[[[忘羡 | WangXian 1]] : The Second Kiss That Came Too Soon

[23.] Lan Xichen.

Still unsure what to do, Yanli heard someone approaching, and turned around to see a servant hurrying, obviously with some message.

- Excuse me, Mistress, but Zewu-Jun is here. He said he needs to talk to you. It's urgent.

- What, really? – Yanli wondered – Lan Xichen here? What could be the matter? Tell him I will be joining him shortly, and serve some tea! Hurry!

The servant rushed back.

It took really all of Wei Wuxian's willpower and self-control not to jump and run straight up to Lan Xichen and ask about how his brother was. He had had no news for a month, and he was losing his mind, mostly worrying.

- A-Xian, we will talk later. Don't think you can worm your way out of this! – Jiang Yanli smiled at him and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

- Ah, Shijie, you always like to torture me!  –  Wei Ying gave her his sweetest smile, and watched her go inside. He was in agony, but it was not his place inside, with the heirs of the Clans, unless invited.

Lan Xichen was waiting in the yard, and as he saw the slender young girl approach he bowed to her politely, and after exchanging pleasantries, he said:

- Young Mistress, could I perhaps ask that we speak privately? I had really hoped to be able to talk to your father and ask his advice, but I gathered news he will be absent this month?

- Yes, both Mother and Father are visiting our grandparents right now. I am in charge. – Yanli nodded. – Please, let's step inside.

Once seated, Yanli noticed that the expression of the young man's face was once of extreme concern. This got her worried too.

- How can I be of service, Master Lan?

- I am here... – Lan Xichen started. –  ... because of my brother.

Yanli was surprised, but did not show it. It was not typical at all for the Lan Clan to dabble in news about such trivial things as family gossip, so this had to be serious.

- Ever since he returned from the last night hunt he hasn't been the same. – the young man sighed. – And I am very worried for him, otherwise I wouldn't have dared bother you with this. I meant to ask your father for a favor.

Yanli's heart skipped a beat. The last hunt? So the same as with Wei Wuxian!

- I am worried that perhaps he is in love...  -  Lan Xichen continued, but without any joy in his voice.  –  He definitely acts like it.

She bit her lip. This was getting stranger and stranger. 

Lan Xichen went on:

- You see, ever since he returned from the hunt a month ago he barely eats, and he hardly sleeps. He seems to live in a dream world, apart from all of us, and I cannot reach him there, no matter how hard I try. He becomes more and more detached from reality, and spends his time mostly in meditation and daydreaming... He thinks he can hide it from everyone, and go about things the same way as before. But I know my brother. Something is eating him up inside. He is suffering.  –  Lan Xichen's face had gone ashen.

- I do not intend to bore you with family affairs, but I am genuinely afraid for his life. He has lost a lot of weight, and he keeps on working without any breaks, without rest, without food. He just says...he forgets to eat. If this goes on....he...he... -  Lan Xichen's voice broke a little.  –  I am afraid he won't last much longer. The quality of his work is suffering from all this, his training as well, his education...