo smiled ever so slightly.

“I am certain that with your power, you’ll make that happen.” He replied. His hand rested against his knee, and Xiao Zhan saw his finger tap lightly against his leg.

Your new handler.

Xiao Zhan felt a new sense of relief wash over him as he saw Wang Yibo’s response. Finally, finally he wasn’t alone anymore. Smiling, Xiao Zhan lifted a hand and cupped his cheek in his palm. One slender finger tapped against his cheek.

Nice to meet you.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Author's note: Quick note on terms!

Xian-sheng=mister

Ge=a term of endearment for a slightly older man