Lan Wangji stared at the plate of hot pancake that Wei Wuxian whipped up quickly for both of them. He took a bite and a faint smile of approval passed over his lips.
"Do you like it?" Wei Wuxian grinned brightly.
Lan Wangji simply nodded in response as he continued eating the food, enjoying it immensely.
Wei Wuxian smiled before turning his attention to the phone in his hands, checking on Wang Yibo's schedule for the week. "Lan Zhan, looks like you're doomed." He remarked dryly.
Lan Wangji raised an eyebrow in question but he remained silent and continued eating his food.
"You have a back-to-back filming at Shanghai in two days and a few commercial shots afterwards." Wei Wuxian explained, reading through the itinerary on his phone. "That means, you will need to work all week."
Lan Wangji froze for a moment before swallowing down the remaining pancakes in his mouth. The sudden realization dawned upon him. "Wei Ying, I don't think I can do that." He said seriously and shook his head. He roughly understood what Wang Yibo does for work and what his job scopes are but he wasn't sure if he could pull off acting the part. "I can't... act."
Wei Wuxian sighed, "Look... If it is up to me, I would rather to keep you here until we find a solution for this situation but I am not confident that I can find a way to fix this in a day or two." He admitted, a frown marring his features. "In my current condition, I can't try using Empathy on you in the soonest time and that backlash may happen again."
Lan Wangji frowned at the thought and looked down on the empty plate, "I understand." He responded quietly.
"But I will start looking into ways to reverse this right after this." Wei Wuxian assured him.
Lan Wangji nodded, "I will help too."
"Oh even better! We can figure this out together and start working on it immediately." Wei Wuxian agreed easily. "But first, let me clear the plate for you." He said as he stood up, picking up the plate and walking toward the sink with it. "Would you like some coffee too?" He asked, glancing over his shoulder at Lan Wangji while he washed the dishes.
"Coffee?" Lan Wangji echoed curiously. He wasn't quite sure what it was but according to Wang Yibo's memory, it tasted good. "Okay." He answered. He watched as Wei Wuxian moved around the kitchen, taking a capsule and slotted it in the coffee machine. The smell of freshly brewed coffee wafted in the air and Lan Wangji breathed deeply, appreciating the aromatic fragrance.
"Here. Oat milk latte for you." Wei Wuxian placed the mug in front of him.
"Thank you." Lan Wangji said before he lifted the cup, eager to try. It was flavorful, not too rich and not too sweet. He liked it. His eyes fell on Wei Wuxian's cup as he savored the newfound taste. In contrast to what he was drinking, Wei Wuxian's coffee was pitch black, dark like soy sauce.
"Oh, would you like to try mine?" Wei Wuxian offered. Lan Wangji hesitated for a moment, but still found himself nodding. Wei Wuxian smiled, pushing the cup towards him which Lan Wangji accepted. He could not help the slight frown from forming on his forehead as soon as he tasted it. It was bitter, almost as bitter as the herbal medicine back in Gusu. It was not unpleasant kind of bitterness but he couldn't decide if he liked it or not since he just had a more mellow version of it.
"It's a triple espresso shot. It packs a punch, right? " Wei Wuxian declared, chuckling lightly. "I usually am not a person who likes bitter stuff but this one is an exception. It gives me a boost of energy and keeps me awake when I have those early morning schedules. I don't know how else I would be able to do this job without coffee now." he rambled as he took back the cup. "Anyway, that's enough about the drink. I need to tell you something important."
"Hm?" Lan Wangji hummed, curious to hear what Wei Wuxian has to say.
"During that Empathy session, we met." Wei Wuxian said bluntly.
"We?" Lan Wangji repeated, confused.
"Xiao Zhan and I." Wei Wuxian answered.
Lan Wangji's eyes widened slightly, "What?"
Wei Wuxian clarified, "Apparently, we activated Empathy at the same time and we ended up sharing the same mind space. We talked to each other and we sort of exchanged our memories."
"Exchange memories?" Lan Wangji echoes, trying to digest the information.
"Yeah. Basically, I knew everything that he did over there and he vice versa." Wei Wuxian explained.
Lan Wangji stared at him blankly, unsure of how to respond to his revelation. "Everything?"
Wei Wuxian nodded and laughed softly, "Yeah! Everything. Down to the smallest and tiniest details." His eyes twinkled with mirth and mischief as he leaned forward slightly to whisper scandalously, "Like your favorite position."
Lan Wangji blushed furiously at his remark, "Wei Ying!" He chided.
Wei Wuxian cackled loudly as he sat back down, "Oh, no need to be shy! You have absolutely nothing to be shy about, Lan Zhan." He assured with a mischievous wink.
"Shameless!" Lan Wangji grumbled, shaking his head disapprovingly.
Wei Wuxian laughed even louder, "I think we can both agree that you are pretty shameless too."
"Wei Ying." Lan Wangji protested with a hint of warning.
"Alright, alright." Wei Wuxian said, throwing his hands in the air in mock surrender. He sobered up pretty quickly and his tone turned serious once more, "Anyway, back to your matter at hand. Even if I do possess Xiao Zhan's memories, I still need time to process it all. In the meantime, can you tell me what you remember about the Empathy session. I need perspective outside my point of view. Was there anything that felt off?"
Lan Wangji contemplated carefully for several seconds, "There was a abnormal surging of Yin energy around Wei Ying's..." He paused to take a breath, "...his body. I tried to balance it out by transferring my energy to him to stabilize the flow. I didn't expect to be pulled into the session itself." He explained quietly, pausing for a moment as he recalled Wang Yibo's memory, "Wang Yibo thought you were in danger. He did the same thing I did."
Wei Wuxian frowned deeply at that revelation. "I see..." he muttered, deep in thoughts.
"Wei Ying? What do you think happened to Wang Yibo?" Lan Wangji asked, feeling concerned now.
Wei Wuxian bit his lip in contemplation, "I think you two switched. He should be in your world now."
Lan Wangji was silent for a few moments, processing the information he had been told and trying his best not to panic as he processed the implications of that statement. "Switch?" He asked quietly.
"Yup. Just like how Xiao Zhan and I switched places. Although..." Wei Wuxian trailed off, rubbing his chin in uncertainty.
"Although?" Lan Wangji prompted.
"He woke up as a younger me and that world is not exactly mine?" Wei Wuxian deduced, tilting his head slightly.
Lan Wangji furrowed his brows. "What does that mean?" He asked.
"Oh!" Wei Wuxian shot up out of his seat then, "I think I can show you!" He exclaimed.
Lan Wangji blinked, startled, "Show me what?"
"The world I came from." Wei Wuxian explained, grabbing Lan Wangji's hands, pulling him along with him to the living room and urged him to take a seat before he switched on the television. "And you should already know about this too since Yibo was in it. Chen Qing Ling." Wei Wuxian announced with a smile, sitting down next to him on the couch. "The world I came from might not be entirely the same with the one on the drama but the setting is pretty close."
Lan Wangji was about to ask him more when he suddenly caught sight of the scene on the screen.
"Lan Zhan, let me go." Wei Wuxian's voice sounded from the TV.
Lan Wangji stiffened when he saw himself tightening the grip around Wei Wuxian's wrist. This familiar scene that haunted his dream was now on display before him. He knew it from the recollection but seeing it in full definition before his eyesight was different. He glanced at Wei Wuxian, who turned quiet and grim upon seeing the scene too. They remained silent as they witnessed the fall.
"Ah, perhaps I should fast forward that part and get to what comes later..." Wei Wuxian murmured, starting to speed past the parts .
Lan Wangji stayed silent. It was hard to believe it happened to the man in front of him. A tear slid down Wei Wuxian's cheek and he wiped it away with a shaky hand before moving on. The scene changed to the part where Wei Wuxian met Lan Wangji for the first time at the gate of Gusu Lan sect.
"Look at you, silencing people at the first meeting. Tsk tsk." Wei Wuxian snorted as they watch the replay of the encounter.
"That wasn't me." Lan Wangji said defensively as he kept his eyes at the screen, studying the person who looked like him but not him. Even their forehead ribbons were not the same.
"Well, technically, he is Lan Wangji and you are Lan Wangji too." Wei Wuxian grinned. "And you are wearing an identical expression as he is right now."
Lan Wangji scrunched up his eyebrows in displeased, "..."
"See? Exactly the same." Wei Wuxian laughed as he pointed back and forth between Lan Wangji and the image of Lan Wangji on the TV.
"Ridiculous." Lan Wangji huffed.
Wei Wuxian chuckled as he shook his head and they continued watching the footage together until they reach halfway through the episode. "It's slightly different than the Cloud Recesses you know, right?" He commented as he continued to observe Lan Wangji.
"Mn." Lan Wangji nodded in agreement.
"Do you get my point now? Although some parts are different, I can say that the world I came from is not really the same from where you came from." Wei Wuxian continued. "So, we should find a common ground where our worlds overlapped." He concluded, looking straight at Lan Wangji.
"Which is?"
"The author of the novel. We need to find her. She might have the answer." Wei Wuxian told him. It wasn't like he never discussed this with Wang Yibo but they never had the time to get to it. Besides, Wei Wuxian was content enough with his life at this modern world and Wang Yibo often made him forget about the topic altogether. In all honesty, Wei Wuxian wished that he could continue with the current life that he was living forever. So, he didn't look for the answer to the phenomenon that befallen him.
"How are we supposed to do that?" Lan Wangji asked.
"This is the world where internet exists and we have quite a wide connections. I don't think there would be any problem locating such a famous writer. And her Weibo is active. We can start from there." Wei Wuxian shrugged. "But..."
"But?"
"I'm afraid, you still need to follow through the schedule. Like I said, we probably can't fix this issue within a day or two." Wei Wuxian said apologetically, "Yibo treasures his career. So, please just give it a try. Just until we find some answer."
"..." Lan Wangji sighed defeatedly. "I may need to apologize to Wang Yibo after this is over. "He mumbled to himself.
Wei Wuxian looked at Lan Wangji sympathetically, patting his arm gently, "Don't worry, Lan Zhan. I am sure you can do whatever Yibo could! You are him and he is you after all. You just have to believe in your self! I have confidence in you!"
Lan Wangji answered him with another long sigh.
********
Xiao Zhan sat behind his desk, his mind whirring trying to find a way to redeem himself. He knew he had royally messed up this time. Wang Yibo only did what he did because someone insulted him.
What have I done? He stood up for me. And I... said that he was being difficult. I really was an ass! IÂ must had hurt him deeply.
He sighed loudly and rubbed his forehead in frustration.
What am I doing? He's not Lan Zhan that I know of. Even if he is Lan Zhan's reincarnation, he is different. He is...Wang Yibo. Why am I forcing him to be my Lan Zhan? How selfish of me! How thoughtless!
Xiao Zhan shook his head despondently as he buried his face in his hands. This situation, among all other issues that he was facing, was pushing him to the edge of breaking down.
If only Lan Wangji was there, he would've comfort him with his soft and soothing touch. It was difficult and frustrating that he could see him lying down on the bed but at the same time, it was not his lover in that body. So close but yet... out of his reach. He missed Lan Wangji so badly. He longed for him. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself and shifting his focus to find a solution of the soul switch. Thankfully, he kept those forbidden reading materials about spatial cultivation that he had been studying before in his Qiankun pouch. Soon, he immersed himself fully in reading. "Regression of time." He muttered under his breath, taking note of each word into account.
*****
After what happened, Wang Yibo needed time to cool down and he felt asleep on the bed before he noticed. It was past midnight when he woke up to a sniffling sound. He turned to see Xiao Zhan's at his desk with few open books and scrolls scattered around him, his head rested on the surface with his forearms as pillows.
He knitted his brows when he saw the glimmer of wet tear tracks staining his cheeks, reflected by the light talisman that was illuminating the room dimly. Sighing, he got up and approached Xiao Zhan silently. He crouched down beside the man and his expression softened. His fingers lingered in the warmth of Xiao Zhan's skin as they gently wiped the tear stains before he dragged his fingertips to brush along the perfect bridge of Xiao Zhan's nose. He stopped in his track when Xiao Zhan whimpered slightly as he mumbled softly, "Lan Zhan... I'm sorry..."
Wang Yibo felt his breath hitch in his throat, a pang of guilt hitting him straight in the chest. Looking back, he realized that he was acting a little childish earlier. Xiao Zhan didn't say anything wrong. He was being difficult when Xiao Zhan was already stressed out about the case involving his adopted father as well as how to fix their issue. The last thing the other man needed was for him to add to that stress. But he couldn't stop himself. He felt the need to fight back at whoever dare insulted the person he cared about. Truthfully, he was just a little hurt when Xiao Zhan seemed to not appreciate his gesture.
Another whimper drew Wang Yibo's attention to Xiao Zhan again. A shuddered sigh of pain escaped the man's mouth as he shifted restlessly on his spot and furrowed his brows tightly together. Wang Yibo was not a stranger to this look. Wei Wuxian had the same one whenever he had those vicious nightmares sometimes. It was upsetting to see the identical look on Xiao Zhan's face. He exhaled heavily before he gently gathered Xiao Zhan into his arms and lifted him up, carrying him into his bed as if he weighed nothing.
"Lan Zhan..." Xiao Zhan whimpered again, his hands clutching at Wang Yibo's robes as he buried his face against the junction of Wang Yibo's neck and shoulder.
"I'm here." Wang Yibo murmured before laying down beside him and pulling him close to his chest. "I'm here." He coaxed as he stroked his back soothingly, humming softly to comfort him.
"Don't leave me..." Xiao Zhan's voice trembled weakly. "Lan Zhan... please don't leave me."
Wang Yibo squeezed Xiao Zhan tighter. "I won't." He whispered before he continued humming.
Xiao Zhan gradually relaxed, feeling reassured by the steady beat of Wang Yibo's heart and the calming familiar melody. He breathed deeply, nuzzling his face deeper into the warm embrace and soon, his breathing steadying in a more regular pattern.
"Rest well." Wang Yibo murmured as he placed a kiss on Xiao Zhan's forehead. "Wei Ying."
The morning came and Xiao Zhan woke up with a start. His head was on top of Wang Yibo's chest, his entire body rested against the larger frame beneath him while Wang Yibo's arms wrapped around his waist, keeping him in place. A position that he was all familiar with since he always had a habit of making Lan Wangji's his human pillow. He pulled away slowly, trying not to wake Wang Yibo but before he could, Wang Yibo stirred under him and pulled Xiao Zhan back causing him to yelp in surprise. He looked down wordlessly to see Wang Yibo gazing tenderly at him, sleep still clouding the golden eyes.
"Running away?" Wang Yibo asked in a husky voice.
It took everything in Xiao Zhan not to shiver at the raspy baritone voice that normally drove him wild. He gulped before answering a quiet, "No."
"Don't you have something to say to me?" Wang Yibo asked expectantly.
Xiao Zhan blinked and then nodded. "...I'm sorry," He whispered.
Wang Yibo tilted his head slightly, "What are you sorry for?" he tested.
"I was unreasonable yesterday." Xiao Zhan answered, averting his gaze.
"Okay." Wang Yibo replied easily.
Xiao Zhan was taken aback by the simple reply. "Okay?" He repeated, raising his eyebrows in question.
"Yeah." Wang Yibo nodded in confirmation. "You were definitely unreasonable yesterday," He smirked smugly.
Xiao Zhan narrowed his eyes before he hit Wan Yibo's chest lightly. "I am trying to apologize sincerely here." He grumbled in annoyance.
Wang Yibo laughed, "I've never seen anyone apologizing at the same time hitting the person he was supposed to be apologizing to." He said, shaking his head slightly.
"Shut up." Xiao Zhan retorted, giving Wang Yibo's chest another smack. Harder this time.
"You just added one more to your offences." Wang Yibo chuckled quietly as he caught Xiao Zhan's wrist in a tight grip.
"Hey! Let me go." Xiao Zhan complained, trying to pull his hand free.
"Not until you finish your apology." Wang Yibo said with his boyish smirk. "I need to hear it."
Xiao Zhan glared at him for a moment, his lips pressed into a firm line, before letting out a long-defeated sigh and rolling his eyes. "I'm sorry I called you difficult." He muttered in a low tone. "I wasn't thinking clearly. I shouldn't have said that." He paused. "Also, thank you for standing up for me, Yibo."
There was a brief pause as Wang Yibo contemplated how to respond to Xiao Zhan's words. "Are you not going to call me Lan Zhan anymore?" He asked hesitantly.
Xiao Zhan took a deep breath. "I wasn't being fair by forcing you to act as... Lan Zhan, when you're not exactly him. You're Wang Yibo." He admitted after a few seconds of silence. "And I'm not..." He lowered his head, "I mean, you can refer to me however you want when we are in private." He added, his voice barely above a whisper as he spoke.
Wang Yibo smiled, shaking his head slightly. "Honestly, it doesn't matter which name you chose to call me. Those are my names too. Just how you are Xiao Zhan, you are Wei Ying too. And Wei Ying is fine with me if you are more comfortable with it."
Xiao Zhan couldn't suppress a smile, feeling his heart much lighter as he gazed at Wang Yibo. "It doesn't matter? Really?"
"Mn. Doesn't matter." Wang Yibo agreed with a nod. "Whichever you're comfortable with."
Xiao Zhan hummed thoughtfully. "How about I give you a new nickname?"
"Hm? Like what?" Wang Yibo responded suspiciously.
Xiao Zhan thought a second, smiling as he looked at Wang Yibo mischievously. "Xiao Haizi."
"Hah! Really? You're calling me a kid?" Wang Yibo snorted in amusement.
Xiao Zhan shrugged nonchalantly. "Well... yeah. You're a child."
"A child, huh?" Wang Yibo said, narrowing his eyes at Xiao Zhan.
"Yep. You kinda act like-" Xiao Zhan started to tease when Wang Yibo suddenly flipped him over and pinning him firmly to the mattress. "Ow! What are you doing?!" He whined while wriggling beneath Wang Yibo's body.
"Am I still a child in your eyes?" Wang Yibo asked mockingly. "You know, I am bigger and taller than you now." He said, smirking proudly.
Xiao Zhan rolled his eyes indignantly. "You are still shorter than me in our world." He scoffed.
"But, we are not in our world." Wang Yibo pointed out, his smug grin still plastered on his face as he tightened his grip. "And height does not matter in this current situation, does it? Try to get out if you can."
"Stop playing around!" Xiao Zhan yelled as he struggled with the strong clamps of hands that imprisoned his wrists.
"I am a child; I am allowed to play around." Wang Yibo responded calmly.
"Okay, okay! You're not a child! You are an old man. The most ancient one!" Xiao Zhan conceded defeat. "So can you please get off, great ancestor?"
"I don't want to." Wang Yibo said smugly, leaning in closer.
Xiao Zhan's eyes widened at the close proximities of their faces, "Wang Yibo! Lan Zhan! Lan Wangji! Whichever you are! I am warning you." He warned, "Get off or else."
"Or else what?" Wang Yibo raised an eyebrow challengingly.
"You've been warned." Xiao Zhan stated, his eyes glowed in red, "I give you one last chance. Get off right now."
"Okay! Wow, you are so scary! I think I'll get off." Wang Yibo immediately sat up; his hands held out defensively in surrender. "I don't want to see ghost today. So, I won't even try." He added.
Xiao Zhan rolled his eyes at Wang Yibo's comment as he climbed off the bed. "Well, bad news for you, this world has plenty of them." He grinned deviously.
"..." Wang Yibo was quiet for a few seconds before he asked, "How many are we talking about? Are they going to pop up out of nowhere giving people jump scares?" His eyes darted around the room nervously, just in case.
Xiao Zhan burst out laughing as he shook his head. "Oh relax, would you? No ghosts are popping up anytime soon." He paused for dramatic effect, "Not unless I call them, of course."
Wang Yibo eyed Xiao Zhan warily. "...You're not going to call them one of these days, right?"
"That depends. Should any situation that requires me to do so..." Xiao Zhan trailed off ominously.
Wang Yibo let out a long groan. "...Just give me a warning if you really need to summon them. Please." He requested.
Xiao Zhan patted Wang Yibo's arm, laughing at his reaction. "Hanguang-jun, it's unbecoming of you to be terrified of such measly ghost when you can easily obliterate them with a light swing of your sword."
"You don't understand. My bladder sphincter might let go faster than the swing of my sword." Wang Yibo snapped at him. "Reputation be damned."
That reply sent Xiao Zhan into a frenzy of laughter.
As they were walking down the hallway, Wang Yibo finally get the answers to all his questions that he didn't get to ask before their fight. "So, a Gusu Lan disciple is involved in your father's poisoning?" He asked curiously.
"Yeah. But I can't think of anyone in Gusu who would do that." Xiao Zhan frowned as he rubbed his chin in thought. "Your Shufu... I mean, Lan Qiren might hate my guts but he wouldn't possibly do this. He wouldn't resort to this kind of scheme." He remarked.
"How about that traitor?" Wang Yibo suggested, recalling a scene during their filming days.
"What traitor?" Xiao Zhan questioned, tilting his head.
"Isn't there a traitor in the Lan Sect in the drama?" Wang Yibo remarked. "I think I had a fight scene with that guy. You know the masked person-"
It was like a piece to the puzzle had clicked in Xiao Zhan's brain. "Su She?" He interrupted.
"Yeah, him." Wang Yibo confirmed.
"Su She." Xiao Zhan breathed out through clenched teeth. "I forgot that he exists." He sighed deeply, "Why didn't I think of it earlier?"
If he was to be honest, he didn't think about this because he was too distracted by the switch up. So much of being a genius, he berated himself. How stupid he was for not thinking of this sooner. "Thanks for that input, Yibo. I owe you one." He muttered.
"No problem." Wang Yibo grinned proudly. "You have nothing to thank me for. Anyway, what are we going to do now?" He asked.
"We are going to find that fucking piece of shit and hang him upside down at the top of Koi Tower like a damn flag." Xiao Zhan announced seriously, his fists balled up tightly.
"Woah, calm down. That is a little extreme, isn't it?" Wang Yibo commented.
Xiao Zhan shrugged carelessly. "Would you rather see me shred him to pieces? Gut him like a fish?"
"And now you're scaring me." Wang Yibo exclaimed, holding up his hands to cover his stomach. "But no, I'd rather not see that." He stated, grimacing.
"Ah, don't worry. I will only give him what he deserves for harming my family." Xiao Zhan's gaze darkened dangerously as he chuckled. It sounded more sinister than reassuring. "A taste of hell."
Wang Yibo paused, frowning at the sight of Xiao Zhan's eyes flashed crimson, noticing the unmistakable hint of blood lust that was beneath the other's gaze. It sent chills down his spine. "Okay, you should really calm down now, Wei Ying." He urged.
Xiao Zhan turned to look at him and his gaze softened. He took a deep breath before letting out a shaky sigh. "I am calm."
"Hmm..." Wang Yibo stared at Xiao Zhan carefully, studying his expression, "You don't look calm. You look like you're on the edge of snapping." He noted.
"I'm sure it's just from being stressed out from everything that's happening." Xiao Zhan tried to assure him with a smile.
"Are you sure?" Wang Yibo asked again.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I promise." Xiao Zhan said as he gave Wang Yibo an assuring smile.
Wang Yibo fixed his eyes Xiao Zhan for a few seconds before nodding slowly. "Alright, if you say so."
Lotus Pier seemed pretty peaceful despite the altercation the night before. The atmosphere was pleasant during breakfast. The disciples were joking and talking normally, even Xue Yang was back to his usual self as if nothing happened. Wang Yibo was back to acting as the regal Hanguang-Jun before the eyes of public, ignoring Jiang Cheng's occasional glare from across the dining table.
However, the air was filled with aggression once again when the discussion barely started in Jiang Fengmian's office.
"Someone from Gusu Lan tried to frame Father, how could you be quiet about this?" Jiang Cheng demanded angrily, looking at Xiao Zhan disdainfully.
"Jiang Cheng, stop it." Jiang Fengmian said after shooting his son a disapproving glare.
"No, Father. You were interrogated for mere suspicion by someone you raised for years! And yet, the ingrate kept his mouth shut when there is evidence pointing at his lover's sect member."Â Jiang Cheng argued heatedly. "And yet I am the hypocrite? Of course I would have a problem with that!" He exclaimed, directing it at Wang Yibo.
Wang Yibo felt his blood boil as he continued listening, his fists clenched tight as he glared daggers at Jiang Cheng.
Xiao Zhan placed a hand on Wang Yibo's thigh to stop him from going off. "Let me handle this." He cut in calmly. He turned to Jiang Fengmian, "Uncle Jiang, do you mind if I put some sense to Jiang Cheng?" Xiao Zhan requested politely.
Jiang Fengmian sighed and nodded slightly. "Please do."
"Thank you, Uncle Jiang." Xiao Zhan responded with another smile before turning back towards his martial brother. "Jiang Cheng, I overlooked your disrespectful comments plenty of times before because you are my brother. But you crossed the line." He pointed out sternly.
Jiang Cheng gritted his teeth and shot to his feet. "I crossed the line??" He snapped. "Since you are so great, no one is allowed to question your action, is that right??"
"I am not saying that you can't but you could have just ask nicely. Well, you may have your reason to take it out on me, but you forgot one thing." Xiao Zhan said as he stood up straight, towering over Jiang Cheng. "Before you start a fight, know thy opponent." He stated, shaking his head lightly, "I am quite disappointed in you as your former trainer for forgetting this basic strategy. So, let's train. Maybe it can jog your memory." He paused to emphasize, "That is, if you dare."
"You think I don't dare?" Jiang Cheng glared at Xiao Zhan furiously for several seconds. His face was red as he seethed. Then suddenly, his expression morphed into one of horror, "Wait... did you just use the word 'train'?"
Xiao Zhan nodded his head, his expression deadly serious, "That I did."
"Father?" Jiang Cheng turned to Jiang Fengmian, expecting some sort of help, belatedly regretting his outburst.
Jiang Fengmian glanced at Xiao Zhan for several seconds and then back at his son. "Training is good for you, A-Cheng." He said calmly, ignoring the obvious conflict in front of him. "Why don't you two have a spar at the training ground to let out some steam? That's how we do it in Yunmeng Jiang anyway."
Jiang Cheng let out a choked noise, unable to refute his father's words before walking towards the door, "Let's just get over this already." He said to Xiao Zhan.
"A-Ying, please go easy on him." Jiang Fengmian called softly at Xiao Zhan. He sighed again, "He is still a little immature." He said regretfully.
"Don't worry, Uncle." Xiao Zhan assured, nodding his head with a small smile.
*****
It was a already a lost fight for Jiang Cheng before it started. Even he knew it himself. But his pride was too big to withdraw or back down. He might end up with being humiliated in front of the juniors today but it was better than being labeled as a coward. He steeled himself to receive incoming offense, keeping a watchful eyes on Xiao Zhan's move closely.
Xiao Zhan hummed, rubbing his chin approvingly, "I praise you to know enough to keep a defensive stance. At least you still remember some of my teaching." He acknowledged as he lifted Suibian. "I promised Uncle Jiang to be gentle on you, so I will keep my sword sheathed." He smirked, "Now, shall we begin?"
Jiang Cheng gulped nervously. He wasn't afraid of most cultivators given that he was highly skilled despite his age as well. But he knew he couldn't hold a candle to the man in front of him. If he had a list of who he was scared of, an angry and provoked Xiao Zhan would be the top of it. But even if he wanted to make a run for it now, the monster of martial brother of his would be faster. So, all he could do was to accept his fate and hope that Xiao Zhan would keep to his promise to be gentle.
As expected, while Xiao Zhan avoid to hit Jiang Cheng's critical points, his most gentle hit still hurt like a bitch.
Wang Yibo watched from the sidelines silently, suppressing the urge to cheer for Xiao Zhan. Watching the man beat the everliving hell out of Jiang Cheng was satisfying and definitely entertaining to watch. Xiao Zhan was ruthless when he wanted to be, and although he was holding back right now, Wang Yibo could still tell that he was pissed off with Jiang Cheng.
"Jiang Cheng, do you know words can hurt as much as being stabbed by swords?" Xiao Zhan asked, keeping eye contact with Jiang Cheng as he struck. "You were angry at me but since you knew you can't lash out on me, you took it out on an innocent child? That's low, Jiang Cheng." He continued with an icy tone laced with anger, "Xue Yang is just a kid. He is just ten. What did he do to you to deserve such hurtful remark from you?"
Jiang Cheng gritted his teeth, refusing to answer, dodging to his side.
"Do you know how hard it was to live on the street as a child?" Xiao Zhan questioned as he swung the shelled sword down. "The hunger, the cold, the filth... Alone without parents, having to survive on people's garbage and having to fend off even stray dogs for scraps. Do you know what it was like?" He spat bitterly.
Jiang Cheng grunted at the impact, trying desperately to block every hit. However, Xiao Zhan seemed to be relentless. In fact, Xiao Zhan never missed. He was practically toying with Jiang Cheng at this point.
"You live a sheltered life for your entire life. Never experiencing the hardships of being homeless, living in dirt covered alleyways." Xiao Zhan continued without giving Jiang Cheng a break to catch his breath, "Xue Yang was almost beaten to death for a pastry. He lost his fingers when he was merely seven because of people who thought themselves to be the superior one and a noble one. You think he had time to learn about manners like you? No! He has been taught nothing except violence and cruelty! How could you remind him where he was from? How could you remind him of his traumatizing life?!" He yelled furiously.
Jiang Cheng gasped, "Shut up!" He spat, breathing heavily as he wiped away the sweat coating his brow. He didn't see any way out. All he could see was the sheathed blade held menacingly towards him. His heart pounding. He had known Xiao Zhan long enough for him to recognize the dangerous glint in his eyes. There was something dark in that gaze that made him want to retreat.
"You are supposed to be the senior brother to him and lead by example. You are supposed to be the mature one and yet, you're acting even worse than a child. How did you sleep at night knowing you hurt a child's feeling because you were angry at someone else?" Xiao Zhan asked angrily, his knuckles white as he clutched his sword tighter. He was fuming with rage, unable to restrain himself as much as he wanted to. "How could you be so heartless?!" Xiao Zhan roared as he charged towards Jiang Cheng once more.
Hearing that, Wang Yibo glanced at Xue Yang who was standing beside him, watching the fight silently with a grim look. He could see the pain and unshed tears in his eyes. He couldn't help but to sympathize with the harshness that the child had to endured before. He reached out his hand to rest on Xue Yang's shoulder, "No one will treat you badly anymore. You have us." He said, smiling softly at the boy.
Xue Yang looked down at Wang Yibo's hand on his shoulder before looking at Wang Yibo's face with surprise, "Wangji-xiong..." he whispered in shock before he broke into a smile. His tears finally falling freely. He leaned against Wang Yibo and embraced him with an enormous amount of joy and relief. "Thank you." He sniffed gratefully, his grip tightening slightly around Wang Yibo, his tears soaking Wang Yibo's robes.
Wang Yibo rubbed his head reassuringly, "You're a great kid. You deserve to be happy. Don't let anyone tells you otherwise." He spoke softly.
Xue Yang looked up at Wang Yibo and smiled again, a bright shining light illuminated his eyes. "Okay." He nodded enthusiastically. His mood lifted as he looked toward the fighting duo.
Xiao Zhan kept going relentlessly, his strikes growing stronger each second, driving Jiang Cheng to the edge. "Also, I had never accuse Uncle Jiang of anything, neither did I disrespect him. What I did was only necessary to clear his name. Why are you so hung up on that? Have you ever considered that maybe you are over reacting?" Xiao Zhan said harshly as he landed another hit.
Jiang Cheng winced in pain when the tip of the blunt scabbard dug into his side. "Stop!" He gasped, stumbling backwards. He fell on his butt and stared up at Xiao Zhan with wide eyes, his lips trembling. "I get it. So, let's stop." He panted, putting Sandu down to his side as a sign of surrender.
Xiao Zhan tilted his head as he lowered Suibian, "What do you get? Have you thrown enough of tantrum already? Are you tired? Is the bullying getting tiring?" Xiao Zhan mocked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Jiang Cheng flinched when he heard his tone of voice and looked down in shame, "...I made mistakes. I'm sorry." He said quietly, ashamed to meet Xiao Zhan's furious glare.
"You're only sorry because you got beaten up." Xiao Zhan sneered, not taking his eyes off of Jiang Cheng. "You don't mean your apology. Do you even know what you are apologizing for? Do you?" He said accusingly. He could feel a knot forming in his throat but he swallowed past it. He clenched his fists together, his fingernails digging into his palms painfully. "Tell me what are you apologizing for?" He demanded.
"Everything! Okay? Everything that you had just said!" Jiang Cheng exclaimed, looking up at Xiao Zhan. "You are right! I was wrong! And I am truly sorry!" He lowered his head again, "I shouldn't have said all those thing to Xue Yang. I didn't mean to hurt his feelings. I let my temper clouded my judgement." He admitted, this time there was sincerity in his words.
Xiao Zhan exhaled heavily, willing his anger to dissipate before he walked closer towards Jiang Cheng. He held out his hand, "So, are you ready to have a civil conversation now?"
Jiang Cheng accepted his hand reluctantly. "Yeah." He huffed as he was pulled up to his feet. His entire body ached and bruised.
"Before that, you need to apologize to Xue Yang." Xiao Zhan reminded.
Jiang Cheng looked disgruntled but he did not object. It was an awkward apology but it was genuine. Xue Yang didn't throw his usual witty comments to Jiang Cheng, instead he gave a small smile. "It's fine. You didn't mean it." He said, to which added to Jiang Cheng's guilty pang.
"I'm truly sorry for what I said." Jiang Cheng repeated his apology, more earnest this time.
Xue Yang grinned brightly, "That's more like it. I can feel your sincerity now."
Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes skyward and huffed, "You are still a brat though."
"You are the same, Jiang Cheng. A brat, through and through." Xiao Zhan remarked. Jiang Cheng had no come back to that. Well, he actually rather not get his ass beaten again so he shut his mouth.
"Let's just go back and continue our discussion." Xiao Zhan told the scowling brat before he told the rest of Yunmeng Jiang disciple including Xue Yang to resume their training.
Wang Yibo glanced sideways at Xiao Zhan who seemed satisfied with the outcome of his harsh lesson. "I never expected that you would literally beat some sense into people." He whispered.
Xiao Zhan smirked, "Well, sometimes violence is the answer. And it is not a crime to kick someone ass in this world." He replied quietly, shrugging his shoulders innocently. His expression turned a little more serious when he said, "And get yourself ready. We definitely need to go to Gusu right after this."
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*Xiao Hai Zi (å°å©å) means little kid/ small child.