The Love of a child

A Lan Deal

Woohoo! I'm back, been a while, truly. I have a new wave of inspiration coming at me. So here, let's not dwelve further, let us go and read this out !

Chapter 8 :          A Lan Deal.

Wen Yuan was... how to say it ? He was bored. So bored... Wen Qing and Wei WuXian were treating him as if he were a kid ! Which he was but... The town was full of activities, there was so much to do, Wei WuXian himself didn't know where to help anymore. His priority was still to bring Wen Ning back, worried as he was, though he didn't show it to Wen Yuan. Wen Qing was always with the disabled, trying to help them the best she could after the damages made by the Jin clan. Then there were the uncles, who busied themselves with the new plantations. Wen Yuan knew he should help. Nobody let him. He could always try and shower Wei WuXian with the love his childhood lacked, but there the man was, so deep in thoughts at all times nothing could get past his barriers.

His only option left was to wander around, keeping track of what was happening outside, which was kind of difficult since all the adults seemed like they united against him to let him in the dark. He could always ask around about how they did come to this, he would be fully able to decipher their sugarcoated explanations. The more he knew about the past, the more he could understand the present, and the more he could subtly help those crook-minded adults. However...

He couldn't bring himself to, with how his family acted when they heard about the Jin or the Sunshot campain. He had absolutely no idea how difficult it must have had been for them. In the future, and Lan SiZhui's memories, Lan WangJi never talked much about it, and Wei WuXian had been just like a stone when those events were mentioned, never letting an ounce of emotion pass his facade.At that time, Lan SiZhui didn't insist.

He should have.

Though if he knew one thing, and it was about this day. It was maybe the only thing his adoptive parents told him about the time when he was just a kid. Wei WuXian always laughed about it, and Lan WangJi had had his ears turning red almost everytime, except when he decided to ignore his husband.

- Today is...

- WuXian ! Where are you heading to ?

The voice came from outside. Wen Yuan didn't need anymore reflexion by now to tell it was Wen Qing's. His head perked up from the rock-table in the Demon-Slaughtering Cave. Next was his future father voice replying to his aunt :

- To the town, Wen Qing. Inspiration doesn't come, I need some fresh air.

- Wait a second ! While you're there, don't forget to buy some food ! We're out of supplies.

- Alright, I'm off-...

Wen Yuan ran to him, whining miserably as the kid he was supposed to be :

- Wait for me ! I want to go with you ! Please, bring me with you ! Xian-gege !

Wen Qing sighed, about to say no, when Wei WuXian cut her off with a quick gesture.

- It's fine, he told her, I wanted to have him step out of the Burial Monds too. There is no sect cultivators in town, Jiang Cheng made sure not to raise any guard tour in Yiling. He'll be safe.

After a bit of convincing, Wen Qing let them go together. Wen Yuan quickly ran over to Yiling town, letting Wei WuXian behind. Said man put a hand in his hair with a fond smile. He must have thought their surroundings were perfectly safe as he didn't try to hold the toddler back. He only ordered with a playful tone :

- Don't step out of Yiling, little radish ! Else I will bury you in the corpse land first thing in the morning tomorrow !

- Alright ! replied Wen Yuan, not bothering to sound fearful or so.

Forget the smell, and it was not so bad being planted next to the radishes. He had nothing to be afraid of. Anyway, now, before Wei WuXian could reduce the distance, he had to find... Lan WangJi ! He heard his parents met back in front of a tavern, they showed it to him when they eventually came to Yiling to solve a case. If Lan WangJi was not inside, he must have just entered the town.

As he was looking for the recognisable man, he started planning his next move. Wei WuXian had said to him he cried so loudly people surrounded them, and that was how he had found the two of them. Now, if he didn't make a ruckus like last time, Wei WuXian wouldn't be able to find them. Wen Yuan wanted some time with Lan WangJi before the both of them met. Why ? Because he knew, once Wei WuXian came into the equation, everything started going fast, and catastrophic.

There the man was, clad in white from head to toes, with the recognisable headband. He was about to enter the inn when Wen Yuan grabbed his sleeve.

- Wait ! he hissed.

Lan WangJi lowered his chin, subtle surprise hidden in his gaze. Wen Yuan smiled, and held a finger before his lips.

- Shh ! he whispered.

He then clasped his fingers around the other's wrist and dragged him in another direction. Lan WangJi was kind with children, he didn't resist the grip of the young boy. As long as he didn't break any of the three thousands rules of Cloud Recesses, he wouldn't disagree with the kid, Lan SiZhui had witnessed this weakness of his a lot of times... it was strangely similar to how he obeyed Wei WuXian's every word, he had noted. Thinking about rules... Wen Yuan didn't even know how many he broke during his time in the past. Screaming around, running, joking on others behalf... It was the character, but how he wished he could take it all back... though he kind of took a liking to quarel with his Xian-gege.

Well, now was not the time for punishment talks, he still had to introduce himself to Lan WangJi. The man was still following behind him with hidden curiosity. Wen Yuan decided they were far enough, Wei WuXian wouldn't actually go look for him outside of the town. It didn't matter if he was to stay for an entire day with the radishes, if he had this opportunity to speak with Lan WangJi.

He stopped and turned. He looked up to Lan WangJi, who was waiting for him to talk, still confused. Now Wen Yuan had to... wait. What should he say ? He definitely couldn't go and introduced himself like this : 'Hello, father, I'm your adopted son from the future, when you're married to senior Wei, and I came back in time for an unknown reason after you two died in front of me. How are you ?' No, certainly not. Yet.

Well, he should start with his name. Anyway, in a short while, Lan WangJi would surely recognise the clothes he was wearing as a part of the Wen sect. He attempted a shy smile, now that he thought about all the difficulties he already had put himself in.

- You, you are Lan WangJi. Right?

Lan WangJi nodded, but didn't reply. He was still waiting for the reason Wen Yuan brought him so far from his original goal. Wen Yuan's smile extended a bit.

- I knew it! he acted with not so faked enthusiasm. Xian-gege really is good at description! I am Wen Yuan, nice to meet you.

He joined his hands and bowed slightly. Looking up, he noticed Lan Wangji was hesitating over his future course of actions. In result, he inclined his head to greet the toddler back. The quiet Jade opened his lips to ask some question, probably, but kept them shut in the end. He waited a few seconds again, seeing Wen Yuan was still watching him expectantly. Why he was there if he was a Wen, how was Wei WuXian, if Xian-gege was Wei WuXian and so on...

- Where is your family? he settled on questioning. Are you alone in town ?

To his surprise, the child grinned. He yet again put his index before his lips as he answered with an air of secrecy:

- Xian-gege is with me... I lost him on purpose, there is still some time before he starts looking for me and being overly worried. Would you help me hide from him for a while ?

Now Lan WangJi looked at the kid with wide eyes. He opened and closed his mouth, multiple times, just like a fish.

- You lost... who?

Then, it was a smirk which appeared on Wen Yuan's lips, when he added:

- If you help me, I'll tell you a looooot of things I know about him. Deal ?