The next day, Jin Ling returned to his designated room in the new, rebuilt, 莲花坞(lotus pier) after being shown around by a few close servants of his uncle. *Sizhui must be really bored roaming the villages, night-hunting alone. I wanna go back.* Just as he was deep in his thoughts, His uncle knocked on his door.
"Jin Ling, you're leaving later today so how about we visit the markets?"
"Ah sure, that sounds fun, thanks for the offer uncle, you really changed!" Jin Ling responded, opening the door while slipping on a coat jacket.
"Oh, Zewu Jun, you're coming along as well?"
"Haha, yeah. I'm basically a shopping basket with money following around, don't mind me."
"Ah-! If Uncle Jiang is forcing you to do so, I have money as well so please don't feel pressured."
"Are you guys talking behind my back?" Jiang Cheng, who was meters ahead of them, turned back and asked.
"Oh, we wouldn't dare, you're not as serious as I thought Zewu Jun." Jin Ling giggled.
After hours of eating and looking around the night markets, making small talk with one another, the time eventually came for Jin Ling to leave his uncle and go back to the worried Sizhui.
"Uncle Jiang, Zewu Jun, you really don't have to bother yourselves, especially this late at night. I can see myself off."
"I'll see off my own nephew if I like."
"Ah, I just didn't want to bother you guys."
"I'm sure Wanyin did not mean it that way-." Xichen said, trying to diffuse the situation but was interrupted by Jiang Cheng.
"Jin Ling."
"I'm proud of you and I'm really sorry for putting pressure on you from a young age, I just wanted the best. It's just your every movement reminded me of the devastating fact that we have lost your mother. I'm so happy you've grown up to be a responsible cultivator worthy to be sect leader. I've been distant in my past and I regret that, I might not have time to check up on you often so please don't put too much pressure on yourself when you return. Take care of yourself okay?"
"Oh- Ah. I never felt that you didn't care for me, and I too am guilty as I couldn't realize how stressed you must have been, I will try my best to take care of myself. I have to head off now, you get some rest too!"
Jiang Cheng stood in Lan Xichen's arms with a mix of quilt and pride as he watched his once whiny and small nephew heading off, knowing he was now a man with beauty, strength, knowledge, responsibility and people that truly brought him joy.
(A/N: New chapter will hopefully be done and released by the fifth of April.)
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More Than Friends (jin rulan X lan sizhui/zhuiling) Next Chpt - ?
FanfictionON HIATUS! Those eyes... those beautiful sharp, dark brown eyes, his gaze so cold contrary to how his mere presence made my consciousness slowly melt away. I was glad we had gotten close. Oh how I wanted to close the gap between us, I wanted to make...
