Lan Qiren has an office. It's a perfectly nice one, too, with a fantastic view of the mountainside, the valley below, and the lands stretching out, covered in cotton candy clouds. They are the reason Cloud Recesses is called this; because some days, low resting clouds gather around the mountains like maidens wearing skirts, voluminous and soft-looking. In fact, the picturesque view had been his main reason to choose this room; if he had to complete unpleasant tasks, at least he could have something pretty to look at while he did it.
There were some mornings that the sun rising up from between two peaks was powerful enough to evaporate any hindrance to this beauty, a startling banishment that led to breathtaking, gorgeous views of the panorama. He can look out on a lush, verdant, and thriving world filled with colour and texture, exactly like a painting.
The room is a good size, large enough for a meeting between himself and his assistant and the Head Disciple. It is a private place, with records and books stacked upon floor to ceiling shelves, the huge round window (his favourite feature), and three separate desks. There is a little tea table and a tea set, made from a brilliant cobalt porcelain, another beautiful addition to the room.
No one is allowed entry to it. It is his safe space, a sanctuary against the world outside. There's even a little garden with a merry fountain, clouds carved out of stone.
The only problem is that this space doesn't contain either one of his friends.
Being a Sect Leader is not exactly difficult unless one is embroiled in tedious, time-consuming meetings, having to listen to trumped up, self-important men too used to loving the sound of their own voices. Then, the patience required is God-level.
Aside from that, the usual day-to-day running of things is enough to occupy his time even with the help of his assistant, and so today, with only a few weeks left for the Lan Cultivation conference to take place, Lan Qiren finds himself striding towards the guest house where Cangse Sanren and Wei Changze currently live.
He's been spending more and more time here, having found them to be more than welcoming and a great source of comfort. They offer advice and opinions (sometimes without asking!) and usually make a great deal of sense, letting him work through problems so much faster.
Wei Changze brews a fresh pot of tea after greeting him, and Cangse Sanren puts her book down, smiling her welcome as she tilts her head in place of bowing.
“How are you feeling today?” He asks her, settling down at the little tea table.
“The same as I felt yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that!” She sighs dramatically and sprawls like a very pregnant starfish on the bed, clearly bored. “Your healer is getting on my nerves.”
“He's doing his job.”
“I know! You should give him a raise.”
“For dealing with you? I agree.”
“Bitch!” Cangse Sanren snickers while looking scandalised. “For being so fucking thorough. He's banned me from getting up except to pee. You know, I'd forgotten what a pain in the ass it is to be with child. Children.” She sighs happily.
Such conflicting opinions.
“Topics will change, keep up,” Wei Changze murmurs under his breath, taking a risk by glancing at his wife. She's staring straight at him with a raised brow.
He blushes and wisely shuts his mouth. Fine then, let Qiren find out on his own.
“As I was saying,” she continues pointedly, “Looking after A-Ying is amazing. He's so full of joy at every little thing, just such a decent human being, and I'm full of pride when I look at him, thinking, I made that. I made him.” She starts crying, and Wei Changze obediently rises to wipe away her tears. “AND THEN, I fucking realise what I had to go through to bring him into the world!” She shouts. “It's alright for you men, just a few minutes in, wham, bam, thank you ma'am, but for us ladies? It's nine months of constantly changing symptoms, three of those throwing up every other minute, and then just a huge painful mess at the end,” she rants, turning it into a shout at the end. “I'd forgotten how fucking tired I am, all the time, and that's even with lying down all day. A walk to the chamberpot is enough to floor me, these days.”
