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It was a known fact that Lan Wangji, Second Twin Jade of Lan, is mute. Some even say he’s deaf, though Zuwu-jun himself has denied that one. That is why, when he speaks at the age of sixteen, everyone predictably loses their shit.
When Wei Wuxian arrived at Cloud Recesses, he didn’t know Lan Zhan was mute. Yes, despite the news spreading fast when it was first found out, he genuinely had no idea. So, when he made fun of Lan Zhan for being so quiet, he wasn’t—like— bullying him or anything! It was just supposed to be harmless teasing!
“Harmless teasing?! Are you two even close enough for that?” Jiang Cheng screams in his ear.
Wei Wuxian had unfortunately told his brother instead of Nie Huaisang, and is now left to suffer.
“Hey! Don’t underestimate my friendship with Lan Zhan!” Wei Wuxian gasps, his hand slapping his chest, “Of course we’re close enough!”
Jiang Cheng sighs, “Close enough to tease but not close enough to know he’s mute?”
Wei Wuxian is sure his face starts turning red, since he can literally feel it heating up.
“Well,” Wei Wuxian starts, “it’s not like it’s been that much of a problem so far! I’ve done a lot of the talking!”
Jiang Cheng slaps his hand on his forehead, groaning in frustration, “Of course you’ve been doing a lot of the talking, Lan Wangji is literally unable to talk!”
Wei Wuxian pouts, “Whatever, don’t focus on that right now! I just offended Lan Zhan !” Wei Wuxian looks desperately to his brother, big wide eyes just pleading, “ What do I do?! ”
Jiang Cheng sighs, he’s being doing that a bit too much, but Wei Wuxian supposes this is a pretty stupid situation to be in.
“Just apologise and pray to the heavens he forgives you.”
Wei Wuxian’s pleading eyes immediately become narrow with frustration, “Your advice is to trust in the Gods?!”
Jiang Cheng shrugs, “It’s honestly the only way you could get out of this.”
So, here Wei Wuxian is, trying to find Lan Zhan, carrying a scroll and a brush kit.
He finds Lan Zhan seated in the middle of a field of gentians, a secluded place even for the Cloud Recesses. Approaching him slowly, Wei Wuxian clears his throat. At the sound, Lan Zhan turns around, meeting Wei Wuxian’s eyes. As soon as he does, however, Lan Zhan quickly looks away, cupping a gentian with both his hands.
“Hey, Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian starts, gently sitting next to Lan Zhan, “I’m sorry. I had no idea you were mute. I swear I didn’t mean to offend you!”
Lan Zhan stares at him silently, and Wei Wuxian realises, not for the first time that day, Lan Zhan is mute. How crazy is it that Wei Wuxian literally just said it out loud to Lan Zhan, but still waits for a response?!
“Oops, sorry, I kinda forgot again,” Wei Wuxian chuckles nervously, begging the Gods in his head for Lan Zhan to forgive him. “Um, here,” Wei Wuxian presents the scroll and brush kit to Lan Zhan, “this is so we can actually talk to each other, not just me running my mouth.” Lan Zhan stares at his gift for a while, before taking it and quickly writing something.
Once Lan Zhan finishes his strokes, he presents the work to Wei Wuxian.
‘I forgive you, Wei Ying.’
Wei Wuxian smiles, “Thanks. Also it’s nice to know you call me by my birth name too!”
At that, Lan Zhan starts to write again.
‘You told me to.’
“Yeah,” Wei Wuxian laughs, “but I didn’t think you would actually listen to me!”
The rest of the night is sweet, and when its over, and Wei Wuxian is back in his bed, he realises something.
That was the first conversation he had with Lan Zhan.
It happened on a pretty normal day, Wei Wuxian supposes.
Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan were assigned to go on a night hunt together that day. When Wei Wuxian first found out, he was ecstatic, and was about run to Lan Zhan to show his excitement.
Which is when he saw it.
Him and Lan Zhan were assigned to a mission together, yes, but there were two other people. The worst options out of anyone else they could’ve picked too! It was the stupid peacock and Nie Huaisang.
Now, the peacock is self-explanatory (selfish, rude, narcissistic, just every bad trait one could have), but Nie Huaisang wasn’t that bad. The reason was that Nie Huaisang would definitely spread some lies about what happened, while also being pretty useless! He’s not the best fighter, not much of a problem, unless it’s a night hunt! Really, it should’ve just been given to Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan only, two other people would just bring them down.
Anyways, the night hunt happens and all is well. They defeat the creatures with ease, but there’s just one thing.
As Lan Zhan deals the final strike at the yao beast, a high-pitched noise irrupts from behind them.
Quickly turning around, it’s a child, ugly crying and hunched over, closing his eyes and covering his ears.
“Oh no…” Wei Wuxian hears Nie Huaisang gasp, as they all run to the child. Looking more in detail, he couldn’t have been over six.
“Hey kid,” Jin Zixuan starts, and Wei Wuxian has half a mind to try to shut him up, but one look at the child’s face has him reconsidering. “Um, it’s gonna be okay.”
Jin Zixuan tries to move closer, reaching a hand out to comfort the boy, but he flinches hard, as if Jin Zixuan punched him. As quickly as he started to reach out, Jin Zixuan retracts his hand.
“Hey,” Wei Wuxian whispers softly, “he’s right. Everything is going to be fine.”
The child shakes his head, and mumbles, “No, it won’t! The beast took away my sister!” They all go quiet at that, after all, what comfort could you give? To a kid, who you barely know, whose sister just died?
Well, they all go quiet, except for one person. And it just so happens to be the person who, y’know, is supposed to be mute.
“Your sister is not gone.” Wei Wuxian hears the new voice, and his first instinct is to pull out Suibian and protect Lan Zhan. Only when he turns around, does he realise that that was Lan Zhan’s voice. “She still lives on,” Lan Zhan steps forward, placing a gentle hand on the boy’s shoulder, “as long as you keep her memory alive. No one is ever truly gone.”
Holy shit. Lan Zhan’s voice is, unfortunately, as hot if not more than the rest of him. It’s deep and beautiful and impactful, adding more to every word he says. Wei Wuxian takes a moment to stop appreciating Lan Zhan’s voice to look at Nie Huaisang and Jin Zixuan, and they look as baffled as he does. Openly gaping, like a fly could move into their mouths and be happy for the rest of its life.
“As long as you live, your sister is apart of you.” Lan Zhan removes the hand on the boy’s shoulder, and softly takes the child’s hands away from his ears. “Are you okay?” Lan Zhan asks, and the boy’s big glossy eyes start to pour out more tears. He jumps on Lan Zhan, hugging him tightly.
In response, Lan Zhan squeezes him back. From where they were crouched, Lan Zhan stands up, the kid still holding on.
Wei Wuxian looks up at Lan Zhan, and definitely has hearts in his eyes.
With Nie Huaisang there, the news that Lan Wangji is not actually mute spreads quickly. However, since Lan Wangji still doesn’t speak in public, it’s more of a rumour than something people are accepting as fact.
Wei Wuxian is running, praying to the Gods not to be found out by a Lan Senior, looking frantically for Lan Zhan. It’s been a few days since the night hunt, but Lan Zhan had been sent to multiple in a row, so they haven’t been able to talk much. (And while Wei Wuxian would finish that sentence with, ‘I’m the only one who can, anyways .’ Though, it’s apparently not true anymore??)
So, as Wei Wuxian runs to the gentian fields, he sees a small figure of Lan Zhan in the distance. Calling out, Wei Wuxian shouts, “Lan Zhan!” The person in question turns around, meeting Wei Wuxian’s eyes.
Wei Wuxian quickly sits next to Lan Zhan, and Lan Zhan takes out a scroll and brush kit from his sleeves. “Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian pants, “you didn’t tell me you could speak!” Lan Zhan opens the scroll and writes down his response hastily.
‘I never told you I was mute.’
Wei Wuxian pouts when he reads the text, grumbling, “Well, you didn’t deny it!” Lan Zhan’s frown becomes more prevalent at his words, and Wei Wuxian’s insides are turning to mush at the thought of upsetting Lan Zhan.
‘I’m sorry, Wei Ying. I took a vow of silence for my mother.’
Wei Wuxian softens at that, relaxing more, “Oh, no, I’m sorry Lan Zhan. I had no idea.” Lan Zhan smiles, looking down to write again.
‘It’s alright, you couldn’t have known.’
Wei Wuxian smiles back, “Thanks, Lan Zhan.”
Lan Wangji was walking around a town at night, looking for a gift for A-Yuan. A-Yuan’s eighth birthday was coming soon, but Lan Wangji had been busy recently, so he was now empty handed. Which would not do at all.
Strolling around, looking at the town’s night market, Lan Wangji met eyes with a merchant. “Qianbei! Come, come, get top-notch pineapple—“ As the merchant runs to Lan Wangji, hoping for a customer, he abruptly stops in the middle of his speech.
Lan Wangji tilts his head, “Yes? What about the pineapple tarts?”
The merchant shakes his head, “No, no, sorry, you just look awfully familiar. Have we met?”
Lan Wangji frowns, “No, I don’t believe we have.” He then asks, “Where do you recognise me from?”
The merchant smiles sheepishly, “As a child, my sister died due to a monster. A young master had comforted me at the time, and you remind me of him.” The merchant chuckles, “Though maybe that’s just your sect colours!” Lan Wangji thinks deeply, furrowed eyebrows reflecting that.
Sighing, Lan Wangji whispers sorrowfully, “Sorry, I don’t recall such a thing. But my sect’s colour is not common, so it’s likely the young master you met was from my sect.”
The merchant smiles, “Well, if you find him, tell him thank you. Thanks to him, I’m making my sister’s specialty!”
Lan Wangji returns the smile at the merchant, “Pineapple tarts, I suppose?” The other man laughs, “Yes, she raised me, you see, and every Lunar New Year she made the pineapple tarts I make now!”
Lan Wangji nods, “It’s nice to know she lives on with you, that you’re keeping her memory alive.”
At that, the merchant stills, before going back to his cheery smile, “Ha! Are you sure you’re not that young master? Those are the words he said to me too, y’know!”
Lan Wangji shakes his head, “Perhaps I am, though words like that aren’t that uncommon.”
The merchant nods, “Well, do you want a sample taste of the pineapple tarts?”
Lan Wangji went back to the Cloud Recesses with 2 boxes of pineapple tarts and a bunny stuff-toy.