More Than A Friend

Ch. 1

The dinner was getting cold as the quiet silence rained an unsolaced space for the ones dining in the dinner area. The father who held the house on his shoulders passed, and he left the family in the hands of his wife.

Lan Zuan sighed, eyes to the empty plate before her. "A-Zhan, A-Huan, your Die-die has passed." She smiled sadly.

Lan Huan, their eldest daughter, held her mother's hand. "Mama..."

Lan Zhan, the youngest daughter, had always been seen unsympathetic due to her silence and lack of emotional display. She weeps yet she does not cry. She enjoys yet she does not smile.

Lan Qiren, their uncle, cleared his throat. "It is time that you two take after your Father's business." He looked at Lan Huan. "You are graduating this year, are you not A-Huan?"

Lan Huan nodded, simply retracting her hand back. "Yes, Uncle. I am ready to take after Father's business and A-Zhan would be following me after business studies, no?"
Lan Zhan looked down, eyes on her plate. "I wish to study in the Arts, Mama. I want to be an artist."

The loud bang on the table startled Lan Zhan, making her eyes snap at her uncle.

"What nonsense are you spewing?! Art? Will that contribute anything to the family?!" He yelled loudly, causing Lan Zuan to glare at him. "Qiren!"

"This may benefit the family but not in an amount the company can, though Father told me to follow what I like." She stated bluntly, no emotion in her words yet it displayed determination.

He threw his table plate down the table. "What would art be good for?! It's just a simple piece of paper with wasted paint! It would be worth nothing and it'd be a shame to our family, and for your father!"

"Lan Qiren that is enough!" "You shut your mouth, Woman! You are just married into our family!"

Lan Zhan stabbed her fork through the table, earning her uncle's attention. "Don't talk to my Mama that way."

Lan Huan also stood up, angrily. "Yes, Uncle. You may not choose to remember this, but Mama is the reason why Your family business is running on good tracks."

Lan Qiren sat defeated, yet the choice of accepting that he was won over in an argument by women will never be valid in his mind.

Later that night, Lan Zhan was finished in changing into pajamas when her mother walked in. "A-Zhan, can you talk to Mama?"

Lan Zhan turned around, facing her mother who was shorter than her. "Mn?"

Lan Zuan smiled, cupping her child's cheek. "I hope you are not affected by the argument earlier... Are you feeling well, my dear?"

Lan Zhan closed her eyes, holding her mother's hand as she pressed her hand closer against her cheek. "Mn. I'm fine."

Lan Zuan pulled her as they sat on the bed, starting to comb through her daughters long hair.

"You know, it's good that you want to be what you're going to he happy about... I am so proud of you but, why did you choose arts?"

She looked down, the comfort of her hair being brushed by her mother turning into the warmth of a memory. "There was a girl I met... She was very talented in arts... And I liked her drawing and silver eyes..."

Lan Zuan smiled, gathering her daughter's hair. "I see. A-Zhan..."

"Mn?" Her mother hugged her from behind, closing her eyes softly. "I hope you're happy... and may happiness everlasting come to your life from now on. I support you fully, on this."

Lan Zhan smiled faintly, closing her eyes as she leaned into her mother. "Mn. Thank you."

Lan Zhan applied to "China Academy of Fine Arts", under the name of Lan Wangji, then was accepted after the submissions of her needed samples. She was placed in class 1-3, with her teacher being Mrs. Hua Cheng.

She sat down in the orientation hall by the back, the silence placed her heart in ease. Not to mention there was a kid surnamed Nie, who was dragged out by her older brother because she forgot her materials again at home.

"Hey!" A girl with red highlighted hair and a paint splotched face sat next to Lan Wangji. "Hello!"

Lan Wangji looked at her for a second, noticing her features. She had light skin, silver eyes and brown natured hair.

She took her arm out, which was covered in ban-aids and her wrists wrapped in bandages. "I'm Wei Wuxian! But you can call me Wei Ying! You spell Wei with the characters of tower, ghost and entrust. Ying is just spelled as infant. Nice to meet you!"

Lan Wangji hesitated for a second, noticing how she was the only one with no one to guide hera around the school later, she took her hand. "Lan Wangji."

She snickered, smiling at her. "Just Lan Wangji?" "Just Lan Wangji."

Wei Wuxian smiled. "Okay! You're my friend now, Lan Wangji."

"Acquaintances, Wei Wuxian."

Wei Wuxian retrieved her hand, leaning back to the chair. "Whatever you say works baby."

"Shameless." Wei Wuxian smiled. "We're friends now after all!"