The Troublemaker Trio (Xicheng)

Chapter 26: Being Less Than Patient With The Patient

Lan Xichen and Jiang Cheng were unsurprisingly the first to return back to the cloud recesses. Given that it was closer and would mean it would be less likely for them to get spotted, Lan Xichen brought Jiang Cheng to his home. As soon as he got inside he carefully placed the still sleeping man on the bed.

First things first, Jiang Cheng needed to get dry and warm. Opening a nearby drawer he quickly fished out a set of clean robes.

"Jiang Cheng?" he lightly shook the man's shoulder.

"Mm" He wasn't fully conscious but he was at least responding.

"I am going to help you get changed out of your wet clothes, okay?" He was clearly not in a state to do so on his own. But Jiang Cheng himself did not seem to believe that.

"No need, I can do it myself" One of his arms flopped out of the bed, but he made no further effort to move beyond that. Lan Xichen put a light but firm hand on his back to help him sit up, a good first step. "Sister really shouldn't be doing this. Servant's work is not suitable for you" Jiang Cheng mumbled.

"I'm not your sister" Lan Xichen said. A sister wouldn't be this flustered as she helped undo the belts of her injured brother. Even reminding himself that Jiang Wanyin was a patient didn't help once he removed his outer robes and a sliver of his chest could be seen through the opening of his inner robes. Lan Xichen shut his eyes.

This wasn't something he should be seeing. But disrobing the man became far more difficult when lacking sight. Not knowing where he needed to touch he was forced to let his hand trail over the man's chest to find the pieces of fabric he needed to pull. Something Jiang Cheng picked up on and he slapped his hand away.

"Wei Wuxian, I swear. If you're trying to pull some stupid prank I'll break your legs" he threatened, his voice louder than before.

Yet again he was being compared to a sibling. Lan Xichen only cared about Jiang Wanyin's wellbeing; he didn't need any recognition, but this was too much. His eyes flew open staring straight at the Jiang's face.

"I am not your sibling!" He grabbed Jiang Cheng's hands and placed them on his face. With his eyes still closed the Jiang couldn't see, but he should still be able to feel. "See, it's me. Lan Xichen, Zewu-jun. Not your sibling" he reiterated. Jiang Cheng explored his face, lightly guiding his fingers over his features before deciding if the statement was correct or not.

"Lan Huan?"

Lan Xichen's heart lit up. All the frustrations about previously being wrongly identified were gone. But he was quickly filled with another, similarly overwhelming, feeling. Because in front of him, holding his face close to his, was Jiang Cheng. Who had not only addressed him by his given name, but was also currently sitting half naked on his bed.

This was bad. Lan Xichen knew this was bad, it was wrong. It went against not only a plethora of Gusu rules, but also his own moral code. Jiang Cheng was sick, he needed to be cared for. And even so all Lan Xichen could do was to stare at his handsome face.

"Jiang Cheng..." Lan Xichen moved closer. In contrast to the harsh words that mouth spoke on a regular basis, his lips looked very soft. Perhaps they would feel equally as soft. As if drawn in by a magnet he leaned in a little further. His eyes closing once more.

Knock, knock

"Zewu-jun. Did you find Jiang Cheng?" It was Wei Wuxian. Startled, he pulled back before he responded.

"Yes" Lan Xichen, having snapped out of it, was freaking out. If Wei Wuxian found him holding his brother like this god knows what he'd do to him. Jiang Cheng might be the more protective one of the two brothers but that wouldn't matter. Just taking one look at this situation would be enough to send any sibling over the edge.

"Good, I still have punishment to attend to, so could you please take care of brother for me?" Wei Wuxian asked, trying to hand over the responsibility of taking care of Jiang Cheng to someone else.

"Of course" Lan Xichen had never before been so thankful for his brother's strictness when it came to punishments. Thank you Wangji, I really owe you one. The Lan breathed a sigh of relief.

Having been interrupted, Lan Xichen was filled with new clarity and quickly changed Jiang Wanying into the dry robes. No further distractions or slip ups, occurring.