Fluffy WangXian Oneshots Book Two

Twice As Much Part 1

"We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak."

Epictetus

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It's early in the morning, even for Lan Zhan, as he makes his way further into the back hills of the Cloud Recesses. It's his favourite time of the day, too, when the skies are white-washed with porcelain blue, fluffy silver clouds hang suspended up against the pale background like props for a stage play, and most importantly, there is nothing to disturb him.

The path is steeper here, less worn from eager feet. Gravel crunches under the soles of his hiking boots and it is the percussion to the song of the early rising larks and sparrows ready to herald the start of a new day. His nose fills with the fragrance of pine and cedar, the fresh mountain air cold in his lungs melting the knot of anxiety twisting in his gut.

Age-old oaks give way to the hardier trees; whitebark pines and glorious juniper in full bloom. The beginning of spring as the world comes alive is an exhilarating time. There's the quiet excitement of daffodils and snowdrops pushing their stubborn heads up from the hard ground, new leaves refreshingly green and soft, unfurling as they burst into life, and a sense of anticipation in the air with new signs of life everywhere.

This place has always offered Lan Zhan comfort whenever he needs it. Usually. But it's not working for him today.

Lan Zhan was given an assignment yesterday, the result of which was a sleepless night for him, and the reason why he abandoned the sanctuary and warmth of his bed this morning in search of a much valued peace.

GusuLan College is the next step in his education. As one of the so-called heirs, well, in the past that's what his position would have been referred to, his place in the establishment is already waiting for him. However, the board has recognised a need to extend an invitation to the other four great schools of learning: the YunmengJiang, the QingheNie, the LanlingJin, and the QishanWen.

This endeavour is supposed to a) showcase the GusuLan institution as a force to be reckoned with, and b) strengthen ties among the elite and provide a healthy attitude towards working together; to that end, he has been tasked with organising a kind of pen pal group. They're supposed to "chat" via email and submit the documents weekly, as part of their end-of-year grade exams. To sweeten the deal, so to speak, it will add fifty points to his total which is not an insignificant amount.

Lan Zhan cannot be bribed, though. And he's never, EVER felt the need to be chatty. The only reason he has accepted the assignment is simpler; his uncle has asked him to do it.

A year from now will see students from all walks of life swarming through the Cloud Recesses, Lan Zhan's home, breaking all the rules and generally causing a disturbance that he can do without. But it is not only the students from the Great Five Establishments that will come together. The school board, which consists of not only his uncle but his older brother, XiChen, as well, probably thought: why stop there? Why not ask any independent schools to join, as well? And what about the smaller schools, the ones not affiliated with the Great Five?

Lan Zhan's honest opinion is, at this point, why not throw the doors of the most prestigious school in China wide open and just let anyone walk in, while they're at it? Since the requirements to qualify are nonexistent and if the bar is already set so low, it might as well be on the floor.

He's not arrogant, far from it. His low opinion of his supposed peers stems from his own experience.

He's attended other school lectures in the past; one winter in Yunmeng, an autumn in Qinghe, and winters in both Lanling and Qishan. His observation into their curriculum, not to mention their teaching systems, leaves a lot to be desired. It's also not just that. He has witnessed a severe lack of dedication and commitment to learning, enough for him to want to enter seclusion permanently in order to cleanse his mind, because the outside world does not make sense to him. (He never got the approval needed for that particular course of action. XiChen had stared back at him with barely hidden amusement, and an indulgent smile gracing his lips but a firm 'no' leaving his mouth.)