Lan Wangji sat by the candlelit desk, his fingers lightly brushing over the string of his guqin. The gentle melody he played filled the room with calm, though his own heart was far from it. Wei Ying had been away for days, investigating rumors of resentful energy nearby. His absence left an aching void, one that Lan Wangji didn't know how to ease.
The door creaked softly as Lan Zhong stepped in, his presence as silent as the moonlight that bathed the room. Lan Zhou had been Lan Wangji's closest confidant since they were children—one of the few who truly understood him outside of Wei Ying. Tonight, however, there was something different in his demeanor: a tension that crackled in the air between them.
Lan Wangji glanced at him briefly. "It is late. You should rest."
Lan Zhong ignored the suggestion, stepping closer. His gaze was intense, searching. "Wangji, I cannot hide it anymore. I must tell you..."
Lan Wangji set the guqin aside, sensing the weight of the words about to come. "What is it?"
Lan Zhong took a hesitant step closer, then another, his fists clenched as though he were battling an inner war. "Wangji, I have admired you for years. I've watched you from afar, yearning for what I could never have. But seeing you with Wei Ying—it has become unbearable."
Lan Wangji's brows furrowed slightly, his lips parting to respond, but before he could say anything, Lan Zhong moved closer still.
"I know it's wrong. I know your heart belongs to him. But tonight, I can't keep this to myself." Lan Zhou's voice wavered as he leaned in and, without warning, pressed his lips to Lan Wangji's.
For a moment, Lan Wangji froze, caught off guard by the unexpected gesture. He pushed Lan Zhong away instantly, his usual composed demeanor replaced by rare agitation. "What are you doing?"
The door slid open abruptly, slamming against the frame. Wei Ying stood there, his usually bright eyes clouded with confusion and hurt. He had been planning to surprise Lan Wangji with his return, but this was far from the reunion he had imagined.
The scene before him—the closeness, the fleeting glimpse of Lan Zhou leaning in, and Lan Wangji's startled expression—was more than enough to break him. The bottle of wine in his hand slipped, shattering on the floor, much like the trust he thought they shared.
"Wei Ying..." Lan Wangji's voice was strained as he took a step toward him.
Wei Ying raised a trembling hand, stopping him. "Don't. Just... don't." His voice cracked, but his expression quickly hardened, a defensive mask slipping into place. "So, this is what happens when I'm not around? Guess I was just... convenient for you, huh?"
"It is not what you think." Lan Wangji's voice was uncharacteristically desperate, but Wei Ying shook his head, letting out a bitter laugh.
"Not what I think? Really, Lan Zhan? I know what I saw." He glanced at Lan Zhou, whose expression was a mixture of shame and defiance. "Your best friend, huh? I guess I should've seen this coming."
Lan Zhong opened his mouth to speak, but Wei Ying cut him off with a glare. "Don't. Whatever you're about to say, I don't want to hear it."
"Wei Ying," Lan Wangji said again, his tone softer now, pleading.
But Wei Ying had already begun stepping back toward the door. "Don't follow me. Don't try to explain. Clearly, I'm the outsider here." His voice broke slightly, but he forced himself to steady it. "Goodbye, Lan Zhan."
Before Lan Wangji could respond, Wei Ying turned and disappeared into the night, leaving behind the shattered remnants of what had once been their unshakeable bond.
Lan Zhong took a hesitant step forward, guilt radiating from him. "Wangji, I didn't mean—"
"Leave," Lan Wangji said quietly, his voice trembling slightly.
"Wangji, please, let me—"
"I said leave."
Lan Zhong bowed his head, realizing there was no redemption to be found tonight. Silently, he left the room, leaving Lan Wangji standing alone in the oppressive silence, the fragments of his life slipping through his fingers.