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There’s something about the summer that makes people romantic and hopeful. Everything’s brighter, even for the misty mountains of Gusu, and it’s so easy to get caught up in its romanticism.
Even Jiang Cheng, who’s often pessimistic and disillusioned, had told him, “You’ll visit us in no time.” Jiang Cheng had said this right before he’s about to walk out the Cloud Recesses—a promise that carries not only his but Wei Ying’s, too.
The days that follow, however, make it clear that he won’t be visiting them soon. Uncle has no official business anywhere close to Yunmeng, Huan-ge is in no way old enough to do anything in their father’s stead, and Father—well, Father hasn’t come out in years.
He receives two letters. It’s been thirteen days since Jiang Cheng went home. Huan-ge gives him the said letters with that annoying look on his face, then hovers by Lan Zhan's table like a town gossip.
"Thank you, Xiongzhang," Lan Zhan says, his tone appreciative but final.
He waits.
Lan Huan also waits.
Lan Zhan glares.
"My didi has secrets now," Lan Huan pouts.
Lan Zhan keeps glaring. He considers throwing his brother out the window.
"Yes, yes," Lan Huan says, stepping back. He takes slow steps backward, still lingering when Lan Zhan had essentially shooed him off.
Ugh.
-
All three of them had spent afternoons dreaming of what they’ll do after the study visit ends. Sometimes, they’ll think about spending the fall on Lotus Pier. Sometimes, Wei Ying will suggest they stay in Gusu long after the visiting disciples leave.
Sometimes, it’s a full-blown fantasy—they’re either getting married in secret, becoming rogue cultivators in Lanling, or Lan Zhan getting an official marriage proposal from Yunmeng.
It is fun and a little silly and Lan Zhan falls in love each time.
-
“Lan er-gongzi.”
Lan Zhan turns as he always does with formalities like this. Anyone who calls him so formally is likely just here to ask him questions or pass something on. But as he turns, he sees Nie Huaisang hovering by the entrance to the Library Pavilion.
It takes him a few moments to stand, hesitantly, then salutes in greeting. Nie Huaisang reflects this awkwardness by fidgeting with the wrong placement of his hands before managing a proper salute.
Lan Zhan doesn’t know what to say, so he does what he always does: stand there and wait. People tend to get over it and say what they want as the silence stretches to painful lengths.
Nie Huaisang, however, doesn’t mind the silence. Lan Zhan can’t quite tell if he’s just as socially inept or if he’s deliberately doing this, because it leaves Lan Zhan no choice but to be one to break the silence.
"Can I help you?"
They both cringe. Lan Zhan doesn't know whether they've reached the minimum level of closeness to be in any way informal to each other.
"Uh," Nie Huaisang fidgets. "Da-ge has some business in Yunping."
Lan Zhan does what's close to raising his eyebrows in confusion.
"Nighthunt," Nie Huaisang says. "Perhaps you can get Huan-ge to take you."
Lan Zhan doesn't really get what he means, so he nods in confusion.
"Uh, yeah. That's it," Nie Huaisang says, covering his face with a newly-painted fan (Lan Zhan thinks he carries a new one every two days).
He turns on his heel, stops as if he forgot something, then turns to face Lan Zhan again.
Nie Huaisang bows. "Sorry," he says. "I forgot."
Lan Zhan nods. He thinks this is the part where friends would joke about something, or at least one tells the departing to be careful on their way.
"If you need directions, I can draw you a map," Nie Huaisang says.
A what.
Something must have shown on Lan Zhan's face, because Nie Huaisang lets out a long, drawn-out, and frustrated sigh.
"Yunping is near Yunmeng," Nie Huaisang says. "Are you thick or what?"
-
So. Lan Zhan needs to go to his brother.
He'd been fairly sure that this would be awkward and annoying, and Lan Zhan is right.
Lan Huan doesn't react at first, because Lan Zhan merely knocks on his door as usual. Lan Zhan often comes to see him after supper; sometimes for tea, sometimes for a quick conversation where Lan Huan asks him about his day.
Something about the summer has also made Lan Zhan forget a few things. He feels a little guilty for not visiting Huan-ge as much during the course of the study visit, so he brings him candy (the sour ones that Jiang Cheng likes for some reason).
"You bought these?" Lan Huan asks, eyes big and curious and irritatingly obnoxious.
"Hm."
"Down in Caiyi?"
"Hm."
"I don't see these in the main street."
"From upstream," Lan Zhan explains, which is enough to tell Lan Huan that he had to squeeze around tight alleys to get said candy.
Lan Huan stares at the huamei, then at Lan Zhan. He looks like he's about to cry.
As much as Lan Zhan wants to leave and denounce his brother forever, he can't. The whole point of bribing is to ask favors after giving someone something nice (or so Wei Ying says).
"Have you seen the fried food stalls?" Lan Huan asks.
"Yes."
"Did you try anything?"
He has not bought anything from Caiyi since Jiang Cheng went home. Even then, he hasn't brought food or anything Wei Ying and Jiang Cheng like coming down there for. They'd asked if he wanted to try things, of course, but they never forced him to do things when he says he doesn't want to.
That's not something he wants Lan Huan to hear, though. Instead, Lan Zhan says, "a few"
Lan Huan looks absolutely pleased in a way he hasn't been in so long. It's the same face he'd made when six-year-old Lan Zhan spoke to Nie Huaisang for the first time.
"That's good , didi," Lan Huan says, seemingly for the thousandth time since the summer started. "I'll take you to eat somewhere. When I'm free, okay?"
The sincerity of it throws Lan Zhan off. It's moments like this that Lan Zhan knows they're alone and they're allowed to be whoever they want.
Huan-ge is so earnest Lan Zhan does not have the heart to be annoyed at him.
"Hm."
"You'll have to show me around too, okay?" Lan Huan says. "I don't think I've gone upstream."
Lan Zhan hums, taking his time. He's figured out how he's going to broach the topic to Lan Huan, but he doesn't quite know how to time it right.
So, he does the most logical thing: he blurts it out.
"Yunping," Lan Zhan says, seemingly out of his control.
Lan Huan still has that endeared look on his face, but it morphs into confusion.
"Huh?"
"There is a Nighthunt. In Yunping," Lan Zhan says. "You're going."
Lan Zhan’s head is stuffed with mush as he awkwardly struggles to get the words out.
Understandably, Lan Huan doesn't get what he means. Worse, Lan Huan's cofusion has turned into worry, eyebrows knitting anxiously as he encourages Lan Zhan to say more.
"I want to go," Lan Zhan finally gets out.
Lan Zhan has gone through several embarrassing things these past few months, and most of them are in some ways related to his brother. He's sure embarrassing him is Lan Huan's goal all along, but it doesn't make broaching topics like this any better at stopping Lan Zhan from riding Bichen into the horizon.
"Alright," Lan Huan says. "But why?"
Here it is.
"I want to go," Lan Zhan says, then realizes how little sense that made. "I wish to observe older disciples."
For a moment, Lan Zhan blissfully thinks he'll get out of this without consequence whatsoever. Lan Huan simply nods, admires the candy, and seemingly prepares himself to ask Lan Zhan his usual questions— how was today, A-Zhan? How many rules did you copy today? Did you work on your basic sword forms?
Then, Lan Huan gets that strange, obnoxious look on his face that makes Lan Zhan regret every charitable thought he's ever given his brother.
Lan Huan tries not to smile. "You know…"
No. He's not having it. Lan Zhan abruptly stands, knees painfully knocking against the table in the process. "Thank you for tonight, Xiongzhang."
"If you really wanted to meet the boys—"
Lan Zhan salutes, then turns.
"—I can drop you off Yunmeng, if you want."
Lan Zhan stops.
With his back turned, he cannot see what Lan Huan is doing. Unfortunately, Lan Zhan knows his brother enough to imagine that smug look on his face (most people won't notice, but Lan Zhan does, and it's annoying ).
Lan Zhan refuses to say anything. For one, he feels like his head might explode from the heat that's rushed up to his ears.
"I'm studying medical herbs for potential trade," Lan Huan says, voice melodic and teasing, like he knows Lan Zhan can't help but listen to what he has to say. "I heard Yunmeng has traditional leaves used for common colds."
Lan Zhan's torn between falling to his knees in gratitude and telling someone to fuck off.
"Perhaps I need another set of eyes," Lan Huan says.
"Hm," Lan Zhan hums, then heads for the door. "I can help Xiongzhang if he wants."
-
Lan Zhan does not want to tell them about his intent to visit, because he knows there's a chance it might not happen. After all, Lan Zhan has some studying to do, some sword forms to perfect, and some bunnies to feed.
The idea of him going to Yunmeng is possible right now, but it isn't certain, and he hates seeing disappointment of any kind on any of his lovers' faces.
Nie Huaisang pops up as Lan Zhan writes his sixth letter (it'll be the third time he's sending one out to Lotus Pier).
Lan Zhan expects there to be some painfully awkward ceremony like the one last time, but Nie Huaisang saunters into the Library Pavilion and heads straight to where Lan Zhan is sitting.
Nie Huaisang practically slams a torn piece of paper in front of Lan Zhan. "Here."
Lan Zhan counts the number of rules violated— don't make too much noise, always greet people with respect, no speaking in the Library —but Nie Huaisang shrugs, as if he sees Lan Zhan contemplating an impending punishment.
"I'll copy the rules two times," Nie Huaisang says, perfectly calculating the standard penalties. Indeed, a perk of getting punished one too many times. "Hopefully your uncle didn't add three hundred new ones since I last checked."
"Eight," Lan Zhan says, and Nie Huaisang sighs.
"Anyway." Nie Huaisang gestures at the paper on the table. "That should help you find your way."
Lan Zhan blinks, then immediately notices Nie Huaisang's frustration.
It's as if he's saying, are you thick ?
Lan Zhan looks down at the paper, and finally sees that it's a map. It's well-drawn, as expected from someone who loves painting, detailed to a point that it looks like a legitimate piece of cartography.
It's impressive. Although it's not the first time Lan Zhan's been impressed by Nie Huaisang's steady paint strokes.
"Thank you," Lan Zhan says, because he doesn't know how else he could've worded it.
Nie Huaisang waves his fan dismissively. "Don't worry about it."
He's pretty sure Lan Huan could just point him in the right direction when they get there, but Lan Zhan genuinely appreciates the thought.
Wei Ying openly jokes (and Jiang Cheng silently agrees) about Nie Huaisang being Lan Zhan's best friend. Lan Zhan doesn't think they're that close, but he could believe they're in some way friends; even by just knowing each other for over a decade.
"Copy the rules once," Lan Zhan says.
Nie Huaisang's eyes pop out. "What?"
"Just once," Lan Zhan assures.
-
Lan Huan is twice as embarrassing in the days leading to their departure.
He would give Lan Zhan notes, books, and study materials to be used for his "scholarly visit." While Lan Zhan isn't exactly inept with research, Lan Huan's studies are also far above what Lan Zhan's currently doing. Uncle himself had pointed this out, but Lan Huan smoothly explains with, " Wangji started guqin lessons at three. "
So, Lan Huan is embarrassing. Lan Zhan would stop talking to him, but Lan Huan's doing him such a huge favor that Lan Zhan needs to be extra nice to him.
"Wangji," Lan Huan saunters in the Library, too prim to be considered cocky, but also too confident to be considered benign. "A list of herbs, see? We might as well look up other things while we're there."
"You said just one," Lan Zhan says.
He's not even sure Lan Huan had intended to look something up in the Lotus Pier archives. From what Lan Zhan gathers, he's only supposed to meet with one of the doctors and ask about it.
Lan Huan does the most subtle of shrugs. "Three more days in Yunmeng can't hurt."
Lan Zhan recognizes the cloaked teasing. Lan Huan doesn't move that much, but he looks like he's about to rip out of his skin in excitement.
"Hm. Did you tell uncle?"
"Yes," Lan Huan says. "I didn't tell him you were staying with your boys, don't worry about it."
Lan Zhan feels an eye twitch.
They're standing off.
They don't say a word, but Lan Huan is challenging him. He knows Lan Zhan can't afford to ignore him.
Lan Zhan picks up his brush, eyes on his work, and says, "Does Uncle know you rented one room with Mingjue-ge?"
Lan Huan throws the list in Lan Zhan's face.