Won't you believe me? (Servant no more - book 2)

Chapter 27

Wei Wuxian was sitting in the soft and comfortable armchair and enjoying his book. He was so happy right now that he almost wanted to stand up and go kowtow to Lan Wangji out of sheer gratitude. However, his master had repeatedly told him not to bow to him. Moreover, if he was to get up now, he would not be able to know what happened next in the story he was reading and he could not tell whether he would be allowed into the library ever again. So, he only continued to sit down and devour the book in his hands.

At first, he had been afraid to damage or dirty it somehow. He should have really washed his hands before touching it. He had at least wiped them on his robes before turning the first snow white page, but he did not feel like it was enough. He was expecting a scolding any minute. Only when it did not come for almost half an hour, had his nerves somewhat subsided. He was here with Lan Wangji after all, it was making him feel at ease.

It had been a long time since he had been allowed to read anything and it did not surprise him all that much that he could not recall the meaning of all the characters. In fact, not counting the book of the Gusu Lan sect rules which he had read recently, it had been almost a decade since he could enjoy a leisurely time in a library. This felt too magic to him, almost like a miracle even if he struggled at times with the reading. Luckily, he had not had such a hard time with the Gusu Lan sect rules, those were quite straightforward.

There was also something else that he barely noticed as he had been way too absorbed in the book. With the passing time, his body was relaxing more and more. He felt safe here and he had Lan Wangji at his side, there was no reason to remain alert at all times. That meant that as he was getting comfortable, he was slipping in his manners as a consequence and there was no one to remind him that he should pay attention to what he was doing.

And so it happened that he was making himself more and more comfortable in the armchair. At first, he had just sat down on the very edge of it, keeping his back perfectly straight. His legs were supporting most of his weight and he was just sitting because he did not want to disobey Lan Wangji. He was no young master after all, he had no right to sit in such an exquisite and expensive armchair. What if he damaged it? He did not even want to imagine what kind of reaction would his masters have should that happen.

His robes were dirty and he had not gotten to wash his other clothes yet. Anyway, it was not like he could ask Lan Wangji for a leave to go change himself before sitting down. And he had sat on the floor before! That light blue fabric could be spoiled in just a matter of a single touch!

For those reasons, Wei Wuxian had remained vigilant and tried not to do anything out of the line. He could not afford to do anything which would offend or anger his masters. Lan Wangji would perhaps only just scowl at him, but Lan Qiren was another matter entirely. Wei Wuxian was pretty sure that the master of the Cloud Recesses Manor would not take it lightly if his precious armchair would be destroyed by him.

However, as time passed and he was getting more and more absorbed in the book, combined with his light fever which had definitely come back now, he was slipping. Not down from the armchair of course, but in his manners and vigilance.

He was slowly, and mostly unconsciously, leaning more and more towards the back of the armchair. His body was relaxing and as he was trying to alleviate the pressure on his legs, he also sat further inside the armchair. His position more and more resembled that of Lan Wangji. Until it happened that he was sitting comfortably in the armchair, leaning his head on the headrest and enjoying his book without a care in the world.

It would not have been too bad like this. He let go of his fears for a moment and he knew that with Lan Wangji, nothing would happen to him and no one would punish him too harshly. He was truly having the time of his life. And so it happened that he completely forgot his position and his social standing for that one perfect moment.

Since he had done all those things mostly unconsciously, his body was just seeking a better position where it would not strain itself too much due to the fever, he had been woken from his magic fairy tale like moment very abruptly when a servant came inside the library.

He was so absorbed in the story and too comfortable to care about anything when it happened. He had apparently even overheard the knocking for he was sure the servant must have knocked. He only came to his senses when she was already standing in the middle of the library and speaking.

He had gotten such a terrible shock that he immediately shot to his feet only to fall down on his knees and kowtowed to his master. It was only at this moment that he fully realized how he had just behaved. And even worse, someone else had seen him in such a situation. What would the other servants in the Cloud Recesses Manor think now? That he was being favoured by their master?

It had already happened once, back in the Koi Tower Manor. Jin Zixun often came to find him and took him away from his duties. It had been to punish him, to mock him or beat him. But none of the other servants had even seen that. They only saw what they wanted to believe: and that was Jin Zixun who was favouring Wei Wuxian. They had been enraged by the injustice and had started making a hell out of Wei Wuxian's life.

He was now afraid that something like this would happen also in the Cloud Recesses Manor. The servants here had been kind to him, they even talked with him! He did not want to lose that because they would also be convinced that their master was favouring him. However, seeing the situation now, they would most probably arrive to that conclusion anyway. For Lan Wangji was definitely favouring Wei Wuxian.

He lowered his head even more, until his forehead was touching the cold floor. Angering the servants and making them target him was one thing. He already knew how to face that and a few kicks here and there and having some unpleasant duties pushed onto him was nothing new. But, he was more afraid that Lan Wangji would now be disappointed in him. After all, he had just sat in the armchair as if it belonged to him, as if he was in fact some kind of young master.

In his rising panic, he had all but forgotten that it had been Lan Wangji in the first place who had told him to use the armchair and that he had in fact followed his master's orders. Wei Wuxian was too seized by his fears to be able to think clearly. He was afraid that he had angered Lan Wangji and that his master now would not want to have anything in common with him. Wei Wuxian should not have acted like he was on the same level as Lan Wangji.