Decades yearning [Oneshot]

It's not a HE :)

Kit: I- I don't know why I like to make Lan ShuShu sad...

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When Lan QiRen walked pass one of the storage rooms in Cloud Recesses, an object caught his eye.

A peculiar looking incense burner. It looked a little familiar.

The bearded cultivator dug through his memories as he stood there, hands running down his beard.

The movements of his hand stops as he finally remembers what it was, why it was in Cloud Recesses and who found it.

Maybe he was better off not remembering.

He went into the room, planning to take it somewhere to dispose of. What he did not expect, was the feeling of sleepiness just as he stepped into the room.

Was he going to faint out in the open for others to stare at him?! How shameful!

When Lan QiRen woke up, he was standing on soft grass, a familiar environment appeared in front of his sight.

Unconsciously, his feet moved forward towards the place he used to frequent in his youth. The sound of light laughter sounded out from the small wooden cabin, the familiar pitch and tone waking him up.

Why?

"Jiang FengMian!"

"Ah! You raised your voice~"

"You-"

Why...? Why was he here? Why did the two people in his cabin sound so much like they used to?

For the first time in forever, Lan QiRen ran. He was a man who stuck to the rules, yet he broke not one but two.

There was only one person who could do this, whether it was the past, present or future.

He ran into the cabin, feet becoming rooted to the ground as he stared at the young man sitting down on the bed.

Jiang FengMian. It really was him. He looked the same as Lan QiRen remembered.

Youthful and gentle.

He stood at the door as he watched the younger him glare at the man purple robes. The mischievous grin growing on his face as he continued teasing the man who was reading. "If you want to stop, I can."

"Then do it now."

"But you have to pay the price~"

'Jiang FengMian' leaned forward to 'Lan QiRen' as if expecting something. Lan QiRen watched as this sequence of events happened, vaguely recalling what would happen later.

This was his dream, a dream he often had after that fateful day. In his dream, Jiang FengMian did not get married to Yu ZiYuan. He came to him with his usual smile on his face, greeting him enthusiastically. They would head off to their spot at the back of the mountain, spend time together before it was time for either of them to leave.

In this dream, Jiang FengMian never got married. He never had children. Even more so, never left him.

As expected, 'Lan QiRen' turned his head away from the book, leaned forward towards 'Jiang FengMian' and gave him a kiss on the lips.

The scene changed, the cabin was gone, replaced with a lake full of lotus flowers. They were at Lotus Pier.

'Jiang FengMian' reaches his hand out as he stuffed a lotus seed into 'Lan QiRen's mouth, asking him a familiar question. "Is it sweet?"

'Lan QiRen' blushed a pretty shade of pink as he nodded, "Mm."

"How about this, one day I will bring you over and you can stay with me in Lotus Pier forever."

The blue robed youth tilted his head a little as he looked at his companion, "Why not Cloud Recesses?"

'Jiang FengMian' justified as he fiddled around with a thin strand of vine he got from who-knows-where. "Oh, there are too many rules there. How am I supposed to have my way with you if not being loud is a rule? What about that rule saying no staying up late after... Whatever the time was. So isn't it better to stay in Lotus Pier, we're free to do whatever we want."

Lan QiRen gazed at the two in melancholy as one youth put a ring made out vine onto the finger of the other, who was currently sputtering about how they were not of age to do such things.

"Wait for me, I'll fulfil this promise to you."

But I'm still waiting...

A lone tear fell into the lake water, mixing with it as the surface rippled. Lan QiRen felt the scene slowly fade as he went back to reality.

-19/9/2021-