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In between two large stones has a vine-covered pathway that leads to somewhere, Lan Xichen breathes in and out and walks on a dim lighted pathway filled with trees and greenery despite it is only noon.
His mother told him of this secret pathway of a place she loved on his birthday.
It was also that time when it was also his last monthly visit with his mother.
Well, he would only ever visit the place whenever it was near or on the day of his birthday.
His kind of way of remembering his times with his beloved mother in a place that she loved.
‘That place is where I would create a crown of daisies for your father. We were so young and innocent at that time, doing or creating anything we want and it made us happy.’
‘It was such a good memory, I miss it there…’
When he arrived at the place, it was an area covered in daisies.
Rays of sunlight lighting up the beauty of greens and daisies, birds chirping in the surrounding thick trees and the atmosphere of it makes Lan Huan feel at home…
...but also longing.
Mother, I miss you.
Lan Xichen hears a sound of faint rustling, he whips his head on where the sound was. Thinking it might be his brother who was thinking of the same as him.
Until he saw a violet fabric sticking out behind a tree.
He hears a hitch of breath from behind a tree and more noises of rustling, the fabric now gone from sight.
Lan Xichen calmly walks to the tree, he doesn’t think it was an enemy because he also saw a familiar looking silver bell gleaming when sunlight hit it. And he knows one clan who has the features he saw earlier.
A person from the YunmengJiang clan.
But Lan Xichen wondered how they found this place where it is perfectly hidden with a barely visible pathway.
When Lan Xichen got behind the tree, he saw no one there but he saw something interesting.
A messily half-done crown of daisies.
Lan Xichen looks up to the tree to see the YunmengJiang disciple desperately hiding himself from his field of vision, like he doesn't want to be known because he was doing something bad.
“Hello there!” Lan Xichen greets, hoping that he didn’t scare them by his sudden presence. “May I know how you are able to find this place, young master?”
All he received is silence, not replying to his question but now he sees that the man is peeking at him.
He knows those eyes, he is kind of captivated by the owner of those eyes ever since they formally talked about their study in Gusu.
Jiang Cheng. courtesy name, Jiang Wanyin.
“Why is it that you hide?” Lan Xichen patiently asks another question again, seeing Jiang Cheng slowly coming out and fidgets nervously.
Could it be…
“Worry not, I did not see you do anything wrong to elicit any punishment.” He reassures, seeing Jiang Cheng widened his eyes in surprise and looks at him as if making sure that Lan Xichen is lying to him. A minute has passed and Jiang Cheng comes down from the tree and bows in apology.
“I apologize, Zewu-Jun. I didn’t really expect anyone to know this place because I come here frequently.” Jiang Cheng explains. “I was just… passing time… I hope my actions haven’t triggered any violation to Gusu’s rules...”
Lan Xichen blinks at him and chuckles, making Jiang Cheng raise his head and looks at him in confusion.
“Did I say something funny?”
“Oh no, it's just that I would think of Uncle considering adding the rules of making flower crowns as a pastime if he ever hears about this.”
Jiang Cheng’s face pales in horror, not only did he do something embarrassing in front of the First Jade, he also might’ve accidentally added a rule that is something so stupid to Gusu’s already ridiculous 3000 rules.
“I assure you that you’re not going to be punished by this and I won’t tell my Uncle about this either.” Lan Xichen calmed down and reassured the young Jiang from his worries.
“...”
Jiang Cheng pauses for a bit but eventually
and hesitantly
calms down, he has heard of what kind of man Zewu-Jun is but it is different when he doesn’t really know him personally.
There is a moment of awkward silence between the two, not knowing what to eventually say to the other.
Jiang Cheng has been in this place when he wanted to practice on how to make flower crowns like his A-jie but the crown he makes would always be a mess in seconds; and now that Wei Wuxian is punished and was sent back to Lotus Pier, he would come this daisy field when he doesn’t need to go to the Library Pavilion or hanging out with Nie Huaisang. He really wanted to at least achieve a flower crown successfully for his A-jie but he feels embarrassed doing so in front of someone like Zewu-Jun.
Thinking that he was judging him doing something a future clan Leader shouldn't do.
‘Please don’t misbehave yourself and get punished, you are now the only one here in Gusu that represents YunmengJiang now.’ His father said before he walked away happily with Wei Wuxian home.
Jiang Cheng immediately squashes down that memory.
“Then I shall take my leave, Zewu-Jun.” and Jiang Cheng bows, was about to turn to leave-
“Wait!”
Jiang Cheng feels a hand from his wrist gently stopping him from going, he looks at him with confusion and wonders what he needs from him.
Lan Xichen himself was surprised when he stopped Jiang Cheng from leaving. Why didn’t he want to leave when he wanted to spend his day here alone?
Maybe it was when he observed how sad his eyes were so sad when he looked at his messily half-finished crown.
Lan Xichen usually has this urge to help people with their problems because he was raised how to be righteous.
But, if it comes to this man, he just wants to scoop him up and hug him, telling him that everything is gonna be okay.
“Um..” Lan Xichen starts, speechless for the first time from an act he did on impulse. He thinks of what to say, his head turning to the crown that the young Jiang heir made.
Oh, that’s it!
“Do you…” Lan Xichen said, he doesn’t really usually have a hard time talking with strangers so why is he struggling to speak?
“...I’m what?” Jiang Chengs asks with a deeper furrow in his brows.
“Do you want to make some flower crowns with me?”
Lan Xichen sees through Jiang Cheng’s open book expressions. Surprise to confusion, then a glance of his crown and then a sigh.
Lan Xichen finds it cute.
“....Do you know how?”Jiang Cheng questions and the other nods. He hums and now looks at Lan Xichen’s hand that is gently holding his covered wrists.
He can tell that Lan Xichen’s hand is bigger than his.
And it's comfortingly warm...
Jiang Cheng squinted his eyes at that thought, not sure why he would randomly think of that.
“Uh, can you let go?”
Lan Xichen blinks on what the other is talking about until he notices that he didn’t let go of the wrist yet. “Oh, my apologies…”
“It’s fine…” Jiang Cheng says as he grabs the said wrists and turns it around.
They both immediately missed the feeling of warmth from the other.
Silence.
“And…” Jiang Cheng says after a beat of awkward silence again. “If you won’t mind… I could make one…”
Jiang Cheng sees how Lan Xichen blinks then his smile bursting at him full force, like those simple words would make Lan Xichen light up the shadowed daisy fields with his smile.
Jiang Cheng finds it cute.
Lan Xichen starts picking up some daisies with a hum and so did Jiang Cheng.
Lan Xichen taught Jiang Cheng how to properly weave the stems in an easy way with a gentle smile, making Jiang Cheng’s eyes sparkle when he was able to create a beautifully half-done crown of daisies. The spaces between them became small but respectful as they were getting to know each other and calling the other by their name, Lan Xichen’s hand guiding Jiang Cheng for the complicated parts.
Both of them talking and making flower crowns happily until it has gotten dark.
“I’ve done it!”
Jiang Cheng cheerfully announced as he raised the complete crown of daisies in the air. A sense of innocent accomplishment washes through Jiang Cheng’s heart, that he was able to properly create one.
Lan Xichen cheerfully claps at him. “Well done, Wanyin.” He said it with so much sincerity that Jiang Cheng looks at him…
And smiles.
It was a smile that Lan Xichen took his breath away.
“Beautiful.” Lan Xichen immediately said as he looked at Jiang Cheng and covered his mouth with one hand, his eyes wide then looked away with a blush.
Jiang Cheng didn’t seem to notice Lan Xichen’s self-surprise. “Well it is also because of you, Lan Xichen. Thank you for guiding me.”
“I told you to call me Xichen-ge remember?”
Jiang Cheng lightly chuckles as he teasingly apologizes to him, his feelings mysteriously giddy and… he doesn’t know what but he is just… happy.
Like he wouldn’t mind if he would spend his entire life with Lan Xichen.
It’s weird but in a good way for Jiang Cheng.
Then they hear a faint sound of the bell, saying that it is time for dinner.
Both of them secretly didn’t want to move and just wanted to stay with the other’s company but they knew they would have to, so they both stood up at their own pace.
“Well, I guess it is time for us to go…” Jiang Cheng said with a hint of sadness.
Lan Xichen may not clearly see Jiang Cheng’s face but he can hear his emotion.
He likes how Jiang Cheng would express his feelings so innocently that he wants to protect it.
Lan Xichen carefully puts his flower crown on top of Jiang Cheng’s head, securing that it won’t ruin itself and not fall off, making the other look at him with wide surprised eyes.
“We can still see each other. I know that I would not always be here to spend time with you but know that you can come to me when you need me.” Lan Xichen lightly pats Jiang Cheng’s head, savoring their little moment before they part ways.
Jiang Cheng lets out a small smile and faces Lan Xichen. The heels of his feet rise as he carefully puts his own flower crown to Lan Xichen.
“Then same for me, Xichen-ge.”
Then they have both parted ways and safely hidden away the other’s flower crown before they head out to dinner.
And after that, Lan Xichen found a note tucked in Jiang Cheng’s flower crown.
‘Happy Birthday, Xichen-ge.’
Lan Xichen smiles.
Mother, I think I found the one who makes me happy.