TFOD Chapter 123
by VolareHe tapped lightly on the black pottery cup with his finger, making a soft, crisp sound that only the two of them could hear. Hearing this, Lan Wangji’s gaze shifted a few inches almost imperceptibly.
Wei Wuxian knew that even if Lan Wangji’s gaze shifted at the most proper angle, the corner of his eyes would not miss his every move. So, he raised the small cup, pretending to drink, turning it around in his hand, then stopped it at the spot where Lan Wangji had just drank, his lips touching the edge of the pottery cup.
As expected, Lan Wangji’s hands, which had originally been placed neatly on his lap, remained in the same position, but the ten fingers, hidden quietly under his white sleeves, curled up slightly.
Seeing this, Wei Wuxian felt elated, momentarily relaxing. His body was just about to lean onto the other person, as he usually did, when suddenly a strict cough came from Lan Qiren’s direction. Wei Wuxian quickly straightened his body, which was about to slouch, and sat upright.
After finishing the soup, they waited quietly for a moment before starting the formal meal.
Three small dishes were placed on each table, each a small plate, either green or white, no different from the meals Wei Wuxian had when he was studying here. So many years had passed, and apart from the bitterness being more pronounced, there was no change. Partly due to the region, and partly due to his nature, Wei Wuxian preferred stronger flavors, liked spicy food, and couldn’t live without meat. Facing such plain dishes, he really had no appetite, and he finished it messily in a few bites, completely unaware of what he had eaten. During this time, Lan Qiren’s gaze swept over from time to time, staring at him fiercely, as if he was ready to call out his name and send him packing, just like during the lectures. However, Wei Wuxian behaved unusually well, leaving him helpless, and he had to give up.
The meal was tasteless, and after they finished, the servants cleared away the plates and tables. As usual, Lan Xichen began to summarize the recent family movements. But after only a few sentences, Wei Wuxian felt that he was absent-minded, even misremembering the locations of two night hunts. He finished speaking without noticing, making Lan Qiren glance at him, his goatee puffing up several times. After listening for a while, he finally couldn’t help but interrupt. The family banquet ended quickly, with some minor frights.
A dull start, a dull process, and a dull ending, Wei Wuxian was forced to be dull for nearly an hour. There was neither delicious food nor music to enjoy, he felt like he had grown fleas all over his body for half a year. What’s worse, after it was over, Lan Qiren sternly called away Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji. It seemed that they were going to be lectured again, and both of them at that.
He had no one to cause trouble with, so he wandered around for a while. He saw a few juniors walking together in groups of twos and threes and was about to call out to them to play with him when Lan Sizhui and Lan Jingyi, upon seeing him, immediately changed their expressions and turned to leave.
Wei Wuxian understood in his heart. He wandered to a quieter grove, waited for a while, and only then did those kids come out again, looking sneaky. They said, “Senior Wei, it’s not that we didn’t want to talk to you, but the Master said that anyone who talks to you must copy the Lan Clan’s rules from beginning to end…”
“Master” was the common respectful title that all the disciples and students of the Gusu Lan Clan used for Lan Qiren, referring to him alone. Wei Wuxian said proudly, “It’s okay, I already knew. It’s not like your Master’s been trying to prevent Wei Ying for only a day or two. Do you think he has succeeded? He probably feels like his precious white cabbage has been rooted up by a pig, so it’s only natural for him to be a little angry, haha…”
Lan Jingyi: “…”
Lan Sizhui: “…Hahaha.”
After Wei Wuxian finished laughing, he asked, “By the way, you guys were punished for copying, was it because you went night hunting with Wen Ning? How is he now?”
Lan Sizhui thought for a moment, “I don’t know. He’s probably hiding somewhere at the foot of the mountain, waiting for us to go out on our next night hunt to find him. But it’s hard to say, when we separated, Sect Leader Jiang seemed very angry…”
Wei Wuxian said, “What?! Jiang Cheng? Why was he there too?”
Lan Sizhui said, “We invited Young Master Jin to go night hunting together last time, so…”
Wei Wuxian understood immediately.
He could guess. It was probably that Wen Ning secretly followed either Jin Ling or one of the Lan Clan juniors, protecting them in secret, and would step in when they encountered danger during the night hunt. As a result, Jiang Cheng was also secretly following Jin Ling, fearing that he would get into trouble. So, the two of them met in an emergency, and there was a big unpleasantness. After asking, it was indeed the case, and Wei Wuxian couldn’t help but laugh.
After a pause, he asked again, “How have Sect Leader Jiang and Jin Ling been lately?”
After Jin Guangyao’s death, Jin Ling was the only remaining legitimate heir of the Lanling Jin Clan. However, many elders from the side branches were watching from the sidelines, eager to take advantage of the opportunity. The Lanling Jin Clan was despised by other families on the outside, and on the inside they were a mess of people with ulterior motives. Jin Ling was only a teenager, how could he keep the situation under control? In the end, it was Jiang Cheng who walked through the Golden Carp Tower wielding his Purple Lightning Whip to temporarily secure Jin Ling’s position as the Clan Leader. As for any further changes in the future, no one could say for sure.
Lan Jingyi pursed his lips and said, “They seem to be doing well. Sect Leader Jiang is still the same as always, loving to whip people everywhere. The young master’s temper has gotten even better. He used to retort three times for every scolding from his uncle, but now he can retort ten times.”
Lan Sizhui reprimanded him, “Jingyi, how can you call him that behind his back.”
Lan Jingyi defended himself, “I call him that to his face as well.”
Hearing Lan Jingyi say this, Wei Wuxian breathed a sigh of relief.
Actually, he knew in his heart that what he really wanted to ask wasn’t this, but since Jiang Cheng and Jin Ling sounded like they were doing well, he would just not worry about the rest.
He stood up, patted the hem of his clothes, and said, “Okay, that’s good, they can continue as they are. You guys continue to play, I have something to do, I’ll be leaving first.”
Lan Jingyi disdainfully said, “You’re always doing nothing in Cloud Recesses, what could you possibly have to do!”
Wei Wuxian did not even turn his head as he said, “I’m going to chew on some cabbage!”
It was rare for him to wake up so early this morning. When he returned to the Jingshi, he fell into a deep sleep. As a result of turning his day and night upside down, when he woke up it was already dusk, and he had missed dinner. There was nothing left for him to eat. Wei Wuxian wasn’t even hungry, he continued to rummage through the boxes and cabinets to find Lan Wangji’s old calligraphy and drafts to read while he waited. However, he waited until nightfall, and still his big white cabbage did not return.
At this moment, Wei Wuxian finally realized that his stomach was empty. Counting the time, it was already the curfew period in Cloud Recesses. According to the family rules, idlers were not allowed to wander outside at night, and even more forbidden from climbing over walls and going out. If it had been in the past, he wouldn’t care what was “forbidden” or “not allowed.” Wei Wuxian would just eat when he was hungry, sleep when he was tired, and flirt when he was bored, and run when he got into trouble. But now, the situation was different. If he broke the rules, the blame would be put on Lan Wangji directly, so no matter how hungry or bored he was, he could only sigh and endure it.
Just then, there was a slight sound outside the Jingshi, and the door was pushed open a crack.
Lan Wangji had returned.
Wei Wuxian lay on the floor, pretending to be dead.
He heard Lan Wangji’s light footsteps walk to the desk, and put something on it, without saying a word. Wei Wuxian originally wanted to continue pretending to be dead, but Lan Wangji seemed to have opened the lid of something, and a pungent fragrance instantly overwhelmed the originally clear and cold sandalwood fragrance that permeated the Jingshi.
Wei Wuxian rolled over and jumped up from the ground and said, “Second brother! I’ll be your slave for life!”
Lan Wangji, with a calm expression, took out the dishes from the food box on the desk one by one. Wei Wuxian floated to his side, and saw that the five or six snow-white plates were filled with red and fiery food, making him feel delighted. His eyes were shining red as he said, “Hanguang-Jun, you are too kind, so considerate to bring me food. Just tell me what you need me to do from now on.”
Lan Wangji finally took out a pair of ivory white chopsticks, and placed them horizontally on the bowl, and said in a low voice, “Don’t talk while eating.”
Wei Wuxian said, “You also said, ‘don’t speak while sleeping,’ how come you didn’t stop me when I was talking so much every night?”
Lan Wangji glanced at him, and Wei Wuxian said, “Okay, okay, I won’t say anything. We’ve already gotten to this point, yet your skin is still so thin, so easily embarrassed, that’s what I like about you. Did you get this from that Xiang cuisine restaurant in Caiyi Town?”
Lan Wangji did not confirm or deny, so Wei Wuxian took it as a tacit agreement, sitting at the desk and said, “I wonder if that Xiang cuisine restaurant is still open. We used to always eat at that place, otherwise, if I only ate your family’s food, I’m afraid I wouldn’t have lasted those few months. Sigh, look at this, this is what you call a family banquet.”
Lan Wangji said, “‘We’?”
Wei Wuxian said, “Me and Jiang Cheng. Occasionally, Nie Huaisang and a few others too.”
He glanced sideways, and chuckled softly, “Why are you looking at me like that? Hanguang-Jun, don’t forget, I invited you to eat out before. I was so enthusiastic and hardworking, but you didn’t want to go. You glare at me every time I say a word to you, which has caused me to be rejected so many times. I haven’t even settled the score with you, yet you’re already unhappy. Speaking of which…”
He rubbed closer to Lan Wangji and said, “I was afraid of breaking the rules, so I forced myself to stay in the house obediently and wait for you. Who knew you’d be the one breaking the rules and going out to find something for me to eat. If your uncle finds out about your rule-breaking, he’ll have a heart attack again.”
Lan Wangji lowered his head and hugged his waist, he looked quiet and didn’t do anything, but Wei Wuxian could feel his fingers deliberately rubbing against his waist. His fingers were burning hot, the heat passing through his clothes, directly reaching his skin, the sensation incredibly clear.
Wei Wuxian said, “Hanguang-Jun, I drank your family’s herbal soup, and now my mouth is full of bitterness, I can’t eat anything, what should I do?”
Lan Wangji said, “One mouthful.”
Wei Wuxian said, “Yes. I only drank one mouthful, but I don’t know who made this herbal soup from your family, it has such a strong aftertaste. The bitterness runs from the tip of my tongue down to the root of my tongue and into my throat. Tell me quickly, what should I do?”
After a moment of silence, Lan Wangji said, “Neutralize it.”
Wei Wuxian humbly asked, “How should I neutralize it?”
Lan Wangji raised his face.
A faint fragrance of medicine filled the air between their lips, and a slight bitterness made the kiss especially long.
After finally separating, Wei Wuxian whispered, “Hanguang-Jun, I just remembered, you drank two cups of that herbal soup, it must be even more bitter than me.”
Lan Wangji said, “Mhm.”
Wei Wuxian said, “But you taste kind of sweet, it’s really strange.”
“……” Lan Wangji said, “You should eat first.”
After a pause, he added, “After you finish eating, then do other things.”
Wei Wuxian said, “Let’s eat the white cabbage first.”
Lan Wangji’s eyebrows furrowed slightly, seemingly confused as to why he would suddenly mention white cabbage. Wei Wuxian laughed and wrapped his arms around his neck.
A family banquet is best held behind closed doors.