Jin Ling doesn't know what to make of Lan Sizhui if he had to be perfectly honest.

He knows what is said about the Gusu Lan disciple, whispers honeyed as they are poisonous. The best of their generation. The pinnacle of Gusu Lan's teaching. The new Jade of Gusu Lan. Lan Qiren's favored student. Han Guangjun's beloved son and sole heir to the sect. A multitude of praises and titles heaped upon Lan Sizhui's slight shoulders that Jin Ling wonders how the boy remains as quiet and modest as he is.

To him, Lan Sizhui will always be just Lan Yuan, his first and only best friend.

Of course, they have grown up around each other as children of parents who are on amicable terms and thus are always pushed together whenever their parents are on sect business. It seemed like a natural progression that they would become friends, but Jin Ling finds that he would rather spend his time with Lan Sizhui than any other person he knew.

He remembers how he used to adore playing with Lan Sizhui as a kid, saw him as the brother he always wanted. He remembers countless hours spent exploring every nook and cranny Gusu Lan and Yunmeng Jiang, discovering all the secrets their respective homes had to offer. Slowly, ever so slowly, Jin Ling could feel those amicable feelings of friendship evolving into something a little more confusing and maybe even a little painful. All of a sudden, he realized the thought of Lan Sizhui's gentle smile sends his heart into rapid fire beats, palms sweating and face flushing. His stomach feels like it's eating itself from the inside out but he can't help but search out for more of this sweet syrupy feeling.

He doesn't know why he feels like this when he's around his best friend but he knows that he doesn't want it to stop.

But as they grew older, Lan Sizhui seemed to grow out of reach.

Jin Ling starts noticing that Lan Sizhui is not like the other kids in their age group, notices how distant Lan Sizhui seems sometimes, like the other child is always searching for something just out of sight. It worries Jin Ling sometimes when he looks to Lan Sizhui and his friend isn't here. He looks at Lan Sizhui but Lan Sizhui isn't looking back, not really, and Jin Ling can't help the chill that spreads down his spine when he sees Lan Sizhui off in his own little world, untouchable and so very distant.

It sends painful stabs to his chest that he isn't what his friend is searching for.

To Jin Ling's relief though, his friend's smiles begin to grow less fractured, more at peace with himself as they further their cultivation training. If Jin Ling had to put it into words, his friend seems to have found whatever he was looking for. He hopes that whatever Lan Sizhui found stays, because he doesn't think he can go back to those days of empty listless gray eyes.

Needless to say, Lan Sizhui is… different.

Not that being different from the other kids is inherently a bad thing. The kids from Lanling Jin include his spoiled, mean cousins who do nothing but taunt Jin Ling for his lack of parents and his irritable temper. He hates spending time at Lanling Jin and opts to spend as much time possible with his uncle at Yunmeng Jiang. As such, he also inadvertently interacts with Lan Sizhui much more than is considered socially acceptable for an heir of a prominent sect.

Adults seem wary of Lan Sizhui, giving the enigmatic child a wide berth. Even his Uncle Jiang Cheng seemed to hold Lan Sizhui at arm's length. His uncle had also given increasingly vague warnings to keep his guard up around the other boy. Not that Jin Ling was ever going to listen to his uncle but he wonders why his uncle would warn him in the first place. Because honestly? It's kind of fucking cool. How does Lan Sizhui seem to wield that much power over adults?

"Do you want to do something fun today?" Lan Sizhui asks, arms folded behind his back in a gesture of innocence. Jin Ling freezes momentarily. Unbidden, his uncle's constant warning rings in his ears.

He doesn't even know why he's hesitating. The question isn't something out of the ordinary. Lan Sizhui always asks a variation of this question every time he visits to Lotus Pier and meets Jin Ling. The question is usually followed by some leisurely activity like kite flying or archery practice or swimming in the pier if the weather allows for it.

But the smile on Lan Sizhui's face is different than usual… bone-chillingly different. Like Lan Sizhui is daring him to deny him and face the consequences. Jin Ling isn't completely sure though, he never knows what is going on in Lan Sizhui's head. However, he doesn't like the subtle threat in his friend's expression, if it even is a threat at all.

He feels morally offended that Lan Sizhui would feel the need to threaten him into doing anything at all.

"What kind of fun?" Jin Ling hedges warily with a suspicious raise of his eyebrows.

"You'll like it," Lan Sizhui answers which isn't really an answer to his question and they both know it. Jin Ling huffs in frustration, brows dipping down.

"You don't know that," he doesn't mean to be so snappish but he can't help it. He's hurt that Lan Sizhui has to resort to subterfuge to convince him to do whatever it is that Lan Sizhui wants him to do.

Lan Sizhui doesn't look offended in the least. In fact, the other junior disciple looks as unperturbed as ever, silver eyes almost shining in their serenity.

"No offense taken, Jin Ling," Lan Sizhui waves him off easily. "I just wanted to ask if you can grant me a small favor?"

Jin Ling's stomach an odd flop that causes nausea to rise to his throat. That sounds even worse than before.

"Does it involve breaking any of your four thousand rules?" Jin Ling asks before sighing when he catches sight of the enigmatic smile on Lan Sizhui's face, "Fine. I'll do whatever it is that you want me to do."

"Excellent!" Lan Sizhui practically glows at Jin Ling's acquiesce. He holds both of Jin Ling's hands in his own and gives them a brief squeeze of gratitude before pulling Jin Ling to wherever the hell their adventure is taking them. Jin Ling stares at their interlocked fingers and his stomach does another odd flop for a completely different reason.

He ducks his head so Lan Sizhui cannot see his cheeks reddening.

Jin Ling doesn't recognize the corridor they're walking through so it baffles him how Lan Sizhui would know of its existence. He isn't even completely sure what part of the compound they're wandering into. After walking for what seemed like an endless array of corridors, they stop in front of a locked door with the Yunmeng Jiang crest emblazoned on it. Jin Ling has to suppress a shiver running up his spine. Whatever is behind that door is heavily warded and sets his teeth on edge. The sheer power radiating from the crest tips him off that it's some type of immensely strong seal, meant to keep intruders away and Jin Ling doesn't want to find out what happens if they attempt to break the seal.

He turns to Lan Sizhui to say as much and to get them the hell out of here but stops short at the look of elated anticipation in his friend's eyes.

"Can you open this for me?"

Oh fuck, Lan Sizhui is going to get him killed. He's a little hurt actually when this revelation hits him with the force of a slap to the face. He thought they were friends.

"Me?" Jin Ling asks incredulously, voice pitched embarrassingly high, "Why me?"

"Only those who are descended from the main family can gain access," Lan Sizhui answers easily.

Jin Ling blinks at Lan Sizhui. He isn't even going to ask how Lan Sizhui knows this. Of course, only he would be able to open the possible death trap door. Jin Ling wants to ask Lan Sizhui to possibly reconsider this particular favor, to turn around and get the fuck out of here, to do anything else but whatever he's thinking but the hopeful look in those mercurial eyes stops him cold. Lan Sizhui has never looked at him with such admiration before. All of a sudden, Jin Ling knows he absolutely cannot back out of this. He turns resolutely back toward the door with a nervous gulp, sizing up the ominous looking seals with a critical eye. None of the script looks familiar to him, to his dismay. He has the vaguest feeling that he's about to do something he's really going to regret.

To both of their disappointment (or immense relief in Jin Ling's case), Jin Ling barely needs to put his hand on the handle before the door swings obligingly open with nary a creak. There is complete silence as they take tentative steps into the room. It is musty and dark, everything covered in a fine layer of dust. Jin Ling frantically waves his hand in front of his face when the door's motion kicks up a cloud of dust in his face.

Lan Sizhui ruffles through his sleeves and draws out a talisman. The end of it lights up with a small flame and the boy holds it aloft while searching through the shelves. Jin Ling curiously peers around too and sees an odd assortment of items, scrolls, and books littering the area. Nothing really seems noteworthy to Jin Ling and he can't fathom why Lan Sizhui would want to come here of all places.

"What are we even looking for?"

"This," Lan Sizhui replies after a short moment, pointing at an altar. On top of an alter is a stand holding a pitch-black flute, its lacquered surface gleaming faintly in the fire light yet faded in places from constant use. A bright red tassel hangs from the end with an elegant yet understated jade ornament that Jin Ling thinks he recognizes with a sinking feeling in the pit of his belly.

"Why does this look so familiar…?" Jin Ling scrutinizes the flute for a long moment before his eyes land on the inscription. Once it clicks, Jin Ling lets out a gurgling sound reminiscent of a dying cat. "Isn't that the Yiling Patriarch's Ghost Flute?"

Lan Sizhui ignores him in favor of gazing at the flute, silver eyes entranced as if bound by a spell. Like a siren song calling the disciple in, Lan Sizhui draws closer to the flute. Jin Ling's hand shoots out to yank the other boy back by his sleeve.

"Lan Sizhui…" Jin Ling murmurs worriedly. Lan Sizhui turns to him, silver eyes gleaming in the low light. They look glassy, almost doll-like causing Jin Ling to let go of him in shock. Lan Sizhui turns back to the flute and lays a hand over its black lacquered body.

A strange look passes over Lan Sizhui's visage as he brushes his fingers over the tassel and jade piece. Jin Ling frowns. He could be mistaken but Lan Sizhui looks almost… sad.

He's never seen his friend this melancholic before. Jin Ling shoves down the temptation to pull Lan Sizhui away again. Something tells him that this isn't a moment he's allowed to interrupt.

"You can still see the teeth marks," Lan Sizhui's voice gains an odd sort of wavering quality about it, like he's on the verge of crying. Jin Ling fidgets awkwardly as his friend's eyes become a little misty with unshed tears. Lan Sizhui's lip thins and then the boy lets out a soft shuddering sigh.

Jin Ling doesn't know how long they are in there for but they stay like that for a long time.

"Okay," Lan Sizhui finally says, wiping his eyes discreetly with the edge of one pure white sleeve. "I'm ready to go now."

For some reason, Jin Ling is irrationally tempted to offer the flute to Lan Sizhui to take back with him. Anything to see a smile to Lan Sizhui's face again. He severely tamps down that insane urge in favor of getting out of here undetected.

By now someone must have noticed that they're missing. And right on cue, he hears footsteps hammering down the corridor outside the room. Jin Ling turns to Lan Sizhui.

"What's our exit strategy?"

Lan Sizhui looks at him a little dumbly, still dazed by whatever communion he was having with the Ghost Flute.

"Our what?"

"Oh my god, we're all going to die."

The magnolia blossoms are in full bloom, perfuming the air with their verdant lush scent. The cream white blossoms never fail to bring a pang of longing to Lan Wangji's heart. Their sweetened petals falling in swirling patterns remind him of a distant time in the Library Pavilion with his Wei Ying. Softer and gentler times.

Lan Wangji hears a knock on the door. "Come in."

"Father," Lan Sizhui greets with a cordial bow. "I've returned from Lotus Pier."

With an elegant sweep of his sleeves, the boy sits cross-legged in across from him and like clockwork, an attendant brings in a tea set. Lan Sizhui smiles in gratitude as the attendant bows and shuffles out of the room just as quickly as she appeared.

Lan Sizhui makes a show of slowly pouring the tea into three separate teacups. The steam rises up, infusing the air with its perfumed chrysanthemum scent. Lan Wangji can't help but think it is fitting for the occasion. He takes a measured sip from his teacup before setting it back down.

"And how was your mother today?" Lan Wangji asks as he runs his fingers across the silk strings of his guqin.

"Mother was lovely today as well," Lan Sizhui answers and closes his eyes. The scent of the tea is particularly fragrant. "We went to visit the lotuses he loved and he played me my lullaby again. It sounded just like how I remembered it."

"I'm glad," Lan Wangji smiles. Affection curls around his heart, warming it just as the tea warms his body.

He plucks the beginnings of a familiar melody on his guqin. Lan Sizhui closes his eyes and faces the sun, allowing the warm rays to wash over his face.

Accompanying the guqin is the sound of a forlorn flute, one that only he can hear.

It sounds like home.

Like it? Love it? This is a part of the Lan Sizhui Sees Dead People Series. Go ahead and click on my page for more of this series!

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