Chapter Text
Xie Lian had lost track of the centuries since his second banishment. Many other gods had risen and fallen over the centuries. They all faded away, yet here he was, still fresh-faced and young. Well, maybe not fresh-faced. Or young. But he looked the part well enough if you didn’t look too close.
Boxes sat in corners of his apartment. He didn’t have much, but hey, at least he had a roof over his head. It had been a while since he had one of those. He hadn’t gotten to unpack them yet, maybe because it didn’t feel right to stay in the same place for over a year. He had been disappearing every few decades for centuries, millennia even, but the digital age was making that more difficult, so he had strayed further from Xianle than he ever had before. Leaving China felt like leaving part of his heart behind, but what did it matter? It had been broken so many times before. Besides, during his wanderings, he found a love for medicine, both in humans and animals. He’d been practicing for centuries, but in the modern age he needed something called a license. He could have easily went to vet or med school, but animals had kept his heart warm while he wandered alone. He’d lost count of how many times animals had saved his life. It was only right that he paid them back.
He had long since given up on trying to ascend again. No, he was serving others for absolution. He put on a black choker with a white flower charm dangling from it. The original flower withered away millennia ago, but this metal replica served the purpose. He touched the charm, hoping some part of Wu Ming knew that he appreciated him now, even if it was too late.
He tugged on his threadbare cotton scrubs and coiled his hair into a bun to finish getting ready. Western clothing was definitely…an adjustment. After centuries of wearing it, he should have gotten used to it, but he missed his simple cultivator’s robes. “Smile, Xie Lian.” He squeezed up a fake smile in the broken mirror across from him. “It’s your first surgery today, this is the happiest day of your life.” Realistically, it was more like his millionth surgery, as he had been treating both humans and their animals for centuries. But hey, who’s counting?
Two statues stood by his door on the entry table to make sure he didn’t forget to tend to them. Which was a good thing, because he almost did. He lit one incense stick and placed them on burners before each statue. “Good morning, Feng Xin and Mu Qing,” he folded his hands and bowed quickly to each statue. Maybe it was selfish to pray and offer to them every day. So many gods faded away over the millennia, and it just…Xie Lian shook his head. The thought of his oldest friends fading away…he was selfish, he knew that, but if Feng Xin and Mu Qing faded away, then he would truly be alone in the universe. Forever. So even if he never spoke to them again, that was fine. Just as long as they survived.
***
The vet school town was a very hard town to not have a car. He hadn’t been in the States for that long, but he already missed the walkability of cities in China. He couldn’t even count how many times he’d nearly been hit by a car by walking on the side of the road with no sidewalk. Being run over would be annoying.
Speaking of getting hit by cars, there was a dog running towards him from across the street. Xie Lian’s stomach dropped. The poor dog was already in the middle of the road!
“Hi friend! Come here!” Xie Lian squatted down and threw open his arms.
The dog turned on his afterburners and dashed into his arms, making Xie Lian fall flat on his back.
“Mpf!” Xie Lian groaned as the dog licked his face. He was gonna be late for pictures with his surgery group. He wanted to text his group and let them know, but, well, his arms were occupied.
“There you are, E’ming! Bad dog!” A male voice called from a bright red car as he pulled over.
The dog, apparently named E’Ming, glanced at his owner and huffed, as if his owner were interrupting something.
“I am so sorry! He slipped his collar and has absolutely no manners.” E’Ming’s owner stepped out of the car, and wow. What was E’Ming thinking running away from an owner like that? He towered over the two of them, black hair cascading over broad shoulders. He wore a red button up top and black slacks, and E’Ming’s collar and leash matched the shirt.
“He’s fine, no worries. He’s a good boy.” Xie Lian rubbed E’Ming’s ears, and E’ming leaned into it. “I would have tried to catch him anyways, but clearly, he caught me.” He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. It was just his luck to meet an attractive man in his worn-out scrubs and pinned on the grass.
The owner gave a throaty chuckle as he snapped E’Ming’s collar back on and tugged the dog away to get him off Xie Lian’s chest. E’Ming refused to budge.
“E’Ming, let’s go! Your new friend has places to be!”
Xie Lian patted the pup. “Can I get up?”
As soon as Xie Lian requested, the dog got off him. His owner rolled his eyes as though this happened very frequently. Xie Lian chuckled to himself.
“I’m Xie Lian, it’s nice to meet you.”
The owner smiled, and warmth spread through Xie Lian’s chest. “You can call me San Lang.” Something about that smile, that voice, that twinkle in his eyes was so…familiar. That familiarity tugged at his heartstrings, almost like he wasn’t alone in the world after all. He probably knew one of his ancestors. It was silly, he knew that, but he had to cling to small joys where he could.
“Where were you going? I can drive you.” San Lang twirled his keys in his hands.
“Oh no, that’s not necessary! I don’t want to be any trouble.”
“No trouble at all! You saved my dog’s life, it’s the least I could do. It wouldn’t be right to let you risk your life on the side of the road.”
Well, what did he have to lose? His immortal life and body? It’s not like he could get murdered. Besides…something about San Lang made him think there was nowhere safer than by his side. Maybe that was just attraction talking, but he was late for surgery. “If it isn’t too much trouble, could you bring me to the vet school?”
“Of course! Hop in. Feel free to turn on any feature you like; I have heated seats!”
Heated seats did sound nice. He leaned back into the soft, leather passenger seat and yes, he did turn on the heated seats. Warmth seeped into his bones and soothed some of the pain he had gotten used to. He stifled a moan.
“It’s nice, isn’t it?” San Lang grinned at him, dark eyes sparkling.
“Mhm.” Xie Lian’s phone chirped, showing a message in surgery.
Shi Qingxuan: Lian-Lian, where are you? We’re about to take pictures!
Me: I’ll be there soon! Sorry!
“Everything okay?” San Lang asked.
“Mhm, Just my surgery group wondering where I am.”
“Ah. Good thing I insisted on giving you a ride, then. How long have you been in school?”
“I moved here two years ago from China.”
“So did I! I bought a restaurant a few months ago and moved here from China.”
Xie Lian raised his eyebrows. “Wow! You’re a long way from home. What brought you to the states?”
“The love of my life got an opportunity at the vet school, so I came with them. Brought the whole family as well.”
“Oh, that’s kind of you!” Sacrificing everything for the one you love…guilt stabbed at Xie Lian’s chest. If only he’d sacrificed more back then…
“Do you have any family, Gege?”
Xie Lian flushed a bit at the familiar phrase. “Um, no, it’s just me. My parents passed away when I was young.” Not entirely a lie, right? He was much younger when they passed. And when he passed too.
“Mine did too.” San Lang gave him a knowing smile. “That’s why what’s left of us stick so close together.”
They rode the rest of the way to the school in silence. When they pulled up, Xie Lian thanked his lucky stars that they weren’t anywhere Shi Qingxuan could see them. If she saw him get out of such an ostentatious car with a beautiful man, he’d never hear the end of it.
“Xie Lian, wait. Take this.” San Lang handed him a business card. “If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call. Please.”
“Thank you. And thank you for the ride.”
“Anytime.”
When he arrived at the school, Lan Wangji and Shi Qingxuan waited for him by the blackboard. On the blackboard was a smiling dog over a “Having fun in surgery one!” banner.
“There you are! We thought you’d never get here!” Shi Qingxuan, the anesthetist of the group, chirped. “It’s time for pictures! Why do you have grass in your hair?”
Xie Lian grabbed several sprigs of grass out of his hair. Great. Not only did he get tackled by the hot guy’s dog, he had grass in his hair the whole time. Amazing. Xie Lian’s bad luck strikes again. “It’s nothing, I got tackled on the way here.”
Lan Wangji tilted his head to the side and Shi Qingxuan gasped. “Oh my god! Are you okay?”
Xie Lian chuckled. “I’m fine, it was just a dog. You didn’t have to wait on me for pictures.” Really, the fewer pictures of him that existed, the better. You can only be the spitting image of so many distant ancestors before people start getting suspicious.
“Um, of course we would wait for you! You’re our friend! Now get in here! Also, I expect more details on the dog story later.” Shi Qingxuan hooked her elbows around both Xie Lian and Lan Wangji and pulled them both into side hugs. “Hurry, Mo Ran, I can’t hold ‘em forever!”
A tall man with blue scrubs and piercing dimples held up Shi Qingxuan’s glittery, pink, bedazzled cell phone, smirking all the while. “Say cheese!”
“Shameless,” Lan Wangji muttered under his breath.
Shi Qingxuan pretended not to hear him as they got their surgery dog premedicated. “Oh, and we are going to Paradise Manor for drinks after surgery cuz we’ll need it. You don’t have a choice.”
Xie Lian grimaced. “Is now a bad time to tell you I don’t drink?”
“Psh, don’t worry! I know the chef and he makes some of the BEST food in town! Asian fusion bar food! Yes, it’s as amazing as it sounds. You’re not getting out of this, Lian-Lian.”
Well. If his Guoshi had taught him one thing it was that a gentleman didn’t argue with a lady who had made up her mind. “Is Wangji going?”
“He’s there more than me! He has the hots for one of the bartenders.”
“Qingxuan…” Lan Wangji growled through gritted teeth as he made notes on Shi Qingxuan’s anesthesia record.
“What? It’s true.”
“Maybe don’t tease the person making notes on your anesthesia record while you induce?” Xie Lian suggested, though he did find Wangji and Qingxuan’s bickering entertaining. It reminded him of…simpler times.
“You’re so right, I’m sorry. I’ll slide Wei Ying your number tonight to make up for it.” Shi Qingxuan winked.
“Qingxuan!” The tips of Lan Wangji’s ears flushed.
“Be nice.” Xie Lian raised an eyebrow.
“I’m sorryyyyy he just makes it so easy.”
As soon as surgery started, Xie Lian whispered silent thanks to his Guoshi for teaching him patience all those centuries ago. He recited mantras in his head without even thinking about it whenever he got annoyed. And boy, was he annoyed.
“Oh, her bladder is really full.” Xie Lian ran his finger over the dog’s bladder. No wonder they couldn’t find her uterus.
“It’s too cranial to be the bladder.” Jiang Xi, Xie Lian’s surgical instructor, scoffed.
Xie Lian took a deep breath, which would usually work wonders to calm himself down except for the fact that it sucked his surgical mask into his nostrils. With the bladder being so full, it would displace the dog’s reproductive tract, making the surgery last even longer than it needed to. If he could drain some fluid from the bladder, it would help immensely. But, well, clearly, it’s not the bladder in the way. Because bladders don’t expand cranially.
“Let me try.” Jiang Xi pushed Xie Lian’s hand out of the way.
Funny, he thought instructors were supposed to instruct, not do the surgery for you. Oh well. In the end, it isn’t worth arguing over.
“So, the bladder is too full and displacing the uterus, leading to a mass effect.”
Strange, had he heard that somewhere before? Xie Lian made eye contact with Lan Wangji across the table, speaking volumes through their eyes.
He drained some fluid off the bladder, and once that was done he could finally continue the surgery.
Ironically enough, Xie Lian had debated fumbling with his instruments and suture on purpose to make it less obvious that he had been doing this for centuries. However, that ended up being unnecessary as Jiang Xi would not let Xie Lian work. Annoyance bubbled up in Xie Lian’s chest as Jiang Xi held his hands and manipulated the instruments. Deep breaths, Xie Lian. On the plus side, he didn’t have to worry about giving himself away as an immortal this way. Can’t have a suspicious level of skill if you didn’t even do the surgery, right? Yet he couldn’t deny how frustrated he was. How could he be so handsy with a student? When so many are afraid to tell him no? To be fair, this was not the worst way he was touched over the centuries, so he should count his blessings. He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
Once that torturous surgery was over, the three of them exhaled and slumped into Shi Qingxuan’s car. They had to catch their breath before driving to Paradise Manor. Even Xie Lian was tempted to have a drink after all that.
Shi Qingxuan started her car and started to drive. “Xie Lian, that was AWFUL! I’m amazed you didn’t cry, because I would have.” Shi Qingxuan patted him on the back.
“Thanks. It could have been worse, I guess.”
“And then he said you were wrong about the bladder being too full, and then you were right? He didn’t even admit his mistake! Oooooh I would have fought him on the spot.” Shi Qingxuan punched the air in front of her. “You sure you don’t drink? I need a drink after all that.”
Xie Lian shook his head. “I’m good. You enjoy though.” He couldn’t drink even if he wanted to, he’d be lucky to afford even a small meal. Luckily, after starving for centuries, even a small meal would be enough for him.
Once they arrived at Paradise Manor, the three of them made their way up to the bar, and a short, skinny man with a black high ponytail came up to take their order.
“Heyyyy Lan Zhan! Having your usual?”
“Mn.” Lan Wangji nodded, face already starting to flush.
“Oh! And you brought friends!” He leaned over the bar, the red ‘paradise manor’ logo across his chest eye level with Xie Lian. “I’m Wei Ying, and Lan Zhan is one of my regulars.” He cupped his hand around his mouth. “I think he likes one of the waitresses!”
Xie Lian smiled, choosing not to point out how Lan Wangji hadn’t looked away from Wei Ying the whole time. “One could say we trauma bonded. I’m Xie Lian, nice to meet you.”
Wei Ying froze as he poured sprite into a glass. “You’re Xie Lian? The boss told me to send you to the VIP room once you arrived.”
VIP room? What kind of bar is this? “Oh, that won’t be necessary, I can stay out here.”
“He insists.”
“Oooooo, Lian-Lian is moving up in the world!” Shi Qingxuan smirked. “I maaaaaay have told the chef you were coming and to pull out all the stops. I guess he ratted me out to Crimson Rain…oopsie.”
Xie Lian blushed. It wasn’t like he’d never been a VIP before, just it had been so long. And who was Crimson Rain? And what did he want with him?
Xie Lian followed Wei Ying’s finger to a room with a boho beaded curtain in the back of the bar. The beads clinked as he pushed them aside, and before him sat a wide array of dishes across a broad table. Against the cushions behind the table sat none other than San Lang grinning like the cat that ate the canary.
“San Lang? What’s all this?”
“A feast of course! I wasn’t sure what you would want to eat, so I had the chef prepare one of everything. Come, eat!”
“Oh, I couldn’t impose.” Saying those words took all the discipline he had. The smells of the noodles, rich sauces and rice were melting his resolve and making his mouth water.
“It’s no trouble. Eat your fill! It’s the least I could do.” San Lang patted the seat next to him.
Xie Lian obliged him and sat down. “All this for helping catch your dog? You didn’t have to go to all this trouble for me.”
“Of course! Please, eat your fill and all of it is yours to take home if you wish.” San Lang grabbed a plate. “Start here. This is our most popular dish.”
Steam curled off a plate of fries doused in cheese sauce and crispy char siu pork belly. Xie Lian’s mouth watered in anticipation as he took his first bite. Flavors danced on his tongue.
“You like?”
“Mmm, it’s delicious.” Xie Lian moaned in approval. “I can see why it’s your most popular.”
“Wonderful! I’ll have the chef make more for you.”
“Oh no! This is more than enough. I don’t have much appetite anymore.” Xie Lian waived him off.
San Lang’s grin faded for a split second, so quickly it would have been easy to miss. “As you wish.” He laid his hand over his chest and inclined his head.
Xie Lian’s eyes widened at San Lang’s ring finger. How did he not notice the ring earlier? It was silver with a white pearl flower inlaid in the metal. Of course. How could a man as charming and beautiful as San Lang be single? He chided himself for even hoping he had a chance. “Your ring is so beautiful. I’ve never seen one quite like it before.”
“Thank you! I made it myself!”
“What’s it for?”
San Lang twirled the ring on his finger; a soft smile stretched on his lips. “It’s nothing, just a little trinket.”
“Ah. To keep girls from throwing themselves at you?”
He chuckled. “Something like that. It’s imbued with a protection talisman to keep its wearer safe. I’ll give it to the person I love once the time comes so it can protect them.”
That phrase made it click.
That was why San Lang seemed so familiar, so comforting to his soul.
The dedication to the person he loves, to pick up and move across the world and buy a business sight unseen. Xie Lian only knew one person like that. San Lang was the perfect image of him, right down to the white flower on his ring.
This was Wu Ming. But how? Wu Ming’s soul dispersed before his very eyes centuries ago. This turned everything Xie Lian knew about reincarnation on its head. But the proof was right there in front of him.
He didn’t know how or why, but his greatest regret was right there in front of him.
And he would be damned if he let anything happen to him again.