Don't Send Me Flowers

Chapter 5: White Carnation

Jiang Cheng was shocked and felt a bit scared hearing those words coming from Lan Xichen.

Jiang Cheng felt a lump stuck in this throat. He swallowed it and speak up, "Can we please talk somewhere private?" Jiang Cheng requested while looking down and did not dare to look at Lan Xichen's eyes.

Both of them walked to Lan Xichen's room with Lan Xichen leading to his room.

Lan Wangji carried Wei Wuxian to his appointed room and lay him on his bed.

Just when Lan Wangji was about to leave Wei Wuxian's side, Wei Wuxian grabbed onto Lan Wangji's robes and said unconsciously, "Don't leave me, please."

Lan Wangji was hesitant to either stay or leave. But seeing Wei Wuxian was about to cry, Lan Wangji had no other choice but to stay and accompany him.

Lan Wangji sat by Wei Wuxian's bed and meditated. Just then again, he heard Wei Wuxian said, "Hand, hand" And he saw Wei Wuxian said that unconsciously and his hand keep squeezing and releasing, searching for something to grab.

Lan Wangji was baffled and not sure what to do but to surrender his hand to him.

Wei Wuxian held onto Lan Wangji's hand tightly and held it close to his face and smile in his sleep.

Lan Wangji's ears went red and looked away. Before he knew it, he was already nodding off.

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"I'm not sure of how you knew Wei Wuxian has gotten the disease but please don't spread this word to anyone. I beg of you," Jiang Cheng bowed down in front of Lan Xichen.

Xichen just chuckled and told Jiang Cheng that he had to intention of telling anyone.

"I just happened to be there when Young Master Wei was coughing in the restroom," Lan Xichen explained it to Jiang Cheng.

Jiang Cheng felt relieved that Lan Xichen would keep their secret.

"I know how painful it is to have the Hanahaki Disease," said Lan Xichen, pouring some tea onto Jiang Cheng's cup.

Jiang Cheng wondered how he knew it would be painful and asked if Lan Xichen had ever experienced it.

"Oh no. I have never experienced it. Not that severe," Lan Xichen spoke softly on that last sentence that Jiang Cheng did not hear it and took a sip of his tea.

Lan Xichen got the idea that it was his younger brother that Wei Wuxian has feelings for. He was not completely supportive of the idea, but he just wanted what was best for Lan Wangji.

They continued to discuss how to help Wei Wuxian with the situation they have then.

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Morning came, and Lan Wangji awoke from his slumber. He then realized he slept the whole night in Wei Wuxian's chamber. He was surprised that he stayed the whole night there.

When he stood up to leave, he then realized that something was missing. He looked back at Wei Wuxian who was still sleeping on his bed, but he was holding something. It was his ribbon. He held it near his face and was sniffing the sandalwood smell from it.

Lan Wangji was about to shout at Wei Wuxian but just then, Wei Wuxian also woke up. He rubbed his eyes to be sure that it was Lan Wangji in his room, standing by his bed.

"Lan Zhan? Why are you here? Are you here to fetch me? Where's...where's your forehead ribbon?" Lan Wangji looked at Wei Wuxian's hands.

Wei Wuxian looked down at his hands and realized he was holding it. Wei Wuxian quickly returned his forehead ribbon.

He then apologized multiples times.

Wei Wuxian extended his hand and gave the ribbon back to Lan Wangji. Lan Wangji grabbed it back and walked away.

Wei Wuxian had the idea that Lan Wangji hated him for grabbing onto his head ribbon and thinking of ways to get Lan Wangji's forgiveness.

But just before Wei Wuxian about to leave his room, Lan Wangji came back with a tray of food. Wei Wuxian accidentally bumped onto Lan Wangji and about to fall backward but Lan Wangji was fast enough to grabbed hold onto Wei Wuxian's waist.

Wei Wuxian got shocked and his face redden by Lan Wangji's movement and backed away quickly before he started coughing again.

"Sit," said Lan Wangji with his sterned voice and Wei Wuxian had no other choice but to follow. Lan Wangji was about to spoon-feed Wei Wuxian.

"Aaahh. Lan Zhan, you don't have to do that. I can feed myself. Where is Jiang Cheng? He usually comes here early in the morning to nag at me," Wei Wuxian finding ways to avoid being so close to Lan Wangji.

Lan Wangji twitched hearing that name and just looked at the door and Wei Wuxian also looked at the door. Both Lan Xichen and Jiang Cheng were outside his room for quite a while.

"I can take it from here. Your brother wishes to speak with you," said Jiang Cheng to Lan Wangji. Lan Wangji stood up and left the room and walked passed by Jiang Cheng without taking a glimpse at him.

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"Jiang Cheng, what's with your attitude towards Lan Zhan?" Wei Wuxian sounded angry and curious while eating his food on his bed, cross-legged.

"You needed to be careful around Lan Wangji. If he finds out that you have.... That... and in things ended badly...." Jiang Cheng just looked down and held his hand together, trembling.

Wei Wuxian hugged Jiang Cheng from the side and rest assured Jiang Cheng that nothing bad would happen to him. He would not allow it.

"But sooner or later, Lan Wangji does need to know. If this also keeps up, you might not make it," Jiang Cheng pointed his finger towards Wei Wuxian's chest which pointed towards his lungs. Wei Wuxian knew clearly that he would not be able to survive that long if he does not do anything.

Just when Wei Wuxian wanted to speak up, he started coughing again.

This time, it was White Carnation.

"White... Carnation... Pure love," said Jiang Cheng, looking at Wei Wuxian.

My idiot brother does love him, doesn't he?

Jiang Cheng quickly grabbed a cloth nearby and wiped the floor while Wei Wuxian slowly catches his breath.

"Just how much do you love him to the point you cough up this much?"

"But being with him eases my cough a bit and I'm not coughing that much either."

The mood was not getting any better, so Jiang Cheng had an idea.

"Aren't you sick of just staying in bed and your room the whole day? Let's go out somewhere," said Jiang Cheng, opening the door and for Wei Wuxian to tag along.

"Outside?! I'm in!"

Both of them dashed out. Not caring whether they might break the rules of the Gusu Lan. Jiang Cheng just wanted Wei Wuxian to get some fresh air.

But Jiang Cheng soon regretted his whole life for allowing his brother to go out that day.