Chapter Text
The teacher assistant left the tea leaves a tad bit too long in his teapot and so Lan Wangji’s tea was extremely bitter this afternoon. He considered dumping the whole pot out but that would be wasteful and also disrespectful to his colleague who was being considerate towards him. But this is the reason why he is up past his usual bedtime tonight: the extra steeping of the tea leaves has given him an extra kick so even though it is 10.38 PM, Lan Wangji is still awake marking scripts for his class.
There is no rush to return the scripts but he might as well make full use of time since he is awake. Lan Wangji is an elementary school teacher in Gusu Academy. He teaches a little bit of everything to the children because he is unable to find just one subject he would like to specialise in. It did not help that his teachers and professors often complimented on how good he was at everything because that made it even harder to find a specialty. It was Lan Qiren who then suggested that he teach a little bit of everything since he could do everything so well.
He did not think that he would enjoy teaching a bunch of elementary school children and he definitely did not think that the children would like him so much as a teacher.
Nevertheless, it made educating them enjoyable.
The other thing that Lan Wangji enjoys filling his days with is the events of the Yiling Orphanage. It is an orphanage that is partnered up with Gusu Academy as well as various other organisations like the hospital Lan Xichen is working in and his husband’s police organisation. There are many people who volunteer at Yiling Orphanage who Lan Wangji has known for a very long time. Most of them he had met through Lan Qiren’s connections but the majority are also acquaintances of Lan Xichen.
28/05 10:40 PM Jin Zixuan
Hi everyone, I appreciate that it is late but I just wanted to remind all of you about tomorrow evening’s carnival. It will start at 6.00 PM but please try to arrive by 5.30 PM so that we can brief you all on what you need to be doing.
28/05 10:40PM Nie Mingjue
👍🏻
28/05 10:41PM Luo Qingyang
👍🏻Anyone coming from Lanling? Can I get a lift, please?
28/05 10:47PM Jiang Yanli
Zixuan and I will pick you up after work 👍🏻
Lan Wangji is not a fan of using emojis but is a huge fan of reacting to messages, so he holds Jin Zixuan’s message down and responds with a 👍🏻 to indicate that he has read and understood it. He does not like to respond in group chats if he can help it. Normally, unless it’s an unruly idea or if somebody tags him directly, he is silent in the group and nobody expects him to be any different.
It is now 11 PM and Lan Wangji feels the heaviness of his lids. He sets aside the stack of scripts and makes sure to cap his red pens. He gets up to brush his teeth and ensures that there are no unwashed dishes in the sink before heading to bed. Normally, he does not set an alarm because his own body has an internal one. However, there have been a few occasions where consuming too much tea like today had resulted in him rising later than usual. He unlocks his phone and sees that there is another request in the group chat for a lift:
28/05 11:04PM +88 75029 47293 ~Yiling LAOZU
Can somebody get me too, please 😁 I’ll be near Gusu painting the Cloud Recesses.
Lan Wangji has met almost everybody in the Yiling Orphanage but he does not know this “Yiling LAOZU”. He has heard a lot about an artist who is a huge hit with the children. He assumes “Yiling LAOZU” is what the children call him because he enjoys chasing them around the fields. However, they have never crossed paths because Lan Wangji volunteers on Sundays and “Yiling LAOZU” volunteers on Fridays. His brother is very fond of this artist and has many good and kind things to say about him.
Surely, this person who is so popular would be able to get someone to give him a lift. So, Lan Wangji turns his phone to “Do not disturb”, sets his alarm for 5.00 AM tomorrow, and goes to sleep under the covers.
5.00AM arrives and it feels like Lan Wangji has not really slept. He is such a person of routine that any sort of deviation from it tends to throw him off kilter. Nevertheless, he gets out of bed, washes his face, and gets ready to go for a run. Normally, he would meditate but he knows that if he meditates while being this sleepy, he would definitely oversleep.
He unlocks his phone to check that he has enough battery to take it with him so that he can listen to music on his run. The first thing he notices is that nobody has replied to “Yiling LAOZU”. Lan Wangji starts feeling a little bad for this person and he feels a tug of responsibility because he has a car and he lives in Gusu. He is in the right location to give this person a lift.
He normally never replies in a group chat but Lan Wangji breaks this rule, the first of many it would seem for Mr “Yiling LAOZU”.
29/05 5:04AM Lan Wangji
I can. Send me your location and I will come get you.
He swipes to his music app and loads his running playlist. He heads to the door and puts his shoes on, ready to go. Before he can start his run, he receives a notification:
29/05 5.05AM +88 75029 47293 ~Yiling LAOZU
Cool! Thanks, Hanguang-Jun. I can go to sleep in peace now 🤗🤗🤗
He was still awake? Lan Wangji had thought that this “Yiling LAOZU” was an early riser like himself but this person was only going to bed right now. Also, he is certain that his default name in the group chat is “Lan Wangji” for people who did not have his contact yet. Why did this person call him “Hanguang-Jun”, the name that the children gave him, and not Lan Wangji? He decides that it is too much to think about for 5.00 AM and starts on his run.
As he does his usual route around Gusu, Lan Wangji inhales the cool freshness of the morning as he feels the rhythm of his feet hitting the pavements, creating a steady beat in tandem to the thumping of his heart. The pavements of Gusu were always nice and flat which was good for the elderly whether they were walking or in wheelchairs. Gusu is full of hills and he readies himself for an incline. He passes by familiar houses and their neat gardens bursting to the seams with colour flowers. As he runs past the lake, he notes a tent underneath a tree which he has not seen before, he sees the same people who are out at this time going to work or for a run like himself and returns a polite nod if they smile or greet him.
Lan Wangji normally listens to soothing classical music but on runs like today, there is a particular melody that is played with a flute that he listens to on repeat as he fights for breath running up the hill. The music flows with energetic grace that matches the rapid pace of each of his strides. The flute’s notes dance with agility and weave a tapestry of sound that uplifts his spirit which helps him push the boundaries of his physical endurance. Lan Wangji times it very well that when he reaches the most difficult part of the hill, the tempo of the flute reaches its highest point and seems to propel him forward with an almost ethereal force. The sound of the flute then fades into silence as Lan Wangji reaches the top of the hill, usually drenched in sweat but exhilarated.
It is Lan Wangji’s favourite catalyst for igniting a fire within his running soul. It adds an extra dimension to his physical exertion which he does out of routine and infuses this part of the day with an emotional and artistic element. He is a musician himself and knows good music when he hears it. This piece of music delivered by a flute has become his trusted companion on runs, it drives him forward on days when his legs feel like they are not going to work anymore.
This music’s composer is “YLLZ” and has not composed anything else. Lan Wangji very much wishes to meet this person one day to give him or her gratitude for creating something that carries him through the draining parts of his life.
The top of the hill is one of Lan Wangji’s favourite places in Gusu. Gusu has many hills and a lot of them are even tourist spots; people travel all the way to Gusu for the scenery and for tranquility. This particular hill is hard to reach because there isn’t a proper road for cars. It lies nestled amidst the tranquil countryside and is a well-kept secret of the locals of Gusu. The view stretches for miles and reveals a patchwork of verdant valleys and fields of golden wheat that sway with the wind. It is a hill that holds a treasure trove of natural beauty and Lan Wangji personally thinks that it is a place of healing. He comes here often on days when he wants to empty his heart and when he wants to hide. He is sure that Lan Xichen knows of this place but has never actually been here to respect his brother’s privacy.
29/05 5:58AM Jiang Yanli
@Lan Wangji Thank you for offering to pick him but Zixuan and I can come to get him🤗 I am bringing Xianxian’s dinner with me so it’s easier if we do the lifts.
Lan Wangji nods as he sees the reply and realises that Jiang Yanli is not able to see him nod so he reacts to her message with what seems to be his favorite emoji these days:👍🏻
He is lying if he isn’t slightly disappointed that he will not get to meet “Yiling LAOZU” before the event but he is not going to fight Jiang Yanli for giving a lift to this person. Well, he’ll get to meet everyone at the carnival later today anyway.
The day passes really quickly like how most Fridays do. The children are energetic and very keen to end school as soon as possible because of their parents’ promises to take them to places or to do fun activities; some of them are coming for the carnival in the evening as well. They engage enthusiastically in class and Lan Wangji is proud of his children’s behavior. He dismisses them with a reminder to complete their homework over the weekend and to stay safe if they are going outside.
He has three more hours before he is expected to arrive at the carnival. Lan Xichen is still in hospital and his future brother-in-law, Nie Mingjue, has said that he will be picking Lan Xichen and heading to the carnival together. On Fridays, Lan Wangji normally finalises his lesson plan for the following week so he does not have to fret over the weekend. His class is making good progress with the plan he has set and this is why Lan Wangji loves routines. In more or less everything in life, if things are done the proper way with wisdom from the past, the results are more or less guaranteed. That has been the case for his own life, following the plan that the Lan Family had ordained and he thinks that he has turned out fine.
Lan Wangji heads to the arts and crafts room of Gusu Academy and takes a few calligraphy brushes out on a loan. He photocopies some of the calligraphy sheets - a few from beginners, intermediate and expert levels and places everything neatly in a file. His role in the Yiling Orphanage is to run the calligraphy classes amongst other things. The charity supporting the orphanage had thought that it would be a good idea to have a calligraphy booth and so it fell onto Lan Wangji’s lap to arrange it. He does not mind as he has been practicing calligraphy since he could write. It was one of the joys of his childhood - his mother always responded excitedly when he showed her his latest work. Even now, she has his early pieces framed up on the walls of their family home. It is not his best work but it is the work that she is most proud of so Lan Wangji allows it.
His parents had sent apologies ahead of time that they would not be attending the event as his father had another business meeting abroad. Lan Qiren would be coming instead and everybody knows that despite his complaints about children being noisy, he actually has a soft spot for the children.
29/05 3:39 PM +88 98704 24848 ~ Wen Ning
The people are here to set up the marquee. My sister has already set up her first aid station.
29/05 3:47 PM Jin Zixuan
Marvellous, we are just leaving. Will be with you by 6.00 PM
29/05 4:03PM Nie Mingjue
Xichen has just finished surgery. We might be a little late. Sorry. 👍🏻
29/05 4:17PM Jiang Yanli
@Luo Qingyang We are going to be slightly late in getting you! 😣 @Wen Qing We will still be there before 6.30 PM.
29/05 4:23 PM Wen Qing
Let me guess, the great @Yiling LAOZU was late?😒
29/05 4:23PM Luo Qingyang
No problem. @Wen Qing I wouldn’t be surprised if that was the case!
29/05 4:28PM +88 75029 47293 ~Yiling LAOZU
HEY. It was just a few minutes, okay? My jie is not even complaining!
29/05 4:43PM Wen Qing
🙄 Just get here already.
Lan Wangji’s phone buzzes one after another as he drives to Yiling. It is highly discouraged for a driver to look at his phone even if he has stopped so Lan Wangji makes it a rule not to. When he finally parks the car, he quickly skims through the messages to make sure no one has asked for him to do something. He usually puts the group on mute on other days because it can get quite rowdy, mostly with quips from the others and “Yiling LAOZU”. But today, it might be wise to leave it pinging just in case someone needed to reach out to him.
He arrives with ten minutes to spare and decides to look for Jin Zixuan first.
Jin Zixuan is the event organiser for the Yiling Orphanage. He’s not good at teaching the children but he is good at publicity and socialising. He is next in line to inherit the Golden Carp Cooperation and is usually very busy with that. His father sees very little profit in channeling money to an orphanage so Jin Zixuan is not able to use work connections to help. However, he is still capable of using his skills in negotiation to arrange for other companies to work with Yiling Orphanage. His wife, Jiang Yanli loves children and they have one of their own; Jin Ling is spoilt by his grandfather and Uncles but Jiang Yanli likes to bring him to the orphanage to humble him and teach him to help those in need.
“Wangji, it’s been a long time.” Jiang Yanli is the first to greet him and Lan Wangji responds in kind. She hands him a printout of the briefing that Jin Zixuan is about to do and motions for him to take a seat. The volunteers who are already there and seated give him a polite nod that he returns and he takes a seat in the second row from the front, wondering if he should save spaces for his brother and Nie Mingjue.
A volunteer he has not met before sits two spaces away from him in his row and begins eagerly chatting with Nie Huaisang in front. Nie Huaisang seems to know this person very well as he is already making snarky remarks and buttering the man up. Lan Wangji knows that Nie Huaisang only acts like that with people he knows warmly, most of the time, Lan Wangji observes that he is faking politeness and ignorance, especially in front of Nie Mingjue. He has gotten to know Nie Huaisang through their brothers’ relationship. Lan Xichen is very kind and speaks well of Nie Huaisang and often tries to defend him in front of his brother.
Jin Zixuan begins the briefing and Lan Wangji can hear the man making comments about “that peacock” and so on and wonders what his grudge is with the Golden Carp heir. He ignores it for now and pays attention, especially when Jin Zixuan talks about the calligraphy booth. Lan Wangji nods as he is asked if he has brought the materials with him and if there were enough for the night.
“I will be quite busy trying to entertain the donors but if you have any questions when I am not available, you can ask the Jiang siblings.” Jin Zixuan finishes the briefing and everyone disperses to do their own tasks. Lan Wangji flips to the layout page in his printout to confirm where his calligraphy booth would be and gets up from the chair. The person sitting two spaces down from him gets up as well and taps Lan Wangji on the shoulder.
“Hey! We’ve not met before, you must be Hanguang Jun?”
Lan Wangji eyes him carefully, trying to recall if he knows this person. He does not. The only person who has called him by that other than the children was “Yiling LAOZU” on the group chat but Lan Wangji would rather die than use that name as a form of address. Surprisingly, he cannot recall what this person’s actual name is. He knows that this person does not carry the Jiang surname so he is not able to address him with his last name.
In a moment of panic, probably due to the lack of sleep the night before, he opens his mouth before he can stop it and says, “You must be Xianxian.”