Three days after, the news of the sect leader of GususLan is finally back. His sudden disappearance after the commotion that he cause in the Sect leader of YunmengJiang sect wedding and his return after the three days of disappearance spread wide in cultivation world, no one knows where he went and his sect refused to give an explanation about it.
Wei Wuxian went to Lotus pier to ask Jiang Fengmian and the others to visit Gusu to attend a feast. At first Jiang Fengmian was hesitant but considering that Wei Wuxian is a part of his family and in Lan's, he agree to attend. Jiang Cheng knows that Wei Wuxian is up to something stupid again, but didn't argue with him because the truth is.... He also want to go, he want to see him, to know if he's okay and not hurt.
Wei Wuxian chuckled secretly when everyone agreed to come, his plans is going smoothly, now all he need is to set the two to talk to each other but will this change the fact that Jiang Cheng will get married?
At their arrival at Cloud Recesses, Lan Wangji and the juniors welcomed them. Jiang Cheng's eyes keep on wandering around looking for a certain person, Wei Wuxian noticed it and give Lan Wangji a wink to tell Jiang Cheng of the whereabouts of the person his looking for.
Lan Wangji saluted and faced Jiang Fengmian, "Brother is talking with the elders for the feast, I'm sorry if he can't welcome you personally" he said.
"No, it's ok... He must be really busy." Jiang Fengmian smiled as he waved his hand.
Jiang Cheng let out a heavy sigh in his heart, he felt relieved after hearing that Lan Xichen is doing fine. But still, a sharp single needle is buried deep in his heart, he feel suffocated, he wanted to pull it out to escape from the pain but unable to locate it or probably he can't pull it out by himself.
As they walk leisurely to meet the elders and the sect leader of this sect, they noticed that nothing change even though there will be a feast tonight. No decoration, you can't see anyone who's rushing to do the preparation, no scent of delicious food, the whole place is the same as ever.
Since Jin Ling is used to a fancy life, his face keep making sour expression as he walk.
"There will be a feast tonight?" he asked, he used that little mistress tone of his as he raised a brow and monitored the whole place.
"A-Ling" Jiang YanLi is worried that someone might hear his son and got offended thus she forbid him to continue to talk. Jin Ling pouted and let out a 'Hmph' but he obeyed the instruction and didn't dare to utter another insulting word.
When they entered the hall where the feast will be held, the elders are already sitting on their prospective seats quietly. Lan Xichen is not around, probably he's still preparing, since his the leader of his sect there are plenty of stuffs that he need to prepare before the feast. Once everyone is settled, they waited for Lan Xichen and Lan Qiren arrival. It's a dead silence that even Jiang YanLi knitted her brows in discomfort. After a while, the two most awaited people arrived at last! Lan Xichen walks straight and gave a nod and smile when he saw Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian sitting side by side.
He sat in front of everyone, on his right are Lan Qiren and the elders, on his left are Lan Wangji with Wei Wuxian followed by the Jiang family. Before the feast started, he gave a small speech to welcome everyone, his voice is gentle and calm like before, without a hint of awkwardness or heartache. The feast is filled with silence for the whole time, the foods are bland, and the faces are serious. Not only Wei Wuxian, but also Jin Ling felt like vomiting and fainting on the spot because of the unusual blandness of the food. Jiang Cheng ate and drank the dishes in one gulp, he used to study in cloud recesses, he used to eat and drink these so it doesn't affect him that much. As he eat, he keep stealing glance at the man in the middle but when the other party noticed his glance, there's no unnatural reaction. Instead Lan Xichen gave him a bright smile, like a saint. Jiang Cheng heart throb, he feels like another poisonous needle pierced in his heart again.
His hand tightened its grip to the bowl his holding while Lan Xichen tilted his head a little in confusion. Lan Xichen thought that he might have offended Jiang Cheng in some way but how? How did he offend him? And why does he feel hurt by simply seeing him?
After a couple of eating some dishes, the feast ended smoothly or maybe someone think of it horribly. They decided to stay for the night and go home when the sun rises, Wei Wuxian wanted to use this as an opportunity to carry out his plan. But out of his expectation, his plan will be ravage in the next moment, not by Jiang Fengmian but by Lan Xichen.
Lan Xichen approached them with a smile, he talk to Lan Wangji first and then took a glance at Jiang Cheng.
"Uhm, hello" Lan Xichen faced him and smiled. This single word almost made Jiang Cheng speechless, his heart pounded and his eyes brightened. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something In return but he doesn't know what he should say, it's only been a week since the day of his failed wedding but somehow he felt like it's been forever since the last time he saw him. After a whole ten minutes of choosing between 'hi' and 'how are you', he finally decided of what he should say in response but when he's about to utter the word, Lan Xichen speak once again and those words almost made him fall on his knees.
"Who are you? I believe this is our first time meeting each other? Are you a relative of uncle Jiang or a disciple friend of young master Wei?"
Everyone around were dumbfounded, their eyes widened while Jiang Cheng become more speechless. His eyes darkened or rather it become lifeless and colorless, his world stopped it's time, at the moment all he could hear are the words of Lan Xichen. It repeatedly echoed inside his head, his vision become blurry, the person in front of him and the people around him slowly fading from his sight. He clenched his fist and gritted his teeth,
"Brother?" Lan Wangji called out in question.
"Sect leader Lan! What kind of joke is that?" Wei Wuxian hurriedly said after seeing Jiang Cheng in lost.
"Joke? What do you mean? Do we know each other?" Lan Xichen asked, his face is serious but a smile still painted on it.
Everyone become silent and speechless again, they keep glancing at each other and to Jiang Cheng who's quiet for the whole time.
"Zewu-jun! What are you trying to do right now? Are you pretending to not know my uncle? Just because it didn't gone well last time, you're doing this now? Are you giving up now? Why are you giving up and pretending!" Jin Ling couldn't bear to hear and watch from the sideline anymore, he roared at Lan Xichen in anger. He loves his uncle the most because Jiang Cheng is always the one who bring him to night hunt and accompany him. He can't bear to see his uncle to get hurt like this, he can't accept the fact that his uncle is not allowed to be happy.
"A-Ling! What are you doing! He is the leader of GusuLan sect and the brother-in-law of A-Xian! Show some respect!" Jiang Fengmian scolded.
Jin Ling run off because of frustration, Jiang YanLi and Jin Zixuan followed him. Their attention was focused on Jin Ling when he throws a fit that they totally forgotten about Jiang Cheng. When they switched their attention back to him, he already left, no one knows when or what direction he went.
Everyone left the scene, the supposedly warm and fun(?) feast turned into a cold and awkward one. Jiang Cheng is sitting alone in the dark, Wei Wuxian approached him silently, planning to give him a fright but failed. Jiang Cheng didn't react to him at all, as if he didn't do anything, as if he's not there.
Wei Wuxian sighed as he sat beside him and started to talk. "You see, maybe Zewu-jun was only joking, don't take it seriously."
"......."
"Go and talk to him properly, your problem won't solve by itself."
"............"
"Be honest with yourself, if you don't want to get married then say so, if you love him then tell him!" Wei Wuxian stood up, he said everything he wanted to say, he did his part to help them and now it all depends on Jiang Cheng and Lan Xichen. He left to go back to his husband's side, Jiang Cheng was left alone again, he's silently sitting there not moving an inch.
Wei Wuxian saw Lan Wangji waiting for him at the bridge and it looks like he's been waiting there for some time now. He run to him and jumped at him, in return Lan Wangji opened his arm wide for him.
"Did you talk with your brother?" Wei Wuxian asked.
"No, he went out to check something at the town." Lan Wangji shook his head and said.
"Why did Zewu-jun said that?"
Lan Wangji shook his head again as an answer. Wei Wuxian let out a sigh and pulled his husband to Jingshi's direction.
"Well, let's ask him when he came back ok? Let's enjoy our night" He winked seductively.
--
The night passes by fast with two people spent it lovingly and for the others it was a sleepless one.
"Did you sleep here?" Jiang YanLi approached the man sitting alone beside the river, "Cloud Recesses is a beautiful and wonderful place! You and A-Xian used to study here before right? Did you enjoy the scenery here?" She added. Jiang YanLi getting more and more worried for Jiang Cheng, he's not responding to anything she said.
"A-Cheng? Do you want me to talk to father and mother? Then you go have a talk with sect leader Lan?" She gathered up her courage to open up the real problem and to try to help and comfort him. But instead of answering her question, Jiang Cheng stood up and smiled bitterly..
"Let's go, there are things that need to be handled at home" He look tired, his eyes are red and dark lines can be seen below. It seems like he didn't sleep at all, it looks like he spent the whole night sitting here alone, probably crying secretly or laughing at himself loudly.
"A-Cheng! Don't be like this ok? Let's go and talk with them." Jiang YanLi said hastily, worried about her brother behavior and condition. But she was ignored, not only Jiang Cheng did not answer her but also he left her standing there and went home alone without bidding a goodbye and without waiting for the others.
When Jiang Fengmian and Madame Yu finally back at lotus pier, they discussed to move the schedule of the wedding to an early date. Not because, he's afraid that Lan Xichen will snatch his son away but because he wanted to help Jiang Cheng forget that man, he thought that it will help him forget Lan Xichen faster.
He wanted to tell Jiang Cheng about it, thus he look for him and saw him staring blankly to an open space. His heart tightened, what did he do? Why did he hurt him this way? All he wanted for him is to have a good and better life but somehow his decision was wrong. He repeated his own fate through his son, he's forcing him to marry someone he doesn't like or love just like how he got forced to marry Madame Yu who he doesn't love at first and he abandoned his own feelings. This is the same, really the same... Jiang Fengmian wanted to cry, what should he do? He want him to be happy and not let him experience the same but why? Why Lan Xichen? There' are a lot of men and women in the world! Yes, Jiang Fengmian doesn't care if it's a man or woman as long as it's not Lan Xichen. Just not him, and he's willing to accept anyone with an open arms.
"A-Cheng, me and your mother decided to move the wedding to an earlier date. It will be held the next day"
Jiang Cheng stood up and saluted, he let out an "En" as answer. His voice is cold and his eyes still lifeless. He's dead, not physically, but mentally and emotionally. That's right, he's dead inside, only his body is alive and well.
Meanwhile at Cloud Recesses, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji has been waiting for Lan Xichen. When they saw him, they approached him without wasting any second.
"Brother, welcome back" Lan Wangji saluted.
"Zewu-Jun, welcome hom—eh welcome back!" Wei Wuxian did the same.
"Mm, what are you two doing here? You're waiting for me?" Lan Xichen chuckled.
Both of them nodded in unison, Lan Xichen laughed softly and said.
"Why? Is something matter?"
"About sect leader Jiang." Lan Wangji said, his face didn't change its expression.
"Sect leader Jiang? Did something happen to Uncle Jiang?" Lan Xichen smile turn upside down, there's a hint of worriedness on his face. Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji were dumbfounded when they heard him.
"Zewu-Jun, what do you mean by uncle Jiang? Jiang Cheng is the current leader of YunmengJiang sect for over 13 years already!" Wei Wuxian brows knitted.
"Jiang Cheng? Who's Jiang Cheng?"
The husband and wife look at each other, they tried to think of the reason why Lan Xichen is still denying that he doesn't know Jiang Cheng.
"It's Jiang Wanyin brother."
"Zewu-Jun, why are you still pretending not to know him ah? You know each other pretty well and everyone knows it so why pretend?" Wei Wuxian asked, his voice is becoming more serious and cold. Noticing that his wife is getting annoyed, Lan Wangji interrupted and asked Lan Xichen instead.
"Brother, do you really didn't recognize him?" he asked.
Lan Xichen tried to think and recall every memory he have but it was futile, he shook his head, his eyes and tone are serious.
"No, I don't recognize him, I don't remember anyone look like him or has the same name. I think last night was our first meeting." He explained.
"Zewu-Jun! Are you serious? Don't you have any memory of him?" Wei Wuxian exclaimed, after hearing his own voice and words, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji realized something.
"Zewu-Jun, in those three days of disappearance of yours, where did you go and what happened?" Wei Wuxian calmly asked.
Lan Xichen think of it again, "I woke up in the middle of the forest beside a small temple, I don't know how long I've been there or why I was there in the first place. But the moment I wake up, I feel like I lost something but I don't know what it is."
Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji eyes widened, there's no other explanation! Lan Xichen lost his memory, he has amnesia but for some reason the only thing he forgot is everything about Jiang Cheng. Why and how did that happened? The only way to find out is to go at the place where Lan Xichen woke up! In the forest! The three of them leap to the designated place to unfold the mystery of Lan Xichen's memory but Jiang Cheng wedding is near, will Lan Xichen still regain his lost memory? Will they make it on time? Or it will be too late?
CHAPTER END...
A/N: Sorry for slow update, I am currently working on OC of mine and could only write last night. I'm so left behind on reading the Fanfics and novels I'm following too. ༼ つ ಥ_ಥ ༽つ Anyway thank you for Reading and enjoy! ~(˘▾˘~)
Somehow, XiCheng story end up longer than the main story of the FanFic ಠ_ಠ
I'll try to update another chapter tomorrow!! (ʘ‿ʘ) And this is my OC, it's almost done~ Doing it Digital is a torture (;'༎ຶД༎ຶ') But i'm happy!