Lan Wangji, The Second Jade's Secret Life
Walking under the heavy snow, he brought his furry coat closer to his body. White mist emit from his breathing as he tried to survey the road and get back to where he was. However, it was all in vain.
He was cold, a bit hungry, and the only thing that kept him warm was the white coat that wrapped him. The sound of a rattle drum thumping kept him entertained until he arrived at an alley.
He heard the shivering sound of a young child, presumably about his age. Huddling at the corner of the alley. He narrowed his eyes and found the boy was also wearing a coat but in dark red and is knocking off repeatedly.
'Got lost?' He reached out with his rattle drum, saving the boy from sleeping. He was worried; sleeping in the cold could make people die because of loose consciousness.
The boy looked up and he was struck. Beautiful pair of starlight eyes gazed at him, amber and silver met. His heart thumped weirdly in his chest as no words came out of his mouth. The boy looked at him for a few more minutes before a toothy smile made it to his face, once again, he was pummeled in the heart.
Sputtering with his words, he only shook the drum once. "For you,"
He waited anxiously. His hand holding the drum was numb until he felt something warm hold onto his hand. Looking up from the snow-covered ground, he almost melted on the spot from happiness.
The boy got up from his crouching position and is holding his hand tightly and emitting warmth. The boy's face still has that beautiful smile on with his pearly white and bunny teeth showing.
His hand was tugged. He snapped out of his daze with a little flinch and heard the boy's voice for the first time.
"Hello, pretty Gege! Thank you for the rattle drum!" Voice dripping with honeysuckle, sounded melodic like it was trained with perfect pitch.
He gulped, "N-no problem."
The boy smiled further, and his eyes can't believe how someone could smile so brightly and warmly. It brought different feelings. When his Xiong Zhang smiled at him, it was reassuring and familiar. However, this boy made his heart hammer against his chest and threatened to burst out of his chest.
Before he could speak, the boy spoke again. "My name is Wei Ying, waiting to get my courtesy name! What's your name, Pretty Gege?"
Again calling him 'Pretty Gege'. He was sure his ears are red from keeping the blush on his face, even though he could use the excuse of the cold and shivering weather.
Wetting his lips to keep the cold out, he spoke again. "... Lan Zhan, courtesy name Lan Wangji."
The boy or Wei Ying dipped his head to the side, curiosity colored his starlight eyes. "How old are you, Pretty Gege? Jiejie said only when you are six or decided from birth because of your status, we can get a courtesy name."
Lan Wangji flexed his finger and held up five fingers in one hand and one thump on the other that was held tightly in Wei Ying's grasp. "Six... Turn six one month ago. Have from birth,"
That got Wei Ying thinking and Lan Wangji found the sight endearing as well as beautiful. The snow fell onto the black fur and red thick coat, highlighting the paleness of the child's skin. Now that Lan Wangji thought about it, just how could they talk when they could freeze and die?
"He-he... Well, I'm five!" Wei Ying said heartily and Lan Wangji's heart melted once again in that cold winter
Before Lan Wangji could speak another word, he noticed a beautiful red and silver morpho butterfly drifting toward them, leaving a speck of red and silver trail behind it. He felt Wei Ying jump in excitement when he noticed it as well.
Pointing at the butterfly, Wei Ying grinned. "Pretty Gege, that's my Jiejie's butterfly. That means she or handsome Gege is here!"
Lan Wangji was worried instead. If this boy was found, wouldn't he be left alone in this coldness? Feeling a squeeze from the hand that grasped Wei Ying's, he turned his head to face Wei Ying again and his stiff face turned soft again. Maybe, he wouldn't.
"Don't worry, Pretty Gege! Handsome Gege is very kind, but he likes to ruin the mood! A real party pooper, really"
"Who are you calling a party pooper?" A smooth voice came from the front of the alley and a figure under a white Yóuzhǐsǎn (oiled-painted umbrella) emerged from it. An amused smile played on that person's lips with two more people behind him.
"Handsome Gege!" Wei Ying ran toward 'Handsome Gege' after he let go of Lan Wangji's hand
The teenager chuckled but let the boy collide into his midnight blue fur coat and brought the boy into his arms. Lan Wangji watched all of this while feeling his once warm hand numbly go cold.
Lan Wangji watched as Wei Ying patted the teenager's arm to let him down and ran toward him. Welcoming the crash as the teenager did, Lan Wangji stumbled back a bit.
Wei Ying's smile widened and brightened, something that seemed to never leave his cute and blushed face. "Pretty Lan Gege, this is Long Handsome Gege. Handsome Long Gege, this is Pretty Lan Gege!"
Lan Wangji gave the best formal bow possible with the limo of warmth practically clinching to him. "Lan Zhan, courtesy name Lan Wangji. Nice to meet you,"
The teenager looked mildly amused and shocked but he also gave a formal bow, the other two people followed him silently. "Long Xuan, courtesy name Long Wangxue. Nice to meet you as well, Lan Er Gongzi."
"Lan Er Gongzi?" Wei Ying sounded curious with his eyes showing wonder
Long Wangxue chuckled in his sleeve but he stopped and crouched down. "A-Ying, your Jiejie is worrying about you. We can send Lan Er Gongzi back with Haoran as his guide."
At that, Wei Ying pouted angrily. Lan Wangji who was watching this suddenly wanted to hide his face and his hands to stop himself from pinching those pouty cheeks and his face. Long Wangxue let out a long sigh with a resigned smile. The two people just almost identically have a problem keeping a straight face.
Wei Ying crossed his arms stubbornly, "But it's cold! Lan Zhan is my Pretty Gege too! Can't we bring Lan Zhan to go for the night and come back for the morning?!"
Lan Wangji really couldn't prevent the redness of his cheeks to flushed further
"But Lan Er Gongzi has his family waiting for him. I'm sure his Xiong Zhang and Shufu are over-worrying." Long Wangxue tried reasoning but somehow, Lan Wangjj think this was useless with how stubborn Wei Ying looked at the moment.
Wei Ying turned to look at him abruptly, "Lan Zhan. You want to come, right? I want to show my room, oh even Jiejie's cooking. Her pork wonton soup is to die for! Do you want to come?! We can send you back to the Lan Sect after tonight!"
Lan Wangji was contemplating deeply the pros and cons. The pros were that he could learn about his Wei Ying a lot more than the fact he was a cheerful little one and maybe his future in-laws as well. However, the cons were his family worried about him and that he might get punished for disappearing. But couldn't he use the excuse of due to the heavy snow, he was separated from his Xiong Zhang?
While Lan Wangji was dazed, he suddenly noticed the red and silver traced morpho butterfly sitting on top of Wei Ying's head. He looked at Long Wangxue who was patient with his reply, "Can we use the red butterfly?"
Long Wangxue's eyes widened but chuckled soon after with fondness. "No problem, Lan Er Gongzi. Haoran, Haori, you two will escort the two Gongzi back to our carriage."
He stood up and brushed the snow off elegantly, "A-Ying, please keep our guest entertained until I return. I will tell your sister to make extra pork Wonton soul, with no pork of course."
Lan Wangji watched as Wei Ying jumped in excitement and he can't help but feel warm about the excitement the boy felt and the weird fond look that was thrown at him by the teenager. Even if it was odd, it wasn't unpleasant.
Lan Wangji took the offered smaller hand and squeezed in appreciation. 'Wei Ying,'
"I will welcome you to our humble abode when we get there, Lan Zhan!"
Lan Wangji almost smile at the happy rambling that wasn't unpleasant, unlike the way the elders like to do so. It was warming and unthoughtful, but no malice in them.
He followed the red and black-covered fur coat boy with two guards behind them, not expecting he would be welcome in such a warm atmosphere.
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Updated 3 Episodes
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