Dark Knight | WangXian Novel

7: Lights Out

While Wei Wuxian and Jiang Wanyin trained in the morning along with the other Jiang disciples, Jiang Yanli went back and forth checking on her brothers and the guests. She still wasn't quite ready to call Lan Xichen her 'betrothed' and the same was for Lan Xichen, so she stuck to 'guest'.

While that lasted.

After they left... she didn't want to want to think of anything beyond the present.

She trusted in her shidi coming up with a plan to tackle this mess, but she also didn't want to rush him, for fear he would fall in trouble. So she kept shut and endured. At least tonight she will get to meet Jin Zixuan again.

Or was it wrong of her? To be betrothed to one, and be excitedly waiting to see another man? Yes, it was terribly wrong of her. What a horrible wife she would be...

Knock! Knock! Knock! "Coming in," she slid the doors open with her elbow and walked in, pushing the doors open with her back. Her hands were full.

"Ah, Yanli-mei!" Xichen smiled warmly, looking up from the book in his hands.

Lan Wangji was swiftly at the door in a flash, opening it wide to let her into the library.

"Thank you, Lan Er-Gongzi," she smiled at him.

"Jiang Guniang," Lan Wangji bowed once she had stepped inside. He shut the door and walked back to the main table where she stood, watching curiously as she placed the tray in her arms on the table.

"A few snacks since you've been in here since seven in the morning," she laid out the table with a plate of hawthorn candy sticks, a dish of some new chocolate delight and two bowls of a sweet liquid. "The hawthorn's from A-Xian, chocolate's from A-Cheng, and this," she patted the bowls. "Is mint-flavoured tea brewed myself. We usually drink a fruity syrup one, but you two must be used to icier, lighter tastes, coming from Gusu, so..."

"Oh, mint!" Xichen beamed and picked up the bowl to take a sip. "Delicious!"

"Mn," Lan Wangji nodded, having also taken a quick sip. "Thank you, Jiang Guniang."

"Oh, and this is for you, Lan Er-Gongzi," she brought something out of her sleeve and placed it before his seat.

While Lan Wangji stared at it, stupefied, Lan Xichen leant in out of curiosity.

"Hm? Is that a rabbit?"

"A special in our favourite Yunmeng store. A-Xian dubbed them Choco Bunnies and now that's the official name."

"How's this one white? Isn't chocolate brown?"

Jiang Yanli shrugged. "That chocolatier can make miracles, Xichen-ge and Lan Er-Gongzi should give it a try sometime!"

"Absolutely. We'll drop by there to take some home for Shufu," he smiled. "He could do with a bit of sweetness every now and then in his life."

"He could," Yanli chuckled. "Lan Er-Gongzi? Are you alright? You've been silent...?"

"Oh, sorry. Thank you for this, Jiang Guniang is truly kind."

"Oh don't thank me! I'm only delivering!" She grinned. "You know who to thank. Someone I know is overtly guilty about hurting you last night, hence all this. Enjoy the hawthorn, chocolate and tea!" She waved and walked out of the library, shutting the doors behind her.

"Oh..............?" Lan Xichen grinned cheekily. "I think even I know that 'someone I know'," he laughed.

Lan Wangji gulped. "X– Xiongzhang..."

"Thank him tonight at the party. How about you and I drop by this wonderful shop and get something for him in return? Just to show him that he really doesn't need to feel guilty, and that you didn't accept this gift as an apology but just....... a token of.............." Xichen smiled and shrugged. "Token of whatever it is between you two? Friendship? Enmity? Something?"