For a long moment, the two men sitting across the room from each other sat in silence, each carefully watching the other. Although Xiao Zhan was delighted to see that he was no longer alone, at the same time he couldn’t help but be cautious. The man sitting across from him was clearly from the police force, but at the same time, how capable was he? Even in the darkened VIP room, with multicolored lights flashing across his noble face, Wang Yibo looked more like an elegant scholar who walked off the pages of a wuxia novel than anything. Was he really capable of taking over a supervisory role for an undercover agent? His gaze fell on the ring on Wang Yibo’s finger, and a tiny smirk turned up the corner of his lips as an idea came to his mind.

“Hey, that’s an interesting design on your ring.” He commented. A tiny smile turned up the corner of Wang Yibo’s lips, and he nodded slightly as he touched the ring subtly. 

“It is my family’s crest.” He replied simply. Tilting his head slightly, Xiao Zhan extended one hand towards the other man.

“May I see it?” He asked. Wang Yibo looked up at him at the request, one eyebrow raised inquisitively. From the subtle expression on his face, Xiao Zhan could guess what thoughts were running through Wang Yibo’s head. Distaste at the request, curiosity behind what he was trying to do, mixed with a slight bit of hesitation at handing over something precious. Then, a tiny smirk turned up the corner of the other man’s lips. In one fluid motion, his long fingers slid the ring off his finger and held it up in the sparkling club lights. 

“By all means.” He replied, but didn’t move from his seat. Xiao Zhan gazed at the other man for a long moment, taking in the slightly teasing look in the man’s dark brown eyes. The way those long fingers held lightly onto the small ring, the relaxed stance the man held with one arm draped over his knees...it was a deceptively unguarded pose, one that Xiao Zhan had a feeling hid a desire to keep the ring in his own possession for as long as possible. 

He’s testing me, just like how I’m uncertain about him.

Xiao Zhan rose from his seat and walked over to Wang Yibo.

Very well, two can play at this game.

In one quick motion, Xiao Zhan hit the bottom of Wang Yibo’s hand, certain that the motion would send the ring flying into the air and into his hand. To his surprise, Wang Yibo’s grip stayed firm as ever, and instead, he turned his wrist with a quick snapping motion followed by a sharp hit to the palm that sent Xiao Zhan staggering back ever so slightly. Shocked, Xiao Zhan stared at his palm. Wang Yibo had barely touched him for barely a second, but already his palm was turning a slight pink color from the force of the hit. Xiao Zhan looked back over at Wang Yibo, who hadn’t even moved from his position on the couch, his expression as calm as it had always been.

How in the world…?

A tiny smirk turned up the corner of Wang Yibo’s lips, and before Xiao Zhan could blink, the young man had risen from his seat and lunged at him. Xiao Zhan quickly pivoted to his right, allowing Wang Yibo to slip past him without making any contact. The other man slid neatly to a stop on the other side of the table, his footsteps as light as a feather. It was becoming increasingly clear to Xiao Zhan that this man had been well trained, perhaps even better than he personally had been. It had been a long time since he had met such a match. Wang Yibo fought with a style that was more fluid like a dance, his entire body flexible and elegant. It was a style Xiao Zhan had never seen before. And suddenly, Xiao Zhan wanted nothing more than to win against this man. And so began the game of trading blows across the VIP suite, a dance that sent both men swiveling and pivoting in a fight that was making it increasingly clear to both of them that each had their strengths that made them more equals than anything. Slowly, an odd feeling rose in Xiao Zhan’s mind as they sparred within the limited confines of the VIP suite under the bright flashing club lights.

It all felt so...familiar. 

Why do I feel this way?

It was certainly the first time he fought with Wang Yibo; heck, he had never even seen the man before in his life! But every blow that the other man parried, every time Xiao Zhan pivoted backwards to avoid the next blow aimed at him in return, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of excitement, of happiness, of…

Deja vu. 

But why? It made complete no sense. Before Xiao Zhan could think of an answer to that question however, he found himself facing Wang Yibo’s fist. 

“Focus.” The other man said, his deep voice low and barely winded from the ongoing fight.

Focus.

The word, a simple single word, echoed in Xiao Zhan’s mind as he heard it. 

Focus.

It was strange, but just like everything else that was going on, the word felt oddly familiar. Not only was the word familiar, it was the voice that was saying it, the tone in which it spoke that felt so strangely familiar, as if he had heard it many times in the past. But that would make complete no sense, wouldn’t it? Where could he have possibly heard this voice before?

“Careful!” Xiao Zhan felt his back knock against something cold and hard, and a strong hand reached out and grabbed his arm before he fell over backwards. Turning quickly, Xiao Zhan saw that they had someone managed to end up in the corner of the VIP suite, and the thing he had knocked into was the tall lamp illuminating half of the room. Looking back in front of him, Xiao Zhan saw that it was Wang Yibo who had grabbed his arm and pulled him upright.

“Thanks.” Xiao Zhan replied, pulling away from the other man and brushing at his clothes, “You’re a good fighter.” Wang Yibo smirked ever so slightly.

“As are you.” He replied. For a moment, Xiao Zhan really wanted to ask Wang Yibo about the emotions he had felt during their short fight. Would he have an answer? It might sound like the most ridiculous thing in the world, but who knew? Before Xiao Zhan could open his mouth though, a third voice spoke.

“Xiao Zhan! What do you think you’re doing?” The man in question turned and grinned as he saw who was in the doorway.

“Jiang Cheng.” He greeted, putting on a sheepish smile, “How long have you been there?” Jiang Cheng huffed and walked over to him.

“Long enough to see you fighting with a VIP guest.” He replied, hitting Xiao Zhan lightly on the chest, “You should know better than to do that!” Xiao Zhan shrugged.

“It was nothing serious.” He replied, “Just a test of strengths.” Jiang Cheng looked over at Wang Yibo for confirmation, who simply dipped his head, a poker faced mask falling over his elegant features. Jiang Cheng sighed in exasperation.

“My sister is going to hear about this when we get back!” He stated, “And then she won’t make you soup!” Xiao Zhan frowned.

“Ah-Cheng, that’s mean!” He protested, “What’s wrong with two men having a friendly fight?” Jiang Cheng simply scowled at him and bumped at Xiao Zhan’s shoulder.

“You may be the boss here, but don’t think I’m going to tolerate everything you do!” He snapped. Xiao Zhan opened his mouth to protest, then saw Wang Yibo turn his head slightly away, his slender shoulder trembling ever so slightly.

Is he laughing?

Before Xiao Zhan could take a look, Wang Yibo turned back around, his face returned to an expression of utter disinterest.

“I believe I will take my leave now.” He said, “Good night, gentlemen.” Xiao Zhan blinked as Wang Yibo headed for the door. That was it? Wasn’t there going to be anything else? 

“Wait!” He hurried after the other man and grabbed him by the arm. 

“Will you stop by again?” Xiao Zhan asked. A tiny smile quirked up the corner of Wang Yibo’s lips as he looked carefully at Xiao Zhan’s expression. It was odd; the other man was saying nothing, and had barely moved, and yet Xiao Zhan felt like Wang Yibo could see right through him to his inner thoughts.

Where are you going? When are we meeting again? Aren’t you going to leave me a way to communicate with you?

“Perhaps I will.” Wang Yibo replied after a few long seconds, his hand patting Xiao Zhan on the arm. Xiao Zhan saw the other man’s gaze slip slightly down to his jacket pocket before he turned and walked out the door. 

“Hey, can I have your alcohol?” Xiao Zhan called after him, noticing the untouched wine still sitting on the table. Wang Yibo turned around with a mysterious smile on his face.

“You may have half.” He replied before disappearing into the throng of people dancing under the sparkling club lights. Xiao Zhan frowned in confusion. Half? Why half? He wouldn’t even know if Xiao Zhan drank it all! 

What a mysterious man.

An arm slung around Xiao Zhan’s shoulders from behind, and he turned to see Jiang Cheng next to him, one hand holding the wine Wang Yibo had left behind.

“Come on, let’s go back now.” The younger man said, herding Xiao Zhan towards the door.

“Let me make sure the guest didn’t leave anything behind first.” Xiao Zhan replied, “You go on ahead.” Jiang Cheng shot him a confused look, but left as Xiao Zhan had suggested. Xiao Zhan turned around and carefully patted down the pillows on the couch, making sure that Jiang Cheng wasn’t looking at him anymore before he subtly slipped his hand into his jacket pocket. Then, a small smirk turned up the corner of his lips.

How interesting.

Somehow, in the middle of their fight, Wang Yibo had managed to slip a folded piece of paper into Xiao Zhan’s pocket. As he gently patted down the paper, his fingers closed around a small square object wrapped in the middle of the sheet, causing him to smile.

An SD card.

With this, all he had to do was slip it into his phone and it would change all the contacts and functions his phone had. And that meant he could contact Wang Yibo whenever he wanted. Xiao Zhan grinned, a new sense of excitement rising in his chest.

I look forward to working with you, Wang Yibo.

__________________________________________________________________________

Lan Wangji returned home that night in a rare good mood, a tiny smile gracing his face as he returned to his house in the suburbs of the city. A single finger flicked a switch near the door, flooding the house in a warm golden light. Lan Wangji chuckled softly. Even after so many years, modern technology still amazed the thousand years old cultivator. It certainly made things more convenient, that was for sure. Lan Wangji’s house was simply but artfully decorated, most of the objects inside either white or light blue to match the Lan Clan’s colors. The soft white carpet was soothing to his feet as he tread across the main rooms and headed for the library in the back of the house. Pushing open the sliding screen doors, Lan Wangji’s gaze was greeted by the usual sight of walls upon walls of books spread across the spacious library he had built inside his home. Books from all across time, from the time of cultivators to present day were all available for reading here. It was the only way Lan Wangji kept learning in this ever changing world. He headed for a bookcase on the bottom floor of the library, one slender finger tapping a book on the middle shelf with a quick burst of spiritual energy. The bookshelf immediately moved backwards on command, revealing a glowing white door. Lan Wangji closed his eyes, reached out, and stepped through the door into the warmth of a far more familiar world.

The sound of birds chirping greeted his ears as he stepped forward, the sound of rushing water flowing along with the birdsong. Lan Wangji felt silken cloth flowing over his arms and legs, the familiar snap of the white Lan ribbon wrapping around his forehead. Sighing, Lan Wangji opened his eyes to see himself standing on a large rock near a rushing river. All around him was a natural scenery that could have come straight from a wuxia novel, but Lan Wangji knew very well that this was certainly all real rather than a work of fiction.

Gusu.

Many, many years ago, as Lan Wangji had watched the cultivation world fall away and the once proud cultivator clans decline, he knew he had to do something to preserve the world he loved most. And so, Lan Wangji found an old method hidden away in the recesses of Gusu’s library and used it to preserve Gusu into eternal beauty. As thousands of years had moved on, Cloud Recesses had never changed, forever kept in a state of peace and tranquility. Although cultivators no longer tread over its stone steps and the air was no longer filled with the sound of disciples clashing swords, at least as time moved on, Lan Wangji had a sanctuary to relax in. He smiled faintly as he flicked his long sleeves and sat down on the rock he had been standing on. No matter what people said, Gusu’s robes were truly the most comfortable to wear and fight in. Lan Wangji’s zither appeared over his knees with a flick of his hand, but his slender fingers paused over the delicate strings. 

What am I going to play?

For thousands of years, Lan Wangji had barely played anything besides Inquiry, in the hopes that Weiying’s lost soul would respond to him one day. But now that he knew Weiying had been reborn, had seen the bright smiling man he had become...what was he supposed to play now? Lan Wangji thought for a few long moments before deciding on a song.

Song of Lucidity.

Yes, that was what would fit what had happened today and how Lan Wangji felt right now. He had felt so many emotions rushing up as he had seen Weiying, alive and well standing in front of him, cracking shameless jokes as always. But at the same time, Lan Wangji had to remember that Xiao Zhan was not exactly Weiying. It was the same soul, but they were different people. Lan Wangji wanted to pick up his zither and rush to the other man, to play music that would restore his memories of their prior life together. But if he did that, he would surely only scare off Xiao Zhan and be treated as a lunatic. No, Lan Wangji had to take things slowly, and seize the opportunity to talk about their past when it came. Rushing things would not help the situation in the least. And so, Lan Wangji closed his eyes and let his fingers run over the zither strings. The sound of music rising into the air among the sound of rushing water soothed the mess of emotions in his chest, the tense muscles in his body relaxing. 

Weiying. No matter if you remember our past or not, I will surely protect you. This time, I will not fail.

____________________________________________________________________________

That night, Xiao Zhan found himself dreaming.

In his dream, he was running along a pitch black corridor, unable to see anything save for his own two hands in front of him. Where was he? What was he doing here? Why couldn’t he see anything? 

“Ah-Cheng?” He called out, his voice echoing uselessly around him, “Ah-Cheng, are you there? Yanli?” As he ran, he felt cloth brushing against his legs, and he looked down to see himself dressed in black and red robes that fell to near his ankles. Xiao Zhan frowned in confusion. What sort of clothes were these? Certainly, it was nothing he had ever seen, much less worn, before in the past. It looked like something out of a costume drama, 

For what felt like eternity, there was no response to his calls. Then, Xiao Zhan heard the sound of barking behind him, and turned to see two large dogs running behind him. Terror struck at Xiao Zhan’s heart as he screamed and fled from the two animals. It was strange; Xiao Zhan had never thought of himself as scared of large dogs before; he had faced many during training at the police academy, and had never had any issue with working with the animals. But now, Xiao Zhan was so frightened, it was as if the animals behind him were wild lions rather than two dogs. The horror was so strong, so heavy in his chest that he felt like he could scarcely breathe. 

“Ah-Cheng! Yanli! Somebody! Get those things away from me!” He screamed in vain. The pounding of the dogs’ pawsteps got closer and closer to him, and then, Xiao Zhan suddenly saw a beam of light in front of him. Somehow, he knew that if only he could reach that light, then he would be safe. Gathering up the last of his strength, he sprinted ahead and into the bright welcoming light. As he did so, he spotted a figure standing there in the light with his back facing Xiao Zhan. It was a tall and elegant figure, imposing even without looking at his face. The man wore a long white robe with elegant silver decorations woven into the fabric. His long black hair flowed freely down his back save for the part tied up neatly at the top of his head with a silver hairpiece. In one hand, he held what looked like a long sword, slipped neatly inside a silver sheathe. 

Who is that? 

“Lan Zhan!” A name sprung to Xiao Zhan’s lips, although he had no clue where it came from, “Lan Zhan, save me!” The man turned, a warm smile gracing his elegant face as he held out his hand to Xiao Zhan. 

“Weiying. Come here.” He invited. A newfound sense of delight filled Xiao Zhan’s chest as the man held out his hand to him. Just the sight of the man was enough to fill him with relief, and the sense that he was safe with this man by his side. It was strange though; who was Weiying? That wasn’t his name. And yet, Xiao Zhan grasped the other man’s hand in delight, and the man in white pulled him forward and safely away from the dogs. The darkness fell away from where Xiao Zhan had run, and finally he caught a proper glimpse of his savior’s face. Xiao Zhan frowned in utter confusion as he recognized the man standing in front of him.

Wang Yibo?

____________________________________________________________________________

“Ah!” Blankets flew in opposite directions as Xiao Zhan woke up from his dream and sat up quickly in bed. His heart hammered in his chest as he looked around the darkened room he was currently in, his gaze on instinct scanning for the nearest sign of danger. Slowly, he came to remember that he was in his own room, Jiang Cheng’s soft snoring coming from the other bed in the room. 

Just a dream.

Still, it had all felt so real. Xiao Zhan could still recall the horror of being chased and the sound of the dogs chasing him from behind, their tongues lolling out as they chased their prey in glee. He could feel the brush of long robes against his knees, the brush of long hair against the nape of his neck. And...the man who had been standing in front of Xiao Zhan. He had felt so familiar, and yet...it was surely Wang Yibo’s face, but the name coming from Xiao Zhan’s lips was…

Lan Zhan.

What sort of name was that? Xiao Zhan knew of nobody with the surname Lan. Had Wang Yibo lied about his name? No, that still wouldn’t explain why Xiao Zhan would be the one calling him by a different name. Xiao Zhan sighed and swung his legs over the side of the bed, all tiredness gone with all the thoughts spinning around his head. 

I need some fresh air.

Xiao Zhan shot the sleeping Jiang Cheng a look as he walked by his friend’s sleeping figure. 

That bastard. I bet if I really was being chased by dogs, he wouldn’t move a finger to save me!

Xiao Zhan slipped on a pair of tennis shoes and walked out to the upper floor balcony. He tilted his head back and sighed as the cool night breeze cleared his troubled mind. So many odd things were happening recently, he had no clue what to make of it all. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the SD card Wang Yibo had left him.

What sort of secrets does this little card hold?

After checking to make sure Jiang Cheng hadn’t followed him up, Xiao Zhan carefully switched out his original SD card for Wang Yibo’s secret one. Then, he flipped his phone back over and looked carefully at what had changed. With the new SD card, the basic functions still seemed to be the same, but Xiao Zhan noticed that there was a separate messenger app that he had never seen before. Tapping his finger lightly against it, he realized that it had been programmed with only one user’s contact information. Xiao Zhan’s brow furrowed slightly as he looked at the name.

Second Young Master Lan.

Who in the world was that? Before Xiao Zhan could wonder any longer, a message appeared on the app.

If you’re awake, let’s meet up.

Xiao Zhan stared in confusion at the message. If this person was asking to meet up…

Wang Yibo?

Xiao Zhan knew better than to directly ask when he was uncertain about the other person’s identity, but that was the only person who could possibly be asking him to meet up.

Who are you? He wrote. A few seconds later, the person on the other end gave a response.

Don’t you want to see my cloud ring?

Xiao Zhan smirked as he saw the reply. 

Alright, Wang Yibo, he thought. What sort of man was he, to be up at this hour in the morning before the sun even rose? It was barely 5 am in the morning! If Xiao Zhan hadn’t had that strange dream, he would certainly have still been sleeping. 

Very well, he replied, Where?

____________________________________________________________________________

The sound of windchimes greeted Xiao Zhan’s ears as he stepped through the doors to the boxing ring he had been directed to. It was an oddly misplaced sound; windchimes belonged next to a garden swing blowing in the breeze, not in the doorway of a boxing ring. Still, the sound seemed to attract the attention of the only other figure in the room, who was standing in the middle of the darkened room with his back to Xiao Zhan. For a long moment, Xiao Zhan stood gazing at the figure in front of him. In the barely lit boxing ring, the little light there was cast a faint glow on Wang Yibo. The other man was holding his left arm behind him, his hand clenched into a fist. His back was straight and poised, the epitome of elegance. For a moment, Xiao Zhan could almost see the white robed figure that had appeared in his dreams. Then, Wang Yibo turned around, and the spell was broken.

“You found it.” He said, a small smile gracing his lips, “Welcome.” Xiao Zhan smiled in return, momentarily brushing away the memories of his dream. 

“Nice place you’ve got here.” He said, “Why did you suggest we meet here?” Wang Yibo hopped smoothly off of the raised boxing ring, his feet barely making a sound as they hit the floor. 

“It’s the safest place for us to meet.” He replied, “Because I own this place. If anyone ever asks, tell them  you were out for early morning training.” Xiao Zhan raised an eyebrow. Wang Yibo owned this place? No matter how he looked at it, Wang Yibo didn’t seem like the type to own a boxing ring. And what was that about early morning training?

“Wait, are you suggesting we meet this early all the time from now on?” Xiao Zhan asked. Without barely twitching an eyelash, Wang Yibo gave a tiny affirmative nod. Xiao Zhan scoffed.

“Look, it’s not even 6 in the morning!” He protested.

“I wake up at 5 in the morning every day.” Wang Yibo replied simply, his expression barely changing. Xiao Zhan’s jaw dropped as he stared at the other man.

“Every day?” He asked, certain that the other man was surely joking with him. Wang Yibo simply stared at him silently, his expression conveying all that was needed: do I look like I’m joking?

Xiao Zhan sighed and shook his head. Just what sort of man had headquarters assigned to be his handler? What sort of person woke up at 5 am in the morning every day?

“Fine.” He replied, “I’ll do my best.” Wang Yibo smirked slightly at the victory, then turned to pick up a glove.

“But your timing really is perfect.” Xiao Zhan commented as he watched Wang Yibo run his fingers over the red glove, “Believe it or not, I just saw you in my dream.” Wang Yibo scoffed lightly.

“And?” He replied. 

“It was weird, but I called you by a different name.” Xiao Zhan replied, “I was being chased by dogs you see, and then you were there!” Wang Yibo’s slender fingers stilled over the glove in his hand.

“What did you call me?” He asked. Xiao Zhan thought for a moment as he recalled the name.

“Lan Zhan.” He replied.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Author note: Hello! I haven't abandoned this story yet, please don't worry! I had some writer's block and real life caught up to me, but I'll be working my hardest to be sure the next update isn't over a month later!

If anyone is confused, the "focus" reference refers to how Lan Zhan often tells Weiying to focus, especially after he starts cultivating with Chenqing, and the song Lan Zhan is playing is the first part of: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yocL-n4jkKg&list=PLJzaFdrsOtXCAW_HjOv-eiTOlvCIMafhV&index=8