Secret & Lies (the forsaken #1) [WangXian FF]

39

Lan Wangji was speechless when he heard about the empty vault, but then he heard Wei Wuxian speak to him in a very cheerful voice.

"I have an idea, you should move as close as you can to Wen Ruohan, then when you hear my signal he'll surely tell you." He cackled and it caused Lan Wangji to have goosebumps, and it reminded him of their first meeting.

"Don't do anything stupid, Wei Ying." He tried to warn him but the latter had ended the call. "Shit."

Lan Wangji never uttered a word like shit before in his life because it was too below him, but he just couldn't help it this time. He quickly walked back to Wen Ruohan and his cronies, and he saw that his brother was still there. Thank god. He wouldn't want to be anywhere near the Jins and the Wens, but since Wei Wuxian told him so…

"Wangji, how's it going?" Lan Xichen raised his brow in question, but before he could answer, one of the Wen's dogs–a burly man with more body hair than a normal human should have–walked over and whispered to Wen Ruohan. His face turned to glee and Lan Wangji knew that it was all just a ruse to trap whoever tried to enter his vault. But he also knew that this must be a sign from Wei Wuxian. He was not that stupid to let himself got caught by the Wens. Or was he?

Now Lan Wangji was getting worried.

"Is there any problem, Patriarch Wen?" Lan Xichen asked Wen Ruohan since he also noticed the change of his expression.

"Not a problem, gentlemen. In fact, it was the opposite. We just caught a rat in the basement." He looked straight at Lan Wangji and smirked. So, he knew. 

"In fact, I will excuse myself to… oversee the elimination process. Please, enjoy yourself. I should not be too long." Wen Ruohan then went with the guard and Lan Wangji couldn't help but wanted to follow him. But Lan Xichen held him back.

"Wait for a moment, don't be too obvious. I'm sure Wei Wuxian would be fine. He didn't do all this just to get caught, did he?"

Lan Wangji knew his brother was right, so he waited for a moment, then he followed Wen Ruohan while Lan Xichen was making an excuse for him.

He quickly caught the scent of the Wen's Patriarch, moving toward the basement, and he followed quietly, erasing his scent.

"So, it's you again, Wei Wuxian. The prodigal son." Wen Ruohan chuckled as he saw that it was indeed Wei Wuxian who trespassed into his vault. The vault that was supposed to hold his most treasured artifacts.

"Oh? So you do know me?" Wei Wuxian grinned. This was the first time that he met the Wen's Patriarch, the one who took him under his wings and taught him to be the best.

"Well, your existence itself is some kind of an enigma, so how could I not know you?" Wen Ruohan smirked.

Wei Wuxian wondered what the enigma was about when Wen Ruohan continued.

"Anyway, my heart broke when I found out that you slept with Lan Wangji. You know that I have plans for you, right?"

"I'm sorry, what was that again? Plans for me? I thought I'm just a lowly soldier that's just a blip in your radar, Patriarch. You should take your plans and give it to your son rather than to me." Wei Wuxian grinned again. He was enjoying this too much. "So, the vault was a trap for me then? Where did you move your treasures to, Patriarch? Your bedroom?" He chuckled at his own joke, but then he saw the flash of anger on Wen Ruohan's face and he realized that it was true. "Really? Your bedroom? Paranoid much?"

"I see you still have that mouth with you, Wei Wuxian. Wonder why those dragons haven't taught you manners yet." Wen Ruohan ground his teeth in frustration.

"I guess that's kind of my charm, you know? Lan Wangji loves it when I get all mouthy on him, of course it's rather different than what you just thought, but the point is, he could not get his hands off of me."  

"Now you're just trying to rile me up."

"Oh? And why is that? I don't think you care enough for me, or Lan Wangji, to become so… angry. Wait. Why are you angry again? I'm not your son, or even someone in a higher hierarchy. I'm just a nobody. Why do you care so much about me?"

But before he could answer, the lights on the basement were being cut off and there's a sound of tear gas being thrown inside. Wei Wuxian quickly lowered himself and ran out to the direction of the door, while the other was coughing and he went outside then locked the door. He then turned around to see Wen Yuan stood there without a word. 

Wei Wuxian was surprised that Wen Yuan helped him, but then the young man nodded and moved aside to let him go. Wei Wuxian quickly moved past him and patted his shoulder without saying anything. They respected and liked each other, no matter what the Patriarch said.

"Ten minutes." Wen Yuan spoke to him and he understood. He was giving him time to do whatever it was that he came to do. Ten minutes was plenty of time.

Wei Wuxian climbed up the stairs when he bumped into Lan Wangji, and he was pulled into his hug.

"Are you okay?" Lan Wangji growled and his eyes turned golden. He was really afraid that something happened to Wei Wuxian, but it looked like he was fine.

"I'm fine, we have ten minutes to retrieve the artifact and leave the place. Come, I know where Wen Ruohan took the artifact to." Wei Wuxian pulled Lan Wangji's hand as he ran to Wen Ruohan's bedroom.