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Jiang Cheng freezes when he sees his father walk through the Cloud Recesses. He wasn’t informed that Jiang Fengmian came by and his father didn’t bother to seek him out either.
He can guess why he was here—Wei Wuxian is still kneeling after all—but it still stings that Jiang Fengmian didn’t even have a spare word for Jiang Cheng.
Jiang Cheng grits his teeth and tries his best to shake the thoughts off, as he goes to find Wei Wuxian.
He is indeed still kneeling, but it doesn’t look like he’s too bothered by it.
“Jiang Cheng,” he yells out when he sees him and excitedly waves him over. “Did you hear the good news already?” Wei Wuxian asks him and Jiang Cheng fears he’s going to vibrate right out of his skin if he doesn’t get to share whatever news he has.
“No, I haven’t,” Jiang Cheng says, though his voice sounds strange to himself.
Wei Wuxian doesn’t seem to notice anything though, so Jiang Cheng figures it must be his imagination.
“They broke the betrothal,” Wei Wuxian tells him with a huge smile and Jiang Cheng frowns.
“What?”
“Uncle Fengmian and Sect Leader Jin were both called to speak with Lan Qiren and they agreed to break the agreement. Isn’t that great?”
“How is that great?” Jiang Cheng yells at Wei Wuxian and he is aware that he is completely overreacting with his reaction, but he doesn’t know how to stop.
He doesn’t feel good.
“Jiang Cheng?” Wei Wuxian carefully asks, clearly picking up on Jiang Cheng’s rage and Jiang Cheng curls his hands into fists.
“A-jie loves the peacock! Do you really think this is what she wants?” Jiang Cheng demands to know and Wei Wuxian’s expression turns sheepish.
“I know, but she will be much happier when she finds someone who really appreciates her,” Wei Wuxian mutters, clearly not at all sorry about what he did and Jiang Cheng almost sees red.
“And besides, Jin Guangshan was on board with it as well, so clearly the peacock doesn’t even know what an amazing thing he had. Uncle Fengmian said it was a very short talk.”
“Father spoke to you,” Jiang Cheng says, completely detached from himself when he realizes that and Wei Wuxian frowns.
“Of course he did. He said, he came as soon as he heard that I got into trouble. He said he’s not even mad at me,” Wei Wuxian says with a small smile and Jiang Cheng sees red.
Quite literally, because his whole world suddenly has a very reddish tint to it and then everything goes fuzzy.
Jiang Cheng has just enough time to think that this is not good at all, before conscious thought flees him and the last thing he hears is Wei Wuxian’s panicked “Jiang Cheng!” before he doesn’t know anything anymore.
~*~*~
When Jiang Cheng wakes up, he is in his own room. Not that you could tell, with how many people are clustered around the bed, and Jiang Cheng almost closes his eyes again in pure self-defence, but then his sister notices that he is awake and her entire face goes soft.
Jiang Cheng is pretty sure that he spots tears in her eyes.
“A-Cheng,” Jiang Yanli whispers, effectively bringing the attention of everyone in the room to him and Jiang Cheng fights the urge to pull the blanket over his head.
“Do you remember what happened?” Lan Qiren asks, suddenly appearing behind Jiang Yanli and Jiang Cheng has a split second to realize that he must have fucked up tremendously for Lan Qiren to be here.
But before he can panic even more, Wei Wuxian throws himself on the bed, trying to hug Jiang Cheng as best as he can in this position.
“Jiang Cheng!” he cries out and Jiang Cheng sees a vein throb on Lan Qiren’s temple.
“Get away from me,” Jiang Cheng wheezes out, because for all that Wei Wuxian is just a slip of a boy, he is quite heavy and he says it just a second before Lan Qiren loses it.
“Wei Wuxian!” he bellows but it’s only when Jiang Yanli tugs on Wei Wuxian’s arm that he lets go of Jiang Cheng, giving Jiang Cheng enough space to finally sit up.
“Everyone should remember that Jiang Wanyin is quite fragile at the moment,” Lan Qiren says into the room, though his words are clearly only aimed at Wei Wuxian who has the good graces to at least look reprimanded.
Jiang Cheng wants to object to Lan Qiren’s assessment, but then he realizes that he does feel fragile and he’s almost afraid to ask what happened.
“Do you remember?” Jiang Yanli asks him as she pats his forehead.
Jiang Cheng is unsure if she’s checking for a fever or if she wants to soothe him, but he still sinks deeper into the pillow that was propped up behind his back.
“No,” he honestly says and Jiang Yanli’s face darkens.
“You had a qi deviation,” Lan Qiren explains and Jiang Cheng freezes.
It’s not unheard of for people his age to suffer qi deviations, but it’s most definitely not the norm and it’s cause to worry, Jiang Cheng knows that.
“Do you remember what happened right before?” Lan Qiren asks him, clearly wanting to understand how this could have happened, but Jiang Cheng’s mind is completely blank.
“He was talking to me,” Wei Wuxian suddenly says. “About the broken engagement.”
“No,” Jiang Cheng croaks out before Jiang Yanli can start to feel guilty about anything.
“What do you mean no, that’s what we talked about!”
“It’s not,” Jiang Cheng says, because he remembers now and that really isn’t what made him lose it. “We were talking about father.”
There’s a beat of silence in the room before Lan Qiren’s face darkens and Jiang Yanli starts to soothe him again and Wei Wuxian goes on and on about how Jiang Fengmian probably was called away on urgent business.
As if that was the reason he didn’t bother to come find Jiang Cheng. As if that was the reason he never finds the time to talk to Jiang Cheng.
Jiang Cheng can feel how his qi becomes unstable again and he takes a deep breath, tries to centre himself, because surely having another qi deviation so soon after the last one can’t be good at all, but Wei Wuxian simply won’t stop talking and it’s not helping.
“Shut up,” Lan Qiren suddenly snaps at Wei Wuxian, who closes his mouth with an audible click and stares with huge eyes at Lan Qiren.
“A-Cheng, why would speaking about father cause a qi deviation?” Jiang Yanli carefully asks into the silence and Jiang Cheng briefly debates if he could get away with simply turning around and curling up.
He doubts it.
“He didn’t come to see me,” Jiang Cheng finally mutters, when everyone keeps looking expectantly at him. “He didn’t stop to see me, or ask about me. He didn’t even look my way,” Jiang Cheng finishes and he is aware of how pathetic he must sound.
So desperate for attention from his father that a mere slight is enough to cause him a qi deviation.
“I’m sure A-Xian is right,” Jiang Yanli soothingly says. “I’m sure he was just busy.”
Jiang Cheng wants to believe her, but he knows better. Jiang Fengmian was strolling around the Cloud Recesses, clearly in no rush at all, and he simply didn’t come to see Jiang Cheng because he probably forgot that he has a biological son who is also attending classes there.
“Sure,” Jiang Cheng scoffs out, and he can feel his temper rise again.
Before he can lose it yet again, Lan Qiren speaks up.
“Everyone out,” he orders, and his tone allows no argument, though Wei Wuxian seems ready to throw hands with Lan Qiren.
“Please just go,” Jiang Cheng whispers when Wei Wuxian and Lan Qiren simply keep staring at each other, and it’s his request that finally makes Wei Wuxian move.
“I’m glad you’re alright,” Wei Wuxian says before he storms off and Jiang Cheng has to bite back a scoff.
He doesn’t feel alright and it’s very telling that Wei Wuxian can’t see it.
“It will be fine,” Jiang Yanli says as well, and Jiang Cheng feels very bitter when he realizes that she understands just as much as Wei Wuxian.
He doesn’t reply to either of them and simply watches them leave, too relieved to see them go, but then he’s alone with Lan Qiren.
Who looks like he’s about to tell Jiang Cheng that he lost the ability to cultivate, going by the serious look on his face.
“Will I be alright?” Jiang Cheng asks, because he thinks if his cultivation will be impaired he might as well induce another qi deviation.
“Yes,” Lan Qiren immediately says and Jiang Cheng believes him. “It wasn’t a life endangering qi deviation but it was quite severe,” Lan Qiren explains.
“I see,” Jiang Cheng says and looks down at his hands. “What is it then?” he asks because he can tell that Lan Qiren has something to say.
“It’s your father,” Lan Qiren says and he seems honestly sorry to have to talk about him at all.
But Jiang Cheng can read between the lines and he knows his father.
“He’s not coming,” Jiang Cheng whispers and Lan Qiren winces at Jiang Cheng’s conclusion.
“I’m sorry, Wanyin,” Lan Qiren says. “We informed him of your qi deviation the second you were stable but today we received an answer, that’s basically just saying that since we have the best healers you are in good hands and he doesn’t see a reason to come by again, when he was just here.”
Jiang Cheng huffs out a bitter laugh, mostly to hide the tears gathering in his tears and Lan Qiren sits down on his bed.
“I really am sorry.”
“It’s what I expected,” Jiang Cheng presses out, because he long ago learned to not hope for anything more from his father and still that clear refusal to care about Jiang Cheng cuts him deep.
Lan Qiren doesn’t seem fine with that answer, but instead of arguing with Jiang Cheng he takes a deep breath.
“Listen, we have a program here for Sect heirs,” Lan Qiren starts and Jiang Cheng frowns because he never even heard of this program.
“Okay?” he asks and Lan Qiren is just about to answer when Nie Huaisang barges into the room.
“Jiang-xiong,” he whines and climbs on the bed as well, though he doesn’t throw himself at Jiang Cheng, for which he’s thankful.
“Nie-xiong,” Jiang Cheng gives back and he’s honestly surprised to see sincere distress on Nie Huaisang’s face.
“I’m so glad you’re feeling better. I wasn’t sure my tips were helpful and no one would tell me anything,” he says with a glare at Lan Qiren who shrugs.
“Your tips?” Jiang Cheng asks with a frown and Nie Huaisang flicks open his fan.
“Da-ge is prone to qi deviations,” he explains. “I know a few handy tricks to help.”
“Ah, thank you then,” Jiang Cheng awkwardly says, mostly just embarrassed that Nie Huaisang saw him having one than anything else.
“I was just telling him about the Sect heir program,” Lan Qiren says and Nie Huaisang’s face lights up.
“Oh, great! Though I suppose if you’re participating this year, too, then I can call you Wanyin?”
“Sure,” Jiang Cheng unsurely says but when Nie Huaisang smiles at him he figures that it was the right answer.
„What is this program?” Jiang Cheng asks when Lan Qiren doesn’t explain and the grim look returns to his face.
“We have the same program every year,” Lan Qiren starts and when a ball of dread forms in Jiang Cheng’s stomach he figures that he’s not going to like it. “Jiang Fengmian always claimed that you were too busy to attend before, but with what has happened these past few days, I doubt that is true.”
“Every year,” Jiang Cheng weakly repeats and Lan Qiren nods just as Nie Huaisang gasps.
“Did your father deliberately keep you from this?” he asks and Lan Qiren silences him with a look, when Jiang Cheng flinches.
“Is he teaching you at all?” Lan Qiren softly asks Jiang Cheng when he doesn’t answer Nie Huaisang’s question and Jiang Cheng hesitates, before he shakes his head.
“He always says it’s more important that I cultivate more, since I’m not as good as Wei Wuxian, and he lets Wei Wuxian sit in on meetings, claiming that as my future right hand, he will need to know these things. Father never listens when I argue that I should know these things, too.”
“I see,” Lan Qiren presses out and he seems close to a qi deviation himself.
Jiang Cheng ducks his head, even though he’s reasonably sure that Lan Qiren isn’t mad at him, and Nie Huaisang takes that moment to squeeze into bed next to him.
“You’ll like it,” he promises him. “Er-ge is really great, and a very good teacher. And Zixuan is not as proud when it’s just us, so maybe you’ll come around to him as well. He’s alright.”
Jiang Cheng snorts at that, but he gets nervous just thinking about attending those classes. It sounds like Nie Huaisang, Lan Xichen and Jin Zixuan have been studying together for years, and it will be hard for Jiang Cheng to find a way into that.
He’s not good at making friends or socializing and usually he can hide behind Wei Wuxian when the occasion arises, but he’s not good with it on his own.
“It will be fine,” Nie Huaisang reassures him, clearly picking up on Jiang Cheng’s distressed mood and even Lan Qiren pats his shoulder.
“He is right. You are a very good student and a capable heir. You will fit right in,” Lan Qiren says and Jiang Cheng presses his lips together.
“What if father doesn’t want me to attend?” he asks and he didn’t even know about this class until a few minutes ago, but the thought that maybe he still doesn’t get to attend upsets him greatly.
“He will not have a choice. He entrusted you to the hands of our healers, and they can very well demand that you stay for observation. And once the course starts it would be considered a great offence to pull you out.”
Jiang Cheng fights the urge to smile at that, because Lan Qiren sounds like he gave this some thought already and Nie Huaisang brings their shoulders together.
“It will be so great,” he says. “I always wanted to spend more time with you, without Wei Wuxian. He’s nice and all, but also a bit much and he gets so loud sometimes and I never got a chance to really talk to you, you know,” he rambles and Jiang Cheng’s eyes get big.
“You want to talk to me?” he asks, because he can hardly believe that, but Nie Huaisang only nods.
“Of course! I want to get to know you better!”
Jiang Cheng is strangely touched by that—he always thought everyone only wanted to be friends with Wei Wuxian, and so this really means a lot to him—and he’s glad when Lan Qiren distracts him.
“But classes won’t start for another week,” he informs them. “Which is good, actually, because Wanyin is still on bedrest for now.”
“Of course,” Jiang Cheng immediately agrees, because he only sat up and it already felt like that drained him of his every last remaining energy.
He will have to take it slow for a while yet.
“Is there really no lasting damage?” Jiang Cheng asks again, because he doesn’t even want to imagine how disappointed his mother will be if he is somewhat impaired but Lan Qiren shakes his head.
“You will be just fine if you rest. Though we should probably work on your issues with your father, just so that you don’t get another one.”
“How do you even work on something like that?” Jiang Cheng asks with a frown, but Lan Qiren only raises an eyebrow at him.
“By talking about your feelings regarding him and his treatment of you and Wei Wuxian.”
“Oh, gods,” Jiang Cheng breathes out and Nie Huaisang laughs next to him.
“It’s not so bad,” Nie Huaisang says. “Talking about your feelings can be pretty great.”
“Yeah, right,” Jiang Cheng mutters, but he knows that he will do it.
The qi deviation was more than scary and he would really like to not have another one. If he has to talk about his feelings for that, then so be it.
“You will be just fine, Wanyin,” Lan Qiren promises him again and Jiang Cheng is inclined to believe him.
Especially if he gets to stay here for a while and doesn’t have to face his father or Wei Wuxian. Jiang Cheng knows that it will be a chance for him to grow without them and he might just like the opportunity of that.
“Thank you,” he whispers, feeling already drained again and Lan Qiren pushes him back down into bed as Nie Huaisang swiftly climbs out of it.
“Rest some more,” Lan Qiren whispers and smoothes his hand over Jiang Cheng’s head. “And you’re more than welcome.”
It’s the last thing Jiang Cheng hears before he drifts off with a small smile on his face.