Chapter Five

The night passed, and he made sure Jiang Cheng went to go to bed or at least be in the room by curfew. When morning comes, Wei Wuxian wakes up at the break of dawn and rolls Jiang Cheng out of bed. Jiang Yanli was already waiting for them for breakfast, though they were running late by ten minutes because Jiang Cheng didn't want to get up and dress.

Nie Huaisang along with Meng Yao was waiting at the bottom of the stairs by the cafeteria. Meng Yao bows first but Wei Wuxian caught his arms before he bowed too low again. "Goodmorning Young Master Jiang, Young Madam Jiang." he turns and smiles at Wei Wuxian, "Good morning, Wei Wuxian."

"Morning Meng You, Young Master Nie-er." Wei greets them. "It's a very beautiful morning here in Cloud Recess though I won't be here for much longer."

"You're not staying here either Wei Wuxian?" Meng Yao asks.

"No, I have no need to stay here, I will be traveling to Yiling then going back to Lotus Pier." 'I'd rather not sit through the long and horrendous lessons that the Lan's are notorious for,' Wei Wuxian couldn't help but think not sure if he wanted to laugh or cry at the memories of Lan An taking an ever single word that Wei Wuxian taught to heart.

Nie Huaisang sighs as if he was in distress. "Lucky you Wei-Xiong, this is my second year here, and my brother will have my head if I don't pass this year."

Wei Wuxian invisibly flinches thinking, 'Oh you poor soul!' at the news.

"Well, I think it's lovely here." Jiang Yanli whispers behind her sleeve.

"But too many rules Shijie." Jaing Cheng complains.

Wei Wuxian chuckles, "Let me tell you a secret that the Lan's will never admit. The rules are rather guild lines they rather follow, but many are just the same rule just reworded in a different way. Just don't do anything to disturb the peace or bad and you will survive."

Jiang Cheng raises a questioning brow to Wei Wuxian, "How do you know this?"

"I uh… had some run-ins with a few Lan's on my travels." Wei Wuxian didn't want to admit that he raised the original Lan An, the founder of Cloud Recesses of Gusu, when he was just a child, along with Wen Mao and a few others. Wei Wuxian might have had a hand in sculpting into the stone of rules before his arm grew tired and decided to make a tool that will never lose it's sharpness and will easily cut into the stone as if it was butter so Lan An and his disciples could finish the job themselves and glad he did once he saw the outcome in the end.

A large gust of wind blows in their faces causing them all to cover them with their sleeves but Wei Wuxian's red ribbon that his Mother has given him blew free from his hair and flew away. Scared to lose it, Wei Wuxian panics and starts to chase after it without being seen as running. Luckily the wind died down and so did the ribbon and it landed in the hand of a beautiful man dressed in white robes and has the traditional main Lan's family headband. Not only that but the headpiece in his hair represents that he was one of the young masters of Gusu.

Stopping in his tracks Wei Wuxian let out a sigh of relief when he saw the ribbon was caught. The very beautiful young man looks to Wei Wuxian and raises his hand offering the ribbon to him as if saying if it was his. He didn't know why but looking into those golden eyes was like coming home from being away because of war for so many years. He couldn't describe it but longed to be in this young man's arms for he missed them for some reason. "I am very sorry for the inconvenience young master Lan." Wei Wuxian bows, "A large gust of wind just blew it out of my hair, but I can't thank you enough for saving it."

"Mn." was all the Young Lan Master said but he couldn't stop staring and Wei Wuxian realized he was and ended up blushing.

"Um… My name is Wei Ying, courtesy name Wuxian." Wei Wuxian bows.

"Lan Zhan, courtesy Wangji." Lan Wangji bows back.

They continued to stare a moment longer before Jaing Cheng called for Wei Wuxian to join them again. Blushing wildly again, Wei Wuxian bows once more before running back to Jiang Cheng's side leaving an awe-struck Lan Wangji in his wake.