"I refuse."
"Wangji, you never know. You may like him."
"Not leaving you, Brother."
"Wangji - ah, it's for our clan. Besides, you could always come back if it doesn't work! You know Uncle Qiren will never let anyone do anything to his favourite nephew. Besides, Mother has met Young Master Wei before, and she likes him! "
"Lan rules detest favouritism. Uncle would never break them. Father said the boy is unruly. He would not fit in."
"Oh come on, Wangji! Treat it like a vacation to Yunmeng! Also, I've heard Young Master Wei is very friendly. If you don't wish to marry him, at least you'll make a friend."
"I have you, Mother and Father."
At this point, Lan Xichen was tired of his brother's argument. A usually obedient Wangji was being unusually apprehensive towards the wedding proposal sent for him by Yunmeng Jiang.
All Wangji wanted was to be a good brother and support to Xichen. He did realise that marrying into Yunmeng Jiang would give him significant power and influence, so he could help his brother more. However, he wasn't ready to marry a man he barely knew. As a compromise, Yunmeng Jiang had invited Wangji to be their guest for a month.
Wangji did intend to go, but he was just making sure the path he was going along had leeway for return. After much argument, he gave in.
The Lans, especially Wangji's mother, wanted to send off Wangji with a huge procession, but he vehemently refused. Why make a hue and cry when he was only going to visit? In the end, he chose two Lan disciples to accompany him.
And so they set off. It was a long journey, but Wangji insisted they hurry. The faster they reached there, the quicker he could complete 30 days at Yunmeng, and in conclusion, he would be home soon.
The other two disciples assumed this haste to be excitement. Lan Zian frequently teased Wangji about how he behaved akin to an excited husband. Wangji didn't have the strength to correct him.
They arrived at Yunmeng a day earlier than anticipated. Wangji considered waiting out a night in an inn, just in case they seemed rude. After much thought, he had realised that no matter how he hated being there, he would have to be polite and upright in accordance with Gusu Lan Principles.
They found an inn near the Yunmeng Jiang Clan's Lotus Pavilion, and booked three rooms. After a light meal in almost silence (Lan Zian couldn't keep quiet about his pregnant wife and how they were still deciding between Jingyi and Jinsong for his name), Lan Wangji decided to take a walk along the lakeside which lay behind the inn.
The evening sunlight shone brightly upon the lake water. The lotuses in Yunmeng bloomed, beautiful and fresh. It was a truly peaceful view, undisturbed and silent. An occasional dragonfly would buzz around, breaking the monotony. Wangji could get used to this.
Suddenly, Wangji heard a loud splash from somewhere. He decided to follow the sound and find the source of his disturbed peace.
As he walked faster, figures appeared in the water. Maybe they were the local Yunmeng boys. On closer inspection, though, they seemed to be cultivators. Their swords lay on shore, along with their purple clan robes. They were frolicking in the water, chests bare, picking lotus pods and eating lotus seeds.
The whole view was very new to Wangji, and normally he would have walked away with disdain at how loud these disciples were being. Gusu Lan rules revered silence and peace, not the cacophony that was these rowdy teenagers. However, Wangji stayed rooted in place.
It is said that the eye of the storm is the calmest part of it. Wangji had, in this moment, realised how true that was. For, in the middle of this noisy disarray, stood the most beautiful boy Lan Wangji had ever seen.
Like a lotus in mud, he was surrounded by the disciples. The water droplets gleamed in his drenched hair, forming a curtain around his beautiful face. Water dripped down his neck, his navel, all the way to his delicate yet well - built torso. It was as if he wore fluid diamonds all over him. His eyes were reflective, and changed colour every moment. But most of all, Wangji loved his laughter.
When the boy laughed, Wangji stopped thinking. It rooted him, yet made him euphoric. If Wangji heard that laughter when he was upset or devastated, he knew all his troubles would melt just like his brain had at that moment. Oh, Wangji would break Gusu Lan rules for that laugh.
He was vaguely aware of the fact that his ears had turned a beet red, and he had been staring for a solid minute before the boy noticed him.
Time stilled. The boy looked at Wangji, and then burst into a grin. And then... The boy did something Wangji never expected. The boy winked at him.
As if a dam had burst, Wangji could feel the blood in his body storming his heart. How could someone be so beautiful, so heart-rending, so absolutely amazing? Wangji feared that he would combust at that very moment if he did not leave.
Wangji all but ran from there. He could hear loud laughter in the back. He didn't stop. For all he knew, the boy was a siren sent to lure Wangji into the depths of the lake. Yes. He could only be a siren.
Wangji returned to the inn and retired to his bedroom early. Maybe sleep would help. What Wangji did not realise was that all the Heavenly Officials had forsaken his poor self. All he could see when he closed his eyes was the vision of that beautiful boy, engraved into his heart.
Whenever he tried to sleep, he would hear his laughter. Wangji wondered whether he was being haunted, enchanted or tricked. What other explanation was there for such an occurrence?
Since he couldn't sleep, Wangji went to Zian's room. Other than his own family, Zian was Wangji's best friend. He had insisted on coming with Wangji so that he could see his friend's husband and help Wangji decide on whether they should marry or not. The best part was, Zian was dense. He wouldn't understand what Wangji was hinting at so it would save him embarrassment.
He knocked on the door and a sleepy Zian opened it. "Wangji? Didn't you sleep yet? What happened?"
"I need help."
"Come in. Let's talk after I drink some water. Gods, Wangji, this is so unlike you."
Wangji sat down across Zian. Once the latter seemed sane, Wangji began.
"I suddenly remembered a problem Father posed to me a few days ago. A man was strolling along a river body one day, and he sees another person playing in the water. Suddenly, the man loses his sensibility. All he can see and hear afterwards is the person he saw that day. What do you think afflicts the man?"
"Wangji! This question was not one which requires knowledge, you little fool. This one requires experience. As your best friend, I believe I should help you. The man is not afflicted by anything. He's in love."
"Nonsense."
"Is not! Think about it. If your Father posed a question to you, maybe he wants you to learn from the answer. The man in the story has falled for the person from the lake at first sight. Ah. I wonder how you're the smartest student of Gusu Lan. Now go sleep. Send Master a letter in the morning. I guarantee you I'm right."
With this, Zian walked upto his bed and collapsed on it. Wangji left the room, his brain a kaleidoscope of thoughts.
Lan Wangji had heard of love at first sight. His father fell in love with his mother at first sight. What Wangji did not expect was that such an inexplicable phenomenon would happen to him.
Realisation dawned on him. "Wangji!"
He thought. "You're here to meet your potential fiance! You can't just ogle any Yunmeng boy! Shame on you!"
With such self admonishments, Wangji tried to sleep. He tried. It was already 9. He should have slept automatically, like clockwork. It was a part of the Gusu Lan lifestyle.
Wangji could not sleep. It was well past 11 when Wangji decided to try the only method he knew, which had never failed to work since his childhood. Lan Wangji, the Second Young Master of the Gusu Lan Clan, began counting bunnies in his head.
He would reach two hundred before his mind was filled with thoughts of the beautiful boy. He counted again. This time he reached three hundred and forty. Again the beautiful boy entered his mind. So continued his routine till very early in the morning. Wangji had almost given up on sleep as a whole. The bunny count was at thirteen thousand and thirty one when he finally slept.
Here, too, Wangji had no peace. He dreamt of the beautiful boy, who said nothing, just laughed. He splashed about in the water, inviting Wangji, but he was rooted in place. The rational part of Wangji berated him, chastised him for thinking so unconditionally about a boy of whom he neither knew name nor voice, and yet he held onto the dream which made him so irrevocably happy.
The dream shifted. This time the boy was dressed in Gusu Lan robes. It was as if God had sent Wangji an angel of his own. The swish of fabric on the boy's delicate fabric made Wangji's mouth dry up. The boy walked upto him, and suddenly, in Zian's voice, shouted, "WAKE UP WANGJI, WE'RE LATE!"
Here ended Wangji's beautiful dream, tainted by Lan Zian's loudness. Wangji hoped Zian's son would be better. His wife was a quiet, kind Lan. How much of a punishment Zian was for her, only she knew.
The other disciple, Lan Suihua, waited for Wangji to get up. Wangji's robes for the day were laid out. He would be required to wear some ridiculously detailed garments today, since he was visiting a prospect partner.
He ate at godspeed and began to get ready with the help of Zian and Suihua. The white silk inner robes, the light blue robes that went over it, the pristinely white outer robe embroidered with the outlines of blue clouds on its gossamer fabric, the blue and white belt and finally the Wangji's crown, which his mother had made for him, a crown of silver and sapphires, went on his body.
After an hour of pulling, pushing, straightening, tying, layering and combing Wangji's hair, he was ready. They did not need to worry about carrying too many gifts since the Lan Clan had them transported much before they set out, but Young Master Wei's hairpin was with Wangji.
It was made of silver and sapphires, much like Wangji's crown, and it had lotuses carved on it. The hairpin was also one of Lady Lan's creations, a set she had made for her son and his future spouse.
The three Lans set off on swords, since their destination was but a few miles away. They arrived just in time.
Lotus Pier was decorated with purple, white and blue to welcome their guests. It shone as if freshly washed (Zian suspected it was, in fact, just washed due to the wood being cool to the touch).
A party of people awaited them at the gate. Six figures stood at the front, dressed in varying shades of lilac. The first two were, of course, the Lord and Lady of Lotus Pier, Clan Leader Jiang and his wife Madam Yu. Lan Wangji assumed that the two people behind them were Wei Wuxian's parents, Cangse Sanren and Wei Changze. The last two figures were Jiang Yanli, whom he had met before, and a sulking boy whom he assumed was Wei Wuxian.
Oh boy. If that was his temperament, Wangji was sure they wouldn't get along. The boy seemed like the kind of person who was short tempered and hard to talk to. He had been frowning non stop. Was a marriage into the Lan Clan that undesirable for him?
Lan Wangji walked upto them, and they hurried to greet him.
He bowed to them, and they did likewise. Madam Yu spoke, "Second Young Master Lan! It is our honour to have you as an esteemed guest at Lotus Pier. I hope you had a smooth journey?"
"It was smooth, yes. We arrived early at Yunmeng but did not wish to inconvenience you. Apologies for not sending a message sooner, we did not realise how early we would be."
At this, Wei Changze shook his head, "Oh no, Second Young Master, it would have been better if you came here first. We have been preparing for your arrival for days, if you were early it wouldn't matter."
Zian choked on a snort. Even though the decorations were lavish, the Lans had an inkling that it was all done last minute, but Wangji chose to remain silent on this matter.
Jiang Yanli spoke up, "Lan Wangji! How have you been? I hope your brother is doing well. I do wish he would write to me more often. Has he forgotten his best friend?"
Wangji shook his head. "Brother has been busy. He sends his regards and apologies. He will come here at the end of the month to take me back. He wishes to speak to Yanli Jie then."
Having said his bit, Wangji kept quiet. Jiang Yanli seemed satisfied with his answer.
It was well known that Jiang Yanli and Lan Xichen were very close friends. They got along mighty well. Letters between the two of them were many and frequent. Since they were so close, Yanli and Wangji never used honorifics.
"Ah, my bad. Wangji, this is my younger brother, Jiang Cheng."
Oh. So the boy was Jiang Cheng. Wangji had completely forgotten about the younger Jiang's existence, an error on his part. They greeted each other, but no words were exchanged. It was so awkward that even Bichen would not be able to cut through it.
Clan Leader Jiang spoke up. "Ah, Second Young Master, please do forgive Wei Ying for being late. His usual routine is sloppy, he wakes up irregularly. I've sent someone to fetch him, he will be here soon enough."
This did not sit well with Wangji, who was used to everyone following the Lan Doctrines of discipline. However, he was a guest, so he just nodded his agreement.
Suddenly a loud voice was heard. "Ah! I apologise for being late! Let me through, let me through!"
With a lot of pushing and shoving, a figure appeared at the head of the crowd. Unlike the rest of the party, he was dressed in black and red.
As soon as Wangji saw his face, his brain went into overdrive. The boy was none other than the boy whom Wangji had been thinking about for the past many hours, the one from the lotus lake.
The boy walked upto him with a smile, and in a sing song voice, he said, "Greetings, Second Young Master Lan, Lan Wangji. I am Wei Wuxian, the Senior Disciple of Yunmeng Jiang Clan. It is my honour to meet you."
Wangji tried to speak, but no words left his mouth. It was after a few moments that Zian elbowed Wangji, returning him to the human realm of thought.
"The honour is mine." He managed to blurt out.
Wei Wuxian smiled at him, and Lan Wangji, in that instant, knew that leaving at the end of the month would be impossible. He was in love.