For You - LXC x JC fanfic

Apology

Yunmeng, Lotus Pier.

Jiang Cheng expressionlessly looked at Lan Xichen standing in front of him. "What brought sect leader Lan here, in my humble Lotus Pier?" he asked with a flat tone.

Lan Xichen's eyes flashed with apprehension. "That, sect leader Jiang..." he stammered.

"Oh. How discourteous of me." Jiang Cheng spoke. "Please have a seat." He said and led Lan Xichen inside.

Lan Xichen looked at Jiang Cheng's back and secretly sighed in relief. As they walked down the hallway, he couldn't help but remember what happened after he berated Jiang Cheng in this same place.

"Sect leader Jiang! That man was forced to steal because of his consequences. Can't you be lenient towards him?" Lan Xichen asked.

However, Jiang Cheng didn't directly answer his question and asked him a question instead. "A man stole a thousand pieces of gold from a wealthy official. Meanwhile, another man stole one copper coin from a blind and deaf beggar. Who did it worse?" he asked and looked back at Lan Xichen.

Lan Xichen was taken by surprise and was bewildered by the sudden change of question before his brain finally processed Jiang Cheng's words. "That - " his eyes widened as he stared at Jiang Cheng in shock.

Jiang Cheng ignored him and just stared outside the window. "The man's wife eloped with him, and so she was disowned by her family. After she gave birth to their third child, she became sick." He said. "Meanwhile, the person whom the man stolen the jewel from, is a young boy whose mother recently died, and he was totally orphaned. The jewel was the only keepsake he had from his parents. He doesn't want to pawn off the jewel, so he chose to be a beggar." He told him, ignoring the stunned expression on Lan Xichen's face.

"That... that - " Lan Xichen felt out of breath.

Jiang Cheng cut him off. "In order to keep the peace and order, this world was governed by the law." He said. "If law will be discarded just because of emotional entanglements, what will the world become? If one will disregard the law just because they are more tolerant than the others, how will the world become?" he asked as he finally turned to Lan Xichen to see Lan Xichen's pale face. "Sect leader Lan, I know you are kind-hearted. However, ignorance excuses no one. Instead, it will just send you to suffering. So - " he took a deep breath as he looked at Lan Xichen in the eyes. " - I hope sect leader Lan to become more aware, by learning things faster. I am not enough to teach sect leader Lan, so I request of you to go back to your sect." he told him and smiled.

Lan Xichen closed his eyes and his face turned red because of shame. He was stunned when he saw Jiang Cheng smiled at him. It wasn't a smile of joy or appreciation, but more of melancholy. He was ashamed to remain in the Lotus Pier, and so he went back to Cloud Recesses after Jiang Cheng sent his disciples to escort him.

"What brought you here?" Jiang Cheng asked as he seated. His voice woke Lan Xichen from his daze.

"That..." Lan Xichen said. "I came to... apologize." He answered.

"Is that so?" Jiang Cheng said as he flipped the pages of the book. "Apology rejected." He said.

Lan Xichen. "..." I knew it.

Jiang Cheng spoke without looking up to Lan Xichen who was standing in front of him. "Sect leader Lan, is this your apology?" he asked. "I can't clearly see it." he told him and finally raised his head to look at him.

Lan Xichen felt helpless. "I - " he said as he pursed his lips. "I... don't know how to apologize." He honestly said.

"Didn't senior Lan tell you?" Jiang Cheng asked.

"He didn't tell me." Lan Xichen answered with a wronged expression.

Figures. Jiang Cheng thought. He understood Lan Qiren's intentions.

"You... didn't teach me how to apologize to someone." Lan Xichen told Jiang Cheng as he looked at him.

Jiang Cheng's face stiffened and his expression almost became twisted. "Do I have to teach you every damn thing?" he asked. He finally can't stand it anymore. After being tormented by Lan Xichen for one month, he was at the edge of his sanity.

Lan Xichen gasped and stared at him, disbelief was on his face. Jiang Cheng was never harsh on him before. At the most, he was stern. However, he was never this harsh on words towards him. Well... as far as he can remember. And so, he stared at him in a daze, and his eyes narrowed in grievance.

Jiang Cheng sighed tiredly. He felt exhausted. He raised his head to look at Lan Xichen, which is a mistake. Seeing Lan Xichen's wronged expression, he felt his heart softened. This again! He thought, feeling frustrated.

He may not have to teach Lan Xichen how the world works, but he can't help it. It's because of the man's innocent and lost expression that his heart felt itchy, uneasy; it bothers him as a nagging feeling, thus he has to teach him a thing or two!

In the end, it lasted for a month before they had a falling out. Actually, he can maintain their status quo. However, exposing Lan Xichen to reality is inevitable. Thus, he did it. He brought him to witness a trial. He didn't regret it.

"The reason why I didn't teach you how to apologize to someone is that it can't be learned." Jiang Cheng said in a softer tone. Even if Lan Xichen made him lose face by questioning his authority, but he wasn't mad.

He can't be mad at him.

"Why?" Lan Xichen asked in surprise.

"Because apologizing is an act of sincerity." Jiang Cheng answered. "Does sincerity need to be copied from someone? That's why I didn't teach you that." He explained. "As well as senior Lan. He wanted you to figure it out." he added.

Lan Xichen stared at Jiang Cheng in awe.

"Also... apologizing, it doesn't have to be done by the adults." Jiang Cheng added.

"Huh? Why?" Lan Xichen was bewildered.

"Because an adult shouldn't do things that would warrant an apology." Jiang Cheng said.

This, Lan Xichen fell silent. He understands what Jiang Cheng meant. One apologizes because they did wrong. Since they are adults, then they shouldn't do something wrong.

(A/N: LXC now is somewhat normal. XD as to why he was naive before, the reason will be revealed later!)