Will you ever forgive me?

Ch 17 - Are You Serious?

Late morning breeze blew through the lake. Lotus blooms triumphed here and there over the blanket of lotus leaves as far as eyes can see over the vast lake. Standing alone by the gazebo near the pier was a young man clad in white garments. He seems regal and his strong character attracted the Jiang sect's disciples attention as they passing by, coming back from their morning practice.

"Who is that?" Asked the most gullible disciple.

"I think he's one of the Jade of Lan." Answer a senior as he tried to not showing his interest too much.

"Which one? Zewu-Jun or HanGuang-Jun?" Asked a female disciple.

"I would have told you which one if I know," the senior male disciple grumbled.

"Ah~ he is so handsome," commented another female disciple, when Lan WangJi looked in their direction for a moment. The females group started giggling as they whispering with each other.

"He is good looking, talented as well as respected by many senior cultivators," compliment a bold female disciple, trying to gauge their male disciples reaction.

"That's all very good facts, but you have to know that he's very strict and unsociable." Someone added on their comments airily.

"Really?" Asked the male senior disciple, as he trying to gauge the truth of the comments by observing more of their subject interest.

"He's also very bad drunk," an arm was draped over his shoulder making the male senior staggers slightly.

"How can you say something --" the familiar yet distance fragrance made the male senior hesitant to continue.

"Say something like ... What?" Quipped the same person from beside him, making him to turn in shocked.

"Senior Wei! When did you come back?" Each of them greetings their own respect once they overcame their surprised.

"I came back yesterday." Replied Wei WuXian, leaning on the railing. His red hair ribbon fluttering in the breeze.

"Wait a minute! How did you know ... It's famously known that it's forbidden for Lan clan to drink liquor." The most gullible disciple squeezed himself to stand in front of Wei WuXian. Wei WuXian throw a look at the young man they were speculating about with an amused smirk.

"That's where you got the fact wrong." a finger was wagged  in their face as if chiding them of their ignorant. "It's a rule that no liquor in Cloud Recesses, in consequence no drinking liquor in Cloud Recesses too. But there's no rule saying a Lan is forbidden to drink liquor." Revealed Wei WuXian feeling satisfied that he still have the touch to make his fellow, peer and junior disciples in awe with him.

"You're supposed to be having your lesson in Cloud Recesses, right?" Asked the most gullible disciple against. Wei WuXian smiled brightly and patted the young man's shoulder.

"Special requested outing," announced Wei WuXian in slightly proud mannerisms.

"I thought you'd got kick out by Master Lan QiRen. Is he really as strict as rumoured?"

"Well, someone needed to be strict. Do you think it is easy to handle a bunch of hormonal teenagers how to be a proper cultivators?"

"When ... a pot call a kettle black," whispered a young disciple to his neighbour whom snickering. Wei WuXian promptly put the two young disciple into a headlock. All the disciples presents laughed at the predicament befall their juniors.

"I didn't know that you like to bad talked behind me," said Wei WuXian as he released them from his punishment.

"Wei Ying?"

"Lan Zhan! There you are ... I've been looking for you everywhere, you know," Wei WuXian promptly skipped to Lan WangJi's side and draped his arm over the broad shoulders of Lan WangJi.

"You are being naughty again," stated Lan WangJi observing the Jiang sect disciples gathered in front of him.

"I didn't ... I swear, Lan Zhan!" Wei WuXian brought up his three fingers up.

"Have you done with the task?" Asked Lan WangJi softly as he pulling a few plum blossom petals out of Wei WuXian's hair.

"Yes, I'm done,"

"May I see it?"

"Well, we can't be too perfect sometimes ... Of course I would like for you to check it. I also would like for you to add something if you think it is necessary."

"Lead the way, Wei Ying," Lan WangJi walk in front of Wei WuXian to leave the pier and move towards the Jiang main residence. Wei WuXian stay rooted for some moments at his fiance's sudden leave.

"Lan Zhan~ how am I to lead you if you leave me behind!?" Wei WuXian waved goodbye as he rushing to catch up with the second young master Lan.

"Did I just see senior Wei ... ?"

"Am I hearing things right?"

"Senior Wei ... Was acting like a child and HanGuang-Jun was ... "

"HanGuang-Jun was fond of ... Senior Wei,"

"We are not dreaming, right!?"

_-_-_

Jiang FengMian and Madam Yu were walking towards the training field when they noticed junior disciples were hiding.    It seemed like they're too busy hiding and whispering to notice something else other than the reason they behaves as such.

As both getting closer, they are able to glimpsed the focus of those junior disciples.

"What are you doing here?" Asked Jiang FengMian, making them jumped in surprised.

"Clan Leader ... It's senior Wei ..." One of the braver soul answered albeit stuttering.

"What is wrong with him?" Madam Yu scathingly look towards their subject of interest.

"Is he really senior Wei? He act so different." The braver soul asked while others looked on interesting.

"Yes, usually he's very proud of himself and mischievous. But just now, he seems so humble and ... Too respectful of HanGuang-Jun," added another male senior while others nodded in agreement.

"If I know that by making him betroth to someone will curb all those mischievousness, I would have done it long time ago,"

"My lady, I believe this only applies to second young master Lan."

"Oh, he found the leash?" An eyebrow raised as Madam Yu glanced back at the two young man standing under the gazebo surrounded by blooming purple lotus.

"I meant to say that Lan WangJi is a keeper," Jiang FengMian smiled feeling confident that he finally fulfill his promise to his late best friend.

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Published (16 April 2020)
1038 words