Lan Qingheng-Jun kept looking at his sons the whole time.
" Qiren I have come to ask if you could take care of my sons a little longer for me, at least now Zhan can spend time with his brother and get to know you better. I ask if you could treat them as your own from now on, can you do that for me brother?" Lan Qingheng-Jun asked after they finished drinking their tea and the boys were in the meditation. Lan Xichen was busy looking at Lan Zhan learning to play Guqin' by first listening to the sound each string made and he liked it. The elders had played calming music for him for 4y and a half years and now he knew which sound comes after stringing another. They were so immernsed in the music that as the elders were talking, they weren't meant to know what was to come in the coming days.
Lan Qiren shot his eyes at his brother clearly understanding the message behind the request his brother asked if him,"Xiongzhang" Was all Lan Qiren could bring himself to say, and words were caught in his chest as his emotions were threatening his composure to remind him that he was human afterall. Lan Qingheng-Jun didnt want to stop him from saying what he wanted say, but instead waited for him to finish where he cut himself off. When Lan Qiren showed no sign of completing his words, Lan Qingheng-Jun continued. "Brother, you knew this was going to happen sooner than we expected, that's why I want my sons to stay with you from now on while we're still here. I don't want them to think we disappeared and we threw them at you, I would hate to see our sons think that we didn't love them enough.
So brother as you know Lan Furen's state of being, I'm afraid she's leaving before me. It I'm not sad because I will follow her shortly follow her, but..." He paused and looked at the other room where his older son was teaching his younger son how to strum the 7stringed Guqin'. He smiled and Lan Qiren in his sadness followed his eyes where he did the same. He was so proud of his nephews and even if he rarely saw Lan Zhan...he knew of all his achievements from his Xichen and brother. Lan Qiren would watch 0as Lan Xichen would get exited when telling him about Lan Zhan.
Lan Qiren turned to hi brother with the smile still remaining on his face and said " Xiongzhang rest assured, I will take good care of your son's. From todaly onwards they are my sons and I will do anything in my power to protect them and give them whatever they need, we will make you proud. " " But the reason I'm here is not only for that, I would like to ask you to bring them to us so we can see them separately " " Xiongzhang, I don't understand, what do you mean 'separately' " " you know I have not been living in the silent chambers for a long time now and that will still remain the same, I fear if we live together now, our energy will deplet very quickly as you already know."
Lan Qiren kept listening while gently caressing his now growing beard and thinking about something. " So you want me to bring them to sister in law and to you? Ok I will do that " " Qiren...let Furen see them a bit more today as I have seen them now and yo u can bring them later to me. " Then everything was all set and now he they had to explain to their sons about the set up. " Wanji, Xichen come here boys." The boys stoped playing and came to the two elders and sat down, Lan Xichen was holding Lan Zhan's hand the whole time thinking that his little Wanji is being taken away from him. He loved his brother and he wanted to live with him in the same house cause it was tiring for him when he had to study during the day, attend music classes and later go visit his brother.
He sometimes came late and he would find the elders who played soul calming music long gone and Wanji would be meditating at that time, he didn't want to disturb his meditation so he would go back, disappointed. So he kept his mind fingers crossed and listened, then he heard his father speak. " Zhan my son, would you like to live with your brother from now on? I just thought that brother can teach you many things he learned from his classes and so that you could know everything there is to know when you start your classes. So tell me son, would you?" All eyes were on the little figure which sat by the table, eyes on the table but his attention fully on them.
He saw how his older brother kept staring at him excitedly and he fixed his eyes back on the table, a second after his actions Lan Xichen excitedly jumped from his chair and hugged his Wanji so tight like he was sucking the life out of him and the brothers jumped in panick and Lan Qiren sat Lan Xichen back down on his chair as they both looked at him. He kept smiling and giggling and that sound was the first to them, Lan Qiren raised Lan Xichen so strictly that he thought he the only sound that could come out of his mouth was only when he spoke. Lan Qiren might have a few been strict but he wanted Lan Xichen to live Norma like other kids and do what other kids emwere doing, playing together and making friends. Lan Xichen had friends from his classes but when the classes were over, he would talk to them. But that talk would always be " good bye, see you tomorrow" and nothing else. He was always in a rush to meet his Wanji.