Thread by @LeJiujiu

#Xicheng AU
Beauty and the Beast with a twist

In which Lan Xichen took the place of his brother to be sacrificed to the demon residing on the Lotus Lake. Stories said it liked beautiful humans and turned them into stones to preserve their beauty.

But villagers were wrong.

https://twitter.com/mysticamajestic/status/1307655448481284097

Lan Huan couldn't bear to look at the pristine white robes prepared for his little brother. The villagers are gathering outside their home, today is the day his brother Lan Zhan had been chosen to be their sacrifice.

The villagers had a story and tradition that was passed years ago and it had something to do with the weather today. Its been raining for a couple of months now, thunderstorms and heavy wind assaulted their village causing such grievances in their lively hood.

It had been really hard and many loses in their end and that's where the chief finally said that perhaps it is the doing of the demon that was residing on the other side of the lake.

Things like this happened before, a long time ago and it only stopped when they sent a sacrifice

They said the demon liked beautiful humans and so his little brother Lan Zhan got chosen, he and his uncle protested!

But at the end Lan Zhan agreed and Lan Huan is now looking at the robes they prepared for him.

He wouldn't allow it, he silently apologised to him as he knocked his brother out with a strong medicine so he would fall asleep. Lan Huan slipped into the robes and pulled the white viel on his face, he and his brother almost looked the same so they didn't notice the exchange.

The weather tonight is a bit calm but he could hear the faint thunderstorms. It will rain tomorrow once again thats for sure.

He was inside the sedan as they travelled, taking a different and longer route avoiding to cross the lake.

Once they arrived the sedan was lowered on the ground and the men left immediately as soon as the wind started to pick up. Lan Huan stepped out and he was surrounded by a dark misty forest and in front of him are large gates, he started to feel unsettled.

When he saw a figure standing on the gateway he immediately returned back to the sedan and pulled out the sword he managed to sneak inside this morning. But he got frozen on the spot when he saw a hand slowly parted the curtain, long black nails are curling against the fabric.

Lan Huan gripped his weapon despite the confined space, his heart beat is racing and he can hear some faint hissing noises from the outside. The demon only parted the curtains for a while before clicking his tongue and said.

"Tsk.. Not again, im tired of this bullshit"

Lan Huan was confused and blinked staring at the retreating figure.

"Come out!"

He hesitated at first but when the words was repeated in a firmer voice he immediately stepped out, still holding his sword he looked at the.. Figure in front of him.

He was wearing a coat and a hood covering his head, Lan Huan couldn't make out his face quite clearly but before he could say anything the other beat him into it.

"Leave"

"Excuse me what?" Lan Huan asked.

"I said leave! Are you deaf? Normally people would be running away by now"

"But.. You arent going to... Eat me?"

The demon scoffed and sounded like he had been insulted. "Look, I dont eat children, women, men... In short I dont eat humans! I despise your kind so much why the--

fuck would I even think of getting near you!" he hissed before turning away.

"Wait! How about the rain and the storm?!" Lan Huan called out.

"None of my business"

This cant be! If the rain wont stop and they found out what he did his uncle and brother would be in trouble! He can't go back too, who would even believe him that the demon let him go? They would blame him, he sabotaged the whole ritual after all!

"Wait! Please let the storm stop and take me in instead! Ill do everything! " Lan Huan chased after the figure but the demon turned around causing his hood to fall and Lan Huan's eyes widened seeing the snakes slithering on the others head.

Immediately he felt a tight grip around his jaw and the other slowly inched closer to him. He noticed one last detail which was a purple cloth wrapped around his head covering his eyes.

The snakes found some interest in hovering around his face.

"You really to stay so badly?"

"I..."

"Hn... My pets said you have a pretty face" he hummed leaning closer to Lan Huan's face he could feel his breathing. "Do you really want to stay?" he asked again lips brushing against his ear.

Lan Huan had to close his eyes trying his best to nod "The storm.."

He weren't able to finish before dragging Lan Huan inside the gate. "I will take your offer, from now on you will live here you are not allowed to go out! No more rain and storm for your tiny village"

Lan Huan glanced at the gates that was slowly closing that sealed his fate.

Once he arrived inside the mansion he observed the demon in front of him, fascinated and a little wary of seeing the snakes that slithered and swayed around as he walked.

He was guided in a room and the demon who he learned was named Wanyin left him be for the night.

The next morning Lan Huan changed into the spare robe that was given to him and before he could open the door someone did it before he could and he took a step back seeing a small and disturbing creature.

Is that a.. Ghoul?!

The ghoul gestured for him to follow and he did but making sure there id a distance between them. He was guided towards the dining room where Wanyin sat, Lan Huan sat across him from the table.

"Did the little things scared you" Wanyin gestured at the ghoul.

"I must admit I got surprised.. Are those?... Aren't they dangerous?"

This earned a chuckle from Wanyin. "Look at them and look at me, Which one do you think is the more dangerous?"

Lan Huan weren't able to answer as he stared at the snakes curling around Wanyin.

"Thought so" Wanyin replied "Also I already did my part of the bargain"

Lan Huan slowly stood up and looked at the window to see the bright clear sky surrounding the village from where he came from

"I expect you will honor your word" Wanyin tilted his head towards his direction

"Of course I will.. But may I know why did you cause the endless storm?"

"Your people threw some trash into my lake"

"But that place is off limits we are all aware that we are not allowed to do such thing besides aren't you the one who started it? You k illed one of my peers"

Hearing this Wanyin stood up from his seat, stalking towards Lan Huan "The trash that I meant is the de ad body i found in my lake which I sent back to your people"

"You mean... You didn't"

"Is your village perhaps blames me for every single mysterious de ath that happens?"

Lan Huan remained silent and Wanyij chuckled leaning closer to him "If I am trully responsible of such thing you wont even see a body.. Do you know why?" one of the snake poked his cheek and Lan Huan followed its direction and his eyes landed on the garden outside the window.

His eyes widened when he saw stone statues of several people that was in the garden.

"I keep them here" Wanyin whispered against his ear before he left and Lan Huan stared at the garden in fright of ending up just like them.

The next following days passed by, Lan Huan is tasked to cook. Now he is not a good cook but it was enough to not burn kitchen down. Wanyin is not complaining everytime they dine.

During his stay he only ventured his room, the kitchen dining and living room.

One of the ghouls told him to avoid the west wing, it was Wanyin’s private place. Lan Huan quietly observed the other as they go about their day.

One morning he was cleaning the living room humming a tune to entertain himself when Wanyin appeared.

He asked if he likes music and when he said he does like it and plays a few instruments Wanyin showed him to another room. It was full of books and scrolls also several musical instruments were there.

"My sister and My brother likes music, It's been here for a long time"

Wanyin shrugged "You can use if you dont like it just clean the room then" he huffed and left Lan Huan on his own devices

Lan Huan smiled and started admiring the different instruments in the room but first of all he needs to clean this place! He wont say he is as rather excited

One day Lan Xichen is cleaning the porch when he decided to venture to the gardens, there were several types of flowers that bloomed in there, but it looked messy since it was clearly being not in use. When he turned around he was met by a statue.

He shuddered when he saw it.

The man looked in shocked, forever frozen on this state. He looked like he was running away but he caught a sight of an ax that they carried.

Lan Xichen decided to move, he swept the ground and fixed some of the pots until he encountered another statue.

It was almost the same as earlier and the weapon they weilded now is a sword. Lan Xichen saw several of them that littered in the gardens, for a moment Lan Xichen was confused until he realized something.

These people were..

"Hey"

Lan Xichen looked back to see Wanyin and he turned his attention to him. "Yes?"

"You dont need to clean this place if it makes you uncomfortable, lunch is ready dine with me" Wanyin said and left.

The next few days Lan Xichen started to become more observant to the other. He always wondered how Wanyin was able to see when his eyes were always blindfolded.

Wanyin told him one day that his pets.. The snakes leads him to the direction he wanted, they are his eyes.

The pets also became friendly with him, they didn't taunt him that much when he stood near the other male. For all the scary stories the villagers shared regarding about the snake monster that lives across the lake he is seeing none of it.

Wanyin... Is just like them--

He sleeps, he eats he talks normally like any other human. One time Wanyin brought him to the west garden, it was very different from the one in the front. This part blooms different flowers, arranged and groomed.

"This is my personal garden" he said as he gave him a tour.

Wanyin said that he didn't like the one that was on the front, Lan Xichen thought that maybe he dislikes it because of the people that was there.

He was led pass the garden and into some thick trees and saw a pavilion that was almost hidden by the large leaves

But when they approached it Lan Xichen noticed that the trees and leaves were in fact stones. The ground is solid, any life in this land is non-existent. He wanted to ask what happened but his attention were drawn to the stone statues that was inside the pavilion.

Wanyin didn't say anything and just left he only nstructed him to clean the place and he needs to do it very carefully. When Lan Xichen went inside he frowned these people looked different from the ones outside.

Their faces looked panicked and worried.

A woman that was in the middle is reaching out with wide eyes and parted mouth, probably calling someone, she had an elaborated headdress.

The man beside her held her arm, a slight concern is painted on his face. Then on the side there was another woman she was holding a child--

In her arms, she looked like she was crying. But the one thing that caught his attention the most is the man that was ahead of everyone, arms outstretched, and he looked scared but determimed, screaming.

Lan Xichen shuddered thinking what might have occurred here.

He suddenly looked back at the man with ponytail and stuffed his features even more. He had seen this person before....

Lan Xichen left the pavilion and rushed inside the mansion, he went to the music room and looked around until he finally spotted what he was looking for.

On the wall there was a portrait that had been torn down and Lan XiChen tried to smoothen the torn canvass only for his eyes to widen. Despite the state of the portrait the only damage part beyond repair is the one on the lower right, it was torn off completely.

He could make out the purple robes of the figure that stood there but the rest... Were scratches and when he smoothen it down he gasped.

Those people are Wanyin's family.

What exactly happened to this place? What happened to the Jiang Family? To Wanyin.

Lan Xichen's curiosity grew more and he tried to figure out what trully happened to Wanyin. One day he accidentally stumbled into the West wing, the place is in a mess, the corridors and paintings hang on the wall looked like it was shredded.

He should leave...

But the parted door on Wanyin’s room made him curious and so Lan Xichen went inside and the first thing he noticed is a Lotus flower encased in a glass container, some of it's petals are already on the table.

He wondered for a moment and tried to touch it however Wanyin arrived.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!" He growled and within a second he was already pinned against the wall, Wanyin’s hand is around his neck and the snakes are hissing on his face.

"Im sorry! I didn't mean to--"

"I specifically told you not to come here!"

Wanyin reached behind him pulling the purple cloth from his eyes and Lan XiChen stood still waiting for Wanyin to open his eyes but nothing happened.

Wanyin slowly removed his hand and looked down "Leave" when Lan Xichen didn't move he yelled "LEAVE!"

Lan Xichen didn't see Wanyin in the next few days and he found him on the pavilion.

"I'm sorry on what happened last time" Lan Xichen said. "I only wanted to know what happened here, since I am living here.. It made me curious"

"You know you are free to leave right?"

"I am aware"

"Then why are you still here? Spending your time with someone like me?"

Lan Xichen looked at him "If I leave, who would look after you? Those ghouls are too scared of you"

Wanyin turned his head to look at him "Are you saying you aren't scared of me?"

"Well only when you get really mad but.. On regular basis not really"

"Oh..." That was the only response Wanyin said.

The two of them started spending more time together, Lan Xichen felt comfortable around Wanyin too.

One nice afternoon Wanyin was checking his roses and Lan XiChen slowly approached him from behind, the snakes were the first to react. He had been really curious about them and he slowly raised his hand to reach out and touch them.

"What are you doing?"

"I am merely curious and wanted to touch, how did you know I'm here I made it quiet as much as possible"

"They are my eyes, they tell me everything.. If you want to touch them, go ahead whatever they seem to like you" Wanyin murmured.

Lan Xichen reached out once again

He felt the snakes coiling aroind his fingers, it seems that they are enjoying the attention. When Lan Xichen pulled his hand away they seemed to seek it and surged forward causing Wanyin to stumble back and Lan XiChen caught him in his arms.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes thanks"

Lan Xichen secured his footing and reached out to fix the blindfold on Wanyin’s eyes before flinching "Oh! I was boiling something! Let me check it" he rushed out of the garden quickly.

Wanyin stayed there listening to the sound of his foot steps and the hissing noises

from his pets which made him frown and fluster.

"Shut up! All of you!.... No! That is ridiculous!.. Stop hissing in my ears!"

That day was a good day for the two of them, Wanyin is looking forward for more days to come even though he might be running out of time soon.