𝐷𝑒́𝑝𝑎𝑦𝑠𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡「LCF x MDZS」

Chapter 24 -『Welcome Home』

"Xichen-ge, congratulations for making it to the top two who hunted the most in archery competition."

As Cale strides to where Lan Xichen is, those from the Wen could only look at their exchange.

"A-Huan, send my congratulations to your brother." The older smiles.

"Noted."

Before Lan Xichen could say more, Jiang Cheng's yells could be heard throughout the field.

"Gege!"

Cale almost met the ground if not for Lan Xichen supporting his back. The redhead looks at the younger who was hugging him.

"What's wrong?" Cale asks.

"You!" Jiang Cheng yells, glaring at the smaller man.

"Huh? Me? What did I do now?"

Suddenly missing, then reappears together with Wen Ruohan, sitting on the seat of honor, and playing a game with Qishan Wen's Sect Leader. Who wouldn't worry about such thing?

"Gege, Chengcheng came in third place because he was worried about you being left together with Sect Leader Wen. His actions also surprised me but it's not like I can blame him." Wei Ying explains, looking at the redhead with exasperation.

Jiang Cheng did continue to hit all of those spirit targets with urgency so that the competition would end early.

"I see? You both did a good job, I'm proud of you two." Cale utters, since he doesn't know what to say.

He could still feel Wen Ruohan's burning stare behind him, making him feel uncomfortable since he did beat him in his own game, both in the chess and the archery competition.

Just then, Jiang Fengmian appears beside Cale and Lan Xichen.

"Shall we go back to Lotus Pier?" The Sect Leader asks with a grim expression, eyeing Cale who just looks away from his stare.

Lan Xichen then coughs, earning the attention from those in Yunmeng.

"Congratulations on your victory once again, Wei-xiong, A-Huan." He says before bowing.

The three disciples also bowed, Jiang Fengmian nodding at Lan Xichen's way.

At that point, Cale remembered something he wanted to ask so he run to Lan Xichen who was leaving.

"Xichen-ge! I have a question!"

Lan Xichen hums, "What is it?"

Cale made sure that only Lan Xichen would hear him before asking, "Your forehead ribbon, what does it mean if it was unwoven by someone else?"

That question was supposed to be innocent, but Lan Xichen's face looked like he heard the most scandalous thing in the world.

Lan Xichen's face was then relaxed, "Is this regarding to Wangji's ribbon being disentangled by Wei-xiong?"

"Oh, so you've heard. Can you tell me? My brother is guilty fro doing something he doesn't know the meaning of." Cale says.

The older man chuckles, putting a hand above Cale's head before softly ruffling his hair, "Considering you also didn't know, you brothers are both clueless about it."

Cale tilted his head in confusion, "Yes?"

Lan Xichen leans in, making Cale flinch as his reddish-brown eyes shook while looking at the latter's dark ones.

The deep voice just beside Cale's ears sent shivers down to his spine.

"Our forehead ribbon means 'to regulate one's self'. The reason why Wangji got angry earlier, is because we can't let someone just touch them without our permission."