Flipside

Chapter 2

"....Getting married." He finished, while Han JiHua scoffed.

"Unbelievable. First, she goes off with that third young master what's his face, then she dumps him!" He huffed, crossing his arms, while Wangji nodded in agreement, taking a sip of wine.

"Then she goes for that hot older imperial scholar guy, who in my opinion was way too good for her. And now she's getting married! People these days have now shame"

"Says the man working in a brothel." Wangji snapped back.

"You wound me, Ai."

"Did I? Sorry if I don't feel like paying liability insurance."

"Stingy." Jihua scoffed.

"Yes indeed I am." Wangji replied,

"I still can't believe someone like you was born and raised in Gusu." JiHua exasperatedly sighed.

"Well, I can say the exact same for you."

Han JiHua, birth name, Han Wu, had been Lan Wangji's friend for a little over three years now.

When Wangji first came to Jiangnan, he accidentally encountered him. He happened to be wearing his Lan robes at the time, and since JiHua was also from Gusu, he had instantly put two and two together.

However, after chatting a bit, it turns out the two had a lot in common.

Mainly the fact that they hated their families and ran away.

"That's different. My parents hate me. You on the other hand are the golden child of the Lan Sect. And you somehow manage to keep your double life a secret." He mused.

"But fine then. How are things on the flipside anyway?"

"If I wasn't about to get stinking rich off of Yi MeiHua, I would have hung myself by now." He miserably sighed, finishing his wine and pouring another cup.

Unlike his brother and uncle, Wangji never inherited the famous terrible Lan alcohol tolerance. He also had no problem with staying up late at night either. Half of the time he would be in a corner of his room, sketching designs by dim candlelight.

He often wondered if he was even a Lan at all. In the end he put it down to his mothers genes.

"Always so dramatic with you, isn't it?" JiHua chided.

"It's not dramatic, I'm going through a crisis!" He yelled, downing his now fourth cup of wine.

"These freaking lectures are going to be the death of me. One whole year, JiHua.

I'm going to be stuck at Gusu with my uncle breathing down my freaking neck for one whole goddamn year! I might as well just drown myself in the Cold Springs!"

"Please don't... Well, if you do, be a dear and leave me your money." JiHua sassed.

"I don't want to work here forever."

"Ugh, why are we even friends?" Wangji retorted.

"Because I'm the only one who  knows your big dark secret about your double life!"
JiHua cheerfully replied.

"I'm also the only one you can talk to about it."

Slamming his head on the table, Wangji let out an indignant whine.

"I've got to admit, your story would make an amazing book." JiHua pondered.
 
"Just imagine it. Prominent cultivator by day, fabulous textiles designer by night!"

"...JiHua, it's one pm"

"Prominent cultivator by early morning, fabulous textiles designer by noon. And sometimes late at night... And occasionally all day on Thursdays."