Chapter Text
Wei Wuxian knew that this discussion conference wasn't just about seeing who was the best. Sure, it was a good chance for alphas to show off and try and be better than one another but there was also another reason for them to show off; so they could find an omega to mate with.
The last event of every discussion conference was a mating run however, it wasn't like a typical mating run. Any omega who signed up had to have a few alphas that they liked picked out, then each omega participating would be the only omega running until they were caught, then the next omega with their alpha picks would go next until there were no more omegas. It was the slightest bit of power omegas had when it came to their lives.
If Wei Wuxian had it his way, he wouldn't be participating at all but alas, Madae Yu had other ideas.
His eyes drifted around the training grounds as alphas tried to show off and prove their worthiness to the other watching omegas. A few had tried to present themselves to Wei Wuxian but he had showed little to no interest in them. He was already signed up so his best bet was to find the most decent alphas out of the bunch and resign himself to his fate.
He knew the moment he had presented as an omega that he would never have the life he wanted. He wanted to be like his parents. He wanted to be a wandering cultivator, have a mate who loved and cared about him, and maybe have a few children along the way. That would be the ideal for Wei Wuxian.
Bored out of his mind and his stomach starting to rumble, Wei Wuxian decided that it was a good time to take a break and get some food. He could at the very least appreciate the spice level of the Wen food. It wasn't as spicy as it was in Yumeng but he was satisfied.
He piled some things onto his plate from the spread of food, picking out all sorts of new and familiar things. He wasn't afraid to try some new things and anything that was red and looked spicy was stacked onto his plate.
“Not happy with the show?” Wei Wuxian turned to see who had spoken and found the eldest Wen son smirking at him.
Wen Xu, while well-known, wasn't very flashy like his younger brother. He did his job and he did it well but that was the extent of it, he didn't go out of his way to be extra, whether good or bad.
Wen Xu at first glance looked like his father. They had the same dark hair and strong eyebrows and the same deep marron colored eyes but when you looked closer, their faces weren't similar at all. Wen Xu's eyes were softer with long lashes and his lips were slightly upturned in a perpetual smile. Wei Wuxian had never met Madam Wen be he assumed that Wen Xu took after her.
“There is not much to see.” Wei Wuxian replied, his tone even. Trouble had been stirring with the Wens for a long time now and he for sure wasn't going to provoke them unnecessarily.
“If you don't mind me asking, why participate if you clearly aren't interested?” Wen Xu came to stand beside him and gathered food on his own plate.
“Madame Yu decided that I was old enough to be married off. Why aren't you participating? Surely it is about time that you found yourself a wife as the heir of the Wen Sect.” Wei Wuxian countered.
Wen Xu chuckled. “I have a long list of demands for my future wife, I can't just leave it up to fate in a mating run.”
“Oh?” Wei Wuxian said, his interest piqued. “What are these demands?”
Wen Xu raised an eyebrow, clearly not expecting to be questioned. “Well, they need to be beautiful of course, I want to be attracted to them. They also need to be adept at cultivation, I not only want someone to cultivate with but someone who will produce strong children as well. And they need to be a strong candidate to be the Madame of the Wen sect as well, it's not a job where you can sit back and relax. There are a few other little picky things that I would like as well but aren't as important.”
“I see. And you haven't found anyone with these qualities yet?”
“Ahh you see, that's the problem, I have found someone with those qualities but I am unsure of how to win them over. I don't think it will be too easy,” Wen Xu admitted. “Do you have any advice for me, as an omega?”
Wei Wuxian had to admit that he hadn't seen that coming. The last thing he had thought when Wen Xu had approached him was that he would ask for advice with another omega.
“I can't say for sure since I don't know the omega you are interested in but at least for me I am not a fan of all this peacocking. I would much rather get to know a person personally. Find out what they like and don't like and just get to know them. Just because an alpha can shoot three bullseyes in a row doesn't mean he will be a good husband or father, that just makes him good at archery.”
“And what do you like?”
Wei Wuxian again was taken aback by the question. “I like to swim and I like to cultivate. I also love spicy food. But just because I like those things doesn't mean the omega you want will like them.”
Wen Xu nodded and said, “Thank you, I appreciate your insight.” He then walked off and disappeared from Wei Wuxians sight, who was still standing there dumbstruck.
At the very least he hoped that his small interaction with the Wen heir had made a favorable impression. The last thing he needed was to mess up Wen Xu’s love life.
~~~
“Honestly Wei Wuxian! You couldn't even stay for a couple of hours? Do you know how bad that makes us look? I understand that this wasn't your first choice but there are plenty of decent alphas who have been asking me about you and I'm sure you would be fine being mated to them,” Jiang Cheng yelled. He had been yelling. For thirty minutes.
“I don't want to be just ‘fine’ I want to be happy. I want to find someone that I can actually live with.” Wei Wuxian argued. He was so tired of having the same conversation over and over and over. He just didn't understand why alphas couldn't get it through their thick heads that he didn't just want to be a hole to fuck or a piece of arm candy. He wanted a partner, a husband, and someone who would be a good father.
“Why does it even matter? You don't need to love each other you just need to fulfill your duty to the Jiang Sect. It's the least you could do after we took you in.”
“Sorry that I don't want my future to look like your mom's. Sorry that I don't want my children to turn out like you,” Wei Wuxian hissed as he stormed out of the room. He felt bad saying it but it was true. The Jiang family was broken and he had personally felt the effects of that and had carried those burdens. He did not want the same for his future.
Jiang Cheng had been left standing there like a buffoon for long enough that by the time he had started yelling and calling after Wei Wuxian again, he was long gone into the night.
Wei Wuxian wandered around knowing full well he shouldn't be out. The Wens had set a strict curfew and no one had dared break it yet. Wei Wuxian had already made the Jiangs upset the last thing he needed to do was get in trouble. So he made his way out of the camp where everyone was staying and into a dense wooded area. The the cover of the trees and the darkness it would be hard to spot him.
He wandered a little further in when he started to hear the sound of running water. He followed the sound to a small creak, just deep enough to where it would go up to his thighs. Wei Wuxian sat on the bank and slipped his shoes off, letting the water tickle his feet and his mind go blank.
“You know there is a curfew right?” Wei Wuxian started when he turned and saw Wen Xu behind him. A spike of panic went up in him. He had really done it now.
“I'm sorry I just needed to be alone for a bit, I will head back now.”
Wen Xu waved him away and said, “No worries I don't really care. Can I ask why you wanted to be alone, or would you rather I left?”
Wei Wuxian shook his head and hesitantly patted the spot next to him, indicating that Wen Xu should sit next to him. Was this his smartest idea? No definitely not, but Wen Xu felt… safe in the moment. A lot less volatile than Jiang Cheng that was for sure.
It wasn't something he had expected from the Wen heir, especially after having far more interactions with his younger brother than Wei Wuxian would have liked.
Wen Xu took him up on his offer and sat down next to him. “You said you liked to swim,” He said bluntly while staring at the water in front of them.
“I do. I like to swim in the lakes of Yunmeng especially when it is summer and it gets particularly hot.”
“I never learned how to swim,” Wen Xu admitted.
“Really?” Wei Wuxian thought about it and he supposed it made sense. The area around Qishan was mostly dry with some areas similar to where they were now with some forestry. Creaks and rivers were probably the only bodies of water they had near them. “Well if you ever come to Yunmeng, remind me and I will teach you.”
Wei Wuxian smiled at Wen Xu and for the slightest moment, he wished that he was one of the alphas Wei Wuxian had to stare at all day long. He quickly shook that thought out of his head. The Wen Sect was known for treating their omegas worse than most places and not to mention that would mean that he would be marrying into the same family as Wen Chao and Wen Rohan. No matter how kind Wen Xu appeared, Wei Wuxian couldn't afford to let his guard down like this.
They spoke a bit longer about nothing of importance before Wei Wuxian started to get sleepy and ended their little meeting.
“I hope to see you again soon, Wei Wuxian.” Wen Xu said with a small smile as he disappeared into the darkness. Wei Wuxian couldn't help the little flutters in his stomach. Really, what was wrong with him?
He once again shoved his thoughts and feelings aside and went back to the Jiang tent, feeling grateful that everyone else had gone to sleep before he had come back.
The next day was just as boring as the one before. Wei Wuxian sat up on a high podium with all the other omegas participating in the mating run and stared down at all the alphas who gleamed with sweat and stank of pride.
He knew a few of them by name but the majority of them were just nameless faces that didn't stick out to him. He had been brushing off his feelings about this whole thing for days but could start feeling the dread kicking in. One of these alphas would be his mate, whether or not he liked any of them.
He knew he had to repay the Jiangs but surely there was a better way for him to do that. He chewed on his bottom lip as he thought about ways he could get out of this. Of course, there was the obvious where he went into town and found someone random to mate with but that was no better than what he was doing with the mating run. Maybe he really should try to get to know the available options. Every time one of them approached him he had turned them away without so much as a conversation because he didn't like the smell of their pheromones.
He sighed and rested his cheek on his hand. All he could do at this point was hope a pray for a miracle.
Wei Wuxian managed to stay almost the whole day watching the alphas show themselves off. He even let a few talk to him but he couldn't remember much from the conversations other than the fact that he was bored and uninterested.
He walked back to the Jiang's tent, tired and hot. He didn't want another fight with Jiang Cheng so he hoped he had done enough to please him at least for the day. Wei Wuxians hopes sank though when he saw Jiang Cheng waiting for him in front of the purple tent.
“Is something wrong?” Wei Wuxian asked pleasantly, trying to diffuse as much tension as he could before things blew up in his face.
Jiang Cheng looked slightly…perturbed but not angry so that was a good sign. “The opposite actually.”
Wei Wuxians eyebrows raised in surprise. “Well please tell me what's going on then if nothing is wrong.”
“Someone left a courting gift for you on your cot.” Well, now Wei Wuxian could understand Jiang Cheng's weird attitude. Despite all the fuss he had made about finding Wei Wuxian a mate he was still oddly protective of him. He wanted Wei Wuxian to just pick an alpha and mate with him but he didn't want to witness any romance or hear about it.
“I see, and does it say who it's from?” Wei Wuxian asked, pushing past Jiang Cheng to go see for himself what was left.
“No, but it's lightly scented. I didn't recognize it.”
Jiang Cheng followed Wei Wuxian into the tent and to where Wei Wuxian had been sleeping and just as he had been told, there was a gift waiting for him. He couldn’t help the small gasp of delight when he saw what it was. There was a bottle of red chili oil on his bed with a note attached to it. He picked it up and read the note carefully.
I heard you liked spicy food so I wanted to get you a local chili oil that is produced using chilis that can only grow in the dry climate of Qishan. It has a sweetness to it but is no less spicy than I'm sure you are used to.
Wei Wuxian could be dense sometimes but even he wasn't thing dumb, he knew exactly who had sent it to him. He took in the scent of the chili oil and the alpha pheromones attached to the note and couldn't help a small smile.
“Do you know who it's from?” Jiang Cheng asked, glaring at him suspiciously.
Wei Wuxian shook his head. “I have no idea.”
When Wei Wuxian thought a bit longer about it he realized why Wen Xu had approached him in the first place. He had not only been able to spark a conversation but had been able to feel out Wei Wuxians reactions and get to know him a bit before officially deciding to court him. He had to admit that he was pleasantly surprised.
Wei Wuxian had a little pep in his step the next day and even as he spent the first part of his morning bored out of his mind while he watched the archery competition, he still could help the little tingle of giddiness in the back of his mind.
He kept his eyes peeled for Wen Xu but hadn't seen him anywhere yet. When it was finally time for a break and some lunch, Wei Wuxian found all the best foods to try his new chili oil on.
True to the note it had a sweeter taste than he was used to from chili oil and he found that it didn't work on everything but the food it did work with made it so much better.
He hoped he would see Wen Xu while he was eating again but unfortunately, the alpha was nowhere to be seen. Even more unfortunately Wen Chao had walked in and the moment his eyes landed on Wei Wuxian he was locked in an approaching fast. Wei Wuxian tried to avoid him and make a quick escape but he wasn't fast enough.
“Wei Wuxian I hear you are participating in the mating run this year.” He sneered, looking positively delighted that Wei Wuxian was participating in such an event.
“Yes well, I noticed you weren't. Embarrassed after last year?” The year before Wen Chao had tried to participate but there wasn't a single omega out there who wanted to pick him to be in their run. It had caused quite a stir especially after Wen Chao had thrown a huge fit when names were announced and he wasn't there.
Wen Chao's face turned an unsightly shade of red and he started to lift his hand. Wei Wuxian wasn't sure if he intended to hit him or something else because before he could even finish raising his arm, Wen Xu appeared and said, “Ahh what is going on here? I hope you aren't causing any issues, brother.”
Wen Xu gave Wen Chao a pointed look. The year before's mating run hadn't been Wen Chao's first or last instance of throwing a tantrum so it was fair for anyone to assume that he would throw another fit this year.
“Of course not,” Wen Chao forced himself to say as his arm shrank back to his side.
“Good, father is looking for you, you better hurry off.” Wen Chao’s once red face started to pale and he scurried off to find Wen Rohan without another word. Wen Xu then turned to Wei Wuxian and said, “Sorry if he was bothering you, are you alright.”
“Yes I am fine,” Wei Wuxian replied. “I've had to handle him more times than I would like to admit so it's nothing I'm not used to.”
Wen Xu nodded and asked, “I assume you received my gift?”
Wei Wuxian smiled and said, “Why yes I did, I just gave it a try and I must admit that I quite like it.”
Wei Wuxian wasn't just admitting to getting the gift. It was obvious that the chili oil was a courting gift and by accepting it and using it he had openly admitted to accepting Wen Xu’s courtship.
Wen Xu smiled as well and said, “Good I'm glad. Would you like to join me for some tea? I have some free time this afternoon and I think we should talk more.”
He wasn't wrong. They definitely needed to talk more. There was a lot that came with courtships that needed to be discussed and then there was the obvious problem that Wei Wuxian was participating in the mating run and Wen Xu was not. Wei Wuxian couldn't just back out now and even if he could, the Jiangs would never allow him.
Wen Xu led him away from the hustle and bustle of the conference and brought him to a gazebo in a small wooded area similar to the one they had met in a few nights prior. Tea and snacks were waiting for them when they sat down.
A nice breeze fluttered around them and Wei Wuxian felt himself relax a little now that he was away from prying eyes.
“You've accepted my courtship.” Wen Xu stated bluntly. Not a question, but a statement.
Wei Wuxian sipped his tea and nodded. “I have.”
“And how would you like to proceed? You have been entered into the mating run and I have not. I can ask my father to enter me in as well and I'm sure he would be happy to considering he has been trying to find me a mate for years. I can also ask him to remove you from it, although that may be a bit harder.”
“The Jiangs would never allow that. They figured this would be the best chance I would ever have at finding a mate and they won't give that up now, especially not Madam Yu.” Wei Wuxian told him.
“Alright then, I will enter myself. You need to have at least two other alphas picked for the mating run. Don't worry though, I can outrun any you pick.” Wen Xu said with full confidence.
Wei Wuxian smirked and said, “Oh really? Well, we will have to see about that. It would be a shame if you were so confident and you didn't manage to catch me.”
Wei Wuxian knew that there was no way Wen Xu wouldn't catch him first. He was a strong alpha and Wei Wuxian had heard more than enough to know that he was far better than any of the alphas participating in the run.
“Just you wait and see.” Wen Xu promised.