Nine-Petalled Lotus |XICHENG| (Editing)

12 [The Last Petal]

Despite his usual smile, Lan Xichen is nowhere as happy inside. In fact, he might have fallen into another pit of depression since Jin Guangyao and this one is always pulling at him lower and lower as though it's bottomless. Maybe it is.

The last lotus petal worried him. The delicate flower dying slowly is already tragic and the fact that Lan Xichen believes that he hadn't cared for it made it even more tragic.

Now there's only a single petaleft, looking frail and weak. It looks almost like it's about to fall off anytime. He refuse to even think about what will happen if that one beauty decide to stop holding on and embrace the cool surface of the pristine table. He's scared. He's actually scared. It didn't help that his intuition bugged him, warming him with a bad premonition.

But what can go worst with Ah-Cheng's absence?

He doesn't believe that anything else can rival his rift with Jiang Cheng and losing Jin Guangyao, of course.

Yesterday, before he rested, he had actually sent a few knights twice to find Jiang Cheng and deliver an invitation and a letter.. in hopes that Lan Xichen would be able to see him on the ball tonight. However, his men not only came back with failure twice, they had also ran into some trouble a while ago and the invitation and the letter got lost.

Needless to say, Lan Xichen can only sigh and let them off. After all, no one can always predict troubles on the way. He can only regret not knowing more about Jiang Cheng.

Seems like this birthday of his... and coronation night will not be as glorified and joyous as his uncle and his kingdom thinks.

"Brother, happy birthday."

Lan Xichen glanced at his brother with a big smile. This little brother of his managed to momentarily heal him.

"Thank you Wangji."

Lan Wangji lightly nodded only to be shoved to someone's back when a shorter man appeared infront of him, holding a box wrapped with fancy coverings and a few ribbons.

Wei Ying, who he later learned to be Wei Wuxian, grinned at Lan Xichen, giving him the present.

"Brother in law, happy birthday! I personally brought you this gift! I hope brother in law will like it!"

Lan Xichen's smile turned brighter, as though Wei Wuxian's grin and joy is contagious. The prince- soon to be king- fell into amusement and glee.

He gratefully accepted the present, although he is the type to like giving more than receiving, he knew rejecting fortune is rude.

"Many thanks, Young Master Wei."

The man clad in black robed beamed and returned to Lan Wangji's side, grinning when an arm circled is waist closer to his husband.

Lan Xichen observed the couple before a question clouded his head. He turned to ask them, actually feeling some sort of excitement the more he thinks about it.

"Then, when would be the wedding?"

Wei Wuxian's eyes visibly sparkled and flashed him a bright smile, looking quite happy. And although Lan Wangji looked passive, Lan Xichen knows his little brother very well and as far as his reading can give him, Lan Wangji is actually a little flustered but nonetheless as happy as his lover.

Lan Xichen inwardly sighed, thinking just how fortunate these two were.

"We were thinking about next week but if it were totally up to me, I'd marry him right now!"

The prince gave the two another pleasant smile, turning his gaze towards Lan Qiren who was talking to other elders but still managed to sneak at glare towards the couple. Lan Xichen smiled at his uncle and turned back to Wei Wuxian.