Taking roots after the misty rain

Ch-17

According to the plan, Jin Zixuan offered to treat everyone to lunch at the most expensive inn in Yiling. Very conveniently, Jiang Yanli said she needed Wei Zixian's help and asked her brothers to go to the inn as Jin Zixuan was waiting for them there. Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng trusted their sister and believed every word. Before going to the inn, Jin Zixuan asked Lan Xichen to meet Jiang Yanli as she wanted to have a word with him. Lan Xichen immediately headed to where Jiang Yanli was as soon as Jin Zixuan left.

"Jiang Guniang, you wished to speak with me?" He asked politely.

"I apologize for lying, but someone else seeks an opportunity to converse with you. She is waiting for you inside." Jiang Yanli responded.

"Is it Zixian?"

The latter nodded before curtsying.

"Lan Gongzi, I shall take my leave now."

Jiang Yanli left with her lavender robes swirling around her, leaving behind a very hesitant yet expectant and excited Lan Xichen. He knocked twice, the sound shook Wei Zixian out of her nervous reverie. She immediately got up and opened the door.

For the first time in weeks, the young pair were seeing each other's countenance properly, instead of a hurriedly stolen glance under the noses of their strict chaperones.

"Wei Xiaojie" Lan Xichen whispered.

"Lan Gongzi, please come in." She invited.

He stepped in and Zixian closed the doors behind him. He turned around and opened his mouth to speak, but Zixian beat him to it.

"Before you say anything, I want to tell you something." She spoke hastily, "I like you."

Lan Xichen didn't comprehend what she meant for a second.

"What did you just say?"

Zixian tugged at the hem of her sleeves and looked at the floor sheepishly.

"I said, I like you. It took me a while to figure it out, but I am sure of it now. I want to spend all my time with you, I want to go on walks with you every day, not just every fortnight. I want to listen to you play the flute every day. And I want to wake up in your arms every morning for the rest of my life. I like you."

He immediately embraced her and his lips curved into a smile involuntarily when he saw her bury her face in his chest shyly. After a moment, she looked up at him and blushed at the sight of his unbridled joy and her cheeks were dusted a lovely pink. Oh, how he wanted to caress them.

"I heard that your Lan clan has a lot of rules, almost 3000! Is it true?" Zixian asked.

"It is indeed so," Xichen replied.

"And you follow all of them? You are the great Zewu Jun, have you never broken any one of them?"

"In the past, I did not break the rules."

"In the past? Then what about now?"

"It feels like ever since I met you, I can't seem to follow the rules at all. Since I saw you, I became greedy and wanted to spend more and more time with you. I coveted, and became jealous for petty reasons. I wanted to abduct you and take you to the Cloud Recess with me. I have lost count of how many times I have copied the rules since we got acquainted. "

"Seriously? You are messing me about, aren't you?"

"I assure you, I am not." He retorted before taking her face in his palms, "And if you allow me, I wish to break another rule presently."

"Alright." She shrugged, not knowing what he wanted to do, but she trusted him.

Without missing a beat, Lan Xichen bent down and softly slotted his lips against Wei Zixian's and kissed her softly. She was stunned by his boldness. Her grip on his clothes tightened and her eyes were wide open. After a few moments, she was unable to keep her eyes from shutting any longer. She let go of his robes and wrapped her hands around his neck, stood on her tiptoes, and kissed him back.