Jiang Cheng stared at Xiao Zhan while tapping his foot. Waiting for an answer to his direct question, he couldn't bear the nagging curiosity in his head that he might end up with a severe migraine. He speculated that drastic changes in Wei Wuxian's personality may be related to Lan Wangji. The Wei Wuxian that he once knew was always out and about, wreaking havoc wherever he went for the sake of fun. The old Wei Wuxian never paid attention to or abided by any of the rules, and yet these days, he barely broke any, which felt out of place. That happened right after he met that stoic-faced Young Master Lan. Wei Wuxian somehow still received punishments once in a while because Lan Qiren had some unhealthy fixation on finding faults with his martial brother.
The changes were so baffling that his head hurt from thinking about them. Considering how boring and aloof Lan Wangji was, Jiang Cheng couldn't imagine any other reason except that his martial brother had fallen victim to that ethereal face that could shake both women's and men's hearts. But one thing he knew for sure was that he was agitated at the thought of the possibility of having another brother-in-law when he already hated his sister's fiancé, that hateful peacock.
Xiao Zhan rolled his eyes, finding the inquiry utterly ridiculous. "Why are you asking me such a question?"
"Why do you think so?" Jiang Cheng sneered. "You and that Young Master Lan are inseparable these days. You've even started to act similarly to him. So, I'm asking you now. Are you going to join the Lan clan anytime soon?"
"Heh." Xiao Zhan huffed, refusing to answer the paparazzi-like question. "How about you two, then?" he clapped back.
"Huh??" Nie Huaisang's eyes went round as he pointed to himself. "Me? Us? What...?"
Jiang Cheng' scrunched his face, annoyed with the notion, "What the hell are babbling about?! Cut the crap and just answer the damn question!"
Xiao Zhan languidly circled the two troublemakers with one hand behind his back, his posture tall. "Both of you spend your waking hours around each other. Day and night. Every single day. So, tell me, what is the relationship between the two of you? Apparently, according to you, two people cannot hang out without any sort of relationship going on. Jiang Cheng, are you going to join the Nie clan soon, or will Nie-Xiong be the one who joins Yunmeng?" he asked suggestively.
"I don't know if you are a smartass or dumbass." Jiang Cheng gritted his teeth, agitated, "But I do know that I want to sew your lips together right now!" He stomped his feet. "Why did I even bother to waste my time worrying about someone like you? Don't answer then!"
Nie Huaisang, on the other hand, was more fascinated than bothered by the suggestive remark. He doubled over with laughter. "Wei-xiong! Your sense of wittiness is truly unparalleled! Very admirable! I think I should learn this art of 'words are sharper than swords' from you to defend myself from my hot-tempered brother."
Xiao Zhan rolled his eyes skyward at that ludicrous compliment. He then stretched extravagantly and yawned, hinting that his bedtime was approaching soon. "Oh, well. Look at the time. Stop prying into my business. You two should worry about yourselves and your grades instead." He turned to Nie Huaisang. "Especially you, Nie-xiong. Aren't you supposed to pass this year? Rather than learning whatever nonsense you just called art, you should use that determination to study for the tests."
"Ahhhh, Wei-xiong! You are no fun! Why do you have to ruin the fun with your nagging?" Nie Huaisang whined before he changed into a teasing tune, "Oh, that reminds me. Do you want to borrow some cut-sleeve book?"
"Nie-xiong," Xiao Zhan glared at him. His hand gripped the handle of his sword, and his lips were drawn into a tight-lipped smile. "Should I beat you up on your brother's behalf? And why do you own such books? Where do you even obtain all these obscene things?"
"Haah!" Jiang Cheng scoffed. "Are you pretending to be pure now? You even have your secret collection at home! Do you even have the conscience to nag someone else when you are doing the same thing?"
These little teenage perverts! Are their heads only filled up with nonsense and stupid hormones? I am talking about you too, Wei Wuxian! How dare you drag me into this mess too!
"That was the old me, all right? Didn't you always ask me to change, behave well, and stop making trouble?" Xiao Zhan waved his hands dismissively. "You said it yourself not too long ago, 'Be more like Lan Wangji.' And those are your words, not mine."
Jiang Cheng scowled. "Yes, but what I meant was, you should follow Lan Wangji's example in terms of his good reputation! I did not ask you to throw yourself silly into his arms! You're like someone who got possessed by a virgin ghost latching onto a handsome man. Did you fall for his looks?"
You little rude-mouthed lad... And you wondered why Wei Wuxian never listened to you. That uninsured mouth! I swear to God, I am going to send a virgin ghost to haunt your dream tonight!
"Yes, Wei-xiong. You are like a different person now." Nie Huaisang sighed deeply. Dramatically exclaiming while fanning himself, he added, "Oh, how love can change people! It can even change one's gender preference. But hey, I get it. Lan Wangji's looks are the game changer."
Xiao Zhan fumed, "You know what, get lost! I'm too tired to carry on with this useless conversation. Off you go!" In the end, he literally kicked both of their asses out of his room. Keeping them off bay with his security talismans.
Well, he's not wrong. Wei Wuxian has indeed changed! He changed his soul for mine! Those freaking brats! Sigh, there goes my peaceful mind!
****
Two weeks had passed, and despite the so-called intervention, the pair still grew closer and spent most of their time hanging out with each other. Their closeness had become a popular topic of discussion among the disciples, much to Lan Qiren's dismay.
Xiao Zhan never bothered about the gossip because it was undeniable that both of them were together, practicing and honing their skills. It was not as if he had done anything wrong, and it was not his fault if people were narrow-minded. He would rather turn a deaf ear than correct them. After all, most of those people would turn against him when they found out about his unorthodox methods. Eventually, the only one who would stay beside him was Lan Wangji. So, it was only fitting that he chose to be in his company rather than anyone else.
That evening, Xiao Zhan took a break by the tree near the waterfall, which was the current training slash hangout spot for him and the Second Jade of Lan. They had ended the intense sword fight early that day as they were getting accustomed to each other's moves. Hence, they needed to formulate a plan to add more of their side skills for the next sessions.
He had been infatuated with the flute recently and had improved his finesse with the bamboo instrument at a considerably fast pace. A chuckle escaped his lips after he played a classical melody on the Dizi. It felt rather nostalgic to hear.
Lan Wangji, "What is it called?"
"Canon by Pachelbel." Xiao Zhan glanced at Lan Wangji, who was meditating in the lotus position a few feet away from him. "It was one of the first violin pieces I learned when I was still a beginner."
"It is unique," Lan Wangji commented with his eyes closed. He did not know what the first two words were, but he let it go.
"It is a classic composition from the West." Xiao Zhan had been playing many renditions of modern world songs he knew for the last couple of weeks, to which Lan Wangji had grown accustomed. Once, he performed a famous flute piece from the Japanese anime, Naruto called "Sadness and Sorrow," the score of which he had learned during his pre-filming training days. He ended up panicking when he saw the normally dignified and poised Jade of Lan with glassy, teary eyes. Although it was a pretty adorable sight, Xiao Zhan was then reminded of a song that had been made specifically for Lan Wangji, and he wondered how he would react. "Do you want to hear another song?"
"Mn." Lan Wangji hummed in agreement. But to his surprise, instead of the usual whistling tune, he heard a soulful voice filling the atmosphere. His eyelashes trembled as he fluttered his eyes open when he heard the first line of the lyrics pull his entire concentration from his meditation.
*****
Cool nights in Yun Sheng
Under the bright moon, a breeze caresses the heart
Someone watches the snow
Gazing into days long gone
Gusu's Emperor's Smile
Alone, bury it beneath the elegant snow
A qin sounds in the Jingshi
The melody of Inquiry echoes through the air
Are you still asking?
Asking after all the relentless fools that came before
And who is there in the distance?
Asking again the departed people
Black and white, praise and blame, what is it all worth?
Can you still forget?
In Yun Shen, amidst the crowd, we made a promise together
And where are you now?
That exchanged gaze, unforgotten
Inheriting all the brilliance of the world
Delivering justice, name sounding far and wide
Yet he refuses to forget
Retracing the steps of bygone days
Bichen's blade rings aloud
Yet hard to escape the madness and discord of old scores
A qin sounds in the Jingshi
The melody of Inquiry echoes through the air
Are you still asking?
Asking after all the relentless fools that came before
And who is there in the distance?
Asking again the departed people
Black and white, praise or blame, what is it all worth?
Can you still forget?
The world passes by but I remember only you
You are by my side
Unchanged since we last parted
*****
A deafening silence followed after the end of the last verse. Lan Wangji was like a frozen statue stuck in place, lost in deep thought.
"Lan Zhan, did you fall asleep?" Xiao Zhan asked. It had been more than five minutes since the last note left his mouth. "Give me some reaction if you're still awake."
Lan Wangji turned to look at him, and finally, he parted his lips to utter, "What is the meaning of that song?"
"It is a song about you." Xiao Zhan spoke as he tried to analyze the Second Jade of Lan's facial expressions. His curiosity about his reaction peaked as he added, "And it was originally sung by your modern twin."
Lan Wangji's eyebrows twitched at the mention of the person who resembled him. He disliked the idea of Wei Ying being close to another person, even if the person looked like him. He kept his lips tightly shut about his dismay but still uttered a compliment, "Your singing was beautiful."
Xiao Zhan could not help himself and teased, "Did anyone ever tell you how sweet and warm you are beneath that bitter and cold mask you always wear?"
Lan Wangji frowned slightly before he managed an impassive expression. "You should pick one: compliment or insult."
Xiao Zhan chuckled, amused by his reaction. "Of course, it was praise, Lan Zhan. How could I ever insult someone as charming and kind as you? It would be a crime against humanity."
Lan Wangji averted his gaze, his ears reddening at the tips. "...Boring."
"Even your reaction is cute!" Xiao Zhan grinned.
"Enough with the nonsense." Lan Wangji glared a warning.
Unable to sit still, Xiao Zhan edged closer to him, "Do you know that the 'you' in the other world is a brat who talks a lot of nonsense all the time? A total opposite, chaotic, humorous, hyperactive, and dancing king version of you. He can sing very well too."
"..." Lan Wangji pressed his lips together, and his fingers clenched tightly on Bichen, clearly not pleased to hear those words.
"Hmm... You know, both of you are equally talented in music. The two of you enticed me with the charming gestures just the same too." Xiao Zhan said in a teasing manner.
Lan Wangji's patience finally wore out, and he sprang up from his seat. "... I am not him!" He was leaving, not caring to continue whatever had been planned for the rest of the evening.
"Hey! Where are you going?" Xiao Zhan stared at the back of the figure clad in white with wide eyes, processing his abrupt departure. He scrambled to his feet, trying to catch up. "Lan Zhan! We still have many things to discuss. Wait up! Oh, come on!"