Arranged - LXC x JC fanfic

Feelings

"Xichen." Lan Qiren called in a calm voice. "So you were blaming me all this time for your breakup with him?" He asked as he lowered his gaze. He did not want his nephew to see the pain in his eyes. He never knew... Lan Xichen hated him.

Lan Xichen didn't answer since the answer was already obvious.

"Very well." Lan Qiren bitterly smiled. "I'll go back to the Yunmengjiang Sect and cancel the marriage. If they won't agree, then I will have someone from our clan to replace you in marriage." He said and lowered his head. "Jiang Wanyin... actually, he doesn't really care who he will marry. He might marry a dog if he could. So it doesn't matter whether it is you or anyone else." He told Lan Xichen before he left. However, he saw Lan Wangji outside. He just glanced at his other nephew before he truly left.

"Brother." Lan Wangji called as he looked at his elder brother inside the room.

"Wangji." Lan Xichen called. He has already calmed down, and he also feels regret for what just happened. But words were already spoken and can never be taken back.

"You are wrong." Lan Wangji spoke.

Lan Xichen closed his eyes. "I know, I am - " he said.

"Because it was not uncle who forced you to make a decision." Lan Wangji said. "It was you yourself who is responsible for your decisions." He said and looked at Lan Xichen in the eyes.

Lan Xichen froze as he stared at his younger brother who bore the same face as him, yet had a different temperament. "Wangji, you too?" He said and bitterly smiled. He meant that Lan Wangji was siding with their uncle.

"Brother." Lan Wangji shook his head. "You should be clear of it yourself the most. Your heart knows." He said as he picked up Liebing from the table.

Lan Xichen looked at Liebing. When was the last time that he played Liebing? Liebing, whose melody could clear one's mind and calm one's heart? Which he needed the most right now... yet unfortunately he can't play it as he himself, its user, doesn't have a clear mind and calm heart.

"You know it yourself, too, what kind of character Lianfangzun is, as you were the closest to him." Lan Wangji continued. "Uncle just gave you a warning, and you weighed the pros and cons." He explained. "Brother. I haven't told you this before, since you have already broken up with Lianfangzun at that time." He said.

Lan Xichen's heart skipped a beat. He has a bad feeling. "W - what... what are you trying to say?" He nervously asked.

"I overheard Lianfangzun talking to someone that he will use you to become the chief cultivator as you, who was the most qualified, have no interest in the position." Lan Wangji answered. "Meanwhile, Chifengzun has a bad temper and he and his family lead short lives so he has lesser qualifications than you." He told Lan Xichen.

Lan Xichen's face paled in shock. "N - no... no, you are lying!" He said as he clenched his fists.

"We do not lie." Lan Wangji looked at his elder brother. Their clan forbids lying. "I won't discredit Lianfangzun, if he really had shed any feelings toward you." He spoke. "However, brother, you have already seen it yourself... that his ambitions are far more important to him than his feelings toward you." He told him before he handed Liebing to Lan Xichen's shaking hands. Then, he turned and left to look for his uncle.

Lan Wangji now knew that it was really not his elder brother who proposed a marriage to Jiang Cheng, but the idea of an arranged marriage was done by his uncle.

(A/N: we now have LXC's side... what will happen to JC's side, hmm?)