Chapter Text
“Did you know? My uncle actually has nothing against cut-sleevery.”
The four youths were in Carp Tower, chewing on steamed sweet potatoes courtesy of its sect master. Jin Ling was taking a break from sect master activities, lounging around with his friends with Fairy in his lap.
“What do you mean by that?” asked Lan Jingyi with his mouth full. He wasn’t in Gusu, so he observed none of its many rules that evening. Sometimes the rascal even drank a cup of wine or two.
“It’s exactly as I said,” replied Jin Ling, putting his potato down and stroking Fairy. “My uncle doesn’t actually hate Hanguang-Jun and Wei Wuxian being together. He’s just often angry and says a lot of nonsense he doesn’t mean.”
“Jin Rulan, you truly are brave!” laughed Ouyang Zizhen, clapping. “Only you would dare talk about the Sandu Shengshou like that!”
“Hmph,” Jin Ling snorted, a proud grin on his face. “Until today he’s only ever threatened to do this and that to me, but not actually do it. I’m not stupid, you know! My legs are still intact!”
“What about you?” shot Lan Jingyi. “Jin Ling, didn’t you have a problem with it before?”
“Well…” said Jin Ling, leaning back against a large pillow. “I might have, back then. But you know, the more you see that Wei Wuxian and Hanguang-Jun going around acting so shamelessly, the more you become… what’s that word…”
“Desensitized?” offered Ouyang Zizhen, finishing the last of his sweet potato. Jin Ling nodded.
“That’s the word,” said Jin Ling, scratching Fairy’s ear. “You get used to it.”
“I was really put off by the whole thing at one point,” admitted Lan Jingyi. “Sizhui just takes everything in stride, though.”
Lan Sizhui laughed and shook his head. He didn’t speak while he ate, unlike the unruly Lan Jingyi, so he didn’t join them in their conversation until now, only listening in silence and rapt attention.
“Hanguang-Jun and Senior Wei are like family to me,” said Lan Sizhui, his mild and calm smile placid and comforting like a lake. “If they are together, that works for me too. How do I put it… they’re like parents to me?”
“One’s the good parent, and one’s the bad one,” complained Lan Jingyi. “Just the other day, Wei Wuxian ate all my chestnuts. Said it was punishment for writing my report wrong. Honestly, why can’t everyone be like Hanguang-Jun?”
“I disagree! I don’t want any more people to be like Hanguang-Jun!” exclaimed Jin Ling, sitting up in a panic. The others waved at him and laughed.
“By the way, Jin Ling, why did you mention your uncle so suddenly?” asked Lan Sizhui curiously. It was so out of the blue that it stood out from all their conversation topics that evening. Ouyang Zizhen leaned closer, eager to find out as well. Only Lan Jingyi laid back against a cushion, eating yet another potato noisily.
“That…” Jin Ling went red and looked away. “Well, actually I… brought something up to him. I thought he’d get angry, but he didn’t. He sighed and sighed a lot, though. That’s when he explained to me that he didn’t hate cut-sleevery itself and not to take notice of what he says.”
“That’s strange, I mean, coming from that Sect Master Jiang…” remarked Lan Jingyi, a whole sweet potato in his mouth. In his hand he held another one. “Has he gone senile?”
“Jingyi!” Lan Sizhui cautioned.
“People change over time,” commented Ouyang Zizhen easily. “Feelings change too. What you didn’t like before you might now like. Such are the tides of life.”
Jin Ling looked at him at wonder, then smiled, his round, pretty face lighting up for a second.
“Zizhen’s right as usual,” he said. “Feelings change over time. I’ve become a sect master now, and I’m comfortable with this role too. With most things in place, nowadays my uncle is quite relaxed as well. He just seems a bit depressed now and then, but overall, he’s quite alright.”
“I didn’t know he was feeling depressed,” Lan Jingyi sat up, his eyes going round. “I always thought he was just quiet… you know, kind of like the sky before there’s a storm.”
“I suppose he’s just lonely,” Jin Ling cupped his chin thoughtfully, one hand on Fairy’s neck. “He keeps looking at this old trinket that he won’t talk about. Everyone around him has found love too. Wei Wuxian is with Hanguang-Jun, before that, my mother had gotten married to my father, and then there’s myself…”
“You, sect mistress? You’re in love with someone!?” shouted Lan Jingyi, pointing at Jin Ling with a sweet potato. “How can this be? Who’s this unfortunate soul!?”
“Shut up!” roared Jin Ling, red as a lantern, leaning forward and balling his fists. “Who’s unfortunate?”
“Now, now, don’t fight, don’t fight,” admonished Lan Sizhui gently, tugging Lan Jingyi back firmly.
On the other end, Ouyang Zizhen held Jin Ling back, rubbing his back soothingly. Feeling this, Jin Ling looked at the taller youth’s face and flushed. Slowly, he settled down, hugging Fairy petulantly. His eyes kept darting back to Ouyang Zizhen.
Lan Sizhui noticed all of this but didn’t say anything. He coughed into his hand.
“Jin Ling, thank you for having us, but I’m afraid we must go now,” announced Lan Sizhui, getting up. “We need to be back at the Cloud Recesses before we’re missed. We have duties early tomorrow.”
“I’ll see you off,” offered Jin Ling, about to haul himself up, but Lan Sizhui pushed him down to sit.
“You stay here with Zizhen,” said Lan Sizhui with a smile. “Jingyi and I have been here so often. We know the way; we can see ourselves out. Goodbye, Jin Ling, Zizhen.”
“Oh, alright,” said Jin Ling, leaning back again. “See you again, Sizhui, Jingyi.”
“Bye, sect mistress,” Lan Jingyi grinned cheekily at his friend. “Goodbye, Zizhen! See you next month!”
“The upcoming summit will be held in the Cloud Recesses next week, you insect brain!” Jin Ling rolled his eyes. “Lan Jingyi, I’ll buy you some gingko on my next trip.”
“You!!” Lan Jingyi raised his fist as he was dragged away by Lan Sizhui. Soon it was quiet again in the small private hall, punctuated only by sounds of quiet chatting.
Flying back at breakneck speed, the two Lan Sect youths speedily arrived back at Gusu. Prepping themselves and hurrying to bed, Lan Sizhui and Lan Jingyi rose early the next day.
It was Lan Sizhui’s turn to head an inspection and clean out a nearby cave at the back forest of the mountains, ridding it of undesirable creatures or rogue cultivators. He brought with him Lan Jingyi and three other junior disciples and together they entered the cavern.
Suddenly one of the junior disciples gasped and froze. A ring of light had appeared – he had accidentally stepped on a portal array!
“Move quickly!” called Lan Sizhui in alarm, pushing him away. The disciple stumbled backwards – and in an instant, Lan Sizhui disappeared in a bright flash!