#Little Xiuying in Caiyi Town

[gayestgayao3]

Hey my nonexistent tumblr veiwers! Heres chapter 2 of my fanfic! Also posted on Ao3

Little Xiuying in Caiyi Town

Summary:

One day after he'd finished his month-long punishment in the Cloud Recesses, Wei Wuxian finds himself looking for something interesting in Caiyi Town to rid himself of his boredom. He stumbles across an odd sight. A little girl hidden in the bushes of some obscure path in the woods fiddling with a defective spiritual device.

Or in which Wei Wuxian finds the meimei he'd never known he'd always wished for in Gusu Lan.

Chapter 2

Cai Xiuying wasn't like other girls -or even like other children- in the sense that she had been reincarnated. Her older sister -Cai Daiyu- told her she was her sibling in her past life too. She doesn't remember much from that time. At most she remembers stuff from when she was four to ten. Going to school mostly and the blurry faces of the surrounding children. She's eleven now and recalls all of her new life starting from when she was a one year old baby. So for all intents and purposes she was effectively eleven years old. 

Her a-niang - Cai Bo-furen - said that when she was little she suffered from an attack of some sort. She said a monster ate a piece of her and that piece contained a large chunk of her spiritual cognition. Luckily, due to the memories of her past life she wasn't left as an empty meat shell. That last bit was more implied than anything. Her niang was too elegant to ever say anything so crass as that, especially to her children. Perhaps if she asked again she would get a more detailed response, instead of the child appropriate explanation she had gotten.

That was a thought for another day. Two days later when they had heard of her run in with Wei-gongzi they were fondly exasperated at first. It was just like her to immediately trust a boy she'd just met on the side of the road, they had said. When she'd told them of the fact that she had loaned away Baba's spiritual device to said boy they had been more chastising.

"Why? What will you do if he runs off with it?" Her sister had asked, befuddled by her choice.

"Now, now, A-Yu I'm sure your sister has her reasons. Let's not jump to judgment straight away." A-niang had gently scolded her older sister. "But, yes, I am also going to need you to clarify why you would do such a thing? I know that you know we are quite wealthy but even money has its limitations when it comes to normal folks getting cultivation devices and your father worked very hard to get that thing with what little money he had before he married your mother and I." 

Her a-niang was not actually her birth mother. Her birth mother was baba's er-furen and her a-niang's lover. Her a-niang and mother were in love and though they were from rich families they had no power to marry two women together. Her mothers' made a plan to pick a man with ambition and smarts to marry so they could be together. In exchange they would give him money, an heir and the power to accomplish his goals. That was her baba.

"I'm sure he'll come back. He looked like a good boy."

"A-Ying, you can't just rely on your intuition forever. One day you'll overestimate yourself or underestimate someone else." Her sister bluntly stated her worries.

"Who says I was relying just on my intuition? I know exactly who he is, Wei Wuxian and he's a cultivator who's studying in the Cloud Recesses. I'm gonna send him an invitation to tea just so he can't just run away with my stuff."

"You could've just said that in the first place. Now you've embarrassed me in front of a-niang." She blushed, a half joking mou on her lips.

"Ah, girls you both know there's nothing you can't say or do in front of me. I changed your diapers, you know!" She crowed with a grin.

"Ugh, a-niang!" They echoed.

"Though, that name does sound familiar…" Daiyu made a face of concentration, the pout falling from her face as she tried to remember.

"He's the fourth young master on the list of eligibility." A-niang mentioned Idly, sipping a bit of her tea.

"What?! Yunmeng Jiang's head disciple! Wei Ying, that one?!"

"Daiyu, you're being weird… I know you haven't been able to go out in some time but I'm pretty sure you know it's rude to call someone by their birth name without permission." Daiyu had been sickly since birth and in recent years she'd been devoting herself to some light cultivation training in order to combat it. Perhaps she'd been pushing herself a bit too much.

"No! I mean yes but not that! I remember him! From… from…oh my-" She cut herself off, groaning into her hands, her face beet red from the roots of her hair to where her robes exposed her neck. Suddenly, she lifted her red face from her hands and declared, "Niang, I have a serious request. Please, please know that although I was a bit of a degenerate in my past life, I have retired from that… so you can't punish me for it now."

With that her sister explained that in her past life she had consumed various forms of media surrounding a main character, murder, mysteries, and a cutsleeve romance! With a hefty serving of longing and the angst of a lost lover. Xiuying being only eleven of course got the heavily censored version of that tale through her a-niangs mouth after Daiyu had whispered the entire thing to her. She assumed it was quite romantic as her a-niang's face had gone quite red. She supposed Daiyu got to know the uncensored version before she'd died at eighteen in her past life. Xiuying thought it was a lovely tale even if she had no clue as to what it had to do with Wuxian-ge.

"At times I envy you girls, those stories in your past lives are so… as you say 'cool'." She sighed with longing. "These days only the cultivation sects have the good cutsleeve romance stories. Other than that it's all spring books."

"That's nice, but what does this have to do with Wei-gongzi?"

"Oh, yes I almost forgot. The main character of those stories is Wei Wuxian." Her older sister added as an afterthought.

"Oh, that's… so sad!" She almost wanted to cry. How could that nice boy already have suffered so much!? Not to mention what he will go through in the future! She had a feeling he was a good boy when she had met him so she felt no unease in handing over baba's spiritual device but this was too much! If there were such a thing as being too good Wuxian-ge would be the epitome. "Do you think we should try to change his fate?" She asked, uncertain. She knew what it was like to die and wake in an entirely different world. She could only imagine what it would be like to die so horrifically and then be resurrected against one's wishes only to suffer emotionally to what amounts to the whole time until the resolution.

"If you'd like to try I'd support you." Her sister said.

"Don't forget about me. I will always support my girls in whatever endeavors you choose to pursue."

With that all three of them began to scheme. Obviously Xiuying would use the gathering of evidence for the breaking of her betrothal to grow closer with Wuxian-ge that in and of itself would hopefully change something. Her sister and a-niang were meticulously noting all details that could be reasonably compiled from memory and would later give her an edited version. One that would be age appropriate while still giving important details.

The hours they had set aside for spending their time together had flown by and soon their didi -a-niang's biological son- interrupted for his time with her. Cai Chyou inclined his head in greeting to both Xiuying and Daiyu. They greeted their didi back just as informally with a wave and off a-niang went.

After her mothers' marriage to her baba as promised they attempted to give him an heir. As her mother was more comfortable with men in general she decided it was her turn first despite being er-furen. After her sister was born her mother fell ill for months but recovered slowly. Since her older sister was also sickly and a girl she was quickly cast aside as the heir. A-niang was reluctant to have baba but as she felt it was her duty she would have persisted if not for the fact that mother was pregnant again just a short year after giving birth. Angry that her lover had gone behind her back in what she thought was an effort to destabilize her position, -despite already having agreed to share power equally no matter what- she got pregnant eight months into her own mother's pregnancy.

Of course what she didn't know was that her lover was simply attempting to save her from the terrible labor that was childbirth. By the time it was mother's time to give birth it was all for naught. She endured an extremely difficult labor and was deathly ill; she only lived long enough to ask a-niang for her forgiveness for the misunderstandings and heart ache she had caused. She was especially saddened by leaving her lover early, when they had promised to live a long prosperous life together.

That was what she had gleaned from mothers journal. 

Then A-niang had their long awaited heir.

That was also why the title of baba was simply an artifice on her behalf to keep his favor in place of her sister and a-niang, as their resentment of him kept them cordial at best. Without him as the key player in perpetuating the political strife between lovers, her mother never would have died. 

With her spirit cognition eaten and most of her memories of her mother gone with it, doing this wasn't exactly difficult. Though there were times when her distaste nearly won out, she didn't much mind it. With his affection thoroughly wound on her little finger she could ask him for almost anything and he would try a reasonable amount to do it. With this matter of her betrothal it was less of a lack of wanting to break it but more of a wariness of losing face. 

It was like this, he was the first generation of his company though he was well liked and known to be trustworthy but that could change at any moment. The word of a much older family name would certainly be enough to ruin him regardless of any evidence to the contrary. If word got around that he was essentially spoiling his daughter and canceled an engagement on no grounds other than her dislike of the suitor, he would be mocked. If he were a man that actually loved his daughter to such a degree he surely wouldn't have minded. Alas, the male ego was a fragile one. Also there was the issue of her reputation as well, if his business partner got it in his head to slander her as a persnickety and fickle little girl there would be nothing to stop others from believing it. Then she'd be left without a marriage prospect in sight, save for the very desperate. She truly didn't mind if she ever gained a reputation for being a difficult betrothed, she would simply spend more time with her family. Her baba cared though.

And so she was stuck trying to collect irrefutable evidence. Just the insults Bai Bingwen throws around should be enough but she would try and get evidence of him hanging around with his girl friends. That was the only thing about him she didn't find annoying. She didn't understand why having friends of the opposite gender was such a big deal but if it helped her who was she to question it? Usually a-niang didn't care who she was friends with but then again maybe it was a weird double standard?

At least Wuxian-ge was willing to help her out.

Maybe she'd also be able to help him in exchange.

-

Lan Wangji was not unreasonable.

It was Wei Ying that was as such. 

Wei Ying's grace was unreasonable. Swallowing down liquor in a manner so undignified that the majority of it was wasted was not supposed to be graceful. And yet Wei Ying made it so. From the angle of his tipped head to the way the liquid gleamed in moonlight as it traveled down the line of his throat. How he was reminiscent of a flower petal dancing in the wind while jumping and leaping from roof to roof. 

He was unreasonable in his beauty with eyes as luminous as the silver moon, framed by lashes that were far too long, his full lips and teasing smile with his adorable bunny teeth. The beauty mark just beneath his lip was just as teasing. 

His way of being was most unreasonable of all. He was charming, mischievous, free spirited, and shameless and… and somehow he could not hate him.

He was unreasonable, not Lan Wangji.

Wangji was short with him, berated him and disciplined him. So why was it that after a month of punishment -teasing and pestering Lan Wangji everyday- he would not behave? Every other guest disciple was terrified of him but not him? Why?

Wei Ying said he was boring and yet did not leave him alone.

What had changed?

What had happened so that Wei Ying no longer pestered him? Why had he stopped being so mischievous? 

He should be glad. Glad that he was now left alone as he had always preferred, glad that he was now behaving as he should have from the beginning, glad that Wei Ying had ceased being unreasonable. 

But it seemed like his sudden good behavior caused more distraction than his previous. Especially to Lan Wangji.

He couldn't understand why it felt like Lan Wangji was now the unreasonable one. It felt like he wanted Wei Ying to misbehave, break the rules and to continue to tease and pester. He was certain that it could not be that he missed him as xiongzhang had suggested when he had seen him observing this new phenomenon.

He had attempted to ask Jiang Wanyin if Wei Ying was well but he had assumed Lan Wangji was there to assign punishment where none was due. 

His words were, "Look, Lan er-gongzi i know Wei Wuxian has not been particularly well behaved in his time here but he has actually been behaving himself for the past few days. So any mischief that has occurred has nothing to do with him as of now. I would thank you to keep your distance from him as he has done nothing wrong at this time. Thank you." Then as he was walking away he muttered. "Your presence might set him off again. I don't know what it is about you but it makes him twice as annoying. " 

He was stunned momentarily at the words. If not for that he may have assigned some sort of punishment for being unkind and speaking behind his shixiong's back.

Then he thought, what if he was the unreasonable one? Jiang Wanyin had said Wei Ying was twice as annoying when around Lan Wangji, was that because Wei Ying was restless in his home or was that because of Wangji? If he had let him go that first night would he have not felt compelled to create mischief wherever he went? 

He assumed he was just as wild in Lotus Pier as he was in Cloud Recesses but that couldn't be right. He had heard Yu-furen was a very strict teacher and while Jiang-zhongzu was known to be soft he was also known to be just, so if Wei Ying were just as misbehaved at home he definitely would have heard of it. And while most rumors about him did mention that he was rather spirited, most were about his competence or friendliness, at least the rumors he had heard on by chance were.

As he was doing his first round of patrol, half an hour before curfew, he had the sensation of eyes on him. He turned sharply and then had the unpleasant experience of Nie Huaisang shrieking in his face.

"Aah, Lan er-gongzi." He sighed in relief, as if he had not known it was Lan Wangji when he'd been staring at him just moments before. 

He stared back at him skeptically.

"Ahem, uh. I couldn't help but notice that you're concerned about Wei-xiong!"

He blinked at him and confirmed, "Mn."

He only did as such because Nie Huaisang was Wei Ying's friend. Had anyone else said something like that -preceded by suspicious behavior- he would have suspected malicious intent. However, Wei Ying knew people better than Lan Wangji and if he chose Huaisang as his friend then he would trust his judgment in character.

"Good! I mean it's not good that you're worried but… I mean-I'll just tell you what's going on." His shoulders slumped in disappointment and he began again. "On our last day off Wei-xiong went to Caiyi Town and was approached by an unfortunate meimei! She was looking for evidence to break her engagement and Wei-xiong had come across her. He was concerned and stopped and was given a device to fix to help her. He's probably behaving himself these days so that he doesn't disappoint her! So don't be con-" he cut himself off, wide eyed and pale. "A-anyway that's… that's it! So I'm just… I'll just go now! Ahaha, I wouldn't want to be out after curfew!" He backed away and then walked very quickly out of his sight.

His face must have been as thunderous as he felt. Somehow, he couldn't bring himself to care. 

Wei Ying was behaving because of a girl. 

He was helping her break her engagement.

[imaginaryelle]

Thanks to @morphia-writes​ for beta help, and to @miyuki4s for all the brainstorming help that went into this chapter!

An excerpt:

There are some things Lan Wangji cannot doubt: Wei Ying’s love for his sister, and her children. His affection for Jiang Wanyin, and the Wens. His dedication to ensuring that Lan Wangji himself does not succumb to the curse he carries.

Every evening, he creates a fresh talisman to replaces the one on Lan Wangji’s arm. He brews one of three different medicinal teas from Wen Qing, in sequence, and serves it, sometimes drinking a portion or two himself. He invites Lan Wangji to play Rest as a duet for the suppressed, resentful souls they carry, and then other, less spiritually charged music, and asks after his core, after their evening meditations.

Every morning, Lan Wangji takes longer than he needs to to comb his hair, and tie it up, and dress. Wei Ying looks younger in the diffused dawnlight inside the tent. Softer, sprawled carelessly under blankets with his sleep robe twisted out of place to reveal the hollow of his elbow and the line of his collar bones.

It’s an indulgence Lan Wangji shouldn’t permit himself. A few moments, watching Wei Ying breathe and concentrating on the steady warmth of the soulbond under his own skin.

Read on tumblr under the cut!

part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4 | part 5 | part 6 | part 7 | part 8 | part 9 |

*

It takes more than one day for a sect leader to prepare for the sort of journey they’re planning. Not because of the journey itself, Wei Ying is quick to point out, but because of all the things he has to make sure are done beforehand.

“Wen Qing is locking me in my study today,” he says over breakfast on the first day, “but Sizhui, Xiuying and Weixin are meeting with a tailor for new clothes and you should go.”

As he has been wearing borrowed or stolen clothes for several days now, Lan Wangji cannot bring himself to protest. He has no desire to wear extra infirmary underlayers while traveling, and the plain black outer layer Wen Qionglin had brought to his door was clearly intended to fit as many people as possible. Commissioning something new, or at least something altered to fit properly, is only reasonable.

Wei Ying insists that he’s already paid for the service, which Lan Wangji can only thank him for; he has no funds of his own, or reputation to call on.

“Get something you like,” Wei Ying tells him, even as Wen Qing looms over his shoulder. “Anything you want is fine.”

Lan Wangji assumes this event will take place within Yiling-Wei’s walls, as was generally the case in Cloud Recesses, but instead he finds himself following Wen Sizhui, Zhou Xiuying and Liu Weixin through a town that looks much more prosperous than the Yiling he visited thirteen years ago, and is almost certainly louder and more crowded than he remembers.

That impression may be influenced by his company. Certainly he had felt there were entirely too many people in the street when he was surrounded by onlookers with a toddler clutching at his leg, but if anything their small group draws even more attention now.

Everyone seems to know Wen Sizhui. There are street hawkers and shop owners who greet him by name, and press freshly steamed baozi and sticks of hawthorn candy into his hands, and it is clear from their comments that the townspeople of Yiling are close to their Sect in a way that is certainly not true of Cloud Recesses and Caiyi, or Jinlingtai and Lanling. One merchant is so insistent on thanking them for some past service that all four of them end up holding packages of lotus root, despite the fact that Lan Wangji can have had nothing to do with solving the woman’s problems.

The pattern continues inside the tailor’s shop—the young Wei cultivators are being fitted with new black outer yi and trousers designed to the Jiang Clan’s specifications for the upcoming archery tournament, but they are all clearly well-known to the staff. And Lan Wangji has come with the Sect Leader’s express instructions. And also the offer of his purse.

“Wei-zongzhu said you might prefer these,” one of the tailor’s assistants says, his hands full of fine-woven cream and blue fabrics, “but we do have other colors, of course.”

None of the fabrics on display are the shining, pure white of Gusu-Lan, but there is sun-bleached silk and cloud-white cotton and pale wool woven thinner than paper. It doesn’t seem to matter what he says, or how he responds: he is fussed over, and measured, and prodded. Silk and wool and brocade are draped over his shoulders and held up to his face for comparisons of shade and texture, and he leaves the shop—it is much later in the afternoon than he expected—with the black robe he arrived in newly altered and a sash of summerweight wool dyed the blue of a pale spring morning tied around his waist. Travel clothes, he is assured, will be delivered in the next few days.

He could not bring himself to commission a forehead ribbon, in any color; he is already quite certain these new robes will exceed any budget or social standing Liang Feihong could expect to claim. Wei Ying seems unconcerned.

“It’s a gift,” he insists after dinner. “Besides, you’re still a cultivator, and you’re traveling with a sect leader. It’d be weird if you looked like a fisherman.”

Lan Wangji is certain there are several measures of difference between the dress of a fisherman, a rogue cultivator, and the fabrics that were held before his face today.

“Look at this map with me,” Wei Ying says, the topic apparently closed. “I’m trying to figure out which roads are least likely to be blocked by mudslides. Wen Qing says if I get on a boat during the spring rains she’ll kill me now to save herself the trouble of burying me later.”

Lan Wangji may not have any formal responsibilities at Yiling-Wei, but Wen Qing makes it clear that she expects marked improvement in his spiritual power before he leaves her area of influence. He is given a list of meditation exercises and a schedule of daily training sessions for sword and unarmed work with her apprentices on hand to monitor his condition.

This is not a hardship. He had already planned to dedicate most of his time to this task, and the Wei cultivators have a unique style—not quite Yunmeng-Jiang, but not Qishan-Wen either. Wei Ying, of course, is the most practiced in it, and his version does not even involve a sword; Suibian is distinctly absent from their training sessions, but this does not seem to affect Wei Ying’s efficacy. Twice Lan Wangji is not fast enough to avoid the touch of a talisman to his shoulder, or his core.

He takes no actual damage from them—Wei Ying is careful in his craft, and these were written specifically for this purpose, but the failure drives him to train harder, even against other sparring opponents, until whatever apprentice is observing him steps in and orders a rest.

He spends this enforced downtime reading theory texts from Wen Qing’s library or at his guqin, picking out simple practice scores and more complex Lan melodies in the hope of re-training both his fingers and his core in the delicate language required for performing Inquiry. He works outside, in the scattered gardens, whenever the weather allows. A few hours spent alone in his shuttered room during a sudden storm proves detrimental to his focus, no matter how many handstands he does, or what other meditation techniques he tries. It is better to be out in the open air, where he can breathe more easily.

“Lan Zhan!” On the afternoon of the third day Wei Ying leans around the mulberry tree on the other side of a plot dedicated largely to cooking herbs. He looks around as if he thinks they’re being watched, and then all but runs over to crouch next to Lan Wangji. “I want to show you something,” he whispers. He tugs on Lan Wangji’s sleeve. “Come on, quick!”

“Something” turns out to be the paddock, where a 2-day-old foal is taking in the outside world for the first time under his mother’s watchful eyes. Wei Ying drapes himself over the fence and watches them both with a rapt expression Lan Wangji has never seen him wear before. Zhou Xiuying is also in attendance, alongside her wife—Feng Xinyi—who he learns is the one of the Wei Sect’s grooms.

“Xiaoying and Heitu are just one pasture over, if you wanted to meet them,” she says, which is how Lan Wangji learns that Wei Ying intends to travel by mule.

“Do you know how hard it is to feed a horse?” he says as they walk through tall grass flushed green with the rains. “Have you ever tried to train a horse for night hunting? In a Yunmeng summer? The heat is terrible for them. I think the only reason Jiang Cheng still has horses is his grandmother sent a whole caravan of grooms and breeding stock from Meishan when the war ended.” He produces two apples from his sleeve and holds one out to the nearest mule and the other to Lan Wangji. “Mules are better,” he says, his tone flippant as he pets Xiaoying’s long nose. “And almost as impressive.”

Xiaoying and Heitu are undeniably beautiful animals; good conformation, clearly healthy, and their dark bay coats shine red in the sunlight. And Lan Wangji knows that he will not be able to travel by sword for some time yet. Not alone. He cannot expect Wei Ying to transport them both, and walking will be too slow. Riding makes sense.

“Little Shadow?” he asks, of Wei Ying’s mount. “And … Black Rabbit?” They are hardly the sorts of names he is accustomed to hearing for a cultivator’s steed. There is little sense of speed, or power, or even luck in these names. Wei Ying shrugs.

“Xiaoying used to lie in the grass and pretend to be dead. Sizhui tripped over her all the time, and then she’d follow him for hours. And Heitu likes to jump, she hopped all over the place as a filly--ah! Lan Zhan!” He grins, gleeful, mischief in his face. “Do you remember the rabbits I gave you, all those years ago? And now I can give you another one! A bigger one!” Wei Ying laughs, just as he had laughed in Cloud Recesses, depositing two rabbits on the floor of the library, some sort of gift and joke and torment all in one, Lan Wangji had been sure.

Lan Wangji hadn’t known what to do then, with the boy who refused to leave him alone, who insisted on teasing him at every opportunity. Now, he stares at Wei Ying’s hands, at long sleeves pulled back to reveal his wrists, at his lips, and he knows what he wants to do.

He steps closer to Heitu, offers her his hands in a bowl instead of reaching out beyond her.

“I remember,” he says. It’s possible that his brother allowed his pets to stay, after his death.

Unlikely. But possible.

Heitu snuffles at his hands, all warm breath and soft nose in a way that is, in some small semblance, reminiscent of the soft warmth of his rabbits. She bears nothing like their fragility, but she takes the apple he offers delicately, and he keeps his fingers well clear of her teeth. Wei Ying strokes Xiaoying’s face and talks sweetly at her until she takes his sleeve in her mouth, at which point he switches over to annoyed admonishments. Lan Wangji has just stepped nearer to help him when Wen Qionglin appears at Wei Ying’s shoulder.

“Qing-jie wants to know if you finished that letter to Ouyang-zongzhu yet,” he says.

Wei Ying jerks, and there’s a sound of tearing cloth. He sighs.

“Feng-shimei told you to stop keeping food in your sleeves,” Wen Qionglin notes, even as he distracts Xiaoying with a hand on her neck. She drops Wei Ying’s sleeve and nudges her nose into Wen Qionglin’s chest. Both animals seem accustomed to his presence.

“I took it out as soon as we got here,” Wei Ying grumbles. “I wouldn’t have torn anything if I wasn’t surprised.” He sticks his fingers through the tear in his sleeve and wiggles them. The look on his face can only be described as a pout.

“I can fix it for you—” Wen Qionglin actually looks worried. Wei Ying just sighs and flaps his sleeve.

“I’ll fix it,” he says. “Why should you fix it? It’s fine.” He frowns at Xiaoying for a moment, then leans into Lan Wangji’s shoulder.

“I really can’t recommend becoming a sect leader,” he says, low-voiced, as if this will affect Wen Qionglin’s hearing. “The number of letters you have to respond to is too much work. I don’t think Ouyang-zongzhu even reads them, he just sends some new complaint every few weeks, as if I can control the weather, or the river, or how sleepy his cultivators get when they’re on tower duty.”

Lan Wangji has never heard his brother or his uncle make similar complaints, but they are Lans; they would not say such a thing even if it were true.

“Did you not choose the position?” he asks.

Wei Ying’s face scrunches up with displeasure. He shakes his head, though whether it is denial or dismissal is impossible to determine.

“I better get back to it,” he says instead of answering the question. “Before Wen Qing tells the kitchens to put radish in my food again.”

He sighs, and waves aside Lan Wangji’s bow. “I’ll see you both at dinner,” he says, and Wen Qionglin nods. Lan Wangji watches Wei Ying walk back up the hill towards the main compound until Heitu seems to take offense to his distraction and knocks her head against his shoulder, huffing at him.

“Does Liang-gongzi know how to ride?” Wen Qionglin asks. It’s a fair question: Lan Wangji does not actually know if Liang Feihong was trained in riding. He prevaricates. What is true for him is just as likely to be true for Liang Feihong as not.

“It has been a long time.”

“Would you like to practice?” Wen Qionglin asks, and Lan Wangji agrees without hesitation. Practice, and especially practice in caring for his mount without servants to help, can only improve the upcoming journey.

Wen Qionglin shows him to the tack room, and he manages to brush and saddle Heitu with a minimum of fuss. The main difference between outfitting a horse and a mule, he finds, is that Heitu’s tack includes two belly cinches, there is an extra strap that goes under her tail to stop the saddle moving too far forward, and he has to be especially gentle with her long ears while placing the bridle. Xiaoying is the more mischievous of the pair, Wen Qionglin tells him, and has to be watched carefully so she doesn’t puff out her stomach and make the cinches too loose.

Riding is initially awkward, but after a few slow circuits of the paddock he finds his seat and is able to push Heitu faster without losing his balance too badly. She takes direction well, has a steady, comfortable gait, and doesn’t startle as easily as some horses he’s ridden. He will almost certainly be sore later, especially without a dependable supply of spiritual power to speed healing, but the wind in his face and the simple pleasures of riding are more than worth that discomfort. He turns back toward the stables when they have both worked up a light sweat and sees Feng Xinyi speaking with Wen Qionglin. She smiles as he approaches, but doesn’t stay.

“I should get back to the little one,” she says. “But I’m glad to know Heitu will have a rider who knows what he’s doing.”

Wen Qionglin leads Heitu to a water trough and pets her cheek until Feng Xinyi is out of earshot.

“Wei-zongzhu trusts you,” he says. As if this is a fact.

Lan Wangji stares back at him. Wen Qionglin does not breathe, and he does not blink. He stands perfectly, unnaturally still, and waits. Apparently some response is required.

He settles on, “I trust him, also.”

Wen Qionglin watches him for a moment longer, and then nods. Then he says, “If he truly needs help, I will know. No matter where he is. And I am very fast.”

Oh.

This is probably intended as a threat.

Lan Wangji slides off Heitu’s back, so that they are eye to eye.

“I mean him no harm,” he says. In his current state of spiritual power it’s almost reassuring to know that someone else is concerned for Wei Ying's welfare. It should not be at all surprising, but he finds he is often surprised by Wen Qionglin, who has continued to move and talk and physically reside with his family for over a decade when everything Lan Wangji has been taught says he should not even exist.

Those same teachings would object to his own new existence as well; they are, both of them, supposed to be long dead.

“I will not let him come to harm,” he says, “if I can help it.”

He worries for a moment that this will be too revealing, but Wen Qionglin does not question him further. Perhaps he doesn’t need to. They are both well aware of the loyalty Wei Ying can inspire, under the right circumstances.

“I will show you where to find the saddle bags and travel rations,” Wen Qionglin decides, and he doesn’t speak of anything but Xiaoying and Heitu’s care and habits for the rest of the afternoon.

The evening before their planned departure, Wen Qing summons Lan Wangji once more to her study. Wei Ying arrives partway through her examination of his meridians and, surprisingly, sits quietly beside her desk until she’s finished. When she nods he joins them both behind the privacy screen and produces two cloth-wrapped packages—in one, two coiled lengths of red silk string, and in the other a pale jade carving of an endless panchang knot.

“Our hope is to give your spiritual power a new path through your meridians,” Wen Qing tells him as she inspects the strings. “One that minimizes the curse’s influence.” She blocks the meridians at his shoulder with her needles, and then ties one string to his arm, above the curse mark, and the other below it, each secured with a cloverleaf knot and sealed with a touch of spiritual power.

Wei Ying leans in close and presses two fingers to the talisman over the curse mark, but doesn’t touch either the silk or the jade. He keeps his silence. Lan Wangji watches his face and cannot read his thoughts.

“Just making sure this doesn’t interrupt us,” he says when he sees Lan Wangji watching. He holds up a second talisman in his other hand. “Wouldn’t want to have to start over in the middle.”

It’s a reasonable precaution: Tying the new charm is a long process, a progression of knots that covers most of his forearm. The jade panchang knot is tied in just above the curse mark, and another panchang knot of red silk tied below the wound. Wen Qing and Wei Ying both study it closely, and then she removes her needles and takes his wrist again, walking him through a slow meditation, cycling spiritual power through his body.

The flow of power is smoother, though it does perhaps take a little more time than he expects.

Wei Ying removes his fingers with a nod and a sigh. Wen Qing smiles, satisfied.

“The talisman will still need to be reapplied regularly,” she says, “but these charms together should be enough to minimize the curse’s effect on your meridians, so your core can begin to heal.”

It has already begun. He can feel the difference.

“Thank you.” The words seem inadequate, but he has little else to offer. Even this, she waves aside.

“I’m sure you don’t need my guidance for the proper exercises, but I do have many more theory texts, if you wish to read them.”

“We can bring some along,” Wei Ying promises. “Most of the best ones, we have more than one copy.”

Lan Wangji thinks of the library—of the many books that bear the same hand. Some copied by Wen Qing. Some by Wei Ying. Others in a clear, steady hand he doesn’t recognize. Of the single bound copy of the Lan Clan rules he’d found next to a copy of the Wen principles, and the books that he doubts his brother knows exist, copies of texts that were available to guest disciples studying at Cloud Recesses.

He wonders if his brother knew, when he was rebuilding the Library Pavilion, just how exact Wei Ying’s memory can be.

“Thank you,” he says again.

“Get some sleep,” Wen Qing says. “Both of you.” She stares hard at Wei Ying. “I’m not going to be the one dragging you out of your rooms in the morning. It’s no matter to me if you miss traveling during the coolest part of the day.”

Traveling with Wei Ying, and only with Wei Ying, is different from traveling alone, or with other Lan disciples, and different again from his memories of travel during the Sunshot Campaign. Then, Wei Ying had shifted through moods like ripples in water, sometimes predictable but more often not. A laugh like a clash of swords, a glare that pierced like needles. More than once Lan Wangji had found him alone but for the poor company the dead might provide, brooding under a shadow that seemed to cling to him even on the clearest of days. And then he would turn and ask if Lan Wangji knew this or that song, or if he wanted to spar, or if he’d eaten because surely it must be time for the next meal by now, and Lan Wangji would push aside his concern until hours later, when Wei Ying was just as likely to pull a prank as get in a fight with an ally. A fight with Lan Wangji himself, more often than not.

But that was the war. Decades ago, now, for everyone but Lan Wangji himself.

Now, Wei Ying laughs with more humor, and the cant of his eyes is merely sly rather than cutting. He grumbles through his breakfast and morning tea. He bickers with Xiaoying while saddling her and slouches through the morning hours until some unknown precondition is met, and then he begins talking aloud about whatever is on his mind at the moment: the weather, which continues to be wet, with cool mornings and steamy afternoons, or theories on their two investigations, or tales of past night hunts, which quickly shift into stories of Wen Sizhui, or Jiang Wanyin and Jin Rulan, and from there to the other members of Yiling-Wei, and Yunmeng-Jiang, and Lanling-Jin. Once, when they stop and take shelter under a half-repaired watchtower to wait out a storm, Wei Ying says, “Ah, Lan Zhan, do you remember that week we had rain every day, in Gusu?” and he speaks of Lan Xichen, and the Lan Sect, and what little he knows of its current status.

Cloud Recesses has been rebuilt, reportedly exactly as it was before the Wens attacked. Lan Qiren still teaches, and Lan Wangji feels a swell of relief to know his uncle still breathes. The Sect still hosts a year-long seminar for young disciples of any sect, every few years. Wen Sizhui, Liu Weixin and Zhou Xiuying have attended it, and returned with reports of young Lan cultivators who Wen Sizhui described as friendly, Liu Weixin called unbearably rigid, and Zhou Xiuying pronounced worthy sparring opponents. Lan Xichen has, unsurprisingly, built a widely-spoken reputation for even-mindedness that Lan Wangji knows he himself could never hope to match.

There is no bitterness to any of Wei Ying’s tales. No mention of hardship or enmity, over a span of more than a decade that Lan Wangji knows cannot have been easy, especially near its start. But then, Lan Wangji has long known that Wei Ying lies more easily than he tells the truth, omits more than he ever says openly. Even when he was living among the Mass Graves, quite obviously short on food, the only hardship Wei Ying would admit to was a lack of visitors, and news.

Still, there are some things he cannot doubt: Wei Ying’s love for his sister, and her children. His affection for Jiang Wanyin, and the Wens. His dedication to ensuring that Lan Wangji himself does not succumb to the curse he carries.

Every evening, he creates a fresh talisman to replaces the one on Lan Wangji’s arm. He brews one of three different medicinal teas from Wen Qing, in sequence, and serves it, sometimes drinking a portion or two himself. He invites Lan Wangji to play Rest as a duet for the suppressed, resentful souls they carry, and then other, less spiritually charged music, and asks after his core, after their evening meditations.

Every morning, Lan Wangji takes longer than he needs to to comb his hair, and tie it up, and dress. Wei Ying looks younger in the diffused dawnlight inside the tent. Softer, sprawled carelessly under blankets with his sleep robe twisted out of place to reveal the hollow of his elbow and the line of his collar bones.

It’s an indulgence Lan Wangji shouldn’t permit himself. A few moments, watching Wei Ying breathe and concentrating on the steady warmth of the soulbond under his own skin.

He turns away. Steps outside. Rekindles the fire for breakfast.

During the long afternoon of the fourth day, after they have shared a quick lunch beside a clear-flowing stream and are letting Xiaoying and Heitu forage their own meal, Wei Ying draws out Chenqing and plays songs that seem to be purely for personal entertainment; there is no spiritual power behind them at all. Some, Lan Wangji recognizes as common to drinking houses and inns. Others he doesn’t recognize at all. He is considering unwrapping the guqin when Wei Ying’s somewhat random little melodies turn suddenly familiar.

Not just familiar.

Every note is etched into Lan Wangji’s soul.

Wei Ying catches him staring. He’s not certain what expression his own face is making, but Wei Ying looks suddenly defensive. His hands drop to his lap, wrapping around Chenqing as if Lan Wangji will try to tear the flute away from him.

“What?”

“You remember.” Lan Wangji shouldn’t be surprised—Wei Ying has remembered enough of his brief time at Cloud Recesses to reproduce the Lan Sect’s rules and three different treatises, and that’s only what Lan Wangji found. But it had been only once, in the Xuanwu’s cave. That song has only ever had an audience of one.

Wei Ying frowns at him.

“What ...” his eyebrows rise high on his forehead, his mouth forming a perfect circle. “Lan Zhan.” He leans forward, suddenly eager. “Lan Zhan, you know this song?”

Of course he knows it. How could he not?

“Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying continues. “No one knows this song. How do you know it? Is it a Lan Clan song? What’s its name?”

Words stick in Lan Wangji’s throat. Wei Ying doesn’t remember. Not really. He looks away. At the play of light on water. The swirl of shadowy fish, underneath.

“Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying says again, moving closer. “I can never remember where I heard it, and no one ever recognizes it. How do you know it?”

No one ever recognizes it, he says. Which means Wei Ying has been playing it. For other people. For thirteen years. And he doesn’t know.

Lan Wangji swallows back his foolish hopes. The words he might have said.

“I wrote it,” he admits, to the low rush of the spring and the whisper of reeds in the light breeze.

“What?”

When he risks a glance back, Wei Ying is staring. He looks utterly shocked.

“What do you mean, you wrote it?”

Lan Wangji does not want to have this conversation. Not now. Not if Wei Ying doesn’t remember something so important.

At least, it had been important to Lan Wangji.

“We should keep moving,” he says, and stands. Heitu is drinking from the stream, but she only flicks her ears when he touches her shoulder, and doesn’t offer any more protest than a shift of her weight as he unties her hobble and mounts.

“Lan Zhan!” Wei Ying is frowning at him.

“We are wasting daylight,” Lan Wangji tells him. It’s true enough. This break is no shorter than any other.

Wei Ying grumbles. Retrieves his things.

“What’s its name?” he asks as he settles on Xiaoying.

I have already told you. Lan Wangji locks the words behind his teeth. Wei Ying does not speak of the soul bond, never broaches the topic of their battle with the Xuanwu or anything else from their lives that occurred after he left Cloud Recesses months before any other disciple, does not remember this, despite Lan Wangji telling him, despite his clear memory of the music itself and his perfect recall of texts long burnt to ashes.

“Think about it.” He says instead, and urges Heitu into a quicker pace, too fast for easy conversation.

“Lan Zhan!” Wei Ying calls after him, but Lan Wangji does not look back.

When Wei Ying catches up he speaks of other things, and does not mention the song again.

Notes:        

For the curious, Xiaoying and Heitu are named as references to famous horses from Romance of the Three Kingdoms. 絶影 (sometimes translated as "Suppressing Shadow" or "Shadow Runner") was one of the horses of Cao Cao, head of the state of Wei. He famously kept running despite taking three arrows, and thus saved his rider from enemies. 赤兔 (Red Hare) was described as "the best of horses" and within the tale people considered him to be too good for his original master. After that master died he was given to a new, more virtuous hero (Guan Yu, sometimes described as an ideal incarnation of loyalty and righteousness), who he was extremely loyal to.

(on to part 11)

[gayestgayao3]

Little Xiuying in Caiyi Town

Chapter 3

That night Lan Wangji finished his rounds in a daze. His thoughts ringing loudly in his head. He almost didn't remember how he had gotten into his own bed. But surely he must have followed his routine because he had woken as he always had, in the Jingshi before the sun had risen.

He could almost convince himself that the events of the night before had not occurred. That Nie Huaisang had not told him that Wei Ying was behaving for someone else. That he was not preoccupied with a girl.

He had never changed his behavior for any other disciple. Not even when chastised. He was equally as tactile, talkative and generally friendly with those he was acquainted with. During break periods he would speak with -and touch- an assortment of people. Among those being Jiang Wanyin, Nie Huaisang, Wen Qionglin, Wen Qing and Luo Qingyang. Excluding himself except for moments in which Lan Wangji was spotted by him. He had always thought that it wasn't possible for Wei Ying to think of him as anything but an acquaintance because he was treated just the same as everyone else.

He wondered what she was like to have captured his attention and changed his behavior. Was she kind and quiet or just as energetic as Wei Ying? Or did she have a harsh personality like Jiang Wanyin? She was definitely nothing like him. Wei Ying would not want someone so boring even if he was agreeable to having him as an acquaintance.

But what was Wei Ying like with her? Was he the same as always or was he sweet? Was his mischief tempered by affection? Was he just as quick to touch and tease or was he shy and sweet? Would he be shy to hold her hand or even kiss?

Would they go farther than kiss?

He quickly became incensed by his own thoughts -both by jealousy and anger at himself for the impropriety- and made to hurry on with his day.

He met up with Xiongzhang for their daily meditation and sword practice. They sat across from each other, both in lotus position. He regulated his breathing and failed to clear his mind. He tried again this time attempting to focus on the sensations of his body. But for the first time since he had begun to meditate, he failed. He huffed in irritation and Lan Xichen helpfully cut the session short for an earlier beginning in sword training.

After a while of sparring absentmindedly he was bested. Sweaty and frustrated he wiped a hand down his face.

There was concern on xiongzhang's face as he asked, "Wangji, has something occurred? I haven't bested you so easily since you were small."

Unable to deny that something was going on but unable to articulate what exactly, he answered, "Mn."

After a moment of silence in which he studied his face he asked, "Does this have something to do with Wei-gongzi?"

He nodded in affirmative. "Wei Ying, is behaving himself but… because of that he has stopped spending time with me. I feel as if I wish for him to break the rules again." He admitted guiltily.

"Well, why not just tell him about what's bothering you?" He assumed xiongzhang had read something in his expression because he backpedaled and instead suggested, "Or maybe not even that, perhaps just ask him to spend a bit of time outside of a setting in which you are overseeing his punishment?"

"Will try. I do not know if he will want to."

"Oh, didi. I'm sure he will! He was always trailing behind you after his punishment anyways. I fail to see why he wouldn't want to spend some time with you now."

Even though he had only confided that he had felt a bit abandoned it was like he could finally breathe past his own worries. With his problems partially solved, he and Xichen attempted their routines again and Wangji had bested him in turn.

While they had sheathed their blades Xiongzhang told him. "Alright, Wangji. Now you seem to be doing better! Ah, and remember to speak with shufu before class. He mentioned he wanted to speak with you about something."

"Mn."

They parted ways and began the rest of their preparations for the day.

He had arrived to class a bit early as always but instead of moving to claim his seat he instead made his way to the front where Shufu was seated.

He looked up as he approached, "Ah, Wangji. Good, good. I'm sure Xichen has told you I wished to speak with you, yes?"

"Yes, shufu."

"Alright, then after class has ended please send in Wei Wuxian. I wish to clear up some misunderstandings on my behalf."

A bit skeptical, he replied, "Wei Ying has behaved himself as of late." He had first felt as if shufu's punishments were a bit heavy handed when it came to Wei Ying but said nothing as he trusted him to be able to correct himself but if he could not he would remind him now.

"Yes, of course I know that." He looked up at him and shook his head. "I do know, Wangji. It's exactly as I said,I will clear up what I have misunderstood about the boy and make amends. These past five days have led me to believe there was… some miscommunication of sorts. I admit I may have… overreacted to the resemblance he has to his mother. I see now that there's more of his father in him than I thought. I will make this right."

"Of course, shufu." And he did believe him. It was forbidden to lie and because… though there was still a bit wrong with what he had said he hoped that in speaking with Wei Ying he would see.

He walked back to his desk and sat down. He arranged his desk to his liking, -his brushes clean and neatly ordered beside his inkwell and fresh sheaves of parchment- as he did before every class began. Then as students began to file in he discreetly kept an eye out for Wei Ying.

He was in the back, flanked by Nie Huaisang and Jiang Wanyin. He smiled as always, lips parted and wavy hair tied up in his red ribbon with messy strands framing his face but he was quiet as he entered -as he had been for the past few days-.

His eyes met Wei Ying's lovely shining silver and he sent a wink Lan Wangji's way before sinking down beside him. His ears went hot and his heart raced as he turned away. It pleased him more than he had ever thought his teasing would. It was as if whatever -whoever- was distracting him was no longer keeping him from teasing Wangji any longer.

The entire class he diligently made notes and it seemed as if Wei Ying were doing the same. He spared the boy beside him fleeting glances that sometimes had their eyes meeting. Each and every time it happened Wei Ying would smile at him… and from those glances Wangji also saw him bite his lip or fidget with his hands as if he were fighting a larger body movement.

How he longed to see if he would cease his wiggling if he held him. Or if he would freeze upon having a kiss placed upon his beauty mark.

Soon the class ended and it was time to pass on shufu's message.

-

"Wei Ying!" He heard Lan Zhan call for him, as he was walking away from the Lanshi.

Recently he had felt as if he had neglected his friends but Xiuying's device was just so interesting! It was supposed to record sound and light. It etched it into a gem like thing that was created from the vast amount of spiritual energy that was supposed to be poured into it. He couldn't really mess with the sight capturing aspect as it didn't completely rely on talismans and was partially mechanical. If he wanted to know how it worked or improve it he would have to research in depth or contact someone who specialized in such a thing. The sound capture theory it operated on was okay but also relied on a large amount of spiritual energy. It should have sent out pulses of energy that recorded the waves sound made so it was also accurate to the way sound traveled distances.

It had been very inefficient before he'd gotten his hands on it though. All he had to do was fiddle with the output amount therefore reducing the amount that had to be put in. And also reduce the size of the gem that was being created because apparently the creator thought that the bigger the gem the more impressive it was even at the cost of efficiency.

"Lan Zhan! Sorry! I didn't mean to ignore you, I was just thinking about something interesting. What was it that you needed? Hm?"

"Shufu would like to speak with you." He said, looking down into his eyes. Lan Zhan's eyes were such a nice gold color and his lashes too were quite lovely.

Then he blinked and realized.

"Aaaah, Lan Zhan! You know I've been a good boy these days! Why does your Shufu even want to see me?!" He asked slightly offended that even faced by his recent adherence to the rules he had still found fault in him.

Wei Wuxian inched closer and closer to him. He laid his head on his shoulder as he said, "He's such a meanie to me Lan Zhan, so unfair!" He looked up at him and batted his eyes.

He hoped the old man hadn't caught him taking notes on an entirely different topic during class. While working on his new project he had discovered that keeping half an ear out for the goings on in class and simply writing about whatever he wanted to instead was a much better way of spending his time instead of skipping or offending the Lan clan with his insolent answers. As he had been finished with modifying the thing about two days ago he had been writing about his discovery with the jewelry box and how it recorded sound and how such a thing could be replicated with sight but not both at the same time.

Lan Zhan looked back impassively and would likely scold him any minu-

"Mn. Shufu was unfair. He will apologize."

"Yeah, yea- uh. What? Lan Zhan, I was just kidding! That's just how adults and teachers are! If anything I'm the one that should be apologizing."

"Mn. Both Wei Ying and shufu would do well to apologize."

"Laaaan Zhaaaan! Are you teasing me?! I should just find out what he wants if you're gonna be like that."

Lan Zhan shook his head and led him back into the classroom. His shufu was still seated at the front, grading their assignments. Lan Qiren looked up as he noticed them stop at his desk.

"Ah, Wei Wuxian." He greeted. "Thank you Wangji, you may be dismissed." After a moment Lan Zhan where in he glanced at him, he then nodded and left -probably to do whatever it was he did when not punishing trouble makers-.

"Take a seat, Wei Wuxian."

"Okaaay." He agreed warily as he sat across from him.

"There's no need to be so cautious. I am aware that you have behaved yourself well in these past few days-"

"-Right? I haven't given you any reason to punish me. So pleeeaaase-"

"-In fact I believe I owe you an apology." He continued without pausing due to his interruption.

"What? Lan Zhan was serious! You really meant to apologize!?"

Lan Qiren's mustache twitched and he shot him glare.

"Yes, and if you would cease your interruptions I would be able to finish explaining myself."

At that Wei Wuxian sat at attention and shut his mouth. He nodded vigorously to indicate that he should go on.

He huffed. "I apologize Wei Wuxian. I punished you unfairly because of your resemblance to your mothers behavior while she also studied here. And while you were unruly and rude there are multiple steps I should have taken before such a punishment and for that I am also sorry. Also seeing as you were not alone in your transgressions you should have been punished alongside Nie Huaisang."

Astounded, he froze. Taking everything in, he studied the old man. From his salt and pepper hair styled neatly into his modest guan to his expression that was -seemingly- sincere. "May I ask a question?"

He nodded, "of course, as long as it is appropriate to answer I shall."

"Why did I remind you of my mother?" He blurted against his good sense.

Lan Qiren sighed and closed his eyes, before proceeding with what he wanted to say, "When your mother studied here I was also head of discipline. As was her nature she often broke rules and pulled pranks. Most, I will admit, were in good humor but there were times she went too far. One of those moments I believe was when she shaved my beard. Before hand she had only seen me in passing or when I repremanded her. It seemed she took offense and had seen my older brother earlier. He had no beard and she told me I would look prettier without one. Later that night she broke past the wards in my chamber and well, the rest is self explanatory. At the time I was quite vain and hated being compared to my sibling. Her actions and words hurt me quite disproportionately and while we weren't friends I hadn't thought that I was reviled quite so much. Though this retelling might not justify my overreaction I hope you understand that while some may think your jokes are funny others may be hurt by them. So, please weigh the weight of your words and actions thoroughly."

Struck speechless both by the new more in depth look into his mother and by his honesty, he simply nodded.

"And while I expect you have heard many tales of your parents, I would be open to sharing more with you another time. Simply know that while your mothers actions did hurt at the time I also don't wish to poison your view of her. She grew into a good woman and cultivator, her actions then were nothing more than those of the child she was and simply not weighing the consequences of her actions. If you would like I would invite you to tea to discuss more at a later time but I must take my leave now as I have other duties."

"Ah, wait! I also… I'm sorry Lan Xiasheng. I was rude and I should have respected the rules of your home or enquired when I didn't know them. I thought you would be the same as all adults but now that you have apologized I see that I have misunderstood you. This one apologizes sincerely."

He nodded in return, "this elder accepts your apology."

They both rose at the same time but Wei Wuxian waited for his teacher to step out from behind his desk and followed behind him. Lan Qiren looked over his shoulder briefly and nodded once at him in farewell.

He stood there for a moment, in shock.

An adult had never seen fit to apologize to him! Even -especially- when they were in the wrong!

"Wei Ying?"

"Ah!" He whipped around at the call of his name. "Lan zhan! Where did you come from?! You startled me!"

"I waited here."

"Oh."

"Mn."

"Were you worried about me?" He half teased, genuinely touched but also unwilling to let an opportunity to poke fun at Lan Zhan go by. And with that Lan Zhan had a familiar scowl on his face.

Wei Wuxian as always saw fit to pester him with conversation. At some point they had begun walking. He had no idea as to what he was doing that involved going in the same direction as him but all he knew was that they ended up at the same place, the guest dorms. In front of his room to be exact.

"Wait." Lan Zhan said just before he could enter his dorm. "Would Wei Ying be amenable to spending time together?"

"Huh? Like, right now?" It had gotten to be about early evening and with the odd day that he had, he felt that hanging out with him at this point was going to be bad for his heart. He had no idea as to why he felt that way, he just did but he wasn't in the habit of ignoring his instincts.

"In the future. If not now."

"Wow! It looks like hanging out with me is really popular right now! Did you miss me so much you just had to ask? Don't be embarrassed Lan Zhan! I missed you too! Anyway… if you'd like we can hang out after class? If that works with you?"

"Mn. I will also be free tomorrow."

"Oh. I'm sorry Lan Zhan. I have a prior commitment tomorrow. But I'll definitely hang out with you the day after?" If he didn't know better he would have said Lan Zhan was disappointed.

"Mn. That is fine, would the morning work for you?"

"Sure! I won't have anything to do until later that afternoon."

"Mn. Goodbye, Wei Ying" he said, almost sounding tender. But that was impossible, why would he be tender to him?

Regardless he was suddenly flushed to his cheeks as he weakly said, "Bye Lan Zhan."

Then he departed, leaving him staring at the graceful line of his retreating back. Once he was out of sight he entered the dorm and slumped against the wall with a sigh, his heart racing for no reason

"Bad for my heart, I swear." He muttered to himself.

Abruptly, someone knocked at the door. Startled, he jumped as he felt the movement.

He swung the door open quickly in a panic only then to have to catch it to prevent it from slamming against the wall.

"Uh, hello? What can I do for you?" He asked the bewildered Lan disciple.

He looked like he was attempting to school his features into something that didn't show just how distasteful he found Wei Wuxian.

"Here. This came in for you at the gates." The man shoved the arm holding the envelope out at him.

He gently took it from him and opened it. He eyed the Lan that was oddly still standing in his doorway and read on. Apparently, it was a formal invitation to tea for the next day at little Cai Xiuying's. It was going to be his meimei, her older sister and her mother. Great now he definitely needed to get his act together and hopefully impress some guardians.

"Well? What does it say?"

Caught off guard he answered against his common sense.

"It's just a tea invite. Nothing special."

"Oh. Is that all?" He asked in a weirdly dissatisfied voice.

"Uh… yeah?"

The man rolled his eyes and without even saying goodbye he left.

He stood at the entrance with the door a jar for a couple long minutes wondering what the odds were of the entire day being a dream. First Lan Xiansheng apologizes, then Lan Zhan tells him he wants to spend time with him and finally this weirdo Lan disciple that rolls his eyes at him?

"What's wrong with you now?" Jiang Cheng asked as he walked past him into the dorm.

"Nothing… I'm just having a weird day."

"What, like when Lan Xiansheng asked you to stay after?"

"Well… yeah that a bit."

"Then hurry up, spill."

"First there was that thing with Lan Xiansheng. That was super weird, he apologized y'know."

"To who?! You?"

"Yeah, me. And then Lan Zhan walked with me here and asked me to hang out!"

"What the…I thought he hated you?"

"Me too! I guess this new behaving thing is really working out!"

"You idiot. You would know that if you had even tried behaving back home."

"Haha… um, yeah." He replied a bit awkwardly, instead of getting into the fact that Yu-furen would punish him no matter what. So he had figured he would just do what he wanted instead of getting yelled at for no reason, he would give her one.

"Come on idiot. Do you even know what the homework is?"

The rest of that day despite all of the weirdness was well spent with Jiang Cheng. Doing the responsible thing for once and finishing their assignments. Nie Huaisang even brought them some snacks later in the night in exchange for letting him sleep on their floor. For some reason, that was something the older man wanted. Wei Wuxian didn't question it. Night came quickly and somehow all of them got to bed at a somewhat reasonable time.

The next day all three woke up with atrocious bed heads and had a late breakfast of the leftover snacks still in the room. It was probably unsanitary but the food in the room had nothing on the food he used to eat while he was on the streets. Back then he hadn't even had a golden core to fight off any illnesses he might have gotten. He doubted he'd get sick from it anyway.

But Jiang Cheng… eh, it would be good for his immune system.

Huaisang bid them goodbye in favor of painting some scene he had found some time ago that he finally found the motivation to paint. Jiang Cheng decided to spend his time writing to shijie.

Now that the scheduled time to meet his meimei in her home was nearing he nervously got dressed in his newest red and black ensemble, eager to make a good impression on the child's family. He carefully packed the jewelry box in his qiankun bag, his coin purse and the gift he had gotten for Cai-furen who he was going to greet at their home.

He walked along the direct path to the gates of Cloud Recesses and exited. This time he took his sword directly to the Cai estate after walking farther down the mountain as polite society dictated. Personally he didn't understand as to why it was rude to mount his sword where the guards could see but as always most rules eluded him.

The time passed quickly and with the occasional bird doing a double take at a human up in the sky beside them giving him a good chuckle. In time the familiar forest path that he had walked last time gave way to the wider path just before the estate.

He landed in front of the same guards he had met last time just swiftly enough that he had seen their awestruck faces. He gave a little laugh as he put Suibian away.

"What? A little sword flight is enough to render you both speechless? Remind me to watch myself around you two or risk over inflating my ego."

Embarrassed, they both flushed red and greeted him.

"Ah it's just a formality but you did receive the invitation they sent out right?"

"Yep! I've got it right here!" He handed it over to the taller guard and he passed it to the little guy who broke out a small letter opener and peeled the wax seal off.

"Wow! Is there a reason you guys do that or…?"

"Uh, yeah. We're supposed to peel the wax off of invitations once you're here to indicate that the visit has already occurred and to prevent re-use. Ah, y'know security stuff." The shorter man said a bit shyly. He handed the invite back and both guards ushered him inside.

Just after the gate there was an awaiting Xiuying.

"Wuxian-ge!" She cheered, a smile lighting up her face when she saw him.

"Xiuying meimei!" He called back, smiling just as brightly. "How have you been since I last saw you?"

"Pretty good now that you're visiting me! How are you?"

He spoke to her at length about what improvements he'd made to her spiritual device and how it had taken him three days to fix it into something functional. Her eyes had sparkled admiringly and he preened under her amazement at his description of what it now produced.

"That's soooo cool! But I asked about how you are, y'know how you feel? I'll ask you again tomorrow when we follow Bai Bingwen around too, okay? So think about it." She told him in a slightly commanding tone.

Generally when people had given him a task and asked him how he was they wanted to know about how the task went, not about how he felt. He shrugged and decided that Xiuying was just a little bit weird, but in a pleasant way.

"Anyway, it turns out my a-niang and jiejie already know who you are. They definitely like you already, so just be yourself and you'll be fine."

"Okay, then…" he answered, slightly confused at how the conversation went but It was quite sweet of her to try and reassure him. She definitely didn't know just how obnoxious he could be so he steeled himself to be polite and well mannered, as if he were speaking with civilian gentry on a mission.

As they entered he reached into his qiankun pouch for the gift and got ready to present it to Cai-furen.

"Greetings, I am Wei Ying, courtesy name Wuxian." He saluted.

"Pleased to meet you Wei-gongzi. I am Cai Bo, please address me as Cai-furen." She looked like a poised and elegant mistress of the house. Her hair was medium brown and her eyes were quite intense to look at. With her sharp features she reminded him of the ever competent Yu-furen. Slightly intimidated, he swallowed and smiled politely.

"Hello Wei-gongzi, I am Cai Daiyu. You may refer to me as Cai-guniang seeing as you refer to my meimei as meimei also." She smirked.

So this was the older sister. In the opposite effect that her mother had, she only reminded him of his shijie in the way that all older siblings loved teasing. She was also quite young, probably twelve or thirteen and while she shared features with Xiuying most of the baby fat had begun to melt off and only appeared when the girl smiled.

"Jiejie! Don't tease him, he's nervous! Be kind!"

Embarrassed, his face flushed a bit but he laughed good naturedly. "It's fine, Xiuying. What kind of man would I be if I couldn't take a bit of good natured teasing? Ah and here is my gift as thanks for welcoming me into your home." He handed the box over. "It's a bit of incense. Its scent is sweet and mild so it's good for burning all day but also has mild medicinal properties that are known to help clear airways and help with congestion."

They expressed their thanks and ushered them further into their home. The rest of their tea time went in much the same way. However, their mother only participated sparsely and only watched them interact for the most part. Later into the afternoon as Xiuying was getting ready to go spy on her betrothed, Cai-furen spoke to him as Wei Wuxian waited.

"I can see that my girls are very fond of you." A bit worried about what was to come, he braced himself to be told to stay away from her family as Yu-furen had before. However that wasn't what happened at all, "I can also see that you are a good boy and I trust you to be their friend and chosen gege. As such it would please me if you were to call me ayi."

She smiled as she said it and it completely transformed her face. Her shrewd and clever eyes softened with fondness and though her smile wasn't large, the small upturned corners of her lips were enough to blind someone. Stupefied at the matronly energy being exuded toward him, he could only nod.

After Xiuying had finished getting dressed -in a slightly less opulent coat than when he met her- they made their way to Caiyi Town to stalk the bastard that was her fiance. Of course he couldn't let a little girl do all the hard work when he was there, so he ended up lugging the jewelry box around as they searched. So that they would be ready to capture his misdeeds at any moment.

"Wuxian-ge?"

"Yes? You have a question, meimei?"

"How do you know you have feelings for someone?" She asked a pensive look on her face. Which was adorable, really, but both of them being in the bushes beside her betrothed's favorite tea house wasn't the most conductive for conversion. Especially if she was asking because she'd decided that she actually liked this fucker.

"Ah, uh. Well, that's a difficult question."

It wasn't that he had never thought someone was beautiful or even flirted with the odd girl or two it was just that he thought the feeling of 'like' should be deeper than that.

"You haven't ever like liked someone, have you?" She asked in narrow eyed suspicion.

"No, no. I have, I'm just having a hard time thinking of how to explain it to you." His thoughts raced for someone to base what it would be like to have romantic feelings for.

He thought of Lan Zhan -for some reason- so he just ran with it.

"Your heart should race at the sight of them. Either in excitment or because of their beauty alright not because you fear them or are intimidated, okay. Or at least not completely. Uhm, They should captivate you no matter what they’re doing. Like scolding you or walking or sword forms. The most irrelevant details of their person become the most facsinating thing in the world. The exact color of their eyes, the number of eyelashes they have. The way their accent sounds when they speak your name." The molten gold of his eyes, the flex of his fingers as they wrapped around his sword hilt and look of Lan Zhan's lips around his name when he was angry flashed before his eyes. "You crave their attention like a staved man craves a bao fallen to the floor.”

“Wow, Wuixian-ge, that sounds so… romantic." she breathed dreamily, her head resting on her knees from where she crouched.

He snapped out of whatever revelry he had entered, abruptly. His face scorching hot he coughed lightly. "I imagine that these feelings vary from person to person so, uh, take my words with a grain of salt perhaps?"

Her head snapped to attention, a group of people exiting the establishment.

“Look, it's him! Come on! Get ready!" She pointed out the short young man in the center. He looked to be around Wei Wuxians age. He was unremarkable with an average face and a snooty air about him.

They got to their feet and followed him as soon as he’d passed their bush and he activated the device -which had been previously charged for efficiency-.

They captured each and every uninspired insult he spread from the markets to the residential areas. He made Xuiying cover her ears more than once as the jokes among the bastard’s crowd became more disgusting or his insults unpalatable. He was truly someone repulsive.

Absorbed in their task they didn’t notice they were hungry until their stomachs growled. Sheepishly, they finished up and carefully packed it away. Both abandoned the group without anyone the wiser.

-

"Let's hurry! Today the chefs have prepared a larger spread because they heard you were coming! We must get there before my didi gets all of the good stuff!"

"Oh? A didi? What's he like?" He asked as they walked up the path to the estate.

"He's ten and a boy aaand the heir."

"Is that all? What about his personality? What does he like?"

"Um. Well, I guess he likes all the normal boy things like swords and such. Honestly, besides my niang and baba he doesn't spend much time with family. But I don't think he doesn't like us I just think he's busy with heir stuff."

That was a little sad. He couldn't imagine Jiang Cheng not having at least a little time to spend with he and shijie.

"But it's okay! I'm sure when he's older he'll make time to spend with us." She tried to cheer him up at the sight of his face.

Contrary to Xiuying, he thought that maybe Jiang Cheng might not have that same time to spend with them when he got older and took over the sect.

They once again got to the gates but instead of stopping him they simply let him go ahead seeing as he was with their guniang. This time as he entered there was no one to greet him but Xiuying insisted they continue to the dining room instead of waiting.

They entered. There were still servants rushing about and setting plates in their places. One particularly young man froze in place as he was setting down what looked like a delicious pile of braised pork.

"Come on, set it down! It's just Cai er-guniang! She always gets here early, get a move on now boy!" A plump woman wearing a servant's uniform called while carrying two trays on each arm, two resting on her palms and another two on her forearms. It was quite an impressive sight.

"Ah! I forgot to ask! Wuxian-ge are you okay with them continuing to work around us while we sit?"

"Of course it's fine. We're the ones that are early." He reassured her. "Pardon us, we're early, is it alright if we sit?" He addressed the room at large.

"Yes, yes it's fine just take a seat!" The same woman from before answered from her place farther down the room.

So they sat and to his slight embarrassment Xiuying grabbed food from a passing plate with her chopsticks and plopped it right in her mouth.

"Xiuying!" The name passed his lips, the gentle scolding surprising even himself. Heedlessly, he finished, "At least wait for everything to be set down! And wait to be served!" He whispered beside her.

"Mmp?" She swallowed and set her chopsticks down. "Okaaay." She pouted.

It was then that Cai-furen appeared.

As if by magic and her presence alone every servant had disappeared with everything put in its place. He hoped that she hadn't heard him scold her daughter, however lightly that it was.

"That was impressive. Every time I've scolded her about it she refuses to listen." Cai-furen said amused. With his hopes dashed and face feeling warm an attendant began distributing portions of food to their plates

"Also your baba and didi will be dining with us today a-Ying, just so you know." She informed her daughter in what seemed like a carefully neutral voice compared to the lightly playful voice he had heard from her before. The address of endearment also caught him off guard, bringing forth a wisp of a feeling of nostalgia. Perhaps from when his parents also called him a-Ying.

The girl in question made a face but smoothed her expression soon enough. As he doubted that such an expression was made by his meimei at the mention of her little brother, he began to think about her father.

He had assumed because she called her father by such an affectionate title that she must have been very fond of him but from the look of it that wasn't true. A bit apprehensive now he steeled himself for the possibility of a strained or awkward dinner.

[gayestgayao3]

This is the first chapter of my fanfic thats also on ao3! Link here. But i also figured i may as well post here too.

Little Xiuying in Caiyi Town

Summary:

One day after he'd finished his month-long punishment in the Cloud Recesses, Wei Wuxian finds himself looking for something interesting in Caiyi Town to rid himself of his boredom. He stumbles across an odd sight. A little girl hidden in the bushes of some obscure path in the woods fiddling with a defective spiritual device.

Or in which Wei Wuxian finds the meimei he'd never known he'd always wished for in Gusu Lan.

-

Chapter 1

To say that Wei Wuxian was having a terrible time in Gusu would be an exaggeration.

Though it definitely felt like it at times, what with the 3,000 rules, Lan Zhan being a stick in the mud -albeit a very, annoyingly, handsome one- and there being nothing exciting for him to do in his free time. Running around with Jiang Cheng and Nie Huaisang was fun and all but doing the same things on repeat was beginning to drive him mad. It was either exploring, studying or drinking with those two. Sure, he was the sort to enjoy those activities but doing them so often with little variation in between was also a bit dull. Unless he was struck with inspiration, either by the beauty of Gusu Lan or to innovate after being inconvenienced, it was a very dull time indeed. Especially, because somehow those stuffy Lans managed suck the creative juices right out of his head for the moment with their insistence upon peace and quiet. 

When he'd left for Caiyi Town both Nie Huaisang and his shidi were also laid up, bored and without incentive to do anything.

Without a bit of chaos or liveliness how was he supposed to be motivated enough to do anything?

It was very much like attending classes -both in the Cloud Recesses and in Lotus pier- if it weren't for the early hours, the countless rules and the way it always felt like everyone was purposely dragging said lessons out with their slowness, he definitely would have enjoyed them. He felt as if those lessons were more fit as an introductory course to cultivating and the cultivation world at large. Until Lan Zhan he'd never met someone who could keep up with him half as well as the other could.

Lan Zhan himself was unfairly beautiful, not just physically -though that was the first thing he'd noticed- he was kind, graceful and a genius as well. Even more than that he was petty, stubborn and -he felt a bit odd just thinking it but- all the more adorable for it. If it weren't for his adherence to The Rules he would definitely be at the top of the list of eligible young masters. As it was such insistence was actually pretty endearing after the initial sting of rejection. 

It was about a third of the appeal of messing with him. 

Though he wondered if it was just him that was frustrated with the inefficiency of those 3,000 rules. There were definitely some that were tedious. There were three instances he could think of off the top of his head where the rules repeated themselves in basically the same way with only a minor change in phrasing. Wei Wuxian was sure that if he tried hard enough he could get one -or more really- to contradict each other. Though he should probably stop thinking about that before his brain decided that such a plan was a good idea so soon after he'd finished his punishment.

Midway to town, after he had left the Cloud Recesses in a rush, barely escaping the indolent fog that had enveloped all of the Cloud Recesses, or at least the guest dormitories, he realized he had left his money. Not wanting to go back on the off chance that a more annoying sort of mischief would find him the moment he set foot back there, he resigned himself to making his fun without any of his pocket money.

With a sigh he cast his gaze along the path he'd been walking, searching for a miraculous sort of entertainment to cleanse his pallet of those fussy Lans. 

Then he spotted a small figure hunched over in the bushes, rustling about and muttering indistinctly. Briefly, all of the nefarious things that small figure could have been doing crossed his mind. Most prominently he thought of dead things. Alas, such was the plight of being a cultivator. He really hoped it was nothing so serious, this outing was, after all, supposed to be fun. 

With a raised brow, Wei Wuxian crept over silently all the while attempting to peer at what exactly they were doing. With his rise in proximity came the, increasingly audible, muttered profanity. His eyes had gone wide and his cheeks flushed. He was astounded at both the absurdity and the obscenity of the expletives leaving the figures mouth. If even he was flustered, he couldn't imagine how someone as upright as Lan Zhan would react.

Completely baffled and taken by surprise, he uttered, "Wow, you've got quite the mouth on you! I don't think I've ever heard anyone curse so… creatively!"

"Eek!" They suddenly stood and stumbled away from him, tripping over some forest debris.

His hand shot out to their wrist to steady them.

He had expected them to be quite a bit taller so while his intention had been to steady, in reality they ended up dangling a small distance away from the ground. The hood and coat combination that had been covering them quite well ended up falling open and with that they became she.

She was a wisp of a thing. Big, bright obsidian eyes, long, shiny hair neatly combed and styled. All fat mantou cheeks and nothing else, her coat -was quite luxurious, he noted- had bulked her quite a bit and the reality was quite startling. She was much smaller than his littlest shidi! Definitely younger than thirteen, she was a girl so she must have been around eleven years old.

Eleven years old!

"Ai ya! You're just a little girl! A child! A baby! So itty bitty!"

Shocked out of her silence -and red up to her hairline- she made an offended face.

"Yeah, w-well you're a giant! Too tall! Who told Gongzi to be so tall!"

Surprised that such a tiny girl would respond so sassily to an unknown man in the forest, he released her wrist. She fell the rest of the way to the dusty ground with a quiet, wump. A dust cloud puffing out from under her.

The hilarity of what occured hit him all at once, the fact that she had hidden in the bushes, the obscenity that had come pouring out of her little baby mouth and the way she had fallen the rest of the way to the forest floor.

He was helpless to do anything but laugh. He did. Wei Wuxian laughed and laughed until he wheezed instead.

"Yes, haha. Very funny Gongzi." She deadpanned, as he was crouched down and gasping for breath. She had righted herself into a sitting position in the dirt instead of just lying face down in it. Her round face smudged with it.

"Ah, I'm sorry. Truly, I wasn't laughing at you. I was laughing with you." He wiped his hand down his face and exhaled. "There. I've gotten all my laughs out. Now may I ask what your name is Guniang?"

"Guniang? How do you know that I'm a young lady? I could be a- uh peasant?" 

He smiled, the fact that she had not thought of how the same question could be asked of her was telling. He supposed it could have been Suibian that gave him away. 

"Well, for one you just told me. Secondly, if you were trying to blend in, that coat is not the way to do it."

"My coat? What's wrong with it? It's the plainest one I have? Also shouldn't you have asked what i was doing rather than who i am?"

"Yes, your coat. It's very high quality. And plain? I'm afraid whoever told you that may be blind." He gestured broadly at her with his hand. Not only was the fabric silk, it was tastefully embroidered -with what he assumed was also silk thread- and the color was a dark rich blue, almost black. The way she was still rolling about in the dirt also said multitudes about her family's finances. Not many would give a child something that expensive while they were still prone to getting dirty. "I was simply trying to be polite. If you insist I'll just have to pull out my trusty cultivator interrogation techniques." He teased.

Sure enough her little face lit up, " A cultivator?! You're one of those students up in the Cloud Recesses! My name is Cai Xiuying! And you Gongzi?"

"I am Wei Ying, courtesy name Wuxian. Pleased to meet you, meimei."

Her face scrunched up as she stared at his face searchingly. "Ah! You're number four!"

"Eh?" 

"On the list of bachelors! I knew I recognized you from somewhere! All of my friends spent ages just staring at all of the portraits!" Little Xiuying informed him with the most earnest expression on her face, her brows furrowed just a smidge.

"But not you? What are the most prominent young masters of the cultivation world not pretty enough for Xiuying Guniang's tastes?" He joked. 

"Nope. Not me." A grin stole across his face at the thought of Jin Zixuan getting rejected by a little girl. She must have been startled by the look on his face because then she'd said, "N-Not that you're not pretty! I just meant that I'm not supposed to be looking because I'm a good and loyal girl."

"Loyal? No, there's no way you already have your sights set on a boy to marry!" He gasped dramatically. Surely, it was some boy in her social circle or the son of a friend of her parents that she had a crush on, right? There was a lingering nagging feeling of unease that he pushed down, he was a cultivator of Yunmeng Jiang there was no problem a civilian girl could have that he wouldn't be able to solve if she asked.

Suddenly, downcast with the most heart wrenching frown upon her face replied. "No, not my sights. My baba arranged me to the son of a business partner. He's older than me and kinda mean." She sighed heartily. Too profound a sigh to have come from such a young girl.

Unbidden came the memory of his shijie, Jiang Yanli, discussing her betrothal with him at the first visit of that damned peacock.

"Lanling Jin is coming to visit? How come?" He had asked, confused. The only time other sects came to visit was when there was some important -boring- meeting or other. 

"Oh A-Xian, my betrothed is coming to visit me." She had answered bashfully, an endearing flush resting on her cheeks.

"Is that like a friend? Are they nice?" He had asked naively.

"No dummy." Jiang Cheng had snorted derisively, "that word means future husband! And he's not nice! He's weird!" 

"Mmm… weird like how?"

"Now, now A-Cheng I know Jin Zixuan didn't leave the best impression on you but we were simply coincidentally crossing paths. He wasn't obligated to greet me." Yanli had soothed.

By the end of that Jin idiot's visit, his shijie had been heart broken although she hid it well it was simply not enough. Pushing him in the lotus ponds with Jiang Cheng during his visit was not enough. After the Jin entourage had left Yanli had fallen ill for a short time. He was of the mind that if the peacock hadn't caused her such an upset she wouldn't have fallen ill in the first place.

"-ongzi? Wuxian-ge? Are you alright?"

Abruptly brought out of his reminiscing by the new title bestowed upon him he answered.

"Yes! I'm fine. My apologies meimei, I was lost in thought."

He had never had a proper meimei! Now that Cai Xiuying had so graciously called him -ge it was official! Little Xiuying was now his meimei. Not just a meimei like the ones back in Yunmeng. The younger girls that ran wild playing in the streets or the girls that helped run the stalls and markets. Those meimei had accepted being called as such because they knew he wasn't being serious and as such never called him -ge or gege. This one though, this one was his now.

"Now about this boy… How exactly is he mean?" It was important to distinguish being rude to being a genuine piece of shit that way he knew exactly how hard to get back at him.

"Hmm… Well, he says weird things about me like 'you should behave more like a lady, maybe then I would like you!' And 'you're a little girl, your opinions don't matter!' He also always stares at other -older- girls and he always ignores me even when I'm talking to him! Oh, and my niang hates him. She says he's improper and he shouldn't run around alone with unmarried women when he's my betrothed. I think having friends that are girls is his only redeeming quality, maybe they'll teach him some manners."

That was when he, Wei Wuxian, vowed to help his new meimei get rid of the betrothal to this bastard. 

What kind of man did shit like that!? Even if he was too old to be attracted to her that was no reason to be so discourteous to a little girl! From the sound of it she had even less of a choice that he did! And what was this about other women!? This Xiuying was so innocent! Even if she swore more creatively than a sailor! He was of the opinion that once a man was betrothed he ought to be faithful, it didn't matter that they weren't married yet! 

"Cai Xuiying, I have one last question for you. If I said I could help you dissolve your engagement would you want me to?"

"You can? Yes! Please! Wuxian-ge! You're the best!" She cheered. She finally stood up from the dirt and flung herself onto him. He chuckled and hugged her back. After they released each other she sheepishly admitted,"Actually that's the real reason I was hiding earlier. My niang gave me this-" she brandished what looked like an elaborate jewelry box. "But I can't seem to make it work. That's why I was swearing." She blushed and handed it to him.

Turning it this and that way he examined it closely. The quality red wood and beautiful gold trim. There was a small jade pin holding the doors closed connected to the right side with a delicate gold chain. As he went to open it, he looked at Xiuying. She nodded confirming it was alright to do so.

Most obviously was what he assumed to be a gold backed mirror. There was some peculiar carved trim on the inside. 

There! Inscriptions written into it disguised as decoration! 

"This… meimei, this is a spiritual device. It needs to be charged with spiritual energy for it to function. And it looks like it's very inefficient… how about this, I'll take this with me back to the Cloud Recesses and charge it up. I'll even try and make it better."

"Okay… but don't lose it or break it! It's okay if you can't fix it but don't break it. It's actually my baba's but my niang borrowed it so I could follow Bai Bingwen around -that's the name of my betrothed- and get what he says about me recorded here. Baba doesn't believe me or niang when we tell him he's mean. So we need this so we can break the engagement." She added earnestly.

"Alright, my classes resume for the week tomorrow so I'll have to meet you in a week alright?"

"Mn. I also have classes at home so this works out great! You can walk me home so we don't have to meet in the woods next time!"

"Ah, won't your family worry about you bringing a strange man home?" He fretted a bit. The last thing he needed was an overprotective family breathing down his neck. If Yu-furen heard of it she would have locked him up. Perhaps not forever, certainly until the collective cultivation world forgot about him.

"Man? What man? Aren't you a boy?"

Ouch. He chuckled, his pride smarting a bit. Perhaps it was his youthful complexion that had confused her. However, contrary to the coming of age of mediocre men, the coming of age of a cultivator was generally when their first solo hunt was completed. His was two years ago.

"I'm sixteen, meimei."

"Okay. So, you are a boy then." She reiterated ruthlessly. "Anyway they won't worry as long as you introduce yourself to the guards at the gates."

Guards? Okay, then miss hot shot Guniang.

Taking his hand in her tiny, soft one she led them to her family estate. Schooling his face into his usual smile took a bit of effort as the effect of holding her supple and chubby little hand was like squishing the paw of a house cat. Or so he assumed as the cats back home had never let him get so close to them, let alone their paws.

"My home is just a couple of minutes up this path! Next time I'll just invite you up for some snacks and we can talk then too. I would invite you for supper today but it's getting late."

The two guards stood at the gates of the estate. As they got closer he could make out their more distinctive features. One had a blank stare and was quite a bit shorter than he and the other guard standing to his right. The other stood tall with a stony expression and glare upon his face. They were about average in their looks, a bit tanned and obviously muscled.

Wei Wuxian smiled nervously as the girl dropped his hand and she ran ahead.

"Guards, this is my new friend! He's a cultivator and he's helping me with Bai Bingwen! He's not gonna come in today but he will next week just so you know. Okay?"

How was it that even the guards seemed to know of the situation when her father wouldn't heed his wife? Was Cai-furen's situation as antagonistic like that of Yu-furen with Jiang-shushu?

"Yes, Cai Guniang." They chorused as they saluted.

"Okay! Bye now Wuxian-ge! Bye guys!" She waved as she scampered into her home.

"Aha- erm. Hello, I am Wei Ying, courtesy name Wuxian."

"Greetings, Wei-gongzi."

"Wow, you two are so in sync! Was that something you practiced or does it come with guard duty?" The taller of the two smiled slightly at his joke.

After some more light conversation both lightened quite up a bit. The taller one more so than the little guy. 

"I suppose I'll see you next time." He said sheepishly, tucking a strand of hair behind his ear.

"Ah, yeah until next time." The taller one said, sounding dazed. The other elbowed him in the ribs and gave him a look. It was probably the result of a long day at their post.

The journey back to the cloud Recesses was nothing special other than the fact that he had mounted Suibian halfway through his walk so that he could make it in time for curfew. He dismounted his sword out of the line of sight guards at the gates of the Cloud Recesses. As courtesy dictated. If only Lan Zhan could see him now! He snorted, he would probably say something about behaving with the motive of not disappointing his new meimei with an unexplained abcence was ingenuine.

The guards looked at him with faces full of suspicion. He nearly rolled his eyes. He walked past them aiming a beaming smile in their direction. 

He sighed as soon as his dorm came into view. He could just feel the residual laziness clinging to his skin and making him tired.

"Wei-xiong, what's that?" Huaisang asked immediately upon his entrance. probably eager for something entertaining after the listless day he could only assume he and the rest of the guest disciples had.

"Wouldn't you like to know, Huaisang-xiong?"

"Yes, pleeease."

"Hmmm… I don't know, you probably wouldn't find it all that interesting."

"I wonder if wei-xiong is in need of something more motivating for this bit of gossip? Perhaps a bit of Caiyi's finest, flavorful chili oil?" He added, a sly look on his face.

Wei Wuxian wasn't truly aiming to do anything more than to lightly tease but if he was offering some spice to add to the unfortunately flavorless -bitter- cuisine, he would definitely take it.

"Well, I wouldn't dare say no to Huaisang-xiong's generous offer." 

The gossip hungry man looked at the device in his arms expectantly.

"It isn't anything special if that's what you're thinking." He chuckled. "It's a spiritual device in the shape of a jewelry box, I'm going to fix it for a meimei to try and help her out of an unwanted engagement."

"Forget the device, Wei-xiong! Tell me more about this damsel in distress?!" He asked. 

Despite the smile on his face, he couldn't help but feel that Huaisang had come off a little too manic to be comfortable. Must have been the boring day they had, he pushed on anyway.

"Well, for one she's hardly a damsel. She's more like a little girl. Can't have been more than eleven years old."

"Eleven!? That's a baby!" Jiang Cheng interjected, bolting up right from his place on his bed.

"That's what I said!"

"Ugh, when I remember how weird non-cultivating gentry are about wedding young it makes me gag. Eleven years old and betrothed my ass."

"It's not like you two are in any position to talk, hasn't your Jie been engaged since she was born?" Nie Huaisang brought up. 

That airhead! As if that were even remotely related to the situation at hand, beside the fact that both Jin Zixuan and this Bai fucker were unsuitable to be engaged.

"That's different! Jie is betrothed to that Jin bastard because our niang and Jin-furen can make him be a good man or at least behave like one in the future. From the sound of this situation this girl's mother can't." Jiang Cheng defended.

Wei Wuxian nodded along, his shidi was clearly of the same mind he was.

"Exactly! It's even to an older boy. Well, one that's older than my new meimei anyhow. And instead of at least treating her like a little sister, I'm pretty sure he's messing around with other girls his own age! Not even behind her back or even trying to hide it at all!"

"Disgusting."

"That boy is just lucky she's too young to know what that means. You wanna know what she said about that when she mentioned it? 'I think having friends that are girls is his only redeeming quality. Maybe it'll teach him some manners' or something like that."

"Oh, wow." Nie Huaisang gasped.

"Right? Anyway, I'm going to improve this device and help her out."

"Are you sure that's what she wants? Don't play hero where it isn't wanted, Wei Wuxian. We don't need some girl's broken betrothal to become a diplomatic incident." He chided, a more serious expression on his face.

"Aya, who do you think I am? Of course I asked her first! Besides, her own mother is in on it! It'll be fine."

Carefully, he stepped around his classmates legs from where he was sprawled on the floor and set the jewelry box down on his bedside table. The box safely put away he grabbed his night clothes and a towel.

"What's this girl's name anyway? How do you know her mother's in on it?"

"Her name is Cai Xuiying. I know her mother knows because she said her mother took this device from her father in order to prove her betrothed is unsuitable." He walked behind the privacy screen to the cold water held in the wooden tub. Too lazy to draw a heating talisman he simply stripped with the intention of scrubbing himself down quickly. "Anyway, that's the story. Now, off you go! To your own room!"

"What? So you're just going to kick me out? What if I get caught out of bed after curfew?" He whined.

"Sounds like a you problem." Jiang Cheng said.

"Ooh, if you see Lan Zhan tell him I said hi!"