The Mad Ҡìղց

Lan Wanji's life. 5

Wang has always been the type to obsess over things. Once his mind fixated on something or someone, there was no pulling him back. That's why no one was particularly surprised when he began stalking the young couple. It wasn't out of jealousy, at least not entirely. His motives were more complicated than that—tangled in familial expectations, emotional conflict, and personal confusion.

Victor and Wei Ying, the couple that seemed to have sparked Wanji's fixation, had initially noticed him following them around a few weeks ago. It wasn't subtle. Wanji would always be just a table or two away from them when they went out. At first, they thought it was coincidence, but soon enough, they realized it wasn't. It became a regular occurrence: Wanji sitting with his head down, scrolling through his phone, pretending not to care about their presence. But they knew better. Everyone did.

Word about the Lan family's troubles quickly spread through the social circles of their elite community. The whispers were impossible to ignore. It wasn't just the stalking that got people talking; it was the crumbling empire behind it. The Lan family businesses, once renowned for their vast influence and wealth, were showing cracks. Wanji's father, Lan Qiren, however, never lost faith in his son. Even as their businesses began to falter, Lan Qiren remained steadfast. Money was never an issue; the family had an abundance to last for generations. His only real concern was Wanji's state of mind.

"I just want him to get over this boy," Qiren would often say to Ayana and his mother. "He needs to find peace."

Victor was an orphan, raised by foster parents who had left him with few connections in life. He had only one close relative, a cousin, and even he was married with his own life far away. Wanji's obsession with Victor seemed baseless, irrational, and dangerous to everyone around him. But in Wanji's mind, something about Victor didn't sit right. He was too clean, too perfect. Wanji believed there had to be more to the story.

Days and nights were spent investigating Victor's past, hiring private investigators to dig deeper and deeper. But everything came up clean. Victor's background checked out flawlessly. No hidden secrets, no skeletons in the closet. Wanji was frustrated—his instincts told him that something was off, but he couldn't find a single thread to pull.

During the weeks Wanji had been occupied with his investigations, Victor and Wei Ying enjoyed a brief respite. It had been two weeks since they last spotted Wanji lurking around.

"I think he's finally given up," Victor said, lounging on the couch as Wei Ying massaged his feet.

"I hope so, Let's go to bed" Wei Ying sighed, his voice tinged with both relief and exhaustion.

Meanwhile, at the Lan family estate, Wanji's sudden absence from the couple's life was noted with cautious optimism. His father, and grandmother were both relieved that Wanji wasn't stalking them anymore, but they knew better than to trust this temporary peace.

That evening, Wanji's aunt, Ayana, burst into the living room, her energy infectious as always. "I'm going to America for the witches' festival," she announced, plopping down beside her grandmother. "It's going to be so much fun—the meeting, the campfires, the parties."

"Grandmother, will you go?" Ayana asked, her eyes twinkling with excitement.

The elderly woman glanced up from her needlework, raising an eyebrow. "You're older than most here and yet you still call me grandmother. How ironic," she sighed, though a smile played on her lips.

"Take Wanji with you," Lan Qiren said, his voice filled with the weariness of a man who had been shouldering his family's burdens for too long. "He needs a change of environment."

Ayana laughed, the sound light and playful. "I'll have to put him to sleep before he'd follow me anywhere!" she teased.

"Follow you where?" Wanji's voice cut through the room as he entered, his face as stoic as ever, his eyes distant and unreadable.

"To the witches' festival in America," Ayana replied. "You know, where all the witches from around the world come to meet."

"I'll go," Wanji said, his voice calm, but his words surprising everyone in the room.

Ayana blinked. "You'll... go?" she asked, disbelief coloring her tone. Wanji never participated in the family's international trips unless absolutely necessary.

"I'll go," Wanji repeated. "Victor's cousin lives in America. I need to know more about him. Wanji thought." A hint of calculation flickered in his eyes, and Ayana suddenly understood his motivation. It wasn't the festival that had piqued his interest—it was something else.

For Lan Qiren, this was unexpected but welcome news. He smiled softly, pulling out his phone. "I'll ask the engineer to check the private jet," he said, dialing a number. "It'll be ready for you."

Wanji's grandmother frowned. "Can't they use disappearing spells for travel?" she asked, her old-world perspective still dominating her thoughts.

"No, not for this," Lan Qiren replied, sighing. "Witches from all over the world are coming. The Lan family has to represent, and we'll do it in style."

Wanji stood up, his demeanor controlled but intense. "We'll use my private jet," he said, his tone brokering no argument.

Cheng, who had been lounging quietly in the background, finally spoke up. "The private jet?"

"Yes," Wanji answered.

"I thought you bought that for my brother?" Cheng asked, referring to the expensive jet Wanji had acquired some months ago, his tone sharp with curiosity and underlying tension.

"Not anymore," Ayana said, her voice tinged with amusement.

"I will go, if it's okay with you?" I don't want to follow Wei Ying, he blurted out.

"You can come, Cheng. The more, the merrier," Ayana sang in reply.

But Cheng was curious why Wanji suddenly wanted to attend the witches' gathering.

"The engineer can change the name on it," Wanji said simply before turning to leave the living room, his mind already set on the next phase of his plan.

As he walked upstairs to his room, a strange sense of anticipation buzzed in his chest. This trip wasn't just a way to clear his head or escape the whispers of society. No, for Wanji, it was a strategic move—a way to get closer to the truth about Victor. And if that meant meeting Victor's cousin in America, then so be it

Lan Wanji lay in bed, his mind swirling with anticipation. He was certain that Wei Ying and Victor would both be there at the gathering. Wei Ying, like Wanji, hailed from an ancient and powerful witch bloodline. Although Wei Ying had lost both of his parents, Wanji knew that wouldn't deter him from attending. Wei Ying had always been resilient, and even without his brother Cheng by his side, he would show up.

But it wasn't just Wei Ying's presence that excited Wanji. It was the chance to finally learn more about Victor. He was determined to uncover anything he could about Victor's past, his powers, or even his desires. Anything that would give him an edge.

The idea of sharing what he discovered with Wei Ying filled him with a strange, nervous excitement.
The thought warmed Wanji from within as he curled up under the covers, his heart fluttering. He wasn't sure what exactly he hoped for—a deeper bond with Wei Ying, or perhaps something more romantic. Either way, the prospect made him smile as he drifted into a hopeful sleep, dreaming of what the future might bring.