He Smells Good

Chapter XI

Lan WangJi walked towards his furious uncle, all the while enduring the pain he that would burst throughout his body even from the slightest move. He obediently kept his head down and greeted him, his voice coming out only in a whisper to the point where his throat felt strained from forcing it out.

He still felt the blood trickling down his tattered, red-soaked robes. His hair was slightly disheveled and his mind was a mess. He wasn't used to getting hit since he was quiet most of the time, but the pain wasn't too unbearable for him. But it still had hurt. With each lash, it felt as if fire would spread throughout his whole body until his limbs started to grow limb, even his fingers would erratically twitch.

Remembering that, he feared that Wei WuXian's fragile-looking body wouldn't be able to take it. He remained quiet for a good while, his fingers trembling at the thought. The gust of cold wind along with his uncle's sigh brought him back to his senses.

Lan QiRen, completely at loss for what to do, quietly grumbled in annoyance at his nephew's clear distraction even when he had just been punished. He rested his forehead on his hand all the while massaging his temples. "This is not over yet. Don't think that you can easily get away from this humiliation you have put upon us, WangJi. Mend your wounds in the spring for now. We still have plenty of time to spare, this matter can wait."

He clutched onto his robes and bowed down, still choosing to remain quiet. He didn't instantaneously proceed to where he was told to go and walked towards his brother with no second thoughts. Lan XiChen was calmly standing on the far side of the area, simply observing the whole event.

Anticipating his brother to walk towards him, he patiently waited, already knowing the goal the little one had in mind. "WangJi, I do believe that the punishment was a little over too much but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't deserved." Lan WangJi continued to stare at his brother, unable to process anything in his mind that was occupied only by him. Lan XiChen reached for his shoulder and patted it, jolting Lan WangJi back to his senses. "Does it hurt that much?"

Lan WangJi lowered his gaze to the ground and grumbled, "No, it doesn't."

Lan XiChen took his hand down to rest on his side. His brother's mind was a little too obviously flying to who-knows-where. He smiled at him and gestured some disciples to come over. "Please retrieve some towels for the Second Young Master; please do also accompany him to the springs. He'll be healing his wounds there, so make sure no one disturbs him."

They bowed at him and walked to the room not too far away. After a minute or so, they arrived with a spotless, white cloth. They bowed down and handed them over to the young master. Lan WangJi gladly accepted it. He nodded his head in thanks and looked back at his brother who was admiring the bickering disciples in their classroom from the distance. He tugged at his robes to get his brother's attention.

Lan XiChen looked at him worriedly after seeing the odd expression on his face. From one glance, his knew what his brother was about to say and patted his head in reassurance. "I know, I know. Don't worry; Big Brother will make sure he'll be alright. So go and tend to your wounds before they worsen."

In the eyes of other's Lan WangJi's expressions seemed as though they were forever unchanging. But the fact that he was his brother and that they had been stuck together for almost their whole lives, Lan XiChen came to notice a few little changes in him that the others wouldn't be able to notice. How the area between his eyebrows would have an almost unnoticeable crease when they furrow when he's dissatisfied with something and how he'd fidget with his robes when he's nervous.

Lan WangJi was hesitant to leave without knowing if Wei WuXian was really alright. After his brother's forceful yet soft shoves, he finally left. Lan XiChen looked at his back that was becoming smaller and smaller the more he walked. He chuckled at his brother's new and unfamiliar expressions before he walked to the opposite side.