Xicheng Oneshots

(9) I Won't Be Fooled

A/N: Oopsies, I might've gotten a bit distracted from writing 'You Are Dead To Me', just a teensy bit. I'll try to stay on track this coming week <3

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Jiang Cheng had always thought of sect leader Lan as a capable cultivator, a reliable person, and a generous sect leader. He was kind, intelligent, and caring. He was the man other men wanted to be, he was the man every woman wanted to marry, and he was the man every elder wanted their younger relatives to procure, whether through business agreements or marriage. Lan Xichen was perfect.

There had never been as much of a bad thought about sect leader Lan to pass through Jiang Cheng's mind. Never.

Wasn't that strange? How could a person grow to become so untouchable in his mind? Even A-Jie, the person he had loved most, had flaws. Jiang Cheng had gotten mad at her when she unfairly sided with Wei Wuxian at times. It wasn't like he could ever stay mad at her for long, but it had happened. Yet the white-clad Lan's reputation was as pure and clean as his robes.

It wasn't until today, the third day of a discussion conference that Jiang Cheng finally figured out why that was. As Jiang Cheng's gaze had accidentally met Lan Xichen's across the room he'd smiled, that dazzlingly bright tooth filled smile. It was stunning. But absolutely an overreaction to just having their eyes meet across the room.

There was only one explanation to what was happening here.

Lan Xichen was manipulating him.

Having been taught by late sect leader Jin, his sworn brother, Lan Xichen had gone out of his way to manipulate him. For what purpose he had yet to figure out, but it wouldn't be long until he did. The reason Jiang Cheng had what was going on was because the Lan's advances had gotten bigger and more noticeable, as if he wasn't even trying to hide it anymore.

Heck, he'd even gone as far as to invite the Jiang out for lunch, just the two of them, for the past two days and he would surely ask him again today. Jiang Cheng was clearly being targeted for some kind of trickery, and he was not about to fall for it.

"Jiang Wanyin!" the Lan called out, his voice had a slightly sharper tone to it than usual. Normally it was as soft as a cloud but right now it was demanding his attention.

"Who are you to use my name!? That's sect leader Jiang to you. You despicable manipulative freak!" He shouted out his honest thoughts. Jiang Cheng was not going to be taken advantage of, and the fact that sect leader Lan had chosen him as his victim was humiliating. Since when was the great Sandu Shengshou seen as a vulnerable individual perfect for being preyed on?

"..." The entire room of cultivators went silent at his sudden outburst. It wasn't as if sect leader Jiang's loud shouting was an uncommon occurrence... but towards sect leader Lan? They simply couldn't believe their ears.

"Apologies sect leader Jiang, but you didn't respond when I called for you by your title." Sect leader Lan said, trying to minimize the breach of the Jiang's boundaries. As if that gave him any such rights. The Lan had probably not even tried to get his attention before. His soft voice had clearly called out to him in a way that was barely audible on purpose so that he got to use his courtesy name. "We wanted to know if sect leader Jiang had something to add to the discussion before we go for lunch."

"WE!!? WE aren't going anywhere. I haven't accepted any lunch invitation from you today, and now I'm certainly not going to. Was this your plan all along? To start making my decisions for me!? huh!?" Jiang Cheng shouted at the startled man who was doing his best to keep it together in front of their peers.

"Ah... Apologies everyone, it really did seem like I've kept you all for too long when even sect leader Jiang is getting too tired to keep it together. You may be on your way. Let's all meet up here again in two hours, I think we could all use a bit longer of a break today." Lan Xichen said to end the morning meeting. Everyone left, sending concerned glances sect leader Jiang's way as they walked out the door. All of them thinking the same thing: What had happened for him to act out in such a way??