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Lan Jingyi knows Lan Sizhui. That’s what he confidently tells himself.
They met when they were four, and they were, remarkably so, inseparable since. Although many rumours circled Gusu Lan regarding Sizhui’s blurry past, none of those stopped Jingyi from making friends with the once timid and frail boy. They may seem opposites, but they’re more alike than most people would think, only that Sizhui is this calm river, while he always has too many words to say -- just like a storm out of season.
It didn’t surprise him when his companion rose to become one of Gusu Lan’s most talented and respectable disciples. Of course, he would not expect any less from the boy who is closest to being the esteemed Hanguang Jun’s child.
It couldn’t be helped that growing up, many would liken Lan Sizhui to Hanguang Jun. Old Lan Qiren would wear an unreadable expression every time he catches such praises, but he does not dismiss them either. Once they reached the age that they could learn the Guqin, scholars complimented Sizhui left and right, saying that his fingers were strong and gentle just like Hanguang Jun, while his notes melodious just like the pitter of snow.
Many others followed thereafter. Sizhui was good at writing poems too, so one day, they sent some of his works to Zewu Jun, who in turn smiled warmly and patted a blushing Sizhui on the head.
“Did you know that Wangji first wrote about rabbits too?”
For Jingyi, that was a turning point. It was the decisive moment of what was factual and what would die as just another rumor. It seems the latter was not the case.
Other children then went on to make friends with Sizhui, and the boy would just smile shyly the entire time. Jingyi remembers how Sizhui looked at him from the crowd, brows pulled together too worriedly for a toddler’s face, and Jingyi doesn’t know (or would not admit) what occurred to him to turn his heels away that time — but right when he was about to do just that, Sizhui had already grabbed him by the arm and they slipped away.
They ran away to a place he hasn’t seen before — white rabbits looking like plump clouds spotting the ground, and they flopped amongst the softness.
Jingyi couldn’t help but ask why. Sizhui smiled, but unlike the previous one, this one was so bright Jingyi was scared his skin would melt.
“I wanted to play with you.” Sizhui giggled, “Just you."
From that moment on, Jingyi swore to the stars and all the stuffed bears he had that he will be Sizhui’s best best friend.
So he knows Sizhui, and all of his habits.
On one, bountiful night, he overheard the chuckling maidens say that Lan Sizhui wanted them to leave the kitchen momentarily. Jingyi could not stop the spreading grin on his face, immediately skipping to where the women had just left.
He knew Lan Sizhui was not fond of tonight’s dinner. He finished it with ease, yes, but he was not Lan Jingyi, the self-proclaimed best partner-in-everything of Sizhui, for nothing.
Hanguang Jun and Sizhui are not particularly picky eaters. But Sizhui, oh Sizhui — he does have his moments, and Jingyi had been a constant companion in all the times Sizhui looked for something else to eat.
He never once saw (or caught) Hanguang Jun do that, but he can see the similarity somehow. People would usually follow it up with how Sizhui holds his chopsticks just like Hanguang Jun, and how he chews just like him, making not a single sound. However, Jingyi wonders if he truly enjoys the bland food as much as Hanguang Jun. Was he truly someone who did not have a preference at all? He already had his suspicions the moment he saw Sizhui smile at whatever it was that Wei Wuxian concocted for him, and it grew even larger when he noticed Sizhui not budge an inch when they ate spicy stir fry that one time downtown.
Lan Jingyi knows Sizhui, but tonight -- he's ready to know more.
Lan Jingyi made sure his steps were quiet, and he peeked through a small slit through the kitchen door. He bit his lip to stop himself from laughing, already thinking about how he’s going to tease Sizhui for catching him make another dinner for himself right after not liking what he ate. For some reason, he’s also a little happy that Sizhui is still his own person. All that’s left to wonder is what Sizhui will be making.
Lan Jingyi doesn’t know what’s making him so curious. He could definitely just barge in and watch his friend yelp in surprise but tonight — tonight he would wait. He would wait for Lan Sizhui, the favoured disciple, to revel in his own element when no one is looking.
Could it be just snacks, like the sugar candies Sizhui said to avoid? Or perhaps something spicy just like the cursed congee by Senior Wei?
Jingyi bites his lip, trying to spy a little longer. He just hopes that no one would just suddenly walk by — as of the moment, he did not only look suspicious. He appeared completely mad.
Seconds pass, and he sees Sizhui get some bowls, and even a wooden plate. 'So he is going to cook something.' He giggles, but all those are halted once he realised something else was going on, and it’s beginning to leave him speechless.
Sizhui began chopping a lotus root (where did he get that from? Jin Ling?) , then he shredded at least five carrots, before boiling them all together in a clear broth. That was pretty ordinary until he removed all the soup, straining the lotus root first then grinding them into a paste — which, would’ve taken long if it were a lot — before scooping up the carrots.
“Well, is he going to make a dumpling? Fry something? What’s next —“ Jingyi’s eyes almost fell off their sockets once he saw the fresh grass jelly being laid out by Lan Sizhui.
'No you’re not.'
Sizhui placed some sweet jelly on a plate, then proceeded to put some of the lotus paste and boiled carrots over it. He takes the fermented chilli paste of dubious origin and spreads them on top too.
Just like that, he ate them.
What the fuck, is what Jingyi would say, if the word fuck existed that time.
Sizhui has his weird moments. The organised disciple who would take perfect reports every morning ironically likes to keep a corner of his room messy with random trinkets and gifts from the people around him. He would not bother keeping them at all — Sizhui says he likes to see it displayed from the desk where he writes at, and he would sit in that corner when he’s tired. (Did Jingyi mention that the corner is mostly of bunnies?)
The boy who leads their night hunts would forget simple things like dinner, and so he would have to complain that he’s hungry just so he could drag the boy to eat with him. Sizhui who is always so galant, who is way more mature for his age, can sometimes be tricked by the vendors into buying small crafts double the price, but he couldn’t blame him because no one ever told him otherwise — Hanguang Jun paid for it anyway, and so Sizhui had probably thought that it’s cheap.
But none of those tops tonight, and all Jingyi could blame this all to is that Senior Wei who raised him during the first damn years of his life. This is the result of the Yiling Patriarch’s parenting!
He’s heard that said Wei Wuxian eats weirdly, as gossiped by the maidens of the house, who would request them weird things from time to time other than the regular requests for Emperor’s Smile. They said that he’d ask for stinky tofu with goat cheese and chilli oil, sometimes plain rice noodles with Gusu’s rogue fruit jam and chilli flakes.
He would’ve thought that the patriarch was pregnant, and was in fact very, very close into believing that — until he saw this, and maybe, just maybe — it is a passed on trait.
So the next day, during their Friday night hunt with Senior Wei and Hanguang Jun, Jingyi narrows his eyes to Sizhui the entire time. “Lan sizhui, I may actually not know you at all.”
Sizhui, who has been cleaning his sword, stops to look at him. “What do you mean?”
“You may be an entirely different person, for all we know.” Jingyi almost pouts.
“What is this rat talking about? Why is he being so depressing so early in the morning.” An annoyed voice comes from behind him. Jingyi has to hold himself back with his spiritual energy from trying to snap back.
“Sizhui, were you ever, ever forced to eat strange things?”
“No?”
“Did you ever see someone eat said strange things?”
“I don’t remember.”
“So stupid.” The voice says yet again, and Jingyi caves in.
"What's this about?" Ouyang Zizhen blinks an eye open, sheepishly yawning from his slumber.
“Say that to my face again and I will kick you back to Lanling Jin.” Jin Ling just sticks his tongue out. Zizhen laughs, "I know a certain someone who would break your legs if you even think about it."
"Zizhen, I like you better when you're asleep."
Jin Ling interjects, “Are you trying to be scary, Lan stupid?”
“You -
“Oh, now that you said it, I think I do remember someone eating strange things. Why do you ask?” Sizhui sheathes his sword back.
Lan Jingyi widens his eyes, curious. “Really?”
“Yeah, back in the day.” Lan Sizhui giggled, bring his sleeved arm to his mouth.
“Oh, I know. It’s all because —“
“I saw someone eat grass jelly with carrots before. I asked what it tasted like over and over again until they gave in and made me try. It’s honestly…not so bad. I was probably around four.” Lan Sizhui rambles. Jin Ling’s features folds in a way that it’s the most incredulous thing Jingyi had ever seen, and even the young mistress could not say anything back to that.
“Why do you ask, Jingyi?” Sizhui smiles fondly.
Jingyi sighs. Ah — so there really are people like that. Strange, crazy people. Senior Wei truly is — wait.
“—you were four?” Jingyi’s tone is serious.
“Yes.”
“That’s actually so gross, it could compete with Jingyi just a little.” Jin Ling had blatantly insulted him, but somehow he’s not in the right mindset to still kick his spoiled self back to Carp tower.
“I met you when we were four.”
Sizhui nods, “Yes?”
“Bless him, he’s already having memory gaps.” Jin Ling fans himself.
“That someone is….” Lan Jingyi tried to connect the dots — no, he hasn’t really connected them — but Lan Sizhui’s not very secretive, enamoured laugh was enough to confirm it. The picture of a respected cultivator he may know so well doing what should not be named casually just blew Jingyi away. He would’ve stumbled back then and there if it weren’t for Jin Ling behind him, who he knew would — without a second thought — let him fall straight to the ground. He could only stare.
“Ducklings! Over here!” Senior Wei calls them from afar. As always, Hanguang Jun stood silently behind him.
“Finally, a night hunt before I lose my mind!” Jin Ling stomps ahead of them. Lan Sizhui follows calmly, the affection in his features not subsiding.
Zizhen jerks awake, "Hey, wait for me!"
Lan Jingyi then sighs in defeat. Whoever it is to blame for how his best friend had turned out, he may never know. Though, he did learn three things today: First is that Lan Sizhui might just be Wei Wuxian and Hanguang Jun’s biological son,
the second is that both Senior Wei and Hanguang Jun are unquestionably peculiar, and third,
Sizhui lifts his shoulders just slightly when he’s happy -- kind of like Senior Wei, but still subtle like Hanguang Jun. He does it all the time when those two are around too. He wouldn’t admit it but, it’s probably one of his favourite things to see.