In Parallelity, In Perpendicularity |XICHENG|

III | cracks

The conference continues.

Jiang Cheng didn't know where to find himself between the dramatics and semantics he tried but really failed to understand.

I'm wasting my time, Jiang Cheng thought to himself as he listened to Sect Leader Qin and Sect Leader Wan resume their verbal clash from yesterday. I will not attend the following days, he thought again as they fell back into arguing back and forth about suspicious-looking talismans.

"Instead of building anger over this, why don't we request Sect Leader Qin to provide a sample of said suspicious-looking talismans?"

"How many times must I repeat that we don't have such thing!"

He found no reason why they must keep it up when they'd long settled with what they had to do. Jiang Cheng had already sent letters to Lotus Pier and Carp Tower about any necessary arrangements. There was no need to drag the conference. And there was no need for Jiang Cheng to stay, if not to keep up images.

So why was he still here?

It wasn't really a question though, was it? He stayed for A-Ling. To see that brat one more day. To explain. Apologize, too, if it was required of him. But, well, he didn't. Couldn't. He had said soon, after all. The two of them were yet to find a common ground. They were still upset, one more than the other, and unwilling to speak. The quiet sharing of tea and breakfast earlier had been enough, though.

Still not enough to comfort his nephew's loss over his dog.

The tension between them wouldn't dissipate easily. It would take time. For now, Jiang Cheng would have to grit his teeth. For that and another.

HanGuang-jun's stare had never been really particularly subtle. He had always had that irksome look in his yellow eyes. Those stupid, stupid reptile-like eyes.

It stood a question why on earth the Second Jade would be glaring at him from across the room since they'd been at each other's periphery, but then Jiang Cheng remembered the hurt look in Wei Wuxian's eyes yesterday which could explain his absence.

At that, another round of throbbing assaulted his head he couldn't help but reach out to rub it.

So much for balancing keeping and breaking relationships.

"Are you alright?"

Jiang Cheng turned his eyes to the person on his right. He almost forgot ZeW-jun sat there.

"I'm fine," he gruffed. He'd appreciate it if the other simply let him be. Those worried eyes didn't sit well with his skin.

A while later and he could feel the First Jade shifting about. He doubted he was doing anything worth scolding about, though, because he was ZeWu-jun and a Lan. He did things with a purpose.

So Jiang Cheng couldn't bother to look and see what he was on to about.

He couldn't even bother to listen to the discussion. His senses had dulled as he focused on the pain somewhere within his head that his fingers couldn't reach. Dimly, he'd even thought of simply bashing his head against something. Maybe that would bring his senses back.

"Tea, Sect Leader Jiang."

The flurry of white and blue robes swiping his table clean for a tea set nearly startled him to action. He managed to control himself, but Zidian remained sparkling from the small amount of qi he had already infused.

The Lan disciple eyed his ring for a second before resuming his task of pouring him the first cup.

"What is this?" Jiang Cheng asked with a mild frown. He'd never stop frowning for the day if this headache continued.