Platonic SangCheng! Perhaps bonding over being the youngest siblings?
"What is it this time?" Nie Huaisang asks, his tone curious with a dash of mocking.
"What do you mean?" Jiang Cheng says, sitting down beside his friend on the grass in the Cloud Recesses. It's a fine day, Jiang Cheng also feels fine. He feels great, in fact.
"You look like a kicked puppy. Very adorable, Jiang-xiong, don't get me wrong. But still, it's a little unsettling," Huaisang says, hiding behind his fan. He lowly adds, "never seen such an angry puppy."
Jiang Cheng gives up. He was never good at pretending to be fine anyway.
"My sister is angry at me," Jiang Cheng admits. He hears Huaisang gasp audibly, and he can feel a headache coming.
"Are you telling me that Jiang Yanli, an angel who walks amidst us mere mortals can feel anger? We are talking of your sister, aren't we, Jiang-xiong?"
Jiang Cheng smiles despite himself at somebody else praising his sister like she rightfully deserves, then he remembers her curt replies and her refusal to make him a bowl of soup. "Well, tell me what you did?" His smile turns into a grimace at the memory.
"..I might have corrected her threadwork," Jiang Cheng says, turning away from looking at his friend's incredulous expression. "What did you say, Jiang-xiong?"
He exhales a breath and says again, "my sister hates the fact that I'm better at embroidery than her."
"Ah," Nie Huaisang says, like he understands Jiang Cheng's pain. "Dage is the same. He gets very mad when I correct his brush strokes. It's not my fault that he can't hold the brush right, what with his big hands and stupidly strong grip. What is one to do?"
The thought of Chifeng-Zun painting is unfathomable to Jiang Cheng and he scoffs in disbelief. "I swear, Jiang-xiong. I know nobody will believe me when I say that dage likes painting. Why do you think he allows me to practice art? He always wanted to, but never had the talent for it or the patience."
Jiang Cheng knows a little about being better at something than one's older siblings. He nods at Huaisang in solidarity.
"Now, since you won't be eating any of your sister's soup tonight and the Gusu Clan's food is hardly palatable, what do you say about going into town for dinner?" Jiang Cheng rolls his eyes at his friend's antics.
"What? Your brother has refused to send money again?"
"Yes, Jiang-xiong. I only bought two fans and a few art books this month. Dage is so unfair!"
Two fans and a few books, of course.
Jiang Cheng walks into the disciples dorms in a fit of rage. "She found my comb!" he announces, not caring of who is in the room.
"What comb?" Nie Huaisang asks. Jiang Cheng doesn't answer, just repeats the same words.
"He sent Wei Ying to the Cold Springs," another person says, and Jiang Cheng turns to see Lan Wangji sitting beside Nie Huaisang.
"What is he doing here?" he asks, because surely second master Lan thinks too highly of himself to associate with people such as Nie Huaisang and Jiang Cheng.
"Don't be like that, Jiang-xiong. Lan-er-gongzi is here to vent about his brother. I'm assuming you are also here because your sister did something?"
"What is this, a younger siblings support group?" Jiang Cheng snarls, but nevertheless sits down and accepts the tea he is given.
"Sure, we could call it that. We should invite Wen-gongzi too. Wen-guniang doesn't doesn't seem like the type who is very warm, maybe Wen-gongzi can use the company."
"No!" Jiang Cheng shouts. Lan Wangji also doesn't look very accepting of Nie Huaisang's idea. What does Lan Wangji have against poor Wen Ning?
"Fine, fine. We won't call Wen-gongzi to join us," Nie Huaisang raises his hands in a placating manner. "I know the Wens are being weird, but why so much apathy?" He then taps his fan against his chin and asks, "what was it about a comb, Jiang-xiong?"
He doesn't want to answer. "What was Lan-er-gongzi saying about my brother and the cold springs?" Lan Wangji's ears turn an interesting shade of red and his nose flares in anger.
"Brother thinks he is funny. He is meddling," Lan Wangji informs them. Jiang Cheng understands, maybe. He will have to ask Nie Huaisang later what Lan Wangji means by that. Older siblings meddling unwantedly, that he understands.
"My sister too," Jiang Cheng says. His body shudders at the memory of the glint in his sister's eyes when she had found the comb in Jiang Cheng's possession.
"Were you ever going to gift it to Wen-guniang then?" Nie Huaisang enquires, when he tells them of the incident. His sister had cackled, it wasn't pretty.
He was going to stare at it every night before going to bed, and maybe a few years later have the courage of entertaining the idea of ever thinking about gifting it.
"Wait. Isn't your brother visiting today? Why are you here?" Jiang Cheng changes the topic. It works.
"Ah Jiang-xiong. What do I tell you? My brother is being such a nuisance. He wants me to get married to Xichen-ge. He is here to talk about a betrothal. Like Lan-gongzi would ever be interested in me," Nie Huaisang huffs and turns to look at Lan Wangji, trying to gauge his reaction.
At least Nie Huaisang's brother is making an effort in helping his little brother.
He doesn't know if he wants his sister to help. It must be happening already, regardless of his wishes.
"Isn't that what you have always wanted?" Jiang Cheng asks, he only gets a self deprecating laugh in response.
"Say Jiang-xiong, do you perhaps think we can kill two birds with one stone? The engagement between your sister and Jin-gongzi is at a standstill. My brother is single, and God bless his soul, dage will forever remain without a spouse if I don't do something about it."
Jiang Cheng frowns at his friend, and his not very ridiculous idea. Jiang Yanli had guffaw-ed at his predicament. She deserves this. "What do you have in mind?"
He can practically see the gears turning in Huaisang's mind, evidenced by the almost feral grin and mischievous eyes.
"I thought this was a support group. Why am I not receiving any help?" Lan Wangji asks.
