Disclosed Regrets

Cloud Recess III - The Past (9)

Revised 05/11/23

So sorry this chapter isn't the best quality! I started writing chapter 31 (I think that's the one I'm on on Ao3?) but wanted to finish and post this before I completed that. I'll try to work something out between rewriting old chapters and posting new ones. Thank you for reading!

* * *

The screen faded into a new scene, where Wei Wuxian was sitting by a riverside, his face resting on a palm. He absentmindedly poked a large branch into the water and made sharp swirling motions that attracted a pair of koi fish.

"Wei-Xiong!" A call from Nie Huaisang broke him out of his daze. The two koi fish that had appeared were no longer there, and they had already swam into the depths of the water, having been startled by the loud voice. Wei Wuxian turned his head around and sent a small smile to the pair approaching him.

"We already know who it is before we even see them."

"This boy really admires Wei Wuxian, doesn't he?"

Unexpectedly, the scene switched to show Lan Wangji, who was standing a distance away from the trio, and he appeared to be quietly observing them.

"What's this?" said Lan Xichen, making a sound of interest. "Wangji, you...?"

Lan Qiren loudly cleared his throat, his eyes flitting to and fro between Lan Wangji and the screen. He looked thankful, in a way, when Wei Wuxian smiled at his nephew, who returned the expression almost immediately. As Wangji's Uncle, it eased something in his heart to see his nephew find happiness—

"I can smell the vinegar from here!"

"Look, Hanguang-Jun is kissing the Yiling Patriarch! He's totally jealous now as well!"

—but when they acted so shameless like that, it made his carefully cultivated facade of calmness melt like ice.

"Wangji!"

Upon catching a glimpse of white robes, Wei Wuxian's lips instantly spread into a broad grin. "Wangji-Xiong!" he called, waving the branch in the air.

"I'll never get used to hearing Wei Wuxian being so informal to Lan Wangji," said Jiang Wanyin, shaking his head in astonishment.

"Right?" agreed Lan Jingyi, wildly nodding his head in agreement. The girls (and when had Jingyi started including Wen Ruohan with the group?) murmured amongst themselves, and if the crowd didn't know what they were like, they would have assumed they were conspiring.

Lan Wangji didn't acknowledge Wei Wuxian, however, and he simply turned and walked away.

"Oh. Is that it? No blushing of the ears? No angry gaze?"

"Maybe he's shy?"

"That makes sense."

"Or maybe he just hates Wei Wuxian," suggested Jiang Cheng, always the positive one.

In response to his words, Wen Ruohan simply laughed, as though his statement deeply amused him. Aiya, youngsters these days. They're all too scared to talk to one another — come now, Xian-er, I'm sure Lan Wangji won't bite. Back in my day, I was quite a handsome lad; everyone flocked to me, girl or boy, like rats to a block of cheese."

"Lovely," said Lan Xichen politely.

"...Rats?" murmured a few of the younger disciples sadly.

"Is that how Hua-Jie really thinks of me?"

"Maybe I should have listened to my Mum when she said I stood no chance."

"What kind of mother says that to their child? She sounds horrible."