Previously...
"Do I like him?"
Third Person POV
Lan xichen bid his farewell to the cute Jiang as he prepared to leave for Gusu. After sharing the formal words, Jiang cheng looked at the blue robes which fluttered in the wind as it stood above the ground. He couldn't understand his feelings and it kept itching him.
By the time he looked up, the sky was clear. He turned back and returned to his Manor.
"Can't wait to see you at the meeting Sect leader Lan..."
Once he entered his home, a sudden sense of loneliness filled him. He walked through the corridors with a heavy heart unknowing what to do.
Just as he was about to pass by the Lotus ponds, he noticed a boy in white playing with the water, poking it and swirling it.
"Lan Jingyi?"
The said boy jumped back startled as he looked at the Sect leader with fear in his eyes. Maybe he shouldn't have played with the water. He immediately bowed to the Sect leader greeting him.
"Didn't you leave with that ston- Hanguang-jun?"
The boy looked at him surprised with the new information. "They... left?"
And so Jiang cheng stood in front of the Gusu Lan clan gate with the Lan boy who carried multiple boxes and packages.
Jiang cheng stood awkwardly outside the gate which had no disciples guarding it. Most probably because the sun had already set.
"Alright, get in and next time make sure to leave with the others."
Jingyi nodded and bowed to the Sect leader before they parted their own ways.
Jiang cheng only took a few steps alway when the Lan disciples on duty rushed outside. Seeing a Sect leader in front of the gate, they thought he was leaving because there was no one to let him in. Fearing the punishment for being late to duty, the called the Sect leader.
"It's fine, I'm not here to see anyone."
"No Sect leader Jiang, we apologize for not being able to welcome you in. Please you must come inside. If you don't then... then we'll have to write the Gusu rules 1000 times... doing a handstand." The two disciples looked at him with pitiful eyes, begging to save them from punishment.
Jiang cheng sighed again. He had to leave for Yunmeng soon or he'll never make it by morning.
"Listen, I'm just here to return a lost boy, not anything else. So don't have to worry." He turned around not bothering to hear anything else when another voice called him. Something even more annoying.
'Wei wuxian.'
"Jiang cheng! Wait up." But he did not. He started walking faster but the boy ran as fast as he could and caught him by the arm and outline it down as he took his breath.
" Aiya Jiang cheng, since you came here why not come inside too."
Jiang cheng rolled his eyes, "No."
Wei wuxian pouted and got ready to make a big scene when Lan xichen came as well.
Jiang cheng sighed, 'Why are the Lan people so jobless?"
"Sect leader Lan." He greeted him and got himself prepared to refuse everything they said.
"It seems that we have troubled you in brining our fellow disciple back. I sincerely apologize and thank you for your help."
Jiang cheng cringed at the words but he remained calm. "It's the least I can do-"
"The sun has already set, why not stay the night and leave at dawn?"
Wei wuxian brightly agreed and pushed the other inside but in reality he was just testing the water and urging the other. Jiang cheng who had his eyes fixed on the elegant Sect leader did not bother to object and moved with the flow. Afterall he aswell wanted to know and understand his heart.
And that is why all the Lan disciples softly murmured about the sudden presence of the Jiang in the Dinning hall.
Jiang cheng sat beside the Lan who'd smile at him at every glance.
Jiang cheng was tired from stopping in between so the young disciple could take rest and sadly he did not know 'rest' means shopping till your legs burn.
He drank the bland soup imagining the hot and spicy noodles they had for lunch on their way. But the one thing he was glad about was the Lan manners. No one spoke while eating and no one questioned him either.
Once he finished eating, which was faster than the others since he was imagining tasty food, he looked at Xichen and his almost empty bowl. Jiang cheng had to shift his eyes multiple times to stop his heart racing. Soon many finished their food and so did Xichen. But unlike others he did not close the bowl but instead drew a heart with his chopstick knowing very well that the Jiang was watching him.
Once it was over, they all moved out and Jiang cheng walked beside the Lan as they took a stroll around. The moon was not at its biggest but it still looked beautiful. The stars were more clear and sparkling like diamonds. Jiang cheng stared at the sky lost in his world while the Lan was making up his mind.
Jiang cheng felt a warm hand slowly slide into his and clutch his hand tightly. He looked at the Lan who had his head down, embarrassed by his own actions.
The atmosphere became heavy as Jiang cheng stared at the Lan intently. His eyes were curious like his heart and he yearned for answers.
"Xichen... why do you... like me?"
The place was quiet with only the noise of insects and hustling trees.
Xichen looked at the Jiang who looked at him a little differently.
" I like you because... well you are an amazing person, you've achieved a lot in even the worst situations, you brought up an entire clan on you own and you were so mature even at a young age. Elegant and cold yet you still have an entire sun in your eyes. And your so kind and adorable and so small and cute that I just want to ke-" a finger poked at his chest and he stopped in the middle as he looked at the adorable man.
"What do you mean 'adorable'? I'm a Sect leader, how can I be adorable, are you blind-"
*smooch*
Jiang cheng stared at the Lan who kissed his cheeks and looked at him with a gentle expression. He could suddenly see butterflies and lilies around the Lan. It was like the winds became slow and the space around them just stopped. He couldn't focus properly mainly with his heart thumping loud enough to make it own melody.
"I can tell many other reasons but I doubt I'll be able to find the true reason, afterall I love you not because of anything particular but only cause your you."
Jiang cheng felt like flowers were blooming in his stomach and his body was controlled by someone else as he stepped closer and tipped up, gently pressing his lips against the other. It was very short but it made him go red. Lan xichen stared at Jiang cheng mesmerized by the sudden change in the air around them. He wrapped his hand tightly around the Jiang as he leaned down and connected their lips again, only this time even more passionate.
He did not hold back since they were near the hanshi and no one would come to see him at this time.
If he only knew that a pair of baffled eyes looked at them from a distance.