He frowns Loudly. That's... probably true, which is terrible. Why is Wei Ying like this. "What will you say if he asks?"

He considers this, taking his time.  "As far as Wei Wuxian knows, there's no reason you'd tell me where you were going.  If he doesn't have a direction, it would be smart for him to just sit here and wait for you to get back.  ...and I can try to lead him in a harmless direction when he wants to go out anyway."

That's probably as good as he's going to get.

He thanks Nie Huaisang and departs, returning to the Jingshi to pack.

The next morning, he slips out in the early morning. Waking early is really the only advantage he has over Wei Ying, and he intends to use it. He walks quickly and quietly through the Cloud Recesses. The air is dim and cool and quite refreshing; he lets it soothe him.

Even the birds are not awake. Wei Ying should be sleeping like a rock right now, so Wangji has nothing to worry about.

Wei Wuxian indeed fails to materialize.

Good. 

Lan Wangji is relieved and not disappointed at all. If he were disappointed, that would be extremely selfish of him, and he would need to stop feeling that way immediately.

But luckily that isn't a problem.

He sets off for Tanzhou, alone.

The next morning Wei Wuxian wakes up just in time for classes, and upon arriving at them is disturbed and disappointed to see that Lan Zhan isn't there! He leans over towards Nie Huaisang. "Eh, Nie-xiong, where do you think our Lan-er gongzi has gone?"

His first thought is that Lan Zhan has disappeared back to the Cold Pond Cave (without him!!!!!!) to do something secret, but that doesn't make sense. What on earth could he have to do in that cave? The Yin Iron was no longer there. The Yin Iron was -- with Lan Zhan, hmmMMmmm.

He inwardly sighs.  He should have suggested Lan Wangji wait for a day that they didn't have classes.  Of course Wei Wuxian would notice him missing from a lecture.  

Time to change his plan. 

"Ooh, should we try and find out, Wei-xiong?"

He is going to stick like a burr to Wei Wuxian, and make sure he doesn't find anything.  (Hopefully Lan Wangji didn't leave a giant clue saying 'Went To See The Lady Florist' anywhere).

"For sure, for sure! Mm, first we must -"

First he must get a scroll chucked at his head. No Talking During Class.

Ahahaa right yes that. First he must be Studious And Respectable, that's absolutely what he was going to say.

The moment class ends he bounces over to Huaisang. "Okay, let's go! We need to get to work immediately, he already has such a terrible head start..." He huffs. "So unfair of him. Nie-xiong, where do you think our Lan Zhan has gone?"

"There are so many places, aren't there?  His room, the library, any of the places he could have gone off to meditate... He might even be in Caiyi Town.  Master Lan didn't seem concerned at his absence this time, so wherever he is it's somewhere that Zewu-jun and Master Lan know about and approved of him getting out of the lecture for.  Right, Wei-xiong?"

"Ah, good thinking. I don't even know where his room is! We should look for it, shouldn't we? We can tell Zewu Jun we need to return a book we borrowed from Lan Zhan, or something."

Wei Wuxian is not expecting to find Lan Zhan in his rooms, but perhaps they will find other clues. Also, uncovering the location of Lan Zhan's room means that Wei Wuxian can visit him all the time, which sounds like fun. Serves the fuddy duddy right for trying to run off without him! 

"Wow, Wei-xiong.  Are you really suggesting we go bother Zewu-jun?" 

Wei Wuxian never fails to have the most outrageous ideas.  Nie Huaisang isn't sure whether or not he should be encouraging that.  Well, the worst that Lan Xichen will do is set them to copying the rules, and Nie Huaisang has grown past that being something to avoid at all cost. 

"Ai, how else are we supposed to find his room? We can't just break into every building in Cloud Recess until we find Lan Zhan's, that would take way too long! I'm just saying that it might be useful to run into him."

Bothering Zewu Jun is the least outrageous idea Wei Wuxian has had all day. What he wants to be doing is figuring out where other shards of Yin Iron might be and beating Lan Zhan there, because he cannot shake the feeling that that's exactly what Lan Zhan is off doing. Tragically, he does not know where any other Yin Iron could be found. That's another great reason to borrow Zewu Jun before doing anything else.

"I wasn't saying I didn't want to come along."

He laughs and claps Huaisang on the shoulder. "Ah Nie-xiong, Nie-xiong, I knew you'd come around!! I won't get you in trouble if anyone gets mad, promise."

They can set out and scramble all around the Cloud Recesses until they find Zewu Jun.