Flipside

Chapter 18

Jiang Cheng, Wei Ying, Huaisang, and Wangji attended silent study time, with Lan Qiren as the supervisor.

His steely eyes scanned the room, and his head moved almost robotically as he surveyed every student with the utmost diligence. However, it seemed the quartet of troublemakers were just too fast for his assiduous eyes.

Lan Qiren's eyes always moved just a second too late as Wangji threw neatly folded notes like they were throwing knives, always landing perfectly inside his friend's palms.

Lan Qiren also didn't seem to notice the smiles on the faces of the other three boys as they looked at the well-drawn comic illustrations of Grandmaster Lan.

Everyone in the room was too concerned with avoiding Grandmaster Lan's piercing gaze that they didn't even see the fast-paced hand signals being shared between the four as break time loomed closer and closer.

Lan Qiren couldn't find the source of his discomfort, but kept a lookout for trouble. For weeks now, he had been waiting for Wei WuXian to start some form of mischief, as his mother had. Lan Qiren had a pile of letters from Madame Yu, giving testimony to the boy's untamed nature, and useful tips in catching the little outlaw red-handed. But nothing.

It was most frustrating.

The dismissal bell came, and despite watching closely, nothing happened. If Cangse Sanren was anything to go by, Wei Wuxian would be a million times worse. His mind returned to all the times that frustrating woman played endless pranks on him and disturbed the peace. He stroked his goatee, thankful for the fact that it was still there, and watched all the students leave,

However, he was shocked to see that his prized nephew was walking alongside that little black and red mischief-maker. Not just him, that Jiang Clan heir with anger issues and the Nie Clan heir who never knew anything.

They were actually walking side by side like they were in some sort of play!

This wasn't good, his nephew may be perfect and obedient now, but Lan Qiren remembered the times when he was younger. He would stay up late and sneak around places where he shouldn't be. He would always talk back and question the rules as well. No doubt from his no-good mother's side of the family.

But it was fine; he managed to get all those habits out of him and whipped that boy into shape. He was The Twin Jade of Gusu Lan now. Right now, he just needed to focus and prepare for the upcoming discussion conference. If anything were to happen, Xichen would handle it.

He was sure that no trouble would be made inside Cloud Recesses.

"Sang-ge, you cannot fail this year. Not with having a Study group headed by Lan WangJi himself! Think about it?!" A senior Nie disciple said as he confronted Huaisang while he was heading to the stream in the back hills.

"This is the Lan Wangji we're talking about; there's no one in the world who's more diligent and rule-abiding than him; there is no way that you'll fail. You definitely get a passing grade."

Huaisang just looked at him with raised eyebrows and took a sharp breath in as if to say, 'Yeah, about that'.

"Yeah, definitely, sure thing. I'll totally pass, for sure." Huaisang haltingly said as he fanned himself harder and harder.

If anyone ever found out, it would be a shock and a half.

"... When did you get that fan? It's really nice, nicer than the ones you have at home." The senior disciple asked as he eyed up the fan and mouthed the words written on it.

"You ask me why I dwell in the green mountain; I smile and make no reply, for my heart is free of care. As the peach blossom flows downstream and is gone into the unknown, I have a world apart that is not among men. Huh, that's unusually profound for you. Where did you buy it?"

"Oh, this um, it was a gift from... a friend, a pen pal." Huaisang invented." Yeah, a fan maker from Jiangnan, um anyway, gotta go! Those books won't study themselves, bye!"

Huaisang speed-walked away as he went back to his friend group.".. Since when does he have a pen pal?"