Den Uncle and his Cubs -LXC x JC- Xicheng fic

Baby Urchin

"Cheng-ge"

The hall fell into complete silence for the second time in a matter of few minutes.

No one understood what happened next.

A small child, draped and drowned in blue robes with a white belt, waddled as fast as she could in the flowing attire, towards Sect Leader Jiang.

Out of reflex, Jiang Cheng calmed his Zidian and caught the child when she almost fell near him.

His previous glower softened for a second, before settling into a mild scowl.

All others were looking at them with mild fear or curiosity. Orphaned children of the Lan sect were cared for and monitored in a separate nursery till they reached the age of six.

Widowed women volunteered to be care-takers for these young kids who lack any guardianship.

"What are you doing here, brat? Isn't Lan Zhu supposed to be watching you?", he asked the menace who has comfortably settled down against his shoulder.

"Zhu-jie is playing with A-Hua", she said in a cheery voice.

"Urchin, does she know where you've gone?", he asked with, what he hoped was a stern voice.

But she didn't deem him worthy of an answer. Jiang Cheng prayed for the poor soul who was panicking over a lost child who thought the best course of action was to roam into a conference and plop herself into a Sect Leader's lap.

He didn't look up to see the bewildered faces but even from a distance, he could sense someone on the verge of Qi deviation.

Ah! Probably Lan Qiren, he smirked in satisfaction.

*****

Lan Qiren knew his brother had withered in seclusion and lived a pathetic life before finally succumbing to death. Rightfully so, when his nephew announced his decision of ending his self-imposed isolation, Lan Qiren, though overjoyed, treated him delicately as a new-born foal.

Lan Xichen was known to be a brilliant teacher to the young disciples. So, as a responsible uncle, he used this knowledge to ease Lan Xichen into the cultivation world again. As one does.

For the past few months, Lan Qiren shared half the burden of the sect matters to ensure his nephew had time to teach.

Lan Xichen knew he was being coddled by his uncle. But if it ended with him working as the leader while babysitting children, he'll readily bask in the ignorance for a little longer.

Spending time with the kids who slouched at the mere weight of his xiao yet eager to strum different notes in a guqin, taller than them, it made him happy. He felt the energetic, vibrating music amongst the tuneless cacophony.

Never favour one above another

Never be partial towards one for personal reasons

He knew the rules but couldn't help but cross the extra mile for Lan Xue; the child who was so similar yet so different from his own brother. He didn't know what fuelled her conflicting personality. Just like his A-Zhan, Xichen wanted to fold the child and hide her from the harshness of the world; wanted to see her unrestrained smile and loud voice.

Lan Xue was a three-year-old girl, abandoned near the steps of Cloud Recesses a few months back. She never spoke unless spoken to and accepted the food as was given. She never cried nor was loud, played alone with the few toys that were present. A perfect Lan child.

He was mortified the first time when his ward, Lan Jingyi, brought an orphaned child to Cloud Recesses. Lan Xichen was not blind to the few red and purple bruises on her wrists, neck and cheek. Hiding all anger and concern, he helped the healer and saw to Lan Xue's every need.

He wanted the child to feel secure again. He wanted to reassure that no one will dare hurt her again. But he didn't know what those words would amount to, to a three-year old.
So, he showered her with attention and love as much as he can.

Lan Xichen, yet again, felt like the poor replica of a parent.

Just like he was a guardian to Sizhui instead of his brother and to Jingyi instead of his parents, he tried to be a good imposter to Lan Xue.

And that's why he was beyond surprised at the new development.

The child who wouldn't spare more than a few words to anyone, flinched by any surprise contact, receptive only to a few other orphaned toddlers, was now casually calling a Sect Leader as "Cheng-ge".

*****

The duo made a sight. Sect Leader Jiang with a mild scowl, properly sitting in Lotus position, one arm curling around the beaming girl standing on his thigh, hugging his neck for support.

"Ooh. Ribbon. Pretty", she declared.

She clutched the purple ribbon flitting carelessly around his bun and tugged as hard as her tiny fists could allow.

Ouch.

And sat back down on his left thigh comfortably. She started playing with the ribbon, completely oblivious to the eyes on them.

Sect Leader Jiang's eyes twitched mildly at the pain but he schooled his expression. A few tendrils of hair loosened and framed his face, but his attention was wholly focussed on the toddler.

"A-Xue", he called, and the child looked up at him curiously. "This is a conference and I am not your babysitter".

The child looked least bothered, scrunched her nose at him and went back to playing with the ribbon.

Like she was a Princess and he was just a lowly servant, who must follow her whims.

And he perhaps was.

*****

Hanguang-jun had been stuck on the scene in front of him just like every other. It irked him to see a Lan Disciple perched on Jiang Wanyin's lap. The temper of the Sandu Shengoshu was widely known and the fact that the child who was wary of everyone, including his own brother, had warmed up to that man was not something he would accept.

"Lan Sizhui, take the child back to the nursery", he advised in his usual monotone.

Inside, he was seething in rage at the man who has destroyed everything with his touch. He might have cared and brought up the Sect Leader Jin but the hollers of "I'll break your legs" is not a phrase a Lan child should ever grow listening to. He was already agitated by his addressal of "Urchin" and "Brat" towards the child.

Lan Sizhui bowed to his father and came closer to the Sect Leader who was glaring daggers at the Chief Cultivator at his casual dismissal. Jin Ling was also fuming but he stayed silent for everyone's sake.

Angered, but reasonable, Jiang Cheng gestured the young Lan to take the child from him. The child was slowly pried off him but with a loud shriek Lan Xue threw herself back at him, tightly clutching his neck and hair. He winced when he felt a baby nail scrape harshly at the base of his ear.

Sizhui knew it was improper but tried again with a little force. The child lost her grip and in a moment of madness, she caught the nearest thing to grab hold of Jiang Cheng.

His hair-stick.

And pulled hard.

The loosened bun with the absence of ribbon, became completely undone, sending cascades of long, silky black hair tumbling down, much to the chagrin of the Sect Leader and the amazement of others.