"I can't protect you if you keep protecting them!" that's what Jiang Cheng had said to Wei Wuxian when he went to tell him to leave the Wen remnant.

Jiang Cheng knows if Wei Wuxian protects the remaining Wens, he will be in trouble. He knows Wei Wuxian won't change his mind, but he will try. If Wei Wuxian protects the Wens, Jiang Cheng will have to make a hard decision. He has to rather ignore the Cultivation world and defend Wei Wuxian or let Wei Wuxian be the enemy of the Cultivation world and die sooner or later.

Whatever Jiang Cheng chooses, it will be a burden to him in one way or another. If he goes against the Cultivation world and chooses to support Wei Wuxian, Yunmeng Jiang will be in trouble with Wei Wuxian. He can't let that happen. Jiang Sect is still rising after everything. His sister will be in trouble too. If he let Wei Wuxian protect the Wens and be the enemy of the Cultivation world, Wei Wuxian have to die sooner or later and he has to be a part of it too. Both are something he can't let happen. But life is cruel. It will give you something and take something. It will let you choose the hardest decision. It's up to you to make the right choice if it exists. Every right choice has a connection with wrong or made us make a wrong move.

Life made Jiang Cheng let Wei Wuxian be the enemy of the Cultivation world. He can only protect one thing. Wei Wuxian or his Sect and sister. Jiang Cheng was already prepared if Wei Wuxian make him make the hard decision.

He calculated beforehand. If he decides to protect Wei Wuxian, there's a high chance he can't protect Wei Wuxian. He will just bring Jiang Sect and his sister to downfall or worse if possible. If he let Wei Wuxian do what he wants, he will have to let Wei Wuxian die. That's why he decided to let Wei Wuxian do what he wants. To let Wei Wuxian play the role of the hero like always.

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Did Jiang Cheng know before the decision and prediction he made was all a lie? He let Wei Wuxian do what he wants. But that results in him losing his sister and making his nephew an orphan. To be the one called who killed Wei Wuxian, if he knew the result will be the same, would he have stayed beside Wei Wuxian, his brother? Just what benefit did he get? Does life have to be this cruel? He already knows life is cruel. But why does it always have to remind him every day about this?

Does it have to be done like this? - a question he thinks, but can't ask anyone. There is no one to answer his question. Not his sister, Jiang Yanli. Not his brother, Wei Wuxian. He has no one to ask. No one to answer.

The 5 years old Jin Ling who cries in the corner because someone bullied him by saying he is an orphan, never told him about this even if he caught him red-handed...

The 10 years old Jin Ling hates Wei Wuxian and says he will kill him if he gets back...

The 15 years old Jin Ling lost his uncle who used to love him or show him love and, in the last, that uncle threatened to kill him. He can't hate Jin Guangyao. He can't hate Wei Wuxian. The boy is burdened by the duty of the Sect Leader at this age.

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Since the day Jiang Cheng gets to know the core he has is Wei Wuxian's, he ignores Wei Wuxian. He doesn't even look at Wei Wuxian.

5 years later since the Guanyin temple incident...

"Hey, Jin Li-" Wei Wuxian pauses seeing the boy sleeping peacefully. He looks tired. He smiles a little at that. His voice startled a man in that same room. It is none other than Jiang Cheng. He almost chokes on his tea. He clears his throat, making Wei Wuxian notice him.

"Do you know how to knock before entering?" he asks, his voice cold. The Sandu Shengshou is back, gone is the uncle who was looking at his nephew.

Wei Wuxian gives an excuse he used to give when Jiang Cheng asked him the same question, but there is a difference. It's obvious he is guilty about something and awkwardness is noticeable in his voice, "Well... I forgot..."

It fuels Jiang Cheng's anger. He doesn't know clearly what is he angry about. He is angry at Wei Wuxian, but more than that, he is angry at himself.

Who knows from where Wei Wuxian finally collects his courage, he goes near the table and sits there.

The silence in the room is suffocating to both of them. Unused, but used to, Wei Wuxian breaks this silence.

"How is he doing these days?" Wei Wuxian asks about Jin Ling. He didn't meet Jin Ling this month. The last time he meet Jin Ling was during a night hunt, but they didn't talk.

Jiang Cheng can't ignore any topic about Jin Ling. Especially if someone asks about how he is doing with genuine concern.

"He is overworking himself." he is being honest. He complains subconsciously, "But he never says anything if something is troubling him or he is tired. He thinks he can lie about these things to me now that he is 20." he frowns.

Wei Wuxian laughs a little, "But he is too obvious. His expression expresses everything." The last time he saw Jin Ling during the night hunt, he knew at the right instant that Jin Ling is overworking himself again.

Jiang Cheng nods in agreement, "He is a bad liar."

Another silence falls. But this time, the silence is comfortable. Jiang Cheng doesn't have the energy to act like he hates Wei Wuxian. Even if he did act like he hates Wei Wuxian, Wei Wuxian didn't have the energy to act like he don't care.

"Sorry." Wei Wuxian says out of a sudden, taking Jiang Cheng's guard off.

"What?" he didn't want to say it like that.

"For everything I did." Wei Wuxian's head lowers down a bit.

A few seconds later, Jiang Cheng finally says, "Idiot."

That's it. They are mending their relationship.

"What?" this time Jiang Cheng takes Wei Wuxian's guard off. Wei Wuxian didn't expect Jiang Cheng to reply like he did when they were on good terms. Perhaps he can mend his relationship.

"I said 'idiot'."

Silence for a few seconds before both of them crack into a laugh together. They need more time to be comfortable like before. They may not be like they were before, but it will be enough if they can stop acting like enemies and become friends. Their conversation topic is Jin Ling. As both of them don't know what to talk about, they stick with the topic they had before.

"Mmm..." the noise made the other two look at Jin Ling. He is waking up. He takes a moment to process everything in his head or so they thought. The first question should be - Are you two fighting? Or. Are you two finally mending everything? Or. Why are you two here? Instead of, "Why didn't you wake me up, uncle? Why didn't I wake up when Wei Wuxian came?"

Jiang Cheng hits his head lightly, "Is this what you should ask now?" he then answer his questions, "You were tired so I didn't wake you up and that is also why you didn't wake up hearing Wei Wuxian's loud voice."

"What should I ask then?" he asks, holding the side of his head. Then adds, "You should have woken me up. I am not tired like you think."

"But you were sleeping so peacefully and looked like you didn't sleep in this week, Jin Ling." Wei Wuxian joins.

"That's not it!" he protests, then asks, "Why are you guys joining together against me? 2 against 1? That's not fair!"

Hearing the question, Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng exchanges look before laughing, leaving Jin Ling confused.

Jiang Cheng now remembers. A few days ago, Jin Ling asked him why don't stop acting and mend everything... His face was saying that moment, "I want you to be happy and forgot the past." Maybe it is what heaven wants to give to Jin Ling after going through all pain he had before. Fulfilling his wish...

~The end~

A/N: A needed fanfiction. *Satisfied*