#love fics where jc and yanli figures out what wwx went through even though he refuses to fucking tell them

[talesfromnatea]

and they talked things out and everyone lived happily ever after

[wangxianficfinder]

Fic Finder

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1. hi, thank you for your efforts ❤️ i have a fic finder, because even though time travel fics should be so easy to find, i just can't find this one. wx both come back to the cloud recesses days, lwj finds out that wwx also went back bc he hears him humming/playing their song. wwx is given a dizi that has a name with 'dawn' in it i think? (by nhs who was probably the one who sent them back). they fix all the stuff of course

FOUND! The Wild Geese’s Tomb by The Feels Whale (miscellea) (T, 66k, WangXian, Time Travel, Fix-it, Temporary Character Death)

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2. Hello, looking for a fic where LWJ comes to Burial Mounds and WWX & he get into a fight. It’s pretty brutal, and at some point A-Yuan arrives and is in danger so LWJ protects him getting stabbed in the progress. I think it was a fix-it au.

The fic is during burial mounds settlement days. I think during the fight WWX doesn't fight LWJ personally but calls many many corpses to do it for him.

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3. Hi there long time lurker first time requester!! Love what you do, thank you!! I’ve found so many good fics through this blog.

Ok so for my ask, it was before I had an ao3 acct so it’s no where in my history! What I remember is SOMETHING happened and Wei Wuxian, Jiang Yanli and Jin Zixuan get thrust into modern times. They live together and somehow find their way back? Sorry that’s not a lot to go on :/ Thanks again!! @rogue-90-em​

FOUND! This sounds a lot like atlas in his sleepin' by anatheme (E, 49k, wangxian, JYL/JZX, JYL & WWX & JZX, fix-it, reincarnation, family reunions, dimension travel, temporary transmigrator LWJ, JC & WWX reconciliation, first time, sharing clothes, angst w/ happy ending)

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4. Hello I have been looking for this fic for awhile now and have had no luck finding it. It took place after Sunshot I believe. WWX had to marry NMJ so the wens would have a safe place to live. Later in the story LWJ in also married to NMJ and WWX.

FOUND! An Elegant Solution by giraffeter (E, 205k, niewangxian, canon divergence, arranged marriage, friends to lovers, fix-it, everyone lives au, courtship, polyamory, smut, Mojo’s bookmark)

NOT FOUND! Pastime (With Good Company) by nirejseki (Not rated, 25k, niewangxian, canon divergence, arranged marriage, WIP)

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5. Can you help find this fic? It's a modern fic about the aftermath of how wy was groomed and abused by one of jyl's friend. After getting out of that toxic relationship wy started a flower shop which his sibling try to visit frequently. Jc and lz is studying law together. I remember wy having a breakdown bcs he figured out that lz was the younger brother of lxc who was the doctor that treated him after his abused. There was also a scene where sushe harassed wy to the point of panic attack. Thanks

FOUND? #5 was written by AvoOwO on ao3 but seems to have been deleted. I think the title was something among the lines of "Daffodils to Ambrosia"?

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6. Hi! I’m looking for a fic where wangxian are both bored with their (separate) sex lives and decide to have roleplay sex with each other to liven things up. The first time they do this they pretend to be strangers in a bar. There was also one that time that was god/worshipper roleplay. It was multi chapter with each roleplay in separate chapters. Thank you so much for the help!

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7. Hey mods! There's this fic where the juniors tell mxy(wwx) that hgj is in love with another(wwx) bc they think mxy(wwx) loves hgj and don't want him to be heartbroken and turns out mxy(wwx) was actually, well, wwx lol— and after that they eavesdrop on a convo with hgj and wwx and find out mxy is actually wwx @sentientcongee​

FOUND? things we're all too young to know by someitems (T, 11k, wangxian, misunderstandings, junior shenanigans, mistaken identity, found family)

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8. Hallo! I'm trying to find a fic in which WY is a servant of the Jiangs (he is treated badly) and the Lans are guests at Lotus Pier and he walks into LZ and runs away (?) (I think he wasn't allowed to talk to anyone or was afraid he would get pubished). I have only read the first chapter and that's all I remember:/ Thank you so much!

FOUND! Flowers of pain by CorkaHadesa (M, 16k, WIP, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Soulmates, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Bad Parent YZY, Bad Parent JFM, YZY Bashing, JC Bashing, Jiang Family Bashing, Bad Sibling JC, Bad Sibling JYL, Protective LWJ, Protective LXC, Protective LQR, Bad Parenting, Family Issues, Child Abuse, Self-Esteem Issues, Happy Ending)

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9. Hi there! I'm looking for a fic I read a while ago in which LWJ creates a new cultivation method?? IIRC WWX had been thrown into the Burial Mounds and LWJ and JC are looking for him. I don't remember any other specific details, but towards the end LWJ finally reveals his new cultivation style. I think his whole thing had to do with the earth and connecting to it?? I know it's vague but it's probably been a year since I've read it ;-;

FOUND? From my heart's ground. by orange_crushed (E, 37k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Grief/Mourning, Corporal Punishment, Vomiting, Injury Recovery, Trauma, Blood Magic, Elemental Magic, Gardens & Gardening, Resurrection, Dissociation, Explicit Sexual Content, First Time, Language of Flowers, Angst with a Happy Ending, Family, Arson, Now Everybody's A Rogue Cultivator, Self-Harm for Blood Magic Reasons, Suicidal Thoughts, Spiritual Coma, Brief Reference to Temporary Incontinence as a Result of Said Coma, Self-Esteem Issues)

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10. hii first of all thank you so much for your hard work!! i’ve been searching high and low for this fic in my bookmarks and can’t find it anywhere :( all i remember is that modern day wwx ends up in the past? i also remember a scene where he reunites with jyl and it’s really sweet bc the one from his universe had died i think? i hope this is enough jdhdhd

FOUND! Wrong Turn, Right Place by diamondbruise (E, 71k, WangXian, Time Travel, kind of, it’s more reality travel but there’s modern wwx and cultivator lwj, Mutual Pining, Angst with a Happy Ending, Jealousy, Idiots in Love, Slow Burn, Misunderstandings, Cultural Differences)

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11. Searching for a fic, any help would be appreciated! It was a vaguely knight-y/medieval setting, and after some shit went down, LZ was locked up and/or severely whipped by the Lans, and when the fic starts I think he's still having issues from that and traveling on his own. And then he reunites with WY - maybe I'm conflating fics, so these are just maybes, but it could be some sort of beauty and the beast situation? Or there's a moment where WY goes full-on YLLZ when he finds out how hurt LZ was.

FOUND! the necromancer's fairytale by iliacquer (E, 17k, wangxian, safe sane consensual non-con, past torture, not Lan friendly, happy ending, switch energy, rough sex, pain kink)

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12. Hi! im looking for a wangxian timetravel fic, i remember that they went back to the cloud recess arc in their old bodies and one specific detail i remember is wei wuxian changing his hair style to his future hair style because lan zhan was still doing his hair in the mornings, sorry i don't remember much else Thanks for the help!

FOUND? No, Lan Wangji, You Cannot Marry Someone You Just Met! by soulmateenthusiast (T, 40k, WIP, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Time Travel, WWX and LWJ Are Transported to the Past, Attempt at Humor, Fluff, slight angst Gratuitous Amounts of PDA, Courtesy of WangXian, BAMF!WWX, Time Travel Fix-It, Abandoned Work - Unfinished and Discontinued)

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13. Asking this cause I lost those fic where A) Wangji was kid when got kidnapped and lives in brothel and he himself ask a witch to curse him ugly person B) Wangji is omega and lactates for A-yuan @selflovingmedj

13A)

FOUND? Turn Left by kianspo (M, 91k, WIP, WangXian, NieLan, Canon Divergence, Fix-It of Sorts, Friends to Lovers, eventually, references to child sexual abuse, not main characters, Canon-Typical Violence, Neurodivergent LWJ, LXC is the best brother, Slow Build, Lán Family Feels, specifically, Twin Jades of Lán Feels)

13B)

FOUND? 💖 so full of love i could barely eat by cicer (E, 40k, wangxian, ABO, canon divergence, breastfeeding, lactation kink, golden core reveal, fix-it)

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14. Hi I’m looking for a fic that takes place during the CR arc and has LWJ realizing that rewarding WWX works better than punishments and I think there are some scenes that take place in the library. I can’t really remember much else so I’d appreciate the help!

FOUND? Pigtail Pulling by protos_metazu_ison (G, 3k, wangxian, fluff & humor, crack treated seriously, cloud recesses shenanigans)

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15. Heyy! Im looking for a fic where wangxian went on a date(i think 1st) to a petting zoo. There what I remember the most is wwx pulling grass and lwj blurting out if he was stimming. I honestly can’t remember much. There were bunnies tho. It’s complete and i thinkk it’s part of a series! Please help me find it!!!

FOUND? 🧡#Bunny date by Onomatopoetikon (T, 15k, WangXian, Modern AU, POV LWJ, Autistic LWJ, WWX Has ADHD, First Dates, First Kiss, Holding Hands, LWJ Uses Actual Words, Neurodiversity, Developing Relationship, Twin Jades of Lán Feels, Fluff, Romantic Fluff) it's part 3 of a series :)

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16. hello. i've been wondering if you could help with this: i'm not looking for a fic, but i've been wanting to write one. i remember seeing some time ago a twitter thread containing certaing details and tips for writing modern aus set in china, but i can't find it. i was hoping if any of your followers would know something

FOUND? might be this twitter moment, if not, there's still some good stuff here!

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17. Hey! I was looking for a LXC x Oc, the oc was a jin who is like what people say dumb and the summer is something along the lines "The new madam Lan got pregnant and is craving for the bunny" I forgot the whole summery but it was like that. Anyways turns out she was actually quite smart.

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18. hello, hello!! when you have a chance, i would appreciate help finding a fic!! it was modern, and the only thing i remember was probably a part towards the end, and i think wwx was kidnapped by the wens and was on top of a building, someone was shot, & i think wen chao might've fallen off the building? wwx nearly died? sorry if this is really vague, but hopefully someone recognizes it!!

NOT FOUND! 🧡The World We Made by updatebug (T, 80k, WangXian, The Old Guard fusion, Immortals, Immortal LWJ, Angst with a Happy Ending, Junior Quartet is the best Quartet, JYL is the best, NMJ Lives, Reincarnation, Modern AU, The Old Guard AU, Team Give Xichen Nice Things, Team Unbury Your Gays, LITERALLY, Temporary Character Death) has a similar scene I think (only he gets kidnapped by JGY instead)

NOT FOUND! 🧡Rule Number One: Never get attached. by KizuKatana (E, 130k, wangxian, criminal underworld au, dark LWJ, ABO, note all tags)

could also be FOUND! Monotone, I think it’s not on ao3 directly anymore but is still available on a Google doc / the author has posted a link to monotone here / Monotone on Google docs, Anyway I think that's the shared link for #18. Pretty sure that's it. Ch. 23 Reset is WWX and Wen Chao on the roof of Nightless City. Wwx is shot and WC jumps off the edge.

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19. hello! I need help finding a fic. The only scene I can remember is the Jiang family and Lan Wangji sitting at a table (eating dinner I think) and Madam Yu says or implies something insulting/rude about Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji uses his engagement or marriage to Wei Wuxian to tell her off. Saying she has no right to say something like that about something that is his/belongs to him. I believe it was Canon era but that's about all I can remember.

FOUND! chapter 6 of 30 Days of Celebration with Yunmeng Jiang by starandrea (M, 41k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Family Drama, Telepathic Bond, Kink Negotiation, Wedding Planning, Weddings, Sibling Bonding, Fluff, Happy Ending)

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20. hi there! for the next FF, this modern-online-class au. it's in the pov of one of the students, though i remember it changes pov a lot. wangxian are professors, LSZ is in both their classes. he gets sick, and he never reveals who his parents are until WWX walks in on a call with him and his friends and they go >:0000 on him. theres a lot of student chatting. there was a scene with a student remarking on WWX's child's achievements on the wall and LSZ being extremely embarrassed about it. @revellingfate

FOUND! The Mystery of Professor Lan's and Professor Wei's private lives by SilverBells (G, 7k, WangXian, Modern AU, wangxian married and have a son, online classes AU, Self Indulgent Ficlet, Fluff, University AU, Professor LWJ and Professor WWX, University second year LSZ, Humour)

NOT FOUND! Lan Jingyi and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Cursed Information by fensandmarshes (T, 5k, WangXian, Modern AU, Crack Treated Seriously, Married WangXian, POV Outsider, POV Outsider on WangXian, Crack and Humour, LJY-centric, Hijinks & Shenanigans, LWJ is a Little Bitch, College/University, Nonbinary LSZ)

NOT FOUND! Yearning by Sanguis (T, 9k, WangXian, LingYi, Modern AU, Professors, Established Relationship, Married Couple, Bunnies, Pre-Relationship, Secrets)

NOT FOUND! And They Were Married And Had a Son Series by yellowcarnations (G, 8k, WangXian, Modern AU, POV Outsider, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Professors WangXian, Kid Fic)

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[scarletjedi]

untitled Untamed time travel au but make it Mingcheng PART 2A

@piyo-13

Part 1: The Setup

Part 2A: GUSU REVISITED (part 1)

EDIT: Part 2B now up!

y'all...I tried to do one part, but this notefic is quickly becoming fic, and I need to keep it small enough to fit on tumblr, lol. The second half of this should be up in the next day or two!

Okay, the next day they arrive in Gusu, have the run in with Zixuan, which....almost goes the same? Zixuan still buys out the inn, but WWX saw this dude, who made Yanli happy, die (and while JC says it wasn’t him, he still feels that guilt) and JC looks at him and sees Jin Ling’s father, and they just... leave. Do not engage. Perhaps with a look at each other like - we need him to see her for herself, but we don’t want to put her through the pain of losing him.

...okay, JC can’t leave without saying something along the lines of “we’re in Gusu to learn, but also to form alliances. Open your damn eyes, and you might actually make a friend” - Zixuan is shook, but Mianmian looks at JC assessingly. I am here for “isolated and therefore socially awkward Zixuan” and I think it’d be hilarious if he takes this as a sign that JC wants to be friends. So, he will kind of randomly show up where JC is, like a cat trying to signal that they’re friends by mirroring you? Luckily, JC speaks “stray animal” and eventually figures out that Zixuan isn’t trying to spy on him but trying to make friends. It eventually leads to a conversation where JC turns to him and just asks “Why don’t you like my sister?” ...but i’ll get to that.

So, they leave, and this time they double check that WWX has the invitation. He does, but they’re still delayed just a bit going up the mountain, so when they reach the top, Lan Wangji is waiting.

The party stops when they see him, mostly because it looks like he’s barring entry, but JC sees the way LWJ looks at WWX and *knows* that somehow, LWJ is back too.

Now, in The Untamed canon (which we’re in) I fully believe that WWX was in love with (and knew it) LWJ before he died, but either felt that his love was not returned, or that LWJ’s love would end if he knew, the time was never right, etc - so, he’s looking at this like and opportunity to present the side of himself that he thinks LWJ wants.

Meanwhile LWJ is like “THERE IS MY GREMLIN ALIVE AND WELL. THIS TIME I WILL LOVE HIM AND STAND WITH HIM NO MATTER WHAT.”

But when JC announces themselves and WWX pulls out the invitation, LWJ says “Wei Ying” in that WAY of his and WWX freezes because a) he realizes that LWJ is also back b) this doesn’t fit into his plan and c) stall. So he does that awkward laugh, flicking his nose, like “Ahaha, Lan Zhan. It’s me.”

And LWJ *SMILES* “It is good to see Wei Ying.”

And WWX *melts* because he is weak, and JC is like “kill me now” (JYL is confused but thinks its sweet) and everyone else is just *confused*.

Not taking his eyes off WWX, LWJ gestures for Yunmeng Jiang to follow him, and leads them (well, WWX and by proxy everyone else) to the student dorms where they will be staying. (WWX walks next to LWJ, and there is something about the way they fit together that makes JC *feel things* all over again, because here was one more thing WWX lost because of *him* and—

When they arrive at the dorms, the other disciples and Yanli all retire, but JC stays because if LWJ is back then they need to talk before JC leaves those two to “count each others eyelashes or whatever they do when they’re alone together” and the absolute bitchy-ass angry *look* that LWJ sends him has JC standing taller and WWX stepping between them.

“Ayia, Lan Zhan, there’s no need for that. Jiang Cheng and I talked it out. We’re good.”

Lan Zhan looks over at WWX, softening for a moment, before bringing the heat back for JC. “He killed you.”

“You-!” JC clenches his fist, and is thrown because there *aren’t* sparks because Zidian is on his *mother’s* wrist, and it’s enough to make him settle, enough for WWX to step in again and say:

“That fall wouldn’t have killed me if— If I hadn’t lied to him, then Jiang Cheng wouldn’t have had every reason to believe I would survive that fall.”

*That* causes a reaction, a widening of his eyes that would be subtle on any other face, at the implication that Jiang Cheng hadn’t been trying to kill him. But, it doesn’t make the frown disappear. “He did not stand with you.”

“Neither did you!” Jiang Cheng snaps, going for the *jugular* without even realizing, and LWJ just fucking *wilts*

“That...is my regret.”

But before he could say anything else, WWX spoke again.

“Look, there’s no reason to rehash the past. I’m alive! And I know what I need to do to not be bad again, but I would really appreciate it if my brother and my soulmate” and didn’t THAT cause JC’s eyebrows to rise “didn’t hate each other.” Suddenly, several things about the last few years made a lot more sense.

“I don’t hate him,” Jiang Cheng said, as Lan Wangji said “Wei Ying is always good.”

When *that* caused the three of them to stare at each other again, Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes. “Look, we need to talk soon about this whole time travel... thing, but I want nothing to do with whatever this” and gestures between them “is. So, I’m going to bed because I have been awake for two days straight and I would like to sleep. Figure it out!” and Jiang Cheng turned and went to find his bedroom (which he shared with WWX. Considering the way they were looking at each other, JC was pretty sure he’d be spending the first night without a roommate. Again).

MEANWHILE, outside, Lan Zhan and Wei Ying are left staring at each other. (Well, WWX stares after JC for a minute, mouth open, but that fades quickly when he sees Lan Zhan staring at him, all intent.)

Wei Ying would normally begin to fidget, but he’s transfixed, heart in his throat, without a clue as to what to do next and—

“A-Yuan.” Lan Zhan said, and Wei Ying’s focus sharpens.

“A-Yuan?!”

Lan Zhan nodded. “I found him, after. He was sick. I brought him here, gave him the name Lan to hide him.” He opened his mouth as if to say more, but fell silent.

Wei Ying was staring with shining eyes. “He lived? My little radish...” he trailed off, staring into the distance. He frowned, shaking his head. “But Lan Zhan, why would you—”

“I should have been there,” Lan Zhan interrupts *interrupts* angrier than he had ever sounded, but even Wei Ying can tell that it’s not directed at him. He cools quickly. “I will not make the same mistake.”

He catches Lan Zhan’s eye again and falls silent. “Oh.”

And Lan Zhan steps back, like he hadn’t intended to let that slip. “If Wei Ying does not feel the same—”

“I do!” Wei Ying bursts out, stepping forward and reaching out, not quite touching. “I do. Feel the same,” he said, quieter this time, for the two of them. Lan Zhan’s expression doesn’t change, but something shifts and Wei Ying knows him well enough to know it as *joy*

And, Lan Zhan reaches out and takes his hand.

(Yes, they use the next several months to actually talk though their relationship, but this is effectively a speed run from the way they feel in Episode 1 to the steps of jinlintai, bypassing all the *plot* that gets in the way of their romance, but whatever, it’s my fic. If this was a wangxian fic first, then I might do the “WWX needs to get a clue” thing he has going in the book, but.... Honestly, I *adore* the idea of *gremlin couple wangxian* on what is essentially their honeymoon in gusu. Like - pre-sunshot Gusu is not *prepared* for post-Yiling Laozu LWJ.)

The next morning, JC arrives to classes with the rest of the Jiangs, not at all surprised to see Wei Ying standing with LWJ (though everyone else seems to be weirded out by it, which may be because they’re standing far too close). LWJ nods at JC, who nods back, grimly pleased to see that there was no longer an open front of hostility. JC wasn’t foolish enough to think it was gone completely, but at least they should be able to discuss business when necessary. (And some part of his mind absolutely began planning the wedding. WWX was Yunmeng Jiang, and if JC had anything to say about it, he would REMAIN YMJ until he was damn sure to remember that he can’t get rid of Jiang Cheng that easily... and JC would be DAMNED if he let Lan Xichen steamroll the wedding prep, which he absolutely would, hopeless romantic that he was).

They enter and settle into their usual spots, though LWJ hesitates when he realizes that his seat would not let him watch WWX. JC continues on to sit in his old seat, determined to see *as little of this as possible* and turns to look at Nie Huaisang, who—

Oh, sonofabitch, Nie Huaisang was back too. How the fuck did their ritual have enough power to drag *four souls* back in time, especially one from *wherever the hell WWX was* JC widened his eyes at him, clearly saying *WTF* which had Nie Huaisang giving him a *look* from behind his fan, which fluttered, agitated. JC rolled his eyes, cutting them over to WWX, who was blatantly staring at Lan Wangji, chin propped on his palm. (And if LWJ had his head tilted so he could look back, well, *most* of the class probably couldn’t tell). Incredible. Jiang Cheng turned to look at JYL, who was hiding a smile behind her sleeve, when movement behind NHS caught his eye.

Meng Yao. Oh, that wasn’t awkward at all. Nie Huaisang flicked the corner of his fan, and JC turned back aground, knowing they would talk later, and then they were all standing as Lan Qiren walked into the room.

Which was when it dawned on Jiang Cheng that he would have to take these classes again. Judging by the soft whimper behind him, Nie Huaisang realized it, too.

The class runs the same, as clear as Jiang Cheng can remember, even if the recitation of the rules seems occasionally pointed at Lan Wangji, which is odd. He doesn’t dwell on it, however. He’s gotten good at looking like he was paying attention while thinking of other things, and Jiang Cheng had a lot to think about.

~*~

Like before, WWX invites NHS to go fishing (and JC isn’t sure if he realizes that NHS has also come back yet - in fact, he’s pretty sure he doesn’t), only this time, JC agrees to go with them and WWX pulls LWJ along, leading the group far enough ahead that JC and NHS end up waking behind. NHS keeps up with looked wide-eyed and confused until they leave the main areas for the backwoods.

“So,” Jiang Cheng starts. “Something went wrong.”

“Obviously,” Nie Huaisang hisses, snapping his fan closed. “I woke up in the same room as him.”

JC winces, because yeah, awkward. “I’m a little surprised he’s still alive, actually.”

NHS’s jaw clenched, and JC was reminded very strongly of NMJ. “No one would support flat out murder, even if they don’t really care about the victim.”

“And it’s messy,” JC offered, dry. NHS looked at him from the corner of his eye.

“It’s so hard to get blood out of white fabric,” he agreed and JC laughed.

THAT gets WWX to spin around. “You laughed!” he accuses, pointing a finger at JC.

“So?”

“So I haven’t heard you laugh in years, Jiang Cheng!” he pouts. “Why do you laugh at his jokes and not mine.”

“You are an *actual child*--”

Then, of course, NHS gasps, his fan falling from his hand. JC, catches it, reflexively, startled at the horror he sees on NHS’s face as the show drops. “Wei-xiong, you— but you—”

WWX laughs awkwardly. “No need to worry, I’m —” probably going to say something about not being evil anymore, or not following the demonic path, but NHS cuts him off.

“Back from the dead!?”

Which is when JC remembers that they used Baxia in the ritual, and if his core was enough to bring back WWX, then maybe...

“Da-ge!”

MEANWHILE, in Qinghe, Nie Mingjue wakes up, which is odd, considering the last thing he remembered was dying. Perhaps he didn’t die? Unless the doctors had some new pain medications, he didn’t feel as if he had just had a near-fatal qi-deviation.

Tentatively, he opens his eyes and sees...his bedroom ceiling. How long was he sleeping that they brought him from Lanling to Qinghe? His door opens and he’s reaching for Baxia before he can think — and stops when he recognizes Nie Zonghui (though not before Zonghui notices the aborted movement). “Sect Leader....troubled night?”

Nie Mingjue snorts. “That’s one way to put it.” There’s something rattling around the back of his mind, some detail that doesn’t quite add up as Nie Zonghui helps get him ready for the day. It’s not just that Zonghui doesn’t seem surprised (or relieved) to see him up and awake, it’s the names that Zonghui mentions in is reports — names of disciples who are, like Zonghui himself, long dead.

It’s when Zonghui mentions that a messenger bird had arrived from Gusu that morning, carrying word that Huaisang had arrived safely and that Meng Yao would be leaving tomorrow to return to his duties that the other shoe dropped.

“Zonghui, there’s something I forgot to tell Huaisang. I need to send him a message, the faster the better.”

Zonghui gave a short bow. “Consider it done.”

BACK IN GUSU

Nie Huaisang was pacing atop a long, flat rock on the river’s edge. It wasn’t a very long boulder, maybe 5 or 6 steps at most, but it was dry so Jiang Cheng wasn’t too worried about him slipping. Besides, Lan Wangji was sitting only a few stones away, playing a soft melody on his guqin.

Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian were both in the stream, robes and pants hiked up to keep them from getting too wet, as they waited to catch their dinner. Jiang Cheng remembered getting upset about WWX fishing their second night there, blatantly flaunting the “no killing” rule, but if LWJ felt like indulging his soulmate, what the fuck, then who was Jiang Cheng to complain.

On the rock, Huaisang was plotting out loud, starting ideas and rejecting them just as quickly. “You know, if you put this much effort into your studies this time, you might not have to come back again,” JC called over. Nie Huaisand didn’t even break his stride, just flapped his fan irritably in Jiang Cheng’s direction.

WWX darted forward, pulling a wriggling fish into the air in triumph. “Jiang Cheng, catch!” He tossed the fish, and Jiang Cheng caught it with ease. He considered, for a moment, throwing it at Nie Huaisang, but he was getting hungry. He tossed the fish into the bank, where it wouldn’t flop back into the water. Lan Wangji side-eyed it, warily.

“You know, he’s not actually done anything wrong yet,” Wei Wuxian said. “Can you really hold him accountable for actions he hasn’t taken?”

That made Huaisang stop. “To a certain extent, yes, I can.” That got him a *look* from both LWJ and WWX. “Look, all the decisions we make are influenced by the lives we live. And no, as far as I can tell, Meng Yao didn’t come back with the rest of us - and I still don't’ know why you came back too, Lan Wangji,” LWJ makes a gesture that is far too elegant to be, and yet totally is, a shrug, “but so far, Meng Yao’s life is *exactly the same* as the Meng Yao who committed those acts. That means Meng Yao is the same man who WILL make those choices, barring a MAJOR shift in the way he views the world.”

“Can we cause that shift, then?” Wei Wuxian asked. “I just don’t know if ‘kill him dead’ is always the best course of action.”

Nie Huaisang’s eyes narrowed, a fraction of the coldness Jiang Cheng had seen that day seeping through, before his expression cleared a bit. “It would be a touchy subject for you, yes, but Meng Yao is not Wen Ning.” Wei Wuxian flinched, and, surprisingly, it was Lan Wangji that spoke.

“One cannot change another’s mind,” he said, vanishing his guqin and rising to his feet, one hand behind his back. “One can only show the path; only they can choose to walk.”

“And we have the path to show him,” Wei Wuxian argued. “Don’t we have a responsibility to try, knowing the damage he can do? If we know we have the opportunity to change things and save lives, are we not bound to try? Is that not why Jiang Cheng was sent back in the first place?”

“I’m fine with killing him,” Jiang Cheng said. “He deliberately uses his own weakness to learn the vulnerabilities of others, and then uses that as leverage to get what he wants and then discard them once his objective has been met. He uses Jin Zixuan’s better nature against him. He used Mingjue’s sense of fair play against him and then used his biggest fear to kill him, and he used Zewu-jun’s kindness as a shield.” He looked up at Nie Huaisang. “Though, if you’re right and he’s back too, Meng Yao might not live long enough for us to do anything about it.”

“Oh no,” Huaisang said, voice dryer than dust. “What a tragedy.”

“His information was key in winning the war,” Lan Wangji said. “Can we win against the Wens again without him?”

“Hey, yeah,” Wei Wuxian added. “Speaking of - am I going to have to...” he trailed off, miming playing a dizi.

“You better not!” Jiang Cheng snapped. Wei Wuxian looked at him in surprise, then smiled sadly.

“No, you said not to, and I won’t refuse a direct order from my sect leader,” he said. “But that doesn’t change the fact that I know how.”

“Meng Yao wasn’t actually that good a spy,” Nie Huaisang said, a faint frown between his brows that Jiang Cheng didn’t trust at all. It meant he had noticed something and was putting pieces together that Jiang Cheng wasn’t sure he wanted known. “More than once his information was either wrong or outdated. A lot of the correspondence was kept for our records, and I went back to check once I had my suspicions about him.”

“You think he was playing both sides?” Jiang Cheng asked. Nie Huaisang fluttered his fan and didn’t disagree.

Between them, Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian caught more than enough fish to feed Huaisang as well, and he and Lan Wangji were both invited back to the Yunmeng dorms to eat with them and their sister. Yanli was surprised, of course, but rolled with it well enough. Luckily, she had chosen to make a soup that was in line with Gusu Lan’s dietary restrictions, so Lan Wangji was able to join them. WWX and JC exchanged smug looks when Lan Wangji blinked down at his soup in surprise, and began to eat more quickly.

Later that night, while WWX was walking LWJ back to his rooms, Yanli poked her head into JC’s room. “Second Young Master Lan seems to have taken quite a liking to A-Xian,” she said.

JC nodded, because that was certainly one way to put it.

“Which makes sense, A-Xian can be very charming,” she continued. “But from what the other female disciples tell me, Second Young Master Lan is ...” he paused, and Jiang Cheng filled in:

“A giant stick in the mud?”

“A-Cheng!” Yanli scolded, but there was laughter behind her voice. “...essentially, yes.”

Jiang Cheng sighed. He had no idea what to say here. He was never good at lies, never LIKED lies, preferring to neither confirm nor deny another’s suppositions when the need for secrecy was necessary...and he had never been able to lie to Yanli. Never wanted to. And besides, Nie Huaisang hadn’t covered this possibility with him.

“A-Jie,” he said, “There’s something I want to tell you, but it’s going to sound like a lie even though it’s the truth. I need you to hear me out, and to believe me, and I will do whatever I can to convince you that it’s real and true.”

And...he tells her. Flat out, just tells her about living the next ten years of his life - the end of her engagement, the indoctrination in Qishan, the burning of Cloud Recesses and Lotus Pier, the death of their parents, losing his core, gaining his core but losing Wei Wuxian, the War, her marriage to Zixuan, A-Ling, Nightless City, Nie Mingjue, death after death after death — and Nie Huaisang, like vengeance made flesh, with a crazy, desperate plan.

“So, yeah. They’re close because they’re, like, in love or whatever.”

“Because they’ve known each other for ten years.”

“Seven,” Jiang Cheng corrected. “They only had seven.”

Yanli looks a little stunned wild-eyed. She had looked sad yet resigned when she had heard about her engagement ending, hopeful when she heard about their wedding. Her eyes had shone suspiciously when she heard about Jin Ling...a few tears falling when she heard about Qongyi pass and Nightless City.

“Do...” he began. “Do you believe me?” he asked, voice small and hating it, but he couldn’t stand it if Yanli thought he would make this up.

Slowly, she nodded her head. “It sounds...wild,” she said. “But I know my A-Cheng. He is honest, and would not make up wild stories like this. So, if A-Cheng says it, it must be true.”

“A-jie,” He said, and had to stop, his voice choked off, and when Yanli leaned in to hug him, his tears were sweet with relief.

~*~

The next complication came the next day, at the presentation ceremony, when, once again, Wen Cho showed up to interrupt Yunmeng Jiang’s gifting. It took everything in him not to punch Wen Chao in his smug face with Sandu unsheathed, and Wei Wuxian was a dark, simmering presence next to him. Somehow, the steps played out like they had before - a brief exchange lead to swords drawn, lead to Xichen stepping in and Wen Qing soothing tempers with quick words.

Jiang Cheng wasn’t prepared to see her again. Her, or Wen Ning, who was a remarkably still shadow behind her. When they left, his eyes stayed lowered towards the ground. There was nothing to make Jiang Cheng think that there was something different, except the long running knowledge that he had the worst possible luck.

WWX was strangely unwilling to approach Wen Ning first, though he clearly wanted to. Some misplaced guilt, perhaps. He still clung to LWJ’s side, which was in no way avoidant behavior, WWX, but Jiang Cheng was surprised when Wen Ning found him first.

“I knew it!” Jiang Cheng cried out, to everyone’s surprise, even Wen Ning. He gestured at Wen Ning. “WWX’s here because he’s tied to me, and Wen Ning here is tied to Wei Wuxian.”

“That still doesn’t explain Lan Wangji,” Nie Huaisang said, tapping his fan against his cheek.

“Nothing explains Lan Wangji.”

“Aiya, Jiang Cheng, so mean!”

None of this has much of an effect on the present moment, however, save that it causes Nie Huaisang to adjust his plans *again*. “No one else has better come back!” he demanded. “All of these calculations are hard, and I am *delicate,* Jiang Cheng.”

“Yeah, a real wilting flower.”

Later that night, just before curfew, a missive arrived to Nie Huaisang from his brother. Huaisang walked as fast as he could manage from the Nie Quarters to the Jiang, bursting into Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian’s room, holding the letter aloft, speaking as soon as he’s through the door: “It’s him! He’s alive! Da-ge’s back!”

Huaisang slammed the letter on the table, reaching for the nearby inkbrush, quickly grinding some ink to circle letters on the page. There, written in an otherwise standard letter reminding Huaisang to mind his studies and practice his saber, was the phrase: Do Not Trust Meng Yao.

TO BE CONTINUED....

[bloody-bee-tea]

If you ever feel like it, I would love to see a fic for the scenario where wwx and jyl call jc after a family dinner only to find out that their parents didn't invite him. I loved all your bad parents + jc fics! My favourite so far was the mingxicheng one, where madame yu made jc leave them for 3yrs! And the series where lxc saves jc from zidian and takes him to cloud recesses has a special place in my heart (first cql fic ive ever read!)

BeeTober 2020 Day 15

Spite - Golden

Day 15 of BeeTober 2020 finally gives me an excuse to finish this wip that has been laying around for far too long now. Have some family feels between these three siblings!

Jiang Cheng is enjoying a rare, quiet evening at home, when his phone rings.

He put it on the table when he swaddled himself in a blanket, and it’s biting him in the ass now, because he not only has to unwrap himself, but he also has to stretch uncomfortably to reach the phone.

When he half slides off the couch in the process, Jiang Cheng figures it would have been easier to simply stand up, but by then the phone is in his hands.

Nuisance it says, and Jiang Cheng groans into the couch.

He was having a calm evening. He does not want to talk to Wei Wuxian, who will upend Jiang Cheng’s tranquillity.

Jiang Cheng is still debating weather he should mute his phone or not, when it suddenly lights up again, but this time it says A-jie.

There is no way in hell that Jiang Cheng wouldn’t pick up when Jiang Yanli is calling but seeing her name on the phone so shortly after Wei Wuxian’s makes Jiang Cheng panic.

“Is everyone alright?” Jiang Cheng asks as soon as he accepted the call and when Wei Wuxian huffs at the other end of the line, Jiang Cheng feels betrayed.

“So you have time to answer shi-jie, but not me?” Wei Wuxian asks and Jiang Cheng rolls his eyes.

“You know I love her more,” he gives back, laughing at Wei Wuxian’s indignant squeak. “What do you want?” Jiang Cheng asks once Wei Wuxian calmed down and he feels slightly betrayed when he realizes that his siblings are together and didn’t even ask him to join them.

Jiang Cheng tries to push that thought away, because they are allowed to spend time together without him—of course they are—but Jiang Cheng has a hard time fighting his insecurities.

“What are you doing?” Wei Wuxian asks and Jiang Cheng looks down at his blanket.

“Nothing?” he asks, because he doesn’t think it warrants being said that he is a slob tonight.

There is a very icy silence from Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng frowns.

“Why?” Jiang Cheng carefully asks, already on the defense.

“What do you mean ‘nothing’?” Wei Wuxian snaps and Jiang Cheng shrugs, even though Wei Wuxian can’t see him.

“I mean, I’m on the couch, about to start my second movie?” Jiang Cheng unsurely gives back.

“You stupid asshole,” Wei Wuxian seethes and before Jiang Cheng can react to that Wei Wuxian snaps out “Just stay where the fuck you are,” before he simply hangs up on Jiang Cheng.

Jiang Cheng is left to stare at his phone, wondering what that was all about, before he remembers that Jiang Yanli must have been with Wei Wuxian.

He clicks into his conversation with her and quickly types out Is everything alright?

It doesn’t take her long to answer, but when Jiang Cheng gets the message, he feels as confused as before.

Yes. Stay where you are!

As if he was going to leave his blanket nest, Wei Wuxian’s mood be damned.

It takes them almost half an hour to get to Jiang Cheng’s apartment, and when they ring, Jiang Cheng stays on the couch.

They are being cryptic, and rude for no reason, and they interrupted Jiang Cheng’s relaxing evening; so just to spite them Jiang Cheng makes them search for their own keys instead of getting up and opening the door for them.

Jiang Cheng can hear Wei Wuxian curse before he even gets the door open, and Jiang Yanli’s calming murmur is not far behind, but still, Jiang Cheng is entirely unprepared for the way Wei Wuxian storms into his living-room.

“What the fuck,” Wei Wuxian says first thing when he sees Jiang Cheng all bundled up on the couch, and Jiang Cheng glares at him, because he told him that was what he was doing.

There really is no need to be this surprised by it.

“What?” Jiang Cheng asks, directing the question more to Jiang Yanli than Wei Wuxian, because she’s bound to be the more helpful one here, but Wei Wuxian steps between them.

“Have you been doing this all evening?” Wei Wuxian asks and his voice is so accusing that Jiang Cheng immediately bristles.

He’s allowed to take the evening off, thank you very much.

“Yes,” he bites out, not bothering to explain anything, as long as Wei Wuxian doesn’t tell him what has him worked up like that.

“And you think this was more important than coming to family dinner? Where Uncle Jiang announced that he’ll be stepping down soon? Really?” Wei Wuxian demands to know and Jiang Cheng goes ice cold all over.

“Family dinner,” Jiang Cheng repeats and he starts to tremble all over.

“Yes, for fucks sake. The one you couldn’t attend because you’re so ‘busy’,” Wei Wuxian bites out, but Jiang Yanli puts a calming hand to his arm.

“A-Cheng?” she asks, clearly picking up on Jiang Cheng’s mood, but Jiang Cheng is already untangling himself from his blanket.

“I need to be alone,” Jiang Cheng says, and he feels very removed from his own body.

He’s cold all over, and he thinks he’s still shaking faintly but he barely registers it. All he knows is that he needs to be alone right this moment.

So he gets up and walks past Wei Wuxian and Jiang Yanli without looking at them, and then he makes a beeline for his bedroom.

He feels like he’s frozen, rather than angry, and so he closes the door behind him with a soft click instead of throwing it shut and then he simply stands in the middle of his bedroom for a moment, before he walks over to the bed and crawls under the blanket there.

He pulls it up over his head, and then he simply stares into nothing.

A family dinner. Where his father made a very big announcement.

And Jiang Cheng wasn’t even invited.

That thought finally breaks through his shock and his eyes start to burn with tears.

He always knew that Wei Wuxian was his father’s golden boy and that Jiang Yanli would always be the most beloved by his parents, but to think that his parents didn’t even ask him to this family dinner cuts deeper than Jiang Cheng could have ever imagined.

Jiang Cheng curls up into a small ball and presses his face into the mattress, overly aware of the hot tears that slide out of his eyes.

When his door opens, Jiang Cheng startles. He forgot that Wei Wuxian and Jiang Yanli were still in his apartment and he wishes they would just leave him alone.

He doesn’t want them to see him fall apart.

“A-Cheng,” Jiang Yanli says, and her voice is soft and careful.

“Don’t fucking coddle him,” Wei Wuxian mutters, clearly still angry, but Jiang Yanli doesn’t pay him any attention.

“A-Cheng, did you not know about family dinner?” Jiang Yanli carefully asks and Jiang Cheng presses his eyes closed even harder than before.

“What?” Wei Wuxian gasps and Jiang Cheng can just imagine how he shakes his head. “But Uncle Jiang said Jiang Cheng couldn’t make it because he was busy!”

“A-Cheng?” Jiang Yanli carefully prods him again and Jiang Cheng feels how she sits down on the bed. “Did you know about it?”

“No,” Jiang Cheng croaks out and he hates how his voice breaks.

There’s a horrified gasp, most likely coming from Wei Wuxian, and Jiang Cheng curls up tighter.

“What do you mean ‘no’?” Wei Wuxian repeats and now the familiar anger bubbles up in Jiang Cheng.

He flings his blanket away as he sits up, not caring that the tears are still streaming down his face as he glares hard at Wei Wuxian.

“I mean that no one fucking told me about family dinner tonight,” he hisses out and he cannot stand to look at Jiang Yanli, because he can imagine the heart breaking look on her face and that is already bad enough.

“No one told you,” Wei Wuxian whispers, the disbelieve clear in his voice. “But Uncle Jiang said you couldn’t make it!”

“Right,” Jiang Cheng bitterly says. “And no one ever lies in this family,” he tacks on and looks down at his hands.

He’s still shaking, he notes, and that’s rather unfair, because shaking implies that he’s feeling something. But all Jiang Cheng can feel is a pitch black hole, right where his heart is supposed to be.

He knows that his parents don’t like him, knows that his father prefers Wei Wuxian and that his mother thinks him useless and worthless, but to have it thrown in his face like that still hurts more than Jiang Cheng could have ever imagined.

“We didn’t know,” Wei Wuxian says, just as Jiang Yanli pulls him into a hug.

Jiang Cheng doesn’t have the strength to fight her hands on him, and so he falls into her deceptively strong arms.

“It doesn’t matter,” Jiang Cheng mutters, because his parents were going to do whatever they fucking pleased.

“It does matter,” Jiang Yanli determinedly says and presses a kiss to Jiang Cheng’s head. “You’re family, and what they did was despicable.”

Jiang Cheng wants to cry and break down and agree, but all he does is ask “What were the big news again?”

“Uncle Jiang is stepping down soon,” Wei Wuxian says, just as he plasters himself to Jiang Cheng’s back. “He wants to announce the next CEO soon.”

Jiang Cheng huffs out a humourless laugh, because with how today went, you don’t need to be a genius to realize that it will not be Jiang Cheng’s name he announces to the world soon.

“Congratulations,” Jiang Cheng bitterly says and he feels how Wei Wuxian shakes his head.

“No. I won’t take that position. He never asked me, and it’s not right. I won’t do it.”

“Well, I won’t do it either,” Jiang Cheng gives back, because he has no intention of accepting that position as a second choice.

Either his father wants him to lead the company or he can go look for an heir elsewhere.

“Good,” Jiang Yanli says, and it’s so surprising that Jiang Cheng moves out of her arms.

“What?” he asks, because usually Jiang Yanli is the one to mediate between all of them, and to keep the peace in their family.

But going by the dark look on her face, she’s over that now.

“This will be the last dinner we attend with them,” she says and pulls Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian back into her arms. “I’m tired of seeing them fight, and of hurting you two. We’re not going back there.”

“It won’t be quite that easy,” Jiang Cheng says, because he knows his parents. They have ways to make their life hell, if they don’t do as they say.

“It will be. I will not allow them to hurt you further,” Jiang Yanli decides and Wei Wuxian is quick to agree.

“We’ll make our own family dinners,” he decides and puts an arm around Jiang Cheng as well. “Once a week, and we will never invite them.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Jiang Cheng chokes out, fighting with his tears again, but for completely different reasons now. “I don’t want to see you that often.”

“Hey,” Wei Wuxian yells and then topples them all over when he tries to tickle Jiang Cheng in retaliation.

Jiang Yanli moves out of the way, though she doesn’t do anything to stop them and simply watches on.

Wei Wuxian’s clever fingers find all of Jiang Cheng’s weak spots and soon enough he’s crying he’s laughing so hard and once the tears start, he can’t seem to stop, so it turns into pitiful sobs soon enough.

It seems like Jiang Yanli and Wei Wuxian simply waited for that, because they bracket him in on either side, and simply hold him while he cries and cries.

“We’re your family, A-Cheng,” Wei Wuxian whispers and Jiang Yanli presses a kiss to his head.

“And we don’t need them,” she agrees and Jiang Cheng clings desperately to both of them.

It still hurts, to know that his parents wouldn’t even think to ask him to come to a family dinner, but with his siblings at his side, it’s almost bearable.

“I love you,” Jiang Cheng chokes out when his sobs started to die down and Jiang Yanli and Wei Wuxian are quick to return the sentiment.

It’s not enough, not right now with the hurt so fresh, but Jiang Cheng knows that he can count on them, always.

And in a week he might also believe them when they say they love him, but right now he needs to wallow and be coddled.

And Jiang Yanli and Wei Wuxian seem more than ready to do whatever Jiang Cheng needs.

 Link to my ko-fi on the sidebar!

[redafi]

dont make me choose i love most of them… for various reasons

Like mo xuanyu? i love his vibes, he’s adorable in fanon, and he was a key point in bring wangxian back together so like… i love him

Nie huaisang, i love him because i love smart characters so much, i dont even know why. Just look at him he could stab you and youd never see it coming, i love that. Sneaky boi.

Jiang yanli? She isnt really characterized much in the book—i actually saw a meta post about why once, no idea if i could find it again but its basically that shes depicted as more of a memory—but she is such a mom. I mean, shes trapped in a bad situation with her family—eldest sibling syndrome oh no— and i know she can seem kind of naive because of… various reasons. But she is also lovely and i love how she shows her strength through kindness. She has her flaws and is wonderful all the same.

Lan xichen i can get a bit annoyed at, but that doesnt mean i dont love him to absolute bits at the same time. Supportive brother for the win! Outside of the leadership position part, i can see a lot of myself in lan xichen, particularly in the… more naive portrayals of him lol. My heart breaks a little for him, because it turns out the one of the only people he had left wasnt a good person after all, and then he was tricked into killing that friend before he even had a chance to come to terms with the betrayal. So sad, i love him. i also love in early wangxian aus where he matchmakes wangxian >:)

Then there is mianmian. She is so great; took one look at the absolute bull happening in the cultivation world’s politics, went ”youre all stupid” and left it all behind even though it jeopardized her future and endangered her life—i cant imagine its easy to be a rogue cultivator without backup

And wen qing as well of course! i love her, she is very smart, sticks to her morals and just *gestures at wen qing*. She Is Awesome. Never offend a doctor.

then theres lan sizhui, and wen ning, and jin zixuan (hes so awkward, i know hes supposed to be a peacock but honestly i think of him as a duck. Funky lil guys, they have no idea what theyre doing. This is probably not accurate for ducks but ignore it, its just how i think of ducks) and some of the characterizations for wen ruohan are so freaking interesting (i read a few fics where he was wwx’s grandfather and figured it out at a conference because wwx looks like his grandmother/wen ruohan’s first wife/cangse sanrens mom. So interesting, none of them were completed, i am still sad about it) and then theres also lan jingyi, and jin ling, and ouyang zizhen. Nie mingjue is a great big brother and maybe the best parental figure in the story. Jiang cheng is so angry, he reminds me of my sibling (they/them). I acknowledge late canon jiang cheng but i prefer fanon jc lol. Lan qiren in fics where wwx joins the lan sect (in fix its) is such a great teacher and i wish i had a teacher like that.

Honestly i love mdzs because of the characters, i dont know how to pick one T-T

who’s the best mdzs character and why is it wen qing