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The lessons in Cloud Recesses made history with their solemn, calm atmosphere that inspired the truest, most fruitful focus. Now, they inspired bets how long Lan Qiren would last this time until he threw a scroll at Wei Wuxian.
Jiang Cheng was still in the run to win Nie Huaisang’s favourite fan. He wasn’t sure what he’d do with it, and at this rate, he almost hoped to lose. Lan Qiren looked like the vein in his temple was about to explode, and Wei Wuxian happily kept throwing paper balls at Lan Wangji. The small desk where Lan Wangji neatly calligraphed his notes of lessons he must have heard a thousand times was already covered in papers. He managed to ignore Wei Wuxian, however that was possible. He should ask him later and apply that method himself, or at least share with his mother.
“Enough!” Lan Qiren turned, barely missing Wei Wuxian’s latest throw. He pointed his scroll at the perfect expression of innocence, growled under his breath when Wei Wuxian tilted his head in confusion. “Seats. Switch, now. Jiang Cheng.”
Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes. He had to grab his papers, brush and ink and bring it to the back. Then kick Wei Wuxian, who pretended to be slower than a snail packing up. When they finally managed to switch seats, Lan Qiren had turned an even deeper shade of red. Wei Wuxian now sat in the front, right in his field of view, with only Nie Huaisang aspiring to be a good student right next to him. No one to –
Wei Wuxian threw another paper ball behind him, without even looking, hitting Lan Wangji’s head. Jiang Cheng made the mistake to look at Lan Wangji. There was something he had in common with Lan Qiren, after months of wondering how someone that bland and boring could be related to someone too handsome for his own good at this age. They had the same vein pulsing in their temple when they were angry. Lan Wangji breathed sharply. A low, barely noticeable noise that somehow got under the skin. Was that Wei Wuxian’s reason for all this? Then there was no purpose in him continuing to throw, considering he wouldn’t be able to hear that quiet breath from his front seat anymore.
Lan Wangji glared at Jiang Cheng, for whatever reason, probably for looking at him, and all that anger at Wei Wuxian got directed at him. Jiang Cheng quickly grabbed his brush and started scribbling, no sense in his words, and felt himself blushing for being caught. He’d break Wei Wuxian’s legs for this. He hadn’t done anything. He didn’t deserve to be looked at like that.
“Wei Ying!” Lan Qiren bellowed, his voice shaking the room. Nie Huaisang squeaked a little, caught in the proximity of that scream that left Wei Wuxian next to him unbothered.
“You didn’t ask a question. I can’t give you an answer,” Wei Wuxian said, grinning.
“You want to play this game forever, yes? Pretend that you didn’t throw things in my lessons?” Lan Qiren hissed.
“I didn’t throw anything,” Wei Wuxian said, his voice the most devious portrayal how easy it was to lie for some people.
Jiang Cheng took a deep breath. He really wondered what Wei Wuxian called that mountain of scrunched up paper balls on Lan Wangji’s desk. A spiritual paper spewing source?
“Fine. Wangji.” Lan Qiren pointed his scroll at his nephew like he wanted to hit him over the head with it. “Read the notes.”
“Uncle –”
“Read the notes,” Lan Qiren said a little louder.
Lan Wangji rose to his feet, took one of the scrunched up notes.
Jiang Cheng wished he’d already won Nie Huaisang’s fan and could hide behind it from this nonsense. The last time Lan Wangji had to read the immature innuendos Wei Wuxian came up with, Lan Qiren had made them all write half a book about virtue for listening to it. As if that made sense.
Jiang Cheng glanced over at Lan Wangji, staring at the note, pale as chalk. He wanted to tell him to just get it over with.
“Wangji.” Lan Qiren seemed to think something similar, waved his scroll impatiently. As if this wasn’t his fault, putting his own nephew through this. Surely, he had to know that Wei Wuxian only enjoyed watching Lan Wangji being uncomfortable.
“L-Lan Wangji.” Lan Wangji’s voice was still soft, quiet, with the hint of a tremble in it. “I-If only you would stop ignoring me. Do my affections not deserve a little respect, a-at least? I can’t e-eat, drink or sleep, a-and it’s a-all your fault. F-Fu-Fuh…”
“Wangji!” Lan Qiren didn’t let him get away.
Lan Wangji squeezed his eyes shut. “Fucking idiot.”
Wei Wuxian bit into his fist not to giggle. Jiang Cheng wondered if he could hit his head if he reached over his table. Aside from the fact that he obviously wanted Lan Wangji to say these things out loud, it didn’t sound like anything Wei Wuxian would ever say.
Lan Qiren breathed against his anger, but his voice still suffered: “Keep reading.”
“Uncle.” For whatever reason, Lan Wangji glanced at him, and Jiang Cheng quickly looked away, feeling caught once more.
“Keep reading,” Lan Qiren demanded.
Lan Wangji took a breath, and now that the cursing was behind him, he continued quickly and indifferent in that soft voice of his: “I ask for a few hours of your time, Lan Wangji, just for me. Come night hunting with me, the whole night until the morning.” He sighed again. “Yours eternally, Jiang Wanyin.”
Jiang Cheng froze behind the scroll of paper he used to hide. He noticed people stopping to look at Wei Wuxian, heads turning, eyes piercing into him. Lan Qiren did the same, a much sharper movement, his neck cracking from it. His face was crimson.
Lan Wangji folded the note neatly and sat back down, hands wrapped together in his lap. The only one that didn’t look at him. Even Wei Wuxian turned to stare, one hand in front of his mouth to feign surprise and actually only hide a grin.
Jiang Cheng came out from behind his scroll to throw it at Wei Wuxian. Lan Qiren narrowed his eyes at him before he could, so he didn’t throw anything, slumped back down, folding his hands in his lap much like Lan Wangji next to him. He hoped and prayed for this to be over now and them returning to the lessons. He’d even take some extra writing as punishment, would even kneel. His face burnt like fire.
Wei Wuxian looked like he had the time of his life, his eyes glued to Lan Wangji. Jiang Cheng didn’t dare to look what expression was so mesmerising on Lan Wangji’s face right now.
“Ah?” Lan Qiren didn’t seem satisfied yet, tried to step into Wei Wuxian’s field of view and still didn’t get his attention. “I see. You have an admirer, Wangji.”
Wei Wuxian finally seemed to notice Lan Qiren staring into him, his smile dropping, probably realising that it was too obvious that Jiang Cheng had never thrown a love note at Lan Wangji.
The moment Wei Wuxian looked up at Lan Qiren, he turned away, depriving him of his beloved attention. “Jiang Cheng.” Lan Qiren walked up to his desk, stroked his beard as he stared down at him. “This isn’t the time for courting. I realise it must be hard to concentrate, now that I made you take this seat here.”
“Master.” Jiang Cheng was cut short by a giggle from Wei Wuxian.
Lan Qiren had no attention for him left as soon as that noise appeared. “If anyone else would dare to voice such cutsleeved thoughts at my nephew, I would have to act, involve the Clan Leader. But since you’re the heir to Yunmeng-Jiang Clan, I have no choice but to accept your desire for courtship.” Lan Qiren looked down at Wei Wuxian, stroking his beard. “Right?”
Wei Wuxian gulped, his eyes darted away from Jiang Cheng to every possible corner of the room. Next to him, Jiang Cheng heard Lan Wangji breathe in hard. He didn’t say anything. Nothing at all. Jiang Cheng looked at him and found him frozen with shock, blinking more often than necessary, ears a little red.
“Master,” Jiang Cheng said, standing up. “I apologise for… any… bad writing? And…”
“Enough.” Lan Qiren turned his back to them, not without coldly staring at Wei Wuxian. “Wangji is free this afternoon, so you can spend some time with each other. Now, we’ll return to our lesson.”
Jiang Cheng sat back down, suffered Wei Wuxian’s somewhat apologetic but mostly amused grin. He sought for help to his right, his companion in suffering from Wei Wuxian’s antics, but only found Lan Wangji completely stunned, not even blinking anymore. Not breathing for what felt like minutes, and then one sharp, deep breath, like he just reached the surface after drowning.
A little insulting, all things considered.
Apparently, this wasn’t the start of their great friendship and bond against Wei Wuxian’s dumbness.
~*~
Nie Huaisang’s fan did prove to be useful after all. Jiang Cheng hunted Wei Wuxian with it around several pavilions and trees until he finally stopped laughing his ass off and screamed for his Shijie. He only found Nie Huaisang to hide behind. Jiang Cheng trapped them both and slapped Wei Wuxian over the head with the fan.
“Ow! Jiang Cheng!” Wei Wuxian ducked under the next hit, rubbed his head. “If Lan Zhan sees how cruelly you treat others…”
“Oh, he might not want to marry me? Poor us! Fuck you, honestly. I hope you had your fun, Wei Wuxian.”
“I thought it was hilarious,” Wei Wuxian said, ruffling his head and hissing one more time against the pain. “What do you think, Nie-Xiong?”
“Well…” Nie Huaisang stepped to the side when Jiang Cheng lifted the fan again, put his hands pleadingly together. “That is my second-favourite fan, Jiang-Xiong.”
“Second-favourite? You bet your most favourite!” Jiang Cheng smacked Wei Wuxian again for good measure, right into the chest. “Fuck you, Wei Wuxian! Why did you put my name on it!”
“Ow, ow, ow!” Wei Wuxian wasn’t even hit, but still ducked and dodged as if Jiang Cheng used his fists and sword. “I wanted to hear him curse! Can’t you understand? Proper, virtuous Lan Wangji, spitting out icky curses and having to cleanse his mouth for years.”
“No. I don’t understand that. It’s sick!” Jiang Cheng smacked the fan into his own palm, Nie Huaisang twitching as if he hit him. “And I don’t fucking curse like that, why my name?”
“You said that while cursing.” Wei Wuxian shrugged, pointing at him.
Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes.
“I got into character,” Wei Wuxian said. “It didn’t sound like me at all anymore. It would’ve been a betrayal to my entire being to sign that with my name, Jiang Cheng. Old Master Lan taught us to always stay true to ourselves.”
“As if. That sounds like the least Lan thing to do,” Jiang Cheng said. “And now I have to spend an afternoon with one of them. Alone.”
Wei Wuxian chuckled. “What? You’re really going to do that? Old Master Lan wasn’t serious, you know? He’s not going straight up to Qingheng-Jun and prepare the wedding.”
“I know that! But I also know that he’s just waiting for me to blame you – rightfully, if I may add – and use that to punish you,” Jiang Cheng said. “Didn’t you listen to him?”
“He talks a lot,” Wei Wuxian said, made Nie Huaisang giggle with that.
Jiang Cheng scowled at both of them, threatened to hit the fan into his hand again and made Nie Huaisang swallow his laughter.
“What, Jiang Cheng? He’s going to punish me for pretending to flirt because I’m not heir to anything? That would be low, even for Old Master Boredom.”
“Whom you’ve been nagging for months,” Jiang Cheng said. “He might be out of patience and desperate to get rid of you. Don’t you remember what they did to Xian Min?”
“Who?”
“Xian Min.” Repeating it didn’t help Wei Wuxian’s confusion it seemed.
Nie Huaisang raised his hand as if to shield his face with his fan, noticed he had none, and looked awkwardly to the side.
“Xian Min was head disciple to Wen Ruohan. It’s said he was in love with Wen Xu, so Wen Ruohan said he harassed his son and had his sleeves cut open, slicing his wrists in the process. He bled out on the stairs of Nevernight City.”
Wei Wuxian’s jaw dropped open, and Nie Huaisang fanned himself with his hand in shock.
“I’m sure Lan Qiren wouldn’t go that far,” Jiang Cheng added quickly. “But none of us actually knows Qingheng-Jun. No one dares to speak about why he secludes himself. Why would they do that if he only seeks enlightenment?”
“Jiang Cheng,” Wei Wuxian said in a breath. “You just want to scare me, don’t you?”
“Did I? Are you going to stop bothering Lan Wangji then?”
Wei Wuxian actually pondered that question, putting a hand under his chin and humming his thoughts.
Jiang Cheng should have known, shook his head. “They can’t do anything to me, except make my parents punish me. So, I’ll spend an afternoon with Lan Wangji until he gives in –”
Nie Huaisang nodded and pointed at him, grin filled with thoughts of the wrong direction.
“And tells his uncle to forget all about it. Or until Lan Qiren never speaks about it again tomorrow. And you’ll pay my next meal when we’re down in Gusu, Wei Wuxian.”
“Aw…” Wei Wuxian threw an arm around Jiang Cheng’s shoulders. “No dessert, though.”
“You might be lucky, Jiang-Xiong,” Nie Huaisang said. “Master Lan surely chooses to ignore the entire situation and never speak of it again. I’m sure he only hoped Jiang-Xiong would rat you out, Wei-Xiong, and he could then punish you.”
Wei Wuxian nodded, patting Jiang Cheng’s shoulder as half-hearted thanks.
“Come to think of it…” Nie Huaisang’s hand looked strangely small as he tapped his chin with his finger instead of the fan for once. “He might still hope for that and force Second Young Master Lan to go through with all of it until Jiang-Xiong reveals everything, which then enables him to punish both of you for lying.”
Jiang Cheng remembered the noises the wooden planks had made on Wei Wuxian’s back as he was disciplined. He remembered seeing the bruises still lingering even this morning, a little fainter, but weirdly comfortable on his skin. He remembered even Lan Wangji sitting a little less straight for a few days.
He gulped hard. “Well. Lan Wangji will end this first. None of us will be punished. You wait and see.”
“Bet?” Wei Wuxian asked.
Jiang Cheng shoved him off his shoulder, hit at him with the fan and missed when Wei Wuxian dodged behind Nie Huaisang’s back.
“I do want my fan back,” Nie Huaisang pondered.
“Great. I bet Lan Zhan’s going to admit nothing to Old Master Lan except that Jiang Cheng’s too unpleasant to be around for his entire future life,” Wei Wuxian said. “I bet six jars of Emperor’s Smile.”
Jiang Cheng dashed forward, only stopped when Nie Huaisang was used as a shield. Wei Wuxian stuck his tongue out at him, grinned.
“Hm.” Nie Huaisang was a little less afraid to be caught between them, too busy pondering how to retrieve his second-favourite fan. “Is accidental marriage an option? I take accidental marriage and put in my favourite fan.”
Jiang Cheng opened the fan and was glad to hide his fiercely blushing face and have the means for some fresh air. He really didn’t need two, though.
~*~
In the early afternoon, Jiang Cheng was about to grow hopeful that everyone decided to ignore the mess when it knocked on the door. Wei Wuxian and Nie Huaisang giggled from the corner they were now hiding in, for whatever reason.
Jiang Cheng opened the door and found himself face to face with Lan Xichen. His constant gentle smile was so bright right now that the first instinct was to smile back.
“Young Master Jiang.” Lan Xichen bowed before him. Jiang Cheng dipped down as well, a little lower, fear racing in his heart, his veins, even twitching in his eyelids. He straightened again, peeked over Lan Xichen’s shoulder and searched, searched – found Lan Wangji standing far away under a tree in the courtyard, eyes hard as steel. Even the distance couldn’t conceal his desire to strangle Jiang Cheng with his bare hands. Probably.
“Huaisang, Young Master Wei.” Lan Xichen had noticed Wei Wuxian and Nie Huaisang, naturally. They were now cowering behind a tiny desk together as if Nie Huaisang’s fan could hide both of them there. They remembered to bow between their giggles and smirks.
“Zewu-Jun,” they chanted in unison.
Jiang Cheng quickly joined and bowed again.
“There’s no need to be nervous, Young Master Jiang,” Lan Xichen said, smiling so gently that the only option was nodding. “Wangji is looking forward to your time together.”
“What?” Jiang Cheng’s voice dipped an octave higher. Lying was forbidden in Cloud Recesses, and he doubted Lan Wangji would drag his brother down to Gusu to lie to him there.
“He didn’t say it, but I know him very well. Uncle has told me about the situation,” Lan Xichen said, still way too happy. This was a problem. Dragging the future Clan Leader into this, who was strangely, horrifyingly excited, meant nothing good. “I hope you’ll have an enjoyable time together. Come, I’ll accompany you for a bit. Uncle insisted.”
Jiang Cheng looked back over his shoulder, but neither Wei Wuxian nor Nie Huaisang seemed planning to get in any way involved. He put one foot outside, pleading internally at them and received only grinning and encouraging nodding. Another foot outside, and Wei Wuxian’s grin grew a little stiff. He shuffled in his seat, but didn’t get up. His last nod was only a tiny encouragement, you can get through this. He pointed at Nie Huaisang’s fan, for whatever reason. Nie Huaisang waved goodbye with it.
Jiang Cheng was outside. The air was too hot, his lungs burnt when he breathed. The white silhouette waiting for him by the tree seemed unavoidable, even when he didn’t look at him, didn’t look anywhere, Lan Wangji was glaring and glowing.
“You’re with us, then, Zewu-Jun?” Jiang Cheng wondered whose voice that pathetic rasp was. He sounded more pathetic than a few years ago as his voice decided to crack for what felt like an eternity.
“Oh, no,” Lan Xichen said. “I only accompany you for a bit. There’s nothing Uncle needs to be afraid of, does he? I’m sure some time alone will be more enjoyable. He can be angry with me for that later.”
Jiang Cheng gulped so hard his weird voice seemed stuck in his throat, blocking the air from keeping him alive. He made a really strange, understanding noise. Lan Qiren wanted Lan Xichen there to make sure how ridiculous this entire act was and have someone report back to him. But Lan Xichen was… Why was he so excited?
“Wangji.” It felt like Lan Xichen hopped to his brother’s side. “Young Master Jiang is ready. Shall we leave?”
Lan Wangji stared at him with all the disdain that was usually reserved for Wei Wuxian. Not one second did he believe any of this, even allow any doubts.
Jiang Cheng didn’t allow himself to hold back for a second, glared back. If Lan Wangji had any guts, he would’ve told that truth he was so fond of. Now they were here, their pretend date, and Lan Xichen seemed to actually think it was a good idea.
Lan Wangji nodded, and before Jiang Cheng could even bow to him, he turned his back to him and started walking ahead.
Lan Xichen motioned at Jiang Cheng to follow. He had no choice. Looking back only rewarded him with Wei Wuxian and Nie Huaisang watching them from the window. A fleeting paleness in Wei Wuxian’s face. His brother started to feel guilty. At least he got that out of this nonsense.
Jiang Cheng followed and caught up to Lan Wangji. They walked down the mountainside path, luscious greenery wrapping itself around the rocks. Leaves rustled gently in the warm breeze. Birds were trapped in the thick branches, chirping for their life, at least it felt like it. As if Cloud Recesses’ nature was disturbed by this ridiculous act.
“So, uhm, Lan Wangji…” That sounded so wrong, and Lan Wangji blinked, staring forward as if Jiang Cheng just insulted him. “I’m sure there’s something you enjoy doing on your afternoons. Will you let me join?”
“I meant to finish re-reading Lan Yi’s studies of her early killer string procedures, then learn a new piece on my guqin,” Lan Wangji said, voice so soft it seemed to come from a distance.
Jiang Cheng nodded. That sounded like a plan. He learned a lot of Lan Yi’s life and the invention of such a famed skill, but naturally never anything more than theory. Lan Wangji’s zither play was also quite passable, and he might be able to spend an afternoon listening to it with a book in his hand.
“Wangji,” Lan Xichen’s voice came from behind. “Young Master Jiang, Wangji said earlier that he understands this to be not the most optimal activity for two people. What about a nice walk around Cloud Recesses and the outskirts?”
Lan Wangji lowered his gaze, maybe disappointed, maybe bored, maybe fighting Wei Wuxian in his thoughts, the only thing that seemed to excite him.
“Have a good talk, perhaps?” Lan Xichen proposed.
Great. There went the plans for the afternoon, running down the hill faster than the river they reached now. Talking. What could you even talk to Lan Wangji about? On a date? With him, in general, how would he know? Jiang Cheng already saw himself kneeling with Wei Wuxian, back splattered by wooden planks.
“The weather is really nice today, isn’t it?” Lan Xichen mused.
Jiang Cheng looked back at him, noticed Lan Wangji doing the same, and quickly looked ahead again. The weather. He knew everything was lost when people talked about the weather. His parents talked about the weather.
“It’s been nice ever since we’ve arrived,” Jiang Cheng said, just to say something. “Even the rain is refreshing. Do you get storms up here in the mountains?”
“Mn.” Lan Wangji nodded, didn’t care to elaborate.
Lan Xichen kept looking at them from two steps behind, smiling like he watched a rare breed of bird passing by. He’d soon realise that they were not as pretty as in the legends.
Jiang Cheng tried a smile in Lan Wangji’s direction. “When it storms around Yunmeng, the water ghosts get agitated. So it’s the perfect opportunity to get to those that are usually more subtle and intelligent. Do you…” He glanced back at Lan Xichen, very quickly, still too obvious. He could already hear the wood hitting his back. “Do you have spirits in the waters here?”
“Mn.” Lan Wangji shook his head.
Lan Xichen cleared his throat, and Lan Wangji took a deep breath.
“The waters around Cloud Recesses are cleansed by the cold water springs in the mountain. Any spirit trapped there is washed free of their resentful energy, if willing, and gradually dissolves,” Lan Wangji said, voice as cold as the waters.
Jiang Cheng imagined the last water ghost he encountered at home, a screaming, mad thing drifting right into Lotus Pier because a disciple hadn’t managed the exorcism correctly. His father needed an entire day to catch it, and the screams echoed through the entirety of Lotus Pier for hours and hours. If they could have showered it in some spring water, it might have stopped screaming at least. His mother would have nodded at him for that idea, maybe patted his shoulder if he actually did it and it worked, saving all their ears. Ah, but he only sat at the pier with Wei Wuxian watching the ghost struggle.
“You believe I could take some of that water home?” For a magical solution if such a problem occurred again.
“I believe it wouldn’t help,” Lan Wangji said. “The water must continue to flow to keep its cleansing values. Although we are still examining and documenting its properties.”
Jiang Cheng gazed down to the river to their right, gently streaming down the mountain, passing rocks that looked like someone kept them clean with a brush.
“Wangji.” Lan Xichen spoke just as Jiang Cheng wanted to further inquire. “You said you understand that such academical topics have a place somewhere else, remember?”
Jiang Cheng closed his mouth again. Great. He was bad at this, but Lan Wangji wasn’t much better. At least they wouldn’t end up accidentally marrying. But if Lan Xichen went back to Lan Qiren, massively disappointed in the interest Jiang Cheng showed, they would be one step closer to meeting the wooden planks. Or worse, they would write to his parents about how he failed even the first stages of courting someone and ended up insulting their entire family in the process.
Jiang Cheng stole a glance at Lan Wangji, quickly searching his indifferent but polite face for any mischief, any devious plans. Was this what he wanted? He gave himself over to be punished and hit if it meant that Wei Wuxian received his proper punishment. Why would he give into this nonsense if not for some ulterior motives involving false justice?
He would not get that satisfaction. He would never even get useful evidence that Jiang Cheng didn’t want any of this either. Never.
Jiang Cheng stepped a little closer, walked as close to Lan Wangji as possible without touching. He was stabbed with a look for that. Jiang Cheng grinned, felt stupid, and pointed at the water.
“You know, the water around Lotus Pier looks much different. It’s all lakes, after all. The water spirits surely look quite different as well. Would you like to come hunt them some day? Examine their differences?”
Lan Wangji’s icy stare didn’t soften. He looked so wary as if Jiang Cheng had offered him a discount at the local guesthouse if he managed to drink two jars of wine. There it was. Lan Wangji dropped his gaze, staring at the remaining distance between them and wishing it to be larger, breathing hard. He wouldn’t be able to keep this up much longer.
“If a night hunt takes me that way. Mn.” Lan Wangji nodded, eyes still focused on the distance between them, as if he could increase it just like that.
“Well, then it will never take you there,” Jiang Cheng said. “Yunmeng and its outskirts are well protected. Especially when it comes to water ghosts, spirits, monsters.”
“If I’d follow one downstream and end up near Lotus Pier, I would not simply burden Yunmeng-Jiang disciples with it.”
“No, of course. But I’d be there. W-Wei Wuxian would be there. We’d investigate together.”
“Why?” Lan Wangji asked.
Jiang Cheng shrugged, wanted to answer, then was hindered by a voice in the very back of his head sounding just like Wei Wuxian. He grinned, felt like he surely looked like a dumber version of him.
“Well… Same reason we’re here now?” That didn’t quite sound like it did in his head.
Lan Wangji looked confused for a moment, focused on that dumb grin, and rolled his eyes away.
Jiang Cheng cheered a little inside. There he was, starting to feel uncomfortable. He would have no other choice but to soon tell Lan Xichen to hurry him away, as far away as possible, and make Lan Qiren relinquish his thoughts of punishment.
They reached a fork in the path, one leading up into the woods and mountain, the other down to the riverside. Lan Wangji chose the one to the river, giving Jiang Cheng no choice but to follow.
Now, with Lan Xichen right behind them, surely uncomfortable as well, he’d only needed to be a bit more Wei Wuxian-like and –
“I’ll be leaving you here,” Lan Xichen said, crumbling Jiang Cheng’s plan with just a few words. He smiled, still, after all of that. “I’m sure you’re happy to be rid of me. Please enjoy yourselves.”
They bowed to Lan Xichen, who left up into the mountains with a tranquil smile, still that exciting spring to his steps.
Jiang Cheng was left alone with Lan Wangji, who surely plotted his murder after all of that. He turned to face his impending doom. Lan Wangji looked how he felt. As if he had any right to. This was all his fault and his weird feud with Wei Wuxian. There really was no room to feel sorry for him.
Lan Wangji noticed him staring and lifted his chin a little, as if he was accepting a challenge. Jiang Cheng could raise his chin higher. He never really noticed that there was one or two centimetres between them in height, but he could make that up in attitude. Especially with Lan Xichen gone.
“So… all alone,” Jiang Cheng said. He didn’t have to sound that diplomatic anymore, and the goofy smile had hurt his cheeks and voice enough for today.
“Mn.” Lan Wangji made a step backward, seemed to know exactly where the wet stones lay and how to avoid them, not even letting his long white robes touch them. Fucking idiot. He stood on the stone now, putting another couple of centimetres between them. “You must be tired, Jiang Wanyin. I’m sure you find the way back?”
“Oh, I’m perfectly fine.” Jiang Cheng had to search a little, very subtly, and pretended to look around the riverside shore until he found a rock to stand on as well. He gazed over the river, then back at Lan Wangji, now actually taller than him. “Such a beautiful afternoon. And delightful company.”
Lan Wangji narrowed his eyes, his brows, breathed in absolute disdain. “You have nothing to do with this, Jiang Wanyin. Why throw yourself in the fire?”
The option to surrender so easily extended. And then? Have Lan Qiren look at him, stroking his beard, while Wei Wuxian was bleeding out on this river bank?
Jiang Cheng shook that thought off. Ridiculous.
“Well, Lan Wangji,” he said, “I got a little push, but it’s wonderfully warm.”
Lan Wangji’s scrunched his brows together, earnestly confused. His face was so cold, so indifferent all the time, but actually seemed to hold all his emotions on a silver platter. He turned away on the wet stone, not even slipping, and showed him his back before he could try and win this right now.
“Cross the river?” Lan Wangji asked, only not to wait for an answer. He hopped on a stone closer to the river, then right on a larger one in the water, still not even slipping. Posture straight as always. With the speed of his sword, he dashed over the stones and jumped to the other side. Not even a drop of water clung to his robes. He whirled around in a flurry of white fabric, dark hair fanning out behind him as he turned elegantly, the distance increasing the coldness in his eyes, the challenge extended.
Jiang Cheng huffed a laugh. “I grew up trying to cross lakes on petals and leaves, Lan Wangji.”
He fell in the water every try. Wei Wuxian managed twice and still talked about it. Lan Wangji didn’t have to know that.
Jiang Cheng jumped right onto the stone in the river, dashed forward on a smaller one, splashed water on the next and got his robes wet, reached the shore with fewer steps anyway. He turned to grin at Lan Wangji, wishing it looked half as nonchalant as Lan Wangji turning away at once, hating himself for that thought.
“I’ll show you the springs. Come,” Lan Wangji said, unimpressed. Unimpressed. Even by the wetness on Jiang Cheng’s robes. No flattery, no insult, nothing.
Lan Wangji walked ahead on the riverside, his long dark hair and forehead ribbon swaying from the sharp movement, but not daring to entangle. How? No one should be allowed to look this perfect. If Lan Wangji ever smiled half as earnest as his brother, the world might die from his beauty.
Jiang Cheng shook his foot, drops of water splashing from the tip of his boot. He followed Lan Wangji feeling like a wet dog. Fuck, no. He shook his head, his body, and wanted to splash the cold water in his face. No reason to feel anything, least of all unworthy of this stuck-up person’s company.
“You know the way back,” Lan Wangji said, as if he was reading his thoughts. “Any time.”
“And what will you tell your uncle?”
“That you left, what else?” Lan Wangji led him to a small path leading up the river and back into the mountain. Shadows of trees kept the warmth out, the earth quite more moist, and still no dirt on the white robes. He knew exactly where to move. “You have no need to play someone else’s game.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Jiang Cheng lifted his robes to his knees when the wet earth slurped his boots into the ground. A horribly embarrassing noise, especially in the tranquillity of Cloud Recesses. “You’re not a very playful person, Lan Wangji. Why do you choose to be one now of all times?” he asked, just to say something and cover the noises he made as he climbed up the path.
Lan Wangji had no trouble, found all the stepping stones with admirable ease. “I don’t play.”
“What? You wanted to go on a date with me?” Jiang Cheng asked with a laugh.
Lan Wangji looked back at him. “You asked. Did you not?”
Fuck. Jiang Cheng slipped and almost fell down the mountain path again, caught himself with a last resort jump up the steep. He landed next to Lan Wangji, and he didn’t want to look at him, bothered himself with readjusting his robes. There were drips of dirt on the hem of his trousers, and he was happy to let the robes fall back over that mess to hide it.
Not like he did very well hiding any messes.
Almost exposed himself. Almost had Lan Wangji run off to Lan Qiren to whine to him about being insulted by Wei Wuxian and now Jiang Cheng. Lan Qiren, who surely already polished those long wooden things.
“It would be rude to decline without reason,” Lan Wangji said, and that sounded straight out of his uncle’s mouth. Poor Lan Wangji. No, fuck that thought. His own fault.
“Well, now you could just say that you don’t like me and leave,” Jiang Cheng said, hoping. Hoping. Staring at Lan Wangji’s indifferent face and trying to find any reaction. Not a twitch even.
“I don’t dislike you.”
Fuck. Jiang Cheng’s heart did a weird thing. He wanted to run to Lan Qiren and ask for two of those wooden torture instruments to hit sense into him.
“Y-You don’t?” Jiang Cheng heard someone with his voice say.
“I don’t know you. We never talked much,” Lan Wangji said. “Why would I like or dislike you?”
Why was that unpleasant to hear? They had a nice moment once, when Jiang Cheng handed Lan Wangji the scroll he obviously wanted to read in the book pavilion. Or that one time, when he didn’t manage to make his chopsticks grab the slippery pak choi and Lan Wangji picked his own up very slowly as if to demonstrate. And why did it bother him anyway?
“Well, you’re free to go and tell your uncle you don’t return my affections,” Jiang Cheng said.
Lan Wangji looked like he was honestly offended at the mere suggestion. Apparently, he was hiding a bad loser behind that calm and collected appearance.
“Your affections,” he repeated through clenched teeth.
“My affections,” Jiang Cheng replied, trying to smile and surely failing.
Lan Wangji gave up, for the moment, and walked on. The path led down again, steps of wood placed into the earth, and curved along the river to the cold spring. He heard Wei Wuxian talk about how uncomfortable and boring it was here. He couldn’t quite agree. An air of tranquillity enveloped the place, sipped into the air and whoever breathed that in. Not even the birds dared to sing here, only the noise of water. A good place for meditation.
Lan Wangji crouched down by the cold spring’s edge, so close to the water that his sleeves should get wet as he pulled a pouch out of it. Naturally, he didn’t get wet. At all. Not even when he pulled a bottle out of the pouch and leant down to fill it with the water. He got back to his feet without a stain on him. Only his hair tried to be out of place, falling over his shoulders as he moved. Somehow that made him look human. What a dumb thought.
Lan Wangji reached out, offered him to take the bottle.
Jiang Cheng frowned. “What, you want me to drink that and check if I need an exorcism?”
Was is that unlikely that he could have feelings? Really? Not that he had any. But it was possible he could feel things. Right?
“You asked to have some of the water. Take it back to Lotus Pier and use it when you have a chance, perhaps it does something after all,” Lan Wangji said.
The shock hit him like a slap in the face. Jiang Cheng needed a lot of strength, what felt like mental and physical, not to gawp at him like an idiot. He reached out and took the bottle, kept his fingertips far away from Lan Wangji, scared of a touch. A touch. Jiang Cheng stowed it away in his own pouch, gave him a nod.
“Thank you,” Jiang Cheng said. “I’ll report back to you, why not?”
“Thank you for your support,” Lan Wangji said, only his head dipping into a bow. “You may leave now.”
“But… our date,” Jiang Cheng said. “What would Zewu-Jun and your uncle say?”
“They will realise you’re caught up in Wei Ying’s strange sense of humour. Both of you will receive punishment accordingly. We will never talk of this again.”
“Lan Wangji!” Jiang Cheng would not have that, not now that he had received a gift for being a mean bastard. “How dare you disrespect my advances? After giving me hope with a gift?”
Lan Wangji’s jaw clenched. “You disrespect me with this nonsense?”
“You disrespect me being in love!” Jiang Cheng snapped back, then stilled, froze, wondered where that came from.
Lan Wangji’s face reddened, most of it anger that enhanced his scrunched brows, a little of it reaching his ears, which made him look anything but angry. It made him look… different. Almost shy. And Jiang Cheng wanted to do something very dumb and feel if his ears felt as hot as they looked.
“You’ve been in Cloud Recesses long enough to remember that lying is prohibited. I advise you to reconsider your words now, Jiang Wanyin.”
“You accuse me of lying about this?” Jiang Cheng had dug this hole too deep to give up now. He’d make Lan Wangji surrender and resolve the matter without ever talking about it again. He’d win six jars of Emperor Smile, another fan, and the respect of his brother and friend for his cunning ways. And end up with Lan Wangji hating him more than he did Wei Wuxian. Well. Finally, he’d beat Wei Wuxian at something.
The price for that being Lan Wangji never looking at him again after today. Never. No matter how this would go, he would never talk to him again, never be looked at again, never receive some stupid gift because of some lame story nobody else would have ever actually listened to. His heart was racing, faster than the first time he saw a water ghost leap out of the water at him. Never have those eyes on him again. Fuck.
“You think I didn’t see Wei Ying throw those notes?” Lan Wangji replied, way too logical.
“I was being shy,” Jiang Cheng said. “And made him throw them for me.”
Lan Wangji narrowed his eyes. “Your calligraphy looks nothing like that on the notes.”
“How would you know that?” Jiang Cheng stepped closer, leant into Lan Wangji’s space hoping he would finally back down. Back away.
Lan Wangji stood his ground, raised his chin in defiance. “Why wouldn’t I?”
“I asked him to write them.” Jiang Cheng tilted his head until he was able to look down on Lan Wangji, caught his breath in the process. Tingling on his lips. “I am ashamed of my calligraphy.”
“You called his calligraphy unreadable and only able to make demons fall in love with its ugliness,” Lan Wangji said, sounding so cold, considering his breath was so warm.
“I didn’t mean that… I was angry with him,” Jiang Cheng said, leaning in further, and when he breathed in just as Lan Wangji exhaled, his inside felt way too warm, way too tight. “Why are you eavesdropping on us?”
Lan Wangji leant away, hiding that behind raising his chin higher. “You mean to protect him. With lies.”
Jiang Cheng followed, stepped in, didn’t allow him to move away. “You’re fond of his calligraphy. You keep his notes, you read them, it’s the only way to make you read them. I took advantage of that. Lies don’t make sense.”
Lan Wangji breathed so hard, it was impossible not to feel that hot air. His face tensed with anger, his eyes narrow and blazing. “You’re shameless, Jiang Wanyin.”
“And you’re stubborn,” Jiang Cheng hissed.
“Then you have to end this,” Lan Wangji hissed back.
Ah, yes. Be the bigger, the better man. Calm and collected, asking for the punishment he deserved, setting an example of virtue. Make Lan Wangji feel like he lost. Make him wish he’d received such notes from Jiang Cheng.
Make these cold eyes look at him, shine bright for him.
End this.
Jiang Cheng yanked Lan Wangji in by his robes, their mouths crushing against each other. Hard. Ow. So soft. A shiver running down his spine like hot, cold water.
And a palm hitting against his chest, no spiritual energy at all, only human strength pushing him barely away. Lan Wangji stared at him, shocked, eyes wide and… bright. Jiang Cheng let out a little wheeze, about to throw himself in the cold spring and exorcise, cleanse and drown himself there.
Lan Wangji didn’t let him move. He grabbed him by the neck and pulled him back in, their mouths hitting into each other again. Pain in his jaw, shivers through his body. Lan Wangji’s fingers burnt on his neck, nothing cold about them. His lips were so soft, so soft, and pressing so fiercely into his, opening… He bit down. Into Jiang Cheng’s bottom lip.
He jerked away, sucked his lip in, felt the mark vanish under his tongue, but not the heat. Lan Wangji blinked just when he did. As if shock was shared between them.
There were still hands on his neck, he still had his hands clutched into the white robes. They stood close, seemed closer after every sharp breath. Lan Wangji’s face was redder than his, all the way to his hairline, his ears completely crimson. His lips looked bruised. Tempting.
Jiang Cheng leant back in, kissed him again, really kissed him this time. Felt his lips, his teeth, his tongue. He pulled him closer again, breathed with him – heard a scream from somewhere.
They jumped apart, turned, just in time to see a black figure falling from a tree and splashing into the cold spring. Wei Wuxian dived up from the water, gasping for air. He coughed and huffed and pointed his arm at Jiang Cheng.
“No! No! Jiang Cheng, no! No, no, no!” he screamed, spurting out water in between the words.
The pure shock made Jiang Cheng step forward. “What no?! You’re no! No! Get the – fuck!” He stepped over the edge into nothingness. Lan Wangji grabbed him, and he grabbed back, held, was held, while his balance vanished, then pushed and pushed in vain to save Lan Wangji. They tumbled backward into the cold spring together.
Freezing cold. He kicked and thrashed about, no elegance, no hint that he grew up swimming before walking. His lungs were ice, his heart still beating too hard and fast, his brain unable to do anything.
Lan Wangji grabbed him by the collar and pulled him to the surface. It wasn’t even deep water. Embarrassment. He couldn’t look at him and wanted to drown himself. A couple feet away from them, Wei Wuxian was still pointing. He really wanted to drown himself. The water was not cold enough. Not when Lan Wangji still touched his neck.
~*~
Jiang Cheng bowed to Lan Qiren that evening and apologised. For whatever reason, he didn’t have to do more than copy the regulations’ part about honesty ten times. Wei Wuxian had to kneel until the morning for trespassing and sneaking into the cold springs, and he did so without complaining at all, sat weirdly still in the courtyard, staring frozen at the wall. He wasn’t kneeling by himself. Lan Xichen had to join him for neglecting to supervise his little brother’s date. He smiled the entire time. Next to each other, they made for a strange sight.
Nie Huaisang demanded his fan back with a smile like he was already deciding what to wear as a wedding guest. To spare himself any discussions and giving the topic even more attention than it deserved, Jiang Cheng relinquished the fan.
The next day, Lan Qiren left for a conference, and surely would happen to run into hopefully not both of Jiang Cheng’s parents to complain about him. He spent the day trying to avoid anyone other than the seemingly unavoidable company. The three of them walked down the mountain path near the river, Nie Huaisang contently fanned himself and Wei Wuxian rubbed his knees, whining.
“I don’t understand. Why did you do that? Jiang Cheng, you’re possessed. I’ll perform the exorcism. No, I tell Madam Yu to try Zidian. We mustn’t wait. Jiang Cheng. I’m in pain. Carry me? No! I changed my mind. Don’t touch me. Your hands are dirty. Ow, my knees…”
“You know, my big brother gave this fan to me. But if I call it my favourite fan, he’ll rip it apart when I fail the exams again. My favourite always attracts his anger and dies horribly, so I don’t think it’s a terrible fate to be second choice.” Nie Huaisang opened and closed his fan lovingly. “I never kissed anyone. How was it?”
Too much for words. Still clouding his brain. He accidentally wrote Lan Wangji’s names instead of what he had to copy.
“Hurt,” Jiang Cheng said.
“Ew! Don’t talk about it… That’s so… ew. I can’t believe you did that, Jiang Cheng. You’re possessed. Lan Zhan! Seriously? He’s so boring… So boring. I’m sure he’s washing his mouth constantly since you defiled him. He’ll go into seclusion for years. I’ll never see him again. I can’t believe he got his first kiss before me. Lan Zhan, Lan Wangji, Lan Er-Gege of all people! Ow, my back…”
“You said you kissed twelve people last summer!” Jiang Cheng burst out.
Wei Wuxian waddled over the pebbled path like he was half-turtle, complaining about every bone of his body at every step. “I didn’t think you’d believe that. I lied. But at least I didn’t kiss Lan Zhan.”
“You couldn’t do much better, to be honest. He’s breathtakingly handsome. If he’d ever smile at me, I’d die, I think,” Nie Huaisang said, fanning very slow, eyes distracted by the cloudless sky.
Jiang Cheng suffered a strange twist in his stomach, painfully piercing, and shook his head. Jealousy he could deal with it when it came to cultivation, brains, looks, sword fighting, Wei Wuxian in general. But he had no right to be jealous about anyone admiring Lan Wangji.
Wei Wuxian was probably right that he was washing his mouth, cleansing it with cold spring water right now, before escaping into seclusion to repent for Jiang Cheng’s indecency. It wouldn’t be much longer until Wei Wuxian’s wish came true and his mother would storm in here, Zidian ready to slap sense into him.
“Jiang-Xiong, you would’ve gotten away with it. Why did you go to Lan Qiren and told him?” Nie Huaisang asked.
Jiang Cheng shrugged. Wei Wuxian had been punished anyway because he needed to sneak after them and spy, and thus all reason to avoid punishment had been eliminated. And… well…
They started walking downhill when soft tunes reached them from the riverside. Just around a lush green wall of leaves Lan Wangji sat and played his guqin, the river running gently past him as if not to disturb. The melody could have soothed a raging beast, but not a mad heart. Lan Wangji looked completely focused, long fingers plucking and stroking the strings with so much ease it seemed anyone could do that. His dark hair gleamed in the sunlight, long strands perfectly draped over his back. His eyes were downcast and focused on his instrument, not allowing a short, quick, innocent glance.
He really was disturbingly handsome. Jiang Cheng wasn’t sure if he’d ever allowed himself to ponder that fact before. It felt weird. It made him look at his lips, relaxed and so soft. As if he could possible see how soft they were. He wanted to hit his head against a tree.
“Ah, no.” Wei Wuxian stopped so hard in his tracks that he almost made Nie Huaisang crash into him. He turned too hastily, stumbled out of his balance and almost fell down into the river. Jiang Cheng grabbed him, finally lifted him out of that turtle-position. Last thing he wanted was to disturb Lan Wangji during that practice he had to postpone because of that stupid little whatever-it-was yesterday.
“Ah, no, no, no! No touching!” Wei Wuxian slapped the back of Jiang Cheng’s hand until he finally let go. Apparently, forgetting about all of it wasn’t that much of an option as he’d hoped. “I’m going that way. If Lan Zhan sees me, that fuddy-duddy’s going to punish me for breathing. Nie-Xiong, help me up there.” Wei Wuxian clung to Nie Huaisang’s extended arm and let himself be dragged up the mountain.
“Jiang-Xiong, aren’t you coming?” Nie Huaisang called back.
Jiang Cheng hadn’t even noticed that his feet didn’t move. At least not uphill. He took a deep breath, accidentally felt his heart beating all the way up to his throat.
“I’m going down there for a bit. Go on without me.”
“Jiang Cheng!” Wei Wuxian whined as if he was going to die without him. “Don’t bother him. He doesn’t care. He’ll just call you pathetic and continue plucking his guqin.”
“That’s his problem,” Jiang Cheng said. “My conscience wants me to apologise. Eavesdrop if you must.”
“I’d rather eat the bland food here,” Wei Wuxian said and tugged Nie Huaisang along before he could give into the curiosity showing on his face. The aching body seemed forgotten, considering how quick Wei Wuxian vanished behind the trees. Whatever that was about… He could consider that later when his mind felt a little clearer, a little lighter.
Jiang Cheng walked down the path to the riverside. He must have kicked a pebble, broken a twig, something, because Lan Wangji looked up before he’d came up with what to say.
His eyes were brighter than the sun up in that cloudless sky. His face indifferent and hard to read.
Jiang Cheng bowed, and Lan Wangji returned that only with his head, his fingers continuing to move over the strings.
What should he even say? I’m sorry I kissed you. I got into character. It didn’t work well the last time he tried to be a bit more like Wei Wuxian. It worked with annoying Lan Wangji. It didn’t work for his mind, now only filled with Lan Wangji being so close, as close as possible and not close enough.
Lan Wangji tilted his head, questioning, his fingers tugging a little harder at the strings, the melody still soft and calming.
Jiang Cheng took another breath and walked to a stone very close to him. He sat down, pulled his legs in and closed his eyes. The music soothed his mind quite well, cleared his thoughts until one of them decided to picture Lan Wangji’s fingers creating the sounds. Great. So much for meditation.
“Jiang Wanyin.” And Lan Wangji disrupted him, how inconvenient. “What are you doing?”
“My mind needs soothing,” Jiang Cheng said. That was not an apology.
“Mn.” Lan Wangji nodded, reached over his guqin and changed the melody. No bird, no insect dared to make another sound. Even breathing felt wrong. The melody softened even more, plucked at parts of his mind he thought were forever lost. Jiang Cheng wanted to smile, and did before he realised.
When he dared to sneak a glance, Lan Wangji quickly looked down on his guqin. His ears reddened first, then he blushed all over. Jiang Cheng tried and failed to stop smiling, but surely blushed deeper.