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Jiang Cheng petulantly frowned at his mother in protest. He didn't want to spend the day playing with some stupid older boy from some stupid sect, he wanted to go eat candies at the market with Yu Guo and his family the way Yanli would. But as usual what he wanted wasn't important and his mother ignored him as she welcomed the group of white-clad cultivators approaching Lotus Pier.
"Madam Lan! It is so wonderful to see you again after all this time. I got so worried when I heard you had gone into seclusion due to health reasons."
The woman, who was close to his mother's age, laughed. Her voice was the complete opposite of Yu Ziyuan’s. It was soft and light like that of a cloud. Nice to listen to. “I’m so happy to see you too Madam Yu, though I do apologize that my youngest didn’t come along. I am sure young master Jiang would’ve preferred playing with someone his own age.” As she addressed him, she smiled down at Jiang Cheng who quickly averted his eyes and continued to frown.
"Please don’t apologize, knowing your eldest I am sure they will get along great in spite of the difference in age. And, as a soon-to-be alpha, Jiang Cheng has been really excited to meet a presented alpha closer to his age."
"No I haven't." Jiang Cheng corrected.
His mother glared down at him, but the woman in white laughed again. “Oh, an honest young little master, aren’t you? My son will love you. Speaking of, why don’t you introduce yourself to him, Xichen?”
“Of course.” The boy standing beside her, mirroring his mother’s soft smile, took a couple steps forward and lowered his head in the exact same way Jiang Cheng’s instructors had told him to do it. “Greetings young master Jiang. I am Lan Huan, courtesy name Lan Xichen, the first young master Lan. It is an honor to make your acquaintance today.” His greeting would’ve been perfect if it wasn’t for… “You stink!” Jiang Cheng complained as he pinched his nose to keep out the intense stench of earthiness that was burning the inside of his nostrils.
The boy’s cheeks turned a deep pink. “S-S-S-Sorry…” he stammered after which the stench quickly dissipated, leaving only the light scent of green tea behind.
Without warning, Jiang Cheng’s mother slapped him on the back of his head. Her hand leaving behind a sharp sting that made Wanyin frown even deeper. “Don’t be rude, Cheng. You know it’s difficult for young alphas to control their scents and for young master Lan to be already handling it as well as he is, is very impressive.” she spoke, nodding approvingly towards the young master in white.
“Thank you Madam Yu” the boy replied, but his cheeks were still tinted an embarrassed pink.
“Now hurry up and return his greeting.” The order, which promised many more slaps if not complied to, sent a chill down Jiang Cheng’s spine.
“Yes mother.”
Taking a couple steps forward Jiang Cheng tried to copy the bow white-clad boy had just shown. “Greetings to young master Lan. I am Jiang Cheng, courtesy name Jiang Wanyin, the only young master Jiang.” He was supposed to end his greeting there, but Jiang Cheng couldn’t stop himself from adding an apologetic, “And your scent is actually quite nice when it isn’t as strong.”
A wave of green tea leaves came crashing over him.
“S-Sorry.” Lan Xichen hurriedly apologized. “Hearing you say that made me very happy.”
Jiang Cheng tilted his head in confusion. “Being happy makes you stinky?”
“Wanyin!” his mother exclaimed.
Suspecting her shout might mean that another slap was incoming, Jiang Cheng ducked his head just in time for his mother’s hand to come soaring through the air, just barely missing the top of his head.
“Madam Yu, what do you say about having a cup of tea together? I am sure the boys can sort things out on their own, can’t you?”
Lan Xichen nodded his head and Wanyin followed suit.
Yu Ziyuan grunted and sent her son a glare, warning him to behave, before leaving together with the kind woman in white.
“I brought you a gift.” Lan Xichen spoke when it was just the two of them left standing outside.
“A gift?” Jiang Cheng wondered.
“Yes. Since I’m visiting your sect I bought you a gift.” He repeated, pulling out a small brown bag out of his long sleeve. “It’s candy.”
Eyes widening, Jiang Cheng snatched the bag out of Lan Xichen’s hand, eager to take a look at what was inside. And he was not disappointed. Filling the entire bottom of the bag were several handfuls of paper-wrapped toffees. If he had gone with Guo-ge and A-Jie he would’ve been lucky if he had gotten three.
“Do you… do you like it?” Lan Xichen asked hesitantly, before having two arms thrown around him.
“Yes, I love it! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!!!” Jiang Cheng exclaimed as he was once again bathed in the smell of green tea, though Lan Xichen must’ve been more careful this time as Wanyin didn’t feel as assaulted by it as he had before. “Let’s go eat, Xichen-ge!”
“Xichen-ge?” His scent grew stronger.
“Mn. Let’s go.” Jiang Cheng called, gesturing for the Lan to follow him, but his friend had apparently grown roots as he, much like a tree, remained in place in spite of Wanyin’s encouragement. “This way.”
Lan Xichen still didn’t move.
Getting impatient, Jiang Cheng returned to his side and began pulling on his hand in an attempt to drag him away. It wasn’t very effective. Xichen just stood there, lazily gazing down at their hands as though he couldn’t comprehend what Jiang Cheng was trying to do.
“A-Niang will get mad if we eat here, it’s not allowed. We have to go to A-Jie’s pavilion first.” Jiang Cheng explained, pulling on Lan Xichen’s hand once more to try and get him to follow. It worked just as well as it had before.
Getting nowhere, Jiang Cheng decided to try a different tactic. There was not a single child he’d ever met who could resist the promise of candy, so he reached into the paper bag and fished up one of the toffees, unwrapping the tasty goodness before temptingly holding it out in front of the young master Lan. “It’s not just any candy, it’s a Yunmeng specialty, you can tell by the way…” But Lan Xichen wasn’t paying attention, instead mumbling a soft, “Such a sweet smell…”
Jiang Cheng frowned. He didn’t like being ignored, but at the same time he really wanted to go eat the candy… so pretending to be unbothered he said, “It does smell nice. But it tastes even better… Do you want to go try tasting it?”
“I do…”
Jiang Cheng was overjoyed at the confession, but his happiness quickly turned sour as his new friend mistook his neck for a piece of toffee. The older boy’s sharp teeth sank into the soft skin right below his jaw until the strong stench of metal mixed with the smell of green tea. “I’m not candy!!” Jiang Cheng yelled. His hands flailed in an attempt to get the mistaken boy away from him when the alpha’s scent suddenly came crashing over him. The intensity was so strong that Wanyin could think about nothing other than how the scent made him feel as though he was being wrapped up in a large cozy blanket made up of tea leaves.
His body relaxed as he snuggled into the warmth. The sharp pain on his neck quickly grew dull and was replaced by a low comforting hum.
“Omega…” Lan Xichen murmured. “My sweet omega…”
Jiang Cheng purred. He didn’t know why but he felt unbelievably happy somehow.
Suddenly, a loud shriek filled the air followed by the, to Jiang Cheng, familiar scent of his mother. Only this time it was many many times stronger than he had ever felt it before to the point where the strong smell of wood ash was burning the inside of Jiang Cheng’s nostrils even in spite of the natural protection that being related to the alpha gave him.
Lan Xichen however, did not possess that same protection. Whimpering he curled in on himself to try and escape the assaulting scent.
“Stop it A-Niang!” Jiang Cheng shouted. “You’re hurting him!”
“As I should. No one marks my child without permission!!” She roared as she stomped towards the two of them.
Furious at hearing her words, Jiang Cheng glared at his mother. “Only Omegas can be marked. A-Niang knows that!” As a future alpha, Jiang Cheng could not be marked no matter how many times someone tried. So to hurt Xichen over something that he not only hadn’t done, but couldn’t do, was beyond stupid.
But it all being a stupid mistake didn’t stop his mother who, instead of lowering her scent, yanked him up by the arm and dragged him away from the young alpha who still laid motionless on the ground behind them due to the older alpha’s strong scent making it impossible for him to do otherwise.
“A-Niang!” Jiang Cheng cried. His gaze did not leave Xichen-ge even as his vision began to blur. “A-Niang, please stop hurting him!”
They walked several steps away before the scent was finally decreased enough to where Lan Xichen was able to move again. The first action he took was to cover his nose.
“It’s still too strong.” Jiang Cheng complained, but his mother was not willing to give in further.
“WHAT IN THE WORLD WERE YOU THINKING!!?” The furious words were for once not aimed at him. But to his surprise, this didn’t make Jiang Cheng feel any better hearing them.
“I am so sorry madam Yu. I… I don’t know what came over me. Young master Jiang started smelling so sweet… I couldn’t control myself. I’m sorry.” Lan Xichen apologized without ever lifting his head from the ground.
Yu Ziyuan opened her mouth to shout at him again when a softer voice called out to her, “Madam Yu? What is going on?” It was Madam Lan, standing with a snow-white handkerchief pressed against her face to keep the strong scent out.
“Madam Lan, please go back inside. I have things covered.” Yu Ziyuan replied. Her sudden gentleness sent chills down Wanyin’s back.
“Xichen…?” she asked when she spotted her son laying on the ground.
“Everything is fine, mother. I just happened to fall over.” The smile Lan Xichen showed his mother as he stood up and dusted off his robes was so convincing that Jiang Cheng couldn’t help but stare at him in disbelief.
“Okay… Just don’t take too long or your tea will go cold.” Madam Lan called out before returning inside, taking the sudden friendly atmosphere with her.
Lan Xichen bowed his head. “Thank you, Madam Yu.”
“I did it for her. Not you.” Yu Ziyuan barked back. “If she found out her son was just as bad as his father…” She clicked her tongue.
“I know… and… I will make sure to take responsibility when the time comes.”
“Of course you will. It’s the least you can do.” Yu Ziyuan snapped.
Jiang Cheng glowered. “Why is he the one apologizing? A-Niang is the one who hurt Xichen-ge, she should be the one to apologize!” he spoke, clenching the hand not gripped by his mother into a tiny fist of indignation.
“No, young master Jiang. I am the one who should apologize. I did something really really bad today and your mother has every right to be mad at me.” As he spoke, a gentle whiff of green tea wafted by the young boy. It felt oddly relaxing.
“But…” Wanyin’s objection was so weak that a simple smile from the older alpha made it disappear from his tongue.
“Me and your mother have some things we need to discuss… How about you go eat those candies you were so excited about?” He asked, gesturing towards the now very crumpled paper bag he was still holding onto.
Unsure of what he should do, Wanyin glanced up at his mother who nodded her head in agreement with the Lan alpha. “Oh-okay… I will save some for when you’re done.”
Lan Xichen smiled, but it didn’t look the same as before. He looked sad. “Thank you young master Jiang, but that won’t be necessary. I will be heading back home once I’m done speaking with Madam Yu.”
“Already!? But you only just got here!” Wanyin whined.
“I know. I wish I could stay too, but I just remembered something really important I need to do back at home and it can’t wait.”
Jiang Cheng pouted.
“No need to look so sad. I’ll be back. When it’s time, your Xichen-ge will come back to take care of you.”
Wanyin’s eyes widened in excitement. “You will bring more candy with you!?”
“If that is what you wish then I will be sure to bring some. Goodbye for now, young master Jiang.”
“Mn… goodbye.” Jiang Cheng replied before running off towards his A-Jie’s pavilion to eat some of his sweets, unaware that the amount of time his new ge was referring to was a lot longer than he could ever have imagined.
It was so long that when the boy, turned handsome young man, returned to Lotus Pier to propose to him, Jiang Cheng was no longer able to recognize him. It was only when he released some of his scent, the gentlest of sophisticated green tea, that Wanyin recognized who he was.
“My alpha”