The Mad Ҡìղց

I Cannot Betray My Heart.

Lan Qiren's fingers trace the faint cracks in the wooden floor beneath him, a gesture that often helped him focus during tense moments. His posture is still, perfectly composed, as he sits cross-legged in the center of the room. His wife's intense gaze bores into him from the bed, where she reclines, her eyes filled with simmering frustration.

"Why did you propose to marry Lan Wanji to Yan Li?" she asks sharply, her voice taut with restrained anger.

Lan Qiren lifts his eyes to meet hers, his expression calm. "She is a good girl," he replies evenly, as if the answer should be obvious. "I have heard how other clans are eager to arrange marriages for their sons with her. She would make a fine wife for Wanji."

Mrs. Lan's eyes narrow as she pushes herself up from the bed. "I was expecting you to worry about Ayana more than Wanji," she snaps. "Wanji needs to find someone on his own, someone who will understand his moods without needing words. Yan Li isn't that person."

"Yan Li is a smart girl," Lan Qiren counters, his tone measured. "She and Wanji will learn how to communicate with each other. They will grow into their bond."

His wife's frustration deepens. "You're living in a dream," she mutters, shaking her head. "Wanji is more complicated than you think."

Before their conversation can continue, a knock echoes from the door. Lan Qiren and his wife exchange a glance before he responds, "Come in."

The door slides open, revealing Ayana and Lan Xichen standing side by side. Both bow politely to their parents before stepping into the room. Ayana's brow is furrowed, while Lan Xichen's demeanor is unusually serious.

"Lan Xichen," their father says, already sensing that something is amiss, "what brings you here?"

Lan Xichen sits down across from his father, Ayana following suit. His jaw is set as he answers, "Father, Ayana has been asking questions—questions that could bring trouble to our clan."

Mrs. Lan clicks her tongue in irritation. "See? I told you to focus more on Ayana than on Wanji, but you refused to listen." Her eyes flash with the intensity of her frustration.

Lan Xichen looks between his parents, and his confusion is evident. "Mother, what do you mean?"

Before she can explain, Lan Qiren raises a hand, silencing the conversation. His gaze fixes on Ayana, his voice calm but firm. "What questions have you been asking, Ayana?"

Ayana shifts uncomfortably under her father's scrutiny, but she speaks with determination. "Father, I only asked Lan Xichen if he knew what happened to the Lycans, and who might have been responsible for their downfall."

Before Ayana can continue, Mrs. Lan interrupts, her tone cold and cutting. "Stay out of it, Ayana."

"Mother, I just want to understand what I'm getting into," Ayana protests, her voice rising slightly. "Wen Chao has shown interest in me, Cosmo Elendil has made his intentions clear, and Niobe Hartwell has also expressed a desire to marry me. I need to know what dangers I might be facing. I don't want to be caught in the crossfire of some long-standing revenge."

Lan Xichen's face tightens at her words, but Ayana presses on, undeterred. "And it's not just that. Lady Wen Qing's interest in Wanji is strange, she keeps asking about Wanji, almost obsessively. I need to know why."

Lan Qiren listens carefully, his expression unreadable. "Wen Chao, Cosmo Elendil, Niobe Hartwell... all interested in you?" He strokes his beard thoughtfully, weighing the implications.