Black Greed

TWO

"A'Qing," Her jiejie called her. "Aren't you going to see our brothers?"

"My stupid brother can go home by himself, besides A'Cheng wouldn't let him go stray somewhere. And he also miss you after a year of studying there than me. Let him be," Wei MeiLan waved her hand to dismiss the thought.

"You're giving your twin some tough love too?" Jiang YanLi laughed.

"Sometimes his flirting is too unacceptable to my standards, makes me want to vomit. Almost to the point that he flirts to every things that is moving and breathing," The disgust is evident in her face no matter how hard she tries to hide it. "I don't know how I got a shameless person for a brother,"

"You're so mean to me, A'Qing," A young male's voice sprang behind them. "Is that how you greet your twin brother?"

Sure enough, two boys were standing behind them; one in purple robes and other in black with red outlines.

"A'Cheng!" Wei MeiLan ran towards the purple wearing guy to hug him. "How's your studies? Did you eat well in there? Did someone bullied you?"

"Calm down second sister," Jiang WanYin almost blushed with the bombardment of questions towards him. "I'm fine, and no one is bullying me in there,"

"Are you sure—"

"Hey, why are you ignoring me?" Wei WuXian asked, interrupting her.

Wei MeiLan glared at him before looking back at Jiang WanYin. "No bruises or fracture. Still fine. Drinking alcohol like there's no tomorrow, got into fight with someone in Cloud Recesses with a Lan, got a punishment of writing, and teasing the said person you fought with,"

If those words are arrows, Wei WuXian must be already dead. "H-how did you—? You used it, didn't you?" His eyes were wide in horror.

"Do you think I want to do it too?" Wei MeiLan sneered back, mocking him. "Besides, knowing you, even if you just sleep all day, I wouldn't worry for you. I would be glad if you get kicked out,"

"Why, you—!"

The Jiang siblings laughed at their one-sided bantering. Wei MeiLan rarely flips out of her brother unless she's really annoyed at him, and that one was one of those days.

They head back to the hall of Lotus Pier to greet the head of the Jiang clan upon their arrival. As usual, Jiang FengMian warmly greeted her brother and a stern reply to his own son, which made Yu ZiYuan wear an annoyed face. If not to her and YanLi's interference, it will cause another banter that consisted of the adults only.

That day was more peaceful than they expected upon their arrival as they managed to stroll around the market to buy sweets and some things. Even she managed to buy a simple hairpin for herself despite of getting allowance everyday, but never manage to buy anything.

"A'Qing, why are you using an ordinary sword than a spiritual ones? You didn't made one for yourself?" Wei WuXian asked while she's choosing a good hairpin.

"Was it necessary for me to get one?" Wei MeiLan asked. "I'm not studying cultivation, I'm just strengthening my core and my body,"

She stared at the hairpins displayed until she saw a twin hairpins. One in red and the other in blue color. "Oh, this one!" She grabbed the both items and paid handsomely the merchant.

"Wait, why are you buying these two? You're not even using any for your hair, look we have a same hairstyle," Wei WuXian complained. "You're wasting your money when you are not going to use it,"

"They are my treasure, also they are good safekeeping for something important," Wei MeiLan answered. "Besides I have tons of money so I can buy what i want for today,"

"Then why not order a spiritual sword?"

"I won't be needing one yet, but I already made one for myself," She huffed.

"You have a spiritual sword? Let me see!"

"Did I say that it's a sword? It's a long blade knife!"

"Well, it's not bad. What's the name? Where is it now?"

"You don't need to know where is it or the name,"

"Psh. You're stingy to me," Wei Ying pouted.

"Meh, I'm being practical," Wei MeiLan answered with poker face. "You had laze around the Cloud Recesses, making the Lan teacher hate and admire you at the same time,"

"You know everything around me even though you're here?" Wei WuXian was amazed at his sister's capability. "Have you told everyone yet?"

"No," She replied back. "No one will believe me even if I tell that to someone. You don't even believe me, right?"

"It's not that!" Wei WuXian defended himself. "It's just that, it's too absurd to be true. I experience it, yes. But still..."

"I'm not using it to spy on someone. It's better that I don't have it than be burdened. I know that no one in our family is like me, I'm an abomination.

"And you don't need to explain yourself, I know what's on your stupid brain. And I won't get offended for that,"

Wei WuXian smiled sadly. "Do you even need to do this? Why did you not join us in Cloud Recesses?"

"I told you, jiejie will be lonely. Besides, I don't want to see a certain person in there,"

"Who?" Wei WuXian asked. "Did you offend someone who's studying there too?"

"I don't want to meet that person. Not now, not ever," She noticed that the Jiang siblings are on their way to them. "That person might be the key to my happiness, but it doesn't mean things will be fine. Especially when things will go horribly soon,"

"A'Qing, you—"

"A'Qing! What did you bought?" Jiang YanLi asked her. "You rarely buy things for yourself,"

She lifted the pairing hairpins for them to see. "It's for something important. A tracing object,"

"Tracing object? Why on the hairpins?" Jiang WanYin asked with confusion.

"It's for me to track this idiot brother of mine when something bad happens. Also it will help me to keep myself safe,"

"What, do you think I will hit you?" Wei WuXian asked.

"Who said that it's you that I'm pertaining to?" Wei MeiLan asked back.