Remember who you belong to (Between a rock and a hard place 1)

Chapter 3

It did not even take as long as Jiang Cheng had feared, only a few weeks really. He had been steadily making Wei Ying waiting to receive comfort longer and longer and at the same time, he had also been getting under his skin, undermining his feeling of security and love around other members of the Yunmeng Jiang clan as well as the disciples and servant, everyone he came in contact with really.

He was rewarded for all his trouble by a steadily more and more dependent Wei Ying who would give everyone his fake smiles. Only with Jiang Cheng, he would be the child he really was, afraid and aching for reassurance and comfort. Jiang Cheng knew that now was the perfect time to finally unleash his ultimate plan. Wei Ying would soon be only his, the ever obedient and entertaining pawn he had always wanted.

That very evening when the boy came inside their shared room and let his tears fall as soon as the door was closed, Jiang Cheng was already waiting for him there.

Wei Ying immediately spotted Jiang Cheng sitting on his bed and headed towards him, smiling with relief. Jiang Cheng however had other plans this time. He lifted his hand so it was in a stopping gesture between himself and his brother and said sweetly: "Big Brother, stay right there."

Wei Ying seemed completely bewildered and he stopped in place mid step, one of his feet not quite touching the ground. His expression was shocked and the smile was nowhere to be found. Something in Jiang Cheng liked that change, now they were talking. He was excited that Wei Ying was now ready to listen to his every word. Or so it seemed, he just wanted to test it.

"I still have some studying to do, so I cannot be with you right now. You will have to wait until I finish."

Wei Ying did not look too happy but he nodded after a short pause. Still too long for Jiang Cheng but what could he do, next time he will make sure that there would be no hesitation while following his orders. After all, this was just the first time he had refused to provide comfort immediately when they were in their room. He had refused in the past but only when they were not inside or alone, not like this.

Something in Jiang Cheng – that exact something which had been waiting more than two years for this moment – became more impatient. He had a hard time controlling himself anymore. He wanted to make his brother obey him without hesitation or asking questions. He wanted full submission. He finally wanted Wei Ying to pay for destroying his family.

He really could not wait anymore so he decided to push his luck still a little bit more: "Big Brother, will you do something for me?"

Wei Ying turned around from where he had been going to sit on his own bed and looked at him with question in his eyes. "Of course, Little Brother, anything you want."

Jiang Cheng smiled, triumphal. He was actually finally getting what he wanted. He however quickly tried to cover it with a sweet smile, not a cruel one. He felt like it would be pushing things too far right now. He still needed to be careful and prudent. Not for much longer though.

"Thank you, Big Brother," he cheered, his voice full of fake excitement and happiness. "I would like you to sit here with me."

Wei Ying nodded, not suspecting anything and was already on his way back to the centre of the room and then he joined Jiang Cheng on the bed. The Yunmeng Jiang sect heir frowned minutely, he did not like the confidence with which this son of a servant sat on his bed as if they were true brothers or something. They were not all that close and Jiang Cheng would show him his true place, just his subordinate, his servant, nothing more.

He shook his head and said, more calmly and nicely than he felt: "Big Brother, can you sit on the ground? You are distracting me like this."

Wei Ying looked at him for a long moment before nodding and complying. Luckily, he did not ask any questions. If he did, Jiang Cheng felt like he really would not have been able to hold back his anger. Not only was the son of a servant not understanding his place, he was actually even cheeky and shameless. He should really be taught a lesson.

In the end, Wei Ying was sitting on the ground, a little away from Jiang Cheng's legs. The Yunmeng Jiang sect heir could clearly see that the boy wanted to come closer from the looks he was shooting his way every now and then but he did not dare to. Good, at least something. Now he was where he belonged, at Jiang Cheng's feet.

The Yunmeng Jiang sect heir would have preferred to have him kneel while waiting, just like his mother did when she would order the boy to go kneel in the Ancestral hall to wait until she decided on his punishment. Though he did not dare to go that far. It had been made clear to him that his power over Wei Ying still needed some more work.

He picked up a book and started reading, not hurrying through it but actually making it as long as possible. Just as he had predicted, it did not take long for Wei Ying to get bored and he started looking all around and squirming in place. The wooden floor could not have been a too comfortable seat. And he had not brought anything with him to entertain himself, not that Jiang Cheng would have authorized him to do anything aside for waiting for him really, he considered it part of the training and grooming process.

"Stop squirming around, you are distracting me!" he said angrily, his tone quite near his mother's when she was scolding the boy.

Jiang Cheng cheered internally when Wei Ying flinched and then stilled immediately, not even looking at him anymore. He had not expected such a great reaction. But he was delighted, now he knew what would work the best. Perhaps he did not have to pretend to be nice all the time anymore. Perhaps Wei Ying could as well be controlled by fear. Jiang Cheng almost wanted to rub his hands together in glee, this was getting better and better.

Just for the good measure, he added, not in a scolding tone anymore: "You surely do not want my mother to come here and see that you are hindering my studies, do you?"

Wei Ying stilled even more, it almost looked like he was not even breathing anymore. He straightened his spine and sat up properly without moving a single muscle, waiting for Jiang Cheng to finish reading. Needless to say that this did not prompt the Yunmeng Jiang sect heir into flipping the pages any faster.