Work Text:
Wei Wuxian was a man on a mission. He needed to track down the First Jade of Lan...
"Zewu-jun! Zewu-jun!"
Lan Xichen turned around, smile gracing his features as they exchanged greetings. "Young Master Wei. How are you adjusting to the lifestyle at Cloud Recesses?"
"Uhhh, yeah. It's all good! Are you busy? I need to ask you some questions."
"I am not busy. What would you like to ask?" Lan Xichen said amiably. If he was confused, he did not show it.
Wei Wuxian whipped out a paper and a brush, and began his interrogation.
"What foods does Lan Zhan like?"
"Does Lan Zhan like furry animals?"
"Does Lan Zhan think rabbits are cute?"
"Does he have a favourite snack?"
"What does he think of this rule?"
Wei Wuxian made sure the questions weren't too personal, and Lan Xichen seemed happy to divulge the information to someone who appeared to be endeavouring to befriend his brother.
***
Exasperated
"Lan Zhan! That rule number three hundred and fifty nine, 'Do not use frivolous words.' What are frivolous words? What do you mean? What if the only way to explain something is with frivolous words? What about..."
***
Confused
"Lan Zhan! I came up with a new design for a fire talisman!"
Wei Wuxian held out a fire talisman, and Lan Wangji's keen eyes scanned it.
"There's no difference."
"Oh , but there is!" Wei Wuxian insisted, pointing at a dot on the diagram.
Lan Wangji looked even more closely at the spot indicated, brow slightly furrowed.
Of course, there was no difference in this 'new talisman'.
***
Happy
"Lan Zhan, look what I got you!"
He held out some dragon-beard candy, wrapped in paper.
Lan Wangji took the candy hesitantly, unsure if this was another prank.
"Go on, try some!"
Seemingly unable to resist the command, he daintily placed a piece of the candy in his mouth.
Wei Wuxian believed Lan Wangji was happily savouring the candy.
***
Sad
"I saw a baby rabbit once. It's mother passed away, and the baby rabbit didn't realise. It kept trying to get its mother's attention..."
Wei Wuxian could tell Lan Wangji was listening, even though he wasn't looking at him.
***
Angry
In the Library Pavilion...
Lan Wangji's eyes widened at the revealed pornography, and Wei Wuxian's ridiculous proclamations.
"Get out!"
Wei Wuxian laughed as he left his punishment.
***
Surprised
Wei Wuxian came in through the window.
***
Annoyed
Wei Wuxian was late to his punishment.
***
Happily surprised
"Sorry I'm late! I had to quickly get something for you!"
Lan Wangji looked up, expression blank.
"Here, for you!"
Lan Wangji's eyes widened slightly at the sight of the two rabbits.
***
Afraid
"Well, if you don't want them, I'll roast them."
***
Embarrassed
"Look, one of the rabbits is climbing onto the other one!"
***
Nervous
Lan Wangji sat there, lap full of fur and hands patting the rabbit's head uncertainly.
***
Content
One of the rabbits gently nibbled his finger, and Lan Wangji's eyes could not stray from the fluffy ball.
***
After each punishment and meeting with Lan Wangji, Wei Wuxian noted all of the data collected, taking great pains to draw, with great accuracy, the results of his trials.
When he finished, he passed on the completed product to Nie Huaisang to gift to his brother.
Now that his work here was done, he could continue enjoying Lan Wangji's company without trying to get a reaction out of him...
... No, it was actually fun teasing the uptight Lan disciple. He determined to continue doing so.
***
Gliding through the air smoothly on his sword, Lan Xichen felt at ease. Wangji had made a friend. He was happy.
Young Master Wei was a bit strange at first. Initially, he could see the young man bearing gifts, animatedly telling tales, frantically drawing in all corners of the Cloud Recesses. However, after he got whatever it was out of his system, the two young men seemed to be happy in each other's company. Wangji even enjoyed Young Master Wei's weird overtures.
It had been several months since Lan Xichen had seen Nie Mingjue. Landing in the Unclean Realm, he made his way with light steps.
"Xichen-ge! I wasn't expecting you!" Nie Huaisang, as though telepathically sensing his arrival, was on him the moment he stepped into the fortress. He offered a quick bow, looking pleased.
"Huaisang! I am happy that you passed the exams this time, although it will be sad not seeing you anymore at Cloud Recesses," he said.
Nie Huaisang beat his palm with his fan. "I will never tire of the beautiful Gusu scenery, and will try to visit often! Now that I've passed the exam, I think da-ge will allow me to travel more."
Lan Xichen didn't have the heart to tell the young man that his brother planned to personally oversee his saber training, and staff management training, and prose training...
"Da-ge is in a meeting at the moment, and I'm on my way out. You can wait for him in the study, he was supposed to do some work there after his meeting." Nie Huaisang bowed, and left in a hurry. Lan Xichen inferred he was fleeing his saber practice again.
As they had been good friends for a long time, Lan Xichen had always been allowed free reign in the Unclean Realm. He made his way to Nie Mingjue's study, greeting Nie disciples on the way, and let himself in.
Sitting down in the designated chairs for guests, his eyes wandered the study. Despite having been here multiple times, he still always admired the vast collection of manuals and scrolls that the Nie Sect had collected over the years.
Eyes scanning the room, he saw a book sitting on the desk. It was against Gusu-Lan rules to be nosy, but he saw the words 'Lan Wangji' on the cover of the book and had to look.
He picked up the book, shocked to see the title 'The Lan Wangji Manual'.
He flipped through the pages, eyes quickly taking in the contents. Each page had a description, followed by a drawing of his brother.
Happy
Sad
Surprised
Confused
Disappointed...
Lan Xichen smiled as he recalled a conversation the two friends had a year prior. Lan Xichen had made a comment about Nie Huaisang's emotional displays. Nie Mingjue had bemoaned the fact that he could not read Lan Xichen's younger brother at all.
The manual must be Nie Mingjue's way of trying to understand his younger brother, and to strengthen their friendship. Lan Xichen was touched by his efforts.
Flipping his way through to the end of the manual, he marvelled at the accuracy of the emotions portrayed in the drawings. Young Master Wei was a young genius indeed.
Too bad the manual did not include a drawing for 'Pining'.
Maybe Young Master Wei wasn't such a genius after all.
***
Nie Mingjue always felt relaxed after catching up with his friend. Lan Xichen was naturally a calming presence. He had seemed particularly happy this visit. It was probably something to do with that younger brother of his, who Nie Mingjue still struggled to read.
That was fine. Huaisang had promised a way to better understand the Second Jade of Lan.
'The Lan Wangji Manual'
Yes. With the manual, he would better understand the Second Jade of Lan, and would be better placed to help his friend with any sibling woes.
Holding the manual reverently in his hands, Nie Mingjue opened it to the first page, studying the drawing intently. Then the next page. Then the next. The further into the manual he looked, the faster he turned the pages, scowl deepening.
"Huaisang! The drawings are all identical!"