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He still didn't understand why he had to go on an organized date for his brother. It was already strange that Lan Wangji had taken part in the bidding as someone to spend the afternoon and evening with. It wasn't something they were used to doing, but Lan Xichen didn't comment on that part. He remembered listening to his brother ask for help for the first time in a long time. He couldn't say no to him. If he understood correctly, the date with him had been bid out by the student's brother, whom Lan Zhan had secretly had a crush on for a long time. Jiang Wanyin.

Apparently they weren't very friendly with each other, so he wasn't to expect a pleasant evening, for which in Lan Xichen's spirit he felt like repaying his brother. Nevertheless, he was now standing near the entrance to the amusement park, wearing his brother's clothes. Specially, wanting to look like him, he put on his lenses, leaving his glasses at home. So far, everyone had claimed that they were like twins, so he hoped that would be the case now as well, although he felt bad with the knowledge that he would have to lie in a way.

He corrected the cuff of his elegant sweater, discreetly checking the time. The appointed time for the meeting had already passed a few minutes earlier, and he could calmly begin to wonder if it would happen at all. Considering the fact that Jiang Wanyin really didn't like Lan Wangji and didn't want to deal with him at all, this thought wasn't as absurd as it may have seemed. Ultimately, however, the young man knew that he couldn't back down from what his brother had forced him to do, or he would come off as a complete coward.

So he appeared on the spot, watching the other man for a moment more, feeling that this wasn't going in any meaningful direction, and then turned towards him, staring at his back as intensely as if he wanted to incinerate him on the spot with his very gaze.

"Let's get this over with," he burbled in the form of a greeting.

Lan Xichen turned as soon as he heard the voice behind him. He didn't know who he should expect, or what, but one look at the man was enough to make him smile warmly, feeling his heart beat harder in his chest.

"Why don't we have some tea before we decide which attraction to start with?" he suggested softly, forgetting himself that he should talk less, as Lan Zhan had warned him about. However, he couldn't help but slide a curious look over the student's face. His date.

Jiang Cheng watched him silently, his brow creasing more and more with each passing moment and his lips parting slightly, until he finally parried quietly to tilt his head. He slipped his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket, taking a step back, not even able to say what he actually felt at that moment. He himself had no desire to go to this meeting, he didn't understand Wei Ying's idiotic idea of claiming that by doing so, he might be able to get along with Lan Wangji - as if that mattered - but he eventually succumbed to his urging. 

It was enough to just come for a few moments and get it over with, which Lan Zhan agreed to, in theory . But now it appeared that even he was messing with him, and that probably made Jiang Wanyin feel worse, like a finished idiot. He couldn't understand the other man's attitude either, after all, it was enough to say that one had no desire to participate in this farce. 

"Tell him he's a coward" he merely stated, taking another step back.

"No, wait," the man said immediately, taking a step forward. 

For reasons unknown, he didn't want this one to go away now, and it had nothing to do with wanting to help his own brother. In the end, even he felt that the idea of pretending to be him wasn't the slightest bit appropriate, and he didn't care that he didn't get along with the student in front of him at the moment. Lan Zhan was supposed to handle his own affairs, but yet it ended up the way it did.

The younger man paused, raising his eyebrows slightly, clearly wondering if his interlocutor had an explanation for what had just happened, what they had just participated in. At the same time, he had a strange feeling, as if what was happening was meant to ridicule him, as if this was meant to be a way to finally show him that where he belonged. 

"Jiang Wanyin, right? I'm Lan Xichen, Wangji's older brother" the older man introduced himself, then smiled apologetically. "I know this isn't how it's supposed to go, but... Since we've both scheduled some time for this meeting, why not take advantage of it?" he suggested softly, trying to convince him of the idea, though he felt his ears redden from embarrassment at his own behavior. "I'm buying," he added encouragingly, staring straight into the student's eyes.

Jiang Cheng already wanted to tell him that he had guessed who he was. After all, it wasn't that hard to guess, seeing the clear similarities between him and Lan Wangji, but the older man's next words caused him to fall silent. His mouth twisted into a slightly crooked smile as he watched Lan Xichen closely, getting the impression that he was definitely friendlier to other people than his younger brother. 

At the same time, however, his remark was strangely unkind, so it was no wonder that Jiang Wanyin shook his head slightly, and his partially pinned up hair swayed slightly. He then pushed some of the strands back behind his ear as a stronger wind blew, revealing a few earrings that seemingly didn't go together at all. 

"This is supposed to be some kind of compensation for your brother putting me up ? Not that I care, but he could have just said he wasn't coming. I'm sure you have better things to do than run somewhere with someone you don't even know," he stated simply, rather ironically, moving aside so as not to disturb the other people who were heading to the entrance of the theme park.

The older man's gaze fled to Jiang Wanyin's ear, where he noticed the earrings. A slight surprise painted itself in his gaze, but it was far from dislike, on the contrary. He had been curious all along as to why his brother wasn't fond of the student brother he had a crush on, and now that interest was only intensifying. 

Lan Huan had previously expected that he would come to stand alone at the place of the scheduled meeting, that in the end none of them would want to come. Now he saw how wrong he had been and knew that when he returned home he would have to tell his younger brother off for his behavior. Now, however, he had to apologize himself; he wanted to do it.

"Not compensation for Wangji's behavior, but more likely an apology for my own. Besides, isn't going somewhere with someone about getting to know them?" he replied, tilting his head slightly to the side, smiling at the very corners of his mouth. 

He didn't try to think more about what interested him in the man at the moment, but he knew that he wanted to go to the theme park with him, he wanted to spend time with him and really get to know him. He wanted this meeting to really be a date for them. 

The younger man looked at him very carefully, concluding that Lan Xichen was definitely different from his brother. He wasn't accusing Lan Wangji of being stupid, of being some sort of quarter-intelligent, or anything like that, but it only took him a few minutes to see the distinct differences between the siblings. The way the older brother expressed himself was different, incredibly elegant, and his view of the world seemed completely different from Lan Wangji's. He was certainly more open to possibilities, which was evident in that simple question. 

"We can just have a drink together, and if you decide that solitude or meeting anyone else is better than my company, I won't keep you any longer, Wanyin."

"We can. Eventually I have to wait for the train anyway," Jiang Cheng finally stated, pulling up a little higher the collar of the sweatshirt he had on under his leather jacket. "It just makes me wonder what you're actually doing here. Are you protecting your brother or participating in his nonsense?"

Lan Xichen smiled wider, clearly pleased with the younger man's agreement, gesturing for them to go to the amusement park. He immediately raised his hands and corrected his long hair, moving it away from his face, so it wouldn't obscure his view. He had never understood his brother's hairstyle, finding it uncomfortable and now in a way he was relieved to look, at least partly, as usual. Lan Huan tied his hair up loosely with an elastic band above the nape of his neck, glancing surreptitiously at Jiang Wanyin, thinking of an answer to his question.

"He asked me for help, which doesn't happen often. If I understood him correctly... He didn't want to risk damaging the relationship if this meeting didn't work out, and he suspected it would," he finally answered truthfully, recognizing that he wasn't the one who should be explaining Lan Wangji, but he knew that in a way he was also to blame for the situation. "You probably won't believe it, but I'm not a fan of pretending to be someone else, however, when my brother asked me for help for the first time in a long time... However, I'm glad you noticed the differences between us right away. Not everyone sees them." 

The younger man didn't move from his seat, wanting to ask him if he was sure he wanted to spend that much money to get into an amusement park if they were just going to have something to drink, but then he started looking at him with a certain shade of disbelief, hearing what the man had to say. He subconsciously followed with his gaze the movements of his hands as he tied up his hair, concluding that the man was more handsome than his younger brother. He shook his head, pushing the thought away, and then rolled his eyes. 

"Deteriorating what kind of relationship? He's afraid that if he makes an even worse impression on me, I'll tell him that he can't date Wuxian?" he asked amused, nevertheless coming to the conclusion that this whole situation had gotten really absurd. 

It only now occurred to him that his stupid foster brother might have been thinking exactly that when he tried to trick him into this date. Maybe he didn't want him and Lan Wangji to continue looking at each other as if they were going to incinerate each other on the spot. In truth, Jiang Wanyin the man cared little and didn't care what the man wanted. 

He wasn't going to forbid his brother anything either, although he had to admit that he completely didn't understand what was going on between the two of them and perhaps once, in the beginning of his studies, he had been a bit jealous. But now that feeling was gone, and he really wasn't going to stand in the way of anyone's happiness. 

"Only someone blind wouldn't notice the obvious difference," Jiang Cheng stated further, shielding his eyes with his palm as the sun unexpectedly came out from behind the clouds. "Are you sure you want to go in there just to get something to drink?"

Lan Xichen didn't answer the questions about his brother because he didn't know the answers. He only smiled gently, as if apologizing. Lan Wangji himself should speak on the matter, and he hoped that Lan Wangji would explain the incident and apologize to the other student. 

He also didn't know Wei Wuxian to have any opinion on the matter. For that, he couldn't hide the flash of curiosity in his gaze as soon as the obvious difference between him and Lan Zhan was stated. He wondered what it was in Jiang Wanyin's eyes that made him more and more curious with every passing moment. Immediately, a shadow of confidence also appeared in the dark gaze when he heard the other man's question.

"Are you sure you'll want to go on the train after drinking your coffee?" he asked quietly, not taking his gaze off the younger man, as if to tell him that he doubted that he was confident that they would take advantage of the attractions offered by the amusement park. Plus, he had no other plans, so he didn't see a problem in making this date accordingly.

Jiang Cheng already wanted to reply something, but in the end he only laughed quietly and shook his head. He didn't expect such a reaction, he didn't expect such confidence from the older man, and yet there was something slightly intriguing about it. 

Slightly, because despite everything, Jiang Wanyin wasn't going to allow anyone to surround him in any way, to try to take over over him. He had gotten away with it by deciding his own studies, probably not living up to his parents' expectations, but he really wanted to do something he dreamed of doing himself, and he wasn't going to allow anyone to conduct him. 

Since Lan Xichen now wanted to spend money on something as silly as entering an amusement park, he wasn't going to object. He had given him a choice, but since the man didn't use it, it was his decision, and he would have to face having to stay alone later in a huge amusement park full of laughing crowds that spun from place to place.

"You made me curious by speaking of the obvious difference between me and Wangji. What is it, in your opinion?" asked Lan Huan after a while, smiling again softly, with interest. 

"Everything," the student stated simply as they finally stood in line before entering. "You don't look a bit like your brother."

Lan Xichen couldn't contain the warm laugh that escaped from between his lips in response to the younger man's words. He had expected a mention of the color of his eyes, or the difference in his voice, but not the word everything, which expresses so much without giving anything away.

"And to think we were taken for twins..." he merely stated quietly, running his knuckles over his lips. 

The dark gaze glinted with amusement as he lifted it again to the younger man. He liked him, which he discovered with no small amount of surprise, but he wasn't going to pretend he didn't. He remembered Lan Wangji's description of him as a bully who threatened everyone and only snarled under his breath. Lan Huan, however, had seen an attractive young man, and now he was becoming certain that he wasn't only handsome, but also smart and perceptive.

"At first glance, perhaps," Jiang Cheng replied to this, watching him from under closed eyelids. "But since we met, you have spoken more words than your brother has in the past six months."

"Indeed, Wangji is rather petulant," agreed Lan Xichen, nodding slightly.

They walked up to the ticket office, where he bought tickets for them, and after a while, together with the crowd, they crossed the gate of the amusement park, over which Lan Huan swept his gaze in silence, looking for a place where they could buy something to drink, and also, observing the attractions visible from the entrance, from which came the laughter and squeals of people playing.

"Tell you a secret?" he asked, turning to face the student again. "I've never been to an amusement park."

Jiang Wanyin, who was just looking around for any kind of plan of the place they were in, looked at him at once, then snorted under his breath and rolled his eyes. He might have expected something similar, as the gentle pressure for them to go to the amusement park after all was palpable almost from the beginning, but he wasn't going to stay here any longer than necessary because of this, unless he himself thought he was having a nice time. 

"Fun is forbidden too?" he asked ironically, referring to Lan Wangji's frequent remarks.

"Do you know about our rules?" asked Lan Huan in surprise, immediately shaking his head. 

"Everyone knows about them, even me, although I don't study with them. I have the impression that according to your brother, even breathing is forbidden," Jiang Cheng replied immediately, not paying too much attention to the fact that he was clearly making it clear that he really wasn't fond of Lan Wangji.

"I understand..." the older man said softly, smiling slightly under his breath, clearly seeing the resentment towards his own brother, but he guessed he shouldn't ask that. At least not yet. 

There was no point in saying anything anymore, and the people passing them effectively drowned everything out for a while anyway, making the noise around them even more overwhelming. Everything that surrounded them seemed to attract their eyes, every building, every smallest decoration or signpost, even small stands where one could buy funny hats or balloons. Undoubtedly, from the amount of everything, one could get dizzy.

"We weren't here as children, and later on my friends and I used to go to arcades, but I stopped quite quickly, focusing on my studies," Lan Huan explained casually after a moment, aware of how boring that sounded, but he had long since stopped caring about it. Now he looked around curiously, feeling an involuntary excitement.

Jiang Wanyin nodded slightly at his explanation and in the process managed to spot the plan board, which he approached to get an idea of where they should go, casually asking his unexpected companion what he actually wanted to do. He reached for his phone to scan the code and thus have the plan of the amusement park on his phone, at the same time muting the notifications from the communicator, so he wouldn't have to respond to his brother's messages, which he started sending in bulk.

"We wanted to have something to drink, and then... We'll see?" the older man asked, looking over the plan of the park, finding the marked place with food, which he immediately pointed out as well. "It must be a nice view from the Ferris Wheel," he added in an even slightly uncertain tone.

The younger man didn't comment on his question, which he could actually treat almost like a request. They had decided that they would drink something while he waited for the train and that was what he intended to stick to, at least for now, as he found no reason to want to stay in the amusement park. After Lan Xichen's next words even more so. 

"Since you've never been to an amusement park of any kind, you must have read a lot of manuals on what to do on a date in a place like this," Jiang Cheng sourly commented on his words, and then headed in the direction marked on the map, assuming that he could actually buy a coffee and talk to Lan Xichen for a while since they were already here, but after his last remark, he felt that he was far less inclined to do so.

"I haven't read anything like that," the older man assured, taking half a step away from Jiang Wanyin and the board, feeling a deep blush appear on his cheeks. 

He felt confused, realizing after the fact how his words might have sounded, and in light of what they had done with Lan Zhan, he wasn't surprised that Jiang Wanyin didn't feel like enjoying any of the attractions. He looked to the side, towards the Devil's Mill that was visible. "I thought that from there you would be able to see all the attractions, which to me are just points on the map. Seeing them, I could think of where I'd like to go... But I can see it later myself" he explained in a slightly apologetic tone, glancing at the plan once more to see what direction they should go.

His companion stopped for a moment, looking at him carefully, letting the other people pass them by, while discovering that Lan Xichen was surprisingly sincere in his words. He looked like he didn't know how to lie, and his explanations were really logical and clear, as if there was nothing special behind them. 

Of course, it could only be the attitude he was adopting at the moment, after all, Jiang Cheng had a memory of his confidence from a few moments ago, before they even crossed the gates of the amusement park. However, it was far too early for him to make a judgment on this matter, so he merely nodded slightly.

"So coffee or tea?" asked Lan Huan in an already normal tone, indicating with a gesture that they should walk towards the appropriate booths.

"Coffee," the younger man stated. 

They walked a bit more to stand in the right line, and Jiang Cheng began to look around, recalling the last time he was here with his siblings. It had been a long time since that day, and he got the impression that a lot of things had changed, a lot of new attractions had appeared, some had been remodeled, and some places already looked completely different from years ago. Despite the low temperature, it was pleasant here, the bustle didn't disturb him, making him feel quite calm and at ease.

Lan Xichen looked around at everything around them, intertwining his hands behind his back, pausing for a moment longer as he spotted a section of the roller coaster. The screeching of people riding it was intriguing, making him wonder if he himself would feel like screaming, at that speed, or if he would be afraid to open his mouth. 

He didn't realize his interest was reflected on his face, eliciting a giggle from the group of girls who stood in the other line. At that sound, however, the man woke up, returning his gaze to his companion.

"What else is typical about dating in this place?" he asked, staring at him intently, immediately clarifying his question as well. "I wouldn't want to, again, suggest something inappropriate.

"Eating cotton candy together? Going on some carousel that's associated with something only for couples or trying to win a teddy bear for the other person," Jiang Cheng replied after a moment, wrinkling his eyebrows slightly while wondering if there was anything else he could mention.

He looked at the girls, who stood near them, but didn't concentrate on them, only glanced at them, then asked his companion what kind of coffee he would like. Nevertheless, he intended to pay for it, assuming he owed it to him, getting also the impression that the man began to like it here. He gave the impression of a child who couldn't decide where he wanted to go first.

"There used to be a dinosaur valley further down there," Jiang Cheng finally said, nodding slightly toward the stairs on the right. "If you'd like to take a walk somewhere with your coffee."

"If you don't mind accompanying me there," the older man replied, smiling slightly, clearly not intending to do anything that might offend him in any way. 

He knew that as soon as they finished drinking coffee, he would have the urge to keep the student for longer, but he was slowly discovering that perhaps he should have listened to him earlier and chosen a cafe not far from the amusement park. He got the impression that it would have been easier to keep the conversation going longer that way, without accidentally pushing Jiang Wanyin.

"If I may ask, what are you studying? You mentioned that you're not in the same major as Wangji," he riddled, picking up his coffee, which he thanked him for. 

He didn't argue about who would pay for it, guessing it could come out just as embarrassing as with the park plan. If he didn't want the student to run away from him discouraged, besides, buying coffee wasn't a bad thing. He just hoped he could pull the conversation further and make the younger man himself forget about the train he wanted to catch.

Jiang Cheng smiled slightly at him as he led him toward the stairs, realizing that there was a definite, clearly discernible difference between Lan Xichen and his younger brother. The man was definitely more cautious, more careful in what he did, and when he got burned once, he clearly didn't try to push his hand into the fire again. It was certainly a fascinating discovery, and while the student still had some reservations about spending this time in the man's company, they were no longer as great as before.

"Archaeology, then," replied Jiang Wanyin as he ran down the stairs and stopped at the first of the dinosaur models, smiling at the corner of his mouth, "What do you do for a living? Since you were dedicated to science, I'd bet on heavy, serious majors like law, medicine, or anything related to engineering."

Lan Xichen watched him intently as he ran down the stairs, wondering why he had chosen such a direction, while smiling at the thought that maybe he remembered the valley of the dinosaurs for that reason. Unsurprisingly, he thought it was quite charming, but quickly refocused on the conversation. 

"I'm a veterinarian," he answered simply, smiling warmly at his own thoughts. "We were never able to have pets, so I decided to work with them in the future. That way I don't have one, but many animals" he elaborated on the thought, approaching the younger man slowly. "Why archaeology?" he asked softly, looking at him with obvious interest. 

"Because it doesn't require constant talking to others," he replied to that, though it was hard to tell if he was serious, as he was when he mentioned all the movies and stories where archaeologists were always having crazy adventures.

Lan Xichen enjoyed listening to his stories about archaeology. He didn't know how much truth there was in what he said when he described his future profession. However, he had to admit that there was some charm hidden in it that could definitely interest, absorb a person. It also raised further questions, such as whether Jiang Wanyin intended to go abroad after graduation to pursue exploration, but the man wasn't going to ask that for now. He stared at the student, listening to him in silence. 

By this time, he was steering quietly ahead, dodging people who were hurrying to catch a ride on the next attraction. Some seemed to be spinning aimlessly as they did, while others were taking pictures of themselves next to the dinosaur models, having a good time in the process. There was quite a pleasant buzz, and since the sun came out from behind the clouds, it was really nice. 

It was no wonder, then, that Jiang Cheng stopped on the platform, by the sizable pond on which one of the roller coasters was partially placed, and closed his eyes for a moment, enjoying the warmth of the day, aware that an elderly man was standing right beside him. 

"It seems to me that being a veterinarian isn't the same as owning many animals. Most of the time you have to take care of sick, injured or frightened animals, after all, you don't go to the vet just to have him pet your pet," he finally concluded, taking a sip of hot coffee as he watched the wagons of the attraction hit the surface of the water.

Lan Xichen looked at it as well, concluding that it was something he definitely intended to avoid. Not just because of the contact lenses he was temporarily wearing that might fall out, but the very fact of hitting the water. He felt an uncomfortable shudder at the thought that he himself could be there, something he didn't show, however, turning his whole self to the younger man, choosing to focus only on his question.

"It depends. I work in a clinic, but I also go to the zoo to see the animals. Sometimes there are cases where a cub is orphaned that isn't fully healthy, and it comes to me for observation," he replied, smiling provocatively as he reached for his phone to slip it to the man a moment later, showing a video of a baby wombat. "They're mostly taken care of by caretakers, but this little guy had to have surgery done, and I kept an eye on his recovery. Sometimes animals are also abandoned at our clinic, but that happily doesn't happen often. I take those in too, finding them a new home," he explained before sipping his coffee, wondering if the man would find that absurd. His uncle sighed heavily every time he heard that he couldn't come because he had a pet in his care and that he would come at another time.

"So you deal more with exotic animals?" stated Jiang Cheng, looking at the video with a smile. "All the lizards, snakes, parrots, and whatever else you want?" he asked, though it sounded more like a statement of fact, and the older man merely smiled slightly, nodding.

Handing the phone back to him, the student looked at it a little more carefully, as if to assess whether it was apparent to him what he was dealing with. He was able to recognize that the strange patience and gentleness Lan Xichen seemed to display was definitely befitting someone who dealt with sick people, be they humans or animals. Jiang Wanyin was convinced that in a job like this, one couldn't show fearfulness or nervousness and had to be able to keep a cool head in any situation, no matter what. 

"That's another difference," he remarked, then tilted his head slightly, pondering the statement, but eventually shrugged his shoulders slightly and took another sip of coffee. "You don't meet with opinions that all your charges should be released into the wild?" he asked immediately, curious about the question, leaning casually against the railing surrounding the platform. 

"Are you noting these differences in your memory?" Lan Xichen asked quietly, looking at him intently, but clearly not expecting an answer. He took a sip of coffee, pondering the answer to the question posed, leaning his back against the railings, and the younger man only smiled slightly with the corner of his mouth.  

"I meet, but I don't think releasing these animals would be good for them," he finally said calmly, seriously. "Most of them are born in captivity, so they are used to the food that humans give them at certain times. Then there are the animals that were found injured, and by the time they've recovered, they've become so accustomed to humans that they wouldn't do well in the wild. And then there are the endangered species that are constantly hunted by poachers," he went on, continuing that even he didn't feel comfortable seeing them in cages, but realized that there couldn't be reserves for these animals everywhere. There was no golden mean here, or at least he didn't see one, although he sometimes wished these animals could experience more freedom.

Jiang Wanyin only nodded slightly at his explanation, concluding that the elderly man's views were indeed precise and perfectly focused, that he had the answers to most doubts. He also gave the impression of a man who was fully dedicated to his work, which seemed almost like a calling that he intended to follow. This in turn was impressive in its own way, so the student nodded his head appreciatively, slightly creasing his brow in thought. 

At that moment, the older man twitched, hearing the sound of an incoming message. He glanced fleetingly at the phone, but almost immediately put it away, not writing back to his brother to ask if everything was okay. Since it had already led to such a bizarre situation, he could still persist in his uncertainty.

"Do you have a pet of any kind? Or are you one of those people who like pets, but at someone's place?" he asked curiously, turning to face the younger man again, feeling like provoking him to speak more. He liked his voice, his low registers making one feel like closing his eyes and just listening. 

"I had," replied Jiang Cheng straightforwardly, but he smiled at this somewhat sadly, melancholy, because he still missed dogs after all. 

Later his parents were not too convinced to allow any other animals in the house, until finally he went to college and in the dormitories there was no room for even the smallest creature. So he could only hope that someday he would be able to have his own pets, although given the profession he had chosen, it might be difficult. 

"Now I'd have to have a pet that could ride with me wherever possible, and that's not likely to be feasible," he added further, taking another sip of coffee, staring at the large model of a dinosaur that was emerging from the water right in front of them.

"If you want, you can come to the clinic. There's always a shortage of volunteers who want to sit with the animals, soothe them with petting," Lan Huan said quietly, smiling slightly, but he didn't believe the younger man actually wanted to come one day. He twirled the mug in his hands, pondering something, then turned to look at the dinosaur model himself.

"I thought something like this only happened in hostels," said Jiang Cheng, looking at the other man quite puzzled, for he had never heard of anything like this in his life. 

"Not every clinic practices that," he agreed, nodding slightly. "I have a limited staff, and a lot of animals. We don't have time to give each one adequate attention, and some are really scared. They don't heal at the right rate in that state, and sometimes they do the opposite" he explained quietly, swirling his mug again before taking another sip from it. 

He didn't often talk about the fact that they needed people to simply watch the animals, but the truth was that any of the dogs, cats, or even hamsters that stayed with them for observation were simply scared. At such times, the staff tried to give them the comfort they needed by petting them a little and speaking to them calmly, but there still wasn't enough.

"You mean you already run your own clinic?" the student asked, wrinkling his eyebrows slightly while wondering how much older the man was than him. 

Of course, he didn't know the real work of doctors or veterinarians, he had only a vague idea about them and there was a good chance that his imagination differed much from reality. Nevertheless, this affair seemed to him at least strange, so he preferred to find out how things really were. 

"Not really. I don't own it, but I am responsible for it. In the future, I hope to take it over completely," the older man stated simply, then sighed slightly. "I started working there at the end of college. After I graduated I wanted something more, so I started helping out at the zoo whenever the opportunity arose, but then the owner of the clinic had an accident and I took over most of his duties" he explained, smiling slightly.

Jiang Cheng merely nodded at those words, having nothing to add to the matter, although he had to admit that he was somewhat amused by the thought that certain things, just like in books or movies, seemed to line up perfectly in Lan Xichen's life. There was nothing wrong with that though, sometimes that happened, and he had experienced it himself as well, so he would be a complete idiot if he started questioning it all of a sudden. He also didn't think he was in a position to do similar things.

The older man bowed his head for a moment, clearly immersed in his thoughts, on the one hand pondering his future, the possibilities of taking over the clinic or having to open his own, and on the other, Jiang Wanyin's earlier words about an animal he could take with him on his travels.

"I think you'd have to have a dog. An active one, with a low risk of disease. You can carry pets on planes, by car wouldn't be a problem either," he spoke up after a moment, looking at him carefully, and a slight vertical wrinkle appeared between his eyebrows. "So, where do you plan to go after college?" 

"Wherever they send me," he replied, not commenting in any way on the words about the dog, because he knew he couldn't afford one right now. "People assume we're exploring the world and doing some crazy trips, but it doesn't look like that at all. I'll most likely go with one of my professors because I recently got an offer from him to do so. Maybe someday when I'm famous, like Indiana Jones, I'll be able to search for world-famous artifacts," he added, smiling at the corner of his mouth before he took another sip of coffee and flinched when he was unexpectedly splashed with water.

Lan Xichen abruptly straightened up, trying to avoid being splashed, while still looking at the younger man. He felt strange, knowing that soon the man might be leaving somewhere, for unknown how long. He felt as if he was just losing an opportunity, as if something was gradually moving away from him, which was absurd, considering they had just met.

"Are you in the same year as Wangji?" he asked unexpectedly to himself, having an irresistible feeling that time was slipping away from him.

"Yes" merely replied Jiang Cheng, trying to dry his now soaked sweatshirt a bit. "I was sent to school earlier, which made me go to college earlier as well," he added rather reflexively, looking towards the roller coaster again to grab Lan Xichen's sleeve right away and pull him away from the railings, not wanting to fund them another shower.

The older man smiled slightly, taking this seemingly insignificant gesture as a good omen. However, he didn't intend to pay too much attention to it, not wanting to cause another unpleasant reaction that could derail their further meeting.

"So you have uncommon interests and on top of that, you're exceptionally smart," he remarked lightly, gazing seemingly at the attraction's carriage, though he glanced at Jiang Wanyin out of the corner of his eye. "You've been to amusement parks before. What was your favorite attraction?" 

The younger man looked at him somewhat puzzled, and then parried quietly before immediately finishing his coffee. He didn't comment in any way on the compliments, which he had obviously noticed but saw no point in paying attention to; he merely noted that his earlier education involved the fact that Wei Wuxian was a year older than him and his parents had come to the conclusion that they would send them to school together.

"I'm not sure," he stated simply. "I think any of the roller coasters, but there were always lots of great places to play. There used to be a pirate house where you could get your teeth knocked out or a scare house."

Lan Xichen nodded slightly as a sign that he understood this attitude of his parents, but he no longer added that Jiang Wanyin himself must have shown a predisposition to go to school faster from the beginning. He must have been a fast learner, eager to learn, since he was able to comprehend everything on par with older people.

"A scare house?" he asked curiously, clearly wondering what it was all about. Immediately, another screech and loud splash came to their ears as another carriage hit the water. "Have you been here often?" he inquired, smiling slightly, then refilled his own coffee, wondering if in a moment he would hear the polite words that the man had to go to the train already. 

He had promised not to keep him, so if he didn't want the man to leave he should think of something better, but the only thing he could think of was to take advantage of some attraction. Unfortunately, he had trouble judging which ones were typical for couples, so which ones he should apparently avoid.

"You don't know what this is?" the student asked, quite puzzled by this fact, for a moment not even concentrating on his next question, standing with his mug slightly raised, in which he still had the rest of his coffee. "A few times, maybe three or four" he finally stated, only shrugging his shoulders slightly.

"Since you knew it all, didn't you get bored with each successive visit?" asked Lan Xichen clearly curious, creasing his eyebrows immediately as he tried to answer his question. "A scare house... Something where you go in to be scared? That... sounds weird. Why go in somewhere if you know you're going to be scared?" he replied seriously, looking at the student again, trying to understand why such a thing existed, but he suspected it made as much sense as horror movies - it must have had its fans. Still, he couldn't deny that he felt intrigued by the attraction, wondering if there was anything he was afraid of that he could find in such a house. 

"No. Why would I be bored? Don't you go to the same restaurant several times because you like it?" the younger man asked at this, slightly creasing his eyebrows, clearly not entirely convinced by this explanation, as if he saw some kind of loophole in it, and that was exactly what happened. "Not everyone has to like it, but it's just a lot of adrenaline and fun if you can get through it without screaming too loudly," he added further by way of explanation, though at the same time he shrugged his shoulders slightly, clearly knowing that he couldn't quite describe what he had in mind at the moment.

"I'd love to try to go in there," Lan Xichen stated simply, smiling at the corner of his mouth as he looked at Jiang Wanyin. 

It seemed to him that both of them had already drunk their coffees, so in theory they should be ending the meeting, but he hoped that the younger man would still want to see if he would scream. After all, since he didn't know what he should really expect... Though Lan Huan wasn't going to tell him that, there was unlikely to be much chance of him starting to get scared.

"Aren't you afraid?" the younger man asked, smiling somewhat defiantly. 

He was actually having a good conversation with Lan Xichen, though he had to admit he was surprised by his attitude and behavior, so completely different from how his brother acted. They seemed to be almost like fire and water, which surprised him, but made him feel at ease. By the way, he didn't have to make too much of an effort to ignore his brother's questions, knowing that he was annoying Wei Wuxian with it, but he still deserved to be taught a lesson.

"Do you think I'm easily frightened?" asked Lan Xichen quietly, leaning slightly towards the man, as if he wanted to make sure no one but him could hear the words. 

To some extent, he hoped that Jiang Wanyin would decide to personally see if his words were just a bluff. He smiled almost constantly, though at the moment he slightly bit his lip, not wanting to say too much. Not wanting to imply that he could definitely use someone to grab his hand in case he really got scared.

Jiang Cheng watched him silently for a moment, measuring him with a rather attentive look from his bright eyes, clearly thinking about the question he had posed. It was true that he didn't know Lan Xichen very well, but he still seemed to know the answer to the question, or at least guessed it. 

"No, as long as it's ghosts and other spooky stuff you can find in any, silly horror movie" he finally stated thoughtfully. 

The older man merely smiled wider in response, closing his eyelids. He didn't watch typical horror movies, because they usually bored him. It was different with thrillers, although he expected that it would be difficult to build similar tension in the house of horrors.

"Still, I fancy I can see how frightful it may be," he stated, straightening up and looking intently at the man. "Are you in a great hurry for the train?"

Jiang Cheng nodded slightly, then looked at his interlocutor quite carefully as soon as he asked him a question, wondering if the interlocutor really was that confident or just gave that impression. They had a really pleasant conversation, there was something nice about it, something that made him not want to go home yet - also wanting to rub Wei Wuxian's nose in it - but at the same time, he didn't want to drag this meeting out indefinitely.

"Not so much," he stated eventually. "I think I could go one or two places with you."

"The House of Fears, then?" asked Lan Huan a bit more cheerfully, gesturing to indicate that he didn't even know which way they were supposed to go. He focused on his phone for a moment as the sound of an incoming message rang out again, but instead of writing back to his brother, he turned the phone off.

"I'm curious to see if anything would actually freak you out. I bet your brother wouldn't even flinch at the sight of a plastic skeleton or think there was something ridiculous about it," the student remarked at this, only shrugging his shoulders slightly, clearly letting him know that he wasn't going to walk all over the amusement park with him.

"You're probably right" laughed Lan Xichen quietly, covering his mouth slightly with his fist. "Neither of us are fans of horror movies, and even as children we weren't afraid of the dark" he added further, while reminding himself that he was actually the one who had been afraid of losing someone since his parents' death, but he suspected that nothing like that would happen to him at the theme park.

Jiang Wanyin only smiled slightly at this, as if to tell him that this was exactly what he expected. He suspected that the man really didn't know what exactly such an ordinary, absolutely silly pastime was, and this amused him somewhat while also making him curious about him.
And while the student hadn't initially had the slightest desire for this encounter, he now found it quite enjoyable. He didn't need to and wasn't going to think of it as a date, and as they talked, as he let himself be drawn into the atmosphere of the amusement park, he began to get the impression that he could spend a little more time here.

In truth, Lan Xichen hadn't expected that the younger man would actually decide to stay with him a little longer. Yes, he had hoped for it, he had wanted it, but he suspected that Jiang Wanyin wasn't one of those people who liked to have things decided for them, which was what he considered this meeting to be. By the same token, he was confident that he would nevertheless hear a reminder of their agreement and a simple goodbye. However, since it didn't look like it, he wasn't going to complain, on the contrary.

"And how is it with you? What are you afraid of?" he asked with evident interest once they moved toward their chosen attraction.

"I don't know," Jiang Cheng stated simply.

He wasn't going to confess to him, he wasn't going to talk about the problems and doubts that were undoubtedly in his heart, because they didn't know each other well enough to bring up these issues. With that, the younger man decided that it would simply be the easiest way to cut off this unwanted conversation by focusing on something else. He pointed out some of the more popular attractions to Lan Xichen right away, and once they were in the right line, he smiled at him with the corner of his mouth.

"I think you won't have a difficulty finding company later," Jiang Wanyin stated, nodding slightly toward the group that was watching them intently from the end of the line. 

The older man looked in the indicated direction quite openly, then smiled gently, clearly out of politeness, immediately turning his back towards the strangers.

"I have suitable company now, and I won't need new ones later," he stated simply, glancing surreptitiously at Jiang Wanyin. 

He was interested in him, even more than he should have been given the nature of the meeting, or rather the fact that he was merely helping his brother. However, he couldn't deny that the student interested him more with every passing moment. If he was indeed left alone in the amusement park and intended to enjoy the other attractions, he had no desire to be accompanied by someone else.

"How can you be sure they're not thinking about swapping places with me?" he asked quietly, leaning a little toward him.

The student merely raised a slightly amused eyebrow, but made no comment, as if he took certain things for granted. He didn't have to tell Lan Xichen that he was a handsome man, that he undoubtedly attracted attention and aroused interest, because he suspected that the man himself was well aware of that. Anyway, he didn't have time to explain it to him a bit more, as they had to move forward, when another group of guests crossed the threshold of the House of Fears.

"Do you know why you're really here?" he asked simply, slipping his hands into the pockets of his jacket.

"Wangji participated in some kind of auction... You could bid on a date with him... You bid on you, but I guess you don't really get along, and he didn't want to ruin the relationship with your brother... Or at least that's how I understood it from what he tried to tell me without saying everything," Lan Xichen replied, finishing looking at the attraction itself as if hoping to see something more and turning his face towards the younger man. 

His dark gaze expressed a silent question whether he was right. He didn't understand the bidding itself, but also his brother's explanation was full of holes, and he might have misunderstood something. He preferred to learn the truth from the other side before reproaching Lan Wangji for his recklessness. 

"No," he replied, smiling with the corner of his mouth. "It was my brother who was involved in this bidding war, he and a friend of mine. They thought it would be fun to send me on a date with your brother and see what comes of it."

Jiang Cheng shrugged his shoulders slightly, because he really had nothing more to add on this topic, but he wanted the man standing next to him to be aware of how it all went. He guessed that Wei Wuxian really wanted to be in his shoes, although he was afraid to admit it out loud, and now they were both in a situation that they didn't really want.

The student twitched slightly as a louder cry came from the haunted house, and then rolled his eyes, wondering why people went there if they were actually scared. He wasn't terrified by skeletons or other ghosts jumping out of the walls, so he always passed the attraction quite calmly, liking it because of the ingenuity of its creators.

"I guess I don't understand why your brother didn't go on the date then, but personally, I'm not complaining" Lan Xichen stated after a moment, not looking at the student, only smiling slightly under his breath as he watched the attraction from the outside. 

Another step forward, and they waited to be let inside themselves. The man still didn't fully understand why people would enter the haunted house and squeal in panic or leave crying after a while, but he suspected that eventually this place must be something interesting if so many people were waiting in line to enter.

"Probably because he's ashamed or doesn't understand what's going on with him," only Jiang Cheng muttered, but he didn't add anything else, not wanting to go into it too deeply after all.

Lan Xichen merely nodded silently, himself recalling his own brother's behavior as he plodded along, trying not to lie but not to reveal everything either. It seemed that both the brother of the accompanying student and Lan Wangji needed something to help them move together in a common direction. Maybe in that case, this date and the lack of response from him would give the younger brother some food for thought.

"If I start screaming, though... Don't tell anyone," he asked quietly, leaning a bit towards the younger man, looking at him with a bit of amusement in his gaze, not intending to continue the previous topic. He felt excited, and suspected that after all, it wasn't just the attraction, but the fact that Jiang Wanyin had decided to accompany him a little more.

The younger man wanted to tell him that there would be no one to tell him about it anyway, but still he thought it would be strangely inappropriate, perhaps even rude, so he only shook his head slightly. However, he didn't have time to add anything more, when their turn came, and they were allowed with another group inside the house of horrors, which didn't impress the student too much, although he had to admit that it always interested him in its own way. 

Darkness surrounded them, and after a moment the first sounds of music, which he had always found somewhat embarrassing, rang out. Without fully thinking about what he was doing, he took Lan Xichen's hand, clasping his fingers lightly on his palm, and then smiled, though the man couldn't see it.

"Now at least you won't get lost in one of the rooms."

Lan Huan didn't know what to reply, too surprised by the other man's behavior. The student couldn't see it, but he smiled broadly, reciprocating the shake of his fingers, holding his hand firmly. If he couldn't take it as, perhaps unconsciously, permission to keep trying, he didn't know how to read it. Though it could always just be about having fun, emphasizing the atmosphere of the house of horrors.

"With company like that, I wouldn't mind getting lost," he finally assured quietly, glancing in the direction where he thought the student was standing.

Jiang Cheng merely rolled his eyes and then headed further along with Lan Xichen, laughing quietly as the people in front of them screamed, as they panicked and could be heard trying to escape somewhere. Sam felt more fascinated by it all, at times amused, such as when they walked straight into a spider web that momentarily stuck to their faces and wove into their hair. These were familiar tricks, a game that didn't have much meaning, but nevertheless could actually send shivers down their spine, which were quite pleasant in their own way.

Lan Xichen looked around them with interest, twitching a few times when someone shouted loudly beside them, which was a reaction to the sudden noise, not his fear. However, when they stepped into the spider web, he couldn't control his body as he shrugged violently, taking the threads off his face. He wasn't fond of spiders, and although he had learned to live alongside them, stepping into webs wasn't one of his favorite activities. As a result, he clenched his fingers tighter on the younger man's hand, finishing removing the web from his own face, feeling his whole being involuntarily stiffening.

"I had forgotten that cobwebs fit into this vibe," he said quietly, feeling slightly embarrassed by his own behavior.

"I guess that means you don't take care of any tarantulas," the younger man remarked at this.

He was actually curious to see how Lan Huan would react to all this, to these graves opening up, ghosts flying out of the walls, all the mess and darkness that surrounded them. There was something intriguing about getting to know him, perhaps amusing insofar as he could nonetheless juxtapose him with his brother, who expressed absolutely nothing, never shared his feelings or thoughts, and was truly bizarre. However, Jiang Cheng also had to admit that he was just having a pretty nice time, and if he could play on Wei Wuxian's nose in the process, all the better.

"I admit that I avoid our eight-legged friends. Do you? Do you like it when something runs over you like that?" the older man asked quietly, and without thinking, with his free hand imitating a spider's, he moved it up the student's arm, nudging his neck and cheek with his fingertips, which may not have been necessary, but he couldn't help it. 

It was only after a while that he lowered his hand, not stopping to look at Jiang Cheng, even as the ghost they had seen walking inside appeared behind him. Such a move was definitely not expected by the younger man, who all but flinched and tilted his head slightly, trying to avoid that tingling, not entirely pleasant touch. 

It was irritating in its own way, offensive and certainly absolutely out of place, though it didn't bother him as much as he might have expected. Besides, the student had a feeling that Lan Huan didn't mean anything bad, that it hadn't even occurred to him that it might have had some hidden meaning. 

"I don't mind," Jiang Cheng stated simply, though it was hard to tell what exactly his answer was about. "Come on, before someone thinks we need to be rescued from the devil's clutches."

"I much prefer wet noses, even if a close encounter risks me getting bitten or scratched by claws" laughed Lan Huan quietly, continuing to follow the younger man, hoping that the spider web really was fake and nothing was walking on him at the moment.

He twitched again at the next scream that rang out in front of them, laughing slightly at his own reaction. Again, he looked around curiously at the attractions devised by the organizers, admitting in his spirit that he was slowly beginning to understand why people waited in line to get in here. Although the cobweb wasn't pleasant, he didn't mind coming back here.

It didn't take them that long to go through the entire scare house, and when they left it, they were actually quite amused. Nothing horrible had happened there, and Jiang Cheng had to admit that he was much more amused by the thought that others were almost running away from inside that nightmarish building. He saw some of them hugging each other and involuntarily thought that his stupid brother would probably do something similar, but he himself didn't feel the need to play the coward just to gain something, unspecified, from it. 

"Now do you understand why people like to be afraid?" he asked simply.

"I think so, because I would love to come back here myself," Lan Xichen replied, his amusement reflected not only in his gaze but also in his voice. 

He still held the man's hand and didn't look like he was going to let him go, calmly walking ahead. He enjoyed this meeting, he was charmed by the man and in fact didn't want to part too soon. Lan Huan felt like proposing some more attraction, but he had in his mind his reaction to the Ferris Wheel.

Jiang Cheng could, of course, retract his hand himself, but for some reason he began to wonder how long they would go on like this. They had no particular goal, they had done what they were supposed to do and should actually part ways, but in the end the student didn't feel like it. He spent the time quite pleasantly, feeling better and better as his discontent and combative mood subsided. 

Yes, Lan Huan had done something stupid, but he wasn't exactly right about that either - he should have refused or just forced his brother to go to the meeting he really wanted to go to. He also stopped seeing the problem in the fact that he could simply start having fun, without burdening himself with thinking about things that were not important at all. 

"It's a bit like an escape room, though here at least you don't have to look for the exit," he added after a moment, glancing at the student out of the corner of his eye.

"I don't like them" replied Jiang Cheng. "I don't like... the feeling of being confined" he added a little quieter and raised his shoulders slightly.

"What if you came with me? I haven't had a problem leaving yet," he asked lightly, glancing at the man out of the corner of his eye, but immediately shaking his head. "Just kidding. I understand such reluctance and indeed an escape room isn't suitable" he added immediately smiling gently. 

He certainly wouldn't press him to accompany him to a place that would make this one uncomfortable. Then, in truth, neither of them would be satisfied with the meeting. Instead, he was glad that he had learned something important about the man, which might make it easier to make an appointment with him in the future if he was looking for an interesting attraction. He knew what not to choose.

Lan Xichen was undoubtedly lucky that he quickly explained his words, because his companion subconsciously tensed his muscles as if he wanted to run away from him, reminding him that forcing anyone to do something he didn't want to do never ended well. In the end, he only muttered something about picking his jokes better, as there was absolutely nothing funny about it.

The older man apologized once more, promising to remember that, but he didn't lose the smile from his face. He felt comfortable, at ease, and the fact that they were still holding hands was stunning. He didn't know how long they could go like this, but he didn't want to break it for no reason.

"A future archaeologist, he likes dogs and scare houses, though he's not afraid of anything. What else do you like to do when you have some free time?" He asked, glancing at him surreptitiously while looking around at the passing attractions. 

By chance, they entered a part of the amusement park that was teeming with opportunities to win mascots. Shooting moving objects with pellet guns, throwing bags at a target, hitting balls into a basket in time, hitting a hammer... Lan Xichen, however, didn't give any indication that he was looking for a way out of here, not wanting the mood of the accompanying student to go bad again.

"Definitely not to answer questions as if I'm in an interrogation," Jiang Cheng stated a bit huffily, perhaps slightly sarcastically, as they continued to head ahead, not giving a complete thought to where they were actually going. 

He only stopped at a large group of people who slightly blocked the passage, clearly cheering their friends who were just trying to win some plushies. Jiang Cheng watched their struggles for a while, seeing how they were having trouble hitting the right basket, but he didn't comment on it in any way.

"Used to interviewing?" tried Lan Xichen's excuse, even before they stopped at a large group of people. He looked first at the strangers, wondering what they were trying to do, then looked closely at his companion. "You look like someone who knows where they're going wrong" he remarked quietly, leaning slightly towards the student, not wanting to draw the group's attention to them in any way. 

Jiang Wanyin only smiled slightly, but didn't reply in any way, not even knowing how to put into words what he thought. However, before they went anywhere further away, the group in front of them had apparently grown impatient with their complete lack of success, allowing a student to intercept the ball. He turned it immediately in his hands, looking at it as if it were something strange, and then glanced towards the target, trying to figure out what needed to be done to declare success.

Throwing a basketball in time was never easy, but nevertheless it wasn't something incredibly difficult either, and since they were already here, once Jiang Cheng felt that this silly game was something of a challenge for him, he shrugged his shoulders, then agreed to join in the fun, doing so in a completely unforced manner.

As soon as the signal to start the game sounded, he threw the first of the balls into the basket, hitting it almost flawlessly. But he didn't bother to think about what had gone wrong, simply reaching for more balls that lay in front of him, slipping as soon as one flew through the hoop or right next to it, hitting it almost ignominiously. To this, Jiang Cheng reacted with an amused yet somewhat annoyed snort, but made no other comment on what was happening.

Lan Xichen stopped at the side, watching the student silently, with a clearly amused glint in his eye. He liked what he saw, feeling his heart pounding harder and harder in his chest. He watched in awe as the balls hit the hoop time and time again, feeling like laughing when he heard the exasperated snorts. The vet could see that he was dealing with someone who knew basketball, who had played the game more than once. The student's movements were sure, precise, as if automatic, which meant that Lan Huan could only stand stunned, waiting for the signal to sound for the game to end.

As soon as it happened, he raised his hands to applaud for a moment. He involuntarily wondered what the man must look like during the game, if he belonged to the college basketball team, if he would be able to see their game. The vet's dark gaze shone with recognition and merriment.

"Congratulations! I didn't know I was dealing with almost a professional. The university team?" he asked warmly, not noticing that the staff member operating the game called out to the student asking what prize he wanted, as if the questions were not directed in their direction.

"Yes. Previously school," only Jiang Wanyin replied, eventually turning his attention to the man manning the attraction. 

He didn't need the reward, yet he knew that refusing it would be strange, to say the least. So in the end he pointed at the large, plush dog, which he handed to Lan Xichen without blinking, and a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. He treated it perhaps a bit like a taunt, but it wasn't a silly joke on his part, let alone a mockery, for he was far from that. Nevertheless, he felt that the man should get the award, partly because he was simply trying to help his brother and partly because they were having a nice time. 

"What diagnosis, doctor?" he just asked.

Lan Xichen stared surprised at the plush dog, remembering what Jiang Cheng had said earlier about dating in the amusement park and not knowing how he should take it. However, he smiled as he placed his hand on the plush dog's head, stroking the toy as if it were a living animal.

"He'll have to stay with me for observation," he replied, forcing himself to be serious, though an amused look spoiled the effect. He got the impression that the student was having as much fun as he was during this meeting. He didn't want to end it, but he knew he shouldn't drag the date out indefinitely.

Jiang Wanyin merely smiled a little warmer, but didn't comment in any way, not saying that he should visit him in that case, not leaning in any way, simply leaving the plushie in the older man's hands. 

Since he loved animals, he didn't see anything wrong with it, nor did he think it was a mockery on his part. He had to admit, however, that he had the urge to rub Lan Wangji's nose in his own way, and for some reason it seemed to him that his brother's return home with the plushie would fit into that possibility.

"Are we heading for the exit?" asked Lan Huan uncertainly, putting one arm around the plush dog. 

He wondered for a moment if he could grab the student's hand anew. He'd liked it when they'd walked quietly through the amusement park that way, though then they'd just not let go of the scare house. Now he had no excuse other than his own desires.

Jiang Cheng merely nodded slightly. He didn't want to drag this meeting out indefinitely because it didn't have too much meaning in it, although it was indeed pleasant, and if it weren't for the circumstances in which they met, perhaps it would have been different. Now, however, he didn't want to drag this out unduly, feeling that it would be simply foolish on his part. So he headed towards the exit, taking one of the longer paths so that Lan Xichen could look around, so that he could get a good look at exactly what the amusement park looked like and what else could be found here. 

Nevertheless, he wasn't going to make this meeting something official, he wasn't going to let it look any different than it should, so he simply said goodbye to the man in front of the gate to head quietly to the train station. He still didn't reply to his brother's messages, didn't even answer them, knowing he was doing him a disservice by doing so. And although he wasn't exactly proud of it, he felt that Wei Wuxian definitely deserved it.

Lan Xichen didn't realize the one reprehensible mistake he had made until almost reaching home. He had not asked the student for his phone number. There was a moment when he thought about it. He wondered where he could invite him to the next meeting, and how he could do it, but in the end he doubted whether asking Jiang Wanyin for his phone number was appropriate. Still, although he thought they had both enjoyed themselves in the end, the student might have resented the masquerade his brother had put him in.

At home, he made no secret of his displeasure at the situation he had been put in. He didn't tell Lan Wangjie about anything that happened during the meeting, but he did force him to reveal what time they had class together. All so that he could show up at the university the next day. He felt more at ease this time, being dressed in his clothes, with his hair tied up and his glasses with delicate frames on his nose. He wasn't fond of the contact lenses he had been forced to wear before.

Lan Xichen found the building where the lecture that Lan Wangji had mentioned was to be held, and when he spotted it along with a group of students among whom he saw Jiang Wanyin, he immediately directed his steps toward them, paying no attention to the considerable sensation he was causing among the other students.

"Hi Wangji," he spoke up as he approached the group, and though he smiled gently, the tone of his voice was firm. Completely different from the one he used to greet the younger student. "Wanyin."

His younger brother looked at him somewhat uncertainly, even furrowed his brow slightly, clearly wondering what was actually going on. He was aware that Lan Huan was angry about what had happened, that he was annoyed with him, that he didn't like what had happened at all, but he didn't understand what this one was doing here. Besides, he had to admit that his brother's behavior had surprised him quite a bit since the day before, and now that he had turned to the other student, Lan Zhan involuntarily tensed all his muscles.

"Xichen" only Jiang Cheng replied, raising his eyebrows slightly, wondering what this one was doing here.

He glanced at his brother out of the corner of his eye, as if to see what his brother would do now. When he returned home, he didn't say anything to Wei Wuxian, somewhat maliciously toying with his uncertainty, thus teaching him a kind of lesson to never try to pull a similar stunt on him again. He wasn't stupid and guessed that the other man was somewhat disappointed.

Wei Ying was now looking intently at his brother and the man who had joined them. He also looked at Lan Wangji, only to immediately clap his hands, starting to laugh at the relief he suddenly felt. He suspected that Lan Zhan or his brother would try to wriggle out, and since they hadn't had a chance to meet Lan Xichen so far, it had to be related to the date. It would also explain Lan Wangji's behavior throughout the day. He wanted to say something already, but fell silent, listening to the older man who was looking directly at his brother while speaking.

"I hope everything has been properly explained," Lan Huan said calmly, returning his gaze to Jiang Wanyin, not hiding a smile.

Lan Wangji felt his cheeks cover with a deep blush, but said nothing, because he didn't intend to deceive his older brother in any way. He had promised him that he would explain everything, but he needed time to do so, because he couldn't jump into the deep end, it wasn't his style at all, so he kept quiet until now, not quite sure how he should proceed.

"I wanted to ask you out on a date. This time in the right way," he said simply, without a hint of embarrassment, not taking his gaze off the student's gray eyes.

Jiang Wanyin furrowed his eyebrows slightly and then snorted amused, feeling that this was all starting to get even more fun than it already was. He didn't expect to ever meet Lan Xichen again, nor did he intend to push for it particularly hard, because while it was pleasant to spend time with him, while it really was quite nice, he didn't think anything could come of it. In the meantime, however, the older man had apparently decided to take things into his own hands, not caring what others would think or what else might happen.

"So what kind?" he asked with a wince.

"Suggesting a meeting this Saturday and asking for a phone number, so we can set up an exact time and place," Lan Xichen replied, smiling a little wider as he extended his hand with his phone towards the student. 

He couldn't sleep for half the night, reproaching himself that he could have at least asked him for his phone number. Then he could have written or called right away, instead of going specifically to their university. Though then he wouldn't know that his brother still hadn't explained the situation to anyone, making his dark gaze betray anger when he looked at Lan Zhan. Completely different from when he looked at Jiang Cheng, like at the moment, passing the phone.

"Unless you would like to visit me at the clinic."

"Not you, but one of your patients, for sure," replied the student curtly as he took the provided cell phone from him.

A hooked smile lurked at the corner of his mouth, one that Lan Xichen certainly already associated, but in no other way showed that he liked what was happening. He brushed his hair back behind his ear to unlock the screen and immediately opened the address book and calmly began typing his phone number into it, completely unconcerned with Lan Wangji's furtive glances, who was completely stunned.

"You won't find yesterday's at the clinic," Lan Xichen answered him quietly, ignoring his own brother's behavior. 

He wasn't going to explain anything to him, though perhaps he should thank him, because if it wasn't for his not-so-smart plan, he wouldn't have met Jiang Wanyin. With that, however, he was going to hold off until dating became a sure and permanent thing, which he hoped for in the near future, given his plans to leave after graduation.

He also paid no attention to Wei Wuxian, who poked Lan Familiar hard while loudly expressing his astonishment that the latter had a brother. He didn't know exactly what had happened on the date, but he was beginning to have his suspicions that would explain what was happening in front of them at the moment. Lan Zhan looked at him, but only shook his head slightly, not feeling like talking about it, and certainly not with Wei Ying. 

"Did you take him home, so he wouldn't feel lonely?" asked Jiang Cheng at this time, handing the cell phone to the older man. 

"Of course. He takes a liking to my bed" Lan Xichen replied, glancing at his phone to immediately send a short message with the hours he himself works at the clinic. "In that case... I'd like to invite you to the clinic as well as for a walk on Saturday" he added, leaning slightly towards the student with a slight smile on his face. He didn't bother to look at his brother, focusing only on Jiang Wanyin.

The student smiled at him out of the corner of his mouth, as if to ask him if he realized what he had said, if he realized what he was actually proposing to him at this moment. There was something about it that sent chills through him, though of course he shouldn't be reacting to it all like that. However, after the first wave of shock and anger that had swept through him the previous day, he had to admit that contentment had come to him.

He had a nice time with the older man and even regretted a little that he decided to return home so soon. Nevertheless, he didn't want to break his own resolutions, he didn't want to suddenly act as if under the influence of these few remarks, these nice words, he would be able to change his attitude completely. But now things were completely different, so he didn't feel bad about giving him his phone number.

"I thought you'd be interested to see what the Ferris Wheel was all about."

"I'd love to, but on our next date. I'd prefer something a little more... my style this time," the older man replied sincerely, his earlobes covered in red, which he effectively ignored, closing his eyes in a smile. 

To say he was glad for the phone number and the promised meeting was like saying nothing. Now, dating on his own terms, he felt much more confident and was sure that it wouldn't end with this one date.

The younger man snorted quietly, coming to the conclusion that after all Lan Xichen was a very confident man, even if at the same time he seemed as if he could be easily embarrassed. However, he was clearly able to overcome those feelings, which was probably not to his younger brother's liking. Lan Wangji didn't want to continue participating in this conversation, so he tried to pull Wei Wuxian aside, clearly abashed by what was happening.

"In that case, it remains for me to see what your style is," Jiang Cheng stated with a faint smile.

Lan Xichen looked at him for a moment, then leaned towards him slowly. He hadn't taken his eyes off him the whole time, ready to stop if he saw a signal that he shouldn't get so close. However, he couldn't shake the feeling that everything around him was screaming for him to kiss him. He had wanted to do that while he was still in the scare house, later, when he was given the plush dog. Back then, however, their meeting hadn't really been theirs and circumstances had kept him from doing it. Right now everything was different, and he didn't feel like stopping, ignoring the principles instilled over the years.

"I can't wait," he whispered before placing a soft kiss on his lips.