The Bond of Red and White

The Scandal

"Gusu Lan Clan has always been vocal about upholding the rights of Omegas in the community. How is it preparing to deal with such an incident occurring within its four walls?" A journalist approached.

The Press Conference was due to start any minute. Classes had been suspended for the first half of the day. All the Lan elders wore a solemn face.

It was Lan Qiren who spoke up first. "Clamour is prohibited within Gusu Academy. Please take your seat. All questions shall be answered in a timely manner. Talking about someone in their absence is also prohibited. Professor Lan and Wei Wuxian shall arrive at any moment now. I believe you shall find that no crime has been committed." He declared.

"No crime, how can he say that?" Another reporter fumed.

"The Lans are full of double standards," a loud voice spoke among the crowd of students gathered. Lan Qiren signalled to the security to lead them away.

Soon Wei Wuxian entered the scene surrounded by Nie Huissang, Lan Ruihan, Lan Nanjing and Lan Wuhan. In the midst was also present Wen Ning whom his sister had sent early to get acquainted. They were closely followed by the twin jades. Lan Wangji alongside Wei Wuxian took seats on the centre stage. Nie Huissang sat to the left of Wei Wuxian. Wen Ning sat to his right and between the mated couple. Lan Xichen sat to the right of Lan Wangji. It was a strategic placement of Alpha, Beta and Omega to show the gender neutrality at Gusu. Also placing Wei Wuxian between Wen and Nie represented a lack of nepotism.

Lan Qiren stood up from among the elders seated on the first row. "You can now ask your questions one after the other according to the position of your seats. Wait your turn. Stand while asking your questions and please ensure you have asked all your questions before sitting down. Once a question has been answered it shall not be entertained a second time and will be considered harassment. The guilty party will be escorted out of Gusu," he announced.

The reporters nodded in agreement.

"First question,"  Lan Wangji prompted.

"Are you aware that initiating heat by the use of pheromones is a criminal offence in Suzhou?" The first reporter asked.

"Article 452 of the Second amendment of Section III of the Rights of Omegas", Lan Wangji quoted.

The reporter gulped and noted it down taking hus seat. Wei Wuxian chuckled on stage despite himself. Nie Huissang hid behind his fan.

"Next question", Lan Xichen urged.

"Gusu Academy has a strict curfew. Why was the violation of the curfew tolerated?"

Lan Xichen answered first. "Jiang Cheng from Yunmeng had informed at the gate that his brother had gone to collect a few supplies for nesting as his heat was scheduled for the weekend. When he did not arrive by the curfew hour I was personally informed while doing my round of security. I assumed that as a new student he is unaware of the curfew and may have been waylaid in a new city. So I allowed the gates to remain open for an extended amount of time," he explained.

"What about Lan Wangji?" The reporter continued.

Lan Wangji prepared to answer. "Woke to a sweet smell. Not familiar in Gusu. Went to investigate. Bumped into mate. Got startled. Tried to calm him. He released his pheromones too. Went into rut. Ran to the cave," he explained.

"Why a cave, why not your quarter or the omega dormitory?" The reporter asked.

"The cave is private, behind my place. Only accessible through my back yard or by climbing across the hill for 45 minutes. Difficult climb. Serene. Isolated. I like it there. I wanted to share it with my mate," he explained.

The reporter then turned to Wei Wuxian, "Did Lan Wangji ask you for consent?"

"I begged him to be my alpha," Wei Wuxian replied honestly.

"Were you abused by the Jiangs? Is that why you used your pheromones to seduce a Lan?" The reporter asked.

"The Jiangs did not abuse me outright. They claimed that I was sick and took me to the hospital to draw blood. Madame Yu used to repeatedly call me a runt and a mutt leading to me believing that no one would want me. When I bumped into Lan Wangji I didn't realize who he was or that he was a Lan. I was in heat. He was going into a rut. By the time we regained our senses we were already intimate. He offered to compensate me at which I requested him to claim me. He obliged. In a way maybe I trapped him but my feelings for him are genuine. I may not be good enough for him, but I love my alpha," Wei Wuxian said.

"Lan Wangji, you were betrothed to the Jin family when this incident occurred. Do you feel wronged?" The reporter continued.

"I am a Lan. We are taught self restraint before we receive our pheromones. We are even taught how to use acupressure to supress a rut ourselves. The decision to claim my fated mate was a conscious one. Jin family and Lan family have a marriage contract. The parties are not named. Lady Jin is a beta and not bound to me in any way. Wei Wuxian should be the one wronged as he was too betrothed at that time." Lan Wangji explained.

Gasps ran through the crowd at the statement. The reporter became excited. "Who was your betrothed? Why did you believe no one would claim you if you already had someone to begin with?"

Wen Ning spoke up. "Wei Wuxian and I have been friends since middle school. Due to our mutual insecurities we made a pact that if we do not find our love/mate by the age of thirty we would be married. My elder sister and uncle approved and thus we were betrothed. But I am a beta, unable to claim him. Since Lan Wangji is his fated, the engagement is nullified and we are back to being friends," he explained.

"Did the attack on Gusu by the Wens have something to do with this?" The reporter continued.

"We are distant cousins of the Wens. Their affairs have nothing to do with us and vice versa," Wen Ning announced. Wei Wuxian patted his back as the reporter took his seat.

"The sudden death of the Jiangs came as a shock. Do you feel justified?" The next reporter asked.

"I feel wronged," Wei Wuxian replied. "Those who wronged me died in an accident, never brought to justice for their crimes. The ones who were truly punished are my little brother and my loving sister. They are bearing the brunt of crimes they didn't commit. How is it fair?"

"Do you think that others wlere involved in the Zhiliao bood operation?" The reporter asked.

"I recall the chief of operations at Jiang used to smuggle Zhiliao children born to my aunt who was used as a breeder. So there must be another end to the supply chain. But I was two young when we were separated and they had done something with my memory. I am barely recalling the details. The rest is up for investigation," he explained.

"What if you are the last of the Zhiliao bloodline? Will you choose to have children who may be experimented on just as you were?" The next reporter asked.

"We are investigating the Zhiliao bloodline and our efforts are focussed on protecting brother Wei and finding his cousins. He is under no threat, nor will be his future offsprings. Just because there is a threat of evil does not mean that the good will stop to exist," Nie Huissang exclaimed.

With that the Press Conference came to a close. Wen Ning stepped aside, sensing the tensed Lan Wangji beside him. Lan Wangji pulled his Ying'er in an embrace and scented him. The reporters went crazy with their cameras as Wei Wuxian smiled shyly in his alpha's embrace.