Growing Pains from Growing Family (Xicheng)

Chapter 16: Not Good Enough

Luckily Lan Huan didn't have to wait long, just a couple of days later he spotted two purple-clad cultivators walking through the Cloud Recesses. A surprising sight, seeing that all access to outsiders had been revoked ever since that day. No one had been thrown out so there were still some non-Lans left who had yet to leave since Lan Xichen's return, but no new outsiders were allowed to enter. All to avoid more information to spread before the Lan sect could come out with an official statement on the matter. But this was different. Sect leader Jiang, with a single disciple in tow, had been allowed inside due to his direct involvement in creating the aforementioned statement.

Spotting sect leader Lan from afar the man turned to his disciple who was carrying a book's worth of papers and said "I have some things to discuss with sect leader Lan, please have those delivered to Lan Qiren. He'll know where to find me if he has any questions" The Jiang bowed to his sect leader before continuing on the path he was previously on.

Lan Xichen bowed in greeting as the younger cultivator approached him. It had only been two days since they last saw each other but Jiang Wanyin looked ragged, large shadows clearly visible underneath his eyes as a consequence of likely not having slept since they last met. Lan Huan couldn't imagine himself looking much better though. Spending his days in meetings and his nights looking through the information of all the marriage candidates his sect elders had shown him over the years. They were both greatly sleep deprived yet somehow still standing.

"Tea?" With a single word the exhausted Lan invited his fellow sect leader inside of his home. Walking inside Jiang Wanyin looked around at the all new furniture which had been brought in to replace what had been irreparable after the firework incident.

"It looks nice. You can barely tell what happened. Is this stuff just temporary or...?" Jiang Wanyin asked as he not so subtly was eying up the Lan's new couch. The Jiang had made his disdain for the Lans' couches well known over the years. According to him they were too small, too uncomfortable, and downright unusable. And those were just the words he spoke after having to sit in them and was nothing compared to the cussing which would occur after the Jiang had slept on one. No one was forcing him to do so, but whenever his nephew got sick during a stay in Gusu Jiang Wanyin would offer up his bed so that young master Jin could stay close by.

"No, it's here to stay. You should try it out, it's really nice" Lan Huan had picked out that couch specifically for if sect leader Jiang came to visit and from the looks of it he had made a good choice as a smile formed on the cultivator's face as he sunk into the soft cushions. The Jiang greatly enjoyed himself as he made himself at home, showing no intention of getting up from the couch anytime soon.

"Did sect leader Jiang have something to discuss with me?" Lan Huan asked as he sat down next to the cultivator who simply shook his head in response. It had all been an excuse, same as the tea Lan Xichen had offered. There was no water being boiled, no tea leaves being prepared, in the end there would be no tea being brewed. Not that it mattered to either of them as they sat in silence inside of Hanshi. After days of constant demands put upon them they finally had a calm and silent moment without work, meetings, or responsibilities.

Leaning back Lan Huan closed his eyes to let his body rest for just a moment. He was exhausted, but despite this there was still much left which needed to be done. Outside of Gusu there were plenty of talks about what sect leader Jiang had done. Most sects of notable size had reached out for a statement, all but the Nie sect which had stayed awfully silent throughout it all. Not that any of them had received any additional information. Had the Jiang sect been equally bombarded?

A familiar weight fell on his shoulder. The feeling of Jiang Wanyin's presence put Lan Huan at ease and the Lan found himself wishing every day could be like this. That regardless of how tough things got he could always rely on sect leader Jiang to clear his busy mind. To allow him a moment of pure rest when he needed to think of nothing but the sweet scent of lotus flowers which emanated off of the younger cultivator.

"You look like you've been busy, if you want help I might have a couple hours to spare after talking to Lan Qiren" Jiang Wanyin commented, breaking the silence. Without even looking Lan Xichen assumed that he had spotted the large pile of documents laying on the Lan's desk. They were hidden from view when you entered Hanshi but from they were sitting right now he should be able to see them no problem.

"Ignore it. I've already looked through them all, there wasn't anyone good enough for you" Lan Huan said, dismissing some of the most eligible women of the cultivation world as though they were nothing. It wasn't like they wouldn't make good wives, just not for sect leader Jiang. Perhaps his requirements were a bit high, so high that he himself only barely passed. He should readjust them and look through the pile of documents once more after the Jiang left.

"No? You're that choosy when picking something out for me?" a cheerful Jiang Cheng asked.

"Mn, I tried to help you find a wife but none of them were good enough." But the request of helping him find a partner had apparently not been legitimate.

"W-Wasn't that a joke? Y-You actually wanted to match me up with someone?" Leaving an empty spot on the Lan's shoulder Jiang Wanyin sat up and placed his head in his hands. His eyebrows deeply furrowed as he stared down at Hanshi's wooden floor. Mumbling to himself Jiang Wanyin looked plenty distressed. Lan Huan could overhear the phrases "get it back" and "too late".

"What's going on?" he asked with concern.

"I-I already sent the proposal out" Jiang Wanyin responded with a tone signaling that this was the end of the world as they knew it. He must really respect sect leader Lan's opinion if his willing to go so far as to want to rescind his proposal to have the Lan help him.

"Don't worry" Lan Xichen tried to reassure him by putting a hand on his shoulder. "It wasn't like I found anyone, and even if I did I'm sure sect leader Jiang made a great choice of partner"

"I-I'll get rejected" The Jiang's face was as white as the Lan's robes.

"You don't know that. Anyone would be lucky to have as strong and handsome of a husband as you" Jiang Wanyin was not reassured by his words. Still so certain that his proposal would be turned down that his hands were visibly trembling. "And if they fail to see what a catch you are then we will find you someone else, someone better."

"I don't want anyone else" Fear of rejection was a powerful thing. Lan Huan had no doubt the lucky woman to receive sect leader Jiang's proposal would accept. But even if she didn't it wasn't like Jiang Wanyin had cared for her for long, she would eventually be gone and forgotten. However, that realization was for the future. In the present he needed reassurance. "Then the two of us will stay single together"

"You'll stay single too?" Jiang Cheng looked up at him, eyes filled with surprise and relief. Lan Xichen nodded. If Jiang Wanyin was planning to stay single, then Lan Huan would happily join him. This was enough to calm the Jiang's worries and he soon wrapped his arms around the Lan's neck with gratitude.

"But only if you get rejected. No skipping out on trying to get her just because you're scared" Please go enjoy your happy end. Lan Xichen pulled Jiang Wanyin in close. Possibly for the last time. The scent of fresh Lotus flowers enveloped him once more. He would miss being close like this, miss spending time with the Jiang. Marriage was a time-consuming thing, even someone as attentive as A-Yao had become more distant after getting a wife, sect leader Jiang wouldn't be any different. But Lan Huan wouldn't be happy unless Jiang Wanyin was too, so it was time to let go.

"SECT LEADER JIANG!" Uncle Qiren came bursting in through the door, furious as he waved a stack of papers in the air.