An Almost Lan

Chapter 22

A/N: AU and OOC, just a reminder.

Thank you for your votes and comments, they really encourage me!

Thanks to @CALActorsTypist on Twitter for editing this, remaining errors are all mine.

Warnings: Drunk Lan Zhan.

The subsequent days after Uncle Qiren's return to their house were taxing on Wei Ying. After readjusting his internal clock, he took on discovering how their family dynamics would be from now on.

One of the first noticeable changes for him was Uncle Qiren's schedule. He was allowed to go to his office for only a limited number of hours per week and Yu Ziyuan made sure he followed his doctor's orders to the letter. He was even forced to miss some board meetings due to his need to rest. Madam Yu made it her mission in life to see him completely recovered.

Her level of commitment was such that she attended some board meetings in his representation. They always made sure she wasn't alone, for these occasions Lan Huan was always by her side. Even if the Lan elders accepted her as Madam Lan, it was for non Lan family members' benefit that Lan Huan presence was ensured.

Sometimes she really had to juggle her schedule to attend both the Lan and the Jiang companies board meetings. However, she did it gladly if that facilitated Lan Qiren's full recovery. Those days, when it became impossible for her to accompany Lan Qiren in his daily walk around the garden, it was Wei Ying who would go with him and talk his heart out about horses and jumping fences and circuit designs while Lan Qiren listened to him with a soft look in his eyes and a shy smile on his lips.

After a short period of time, everything was almost back to normal. Almost. But not quite there. Lan Zhan and he were a bit more than civil with each other, there was, in Wei Ying's opinion the lukewarm knockoff of the relationship they used to have.

They were nice to each other if nice were the synonym of fake, pretended, and polite. Their interactions were too rigid, lacking that languid simplicity that they used to share. They needed to think too much before speaking to each other. Well, at least they were speaking to each other, which was definitely a win in Wei Ying's book.

There were times when Wei Ying was able to catch Lan Zhan unaware of his presence, and he noticed he was a bit more relaxed, less guarded, as if Wei Ying's presence constricted him, repressing Lan Zhan in some way Wei Ying couldn't fathom.

The truth was that he missed Lan Zhan. Putting aside his attraction and feelings, he missed the closeness, the companionship, and sometimes... sometimes he found himself ready to forgo any chance of having a romantic relationship with Lan Zhan if that would give them back what they had.

***

Sometimes, insomnia got a hold of him and his mind wandered uncontrolled, going back to the past that was no more and even daring to imagine a future that was not meant to be.

One of those nights, when sleep evaded him, he heard noise at the pathway that led to the entrance of the house. His room had a window that faced that way so the noise reached him with ease. At first, he dismissed the ruckus, chalking it up to Jiang Cheng coming back home a bit tipsy.

It was entirely a plausible explanation, it had happened before and he had been amused by watching his brother facing the music when his mother called him for an explanation. It seemed that Nie Huaisang was right in the middle of the social scene of their circle and had dragged Jiang Cheng into it, which was an amazing development in Wei Ying's opinion.