The line between love and obsession

The party at Gentian Hill

It was quite unlike him, but Lan Wangji was running late for his nine am class. Just as he was getting outside the entrance of his apartment building, he saw someone bouncing towards him; it would be more fitting to say that he heard someone bouncing towards him.

"Hi! Hello there!" The boy said.

Lan Wangji stopped in his tracks and turned around to face the boy; the boy was very pretty, clad in a red tee and denim pants, his hair held high in a ponytail with a red ribbon.

"Are you my new neighbor? I am Wei Wing, by the way. I live on the fourth floor," the boy, named Wei Ying, said enthusiastically.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Lan Zhan. Third floor. Moved two days ago,"

Lan Wangji had always introduced himself as "Lan Wangji", never "Lan Zhan", only his mother had called him that. So, he was stunned by his own action.

"You know, Mr. Lau used to live on the third floor. He died last month. He was a cold, mean person. The apartment must be filled with his resentful energy. You need to clean the apartment. Otherwise, Mr. Lau's going to haunt you, Lan Zhan," his neighbour said.

What is it? Is it drugs? Lan Wangji couldn't help but frown at the absurdity radiating from him neighbour.

"Don't worry though. I know how to manipulate resentful energy with my flute," The boy added.

Lan Wangji's frown deepened. It's definitely drugs, he thought. Is flute a metaphor for drugs that Wei Ying was trying to sell him?

"So, you need my help or not? " The boy said and after seeing Lan Wangji's expression, he finally laughed.

"Haha! Lan Zhan, please! I don't believe in ghosts, okay. I was just joking. And besides, Mr. Lau was a sweet, old man. He wasn't the 'I will haunt you after I die' type. Look at you. Hahaha. You look so disturbed. You are really a perfect candidate for teasing. Hahaha,"

Lan Wangji knew his ears were red from embarrassment, and his face flushed from annoyance.

"I'm late for my class. I've to go," Lan Wangji said curtly.

"Ok. I'm late for my work too. See you around, neighbor,"

Hope not. Lan Wangji was hoping never to see that boy again. He wouldn't want to be around such a character.

*****************

Lan Wangji's mother used to live in the Gentian Hills before she got married to his father. He was around six when his parents got separated. Though they were never officially divorced, they lived separately. After the separation, hid mother moved back to the Gentian Hills.

On weekdays, Lan Wangji and his older brother used to live with their father and uncle in their upscale neighbourhood in the cloud recesses, and on weekends, they went to their mother's apartment in Gentian Hill. Their mother's apartment was small and slightly cramped. But that tiny apartment contained his biggest, most precious childhood memories.

Lan Wangji's mother had taught him to bake and play guqin. There's a river that flowed by the Gentian Hills, and Lan Wangji used to stroll around the riverside with his mother and his brother, chatting about everything that popped into his tiny head. Then his mother died, and there was no reason for him to return to Gentian Hill.

In his first and second years of university, Lan Wangji stayed in an apartment near his university. But for his third year, he made a decision to live in Gentian Hill. His mother was happiest when she used to live in Gentian Hill, and Lan Wangji himself was desperate for some form of warmth in his cold life, so he packed his bags and rented an apartment in the dilapidated neighbourhood of Gentian Hill.