#bro couldn’t even be bothered to pretend to be a little repentant or guilty for landing his lil bro in trouble😵‍💫

[eiyriny]

Possibly an unpopular opinion but: Jin Guangshan wasn’t exactly lying when he said WWX humiliated Jiang Cheng behind his back. Like sure Lan Wangji, WWX never explicitly said "I couldn’t care less for Jiang Wanyin, the family head!" but WWX's words and actions during that banquet practically screamed it. He outright spat on Jiang Cheng’s authority as his clan leader when he stormed that banquet & threatened everyone there with full knowledge that JC would NEVER authorise him to do such thing, and even more so when he declared that Jiang Cheng couldn’t stop him from doing whatever he wanted, basically broadcasting to everyone there that he had no respect whatsoever for Jiang Cheng's role as clan leader.

Jin Guangshan had risen to his feet as well, his face etched with shock, rage, fear, and hate. “Wei Wuxian! You’re just running riot because Jiang…because Sect Leader Jiang isn’t here!”

“Do you think I wouldn’t run riot even if he was here?” Wei Wuxian shot back. “If I want to kill anyone, who can stop me? Who dares to stop me?!”

And yet, even after being publicly ganged up on, humiliated by the other clans, and disrespected by WWX himself, Jiang Cheng still came crawling to the Burial Mound, begging for an explanation from WWX. And the fact that WWX already made sure that the barrier would allow JC access to the Burial Mound in the first place? It's like WWX had already decided that Jiang Cheng would be the one to come to him—adjusting the barrier to let JC in, like a dog owner leaving the door cracked just enough for their loyal pet to find their way in. Like, Jiang Cheng, baby, pls stand up!😭

And not just that—when he got there, the very first thing he did wasn’t even to punish WWX or throw him out of the clan (like a normal clan leader would have done) but instead he still try to save WWX and extract him out of the whole clusterfuck. Like that is soo??

This is exactly why I find it so ridiculous when ppl claim Jiang Cheng "fell for Jin Guangshan’s manipulation to pit him against WWX" like fell where? Even after everything, this loser was still trying to save WWX, even with a heart full of resentment and hatred, in the end, his love for WWX still won out. It was only when WWX himself rejected Jiang Cheng’s form of protection that Jiang Cheng let him go. (Another reason why I love JC. He loves so hard and so fiercely, but he would never drown the ppl he loves in that love. He knows when to let go, even if it breaks him.)

[fortheloveofpearlet]

Anatomy of a Lie [Chapter 6]

A/N - another slightly shorter chapter. Angst and mentions of abuse. Matt-centric chapter.

Chapter 6

St Petersburg, Florida

 Charlie Lent had always been a small, cowering kid. He always had a look of fear in his eyes and an anxious air about him. For a long time Matt didn't understand why and when he did, he wished he didn't. Charlie was the quiet one, the shy one; the good one. Matt was the useless child, he never did understand why it was Charlie that suffered at his father’s hands and not him. Charlie did as he was told, he got good grades and he was sweet and polite. Matt had been a hopeless stoner with no prospects. If it hadn't been for the hit and run that scared him straight he'd probably still be living in his parents’ house smoking weed and getting wasted. He supposed even the worst of situations held a silver lining sometimes. It had been a really long time since Matt had seen Charlie, or even spoken to his younger brother. The last time they'd had anything to do with each other was the day before Matt left for med school. It was probably one of the only proper conversations they'd ever had in their lives. And Matt wouldn't forget it for as long as he lived.

 Matt sat on the front steps smoking a cigarette when he heard the front door open behind him. He looked up to see his company closing the door behind him. Matt dragged on the cigarette as the other person sat down next to him on the steps.

'Med school. I still can't wrap my head around that. How the hell did you pull it off?' Charlie gave him a look that told Matt he thought he must have cheated his way in.

'I'm smart I'll have you know. I just spent a long time pretending otherwise.' Matt sighed. Charlie scoffed.

'When I think of you, a lot of words come to mind. Smart doesn't make the cut.'

'Yeah well, I'm full of surprises.' Matt flicked the cigarette out into the street. He hated being alone with his brother and honestly, he avoided it all costs. When he was alone with Charlie the guilt consumed him. And Matt didn't like feeling guilty.

'You sure are.'

Matt felt the first pang of guilt. He knew what Charlie meant, how could he not? 

'He never hurt you did he?' Charlie's next words surprised Matt. They'd never talked about it before and honestly Matt never wanted to talk about it. But he figured he owed Charlie.

'No.' Matt confessed. 'I don't know why, if anything I deserved it more. You were always the good one, not me. It doesn't make any sense.' Matt watched his brother frown.

'It's isn't about that.' Charlie shook his head.

'What's it about then?'

'You don't know?' Charlie's frown deepened.

'Know what?' Matt frowned now too. 

'It doesn't matter. It's not going to make a difference now.'

'Tell me Charlie.' Matt put his hand on Charlie's arm. Charlie looked down at his brother’s hand on him and scowled before removing Matt's hand.

'What because I owe you?' Charlie stood back up. 'It won't make a difference Matt. The only thing that could have made a difference was my so-called brother telling mom what was going on. But you didn't. Everything else is pointless.' He reached for the door handle and went to go back inside. Matt jumped up and grabbed his shoulder to stop him. He saw Charlie visibly wince and it broke Matt's heart.

'Charlie I'm sorry, it's not that straight forward though, and dad knew something-'

'Save it Matt.' Charlie had tears in his eyes. 'You're going off to med school now, you can forget I ever existed.'

'Charlie you're still my brother, don't say that.'

Charlie sniffed back his tears and shook his head.

'The thing is Matt,' he opened the door. 'I don't feel like I have a brother. And I haven't for a long time.' And then he walked back inside and shut the door firmly in Matt's face. Matt was almost as bad as his father. 

 —————————

 Charlie wasn't so much the scared the little kid he'd been the last time Matt saw him anymore. He was glad of that. It allowed him to feel less guilty looking into the eyes of the broken. Instead of the fear that had resided in Charlie's eyes all throughout his childhood, it had now been replaced by pure hatred. He folded his arms and stood in the doorway blocking it so Matt knew he wasn't welcome.

'What the hell do you want?' Charlie scowled at him. Matt swallowed feeling a little foolish. Maybe he should have called first. After all these years he couldn't have expected a warm welcome. 

'Hi to you too little bro.' Matt tried to lighten the tension and smiled but Charlie's expression didn't change.

'Don't call me that. You gave up the right to call me that a long time ago.' Charlie spat at him. Matt had never seen him angry before. 'Now what the hell do you want?'

'Can I come in?'

'No.'

'Fair enough.' Matt sighed. 'Can we talk at least? I came all this way.'

'Am I supposed to care?' Charlie raised his eyebrow. 'Try picking up the phone Matt, I could have told you on the phone I didn't want to see you and saved you the trip.' Charlie went to shut the door but Matt put his hands against the wood and put all his weight on it to keep it open. He'd always been stronger than Charlie.

'I need to explain some things to you Charlie. About dad. Please.' Matt pleaded his brother with his eyes. Charlie stared at him blankly for a moment or two. Matt didn't know what to expect. He knew if he was Charlie he'd slam the door in his face. He hoped his brother was better than him. Charlie sighed and ran his fingers through his sandy hair that was almost identical in colour to Matt's.

'You have five minutes.' Charlie told him, stepping out onto the porch and closing the door behind him. He motioned for Matt to take a seat on one of the chairs on the porch which he did. Charlie sat in the other and stared at Matt while Matt tried to come up with where to start. He didn't have much time and he wanted to try and make his brother understand. He took a deep breath and he told him everything.

  —————————

 'It's not that I didn't want to tell mom, I just didn't think I could. He would have told her about the accident and I panicked.' Matt finished his story, which was much more like a rant and he was a little out of breath when he was done. Charlie's expression had remained the same the whole time as he'd just stared at Matt.

'So what you're saying is,' he paused possibly for effect. 'You hit a guy with your car and somehow I had to suffer for that?' He scoffed. 'You came all this way to tell me that?'

'I guess so.'

'Why?'

'I guess I needed to clear my conscious.' Matt shrugged.

'Why now?' Charlie narrowed his eyes on him. 'Why after all these years did you decide now?'

'I don't know.'

'Liar.' Charlie shook his head. 'I've always been able to tell when you're lying Matt. Why now?' He folded his arms again. Matt thought he preferred scared, quiet Charlie. This new Charlie was a pain in the ass.

'I'm being blackmailed.' He confessed not sure why he'd done so. Charlie's brows furrowed.

'What have you done now?'

'Doesn't matter.'

'Yes it does.' Charlie told him sternly. 'You've come all this way to turn my life on its head Matt. I didn't want to see you, I didn't want to relive what dad did to me, what you did to me. You own me the truth. I know lying is like second nature to you but for once in your damn life Matt, tell me the truth.'

Matt swallowed. He'd never seen his brother like this. Charlie used to be a shell of a kid, cowering at his own shadow. In a way it was good to see he'd gotten over that but on the other hand Matt didn't like this Charlie very much.

'Someone found out I'm having an affair. I'm cheating on my wife.' He didn't know why he told Charlie that. Charlie's eyes went to Matt's hand, to his ring, before going back to his face.

'I didn't even know you got married.' Charlie shrugged. 'I suppose I'm not surprised I wasn't invited.'

'Did you even hear what I said?'

'Yeah I heard you. Doesn't shock me, you always were an asshole so I'm not surprised.'

'Fuck you.' Matt spat. Charlie smiled a little and then started laughing. Matt honestly wasn't sure he'd ever heard Charlie laugh.

'So someone’s blackmailing you because you’re cheating on your wife and that led you here because...?'

'This person wants me to repent for my sins I guess. I just don't know what sin.'

'Consider yourself repent.' Charlie shrugged.

'You...you forgive me?' Matt's eyes went wide.

'No.' Charlie scoffed. 'Don't get me wrong if you died tomorrow I wouldn't want an invite to the funeral. But you've told me what you came to tell me so whatever it's over.' Charlie pushed himself up from the chair and walked passed Matt. Matt stood up.

'Why did he hate you so much?' Matt called after him. Maybe he should be bothered by what Charlie said but he wasn't. They'd never been close and they never would be. He'd come to peace with that a long time ago. But the one thing that still bothered him was the whys. Why did his dad target Charlie? Why not him? 'You were still his son.'

Charlie slowly turned back around, a wry smile on his lips.

'That's the thing though Matt,' he shrugged. 'I'm not.'

Matt felt like he'd been donkey punched in the stomach. Surely he hadn't heard Charlie right.

'Wha-what?' He choked a little, his heart beating hard in his chest.

'I'm not his son. That's why he hated me. Mom fucked some other dude and got pregnant with me. Dad found out I guess and all he could see when he looked at me was that other man.'

'How do you know that?'

'He told me.' Charlie shrugged. 'Looks like the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree aye? You and mom are one in the same.' Charlie smirked and then turned around to the door again. Matt saw red in that moment. He didn't know what it was, maybe something about the way Charlie was bad mouthing his mother who he loved with all his heart, but he lunged at Charlie. 

'Son of a bitch!' Matt spat angrily as he grabbed Charlie roughly. Charlie managed to push his brother off him and Matt stumbled a little. Charlie shook his head looking at Matt.

'Looks like you got all of their bets qualities. Mom's morals and dad’s violence.' Charlie opened the door and stepped inside. 'Do me a favour, don't come around here again. I told you once, I'll tell you again, as far as I'm concerned I have no brother.'

Matt felt like he was in a time warp as the door was closed firmly in his face. He stood staring at the front door of the house for several long minutes. Anger pulsed through his veins. So he wasn't the only liar in the family. At least now he knew where he got it from. His head was spinning from all the new information that he didn't know how to process. He started stumbling down the front steps of the house as he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. His eyes were a little blurry as he took it out to read the message.

 Like mother like son. Sadly that's one life lost Dr Lent. The game goes on. Guess again - Anon.

 Matt let out a loud scream and without thinking he launched his phone into the street. A car drove by soon after and took care of the remains of the device. He smiled manically to himself. Try and get to me now asshole.