Mmmmm kiss kiss kiss that was so hard but she's feeling VERY rewarded right now. 

"Niece--" a voice behind them starts, before stopping in shocked silence. 

PANIC

OH COME ON SHE WAS SO GOOD AND NOW THIS HAPPENS. 

"I can explain!" 

He gives her a flat and level stare. 

She stares at the ground, her ears burning. "Uncle, Wei Ying saved my life."

"Ah! Lan Zhan, don't say it like that, it sounds like I'm trading on gratitude to make you do things you don't want!" 

"I want Wei Ying."

"--I know you don't like me," she says to Lan Qiren, "and I know that it's because I am the exact opposite of everything you wanted in a student, but I care about Lan Zhan so so much and I don't ever want to see her get hurt and I'm going to do everything in my power to prevent it. I'm not going to stop being me but I'm not going to let her down and I--I'm trying." 

She looks down and scuffs at the dirt with one foot. 

Lan Qiren looks like he's just bit into a lemon, but he says, "Niece, I wished to inform you that there are survivors who were with us in Cold Pond Cave who have not yet been found." 

"Mn. How many?"

"Seven."

"We will find them. There are enough of us to start moving against the Wen in Gusu, now. The remaining survivors may look for us, when this begins."

He nods, glances at Wei Ying again, makes a brief face, and leaves. 

"Aaaah, that was nerve-wracking, are you okay?" 

Tight hug. "I do not want him to be angry with you."

Hug. "I don't know how achievable that is. I mean, I'll try, but I am who I am as a person. There's just no way I can follow all three thousand rules consistently." 

"Be good around him for now." She pets her hair apologetically.

"I'll try. But I really can't promise to follow the rules against smiling foolishly or exulting in excess, as long as you're with me." Handsqueeze.

Soft smile.

...Uncle is probably not going to come back here any time soon, so. Maybe it's time to resume kissing.

Lan Zhan is brilliant and has great ideas. 

A few days later on a covert trip to town for supplies they get the news that Qishan has launched an assault on Qinghe. 

He has to go back. The other Nie disciples can stay until the Wens are thrown out of Cloud Recesses; he and Sect Leader Nie didn't send more men than they could spare to lose if an attack like this came. But Meng Yao must go back.

She wishes she were free to go also. They owe Sect Leader Nie, and it's imperative to keep the Wens from retrieving Wen Chao if they discover him there - there are many reasons.

But her duty is to her sect first, and she cannot go until the Cloud Recesses are theirs again.

"I understand," Lan Xichen says, bowing. "Please give Sect Leader Nie my regards, and my gratitude. And know that you have them as well."