Trouble is Brewing

Lan Xichen rode to his brother's house as soon as he was off from work. He called Meng Yao to let him know this, and that he would be home a little later than usual. Meng Yao understood, remembering what he had told him about Wei Ying earlier that morning.

It was not long before he was driving down the street Lan Zhan and Wei Ying lived on. As he parked the car, he saw the latter's family making their way to their own vehicles. He noticed that Jiang Fengmian and Madam Yu were looking highly upset. Jiang Yanli was pale, with misery darkening her expression.

Lan Xichen felt a sense of foreboding. His brother had said that the attack was "that terrible". Now he was beginning to think that it may have been worse than terrible.

He stepped out of his car, immediately drawing their attention.

"Hello, A-Xichen," Jiang Fengmian said in a grave voice.

Madam Yu nodded to him.

Lan Xichen bowed slightly. "Good evening, Jiang-shushu, Madam Yu." He was as close to Wei Ying's family as Lan Zhan was, and their uncles were good friends. "It is wonderful to see you, A-Li," he added, turning to her.

She managed a smile as she embraced him. "It's good to see you too, A-Xichen. How have you been?"

"I have been fine, thank you."

Uncle Jiang pursed his lips. "I assume you are here to visit A-Ying as well? I know A-Wangji must have told you about what happened already," he remarked.

"Yes, but he said there was more to it than what he could tell me over the phone. He also said that it would be best if we discussed it in person." Lan Xichen shook his head. "That greatly concerned me. It isn't like him to not tell me something important right away, whether is it on the phone or not."

The three of them exchanged meaningful glances. Seeing this only caused him to feel more worried. What was going on?

Uncle Jiang exhaled deeply. "All I can tell you, A-Xichen, is that your brother was right to choose not to go into detail about what happened over the phone. But I cannot explain why, only warn you to brace yourself."

Lan Xichen frowned in puzzlement, but nodded. "I understand."

"Mmm. Well, we have to be leaving now, but it is a pleasure to see you as always. Please tell your uncle that I said hello the next time you see him, and that I'll give him a call soon."

He bowed once more. "I will. It has been a pleasure to see all of you too."

Just as he had finished seeing them off, he heard a door open behind him. He turned to see Jiang Cheng stepping out of his brother's house before lighting a cigarette. He looked even angrier than usual...and that was saying something.

"A-Cheng," he greeted as he approached him.

He nodded once. "Er-ge," he returned.

They shook hands.

"Is my brother busy?" Lan Xichen inquired after they asked each other how they were.

Jiang Cheng shrugged as he took a puff of his cigarette. "I just walked out, so I don't know what he could be doing right now."

"And Wei Ying? Will I be able to speak to him? Were you and your family able to?"

"Yeah, but I don't know if he'll still be in the mood to talk."

Lan Xichen saw his free hand clenching into a fist as he said this. Whatever was going on, it was definitely not good.

"I understand."

Jiang Cheng threw his cigarette on the ground and put it out with his shoe. "I have to go. I have some things I need to take care of. I'll see you soon, Er-ge," he stated.

Lan Xichen shook his hand again. "All right. Good-bye, A-Cheng."

And after watching him leave, he knocked on the door.

Lan Zhan opened it immediately. He had heard him speaking to Jiang Cheng from inside the house and decided to wait for him. "Xiongzhang. Please, come in," he said.

"Hello, Wangji. Thank you."

They gave each other a brief hug after Lan Zhan closed the door. Then Lan Xichen turned to Wei Ying, who had been standing next to him, and raised his arms with a small smile.

The latter hesitated. The idea of returning the embrace filled him with anxiety. He didn't know how Lan Xichen would feel after he learned about what Wen Chao had done. What if he regretted hugging him?

Then again, Wei Ying knew that that wasn't likely to happen. Like Lan Zhan, he was a kind, understanding person. He was never judgmental and preferred to see the best in everyone.

With that in mind, he stepped into his arms. "Hi Er-ge," he whispered, giving him a half-hearted embrace.

This instantly worried Lan Xichen; he practically knocked him over whenever he usually hugged him. Not that he minded it, of course. That was just how he was.

In his arms now was a quiet, subdued version of him. He didn't like that at all. It was too unsettling. Had he been angry as he often was after a fight instead, even that would not have bothered him too much. He also realized at that moment that he hadn't smiled either. Not even once.

Lan Xichen shook himself out of his thoughts then as he hugged him back. "Hello, Wei Ying," he murmured.

He drew away to look him over afterwards. He had already seen bruises on his forehead and right temple after he came in. Now, peering closely, he also noticed that there was a cut on the side of his neck. There weren't any other visible injuries, but he knew there were more.

And in his eyes, he could see nothing but pain. Terrible pain.

Whoever his attacker was, they had clearly been quite violent with him.

"What on earth happened?" Lan Xichen asked the both them in concern. "Who did this?"

Neither Wei Ying or his brother responded. The former bowed his head, then turned to Lan Zhan and placed a hand on his arm. The latter caressed his cheek with a nod, obviously answering a silent question, and kissed him. Wei Ying nodded to Lan Xichen after that and headed upstairs.

Lan Xichen glanced in between them in confusion. "I...What...Wei Ying, where are you going?"

"Xiongzhang, I will speak to you in here. It will be best if we sit down. I am afraid that what I need to tell you is more horrible than you suspect," Lan Zhan remarked then, gesturing to the living room. "I will pour us some tea and join you in a moment."

He nodded before having a seat on one of the couches. Lan Zhan entered the room shortly after, placing the tray he was holding on the table in front of them. Lan Xichen thanked him and took a few sips of the tea he was offered before setting it down.

"Didi...what exactly happened to Wei Ying during the attack? He is...he is not himself," he observed.

Lan Zhan turned to stare at the window unseeingly at his question, his hand gripping the cup he held tightly.

"He was raped, Xiongzhang," he replied in a blunt voice.

Lan Xichen froze, too stunned to do anything but gape at him. A part of him couldn't believe it at first. Did not want to believe.

But he knew that his brother had never told a lie in his life.

Wei Ying...Wei Ying had been...

The idea of it was simply too cruel, too unfathomable. He could not imagine why anybody would want to do that to him of all people...or anyone else.

Yes, Wei Ying could be a bit of a troublemaker at times, but he never meant any real harm for all that. Even if he had, he still would not ever have deserved this. He had a good heart, and loved those he cared about immensely, especially his brother. Even if their uncle never quite approved of their engagement, Lan Xichen did wholeheartedly because he saw this in Wei Ying, among other qualities.

"B-By who?" he queried when he finally found his voice. "Who would do this to him, Wangji? Does he know who his attacker is?"

"Mn," Lan Zhan confirmed.

And with that, he told both Wei Ying's side of the story and his. Lan Xichen could only listen to him with even more disbelief and horror.

No wonder his family had been angry and upset. He, too, couldn't help but be furious on top of everything else.

Tears slid down Lan Zhan's face after he had revealed and explained everything. "I blame myself for not leaving to find Wei Ying sooner as I felt I should have, Xiongzhang. Or offering to pick him up when he told me he was on his way home. I was not there for him when he needed me. Nothing would have happened to him if I were. I wouldn't have allowed it," he concluded.

Lan Xichen drew him in for another hug. He could tell that he needed one. "No, didi. You cannot blame yourself for this. I understand that you feel guilty, and that you are hurting for him. But this is not your fault. You had no way of knowing what was happening," he said.

"But I had a feeling that something was wrong...and I chose to do nothing until it was far too late," Lan Zhan muttered, bitterness underlying his tone.

"I understand that, but the fact of the matter is that you were going to look for him. Furthermore, you helped him when he needed it. If anything was needed to atone for what you did not do, your intentions - and your helping and being there for him upon his return - had more than made up for it. So, please...do not blame yourself any longer."

Lan Zhan did not comment on this, just stayed in his embrace until he felt calmer. After that, he gently removed himself from his arms to wipe away his tears.

He patted his back softly. "It will take time, but Wei Ying will heal and pull through this, didi. I know he will," he assured him.

"Mn. He is strong, even if he doesn't think so right now."

"Yes, he is. Is there anything you or Wei Ying need for the time being?"

"No...but please tell Shufu and Meng Yao what happened. I know that Wei Ying is likely going to be unwilling to do it again."

Lan Xichen nodded. "I can do that. I only wish that I could tell them something different," he sighed.

Lan Zhan hummed in agreement.

They talked for a little while longer after that, mostly about how they were doing in school or work. Then Lan Xichen prepared to leave.

"Could you ask Wei Ying to come down, please? I would like to speak to him before I go," he said as they stepped into the hall.

"Mn."

Wei Ying was reading the emails from his teachers in his and Lan Zhan's room when he heard the latter calling him. He pocketed his phone before getting off of the bed.

"Yeah? Is something wrong?" he inquired as he stood on the landing.

Lan Zhan shook his head. "No. Xiongzhang is about to leave, but he wants to have a word with you first."

"Oh. Okay."

He felt nervous, not knowing what he would say or do. However, there was no need for him to be. Lan Xichen embraced him warmly as soon as he finished walking downstairs.

Wei Ying sighed, relaxing in his hold as he slumped in relief.

"I am so sorry that this happened to you," Lan Xichen murmured while patting his back. "I know that you are feeling a lot of different emotions at once right now, but you will heal in time. Always remember that none of this is your fault. You have done the right thing by speaking up and getting help. Don't stop, even when everything seems hard."

A lump rose in Wei Ying's throat. It took everything in him to not start crying again. "I won't."

"Good." He backed away to smile at him. "If you ever need to talk, or need anything at all, do not hesitate to call me. The same goes for you, Wangji," he added to this brother.

Both he and Lan Zhan nodded.

Lan Xichen bid them good-bye after that before leaving the house. As he walked to his car, he rubbed his temple with a deep sigh.

He needed a drink...and a strong one at that.

xXXXXXXx

Wei Ying and Lan Zhan didn't do anything other than their usual nightly rituals for the rest of the evening. They eventually went to bed at 8:50, feeling too exhausted to stay up for much longer.

"Baobei," Lan Zhan whispered as they had made themselves comfortable.

"Mmm?" Wei Ying grunted, laying his head on his chest.

He wrapped his arms around him. "I have been meaning to apologize to you...for last night."

Wei Ying looked up at him with confusion. "Apologize for what? You never did anything wrong."

"I made you feel afraid. And unsafe. When I tried to help you remove your clothes," he elaborated further.

He would never forget the way his eyes had darted back and forth as he did. It was as if he was seeing something that was not there. And whatever that something was was frightening him.

"No...no..." Wei Ying had said in a low, pleading voice as he trembled violently.

Lan Zhan had called his name to catch his attention, especially when he began to hyperventilate. That did not work. Before he could do anything else, he suddenly slumped backwards and fainted in his arms.

The bewilderment in Wei Ying's expression slowly changed to one of understanding after a moment. "Oh, sweetheart, no. No. Don't apologize for that. You didn't know what happened at first. And in any case, I know that you would never make me feel that way on purpose."

"But I did. For that, I am sorry. This is why I tell you to let me know if anything I do makes you uncomfortable."

"I understand, but you don't have to be sorry, Airen. If anything, I am. It's my fault; I should have told you what he did the first time you asked me..."

"Wei Ying...stop," Lan Zhan interrupted in a firm voice. "Once again, what happened is never going to be your fault. I understand how you feel, but I also understand that you were too afraid to tell me right away. I do not blame you for that. No one else would either."

He sighed. "Fine. All right," he conceded. "I accept your apology."

Lan Zhan bobbed his head and kissed him deeply. "Thank you. And also...I meant to ask what Madam Yu was speaking to you about before she left."

Wei Ying fidgeted. "She told me that you said our doctor recommended a therapist for me when we were at the hospital."

"Mn. What else?"

"She told me to think about calling them if I needed to."

He hummed. "Do not be afraid to take her advice if the need does arise. She means well, even if you believe otherwise," he remarked.

Wei Ying just nodded. A part of him still wondered if she thought he had gone crazy.

Lan Zhan pulled the blanket over them before kissing him again. "We should sleep now, baobei. It is after nine."

"Okay. I love you, sweetheart."

"I love Wei Ying too."

Next Day

They were up early the following morning. Lan Zhan arose at five as usual, but let Wei Ying sleep until 6:30. They had breakfast after the former had helped him tend to his injuries, then gathered what they needed for the day and prepared to leave.

Wei Ying moped as Lan Zhan took him to his sister's house. Even though he was happy to spend the day with her, he was going to miss him until he picked him up later.

It was not as if Wei Ying needed him to do that, of course. He could easily walk home since it would only take him less than a half hour. But for his own safety, Lan Zhan requested him not to go anywhere by himself for the time being. It was just as well; what if Wen Chao was lurking around or following him?

He decided not to entertain that thought. It only filled him with anxiety.

Lan Zhan walked him up to the house when they arrived there a few minutes later. After knocking on the door, he turned to him.

"Will you be all right, Wei Ying?" he queried.

"Yeah," he sighed. "I just wish I could go with you."

Lan Zhan hummed as he caressed his cheek. "I wish you could too."

He gently pulled him in for a loving kiss after that. Wei Ying clutched his arms as he melted into him.

When they backed away for air, Lan Zhan ran his thumb and forefinger down a tendril of hair that framed his face. "So beautiful," he murmured.

He blushed as he grinned weakly. He was relieved that he still thought he was because deep down inside, he felt like the ugliest person on Earth at the moment. He knew it was wrong to feel that way about himself, but he couldn't help it.

Lan Zhan could tell what he was thinking along the lines of from his expression alone. Just as he was about to say something, however, the door opened.

Jiang Yanli smiled when she saw them. "Hello, you two. Come in, A-Xian. Come in. Thank you for bringing him over, Zhanzhan-didi."

"You are welcome. Please keep Wei Ying safe until I return."

"I will. That won't be a problem."

Lan Zhan bobbed his head before giving Wei Ying one more kiss. "I love you, baobei. Please call or text me if anything. I will be here immediately."

Wei Ying snorted. It was the closest he had come to laughing in more than two days. "I know, and I will. I love you too."

After exchanging a few more words with Jiang Yanli and hugging her, Lan Zhan left. They waved as he drove away. Wei Ying felt nervous as he watched his car turn the corner. He hoped that he would be all right.

"So, A-Xian. How are you today?" she inquired after shutting the door and embracing him.

"I'm fine, I guess," he responded. "Is the peacock here?" he asked next, looking around.

"The peacock" was her rich boyfriend, Jin Zixuan. Her house was actually his.

Jiang Yanli gave him a look. "A-Xian, you know I don't like it when you call him that," she chided gently. "But no, he isn't here. He left five minutes before you arrived."

"Oh."

It was just as well he was gone. He wasn't in the mood to see or deal with him, especially since he knew that she would have told him everything by now. They didn't get along most of the time.

She nodded before smiling again. "Well, what would you like to do? Are you hungry, or did you have breakfast already?"

"Yeah, I ate. I think...I think I'm just going to go back to sleep for a couple of hours. I'm still tired."

He certainly looked it. Jiang Yanli slid an arm around him. "All right. Let's go up to the spare bedroom, then."

She made sure that everything was in order once they were there. Wei Ying put his book bag on the chair that was near the window before laying down. He would begin catching up with his studies later.

"There, now," she murmured after tucking him in. "Is the bed comfortable enough?"

Wei Ying nodded. "It's fine, Shijie."

"Good. I will wake you up at lunchtime if you are still asleep by then."

"Okay. Shijie?"

"Yes, Xianxian?"

He pulled the blanket over him some more. "Can you sit with me for a while? Just until I fall asleep?" He didn't want to be alone.

Jiang Yanli rubbed the tip of his nose. "Of course, A-Xian. Anything."

And she began to stroke his hair while humming softly. Wei Ying smiled and closed his eyes. Her touch was as soothing as always. He felt himself growing calmer in no time at all, and after a few minutes, he knew no more.

Jiang Yanli kissed his forehead when he slumped into the bed, his breathing deep and even. Her heart ached for him so much. She wished that she could go back in time and prevent what had happened. Anything to not see her beloved didi suffering like this undeservedly.

She thanked the heavens that Jin Zixuan was home after she had left his and Lan Zhan's house. He held her in his arms when she told him everything, never letting go even when she cried for half the night. He had been sympathetic towards Wei Ying and promised to help in any way he could.

With a deep sigh, she adjusted the covers on him before going back downstairs. Her first lecture would be starting soon.

Meanwhile

Lan Zhan made it to the college with plenty of time to spare. He arrived early to each of his morning classes, but although he was physically present, he did his classwork with only half his mind.

He spent half of his lectures thinking about Wei Ying. Wondering if he was all right, and what he was doing at the moment. He tried not to worry too much, however. He knew that he was in good hands. Jiang Yanli would keep a close eye on him.

It wasn't until after his second class when he was able to ask them how they were via text message. Wei Ying didn't respond, but his sister assured him that he was fine. He was just taking a nap.

That wasn't too strange. Wei Ying never liked to wake up early. He would sleep until eleven o'clock or noon every day if he didn't have to go to school. Or if Lan Zhan let him.

Nevertheless, he had been sleeping more than usual these past two days. That alone was enough to concern him. While Lan Zhan understood that this was a tiring time for Wei Ying, he also knew that his exhaustion was a symptom of depression. Of course, there were others that he noticed as well. Perhaps he ought to convince Wei Ying to speak to the therapist Dr. Tang recommended soon, especially if it became an ongoing occurrence.

After making sure that Jiang Yanli was all right too, Lan Zhan headed to his third class. He was walking along the path to the building it was located in when he heard someone calling him.

"Wangji-xiong!"

He turned to see Wen Ning storming over to him, practically fuming with rage.

Had Lan Zhan been anyone else, he would have considered running away from him. He had never seen him looking so furious in his life. He was gentle soul and quite mild-mannered; he wouldn't hurt a fly.

But now he looked as if he were ready to tear something or someone apart.

"Wen Qionglin," Lan Zhan greeted him warily.

He stood in front of him. "Is it true? About Wei Ying? Is it true?" he demanded.

Jiang Cheng or Wen Qing had obviously told him about what his cousin had done. No wonder he was so upset.

Lan Zhan gave a cautious nod. "Mn. Unfortunately, it is."

Wen's Ning lips curled in fury, and without saying or asking anything else, he went back the way he came.

Odd.

Lan Zhan scowled at his retreating form in puzzlement before continuing on his way. He didn't want to be late for his class.

xXXXXXXx

Wei Ying eventually woke up around 11:30. He was a bit disoriented at first, having forgotten that he was in his sister's house. He sat up and stretched once he had gathered his wits, then checked his phone to see if anyone had contacted him.

He was taken aback when he saw that his screen was filled with text message notifications. One was from Lan Zhan. The others were from Jiang Cheng, his friends, and Meng Yao.

Unlocking his phone, he read Lan Zhan's first: He wanted to know how he was doing. Wei Ying responded that he was okay, and that he had just finished taking a nap.

Jiang Cheng had asked a similar question to Lan Zhan's, so he gave him the same answer.

And then there were the messages from his friends and Meng Yao. As Wei Ying read them, he nearly had to hold the phone away due to how much fury they contained.

Nie Huaisang

Oh, my gods, Wei Wuxian! Why didn't you tell me what happened yesterday??? A-Cheng told me everything. I'm so sorry! Are you okay??? Do you need me to do anything??? Whatever it is, you know I have your back!

Meng Yao

Huan-ge explained what really went on when you were attacked last night. We are here if you ever need to talk or vent, all right? You may contact either one of us anytime. Remember that. I would personally like to go and teach that monster a lesson myself, but I know that Huan-ge wouldn't let me.

Oh, and Lan-shufu wants you to know that he is sorry about what happened too, and that he gives you his best wishes.

Wen Qing

WHAT THE FUCK, WEI WUXIAN!!!!!! YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME SOONER!!!!!!

THAT ASSHOLE BETTER HOPE THAT I DON'T CATCH EVEN A GLIMPSE OF HIS FACE ANY TIME SOON!!! IF I DO, I SWEAR TO EVERY GOD ABOVE THAT I WILL THROTTLE THE FUCKING DAYLIGHTS OUT OF HIM, WEI WUXIAN! I CAN'T BELIEVE HE WOULD EVEN THINK OF HURTING YOU LIKE THAT!!!

You know I'm here for you if you need anything. And if you want me to KICK OR SEDATE HIS ASS, you won't need to ask me twice! I will be glad to do it for you and personally walk around this city with a needle in hand!

He gulped at that one. No doubt she would.

Wen Ning

Jiang Cheng and Jiejie told me what happened last night!

I'm done with him, Wei Ying! I am SO fucking done! You and I both know everything he has gotten into before, but after what he did to you, that animal is no longer our cousin! When I find him, I'm going to fucking kill him! I swear to the gods!

Call me if you ever want to talk, though. I'm here, okay?

Wei Ying couldn't help but do a double-take at that last message, which was the most recent one. He hadn't been sure if he had read it properly! Wen Ning, who had never shown even one hint of a temper, was cursing and angrier than he had ever known him to be! Not that he could blame him, of course. But still.

And what did he mean by "when" he found him? He hoped that he wasn't planning to search for him like Jiang Cheng was...

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. He jumped, startled.

"A-Xian? Are you still sleeping, didi?" he heard Jiang Yanli ask from the other side of it.

"N-No, Shijie. I'm awake," Wei Ying replied.

"Oh! All right. You were so quiet that I couldn't tell. I was just coming up to let you know that lunch is ready."

"Okay. I'll be down in a minute."

"Are you all right?"

"Yeah."

He grabbed his book bag and put it in the living room on his way to the kitchen. He knew that his sister wouldn't mind if he joined her while he studied.

She turned to smile at him when he entered the room. "I hope you are hungry, A-Xian. I made more soup for you," she announced.

Wei Ying beamed. "You know I always have an appetite for that!" he remarked. Anyone who ever had it would be insane if they didn't in his opinion.

Jiang Yanli chuckled while placing a bowl in front of him. "That I do. And you can have as much as you like. I made plenty."

As they ate, she let him know that Lan Zhan had sent him a message, which he already knew. She told him that Uncle Jiang had asked about him as well.

"Xianxian? Are you sure you're all right? You seem worried and nervous," she observed halfway through the meal.

"I'm okay. My friends and A-Yao are just concerned about me. They know about what happened now. They're all pretty upset," Wei Ying mumbled, giving part of the truth.

Jiang Yanli hummed. She could tell that there was more, but decided to let it be. She knew that he would talk to her when he was ready.

They spent the afternoon doing on their schoolwork together. Wei Ying was glad to have something that would take his mind off things for a while. Luckily for him, it would be that way for the time being. He had a lot to catch up on, if the lists his teachers had sent him were any indication.

Lan Zhan sent him another text at three o'clock to let him know that his classes were over. Wei Ying relayed the message to his sister as he put his books and laptop away. It wouldn't take long for him to get there.

He was knocking on the front door ten minutes later. Wei Ying hugged him as soon as he opened it. He had missed him.

"Mmm. Hello, baobei," Lan Zhan whispered, rubbing his back and kissing him.

"Hi sweetheart."

Jiang Yanli shook her head at them fondly.

They talked for a bit, asking each other how their day went, and if anything special happened. Wei Ying and Lan Zhan left afterwards, telling her that they would see her tomorrow.

"Wen Qionglin spoke to me earlier," the latter announced as he started the car.

Wei Ying frowned. "He did? What about?" he queried.

Lan Zhan pursed his lips. "He wanted to know if what happened was true. I am sure that he already knew it was, however. He was very upset. But I told him it was, and he rushed away. I thought that was rather...strange."

Even Wei Ying had to agree. "That was it? Did he say anything else?"

"No. But I saw him and your brother talking to each other when I was leaving the school. About what, I do not know. They were too far away for me to hear them. Then they got in your brother's car and left."

Wei Ying felt more uneasy than ever. Remembering what they said, he hoped that they weren't planning to do something that would get them in trouble.

"What about Wen Qing? Was she with them?"

"No, she was not. She is more than likely doing her internship today."

"Oh. Yeah."

Lan Zhan didn't continue the subject after that. There was clearly nothing else to say on the matter.

When they were home, he made tea for the both of them before joining Wei Ying in the study upstairs. They usually did their homework assignments there, though they sometimes completed them in the living room too. It consisted of two desks, a sofa, and a bookshelf.

Wei Ying picked up from where he had left off earlier once he had finished drinking his tea. However, thinking about what Lan Zhan had told him about Jiang Cheng and Wen Ning soon made it difficult for him to concentrate on anything. He found himself zoning out or reading the same thing twice.

He decided to call them after a while. He could at least find out what they were doing at the moment. Maybe then, he would stop worrying so much.

But neither of them answered. Wei Ying tried again, to no avail. He sent them a text after a few more attempts, asking them to call him back soon.

Lan Zhan, of course, noticed how apprehensive he was. "Who were you calling, Wei Ying?" he inquired.

"A-Cheng and A-Ning. They didn't pick up, though. I just wanted to know if they're okay," he responded.

"Mn. I am sure they are fine."

The hours passed, and Lan Zhan eventually went downstairs to fix dinner. Wei Ying paid very little attention to his, still too distracted to have much of an appetite. The fact that his brother and Wen Ning hadn't responded to his messages for all that time didn't help either.

They were soon done eating and prepared to return to the study to finish up the work they needed to do. However, just as they had reached the stairs, there was frantic pounding on the front door.

Lan Zhan was bewildered. No one usually visited them at this time of day. "Baobao, are you expecting somebody?" he questioned.

"No...are you?" Wei Ying asked.

"...No."

With a frown, Lan Zhan opened the door to an agitated Nie Huaisang. He rushed in without even greeting them, much to the former's displeasure.

"Wei-xiong...Wangji-xiong..." he panted while putting his hands on his knees and catching his breath. Had he run all the way there? "A-Cheng..."

Fear crept into Wei Ying's heart. "A-Cheng? What about A-Cheng? What happened? Did he get hurt?"

Nie Huaisang straightened. "No...He and A-Ning...they've been arrested!"

There was a brief, shocked silence.

"What?!" Wei Ying demanded.

Nie Huaisang handed him his phone without explaining further. On the screen was a video that had to have been recorded at least an hour or so prior. The sun was still out. Wei Ying pushed the play button and held it up so that Lan Zhan could watch it too.

It was hard to tell what was going on right away. The camera was shaking too much at first. Seconds later, however, they realized that the video was being taken outside of a bar.

The first thing they saw when the camera was in focus was Jiang Cheng and Wen Ning arguing with Wen Chao. They were all yelling and cursing so loudly that they had attracted a small crowd of bystanders. Some of them were shouting too, telling them to calm down, but they were ignored.

As Wei Ying and Lan Zhan continued to watch, the argument only grew even more heated. Then Wen Chao reached out to punch his ex-cousin in the face, and that was when all hell broke loose.

"I'm going to kill you, motherfucker!!!" Wen Ning screamed, yanking off his coat before diving onto him. "One of you call the police! I don't care if I go to prison, as long as he goes too!" he added to the crowd as he gestured to his ex-cousin.

And with that, both he and Jiang Cheng proceeded to thoroughly beat the ever living shit out of Wen Chao.

They must have been really hurting him because the latter soon tried to escape them. But Wen Ning was having none of that and pinned him to the ground.

"NO! YOU'RE NOT GOING ANY-FUCKING-WHERE!!! NO! NO! NO! NO!" he bellowed. He sounded as if he had completely gone mad.

Someone must have called the police because they arrived a few minutes later. Jiang Cheng was yelling angrily as they hauled him and Wen Ning into one of cars. Wen Chao, who was literally a bloody mess, was laid onto a gurney and placed in an ambulance. A police officer climbed into it before it drove away.

The video ended, and Wei Ying and Lan Zhan could do nothing but exchange stunned glances.

Seconds later, the former's cell phone rang.