Thread by @felidae_somni

#mingcheng

The first clue Jiang Fengmian had, that something was wrong, was the suddenly delighted glint in Wen Ruohan’s eyes as they chatted over a glass of wine in the Düsseldorf International Airport. A moment later that his own wife took a seat in one of the spare chairs.

“Yu Ziyuan, as I live and breathe,” Wen Ruohan said, inclining his head in appreciation. “You become more beautiful every time I see you.”

She gave him a disdainful, professional smile, and turned to her husband. “Fengmian.”

He eyed her warily. “My lady.”

“There’s a situation at home. It would be wise to reschedule the next leg of your tour so we can tend to it.”

“My lady, that simply can’t be done,” he felt his brow furrow in bewilderment and wondered what Wen Ruohan thought of his wife being so assertive as to interrupt their

conversation. “What could possibly be so wrong as to disrupt our business trip?”

“I’ve just heard from A-Li. A-Cheng is married.”

Jiang Fengmian’s mind went blank. A-Cheng? That disagreeable boy? He found someone willing to take him? How utterly unexpected.

“Allow me to extend my congratulations!” Wen Ruohan said, delighted. “Young Jiang Cheng has always been a bright boy. Very promising in university. Qiren couldn’t stop raving about him.”

“To whom?” Jiang Fengmian managed to ask, around the urge to throttle the other man.

“Nie Mingjue.”

The amused smirk fell off Wen Ruohan’s face. “Hm. That does change a few things.” He drained his glass and stood. “Fengmian, good talking to you. See you at the Summer Summit. Ziyuan, as always, being in your presence has been an exquisite pleasure.”

With that he was gone, striding away to become lost in the crowds. Yu Ziyuan didn’t spare the man a glance. She watched her husband.

“He married Nie Mingjue.” Jiang Fengmian couldn' believe his ears. Of all the ridiculous things! How dare that useless boy do something like this!

"Do you mean to tell me that our son," he emphasized 'our' as he stared at his wife, waiting for her to announce her insanity, "Our son wed a direct competitor? Without our consent or knowledge? Yizuan, what exactly are you playing at? This is no time for distasteful jokes!"

Surprise flared in her eyes, before her face set in a contemptuous mask; his least favorite from her collection of disagreeable expressions.

"This is no joke, Fengmian. You knew A-Cheng had left the family. Why are you so surprised that he's found happiness somewhere else?"

// I have dyscalculia ... but am I dyslexic, too? Yizuan???? Ziyuan! Lord have mercy on my poor brain.

"Madam, surely you understand that despite his inadequacies as a business man, the future of our company was largely reliant on our children making successful marriages," he replied stiffly.

She leaned back in her chair, regarding him with piercing eyes. "Really, Fengmian."

His frustration grew the longer she regarded him like a noxious bug under a microscope.

"He has made a suitable match for himself, after cleanly cutting ties with the Jiangs both legally and professionally," she said at last. "Are you blind? He disowned us all over a year ago."

"His child's tantrum failed to make an impression on me," Jiang Fengmian replied, supremely annoyed. His was spinning on this disaster. Could it be salvaged? "Child-rearing was your job, Ziyuan. Do you mean to tell me that something so basic was beyond you?"

"You dare?"

"The Nies are our biggest competitor at the moment," he mused. "Especially if we continue to expand into the home security market with our new doorbell camera. What was that foolish boy thinking?"

His wife regarded him as if he were a stranger. "Fengmian. You think a doorbell

camera is something the Nies will even care about? Their home security products make doorbell cameras look like childrens' toys. They have the contract for every bank and credit union in this part of the country! And offer that same level of product for home use!

What are you even thinking in that pig head of yours?"

Jiang Fengmian bristled at the rebuke and the contempt in her voice. "We are breaking in to a new market. Of course we will begin slowly. However, in the next few years, our company will be a force to contend with for sure."

"You're an idiot," his wife decided. "Our son has cut all ties and you're concerned about a doorbell camera that hasn't even hit the market yet."

"Well I am now! That boy has ruined everything!" Jiang Fengmian bristled at the contempt in her tone. "I have no doubt that boy

leaked the specifications of the model to give the Nies a leg-up. He's always been an unfilial brat."

"Jiang Fengmian, the boy breeds dogs!" Yu Ziyuan stated, clearly forcing herself to be calm. "Are you listening to yourself? A-Cheng breeds dogs and models. He does charity."

"Dogs?" Jiang Fengmian stared in shock. "He abandoned our family for dogs?"

Yu Ziyuan had clearly reached her limit. She snatched up his wine glass and threw the remaining contents in his face before setting the glass on the table as if she'd done nothing.

"You disgust me."

She made the declaration calmly. He stared at her in shock, wine stinging his eyes as she removed a business card from her purse and put it in the empty wine glass.

"This is my lawyer. From now on, all communications between us will go through him."

"You can't be serious."

She didn't grace him with a reply. She merely turned on her heel and walked away.

Jiang Fengmian was left sitting at his table, staring after her, wondering how things had come to this point and smelling of sour grapes.

So that was his first clue.

The second clue came over a month later. Jiang Fengmian arrived in his home airport alone. True to her word, his wife hadn't been in contact with him since that day in Düsseldorf, let alone at his side in negotiations.

She wasn't waiting at the airport. Nor was his usual driver.

Instead, his children waited. Jiang Yanli was wearing a billowing top tucked into stylish slacks. She had apparently put on weight in his absence. Clearly he needed to remind her not to over-indulge on fancy dinners.

Wei Wuxian was his usual cheerful self, at least.

"A-Li," he said, kissing her cheek and pulling Wei Wuxian into a hug. "A-Xian, what brings you here? Don't tell me you missed your old Dad, hmm?"

"Hi, Dad," A-Li smiled nervously. "We wanted to talk to you about a few things and thought it would be nice to chat on the way home."

Jiang Fengmian frowned at her. "You aren't ill again, are you? I had noticed you seemed to be a bit sallow and bloated. Is that something to worry about?"

Stunned, she fell silent. He turned to Wei Wuxian.

"Our A-Li has always had a problem with sweets, hasn't she?"

He chuckled, wagging his finger at his silly daughter. "I warned you puttering around in the kitchen baking cookies would lead to this. I suppose Jin Zixuan spoils you with eating out too often. It's easy to over-indulge, my dear. You should be more cautious with your figure."

"My figure," she repeated.

"The Jin are a refined family, not to mention your own lineage, my dear," he said kindly. "You have an image to maintain. Don't tell me you've forgotten your duty as the wife of a successful business heir."

"My duty."

She sounded so sad, he thought.

"Dad! She's pregnant!" Wei Wuxian put his arm around Yanli and begged Jiang Fengmian to understand with his earnest expression. "You're going to be a grandfather!"

Delight washed Jiang Fengmian, a sort of smug contentedness followed.

"Is that so? Excellent! Well done my dear!"

Jiang Fengmian hugged them both, then pulled away and smiled at his darling daughter.

"I'm so glad for you, my dear. I admit, I was beginning to wonder if we'd somehow shorted the Jin in this arrangement. But you've pulled it off at last. A little weight gain is fine, then."

"Don't let it go to your head, though! Take after your mother, A-Li. She never forgot her duty as a wife and quickly shed the baby weight. For all her shortcomings, she was always an exemplary match for our station in life."

"Dad, are you serious?"

His daughter was crying.

He didn't understand why, but feminine issues has always eluded him. He patted her hand.

"There, there, A-Li. There's no reason to cry. I have faith in you. Congratulations on your pregnancy. Come, I need to retrieve my luggage."

"Dad, are you for real?" His A-Xian demanded.

Jiang Fengmian frowned. "What's wrong, my boy? Have I said something wrong? Is A-Li feeling a bit, ah, delicate? I suppose I should have been more sensitive? I apologize. I didn't know her pudge was baby weight and not foie gras," he chuckled heartily, amused by his own joke.

"A-Jie doesn't even EAT foie gras!" Wei Wuxian exclaimed, stepping away from Jiang Fengmian and pulling A-Li along with him. "Dad, this is serious. We have to talk to you. But you're being so rude to A-Jie. What's wrong with you?"

Jiang Fengmian frowned.

If A-Xian thought he was out of line, then perhaps he had been? He was feeling rather tired from the long trip. Perhaps that was it.

"I'll apologize again," he decided. "Forgive me, A-Li. I'm afraid I might be more affected by jet lag than I'm letting on. It has been grueling."

"It's fine, Dad," Jiang Yanli said, smiling weakly and wiping her eyes. "Let's get your suitcases."

"This is not fine," Wei Wuxian insisted.

Jiang Fengmian smiled to see his boy behaving with such concern for his older sister. He'd always been such a sweet, protective boy.

They collected Jiang Fengmian's bags in silence, Wei Wuxian taking the heavier of the two. Jiang Yanli seemed to be mulling something over but Fengmian let it go. His daughter often found it hard to put her thoughts into words, always so shy. She would speak when she was ready.

"Tell me, A-Xian," he began. "How have you been these last months. It's been awhile since I've seen you. It's good to see you looking so well. You aren't working too hard, are you? It's important to rest, you know! The well of your creative genius needs refilling now and then."

But Wei Wuxian frowned at him. "You haven't asked about Jiang Cheng. Aren't you wondering why he isn't here?"

Jiang Fengmian found it hard to restrain a sneer. "Your mother informed me of his unfilial defection from the family. I know of his transgressions."

"Transgressions."

A-Li had found her voice. "Dad, what transgressions? What are you talking about?"

He sighed, not wanting to discuss such a distasteful topic. Yet it couldn't be helped.

"He's abandoned his filial duty, yes? He's gone and married someone unsuitable. And another man, besides!"

Wei Wuxian startled. "I didn't think you minded same-sex partnerships, Dad. You know I'm with Lan Zhan."

Jiang Fengmian waved his hand, dismissing the comparison. "That's different. Young Wangji is an exemplary match for you. He complements your unique personality well."

"I was more uncertain about the match between our A-Li and that feckless Jin boy, but he came around and now it's our A-Li who can't be the one to let us down," Jiang Fengmian smiled at his daughter to reassure her. Then he scowled. "But that boy. Marrying a Nie? Disgraceful."

"Dad, what are you saying?" Jiang Yanli whispered. "The Nies are a respected family, in par with ours."

"My dear, the situation is far more nuanced," he explained patiently. "For one, A-Cheng is entirely unsuited for any match. He's got all the worst traits of his mother."

"Worst traits?"

"Of course. That imperious contempt. A generally disagreeable temper. A sour disposition," Jiang Fengmian sighed. "You've always been so kind-hearted, A-Li. You probably haven't noticed. And he's only a brother to you. But A-Cheng is a very disappointing son."

"Dad," Wei Wuxian cried, "You can't mean that!"

"I'm afraid so. The Jiang blood just wasn't enough to counter the toxicity of Yu blood." Jiang Fengmian clapped his A-Xian on the shoulder. "That's why I 'm so thankful for you, my boy. If not for you, I'd have given into despair."

"You can't say things like that," A-Xian replied, startling Jiang Fengmian with his vehemence. "There's nothing wrong with A-Cheng!"

"Of course there is. That he's married a brutish, temper-prone manchild like himself is not a surprise, honestly. Merely another disappointment."

He considered. "I suppose it's a surprise in one aspect," he allowed. "I never guessed that Nie Mingjue was a deviant. To put aside his duty to provide an heir and tie himself to another man. Incomprehensible."

"But Dad, how is my situation different? I can't birth a child!"

"You aren't an heir, my boy. Even if I give the Jiang empire over to you, it would still be up to A-Cheng to provide a child of his blood to take over from you, to be taught the business by you. But I suppose we'll have to rely on A-Li for that, hmm?" He smiled at his daughter.

"Looks like you need to plan an heir and a spare for two family dynasties, my dear. I hope you and Zixuan are up to it! Though all things considered, it's probably for the best. The chance that a child of A-Cheng's would be just like him is too high. I'd rather not risk it."

He considered this as they loaded up their car and took their seats. He took the backseat for himself, allowing the children to ride up front.

"Now that I think about it, this is preferable. If you can manage it, A-Li, you're a far better avenue to the future than A-Cheng."

"Dad, you can't be serious," she said, looking over her shoulder. "The doctors warned this pregnancy might be very hard on me. I don't think it's fair to put all this pressure on me. Four children? Isn't that asking too much?"

He waved that away. "What choice do we have, A-Li?"

"A-Cheng has proven how unfit he is. What do you expect from him at this point? It's too late to turn back the clock. Even if he got a divorce, society has obviously noted his, ah, preferences. What woman would want to marry such a man, even with the incentive of our fortune?"

He considered. "What woman of quality, that is. I am sure there are any number of, ah. Questionable candidates that would jump at such an opportunity, despite the implications."

"Dad, you can't be serious."

"A-Li, please. I understand you're in a delicate way but surely

you can see reason?"

"I can! Which is why I don't understand how you can talk about your own flesh and blood this way," she replied, turning away from him.

Not before he saw the high color on her cheeks, though. His normally demure eldest was angry. Why? He sighed, feeling old

"Well, let's not talk any more about it right now," he said into the silence. "What did you two want to discuss with me?"

"A-Cheng," Wei Wuxian retorted, pulling the car into a drive-through. "This calls for ice cream. A-Li, do you want anything?"

"Be mindful of your pregnancy

A-Li,” Jiang Fengmian cautioned. “Your mother had a terrible time with dairy when she was pregnant with you.”

"A large fry, please, A-Xian," she said, ignoring Jiang Fengmian.

"Dad?" Wei Wuxian asked.

"A large milkshake, please. Chocolate. A treat to make up for last month."

A treat was just what he needed. And reallyl. How disagreeable was it, of his family to behave in this manner when he worked so hard? A milkshake was the least of what he deserved.

"Are you sure? You've put on a little weight. Your suit doesn't fit like it did a few months ago."

Affronted, he gave his son a reproving look. "A-Xian, how rude! I am as fit now as I was then."

"It was fine for you to speak like that to A-Jie, though."

Seeing the joke, Jiang Fengmian laughed. "Ah, A-Xian, silly boy. Well played, defending your sister! But I apologized."

"I don't remember hearing her forgive you," A-Xian retorted mulishly. "Besides, just saying the words doesn't mean you meant it."

"A-Xian," Jiang Fengmian scolded teasingly. "Is that any way for you to behave towards the man who raised you out of the kindness of his heart?"

A-Xian opened his mouth once more but A-Li put a hand on his arm, shaking her head slightly. Amused, Jiang Fengmian let it go as Wei Wuxian pulled around and made their order.

"Dad, A-Xian and I are trying to repair our relationship with A-Cheng," A-Li declared as they waited.

"Surely you mean you're going to ask him to repair it," Jiang Fengmian corrected with a frown. "Be precise, A-Li. Otherwise people might think you and A-Xian were the problem when clearly that isn't so. It's that rotten boy's fault for being entirely disagreeable."

"No, Dad."

A-Li shook her head. "That's what we wanted to talk about. A-Xian and I are going to try and make things up to A-Cheng. Jiang Cheng. We've treated him horribly and don't deserve to call him our brother. We want to fix that."

"Well. I hope you don't expect me to participate."

"I thought you might realize you were in the wrong if we both talked to you about it, Dad," Wei Wuxian broke in, passing out the food and drinks before driving on. "But you're hopeless."

"Hopeless. What do you mean, A-Xian?"

"He means you don't realize how much of this is your

fault!" A-Li twisted in her seat to stare at him. "Dad, you've treated A-Cheng horribly his whole life. A-Xian and I didn't even really notice. We were selfish and didn't pay attention. It's our fault, this family's fault, that A-Cheng left the Jiangs and joined the Nies."

"My dear, I think you've become hysterical," Jiang Fengmian replied, watching her with concern. Was she falling ill before his eyes? "How is it any fault of mine that A-Cheng turned out as poorly as he has? Didn't I provide the same opportunities for him as I did both of you?"

"You never loved him!" She shouted, startling him entirely.

Wei Wuxian quickly pulled off the road once more, into the parking lot of a shopping mall. Jiang Yanli didn't seem to notice.

"He never got his own parties or presents. You never took him on outings, just you two."

"A-Li, where is this coming from?"

"We talked to him. And he pointed out how different his childhood was from ours," A-Li ranted at him. "So we got to thinking, after that. And he was right! It was worse than he even said in that meeting. Dad, he's been hurting all this time."

"Hurting? Absurd. A-Li, calm down, you're becoming overwrought. Is this because of your pregnancy? Should we take you to the hospital?"

"Dad, listen to me! A-Cheng suffered for years because of us! How can you take that lightly? He's your son!"

"A-Li. Calm yourself," he ordered

"I can't believe you aren't even pretending to listen," she said, turning around in her seat to face forward. "It's just as A-Cheng said."

"I don't know what he's been saying but this is ridiculous," Jiang Fengmian replied. "If he's so intent on leaving, let him."

He let them sit in silence for a moment while he savored his milkshake. "What has he done for the family, anyway? He has never brought us glory the way A-Xian has. Now he's some kind of animal handler? What kind of job is that? He has a superlative education, for heavens' sake!"

"Jiang Cheng is training dogs as therapy and assistance animals," Wei Wuxian said, putting the car in gear at Jiang Yanli's nod. "He's helping people all over."

"Dogs," Jiang Cheng scoffed. "Those damn puppies. Will he ever grow up?"

"He has grown up. He has outgrown us."

"Hardly. And dogs, of all creatures. How could he betray A-Xian that way?" Jiang Fengmian demanded. "How cruel he is. No doubt he gets it from his mother. Now that I think about it, she mentioned something about this as well. I thought she had taken leave of her senses."

"Clearly we aren't going to get anywhere with this discussion right now," A-Li said, her voice tight. "Let's just go home. We can talk again another time."

"That's fine. You've become very upset. That isn't good for the baby," Jiang Fengmian said gently. "Do take better care."

The rest of the ride was silent. Jiang Fengmian was somewhat annoyed but he understood his daughter wasn't at her best. It was enough that they had come to pick him up, he supposed. There hadn't been enough time for family, lately. And this was, by far, more enjoyable than those

awful weekly dinners Ziyuan insisted on. So he enjoyed himself as best he could.

That this was his second clue wouldn't become apparent until much later.

//// Break. Feel free to rant.

// Longer break. I actually have to work for a few hours. Will come back with 3rd and 4th clue later tonight or tomorrow. Sorry!

Once home, the children tried again to bring up whatever issue had troubled them so much but Jiang Fengmian truly was tired. He promised to speak to them at a later date and retired to his own suite for a shower and a nap.

He woke in time for dinner. To his surprise, however

no other member of his family was in residence. Only one place was set at the dining room table and the meal seemed hastily prepared.

In flavor and presentation, it fell far shy of Madam Yu's exacting standards. Odd.

When the butler came to clear the table, he inquired.

Only to be told that the Madam had quit the house, removing her own possessions. She left paperwork in Jiang Fengmian's home office. Upon her departure, the bulk of the staff had resigned, as they had owed their position to Madam Yu and had been more loyal to her than the Jiang.

Stunned by this news, Jiang Fengmian gave the butler permission to hire a new cook, driver, and footman before going to his office to see what his wife had left for him.

Divorce papers, in accordance with the pre-nuptial agreement they had both signed before marriage. He was

baffled by her actions, though he recalled the business card she'd deposited in his wine glass, after throwing the contents on him. Was this what she'd meant?

In the following days, Jiang Fengmian discovered that A-Li and A-Xian had long since emptied their rooms and moved away.

Of course that was to be expected, they were married with lives of their own. The shocking part was that nothing remained in their rooms! Even A-Xian's once chaotic quarters was down to bare walls and well-tended wood floors.

It did not occur to him to check Jiang Cheng's room.

Nor did it occur to him to wonder what had prompted all of these startling changes. Perhaps his wife had been in the throes of a periodic urge to redecorate when she'd decided to abandon him. Surely that was it.

And yet, as dinner after dinner went by with a table set for one,

Jiang Fengmian found himself at odds with the reality of his situation. His children did not return his calls. His wife's number was apparently changed. No one even showed up for Sunday dinners!

Only work seemed largely the same, though there were more new faces than he could

account for, and several familiar ones missing from his board of directors. It was puzzling, the stacks of paperwork on his desk made no sense.

Strangest of all, the doorbell camera wasn't selling at all. His company couldn't give the things away. It was all absolutely baffling.

Jiang Fengmian did the only thing he could do, which was put his all his focus on work and make every attempt fix the situation. It was soon apparent that the only solution was to discontinue the home security line and write it off as a failed venture. He hated to do it but there

was no other solution. It was weeks before he could admit it.

At least the company's other ventures were doing well so one loss wouldn't hurt them overall. Instead, he redirected the company's focus to their established product lines and began to prepare for the Summer Summit.

Which was when he realized that no one had been planning his company's contribution to the Summit. Formerly his wife's job, with her gone, her entire department floundered. Nothing was prepared.

As weeks went by, there was no one at home to vent to. He was alone. Truly alone.

One Friday evening, after an exhausting last-minute meeting to assign a task team to prepare materials, did it occur to him to be the one to reach out to his children. He'd never had to do so before, unless it was to send messages for a special occasion.

He stared at his phone.

What did one say, he wondered? There was no holiday. There was no crisis or family function. What could he possibly use to justify contacting his children?

Well, he had promised to hear them out. Perhaps that would be enough.

Feeling decidedly awkward, he sent the messages.

And waited.

He'd fallen asleep in the overstuffed chair in his office, feet up on an ottoman. Like an old man, in his pajamas and bathrobe. There was drool on his chin when the buzzing of his phone startled him awake. A single lamp provided illumination, leaving the room swathed in gloom.

It was eerie in a house so silent. Unsettled, he looked at the message on his phone.

A-Li, sweet A-Li, had replied. Offering to see him at the summit, since she was busy until then.

Jiang Fengmian was surprised to feel something akin to resentment. Why wasn't her own father

more of a priority? Hadn't he provided for and raised her all these years?

Still, the reasonable part of his mind understood. She would be preparing for the baby and helping Jin Zixuan prepare for the summit as well. Why did it sting so much?

And why hadn't A-Xian replied yet?

Feeling churlish, he nonetheless agreed to meet with her sometime during the summit and shoved his phone in his pocket before heading off to bed.

A-Xian was always such an industrious boy. He was likely still at work doing ... what exactly was the Jiang genius doing these days?

Jiang Fengmian resolved to ask as soon as A-Xian replied to him. To really reach out and have a proper conversation. Perhaps that would dispel the strange chill that seemed to cling to him these days.

That decided, he laid in bed listening to the house creak until sleep came.

He would recognize this as his third clue in just a few short weeks. Regret would lance through him like lightning. The clamor of his many failures would ring in his ears like a thunderclap.

Until then, he forgot about this lonely night and continued working towards the summit.

It was strange. Jarring. Jiang Fengmian felt as if he were standing beside a parallel universe's version of himself. As if he had stumbled into someone else's life.

He felt like he was having a stroke.

His brain couldn't parse what he was seeing. As if some divine hand decided

to put his failures on display. As if a force of retribution (A/N: It me.) had arranged each clue, each mistake in such a way that even he could not fail to comprehend his situation.

Thunder and lightning pierced the bubble he'd lived in for years, shredding it into filaments.

To the right, Jiang Yanli cut a radiant figure in a cloth-of-gold dress that framed her baby bump while providing support. She was a glowing beacon of motherhood and gentle good humor on her husband's arm.

Jiang Fengmian's heart warmed and ached in equal measure to see his little girl so grown up. Her hair was swept up in elaborate coils, not a single Jiang braid in sight. Nor trace of purple. She was a young goddess in her element.

The pudgy, sallow girl he'd seen last was gone.

That girl had never existed at all, he realized. A-Li had always been this. And he'd missed all of it.

Now she was the gem of the Jin and that hurt.

In front of Jiang Fengmian, by the bar, his ex-wife wore a daring dress of crimson velvet with matching gloves up to her elbows.

The dress barred her neck, shoulders, upper chest and upper back. It cinched her waist to sinful proportions and was slit from hem to hip, displaying blood red stilettos. Her only jewelry was the symbol of her family on a gold chain.

And she was smiling at Wen Ruohan.

Beautiful and commanding, she smiled at the richest man in the room like a tiger admiring a particularly amusing gazelle.

For his part, Wen Ruohan looked delighted to be a gazelle. His suit was only a few shades darker than her dress. His pocket square was the same color as her

heels. The exact shade. As if she'd stepped on him and he wore the proof as a badge of honor.

Jiang Fengmian's blood boiled. How dare that robber baron make such a display with another man's wife? The divorce's ink wasn't even dry! Yet here they stood, in a world of their own.

He might have made a fool of himself then, if Wei Wuxian's bright laugh hadn't caught his attention. And there was his brilliant boy, smiling at his husband amidst the Lan contingent. They were dressed in matching suits, pristine white with blue accents.

It was bizarre to see

clever, disheveled A-Xian out of his normal red and black. Jarring all over again, to see him dressed exactly as his husband, save one used a white ribbon to hold back his hair and the other used red.

But A-Xian looked so good. Lean and healthy. Undeniably happy. It hurt to see.

Jiang Fengmian took a step forward, to demand to know why A-Xian hadn't replied to his text when another laugh caught his attention. A rich baritone, a voice he didn't recognize at all.

Someone new had joined the elite families? Best not to cause a scene. Jiang Fengmian looked

around, trying to find the source of that laugh. Only to see, practically exactly opposite of A-Li, on the far side of the room, the Nies.

Four handsome men in matching suits of deepest green. Three of them, Jiang Fengmian recognized. But the fourth one, the laughing one, he had

his head tossed back in amusement. The younger Nie brother, Huaisang, was whining about something while the older brother smiled indulgently. And when the laughing man gathered himself ...

Jiang Fengmian found himself meeting the eyes of his own son.

A son who dismissed him.

Jiang Cheng looked away as if he didn't recognize Jiang Fengmian at all. He made some comment that had those near him cracking up.

He was shining with health and happiness. He was smiling; all grown up into a confident, powerful man.

Jiang Fengmian did not recognize him at all.

Those clues. These shining jewels around him. It struck him all at once, exactly what he'd let slip through his fingers.

His radiant wife. His beautiful daughter. His brilliant sons. They were all clearly thriving, surrounded by people who respected them.

People who cared.

While Jiang Fengmian stood alone. He understood the wine glass. He understood the tense car ride home. He understood why his house was empty.

He knew why A-Xian hadn't ever replied to him.

Jiang Fengmian stood in a room full of stars and he was only a lonely, used up cinder.

"Fengmian!" Wen Ruohan was beside him with a glass of wine. Red, of course. "Glad you could make it. Are you alright? You were looking a little peaky there."

Jiang Fengmian ignored the sly, smug glint in the other man's eyes as he took the wine. "I see you wasted no time."

Wen Ruohan chuckled, a surprisingly sinister sound, despite the handsome smile on display. "I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about. I was merely entertaining a very dear friend."

"She is my -"

"Your nothing," Wen Ruohan purred. "You were her husband for decades."

"And what did you do with all that glorious time? All that access to her undivided attention?" Wen Ruohan leaned in and now Jiang Fengmian was a quivering mouse. "You ruined her happiness. Believe me, old friend, if it weren't for her, I'd teach you exactly why that was silly."

"How dare you?" Jiang Fengmian glared, wanting to punch that smug face. "I don't need my wife to protect me from the likes of you."

Wen Ruohan's eyes glinted dangerously but he merely smiled. "Oh Fengmian, you tried to turn a goddess into a housewife.

It is a miracle your children, the treasures of your house, became the good-hearted people they have."

"You're one to talk about good hearts," Jiang Fengmian seethed. "You corrupt crook! How dare you speak to me in such a way?"

Wen Ruohan only laughed at him. "There you are."

"What?"

"You looked so old and pathetic, standing here staring at all you've lost. I thought I'd come poke you a bit and see if you'd collapse into a sad little pile of dust. Yet here you stand, baring your tiny little teeth at me as if you knew how to use them. It's cute."

"Bastard."

"As needed, of course. This was my last kindness to you, Fengmian. From now on, work hard on not bringing anymore sadness to your former wife and former children. Find someone else to make miserable, hmm?"

Jiang Fengmian bristled. "You think you speak for them?"

"Of course not, Fengmian. Unlike you, your offspring inherited their fangs from their mother. I'm merely warning you, one father to another. A kindness, as I said," Wen Ruohan clapped him on the shoulder. "Now if you'll excuse me. Ziyuan promised to let me give her a massage."

"You!"

But Wen Ruohan ignored him, walking back to the bar with a confident swagger. Yu Ziyuan watched him approach, a small smile on her lips. Jiang Fengmian had never been the recipient of such a look. He wanted to slap it off her face. He wanted to gut Wen Ruohan.

She met his eyes just for a second and something in them had him taking a hasty step backwards, nearly tripping over himself. Then, as if she'd never taken her eyes off Wen Ruohan, she handed him a glass of wine, turning her back to Jiang Fengmian.

It was a slap across his face.

He looked around, marking everyone who had seen his gaffe. His daughter gave him a sympathetic glance but was soon distracted by her husband. Wei Wuxian gave him a sad look until Lan Wangji commanded his attention again.

Jiang Cheng hadn't even noticed he was in the room.

How?

How had this become his life? Jiang Fengmian sipped his wine, muscle memory sending him around the room to mingle. It was not his imagination that the crowds shifted to shield his former family from him. Soon he found himself sharing a corner of the room with Yao and Ouyang.

He spent the rest of that day watching his former family moving among the strongest powers in their circle while he haunted a corner with the most unsavory, least relevant members of the gathering.

It was torment.

And Jiang Cheng never even noticed him at all.

That burned.

// Quick break for my wrists.

// Everybody hydrate and stretch. Unshrimp those backs!

That night, after the welcoming speech and an elegant dinner that made Jiang Fengmian long for the days when Yu Ziyuan had managed his household, adopted son and daughter met him in Wei Wuxian's rooms.

Both had changed from their formal wear, but the aura of that image lingered.

"Dad," A-Li said, giving him the briefest hug. "It's good to see you."

"Sorry I never replied," A-Xian added nervously, hands jammed in his pockets.

Jiang Fengmian dropped his arms, as if he hadn't expected a hug from A-Xian, and sat. "You're both looking well. How are you?"

It was awkward. Painfully so. A-Xian sat, but his leg shook so much his chair rattled. A-Li was composed and smiling. But she held herself so stiffly. Jiang Fengmian didn't understand.

"Good, good," A-Xian said into the quiet. "Doing really good. We just launched a new car."

"That's wonderful, A-Xian," Jiang Fengmian said proudly. "I knew you were destined for great things."

A-Xian chuckled. "Well, Jiang Cheng consulted for me so all the flaws were caught really early. Otherwise I might have cost the Lans millions. Thankfully he let me hire him!"

Jiang Fengmian frowned. "He's your brother. He should have helped you for free. I doubt his advice was worth -that- much."

"Dad, no," A-Li broke in, speaking firmly. "Jiang Cheng deserves to be paid for his work and expertise. And the time he spent helping A-Xian, he could have

been working on his own projects. It's more than fair that A-Xian contracted him and compensated him properly."

"A-Li, really," he began. But caught himself when the two exchanged a glance. He took a deep breath. "Alright. You're right. I'm being disrespectful. Go on, A-Xian."

A-Xian began to rock back and forth, ever so slightly. "I think," he said, then stopped. "I think you should apologize for disrespecting Jiang Cheng. That isn't any way to talk about your son."

Jiang Fengmian frowned.

A-Xian shrank away from him. It was such strange behavior.

"A-Xian," A-Li said quietly. "Do we need to stop?"

"No. No. I can do this," A-Xian sat up straight, though his leg kept bouncing. "CEO Jiang, my therapist says it's very important that I tell you how I feel. So I'm going to."

"Therapist? What on earth is going on?"

"Hush."

A-Li glared at Jiang Fengmian and for a moment he saw her mother. He hushed.

"I'm so grateful you took me in, Uncle Jiang. Dad. CEO Jiang," A-Xian stammered. "I owe you so much for that but you put me in a really tough spot and made things harder for the family you already had."

"You weren't fair or kind to anyone else in your house and you," A-Xian paused, looking for the words. "I really. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. But you hurt everyone else with how you took me in and it isn't right. And I grew up thinking that what you did was okay."

"So I hurt people too, when I didn't know any better. And I hurt them again, when I didn't -want- to know any better. So I love you for taking me in. But I. I really hate the way you raised us and how you treated your wife! I'm angry at you for neglecting A-Jie and Jiang Cheng."

"You sound like a child," Jiang Fengmian said, stunned by the words. "What brought this on?"

"It's been bottled up for a long time," A-Xian admitted. "To be filial, a good boy, I had to act a certain way. But that was wrong and it hurt A-Jie and Jiang Cheng. I don't want to do

that anymore. I want my siblings to be able to rely on me and trust me. And you need to know how badly you messed up or you won't fix it before it's too late. That's all I wanted to say."

Jiang Fengmian nodded woodenly, feeling infinitely older. Like an empty house. "A-Li?"

He regarded his daughter. "Is there anything you want to tell me?"

She nodded. "Yes. When my baby is born, I don't want you or Mother anywhere near him until you've both gotten therapy and fixed whatever is wrong between you. It's toxic and I won't have it around my family."

"You must be joking," he protested. "A-Li, be reasonable! Therapy! At my age! Ziyuan has left anyway. What is left to fix?"

"I've already given Mother the same instructions," she replied, not giving an inch. "She's made an appointment. You can at least do that much, Dad."

He had nothing to say to that. If the proud child of the Yu could lower herself to visit a therapist, he had no room to protest. Not when he'd been so kindly cautioned not to bring his children misery.

"Are there any other requests?" He regarded his children, now strangers.

"Stay away from Jiang Cheng," A-Xian said, all the jitters and wavering gone now that he wasn't talking about himself. "He doesn't want to deal with you at all. We promised to tell you to stay away from him so he wouldn't have to."

"I hadn't intended to seek him out."

Jiang Fengmian replied, annoyed. "Though I have every right as a father to speak to my own child if I wish."

"No," A-Li said. "You don't. Dad, you hurt A-Xian and me but you devastated Jiang Cheng. We all did. And he deserves to set the pace of any interaction because of it."

"A-Li, don't be dramatic. He seemed well enough this afternoon." Jiang Fengmian frowned at her. "What possible harm could I do at this point? Hasn't he abandoned us all?"

"No, Dad. We abandoned him," she replied, stern once more. "We mean it. Leave him alone. The Nies will stop

any attempts you make to talk to him but we thought we should warn you."

"Are you serious?" Jiang Fengmian stared at his childern. "Is it that serious?"

"Boundaries need to be respected," A-Xian said, as if quoting. "That's very important."

"Surely you can't be serious."

"That's all we wanted to say tonight," A-Li said, standing up. "A-Xian, you looked absolutely dashing tonight."

She smiled at him and kissed his cheek. "Tell A-Zhan I said goodnight, will you?"

And then she was gone.

"That's it?" Jiang Fengmian asked. "That's all? I was hoping

we could have a proper discussion."

"The pregnancy is pretty rough on A-Jie," A-Xian said, putting his chair and A-Li's back in the proper places about the suite. "She needs extra rest. And it's almost nine so Lan Zhan and I will be going to bed soon."

Jiang Fengmian recognized

a dismissal when he heard it. And it stung. He stood.

"Well then. Good night. I hope we can talk again soon, A-Xian. I miss our chats. Perhaps I can go over your next idea with you. Then you won't have to pay someone else." He smiled warmly.

But A-Xian wouldn't meet his eyes.

"Maybe," he said nervously.

Jiang Fengmian frowned. But the door opened and Lan Wangji entered the room. He said his goodbyes but they went unheard beneath A-Xian's happy shout at seeing his husband. Jiang Fengmian let himself out and went to his own suite.

It took him entirely

by surprise when, after a shower and a stiff drink, he got into the strange bed and promptly burst into tears.

For the first time since A-Li's birth, he cried. He sobbed without being able to stop until he fell asleep, utterly exhausted and heartbroken.

// Here we go. Winding up for the finish!

The rest of the summit was a borderline disaster. His company's presentations were delivered to mostly empty rooms. His reservations were mysteriously lost. The materials his employees had worked so hard to put together were stolen immediately after their final presentation.

He sent his team home a day early, authorizing a week's vacation for them, and attended the final day's events alone.

Most of the presentations he'd wanted to see earlier in the week had been packed full but he managed to catch a few that kept him busy from morning until lunch.

Which was when he saw Wen Ruohan feeding Yu Ziyuan morsels of shrimp and oyster by hand as they chatted over what appeared to be a set of blue prints. They sat at a table in the exact center of the room. Impossible to miss.

Suddenly, Jiang Fengmian wasn't hungry. He turned away

/// brb

only to run into Jiang Cheng, who didn't so much as stumble, his hands rising to steady Jiang Fengmian.

"Are you okay?"

"Get your hands off me," Jiang Fengmian snapped, jerking away. Anger and humiliation churned in his gut. "The last thing I need is anything from you."

"Cool," Jiang Cheng nodded once and walked away, to a table already filled with people talking and laughing. He didn't so much as look back.

Stung once more, Jiang Fengmian strode away. Once he was safely out of sight, he heaved a sigh. It was regrettable that he'd lashed out.

He would apologize at some point. What he needed now was privacy. A nearby elevator dinged, catching his attention. The doors opened and he got in. Nie Mingjue was inside, on his cellphone. Jiang Fengmian nodded politely and pressed the number for his floor. Nie Mingjue stayed.

It was odd, but he didn't think anything of it until he found himself flung by the collar into the back wall of the elevator. His skull hit the metal he crumpled to the floor. A large foot connected his belly button to his spine, causing him to cough as pain exploded in his gut.

"You were warned. You were told. It was obvious. It was a simple instruction. And yet even at the simplest tasks you fail."

Large hands jerked him to his feet and dusted him off. Fingers of banded iron grabbed his chin, forcing his head up. Nie Mingjue glared down at him.

"Understand, Fengmian, if you are lucky it will be me that buries you if you hurt A-Cheng any more. If you are unlucky, it will be anyone else. If the gods have deserted you, my little brother will take an interest. You don't want that. As much as I do, it might upset A-Cheng."

"You can't do this to me. I'm an important man!" Jiang Fengmian rasped, clutching his abdomen.

"You're a clueless has-been," Nie Mingjue corrected.

Then punched him in the face. Again, his skull hit the metal of the elevator. Stars danced in front of his eyes. His face felt wet

The elevator dinged, stopped, and the door opened. Nie Mingjue threw him into the hallway.

Jiang Fengmian lay crumpled on the floor, in more pain than he'd ever experienced in his entire life. A loud, menacing growl filled his ear. Struggling to make his eyes focus, he saw dogs.

Nie Zonghui held four loose leashes. Four very fluffy dogs stared at him, ears alert and bodies held ready.

"These are Akitas. You're probably thinking mutt or Husky cross, because you're an idiot," Nie Mingjue said, leaving the elevator. "They are the world's best guard dogs."

"These four are our personal dogs," Nie Zonghui added. "Meet Porthos, Athos, Aramis, and D'Artangan. It's a funny story, you see. It used to be just the three of us. Then Jiang Cheng came. Now there are four of us. Get it?"

"Are you insane?" Jiang Fengmian shouted. "Help!"

"Fengmian, please." Nie Mingjue shook his head in disgust. "We are security specialists. This entire floor is our people. The video surveillance? Also our people. Pay attention."

"The four Pupkateers have your scent now, Mr. Jiang. They know you are an enemy," Nie Zonghui said.

At the word 'enemy', all four dogs tensed. Jiang Fengmian could feel the energy radiating off of them. He was a juicy steak. They were tigers.

"I suggest you stay far away from anything Nie," Nie Zonghui continued amicably. "If they so much as smell you a mile away, we'll know."

"I bumped into him on accident. I saw ZiYuan with that bastard and -" Jiang Fengmian was babbling. He knew he was babbling.

"Fengmian. Shut up. Go home. Never come near us again. If our A-Cheng wants to talk to you, he'll reach out. Otherwise, we'll see you when we leave flowers

at your gravesite." Nie Mingjue paused. "Unless we put you there. Then you'd see us before then. But you get it. I don't like this threatening business. But you just don't learn."

He reached down and threw Jiang Fengmian back into the elevator. He hit a button. "Learn fast."

The elevator doors closed once more. Jiang Fengmian was alone. For the second time in a week, he sobbed without being able to stop.

Somehow he got to his room. Somehow he packed. Somehow he got to his car without being seen by anyone.

Except Wen Ruohan, who waved cheerfully.

His entire life was in the rearview mirror and he couldn't drive away fast enough, like a gazelle fleeing a pride of lions. Knowing it was pointless.

He turned on the radio so he wouldn't have to listen to his own whimpering and drove faster.

The following year was a very quiet one for all concerned. The Jiang empire grew a small amount but mostly just held steady. Jiang Fengmian was absent from every conference and retreat. It seemed he'd passed his duties over to younger and fresher talent, which was hailed as wise.

Yu Ziyuan traveled the world with Wen Ruohan, who handed his own empire over to his children, who had accepted positions as CEO and CFO. The new couple made a splash everywhere they went, giving interviews and doing magazine covers and occasionally taking over a business or two.

Jiang Yanli had her baby and by all accounts was the secret genius behind the Jins' come back. She charmed the board of directors and the press alike with her warmth and sincerity. And she managed to make that stiff and awkward CEO husband of hers look like a real human.

Wei Wuxian's collaboration with the Lan industry resulted huge profits and affordable, reliable, carbon-neutral cars. It was unprecedented and turned him into a household name and the Lans into a household brand.

Jiang Cheng was happy for his family. He watched his mother and siblings thrive, from a distance, and was grateful. He, too, was doing fantastic. Life had never been better. He had all the dogs he could want, a loving husband, and two brothers who had his back no matter what.

"What are you thinking about?" Nie Mingjue asked, as they washed dishes together after a family dinner full of laughter and hilarious potential puppy names.

"Just wondering if something is missing," Jiang Cheng replied. "You know. Life is perfect. Mostly."

"Only mostly?"

Nie Mingjue's voice was carefully neutral when he asked. "Are you thinking about reconciling with your father?"

Jiang Cheng gave him a genuinely startled look. "What? No! I was thinking I want to meet my nephew. I've seen pictures and he's almost as cute as the puppies."

"You said he looked like an angry potato," Nie Mingjue corrected. "How is that cute?"

Jiang Cheng splashed some of the water at Nie Mingjue, who laughed and used a serving dish as a shield.

"Is it silly to want to meet the baby but not want to talk to his mom at all?"

"Nah. It isn't silly at all," Nie Mingjue said. "Though I thought things were getting better between you three."

"They are. We're finding some common ground. Most of which is being grateful Dad decided to retire or whatever he's doing. It's just going to take time, is all."

"That's fair. The hurt between you guys was decades in the making," Nie Mingjue agreed. "I wonder what made your dad take a step back."

Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes. "I wonder."

"You know?"

"I know if it wasn't you, it was Huaisang, if not him, then Mom or Mr. Wen."

Nie Mingjue tried his best pouting-A-Sang impression. Which only made Jiang Cheng huff and splash more water.

"Be serious," he scolded. But there was no heat in it.

"I don't think there's anything wrong with wanting to meet the kid," Nie Mingjue said. "Invite them here?"

"Strategizing already?" Jiang Cheng gave him an arch look. "They're my blood relatives. Not a mercenary group."

Nie Mingjue shrugged. "So we'll hide the bazookas and pit traps."

Jiang Cheng laughed. "What about the missile launchers and claymores?"

"Those are party favors."

Jiang Cheng's laugh turned into a snort and Nie Mingjue was enchanted. He did not say anything though. He wanted to live.

"Y'know, there's another option."

"Oh?" Nie Mingjue pondered. "A neutral location?"

"No," Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes. "We could have a baby of our own."

Nie Mingjue's brain went numb and he dropped the plate he'd been washing, sending dishwater everywhere and making enough racket to summon Zonghui and Huiasang.

"Buh?" Nie Mingjue asked, very intelligently. "Baby?"

Jiang Cheng's happy laughter filled the house.

//// End!

/// Nappy time for Cat! Enjoy! <3

// This thing, from stem to stern, is 26k. Dayum. And I still never got around to shitting on LXC and JGY. Probably won't, though. Hmmm. Maybe something short when I wake up.

Redemption arc or no?

// I regret to inform you all that my inability to crush LXC entirely persists. The last 8k were written in that attempt, except he ended up okay in the end. Whoops. I'll add that section to the AO3 version, for anyone interested in reading it.