It was already dawn when the lies of Jin Guangyao was exposed, and his body along with Nie Mingjue's was carried underneath a mountain to be sealed and never touched.
What was left at the Golden Carp Tower was a broken and beheaded statue and the wooden floors covered in concrete dust and Sect Leaders, and cultivators.
Lan Xichen who followed behind Lan Qiren, was absent-minded and sluggish. He spots a figure a few feet away across from him, his eyebrows raise in curiosity. So, he starts walking towards the isolated figure to perhaps engage in a conversation with them.
The sky begins to lighten as the sun rises, sunbeams fall upon his face revealing a fair complexion and amethyst jianxiu robes. He looks serene, like in a state of Zen. Like the clouds in Gusu, the lotus in Yunmeng, and the peonies in Lanling, calm and clear and breathtaking. Lan Xichen paused, then smiled. The 'time-worn but iconic' smile he always shows.
Hearing the footsteps, the figure turns over his shoulder. His sharp eyes were searching Lan Xichen, giving him the historic 'once-over' before turning his whole body to face Xichen.
The smile painted across Lan Xichen's face remains, nodding at him in respect.
"Sect Leader Jiang." he greets.
"Sect Leader Lan,"-he nods- "not leaving yet?" Jiang Cheng slowly gazes at the Lan juniors as they're about to leave.
Lan Xichen shows a bitter smile, "I believe that Sect Leader Jiang looked too lonely, so I decided to accompany you." Then tilts his head.
Jiang Cheng's almond eyes turn in confusion, resembling two bolts of lightning then shift to a calm look.
"Lonely is not being alone, it's the feeling that no one cares." He turns, his back facing Lan Xichen. He walks slowly towards the dock with his hands behind his back, Xichen follows.
The silence was too loud and the air was filled with anguish and grief and sorrow. Before speaking, Lan Xichen looked at the lost in thought Jiang Cheng. Then thinks, Why not share experiences with each other?
He breaks the silence, "I remember the time where Meng Yao and I would discuss matters here. He is..." - he pauses- "a talkative fellow," Lan Xichen grips on lièbīng. Jiang Cheng remains quiet, focused on the horizon.
"He was with me throughout my escape from the Wen's. I could not imagine how I would survive if it wasn't for him-" he walks slowly, and stands still beside Jiang Cheng whose arms are placed and supported by the railings. "- I wonder, why did I believe Huaisang?"
Tears start forming in the corner of his right eye. His mask, the mask he always wears, the mask he shows to everyone, is slowly falling apart.
Jiang Cheng turns to look at him shocked and surprised. He's hesitant and unsure of what to do. Other than Jin Ling, he's never seen a single human cry in front of him. So he stays silent.
Feeling how uncomfortable Jiang Cheng is with his presence he slowly walks away with a guilty and embarrassed look on his face.
"I-" Jiang Cheng spoke, "I too know the feeling of losing a loved one." He quietly spoke, looking away, trying to avoid Xichen's gaze.
Lan Xichen paused, looking back at Jiang Cheng whose eyes avert his gaze then to his thin furrowed eyebrows and slightly red lips result from biting. "Sect Leader Jiang I-"
"It was painful and unpleasant and bitter," -Jiang Cheng cuts him off- "and to think that the person I hated the most, the person who I believed was the cause of-" he waves his hands in the air, trying to emphasize something. "-all this," he grins maniacally "-was my savior."
Lan Xichen grits his teeth, listening to him from a few centimeters away.
"When I became the Sect Leader It felt like the weight of the world was on my shoulder. I-" he stutters, "I was afraid and alone. I was barely even eighteen at that time!" he half shouts, locking his eyes with Xichen's.
Tears start streaming down his face. It was a pitiful sight to see. Xichen walks toward Jiang Cheng whose trying to hold back tears and sniffles. As he tries to reach out to him a hand slaps his.
"Let us forget that this ever happened." he keeps his head down. Quickly, his expression changed. Like lightning.
Lan Xichen was alone on the dock.
Staring at the horizon, afraid and terrified of the future ahead of him because he knows the worst is yet to come. What he does not know is the pair of longing blue eyes staring back at him, that if you look closely and deeper enough into them you would notice the wanting and apprehension.
YOU ARE READING
Wraith
FanfictionAfter Jin Guangyao's death, Lan Xichen put himself in seclusion, blaming himself for the death of his dear friend. 3 years had passed, a part of the incident is still left in the deepest part of his heart, but he could not throw his responsibilitie...
