Growing Pains from Growing Family (Xicheng)

Chapter 15: An Apple a Day

"Good morning. It's time to wake up" Lan Xichen carefully shook the Jiang to wake him.

"It's too early" the man mumbled in response. He was tired, warm, and comfortable, by no means did he want to wake up right now. It didn't help that it actually was too early, half an hour too early to be exact. But on a day like today, where Jiang Wanyin needed to get out of Gusu undetected, waking up at 4:30 am was necessary.

Jiang Wanyin's stomach growled, forcing him awake. Having eaten only a handful of grapes and a single spoonful of stew the day before he was starving. After stretching the upset man sat up and glared at his stomach, perhaps hoping that it, like many people before, could be intimidated into silence. His attempt however was unsuccessful as another loud rumbling could be heard.

"We won't have time to get breakfast do we?" Jiang Wanyin asked, already certain the answer would be no. Needing to get out of Gusu as soon as possible, he'd have to wait until arriving at another town before he could purchase any food. Feeling there was no need to answer the obvious question Lan Xichen instead pulled out what he had found hidden inside his brother's sleeves. But though Jiang Wanyin's eyes twinkled as he saw it he still held back, skeptical of whether or not he should go for it. "That's meant for Wei Ying's donkey isn't it?"

How could sect leader Jiang stoop so low as to eat the food meant for his brother's pet? And a donkey no less. If Wei Wuxian ever found out about it there would be no end to his teasing. Similar red apples would be dangled before the stubborn sect leader's face until the end of time. He'd never get to live it down. Compared to that going without breakfast a single day was nothing.

"We can just tell them I'm the one who ate it" Lan Xichen offered and with those words Jiang Wanyin devoured the fruit at an insatiable speed. A tiny little push was all it took for him to give in to the gnawing hunger. In no time the core of the apple has all that was left.

"..." Silence filled the room as they both knew that this was it. Time for them to go their separate ways.

"You're going back to Lotus Pier now, aren't you?" Lan Xichen asked for confirmation, but he already knew.

"Yeah, but don't miss me too much. I'll return probably need to return to the Cloud Recesses very soon to deal with the rumors." Jiang Wanyin said with a smile. Reaching into Lan Wangji's sleeves a final time Lan Huan handed the Jiang a parting gift.

"Here, I'm sure these will be more than sufficient for your proposal" Lan Huan had spent all night creating new drawings for him. Ones which fully captured the Jiang's beauty. Looking them all over a smile formed on the Jiang's face.

"Oh, come on I've never looked this handsome in my life" Jiang Wanyin stated, pointing at the drawing where he wore a gentle smile. Knowing how unrealistic the expression was for the Jiang, Lan Huan had only dared to draw one such picture. In the other two the Jiang was stoic, a more accurate, but by no means less handsome version of sect leader Jiang.

Jiang Wanyin laughed at Lan Xichen's bewildered reaction. "That being said, something doesn't look quite right. There is one thing missing..." There was? Peeking over the Jiang's shoulder Lan Huan couldn't spot anything off. Perhaps he wasn't familiar enough with Yunmeng to draw it properly? But he had specifically chosen spots he knew well to mitigate this exact problem. Scanning his backgrounds Lan Huan attempted to identify the thing which Jiang Wanyin had identified as missing, but it looked just like he remembered it.

"Your signature, how is anyone supposed to know that this is one of Zewu-jun's magnificent pieces if you don't sign it?" Jiang Wanyin spoke, explaining what he had meant.

"I really don't think that's a good idea" These drawings were meant for Jiang Wanyin's future wife. But the younger cultivator was determined and Lan Huan was weak-willed when it came to the people he cared for and so his hand soon made the all too familiar movement as his name was added to the bottom of the drawings.

"Thank you, I can't wait to see his expression when he sees this" Jiang Wanyin giggled as he admired the drawings which had now come into his possession.

"Who?" Lan Huan had expected its recipient to be a woman. Was it not?

"Exactly" With a wink and a finger to his lips, the Jiang acted as though he expected Lan Huan to already know the answer. An untold secret they both knew about. But Lan Xichen was left in the dark of what this secret was as Jiang Wanyin left, hurrying to get back to his beloved Yunmeng where piles and piles of work waited for him.