Soul bound Strangers

5. Alliance

"What marriage? Uncle, I am still a child. Can I not leave our family so soon?" Wei ying put on his best pleasing expression to convince Jiang Fengmian. 

"Right, Isn't it so early to talk about this idiot's marriage, father?"

Jiang cheng chimed in, ignoring his brother's stupid expression. 

"That is not…. Alright. I shall tell them that you are not willing." 

Fengmian wanted to explain but he gave up when he saw the innocent face that brought memories of the five year old Wei ying, when he initially brought him to Lotus pier. 

In an hour, the news of refusal reached Lan zhan's ears. Lan zhan's entire being stopped for a second as he tried to to take in the news. He knew that it was a big fault on his side, and that he should have stopped his uncle from sending a marriage proposal letter. 

It had been just two weeks since he started courting Wei ying and he had not received an answer so far. He hadn't expected his uncle to see him when he was spending his morning hours with Wei ying. The same day his uncle had called him and without his consent, a letter of marriage proposal was sent to the Jiang sect. 

"Everything should go by our tradition" This was his Uncle's excuse. With the same excuse, Lan zhan was not allowed to meet Wei ying privately starting then. For two days Lan zhan had to avoid Wei ying inside the class, just for this reason. If not, at least Lan zhan would have got a chance to explain the same to Wei ying. 

But a corner of his heart hoped that Wei ying would agree. He vividly remembered the happiness on Wei ying's face during the handful of hours they spent together. 

It was late at night and Lan zhan had not decided whether he should talk to Wei ying or not. If Wei ying doesn't like getting married to him, will his initiatives to talk be considered as pestering?

'Pestering?' 

He hated to be seen as a clingy guy in Wei ying's eyes. At the same time he couldn't find a way to stop feeling hurt if he should be staying away. 

Lan zhan didn't know when his eyes finally gave into sleep. 

The following morning, during the incantation class, a roll of paper hit Lan zhan's shoulders and without a second thought, Lan zhan knew that it must be the doing of the boy of his dreams. Since Wei ying was the one who initiated this, Lan zhan turned to Wei ying's side to know what it was about. 

Wei ying eyed the paper roll signalling him to check its content. 

"Why didn't you come?" 

Lan zhan blinked confused. He wondered what he should reply. 

The impatient Wei ying rolled one more paper ball towards Lan zhan before he replied. 

But Xichen, who was supervising, prevented the ball from reaching his brother. 

"Everyone keep practising! Young master Wei, please follow me." With that, Xichen took Wei ying for a talk. He was aware of the marriage proposal and wanted to know what was happening between them. 

Inside the class, Lan zhan's muscles got tensed from waiting. 

"Zewujun…I.." 

"Young master Wei, it's been hard on Wangji. You cannot play with.." 

"I was not playing. I really wanted to talk to Lan zhan." Wei ying didn't know why Xichen was so sensitive over a bit of paper. 

"Then, may I know the meaning of this?" Xichen pointed to the paper ball in his palms. 

 "You could see it for yourself." Wei ying allowed Xichen to smooth out the paper. 

"Aren't you courting me?

Can I court you?" 

Xichen could see two questions written, the first one was already crossed out, but one could figure out the question by the brush strokes. 

"You don't wish to marry him but want to date him?!" Xichen was obviously confused at the second question. 

"Why is everyone talking about marriage to me? But Zewujun, how is it related?" 

Xichen looked closely at Wei ying's oblivious face for a moment and figured that there must be a misunderstanding. 

"If you don't mind, May I know who discussed marriage with you?" 

"Who else, it's Uncle. He was almost ready to marry me off." Wei ying complained. 

"Marry to whom?" 

"I don't know." 

"It's a proposal from the Lan sect. From Wangji" 

Wei ying jumped out of his skin at the discovery. 

"Zewujun, Can I be back after meeting Uncle? Please?" 

Before Xichen nodded his head, Wei ying's legs were already rushing towards the guest room. In a flash, Wei ying returned to Xichen again and pleaded that he shouldn't discuss this with Lan zhan and left the place in a hurry. 

Thankfully Jiang Fengmian hadn't left Gusu and Wei ying was able to meet him. 

"Uncle, I am all grown up and I reallllly want to marry Lan zhan" Wei ying had replied to Fengmian when asked what changed his mind now. 

"Poor child, There is no pressure" Fengmian thought that Wei ying was doing it for the Jiang sect's sake. 

"Uncle, what do you think of that snow capped summit? For me…" 

Half way through his expression of his feelings for Lan zhan, Jiang Fengmian dabbed his forehead with a cloth to clean the sweat beads, and stopped Wei ying from continuing. 

"I could see that you are ready. Let me talk to the Lan sect leader" 

The same evening, the sect leaders discussed the wedding and they decided to keep it on the full moon day after three months. Following the tradition of Yunshen, Wei ying was sent back to Lotus pier with Jiang Fengmian to refrain the couple from meeting each other until their wedding day. 

Lan zhan was stunned when Lan Qiren notified him and his brother. All he saw was Wei ying being taken away by his brother from class. 

He was worried that Wei ying might have agreed not for him but for his family or for some other reasons. 

When he asked his brother what he discussed with Wei ying earlier, Xichen refused to answer considering the request of Wei ying.  

With no one to answer, all Lan zhan could do was to wait until the wedding day with contradicting emotions.