Emperors Smile

36

Wen was sitting down at a table while Wei got their drinks. He looked around the café, there were barely any people around and maybe that was a good thing. Nothing dramatic is going to happen if Wei-, before he could finish his thought Wei sat down with their drinks. Wen moved his upper body across the table to get to his drink and pulled it towards him. He took a big sip before Wei spoke. "Now start explaining." Wen swallowed his drink down and looked at the table. Wei knocked on the table. Wen Ning looked at his hand and Wei pointed it up, "I'm looking at you." But he didn't look at him.

"I'm scared of what will happen when I tell you about it." Wei frowned his eyebrow, "Why would you be scared?" His voice seemed to be more soft than before and it helped Wen Ning relax a bit more. "Well- uhm- whenever we tried to talk to you" he moved his eyes up to look at him, "you always got- uhm- a headache I guess and- uhm- we would be back at square one."

Wei let out a sigh, "Talk to me about what?" Wen seemed to be playing with the straw trying to calm his nerves down. "Just about what happened in school." "What happened?"

Wen put his hands on his lap and put on a worried face. "I don't think I should say it here." Wei tilted his head, "Because of the headache?" Wen shook his head. "It's fine, just tell me." Wen pressed his lips together before he parted them to speak.

Wen Zhuliu let out a sigh, "What are you doing Wen Ning." After he said that you could hear Wen Chao's scoff through the phone. "What? Are you worried?!" Zhuliu closed his eyes before he responded, "No, sir. When do you need me to get interfere?" Wen Chao let out another scoff, "When you get him alone of course. I can't believe he's meeting Wei Wuxian, I already knew he was trouble." Wen Zhuliu let out another breath, this one seemed to be quieter than the last one.

After letting the phone rang for a while someone finally picked up. "Hello, speaking with Jiang Cheng."

Jiang could here a low chuckle through the phone. "Hello, it's Nie Mingjue the CEO of The Unclean Realm." Jiang slightly tilted his head, "Mh, Huaisang's brother. Is there something you need?"

Huaisang saw that his brothers eyebrows slightly furrowed. He thought about how the one that picked up could've been Wei Wuxian.

"Not something I need, but there is something that I would like to share with you. Do you have the time for that now?" he leaned against his desk.

"Depends on what it is", Jiang replied.

"I'm sure your father has already spoken about it, but Wen- old man Wen thinks there is a mol going around. And I have a feeling he might target either one of us for set 'mol'." It was quiet for a while before Jiang said, "I have a meeting soon, maybe we could discuss this at a later time?"

While they spoke with each other Huaisang came and stood next to his brother. But to listen in on the conversation he was basically glued against him. After Jiang finished his sentence Huaisang whispered to his brother, "Ask him if he's free for dinner."

A small smile appeared on Mingjue's face as he slightly shook his head, "Huaisang asked if dinner would be alright with you."

Nie Huaisang immediately stepped away from his brother, "There was a reason I whispered!"

Mingjue caressed his head as he waited for Jiang's reply. But Huaisang formed a pout on his face. Even after all these year this adult was still his little brother.

"I can do dinner, where would you like to meet?"

"I suggest one of the restaurants you send supplies too."

"Out of safety or do you like those restaurants?" Jiang asked trying to get a laugh out of him.

But Mingjue didn't find this a funny matter. "Yes, let Huaisang know if you found a place."

Jiang stiffed up again, "Ah- yes. Goodbye."

After looking around the building Lan Wangji headed back inside. His brother looked at him with a hopeful look, but it soon left his face as he saw him return alone. Xichen felt hesitant to ask if he found Wei, since they were still fighting? But Wangji said, "Didn't find him", as he walked past his older brother. A little glimmer appeared in his eyes, he's talking to me!, but he also let out a sigh. "I'm sure he just felt flustered, he'll come back." Wangji shrugged.

As the night passed there was still no sign of Wei.

Xichen grabbed the keys and headed towards the front door to lock them. But then suddenly someone ran in.