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There's a laughter from distant.
Without turning to the source of the sound, Lan Wangji grips his sword harder. He recognizes the laughter very well. Ever since the head disciple of Yunmeng Jiang Sect participated in his uncle's classes, that laugh echoes in Cloud Recesses every now and then. Loud sounds are not allowed in Cloud Recesses but this man, is the antithesis of the said rules. Being around him, there is no way you can hear the silence that most Cloud Recesses residents used to.
Steadying himself, Lan Wangji turns around and immediately sees the said person giggling while his arm wraps around the second child of Nie, holding him for support. Lan Wangji doesn't know what they are talking about as their distance is a bit too far for him to eavesdrop. He bet, they are whispering something funny as a few seconds after that, they laugh heartily, not caring of the implemented rules. Jiang Wanyin, the second child of Yunmeng Jiang Clan tries to hush them down but to no avail.
Lan Wangji suddenly thought of his uncle, Lan Qiren. His uncle dislikes the head disciple of Yunmeng Jiang Sect with passion. All of Cloud Recesses residents know about it but they didn't know that the reason why his uncle dislikes that person is because he is Cangse Sanren’s only child, apart from he keeps breaking most of Gusu Lan rules, of course, ever since he started residing here a few months ago. What happened to his uncle during his study period with Cangse Sanren before, Lan Wangji never knows and he doesn't bother to know either. Knowing the fact that Cangse Sanren behaved exactly like his son before already gives enough hints that his uncle’s life is probably unpeaceful during that period. Lan Wangji knows, if Lan Qiren sees what's unfolding in front of him, that laughing person will immediately get punished to copy the rules again and make Lan Wangji as that person's monitor until he finishes copying. Oh, how he wishes Lan Qiren is here right now.
As he walks down the path where their path intersects, the laughing person stops his laugh. His eyes sparkle when it lands on a figure that is calmly walking in front of him. Removing his arm around Nie Huaisang, he shouts, “Wangji-xiong!”
Lan Wangji doesn't turn around. He expects it so he continues walking, without realising that he counts in his head every second that person takes before his sleeve gets tugged.
He stops at his tracks when it happened. He knows it is going to happen but his body still goes rigid at the contact and he glances at the hand who is still holding his robe sleeve.
“Oops, sorry.” The sleeve drops out from the hand. The person he's been watching ever since he stepped on the lawn is finally looking at him. He shuffles his figure to block Lan Wangji’s path.
“I called you but you won't stop. So I had to pull your sleeve to stop you.”
Lan Wangji moves his gaze to the person in front of him. Clad in a white robe with purple lotus flower embroidered on the shoulder as a symbol of Yunmeng Jiang Sect, the head disciple grins at him as if their last encounter wasn't a dispute between them about reading porn. That grin stirred something inside Lan Wangji's chest. He feels like his heart is going to jump out from his ribcage and fall to the ground. The grin brightens his facial expression and Lan Wangji feels like he is directly facing the sun due to how bright he sees the person in front of him. Though he doesn't show it through his face. Not sure on how to respond to that, he just stays silent because he knows the person will speak up again.
He called it. The person speaks again.
“Lan Er. Can you stop being so frigid?” That person almost pouts, “I just want to be your friend. It is not good to be alone for a long time. Loosen up. I’ll teach you a lot of things if you become my friend.” The end of the sentence invites a smile on that person's face as if it is a good thing.
But for Lan Wangji, it isn't. As much as he wants to be his friend, he knows that the things that he will be taught of is not a list of good things. For goodness sake, he once got invited to Yunmeng from that person because he wants to teach Lan Wangji how to woo women. Lan Wangji is not even attracted to women, why would he learn it?
So he refuses, “I do not wish to be your friend.” Once the words were fully slipped out from his lips, he realised that the words were harsh and not what he actually meant. He wants to be his friend. Or maybe more. But he doesn't wish to learn how to woo women as what he is implicitly told.
But the words don't affect the person in front of him at all. Or maybe it did but the person doesn't show. “Eh, it's okay. I will change your wish sooner or later. One day, you will wish to be my friend.” The person sounds confident. He has a smug smile on his face. Lan Wangji wants to wipe that smirk off his face. Maybe using his lips but he is trying to refrain himself from imagining it.
If and only if you know what I actually wish, Lan Wangji monologues.
Upon seeing that Lan Wangji wouldn't answer him anymore, the person turns his heels around but before he does that, he states, “I will be waiting for that day to happen. Well, see you again, Lan Zhan.” He waves as he back facing the Second Jade of Lan. Passing by Lan Wangji, Nie Huaisang and Jiang Wanyin walks quickly to catch up with the Yunmeng Jiang Sect’s head disciple.
On the next day, Lan Wangji doesn't expect that yesterday is his last conversation with him as the head disciple of Yunmeng Jiang Sect got caught fighting with the heir of Lanling Jin Sect during the nighttime. He got sent back to Lotus Pier almost immediately.
Lan Wangji didn't get to see him again. Lan Wangji didn't get to bid him farewell.
“Wei Ying.” He finally spelled out the name of that person. The name that he involuntarily carved in his heart ever since they met in front of the entrance of Cloud Recesses.
He stands on the pier, looking at the river path that leads to Yunmeng.
He wishes he could get to see him before he gets sent off. He wishes he could get to tell him what he wants to tell him before he goes back to Lotus Pier. He wishes he could get to clear up misunderstandings that are ensued by words he said in panic. He wishes, at least, he could be his friend in the first place so that he has a reason to find him in Lotus Pier.
I wish, Lan Wangji whispers, but Wei Ying is not present to hear that.
It is too late.