You cannot tell me that when Lan Sizhui improves his guqin language, he wouldn’t be out using inquiry every damn day to talk to spirits and make little ghost friends.
The minute that boy knows how to have full conversations via guqin, he’s gonna know every spirit in Gusu on a personal level and casually bring them up in conversation with the other juniors.
LJY: “These loquats are sooooo goooood!”
LSZ: “Right? Reminds me of A-Liu, he loves loquats”
LJY: “….Who the hell is A-Liu?”
LSZ: “Hm? Oh, he’s the spirit who likes to visit the cold springs.”
LJY: “The… the cold springs? How often is he there?”
LSZ: “Um, I don’t know? A lot? Whenever he wants to be there, I guess”
Summary: When Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian return to spend the first winter after their marriage in the Cloud Recesses, Wangji is forced to grapple with his uncle's resistance to accepting his new husband fully into the clan. At the heart of this conflict is Lan Qiren's rule forbidding talking to Wei Wuxian. How can Wangji make the Cloud Recesses a more welcoming place for his husband when what he fights now is his uncle's stubbornness?
Kay's comments: As much as I love the ending of the novel with Wangxian having their happy ending, I always struggle a bit with picturing them living their best lives in Gusu, especially with Lan Qiren still around and Lan Xichen being in seclusion for some time. This story takes a good look at the "Talking to Wei Wuxian is Forbidden" rule of the Gusu Lan Sect and Lan Qiren's relationship with both Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian. He improving, but it's an uphill battle. Luckily, Lan Xichen is supportive. Really love this story, it feels true to the characters and optimistic in a realistic way.
Excerpt: Stunned, Wangji could only stare at his uncle for a long moment. He had thought his uncle was resigned to Wei Ying's presence, especially after everything that was revealed during Jin Guangyao's downfall. He had not realized Lan Qiren was still angry at Wei Ying.
A wave of reciprocal anger washed through Wangji, and he clenched his hands briefly on his thighs before he abruptly stood. "Then I will not trouble Shufu further," he said, hearing the tightness in his own voice. He bowed, as shortly as he could make himself, before he turned on his heel and left, feeling his uncle's stare against his back.
He did not break the rule about running in the Cloud Recesses, but his stride was swift and his demeanor hard enough to cause more than one disciple to duck out of his way. His hands kept clenching until he forced his fingers loose and open.
Out of habit, his feet turned towards the rabbit meadow. Before he took more than a few steps, though, he recalled that he had another option to help him let go of his anger.
By the time he reached the Jingshi, his temper dissipated a little. He stopped in front of the door, taking several deep breaths to calm down further. He did not want to bring anger into the home he shared with Wei Ying.
pov lan wangji, post-canon, established relationship, family feels, lan family feels, gusu lan sect rules, uncle-nephew relationship, chinese holidays, birthdays, good kid lan sizhui, married lan wangji/wei wuxian, soft lan wangji/wei wuxian, good sibling lan xichen, lan qiren tries, not jiang cheng friendly, music
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It's funny that nie mingjue always forced huaisang to focus more on blades and fighting but his own death could be prevented if he cared more about arts instead
Friendly reminder that “I'm not from the Lan Clan and don't intend to marry into the Lan Clan, so why should I copy all of their rules?” is an actual line said by Wei Wuxian, the man who married Lan Wangji.