I will take care of you, I promise (Between a rock and a hard place 3)

Chapter 4

For the next few days, Lan Xichen kept a close watch on both Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian. He still had to see if his brother had taken his words to heart and was only staying around the Yunmeng Jiang sect head disciple as a friend or if he had disregarded his warning and was perhaps falling deeper and deeper in love.

It was not hard to keep an eye on both of them at the same time as Wei Wuxian was still under punishment and was copying rules in the Library pavilion under Lan Wangji's supervision. When Lan Xichen found out about this arrangement and that Lan Qiren was apparently the one who had ordered it, he was conflicted. He wondered if his uncle had done it on purpose or if he did not know about the threat their sect's reputation was currently running. He had even mused about going to talk to him and have someone else spend their time with Wei Wuxian.

But he could not do that. Not when his brother was so much brighter and looked so much happier whenever he was in Wei Wuxian's company. Lan Xichen observed them long enough to have assumed that there was nothing too deep between them. True, he had not spied on them, he would not step so low, so he could only watch them when they were outside of the Library pavilion. But it was fine, he knew his brother; Lan Wangji would never do anything indecent or against the rules inside this temple of knowledge.

Moreover, he had noticed that Jiang Wanyin was also keeping watch which reassured him in a sense. He would make Wei Wuxian stay in line and tie him to himself so the Yunmeng Jiang sect head disciple would not be able to spend all his free time by Lan Wangji's side. This was a good arrangement and Lan Xichen saw no reason to change it.

Although, he had to admit, he was feeling somewhat sorry for Wei Wuxian. The boy would only be bright and smiling when he was with Lan Wangji. His smiles and personality would dim as soon as he saw Jiang Wanyin. Lan Xichen could understand his brother's urge to help the boy. The change was too drastic and Wei Wuxian looked kind of uncomfortable and even scared of the Yunmeng Jiang sect heir.

No, Lan Xichen must have been only imagining things. His brother's words had apparently affected him too much and he was now suspecting something which was not even there. Wei Wuxian was a ward of the Yunmeng Jiang sect, not truly a brother to the sect heir, it was normal that he behaved deferentially around the other. It was fine if he sometimes froze when touched and if his smiles were looking forced, Lan Xichen assumed that he was only remembering his place. And if he had seen Wei Wuxian moving around oddly, as if he was hiding an injury, that was probably normal as well. Surely Jiang Wanyin had just been disciplining him for some unseemly behaviour which could affect the reputation of the Yunmeng Jiang sect. There was nothing abnormal to see.

What worried him more was the fact that apparently Wei Wuxian had also a thing for Lan Wangji. The boy was spending all his free time with the Second Jade, or at least as much as Jiang Wanyin would allow him. Not only that, they seemed glued to the hip too, although they had not touched publically just yet.

If things would go like this, Lan Xichen was worried that either Wei Wuxian would refuse to go back to Lotus Pier when time would come for him to leave, or Lan Wangji would insist on going there with him. Neither of the options was acceptable, they would both inevitably cause a political incident. Lan Xichen had already spend several dreamless nights pondering on this and on a solution how he could keep the relationship between the two boys on just a friendly level.

The perfect solution as he believed came from unexpected source sooner than he came up with one of his own. Or perhaps not a solution as per say but a way for him to have more time to do his own thinking. He really had to come up with a plan, and quickly.

He was sitting in his study and someone knocked at the door. When Lan Xichen invited them inside, he found out that it was in fact Jiang Wanyin. It was the middle of the morning so Lan Xichen was surprised to see him in his study, he should have been attending the guest lectures. Unless it was his uncle who had send him here for whatever reason that was. Lan Xichen could not picture one.

Still, he decided to be polite when talking with another sect heir and he invited Jiang Wanyin inside for some tea. The boy's appearance was a bit dishevelled and his eyes would not meet Lan Xichen's, the First Jade wondered what was wrong with him. Had something happened? Had perhaps Lan Wangji done or said something to him? Had his brother offended the boy at last or even worse, acted on his own and did something reckless?

Lan Xichen looked at the Yunmeng Jiang sect heir closely, searching for any injuries. Of course, he found none. Either there was nothing for him to see or they were hidden under the robes. Then again, he was probably overreacting, even if his brother had decided to take matters into his own hands, he would have surely not used physical strength, he was too refined for that; even his father had never gone that far.

Lan Xichen calmed himself and managed to crack a pleasant and encouraging smile. He was waiting for the Yunmeng Jiang sect heir to tell him what he had come into his office for.

He did not have to wait long. Jiang Wanyin completely disregarded his tea and he started talking. His eyes were still glued to the table and his hair was obstructing his face so Lan Xichen could not tell what expression he was hiding. His hands were folded together under the table. He actually looked at lot like Lan Wangji had those few days back. Lan Xichen did not like the resemblance, it seemed like the Yunmeng Jiang sect heir came to talk about some serious matters.

"Young Master Jiang, what can I do for you?" He asked to prompt the boy to finally breach the silence and let him know what exactly was happening. His calm demeanour was now mostly a façade, he was becoming restless and worried.

The only part which the First Jade could see from Jiang Wanyin was his mouth. And he liked it even less when the only reaction he got to his words was the Yunmeng Jiang sect heir nipping at his lower lip nervously. Just what did he had in his heart?

Finally, after another few seconds of tense silence, Jiang Wanyin opened his mouth to explain his presence: "Zewu-Jun, in the absence of the sect leader, I came to inform you that my brother had fallen ill again. Your brother, Lan Wangji, had taken it upon himself to treat him with musical cultivation as he had suffered a minor episode of qi deviation. I was informed he would be taken to the Jingshi."

The boy was definitely nervous if his flinching and his now bleeding lower lip were anything to go by. And his hands could have also been trembling under the table but that, Lan Xichen could not confirm. His voice was however perfectly flat and controlled so the First Jade could not tell for sure how Jiang Wanyin was feeling after having his brother taken away from him.

For that was what must have happened. Lan Wangji had taken hold of Wei Wuxian and was now trying to keep him in the Jingshi. Lan Xichen did not want to assume the worst about his brother and accuse him of acting recklessly, he gave him the benefit of the doubt for now. After all, what Jiang Wanyin said could have been true. Wei Wuxian had already been ill for several days in the recent past, it could be that this was just him regressing or something.

Lan Xichen would have to check with Lan Wangji himself. What was the most suspicious was that the Yunmeng Jiang sect heir had not mentioned anything about Wei Wuxian being brought to the infirmary and receiving care there as it would be customary for an injured guest disciple. Then again, no one was better with a guqin and healing music than Lan Wangji. And if it had indeed been a minor case of qi deviation, it could be that Wei Wuxian needed calm and quiet and someone whom he knew by his side the most.

Lan Xichen put all his worries aside and decided to confront his brother about them. He was sure he would not get much more from Jiang Wanyin. It was clear that the boy wanted to get out of his study, he was shooting glances at the door now.

Lan Xichen did not want any tension between him and the Yunmeng Jiang sect heir so he kept his voice perfectly polite, with a little speck of concern even: "Young Master Jiang, thank you for informing me. I will talk with Wangji and see what else can be done. I will also inform my uncle about Young Master Wei's absence. I suggest you take a day off from the lectures as well, you seem tired."

"Thank you," came a more or less whispered reply and Jiang Wanyin stood up, bowed to him and left without another word.

Lan Xichen finally gave in to his urge and rubbed the root of his nose. What had he ever done to deserve this? His brother should have known better; now he would have to clean after him.