Work Text:
The waterways around Lotus Pier are nothing like the vast East Ocean Lan Wangji calls home. In comparison, they are muddy little eddies carved out of jade green fields, but the bustling marketplace Lan Wangji and his brother are wandering through relies heavily on this river for their trade.
“你们究竟是东海龙王的侄子。You are, after all, the nephews of the East Ocean Dragon King,” Lan Qiren had reminded them. “在红尘，行为必要崇尚礼法。Conduct yourself with decorum in the mortal realm.”
The two dragon princes, in their human forms, have been sent here by their uncle to speak to a local river deity. They pass sellers hawking their wares, hailing both of them. Xichen’s smile is benign, while Wangji casts a disinterested eye over the lively atmosphere.
“卖莲蓬！Selling lotus pods!” they hear a young man cry. “新鲜又甜的莲蓬！Fresh and sweet lotus pods!”
Wangji glances over in the direction of this new voice. Its owner is sitting along a pier, surrounded by basketfuls of picked lotus pods. His sleeves are rolled up to his elbows, his trousers pushed back to his thighs. He tries not to stare, but...
The young man catches his eye, holds out a peeled lotus seed towards him.
“呃，这位公子，来，试一个！ Eh, this young master, come, try one!”
Wangji turns back to his brother, who smiles and nods. He takes it and pops it into his mouth.
It is sweet, as promised, nothing like he’s ever tasted before. His eyes widen in surprise, and the young man says, “你看！我不是说了吗？我卖的是极品。You see! Didn’t I say? I sell only the good stuff.”
He picks up a long-stemmed lotus pod and hands it to Wangji with a wide, toothy grin.
“算你这么英俊的份上，这个送你吧！Since you’re so handsome, this one's for you!”
Handsome?
Lan Wangji has never thought of himself as handsome. But the young man before him is, he thinks, with his sunny smile and charming features.
He stares blankly at the lotus pod seller, who cocks his head to one side.
“怎么啦？ 我说错了吗？这位公子美貌如仙！有眼的人都看的出。What? Am I wrong? This young master’s beauty is celestial! Anyone with eyes can see that.”
Behind him, he hears his brother chuckle.
“既然这位少年如此大方，你就收下吧，忘机。Since this young man is so generous, why don’t you accept his gift, Wangji.”
Wangji just about manages to reach out and take the lotus pod by the stem. “多谢。Many thanks,” he mumbles.
“不客气！You’re welcome!” the young man laughs, and it sounds like the beautiful chime of cowrie shells. “吃完后，回来啊。这里还有好多。When you finish it, come back. There’s more where that came from.”
“告辞。Farewell,” Wangji mutters, before he drifts back to Xichen’s side.
“我等你呀，帅哥。I’ll be waiting for you, handsome,” the young man coos at him, then gives him a roguish wink, and Wangji’s brain grinds to a halt.
“我们办完事后，还有时间回来。After we conclude our business, we still have time to come back,” Xichen suggests to his younger brother. “想吃的话，我买给你。If you want to eat some, I’ll buy more for you.”
“不-不必。N-no need,” he hears Wangji stutter, for the first time since he was a boy.
“待会儿吧。Maybe later then,” Xichen says, hiding a grin, as they walk away from the young man.
“魏无羡！又在抛媚眼是吗？Wei Wuxian! Are you flirting again?”
Jiang Cheng smacked his brother upside the head as he returned to the pier.
“哎呀, 江澄, 你打我干嘛？Aiya, Jiang Cheng, why’d you hit me?” whined Wei Wuxian with a pout.
“如果又被阿娘看到的话，她一定活活抽死你。If A-Niang sees you doing that again, she’s going to whip you to death,” warned Jiang Cheng.
“你没看到刚路过的那位公子。You didn’t see that young master who just went past,” replied Wei Wuxian with a smirk. “我这辈子从没看过那么秀色可餐的美男子。I've never seen such a beautiful man in my life.”
Jiang Cheng snorted. “你每一周都说这句废话。You say this rubbish every week.”
“我说真的！I’m serious!” Wei Wuxian raised his hand. “我发誓。你等他回来就瞧吧。I swear. You wait until he comes back and see.”
“你继续等，我还有别的事。 You can keep waiting, I have better things to do.” Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes. “呐，肉包给你。Na, meat bun for you.”
Jiang Cheng handed his brother his midday meal, then added, “还有，你不要一看到美人就送走我们的莲蓬！这样怎么做生意？And stop giving away our lotus pods to every pretty person you see! How are we supposed to do business like this?”
“好了， 好了， 别啰嗦。Alright, alright, stop nagging.” Wei Wuxian pouted, before stuffing his face with a steaming meat bun.