Darker Side of The Moon (Angel Devourers #1) WangXian FF

41

Lan Xichen was having a headache. 

He was in the middle of a phone conversation with his mother, when the door to his office opened, and his little brother entered. He noticed right away that his brother had that frown on his handsome face, and he held some kind of strange figurine in his hand.

But since his mother had not stopped talking, he just waved at his brother and tried hard to end the phone call to no avail. 

Their mother could be very condescending sometimes, and right now she interrogated him for not giving her grandkids when he was approaching thirty soon and no girlfriend in sight. She went on and on about back then when she was only seventeen and she already had him and so on and so on. 

And finally, she ordered him and his brother to attend her wedding anniversary by the end of the month, which was just a couple of weeks away. And she ordered both of her sons to bring dates. Especially him. And there was an underlying threat if he didn't bring a plus one with him.

"Yes, mom. I will bring a date and introduce her to you." Lan Xichen prayed that his mother would end the conversation if he quickly agreed to whatever she was asking for.

"Good, now where's your brother? I want to talk to him, I know he was there since I've just got a report from your secretary."

He immediately gave the phone to his brother. It was his turn right now to face the Dragon Queen. 
But his satisfaction didn't last long, since his brother was actually very capable of handling their mother like a piece of putty. That's why he hated psychologists, they always knew what to say and which buttons to push.

Their mother always indulged her youngest son the most, even though he did not have as many expressions as the kids around his age had. He was always the quiet one who absorbed and noticed everything around him whether he liked it or not. And he was a lot more smarter than the average kid since he graduated from Harvard at the tender age of fifteen.
 
"Did your brother actually really have a girlfriend?" She asked him.

"I don't think so, mom. But I'll make sure he'll bring a plus one to your anniversary party." Lan Wangji chuckled. 

"What about you, son? You know I always worried the most for you and your dangerous job. Why can't you just choose a safer job, like your brother?" 

His mother was always overly worried for him since the last time he got into a coma and lost a part of his memory because he was out and roaming the world, catching dangerous people. His sense of justice was always above average even when he was still a child, and they were proud of him. But it couldn't be helped that she was still worried about her own flesh and blood.

"Mom, I have been helping Grandpa Yuwen ever since I was old enough to write. About my other job, you know that it's not a matter of money. It's just who I am."

"But…"

"I know you love me and you're worried about me, mom. But rest assured, I'm fine. And I will give you a surprise gift on your anniversary." Lan Wangji chuckled.

"Oh?" Yuwen Xing's ears perked. "A surprise gift? Is this what I think it is?" She was so happy hearing his son's laugh. She didn't remember when was the last time that he laughed. 
 
Before that blasted accident six months ago.
 
She suddenly remembered that his youngest son was showing signs that he was in love and it was a serious relationship. But after that accident, it seemed that he forgot about everything. And he had that permanent loneliness in his beautiful golden eyes ever since. It just broke her heart to see his youngest son suffer like that. 

"You just have to wait and see, mom, I'm sure you're going to like it, as much as I do."

"Good. Good." She couldn't help but shed a tear of happiness. 
 
It was her utmost wish to see her sons be happy. 
 
Their family was not a typical orthodox family, since the Yuwens were raised and based abroad and the Lans were the pioneer of Artificial Intelligence technology, which made them to have a very open mind. So, Yuwen Xing would not interfere with her sons' choice of partners. Just as long as they're happy.

"I will see you guys soon. Don't forget to eat and take care of yourself, Wangji. Tell your brother to do the same."

"I will, mom. I love you, and we will see you soon."
 
Lan Wangji handed the phone back to Lan Xichen, who was curiously looking at the strange thing he fondled. 

"What is that ?" He pointed at the bloody figurine in his hand. He unconsciously played with it for the duration of their mother's call.

"This is a spoil of war." Lan Wangji smirked.

"I never knew that you're interested in that kind of stuff." Lan Xichen observed the figurine, but when he tried to touch it, Lan Wangji slapped his hand away.

"I don't. This is special." Lan Wangji put it away from his brother's prying hand.

Lan Xichen rolled his eyes.

"You're getting weirder, baby bro."

"Maybe I am. So who are you going to take to the anniversary? Mom specifically asked me to make sure you bring one potential girlfriend."

"Please don't remind me of that. I don't have time to have a one-night stand, let alone find a girlfriend." Lan Xichen sighed and poured a stiff drink.

"Why don't you take one of your many admirers? I'm sure you're not lacking in that department."

"Leave it alone, right now I'm more interested in who you're gonna bring." He drowned the drink in one gulp and shook his head from the burn in his esophagus.

"Mm, wouldn't you like to know?" Lan Wangji then remembered something. "Brother, do you know about any fiance candidates?"

"Do you want to make one? I can help you sort them."

"No, I mean it was already out there, and I encountered a few of their members on a case."

"Fiance candidates? That was weird as fuck." Lan Xichen thought about what his brother had said. "A case? You worked on a case right now? Is there a serial killer on a rampage  or grotesque murders happening here?" His face showed his disdain just like when he encountered something unsavory.

"Nothing like that yet. Only one grotesque murder and I'm helping someone."

"Hmm? That's rare of you. Is it Hua Cheng?"

"No." Lan Wangji looked at his watch. "I still don't have any progress for the nanotech theft, but I want a more extended list of your employees. Nie Mingjue, Meng Yao, and everyone else who has any position inside. The upper echelons." He then stood up and got ready to leave. "Send me everything once you are done compiling them. No edited version please. I have to go now."

"Where are you going? You want to have lunch together?" Lan Xichen was surprised that his brother was in a hurry to leave.

"Can't. I have a date." Then he's gone.
 
Date? Date?  
 
Lan Xichen was stunned when he heard that his germophobic, allergic-to-human brother had a… date?