Lan Zhan momentarily forgets about Nie MingJue.

Wei Ying is absolutely right!

If Uncle Qiren knows about vampires, what then?

He's going to have to come clean about himself. And if that's the case, he wants Wei Ying and XiChen there, when he does it.

He's barely aware of the car moving at a much slower pace, as they drive on towards the main house along the winding road.

Wei Ying sees a cab waiting, its engine running and the driver behind the wheel, as if waiting for someone.

As they get out of the Sports car, Da Tuzi and Wen PoPo come out of the Manor, with Da Tuzi carrying PoPo's bags.

"You're leaving?" Wei Ying exclaims, running up to her and folding her into his arms. "Are you truly okay, PoPo?" He whispers in her ear.

She hugs him back, her seemingly frail arms lending her a hidden strength as she squeezes him back.

"Haizi, it would take more than a couple of idiots to take me out!" She laughs about it, and that somehow makes Wei Ying feel much better.

"PoPo." Lan Zhan's deep voice interrupts them, and they pull apart.

"Now, now, don't you go worrying about me. I'm perfectly alright. Those beds are something else!" She looks back towards the manor and nudges Wei Ying in a conspiratory whisper. "Best night's sleep!"

"Then where are you going?" Wei Ying asks her, as Lan Zhan wraps an arm around his waist.

"I got the all clear this morning, my apartment is fumigated and ready to move back into. While I appreciate the change, there's no place like home," she giggles, watching as Da Tuzi loads up her car.

He then goes around to the driver and gives him some money, and they overhear him requesting him to assist PoPo with her luggage when she reaches her home.

"Did you have a good time at the ceremony?" She winks at both of them.

Wei Ying doesn't know how much she knows about everything that happened, so he simply nods.

Lan Zhan remains silent.

"Well, I'll be off, then. Remember, if you need me, I'm only a phone call away." She pats Wei Ying on his head and he can't resist hugging her one last time.

Her chocolate brown eyes are brighter than normal when she pulls away, and she quickly gets into the cab. Da Tuzi closes the trunk, hitting it twice to tell the driver that they're ready and he can leave.

Wei Ying waves at her until the taxi is no longer visible.

Then they go inside.

*************

A-Yuan and JingYi are anxious when they meet Wei Ying and Lan Zhan, but their fears are quickly laid to rest as JingYi explains why they played hooky from school today.

Wei Ying picks up each boy one at a time, and kisses them all over their faces as they squeal in delight, trying to get away from him. This is what he has missed, being normal with them.

Wei Ying giggles at Lan Zhan's face, his guilty expression one to be remembered forever. But Uncle Qiren doesn't let them stand around idly for long; they are ushered into the dining room where Nie Huaisang and XiChen are already sitting down at the table, leaving a gap between them for MingJue.

Nie MingJue arrives shortly afterwards, clearly having straightened up himself. His shirt is fully buttoned and face freshly washed, as he sits down at the table.

Lan Zhan glares at him, anyway.

Wei Ying decides not to tease Lan Zhan more today; he's already stressed about the talk they will undoubtedly have to have with the Lan elder, and Wei Ying knows that questions will have to be answered.

But not while the children are awake, that's for sure.

They're fine for eating through the main meal, bunny shaped dumplings for everyone, and bunny shaped pasta pieces in Lotus root soup, but it's clear by dessert that they're barely hanging on.

When the yawns exceed mouthfuls of food, Uncle Qiren nods to his nephew and Wei Ying, letting them pick the children up and take them upstairs to sleep.

"My room is fine," he clarifies, yawning as well. "I, no doubt, will need to rest after we talk," he adds, not even blinking when he levels his gaze at them.

Wei Ying swallows hard and nods back at him, not wanting to disturb the children in their arms as they leave the dining room.

"I guess this is really happening, huh?" He whispers to Lan Zhan, following him up the winding staircase.

"Mn. It will be fine," Lan Zhan replies, and Wei Ying doesn't call him out on how unsure he sounds.

Putting the boys down in Uncle Qiren's bed is easy, but as Wei Ying settles A-Yuan and tucks the blanket around them, the boy's chubby hands clench his shirt tightly, stopping him from moving away.

"Baba stay?" He's really trying to open his eyes, and Wei Ying is torn between wanting to laugh at how endearing it is, how cute he looks and wanting to cry as well, because obviously A-Yuan has missed him, too.

"Yes, my beautiful little Radish, we're here and we're staying. Shifu will come up in a while to sleep with you, otherwise, we're just downstairs, okay, Baobei?" He whispers close to A-Yuan's ear as to not disturb JingYi, either.

"K." A-Yuan curls towards JingYi, falling into a deeper sleep.

They step back, watching the children sleep for a few moments.

It might be a useless delay in avoiding the inevitable, but at the same time, Wei Ying wants to reassure himself that they're okay. They're safe, they are unharmed, and they are here, all together.

The children's grandmother, Cangse Sanren, has made sure of that.

Her wards all over the Manor and its grounds are what prevented the vampires from getting in, that night. And if things had gone differently at the Wen Laboratories, both he and Lan Zhan might not be standing here now.

There was much to be grateful about, for sure.

Da Tuzi is waiting for them outside Uncle Qiren's room, when they leave.

"Senior Lan is waiting in his parlour," he says, winking back at them.

Wei Ying thinks about what a gift it is, to make people feel better through just a kind word or small action. Da Tuzi knows or can see how much Lan Zhan is worrying about talking to Uncle Qiren, and he's definitely trying to make him feel better.

"You should also join us, Da Tuzi." Lan Zhan tells him, as they reach the parlour. "It concerns you as well, being part of our family."

For a second, Da Tuzi merely stares back at him, and Lan Zhan gives him the tiniest tilt of his head, an acknowledgement of his putting the uncertainty of the past few days behind them. Lan Zhan has truly forgiven Da Tuzi now, for not explaining about being a familiar to Baoshan Sanren.

"Very well, I shall join you when I bring in the refreshments," he replies, with a much warmer smile.

They enter without him for now, and Wei Ying is glad that Uncle Qiren chose this room over the study or the library because it is in contrast, so much more friendlier than those other places.

The late afternoon sun fills the room with a warmth and a brightness that belies the reason they have all gathered here today.

MingJue is the sandwich filling on the long sofa, between Huaisang on his left and XiChen on his right, while Uncle Qiren sits in his deep back armchair, a blanket thrown over his knees, watching them as they settle themselves opposite the others. The coffee table lies between all, and there's still space for Da Tuzi, when he comes.

For a few moments, no one knows how to begin.

Seconds turn into minutes and there's only the sound of the grandfather clock ticking away as the hands move around its face. Tension is rising parallel to the time passing by, until Uncle Qiren speaks.

"Are they asleep?"

They finally look at Uncle Qiren.

Both Wei Ying and Lan Zhan nod, unable to disturb the quiet.

"They woke briefly in the night, that's probably why they're asleep now," he continues.

"What exactly happened?" Wei Ying ventures.

Lan Zhan told him bits and pieces, but nothing was better than hearing it straight from the source, so to speak.

XiChen and Uncle Qiren take turns to explain, describing to them the events that had taken place on Saturday night through to the early hours of Sunday morning.

"I suppose it wouldn't have been hard to find out what had happened to JingYi, if the vampires were searching for him all this time." Wei Ying thinks out loud, and there are gasps all around the room.

"Explain." Uncle Qiren's voice is suddenly sharp.

Wei Ying had forgotten that up until now, the other people in this room had no idea what had happened.

In fact, while Uncle Qiren may know about vampires (how, exactly?), he certainly had no idea of his youngest nephew's condition.

"Okay, we'll tell you in a minute, but I'm still flabbergasted that you know about vampires." Wei Ying stares back at Uncle Qiren until he notices the reddening of his ears. "Could you please explain about that, first?"

"It was a long time ago." Uncle Qiren hedges, clearly not wanting to.

"But Uncle, please. I think the time has come for full transparency," XiChen jumps in, and Wei Ying throws him a grateful smile.

Nie MingJue already has an arm around him, and Lan Zhan thinks it is something nice to see, when XiChen leans towards him that tiny bit more.

"Very well, but I expect the same." Uncle Qiren replies, first staring at his oldest nephew and then at Lan Zhan and Wei Ying.

They let him gather his thoughts.

"You remember, I told you about Cangse Sanren and Wei Changze visiting? I thought it odd that if they knew your mother from back in Yiling, that they still looked the same, as youthful as ever. But Cangse Sanren never explained fully." Uncle Qiren sighs. "It was her nature to be flippant and casual about important matters, and this was no different. Every time she visited, she would leave some type of rubbish fiction, on purpose leaving it behind. When I tried to return the vulgar books, she simply laughed in my face!" Uncle Qiren harrumphed.

Wei Ying wants to laugh, because that sounds like something he would have done himself.

"What kind of books?" He asks instead, biting his lip to keep from smiling.

Lan Zhan squeezes their hands, and there's a low growl; when Wei Ying looks over at him, Lan Zhan is staring at his bottom lip. Wei Ying releases it too fast, fully aware of what that small action does to his man.

Thankfully, Uncle Qiren is oblivious to them.

"The first one was Dracula, by Bram Stoker. Subsequent books left behind were by Anne Rice, Stephanie Meyer, and Terry Pratchett. That last one was funny," he remarks.

"You read them?" Wei Ying almost screeches, before he remembers who he is talking to.

"I had to," Uncle Qiren replies, primly. "She obviously left them here with an intention, and I had to find out what it was. On her last visit, I got the distinct impression that she was somehow disappointed in me. And then she asked me, just before they left, what I was going to do if one day, the manor was attacked, and whether or not I had the foresight to install a panic room. I knew then that she was definitely keeping things from me, but I trusted her to have a good reason. When they didn't return, I made inquiries but they were shut down faster than I could blink, which made me think the matter was far more serious than I originally thought."

"My mother had the gift of foresight, but it came to her in forgotten dreams. Sometimes, she didn't know what she was dreaming until closer to the time of the matching events. In any case, she tried her best." Wei Ying blinks back the sudden tears.

He doesn't want to cry now, not when it's such a personal thing. He's only just got his mother back, albeit through the recollections and memories of those who knew her when she was still alive, and has her book, the letters she's written to him, but still, he wants to defend her.

Thinking of his mother, and his parents on the whole, is such an open wound, one that he knows will affect him for the rest of his life. But when he looks up, he finds Lan Zhan glaring at his Uncle Qiren, and Uncle Qiren looking contrite.

"I did not mean to imply otherwise," he says quickly. "I am simply grateful for any warnings she was able to give. My frustration is aimed at myself for not thinking about it sooner."

"Ah, but Uncle, maybe you're being too hard on yourself," Wei Ying replies, after thinking about it. "From what Lan Zhan tells me, times were tough for you as well. I can't imagine the kind of pressure you must have been under, what with looking after your young family and your business, all by yourself."

Uncle Qiren softens towards him visibly, so it was the right thing to say.

XiChen smiles at Wei Ying, more warmth in his soft honey-coloured eyes.

"Either way, I realised that there were things I did not know, but should be afraid of. And because she looked like she knew what was going on, it was better to be forewarned than to be idle. Hence the panic room, and of course, you know about her precautions, the wards placed on and around our home." He glances at the door, and the clouds engraved around its frame.

"A-Xian, you sound like you know more about your mother's gift. Is that something you can talk to us about?" XiChen asks Wei Ying, bringing the conversation back to recent events.

Wei Ying rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed.

"Only if you want to, that is," XiChen laughs awkwardly because Lan Zhan is glaring at him now.

Wei Ying giggles, and the sound disrupts the brewing tension.

"My reluctance isn't because I don't trust you, or anyone in this room," Wei Ying says, just as Da Tuzi enters with a tray of hot tea and freshly baked biscuits. "Da Tuzi, you should know about everything too, please stay with us?"

That is more for Uncle Qiren than Da Tuzi, and it is understood by his quiet smile as
Da Tuzi sits down on the other empty chair.

"The thing is, with myself it's a more recent change, along with everything else. I'm only now realising from the few prophetic dreams I've had as to their possible meanings, and how strange it feels. That weird sense of Deja vu is like..." he shakes his head, "nothing I've ever experienced before. And my mother had been having these kinds of dreams all of her life, ever since she was a child."

"As with anything worth talking about, I would appreciate it if you started from the beginning," Uncle Qiren says, gruffly. "That night when WangJi disappeared?" He folds his arms across his chest expectantly.

So they talk about it.

Wei Ying tells him everything he knows, from finding Lan Zhan in the alley and meeting XiChen the next night, and XiChen joins in, helping him to paint a fuller picture.

Uncle is in turn, angry, saddened, and visibly upset at every part of it.

Lan Zhan briefly explains that he wasn't exactly sure what had happened, even when he woke up in Wei Ying's apartment, going on to say that it was their lengthy and frequent conversations which led to his own understanding of what had happened to him.

Of course, they skim past the details of their relationship, only telling Uncle about accidentally discovering how beneficial Wei Ying's blood was for Lan Zhan, and how it was exactly the same as Lan Zhan's venom was keeping Wei Ying free of cancer.

"A symbiotic relationship." Uncle Qiren murmurs, looking at both of them with newfound admiration. He doesn't mention Lan Zhan's previous dietary lifestyle, and neither does Lan Zhan or XiChen.

They do tell everyone about Huaisang's discovery of people going missing, aligning with how XiChen and Wei Ying with Lan Zhan found clues in the alley, leading up to Baoshan Sanren's extraction of Wei Ying after the sudden attack of Jin Zixun in the alley. They limit what they say next, more because they are unsure of how much Baoshan Sanren would want others to know about herself, so it's strictly only the things relating to the destruction of Wen Laboratories upper management, namely Wen Rouhan and his sons, and Wen Zhong.

As the sun creeps across the sky, so their story ends, and finally, Uncle Qiren yawns.

"I think I might lie down for a while," he says, rising as well.

"Uncle, before you go, we have an announcement to make," XiChen says, glancing at Nie MingJue. He smiles when his boyfriend nods, anxiously.

"Hmm?" Uncle Qiren sits back down.

Wei Ying leans forward in anticipation, already having an idea where this is going.

"A-Jue proposed earlier today, and I accepted. We're going to be married." XiChen blushes as everyone congratulates them both, with lots of cheering and hand shaking.

Uncle only gets up when the noise dies down, and he looks happy as he shuffles away.

XiChen looks like he wants to say something else, and suddenly, Huaisang jumps in.

"When are you moving in, then? And don't worry about me, I can find another place to stay."

MingJue frowns at him.

"You're not going anywhere! Especially not while the issues with Wen Laboratories aren't resolved." He sounds quite angry that Huaisang suggested that in the first place.

"Um, so actually, I've got an idea, but it involves a bit of leapfrogging," XiChen quickly interrupts what was going to turn into a heated topic.

The change in Nie MingJue from angry-volcano-about-to-spew to doting-husband-to-be-and-I'll-do-anything-for-you is nothing short of a miracle.

Wei Ying does a double take while trying not to laugh.

"It involves all of us," XiChen continues, looking at both Wei Ying and his baby brother now. "I was too excited to sleep last night and then A-Jue mentioned going home with him, later today. Then I wondered how both of you, especially with the children, would want to go back to your apartment. I mean, I know it's your home and everything, but if the lock is busted, then what are you going to do?"

Lan Zhan squeezes Wei Ying's hand again, wanting to say something.

"To be honest, I haven't thought about it." Wei Ying admits, feeling tired now himself.

"Okay, so hear me out!" XiChen sounds way too excited now. "I thought, since the children are here already, that maybe you all would like to stay here for now. But since A-Jue and I are to marry, and it looks like I will eventually be moving in with him, that would leave our apartment with just you, Didi. And since it's closer to the children's school than here, would you be open to living there?" XiChen is tennis-balling between them.

"Wei Ying has his own money now, if he wants to buy a property," Lan Zhan says. "But I would love it if we could all move there as a family. There is more room for the children, too and I have bunnies." The last bit is said with a touch of smugness.

"It's a good idea," Wei Ying agrees, mulling over it. "I don't want to uproot the children in the middle of a term if we can help it, and the offer is very generous. And you're right, your apartment is roughly halfway to their school, so it makes sense."

"That's decided then," XiChen leans back against MingJue, pleased with himself. "Is there anything you need to get from there? Before tomorrow?"

"Change of clothes for the children and their Lego sets." Lan Zhan answers before Wei Ying can, rising and tugging him up.

"Ah, okay. But you'll be back before dinner, right?" XiChen asks them, hiding a smile.

"Yeah, of course. Both A-Yuan and JingYi were worried about us leaving though," Wei Ying dragged his feet. "We told them we were staying."

"They're still asleep, so you should be alright. If they wake up, we can distract them, don't worry," MingJue reassures them.

"Alright then, thank you." Wei Ying replies, laughing as Lan Zhan tugs him out of there.

************

A/N

Dear Wonderful, Patient Readers,

No cliffhanger in sight...for now.

And still a few more chapters to go. There's no way I trust myself to put a number on them though!😆

🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫

Charlie