#also this is 'let tang yu be a doctor' agenda

[biwenqing]

Tang Yu's musings about her brother's relationship with Wang Zhi. For day five of Spring Sleuthing for the prompt "thaw" which I also took as the title for this little fic.

General | One-shot | wc: 1601 | ao3 link

Tang Yu often brought Cheng’er over to spend time with his uncle. Uncles really, because Tang Yu had the distinct sense that her brother had found a life partner in Sui Zhou. She liked Sui Zhou a lot and knew he treated her brother and Dong’er very well.

She could see it now as she was sitting with Tang Fan and Cheng’er at the table, eating the lunch Sui Zhou had prepared. Sui Zhou and Dong’er were either still in the kitchen, working on some treats for later, or had gone off to practice self-defense. She had heard Dong’er was making great progress in hand-to-hand fighting.

Tang Fan was helping Cheng’er with some of his school work. Her son was doing so much better with the proper attention and care, and Tang Yu found herself feeling lighter and happier. Tang Fan seemed to be able to understand what worked best for his nephew to learn and Cheng’er had taken quite a liking to him.

Cheng’er had just finished copying a line when they were interrupted as Wang Zhi walked into her brother’s home as if he owned the place. He then sat at the table at Tang Fan’s side, the one not currently occupied by Cheng’er, and put some papers on the table.

Tang Fan made a face at the uninvited guest. “Who let you in?”

“Dong’er,” Wang Zhi rolled his eyes, now helping himself to Tang Fan’s plate. “Will you look at this?”

“Do I have a choice?” Tang Fan said, surprising Tang Yu by not snatching his food back. Instead, he was picking up the papers, sorting through them. “Sorry Cheng’er, we can finish later, if that’s okay?”

Cheng’er nodded vigorously, and Tang Yu knew he was just excited to not have to do any more of his lessons. Just because he was getting better at his lessons, didn’t mean he enjoyed them.

“Carefully clean up okay?” Tang Yu instructed, not rolling her eyes at either of their antics. She could tell her brother’s attention had completely drifted and wouldn’t come back anytime soon.

Her good boy nodded, more subdued this time, and began to carefully put the paper and inks away, carrying the brushes off to be washed.

“You think these murders are related to grain taxes?” Tang Fan was asking Wang Zhi.

Tang Yu decided to linger and watch them, using finishing up her lunch as an excuse. Reaching to grab more vegetables, Tang Yu found Wang Zhi’s chopsticks already there. He moved away, leaving her to grab what she wanted, turning his attention back to Tang Fan as if he never reached anything.

Tang Yu didn’t fully understand Wang Zhi. She knew the kind of person he was, in the sense that all people knew of who those inside of the palace became. Yet for some reason Wang Zhi had been pulled into her brother’s orbit. It increasingly seemed... more than that. Here now, they were in each other’s personal space and seemed to share more touches than necessary.

When she had mentioned it to her Huai, he had shaken his head. “You know your brother would never betray his partner like that! Sui Zhou especially.”

Tang Yu did know that. Her brother had a good and fair heart that just wasn’t made to do something so cruel as cheat. But that didn’t mean she was wrong in her observations. Her point was proven to herself now, as Sui Zhou came into the room, drying his hands on his apron.

Tang Fan spotted him and launched into the deductions he and Wang Zhi had so far. Sui Zhou nodded, coming to lean in between Wang Zhi and Tang Fan. The two were already sitting close, so this only reduced any distance further. Most telling were Sui Zhou’s hands, settling between each of their shoulder blades.

Tang Yu felt that by now she had gotten to know Sui Zhou well and knew he was a man who was rather restrained in his affection. There were certainly other meanings to such affection, but this added with her observations of her brother, Tang Yu was pretty certain what was going on here. Or where things were headed.

Which brought up some questions for her, even if it was not her place. The first maybe should have been “Why Wang Zhi?” but Tang Yu was more concerned about the fact that her brother hadn’t told her what was going on. She assumed the “why him?” question would be answered if her brother actually talked to her about whatever this was.

Wang Zhi apparently felt her gaze, because he glanced up. Even if she didn’t know what to think of him, Tang Yu didn’t want to come in the way of whatever happiness her brother tried to find, so she looked away. Finishing her food, she went about clearing the table. Sui Zhou shot her a thankful smile which she returned, slipping out of the room to leave them to their work.

After doing the dishes she went back to call out to Tang Fan. “I need to go help my husband with a procedure, remember? Can you still watch Cheng’er.”

“Of course!” Tang Fan appeared, smiling. “Though... where do you think he went off to?”

“Probably got distracted in your study,” Tang Yu smiled. They both went to find him, examining some art and trying to copy it. She got to say goodbye once she kissed Cheng’er’s forehead.

[...]

When Tang Yu came back that evening, she was tired but pleased by the work she had been able to do helping Pei Huai. She saved the feeling of having a purpose and the support for that purpose outside of the housework she had been expected to do in her past marriage.

She wandered through the house, looking for where Cheng’er had gotten off too, hopefully with Tang Fan nearby. What she came upon was a scene that made her pause. Trying to be quiet and unseen, she watched.

Apparently, Wang Zhi was still there. He was seated at a little table, Dong’er across from him. They seemed to be playing a game of go. Cheng’er was perched on Wang Zhi’s knee, an arm carefully around his waist so he wouldn’t fall. It seemed as if Wang Zhi and Dong’er were explaining the game to him as they played.

The more she watched them, the more she got it; some of her previous questions were answered. Tang Fan had seen through Wang Zhi in a way she had not, in a way most people wouldn’t.

“He’s good with children.” Sui Zhou’s voice was soft so that those playing go would not hear. He caused Tang Yu to jump, and she turned to give him a surprised look.

“So it would seem...” Tang Yu felt a bit guilty for being caught spying. And that she had been judging Wang Zhi without knowing the truth of the matter.

Sui Zhou didn’t call her out, his focus turning to where she had been watching. Cheng’er let out loud laughter and Tang Yu watched as Wang Zhi made sure her son didn’t topple over in his mirth. Tang Yu glanced at Sui Zhou and saw one of his small, but genuine, smiles.

She bit back the questions she wanted to ask. It wasn’t her business and if it was, she should talk to her brother anyway. She had to smile though when she noticed Sui Zhou caught her once more, and seemed to be laughing at her.

Better than being upset.

“Are you going to stay for dinner?” Sui Zhou asked.

“If it’s not too much trouble. Pei Huai will also join.”

“No trouble,” Sui Zhou nodded, turning to probably go prepare.

“Do you need any help?” she asked, reaching out a hand.

“If you want.”

“Let me just check in with Cheng’er,” she said and turned to enter the room she had been spying into.

The three occupants looked up as she entered. Cheng’er excitedly pointed at the board. “I’m playing go!”

“I can see that,” Tang Yu came over and crouched down to have a better look at the game.

“It’s the only way to beat Dong’er,” Wang Zhi said. “I needed another brilliant mind to help me.”

Cheng’er tipped his head back to smile up at Wang Zhi at the praise.

Dong’er laughed at this, but said, “Cheng’er has started to understand a lot of the rules.”

Tang Yu glanced at the board. She had a feeling that Dong’er was throwing the game so that Cheng’er could win. From her own understanding, it looked like a very strategic loss. “Well I don’t want to bother you, I just wanted to say hi before going to help Sui Zhou.” She met Wang Zhi’s eyes and hoped he understood this was also a check-in to make sure he was fine continuing to entertain the kids. “Everyone good?”

“We need snacks!” Dong’er reported.

“You’ll spoil your appetite before dinner,” Wang Zhi admonished, but rather gently. She stuck her tongue out at him. “We’ll be fine.” This he directed back to Tang Yu and even gave her a tentative smile.

Did she intimidate the feared commander of the Western Depot? The thought brought a smile to her own face and she slipped from the room, calling back, “Be good!”

“We will!” Cheng’er yelled after her.

Tang Yu made her way back through the house, she decided she certainly would accept Wang Zhi into the family her brother collected. She could always welcome another little brother.

For two orphans, she and Tang Fan had a lot of family.