Listen To The Heartbeat

9. Besthalf

Lan zhan had known it all along. That his birth is meant to find his best half. Not because of any memories but because his mother had told him. 

The little Lan zhan was 5 years old when his mother fell into the ill fate of a brain tumor. Lan zhan had always been mama's little one. Not even a single day had he spent his night without his mother. Even when his father used to brainwash him, saying he was a grown up and should stay in his room, he wouldn't listen. He loved cuddling his mother and the warmth he felt in her presence. 

There were days when he used to feel jealous of his own father, whenever he came across the wedding pictures of their parents. How could his mother smile when he was not present in the frame? His mother had been his world, and it came crashing down when Uncle Qiren had told him, mother is sick. 

They diagnosed it at a crucial stage and had nothing they could do to leave it to fate. For 5 days mother had been in comatose. The day before she died, she woke up from her long sleep and Lan zhan was ecstatic. Not sure whether she knew it was coming, she had called the brothers and spoke to them one by one. 

"You would be a great leader and should make your mother proud. I am leaving Wangji in your care."

Xichen, being a 12 year old, knew that he must be strong. 

"Little bunbun, you know mama loves you both right? You mean everything to me." 

"Wangji misses mama." Lan zhan sniffed. 

"Mama will miss you too. But Baby you know what, you will find someone who will travel with you till the end. Mama wishes to be with you till the end, but mama is tired. One day, you will find someone who loves you to the core and you will call the person your better half." 

Though Lan zhan felt like he was being pulled apart from his mother and didn't understand what she meant actually, he nodded and hugged her tightly, when she kissed his cheeks. 

He understood the meaning a little when his father passed away on the same day his mother did. His father couldn't stay away from her mother, so followed her quickly. 

Growing up, since then Lan zhan used to search for his soulmate in everyone he met. It was too young to find a soulmate in that age, however in Lan zhan's heart the thought has been seeded deep inside to ignore. 

He wouldn't talk, but would listen and feel the vibe the other person gives off. 

He didn't feel the warmth of his mother in anyone until the age of 14. His brother loved him but the form of love was different. It's different in the sense that it cannot be compared to others. His brother is highly protective, and Lan zhan knew that his brother wouldn't think about his own life, until Lan zhan found a partner for himself and settled down. 

That became true when Qiren had asked Lan zhan to find a partner for him. When asked why he didn't ask his brother, Qiren answered that Xichen isn't interested in dating and marriage. 

To make the process easier, Lan zhan agreed to find a partner and the filter criteria was the gentleness. 

He had gone on a few blind dates, a few of the dates he didn't like and the rest were rejected by Xichen. Xichen wanted only the best for his baby brother. 

It had been a year since they started this search, and Lan zhan didn't mind getting married at the age of 18-20 if that would mean his brother could marry between 25-30. 

It was not exactly about the age, but he cannot let his dear brother waste his youth, waiting for him. 

To not delay it any further, he hesitantly agreed to visit the Jiang residence. He had known the Jiang siblings since childhood, and can't deny the fact that Miss Yanli is a gentle and lovely lady. If things go well, he might find the warmth in her as they spend time together, he thought. 

Until he saw the ball of sunshine at the Jiang residence, he never questioned his sexuality. For the very first time, Lan zhan couldn't feel his legs. He was so cautious, throughout the time, and he forgot the purpose of the visit until Madam Jiang called him for the talk. When the beautiful human told him that he liked him, he couldn't bring himself to talk. It felt so unearthly to experience a fantasy life. 

First, he met an angel disguised as a human. And the angel revealed that it liked him, immediately after they met. What are the possibilities that it could happen in real life? Hence he probed the angel to repeat what it said, and Lan zhan thanked the heavens for giving him a breather by sending Madam Jiang to interrupt. 

He felt like declaring his weird and wonderful feeling in front of everyone when they asked a question pointing at Yanli. But he took a glance at the pretty human and felt that he was afraid. He cannot scare it by a sudden declaration. 

When his Wei ying wanted to take off from the residence, no one noticed his nudge on his dear brother's hand to invite him. 

Inside the car, he once again found himself tongue tied to talk about anything.  

He felt the warmth and desire to take Wei ying then and there, when they walked towards the dorms. 

He wouldn't forget his naughty self smiling, when Wei ying ran off leaving him behind. He had the list of students names and their respective room numbers list, due to his position at the dorms students council. Hence at the same night, he knocked on the door, only to see the face for once before he slept, but he didn't have the luck. 

The next day was pure luck when he saw his love inside the flute class. Thanks to the one way glass, he need not restrict his eyes from feasting. And starting the same day evening, it had been a torture for him to wait until they met at the cafe, for he couldn't imagine his Wei ying talking or being close to others, when he couldn't do the above. Only he knew how much he had to stop himself from knocking on the opposite door everyday, as he noticed the other trying to keep a distance from him. 

But today, after seeing his love with a girl had made such a great impact on his heart that he couldn't wait anymore to show his affection openly. 

Lan zhan scratched his nape and grinned, ignoring his brother's silly remarks on him, looking at the man of his heart going inside the house. 

'Mama, I've found my soulmate'