Lán WàngJī versus Alcohol: Chapter 14

Since Jingshi had its own small kitchen now, Lán WàngJī’s trips to the main kitchen had become less frequent.

Before that, however, the kitchen staff had grown accustomed to his visits, especially during banquets. He would come over to cook various dishes for Wèi WúXiàn, knowing that he didn’t enjoy traditional GūsūLán cuisine.

This time, Lán WàngJī’s arrival in the kitchen surprised them slightly. Still, they quickly made room for him.

Wèi WúXiàn also helped chop vegetables, as his knife skills were nothing to scoff at.

After he finished, he sat on a bamboo stool, rested his chin on his hand and watched Lán WàngJī add some chillies to the pot, followed by the sliced meat, then the right amount of vegetables and seasoning.

Everything was done with perfect timing and in the proper order.

Wèi WúXiàn wanted Lán WàngJī to remain the way he had always been: immaculate in his appearance, behaviour and morals, just as he had been the first time they met.

That day, Lán WàngJī was as pure as the moonlight, his clothes swaying gracefully in the gentle breeze.

Wèi WúXiàn also wanted him to be unrestrained – to hold his hand whether they were in public or strolling through the quiet mountain scenery.

As he watched him cook, Wèi WúXiàn felt that Lán WàngJī was no longer as cold and distant as before but rather an ordinary partner whom he could embrace and rely on, just like any other partner.

Lost in thought, he barely noticed the aroma wafting through the air and the white steam billowing from beneath the lid.

At a leisurely pace, Lán WàngJī laid the table and served two bowls of rice before lifting the lid to taste the dish. Satisfied that the seasoning was just right, he took a large spoon and began ladling the food onto a plate.

Since he was already starving, Wèi WúXiàn was delighted to see that the food was ready.

Lán WàngJī then placed the filled plate on the table in front of Wèi WúXiàn and warned him, “Be careful; it’s hot.”

Wèi WúXiàn nodded repeatedly, picked up a slice of meat with his chopsticks, and blew on it slightly before putting it into his mouth. His eyes immediately lit up. He quickly picked up a few pieces and placed them on Lán WàngJī’s plate.

Meanwhile, Lán WàngJī lifted his robes slightly and sat down beside him.

After swallowing food in his mouth, Wèi WúXiàn praised him. “It’s so delicious even though it’s less spicy! Èr-gēge, your cooking skills are amazing!”

Wèi WúXiàn ate with great appetite, his dark eyes sparkling with happiness. Lán WàngJī looked at him fondly, a gentle smile playing on his lips.

As soon as Wèi WúXiàn finished his bowl of rice, Lán WàngJī was about to take it to refill it, but Wèi WúXiàn stopped him by taking hold of his hand. Puzzled, Lán WàngJī glanced at him.

“Lán Zhàn, I’m full,” Wèi WúXiàn said.

Lán WàngJī frowned, as it was less food than Wèi WúXiàn usually ate.

“Are you not feeling well?” he asked.

“I’m fine,” Wèi WúXiàn replied reassuringly. “I’m really full.”

“You always satisfy me,” he went on. “Lán Zhàn, before I met you, I thought I would never be in a relationship because I didn’t think I could ever love someone so deeply.”

Their fingers intertwined unconsciously, reflecting the bond between them.

“When my parents passed away, I somehow managed to carry on from day to day,” Wèi WúXiàn said after a brief pause. “After leaving Lotus Piers, I grew accustomed to living alone.”

After another pause, he added, “For a long time, I felt that what I wanted most in life would never come true.”

Wèi WúXiàn’s eyes grew slightly moist with tears, glistening like distant stars.

He rested his forehead against his and said in a low voice, “I was lucky to meet you. Your presence has filled the emptiness in my life.”

He then looked into his eyes and added, “Lán Zhàn, you gave me a home and made my dream come true.”

Lán WàngJī stared intently at him, his heart pounding as he listened. Like the clear chime of a bell, Wèi WúXiàn’s words resonated within him, filling him with joy and happiness.

“I love you and I don’t care what people say,” Wèi WúXiàn said earnestly.

“In this world, only you can hold my hand, love me to such an extent for so many years, and constantly protect me,” he carried on.

Lán WàngJī was deeply moved by Wèi WúXiàn’s words. A growing desire to hold him was written all over his face.

There was no need for words. The silence that had fallen between them spoke volumes. Like two souls in perfect harmony, they slowly closed the gap between them, their lips parting slightly before meeting in a passionate kiss.

Every time they kissed felt like the first time, every touch leaving them wanting more, unable to control the fire that consumed them. The more they kissed, the greater their desire grew.

Lán WàngJī kept his eyes open, not wanting to miss the ecstasy on Wèi WúXiàn’s face as they kissed. Watching his expression was incredibly enticing, just as it had been the first time he laid eyes on him in the moonlight.

That day, the way Wèi WúXiàn slightly raised his eyebrows, a faint smile playing on his lips, and his gentle frown and sideways glance were enough to make him fall for him.

From then on, his affection for him quietly took hold. Day and night, he constantly thought of him. In his sleep, he dreamt of him. He couldn’t get him out of his mind.

Lán WàngJī said inwardly, “Wèi Yīng, did you know that when I was young and naive in matters of love, I tried to extinguish my feelings for you? Out of fear, I did everything I could to bury my desire for you. However, once love takes root, it becomes so deeply ingrained that any attempt to eradicate it is futile.”

He continued, “That day, when you left Yúnshēn Bùzhīchù, the world around me fell silent. I could no longer deceive myself. I desperately tried to find you, but the war had already begun, and my body was covered in wounds.”

He went on, “I foolishly called myself a gentleman, yet I could not control my feelings and forced myself upon you. I believed I understood you, yet I was oblivious to the suffering you had endured with every step you took. By the time I realised my folly, it was too late – your life was already lost.”

He carried on inwardly, “Losing you was the result of my cowardice. Every night, by the light of a solitary lamp, I plucked the strings of my guqin for ten years, enquiring about your return. I once believed that this was how things were meant to be: mourning the loss of a loved one for the rest of my life.”

He kept replaying the past in his mind. “However, I never expected the heavens to show such compassion and allow you to be reborn. After your return, not only did you not resent or reject me, but you also chose to stay by my side for the rest of your life. Wèi Yīng, I am truly fortunate to have you in my life.”

Suddenly, his spirits lifted, as though a light had shone through the darkness, driving away the shadows within his heart.

Puzzled, he widened his eyes. The drunkenness had vanished from his eyes. He had fully emerged from the haze.

Wèi WúXiàn sensed that something had changed in Lán WàngJī. He opened his eyes while their lips were still pressed together. Their gazes met, and Wèi WúXiàn grew confused.

At that moment, they heard someone let out a soft “ah”, immediately followed by a thud. Then a few carrots rolled across the floor. One of them reached the foot of the table where the two were sitting.

Wèi WúXiàn looked towards the door and felt a little awkward that they had been seen, but he kept his fingers intertwined with Lán WàngJī’s.

Lán WàngJī lowered his head and then noticed that they were holding hands. His gaze lingered on their hands for a brief moment. Suddenly, he realised what was happening, and his ears turned red. Looking more closely, his neck was also flushed.

When the two had arrived in the kitchen, the staff hurriedly finished their tasks and quietly left, closing the door behind them.

Later, Wèi WúXiàn had opened the door to let some fresh air in. As a result, the girl responsible for bringing vegetables into the kitchen found the door wide open and unintentionally witnessed their intimacy.

She was so shocked that she couldn’t suppress a gasp and dropped the basket of vegetables.

Wèi WúXiàn picked up the carrot, stood up and handed it to her. The girl remained dumbstruck and didn’t know whether to stay or leave at once.

As Wèi WúXiàn was about to say something to put her at ease, he noticed that the girl looked familiar. He looked at the carrots in the basket and then at the girl. Suddenly, he remembered.

Smiling, he exclaimed, “I recognise you!”

Lán WàngJī, who had lowered his gaze in embarrassment, immediately turned his head to look at her.

She was one of the GūsūLán female cultivators. Those female disciples were seldom seen. When Wèi WúXiàn happened to encounter one, he was delighted. It turned out that she was the same person he had seen before.

“A gentleman shouldn’t allow himself to embarrass a young lady,” Wèi WúXiàn thought.

In a gentle voice, he said, “Miss, I would like to thank you for feeding the rabbits whenever Lán Zhàn is away.”

“There’s no need to thank me. It’s only natural,” she replied.

After glancing at the basket she was carrying, Wèi WúXiàn said apologetically, “Oh, by the way, the last time we met, you ran off so quickly that you left your basket behind. I didn’t know where to find you to return it, so I took it to the kitchen and left it on the table. It’s been quite some time since then, and I don’t know whether you’ve collected it. I’m terribly sorry.”

“It’s… it’s all right, Gōngzǐ,” she replied hurriedly, her voice trembling slightly.

She finally felt at ease and was quite impressed that Wèi WúXiàn apologised to her over such a trivial matter. Earlier, she had been so nervous that she had not dared look at them during their exchange.

She slowly raised her head to meet their gazes. Upon seeing that they were still holding hands, the earlier scene of them kissing replayed in her mind.

Seized by panic, she clutched the basket of vegetables, turned around and dashed out of the kitchen. She even forgot to bow before leaving. She barely managed not to transgress the sect rule against running. However, in her haste, she failed to notice a carrot leaf falling from the basket.

Astonished, Wèi WúXiàn picked up the leaf.

“Why is it that every girl who looks at me has to drop something?” Wèi WúXiàn remarked. “This time, however, it’s the first time a girl has dropped a carrot leaf.”

The incident seemed to amuse him so much that he couldn’t help but chuckle.

Lán WàngJī stared at the leaf, and then the sight of it seemed to remind him of something. In a stern tone, he said, “Put it down.”

Wèi WúXiàn turned to look at him in puzzlement. Although Lán WàngJī’s expression was calm as ever, his eyes told a different story.

“Èr-gēge, don’t tell me you’ve got your eye on this leaf. No way!” Wèi WúXiàn said teasingly. “Lán Zhàn, have you become such a vegetarian that you’re competing with our rabbits for food?”

Lán WàngJī knew that he was deliberately feigning ignorance and steering the conversation in a different direction. However, instead of challenging him, he decided to play along.

“Am I not allowed to become one?” he asked.

“Of course not,” Wèi WúXiàn replied. He tossed the leaf onto the table and returned to his seat.

Still holding his hand, he pulled him closer. He felt Lán WàngJī’s fingers involuntarily tighten around his. Smiling, he lifted Lán WàngJī’s hand to his lips and softly kissed the back of it.

Then he added boldly, “You’ve already eaten the forbidden fruit. Therefore, you can only eat me.”

Unable to endure his teasing any longer, Lán WàngJī pressed his lips to his and kissed him deeply, thinking that Wèi WúXiàn’s arrogance was entirely his own fault – he had spoiled him far too much.