Blood is Thicker than Water

Chapter 6

Chaos at the Lan Family Mansion

For generations, the Lan family has been said to produce worldly renowned talents. From mere artisans to high officials of the once ancient Chinese empire. No one could deny the Lan family's abilities and skills that have been granted forth to them from the very heavens itself. Yet, despite all their blessings, they have remained humble and ever so filial to the teachings of their ancestors. They also possess one of a kind of beauty that not even the celestial maidens of the heavens dare to contest.

They are perfect in every possible way imaginable. Some would even call them the incarnates of the very gods themselves.

However, as with all things in life, there is no such thing as absolute perfection. There will always be a flaw hiding there somewhere between the small cracks unnoticed by everyone except for the person themselves. The brighter the light is the bigger and darker the shadow underneath their feet is.

As serene and wise as the Lans maybe they were just after all humans at the core. They had needs, wants, dreams, hopes, and so much more that defined them far more than just their family names and laws.

The Lans are hopeless romantic fools. This is a fundamental and universal truth accepted by all the Lan family members even by the strict and harsh Lan Qiren himself. How many bright and talented members had fallen at the fangs of a love that had slowly corroded them away leaving nothing but madness behind?

Both Lan Xichen's father Lan Huifen and Uncle Lan Qiren had been just a few of many who had been harshly burned by the fiery passion of love that unfortunately was never reciprocated.

On the surface, Lan Xichen's parents were said to be a very loving couple. Lan Huifen was deeply in love and infatuated with his beautiful wife who seemingly returned that affection by giving him two lovely sons for him. They were thought to be very intimate with one another each of them treating the other with nothing but respect. They cherished one another a great deal. Hence, when the Madam tragically lost her life to an old childhood illness, Lan Huifen was never the same. Many ballads spoke and sang of their deep-found mutual love for one another. However, the truth was far from reality.

As much as Lan Xichen's mother Qiang Xinyi loved and cherished both of her children to the end of the world, she held nothing but burning hatred for her husband and prisoner.

Lan Huifen had forcibly ripped Qiang Xinyi from the arms of her original beloved and intended before forcibly claiming her for himself. Her parents had agreed to the marriage on her behalf in order to protect their daughter's lost honor. Although her fiance had fought to free her from the madman's grasp, he was quickly sent abroad courtesy of the Lan family's many connections. In the end, he moved on from her and married another woman in the country he was stationed at by his company living the happy family life that Qiang Xinyi had once dreamed of having with him.

Heartbroken, Madam Lan fell ill and never truly recovered. Lan Huifen unable to stand the loss of his wife became insane and had to be sent away to a mental facility to treat his many mental illnesses before ultimately passing away himself not so long ago just as Lan Xichen graduated from university as the valid victorian.

Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji cried for a father they never had at his funeral.

As for Lan Qiren, he had fallen in love with someone he should never have. Wen Ruohan was his first ever and last love. Things were good when he was all just a naive foolish youth oblivious to the world around him. He couldn't see past the scheming man's intention and fell utterly hard for his dashing and charming wits. Even if he had known beforehand it was all too late for him as he had been starstruck by the older teen the moment he had met him all those years ago.