#wei wuxian's tiny waist

[canary3d-obsessed]

Restless Rewatch: The Untamed, Episode 40 part one

(Masterpost) (Pinboard)  (whole thing on AO3)

Warning! Spoilers for All 50 Episodes!

Agree to Disagree

The juniors are arguing because Sizhui said that some demonic cultivators might have good intentions. According to Jin Ling that means that Sizhui is celebrating the murders of Jin Ling's parents, or something.

(Actor) Peixin Qi uses forehead-squinching as a primary acting tool, which would be perfectly fine if he wasn't playing a character with a red dot between his eyebrows.

He goes on to say that Wei Wuxian is the evillest of them all, way eviller than Xue Yang. Which in sheer numbers of victims, is probably a fair point. But Xue Yang was way more of a dick.

Ouyang Zichen is all of us when he asks Jin Ling to chill the fuck out.

Sizhui apologizes even though Jingyi is ready to throw down on his behalf. It's unclear if this helps, because Hanguang-Jun chooses this moment to arrive. He immediately defuses the situation with the power of stinkeye.

(more after the cut!)

More Than Meets the Eye

Many differences between CQL and the novel are adaptational choices - Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji's deep, early friendship; the yin iron plot, Jiang Cheng being loveable, etc. Changes like that, I normally don't point out, because adaptations are AUs, in my view, and can be enjoyed separately from their sources.

Other changes are driven by censorship, however, and in those cases I think it's fair to look to the novel and its less-censored adaptations for a peek at what's happening off camera. Particularly when there are scenes and interactions in The Untamed where the show seems to be deliberately pointing to the novel to fill in the blanks.

This moment on the stairs is one such scene. In the show, Lan Wangji carries liquor upstairs to Wei Wuxian, and the juniors react with shock; Jingyi drops his chicken out of his mouth and Sizhui stuffs it back in there.

They are shocked because he bought liquor, and that's the extent of their reaction.

In the Donghua, Manhua, and Novel, Lan Wangji is dragging Wei Wuxian up those stairs, having drunkenly tied him up with his headband.

First he stops to show his prize to the juniors, who have basically the same reaction in every version of the story, including Jinygi dropping his chicken and Sizhui stuffing it back in his mouth. In the novel, however, Sizhui does that to stop Jingyi from saying anything to Lan Wangji & his captive.

The liquor, in all versions, is a clear sign of how much Lan Wangji has mellowed since his youth. In case we need another reminder, we learn here that he let Sizhui get a tattoo on his finger.

Every parent will tell you, you gotta pick your battles.

Returning to to the timeline in which no visible bondage is occurring, Wei Wuxian is sitting around in the room upstairs waiting for Lan Wangji. Wasn't he busy talking to Lan Xichen when Lan Wangji went into the inn to shut the kids up? How did he get upstairs before Lan Wangji? Never mind, never mind.

Wei Wuxian goes to look out the window and Wen Ning appears, hanging off the roof like a dork, or like someone who has seen that one Spider-Man movie and is hoping for some upside-down kissing.

Wen Ning asks if Jin Ling is the kid he halfway orphaned, and Wei Wuxian says yes.

Then he hears Lan Wangji coming, and Wen Ning falls to the ground for no reason.

Wei Wuxian urgently shoos Wen Ning away, trying to hide him from Lan Wangji.

Wen Ning acts way too clueless for someone who spends so much time third-wheeling.

There's no in-world reason for Wei Wuxian to hide Wen Ning; They fought side-by side in Yi City, and they were all together for A-Qing's burial. There's not a problem between him and Lan Wangji.

Once again, the novel provides the missing information. Wei Wuxian is hiding Wen Ning because Lan Wangji is hella jealous even when he's sober. Wen Ning fell to the ground because drunk Lan Wangji leapt through the window and kicked him.

In the novel, Wei Wuxian & Lan Wangji's evening ends with a game of tag that's loaded with sexual tension, followed by a kiss...followed by Lan Wangji literally knocking himself out to avoid taking advantage of Wei Wuxian.

Lan Wangji does everything in the most extreme way possible.

In the live action, the most sexually charged part of their interaction is this positively sinful hip thrust that Wei Wuxian gives when he turns around at the window.

If you've seen Xiao Zhan dancing, you know this is not an accident.

Unlike the novel's perpetually clueless protagonist, live-action Wei Wuxian clearly knows he's on a date right now.

...and he's enjoying every minute of it. He's delighted that Lan Wangji has provided *good* liquor, rather than the rotgut he's able to afford himself.

As he pours for Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji points out that both of their brothers know who WWX is at this point. Wei Wuxian isn't happy about it but he says they can't do anything. Which is...not correct.

He tries once again to get Lan Wangji to tell him how he recognized him, and Lan Wangji responds by asking him why his memory sucks so much.

Wei Wuxian says "you try dying by falling from a great height TWICE and see how your brain likes it." That's what he should have said, anyway.

This whole thing about his memory isn't actually important in the live action, even though it keeps being mentioned. He's forgotten the name of their song because he was delirious when he heard it; otherwise his memory seems perfectly fine.

I think this might be another instance of the live action giving a wink to novel readers in the audience, because in the novel Wei Wuxian forgot Lan Wangji's confession of love. Which, like WangXian, was presented in a cave while WWX was delirious; Lan Wangji is not great at choosing his moment.

Anyway, this may be why Lan Wangji seems to take Wei Wuxian's memory problems personally, despite having very little in-show reason to be upset.

Lan Wangji changes the subject by asking Wei Wuxian to go to Jinlintai with him, to search for Nie Mingjue's head. Sounds like a perfect romantic getaway for a boy and his favorite necromancer.

Just as Wei Wuxian starts to ask what Zewu-Jun will think, Zewu-Jun and his cheekbones come into the room.

He's taken time to think things over--a concept the rest of the cultivation world could stand to learn about, incidentally--and he agrees that they should investigate.

Note: the non-CQL illustrations come from the MDZS manhua, which is complete online (mangadex.org includes the uncensored extra bits), and is about halfway through being published in English by Seven Seas. It's delightful and I highly recommend it.

Bonus: Lan Wangji and Sizhui enjoying some tie-in cup noodles. (A few in-character ads are included in the Viki version of the show.)

#the untamed #wei wuxian cup noodles #the manhua fills in the blanks like a champ #jingyi's chicken #wei wuxian's tiny waist #wangxian date night #the untamed gifs #the untamed meta #restless rewatch the untamed #canary3d-original #ep40

[whumpbby]

Lan Wangji, the alphas' alpha, looking at Wei Wuxian, another alpha, being his regular chaotic self: But what if I was a small and dainty omega? What if I was shorter than Wei Ying? What if I had a tiny waist like Jiang Wanyin? Or a pretty face like Nie Huaisang? Would Wei Ying wrap his hands around me and throw me over his shoulder to carry me away...

#headcanon #mdzs #xD #wei wuxian #lan wangji #poor boy wants to be pursued #yet it forced to pursue #what is life

[mdzs-owns-my-ass-i-guess]

Dancing through the night

@incorrectly-quoting-mxtx here is the ficlet that resulted from your prompt marinating in my brain for the past two days. Thank you for the wait and the sweet words, I hope you like this!

If any of you have any ideas you'd like me to write, feel free to mention me in a post and I may write it if the inspiration gods bless me!

---

"Is there anything you can't do to perfection?" Wei Wuxian begins, a fond look in his eyes and a teasing smile on his lips as he and his husband walk into their inn suite. "I don't think there's anything you don't excel at!"

Lan Wangji's eyes color a light pink at that as he sits at the table, a pot of wine awaiting, courtesy of the innkeeper.

Though he is used to hearing such words left and right, praise an appanage of his reputation, his heart always stutters whenever Wei Wuxian sets on a tirade about how great his Hanguang-Jun is. The words flow so easily out of him, like he's laying out obvious facts that anybody would see, poorly pretending to be unaware of the effect he has on Lan Wangji. It hasn't been a rare occurence for the man to have to shut Wei Wuxian up with kisses - otherwise he would have gone on for hours, waxing poetic about his husband's everything.

However, tonight is going to go different.

"There is something." Lan Wangji responds, pouring a cup of wine for Wei Wuxian, who gratefully downs it before taking his seat on Lan Wangji's lap, arms coming to circle his neck loosely. The closeness is both comforting and electric, eyes locked lovingly.

"What could there be that the great, unparalleled Hanguang-Jun hasn't mastered yet?" Wei Wuxian asks, letting one of his hands cup Lan Wangji's face, thumb stroking his cheek.

"Dancing."

"Oh?" Wei Wuxian feigns shock, "We cannot let such a simple skill evade someone as amazing as you, can we?"

Lan Wangji lets his hands caress over Wei Ying's thighs, parting robes. "Hm? What do you suggest?"

"Fortunately for you, I am an amazing dancer, and I can teach you!"

Before Lan Wangji can protest, Wei Wuxian pulls him up to his feet, and he has to catch himself out of the saccharine sweetness of having been held and holding his beloved before he falls flat on his face.

"We need music." Lan Wangji attempts a protest, though his hands come to rest around Wei Wuxian's slim waist nevertheless.

Wei Wuxian smiles, winding his arms around Lan Wangji again and begins humming a familiar tune, his voice melodious around the unspoken lyrics. He urges Lan Wangji to move, steps slow and close together, a simple sequence of moving together into an imaginary circle.

Lan Wangji's brows furrow in concentration, and Wei Wuxian finds the sight adorable enough to let a small giggle escape him before he leans to leave a butterfly kiss on the tip of his husband's nose. He stops humming to do it, and Lan Wangji stills, embarrassed.

"Wei Ying. The music."

"You know it too."

Lan Wangji wraps an arm around Wei Wuxian's waist, firmer, and fills up the tiny space between them. He picks up the song where Wei Ying left off, and tries to mirror the movements Wei Wuxian just showed him.

He thinks of the way he composed that song, how easily it had come to him and how difficult it had been for him to understand what he was feeling for this annoying, rule-breaking, intelligent, beautiful man that's now his companion for life.

He thinks of how he hummed this song thinking of him, when he was missing, when he wasn't himself, when he died.

He thinks of how he'd sang it as lullaby for A-Yuan.

He thinks of how it had been the first song Wei Ying played when he returned.

They move in tandem to their song, little circles around the wide room, and some time between gazing at his beloved like he hung the moon and the stars in the sky, and delighting in how easily he picked up those simple movements, Wei Wuxian joins in the duet.

They hum and dance like that for a while, unhurried, enjoying one another and the memories they had with their song, adding yet another one to cherish with Wangxian as a background melody.

One day, perhaps, they'd write a sequel.

#mdzs #mo dao zu shi #wangxian #writing attempts

[darlingpwease]

didi!WEI WUXIAN who sits awkwardly on your back while you carry him to your small room, which is given to all students. perhaps it's a little strange to pick up a dirty, frightened child from the street, but his tiny body is shivering from the night cold, while his big gray eyes are shining with tears, and you understand that he will not allow you to take him to someone or take him to his room, because "there are dogs there." your clothes are big for him, but they warm up, and his cheeks are so rosy when you whisper that everything will be fine, introducing yourself and hearing a timid name in response. Wei Ying — he is shy and quiet, blushing furiously while you wash him in a basin of brought water, and so small that you really can't resist the need to stroke his hair and say that everything will be fine, and he trusts.

didi!WEI WUXIAN, whose every day is filled with you — from the day when you let him fall asleep in your bed and brought food the next morning, promising to take care of him, and since then he has been living, breathing you, intertwining hot fingers with yours, looking adoringly, as if you were a celestial descended from the pages of legends, and always, always, always follows you, even if it looks like you're following him — but you know that if you tell him to look to the east, he will not dare to look to the west, and when he once maniacally passionately, hoarsely whispers that he will die if you tell him so, you only stroke his hair. Your Wei Ying is naughty, mischievous, young, hot, and you never push him away when he snuggles up to you, hugging, wrapping his waist, hiding his face in shoulder or neck, promising that he will do so even if he becomes taller than you — because he will always be your Ying-Ying.

didi!WEI WUXIAN, who, with a frenzied radiance, as if emanating from his very soul, with sparks almost pouring out of his eyes, says that he loves you, squeezing your palms, saying that you are everything, his everything — and when you convince him that this is not so, he just shakes his head, assuring you in a greedy, burning whisper that he understands that you probably don't, but he is ready to wait. he'll be waiting. it doesn't matter how much. you're the only one he can be with. and he will always be here. and you know that he is absolutely and completely serious.

didi!WEI WUXIAN, whose world collapses when you leave him — war begins around, blood, and he does not understand what is wrong when your gentle hands, stroking his hair or cheek, take up arms, but do not let him follow you. When you are almost dancing in flames and blood, more than perfectly aware, preparing for it all this time, but you have nothing to say to him when instead of fighting, he demands explanations with a mad look. What can you say? "Every story needs a villain"? "Shine as you should"? "That's the only reason your golden core is still intact and the story continues"? Wei Ying is stronger than you, but you still slip away, leaving him behind, — and he's not understanding how he can stop, convince you, not understanding what you want, and how to keep you, when enemies distract him from chasing you rather than trying to really hurt him, and he knows that you still care about him, but such games crush him even more emotionally, as if a little more and he will break down, no longer understanding anything except that he should be with you, no matter what.

did!WEI WUXIAN, your Wei Ying, who follows you with horror — or rather, the clothes that you leave along with the drops of blood oozing from your wounds. even so, you are faster than him, giving him only a fleeting view of your hair or remaining clothes. his chest hurts when he feels how close he is to you — only to find himself in front of a window from which an elegantly made flute sticks out, with a crude jade ornament hanging on it.

and he breaks.

#✉.wei wuxian #🥮 — mao dao zu shi #🧸.quickt #🧸.yandere au #🧸.dead reader #🧸.drama #villain reader my beloved

[chaos0pikachu]

I want your favorite pic of two of my blorbos wei wuxian and wen kexing please

23. Favorite picture of this character?

oh fuck, uuuuh lemme see:

Wen Kexing

okay straight up and this is probably me being an ironic weeb but this silver wig look with the blue robes is EVERYTHING TO MY ASS like first of all if House of Dragon's has shown anything not all silver/white wigs are made equally (the wigs on the Black actors are TRAGIC looking like yarn from jo ann fabrics the fuck) but like this doesn't make him look washed out our dude looks ethereal he's rocking it and the smirk too??

the smirk of a man who's having good sex every night dawn to dusk, clear skin from all the ice he's eating, is getting nightly hot baths with conditioner from his man every night, combed, & collected love this look

Wei Wuxian

okay this is a bit difficult cause I'll be the first to tell y'all I don't like the untamed I am untamed negative but if I had to choose this pic of the vol 3 cover from Seven Seas b/c bro I loooooooove WWX in his demon girl era he was making ppl eat legs, and dicks (unsexy) and going full Demon Lord on everybody like get it it's an era of wwx ppl don't appreciate enough (if he wasn't unashamedly violent at one point he'd be less interesting stop shaving away his edges)

and tho I am an Untamed negative I do like the actor who plays wwx and this image is it like the tiny waist, the flowing read of his under robes, the gay ass evil flute, the high 90s ponytail, the lean back throwback, this man is playing at the demon club on saturdays, the club doesn't have a line to get in it's got a line to get in wwx

CHARACTER ASK GAME!!! 💫

#chaos pikachu speaks #word of honor #mdzs

[berniedette]

Wei Wuxian, I love you and your tiny waist

#the untamed #wei wuxian

[stiltonbasket]

I know wwx is actually pretty tall and very strong, but something in my heart tells me ‘he is actually just a little guy’ and i cant help but agree. The xianxian is three effect.

Lan Wangji, hugging Wei Wuxian while he's working at his desk: you are just a little guy. tiny.

Wei Wuxian: Lan Zhan, I'm just sitting down. 😅

Lan Wangji: You only come up to my waist, Wei Ying. 🥺

#asks #lan wangji #wei wuxian #wangxian

[my-random-mdzs-thoughts]

Saw a couple hold hands as they walk together on a train platform but one has to keep walking along it and the other has to go down the steps. So they release their hands the moment thete is a pull where their connected. It happened so casually. Only thing they said was a smile and see ya later..(I think I had my headphones on but thats what it looked like)

So of course I made it Wangxian!

What else am I supposed to do?

Write a fanfic. Yeah yeah I know shush

So Wangxian walk hand it in hand or Wei Wuxian glued to Lan Wangji's arm, along the paths of Could Recesses. When they have to split up for their classes, they smoothly do it without much problem or similar. It is a fluent motion. Almost pretty even.

Like, the other know there is no worry to let go, because the other peace will be back at its rightful place in no time at all. The disciples try to see it as often as they are able to.

If it would go after Lan Wangji, he would have his arm around Wei Wuxian's waist. Instead of just having his love "just" glued to his arm. The man has needs okay and those needs are to feel his husbands small waist at all times. But Wei Wuxian had complaint that "Lan Zhan! I can't walk like this! Hahaha" and poked his cheek.

When Lan Qiren witnesses it for the first time, they are walking straight at him. Seeming like a barrier of some kind. Lan Qiren is prepared to scold, evade and/or just stand still. He doesn't even get the chance to decide with which one or which combination he wants to go with. Wei Wuxian just *plops* himself off his husband and they walk passed with Lan Qiren in the middle. As he wants to turn around, to see that:

no he did just see that and no he did not imagine that just now either.

Only, to see Wei Wuxian is back to being firmly attached to his Lan Zham's side again. As if he hadn't even been there in the first place. As if Lan Qiren did not exist and they could just walk through him. The Lan elder needed a moment after this. Taking a calming tee, with his other nephew. Who gabe him a tiny amused smile after months of nothing. So this thing isn't so bad really.

He gets to see them do the "I see you at the jingshi tonight" separation thing.

He doesn't complain about their "shameless acts" as much anymore. They are adults after all, they now when to be civil.

And if he had a hidden smile at a discussion conference when they do the "we separate to let you through but will get back together the moment you are out of the way" thing over and over again. No one needs to know. The faces are fun to see. Especially when they meet eachother after they did it twice in one go.

#mdzs #wei wuxian #mdzs wei wuxian #mdzs wwx #wei ying #mo dao su zhi #mdzs wei ying #mdzs lan wangji #mdzs lan zhan #mdzs lwj #lan wangji #lan zhan #lwj #mdzs lan qiren #mdzs lan xichen #lan qiren #lan xichen #lan disciples #mdzs headcanons

[cherryysundae]

forever grateful it is canon that wei wuxian has a tiny waist and fat ass

#literally described in the book #love to know he was made to be grabbed by his husband #wei wuxian

[jenroses]

Remember back in 2016 when I wrote a Big Bang thing for Merlin and I got randomly paired with @procoffeinating and the art was 100% amazeballs?

Well, after spending a couple months writing 180k worth of story for Pocketful of Soul, a CQL-based, Mo Xuanyu-centric time travel story, I decided to reward myself by commissioning art. There are three pieces, this is the first.

This is from Chapter 3, and depicts Mo Xuanyu holding a hand out to Jiang Yanli's ghost, while Wen Qing looks on. They're surrounded by the spirits of the Wen Remnants. They are in a field near Nightless City and you can see the Fire Palace in the background.

Jiang Yanli has one hand full of pieces of Wei Wuxian's shattered, scattered soul.

I am absolutely enchanted by the depiction of Mo Xuanyu, wearing WWX's robe that is a little too big, a little baggy, a little tattered, his face softer, a little rounder in the cheeks and chin, but still closely resembling WWX. It was possibly the most challenging part of the assignment, to make him look different but not-too-different. This is forever what my mental image of him will be.

Anyway, Procoffeinating, as always, understood the assignment absolutely perfectly.

Because this work was for Fandom Trumps Hate, and I not only wanted Procoffeinating's specifically amazing art, but I wanted to use this to help directly support several artists related to causes dear to my heart, I'm asking that if you like this or other of Procoffeinating's work, and you are able, that you go offer some kofi love. If you do, let me know via DM here or on Twitter how much you gave, and I'll match that with some more art for the story. Even tiny donations will get something from me, I have a very long list of places small art could be added. (I did pay for this piece, more than asked, but it deserves more, and I'm willing to put my own effort toward that. Mostly I want to see lots of people tell J how amazing the art is.)

From J's Twitter:

j/queer/ broke fanartist and cat owner, https://ko-fi.com/procoffeinating

I hit an alt text limit, for those who are using screen readers, in addition to everything mentioned in the alt text, over this misty, moody image, on the left side, is a hazy lighter panel (it only covers someone in a dark robe seen from the waist down, it was a requested title space). And over that panel is the title, Pocketful of Soul in a font that seeps black curling tendrils like resentful energy, limned in red. Under it, in a less curly but still decorative font (think rapid brush strokes, almost cursive, kind of pointy, with long downward strokes but minimal ornamentation) in a drop-shadowed black, it says "by Jenrose, art by Procoffeinating."

I highly recommend trawling through @procoffeinating's Tumblr for amazing art in many fandoms. Just keep going, there's Merlin and Good Omens in there, among other things. Twitter has some newer stuff.

Please reblog, do not repost. Posted with permission. The graphic design elements are mine, the art is 100% Procoffeinating's.

The next image from Procoffeinating will be up in about a month, give or take, and will knock your goddamn socks off. It involves culturally accurate babywearing but also absolutely perfect character drawings. Y'all, I cried. (I have the final version in hand but it's for Part 5, and like, 20 chapters from what I've already posted.)

#mdzs fanart #cql fanart #PocketfulOfSoul #commissioned art for fanfic #pay artists #gift to myself #gift to the fandom #fandom trumps hate

[spageddy29]

whos your favorite mdzs character?

hi!

All the characters in mdzs are so well created and written but of course it's gotta be wei wuxian

he really is the main character of all time : queer, adhd, hot, child prodigy, problematic but misunderstood, chaotic, elegant, self-sacrificing, arrogant, kinda mean but so incredibly loving and kind, so good at everything he does, hubris, necromancy, he served cunt and died and got resurrected and served even more cunt, causes problems on purpose, none of the shit he did was his fault, cursed by the narrative and haunts everyone's mind, i'm a bad bitch you can kill me but i'll come back, tiny waist,

he just really is all that

#ty for asking:) #i hope you have a lovely week #ask

[poopycrumbs]

wei wuxian's waist:

lan zhan's hands: squish squish 😳

#mdzs #wangxian #wwx #the untamed #wei wuxian #lan zhan #mo dao zu shi #lan wangji #lwj #mo dao su zhi #modao zushi #mdzs wwx #holy frick have u SEEN wwx's waist???! #it's TINY #squish squish #!!!!

[worthlessnepenthes]

Thanks Twitter, now every time WWX is described in fanfics all I can think of is, “Tiny waist. Ass fat.”

#mdzs #wei wuxian #in specific that one comic where LWJ is being whipped and an elder asks him why he did it #and he spits out a mouthful of blood and says #tiny waist. ass fat #and the elder qi deviates right there #there’s also a fanfic where he gets arranged marriage engaged to a random OC jin who is a nasty jerk #as jins are #and that’s how he describes WWX #just fucking bullshit

[jingyismom]

Since I saw a gifset of drunk Wei Wuxian I've been thinking about what kind of drunks wangxian are, so:

POV you (yes, you) are in the all-gender bathroom at a club trying to get a stain out of your shirt when an insanely beautiful guy with an easy grin and a wicked tattooed undercut walks in

You try to ignore him because 1. he's too beautiful and 2. stain problem, but when he comes back out of the stall his eyes fall on your sad paper towel via the mirror

He's swaying a tiny bit, washing his hands with the careful movements of the comfortably sloshed, and openly staring at the mess you're only making worse

"Sauce??" he asks.

"Sangria," you say.

He grimaces and meets your eye sympathetically.

"Won't come out with soap," he says. He starts fumbling around in all his pockets, though how he fits anything in jeans that tight is a mystery.

"Aha!!" he goes, whipping out a detergent pen with a flourish and a lopsided smile. "It really is a tide pen, I'm not just happy to see you." He grimaces. "But I am happy to see you, too. What's your name? You seem great. Ooohh nope, here, you do it. 'M too drunk."

He's gregarious in a way that manages to be both disarming and endearing. He's not even actually flirting with you, you can tell he's just like this, and you can't help but like him. You take the pen and introduce yourself while you work on the stain. He leans against the sinks, arms crossed, silver jewelry glinting in the dim light, his smile going apologetic.

"I'm Wei Ying! But...terrible with names. Sorry if I call you Sangria, just correct me," he begs.

You tell him Sangria is fine anyway.

He laughs with you, and says, "True, you were drinking it! You must like it."

With a sigh, you start to summarize the unfortunate events resulting in someone else's sangria going down your shirt. He makes a startled sound, though, when he notices a tear in the waist of his own shirt.

"Noooooo," he groans. "This was my hottest outfit."

His head thunks against the wall at his side.

You produce a safety pin, and hold it out. "Here."

He opens his eyes, and his face lights up so bright it almost hurts to look at. He takes the safety pin, and then looks at you with unguarded joy.

"You're the BEST," he says, and starts to try to pin the seam. He struggles. "I can't....reach.”

You put the pen down and help. He smiles at you like you hung the moon, then reminds you you were telling the sangria story. You have no idea how he remembers this, when this drunk, but not names.

He keeps you talking, friendly and genuine and enthusiastically in your corner. He seems ready to march out and dump a fishbowl of red wine on the responsible party himself, but then you mention you weren't having that great of a time anyway, and he stops.

"Why???"

Without going overboard for a conversation in a crappy public restroom, you tell him you weren't really feeling the atmosphere, you've just been kind of down. The sangria was a sign you should probably head home.

He goes quiet and intent, and reaches out to squish your face in both his hands. He stares into your eyes, his gaze a little unfocused but very determined. It's actually a little terrifying to have someone this stunning looking at you this close.

"You. Are amazing," he says. "You wanna party? You party. You are the good Sangria, and you can't let the bad sangria get you down."

Horrifyingly, his eyes start to get a little wet.

"D’you even know how awesome you are??? Look!!"

He turns your head to look at your own squished face in the mirror, and gives your head a little shake.

"Look!!! Even Lan Zhan would like you!!"

"Lan Zhan?" you ask, the unfamiliar name coming out smushed like your cheeks.

"Yeah! Even him!! And he doesn't like anybody!"

You realize at this point that he's one of those people who appears much less drunk than they are, even as drunk as he currently appears.

"Who ish Lan Zhan?" you smush.

"My best friend!" Wei Ying says, and shakes you a little again before letting go. He's got a distinctly faraway look in his eye now. "He's amaaaazing. The best...person. The. He's really. Yeah."

"If he's your best friend, then he clearly likes you, too," you say.

This has the opposite of the intended effect. Wei Ying blinks several times before closing his eyes. 

"Yeah," he says. "He likes me. As a friend."

"That's good," you say tentatively. "Since you're friends."

Wei Ying hiccups. "En," he says, with a loose nod. "We're good friends."

And then Wei Ying starts to cry.

You rush forward to pat him on the back.

"What's wrong?" you ask, bewildered by the sudden emotional swerve.

He sniffles. "I think I'm in love with Lan Zhan," he says wetly.

Ah. That would do it. You try to comfort him by telling him what a catch he is. He shakes his head.

"Not like Lan Zhan," he says, between little sniffling hiccups. "I mean, yeah, I am, but not like Lan Zhan."

You find this sort of hard to believe, but know better than to argue with a crying drunk.

"You're amazing," you parrot back to him. "Look how much you helped me, a stranger in a bathroom! I'm sorry you're in love with your best friend, but there are worse things…you could fall off a cliff or something, you know? At least you're here, and you're awesome, and you get to be friends with someone as amazing as Lan Zhan? Right?"

He sniffles some more, and nods.

"Isn't being friends with him better than not being friends with him?"

He nods frantically. You pat his back some more, hoping he swings back around to happy again soon. Or at least that he doesn't barf or something.

"Who are you here with?" you ask him.

"Everyone," he mumbles.

You start to wonder if he means this in a cosmic sense, but he clarifies.

"A-Cheng, A-jie, A-Ning, Qing-jie, The Peacock, Mingjue-ge, Huaisang, Xichen-ge, Lan.....Lan Zhan...."

He gets a little weepy again.

"That's a lot of people," you venture.

He nods again. "A-Cheng's birthday after-party. All the kids go out to get hammered."

"I s--"

"Except Lan Zhan. He doesn't drink. And Xichen-ge says he doesn't but I know I've seen him tipsy."

"Oh, what a liar," you say, indulgent.

Wei Ying makes a sound that could be called a giggle. "He dessserves some fun. You know. That type. Good...goodest old son. Good oldest. Eldest. Responsibility."

"Oh. Yeah, I know what you mean."

"He's good brother. To Lan Zhan. They're good."

"That's good."

Eventually you bring him back around and coax another sunny smile out of him. Within minutes, you've sent him back out to his party, and you've put on a brave face for yours. You catch a few glimpses of him dancing happily with a small, beautiful woman, so you figure he's okay.

And then, not a half hour later, some guy with a sour expression, wearing sunglasses in the club (pick your most-hated character)(or the one that makes you laugh hardest to picture), punches you directly in your carefully-done hair.

Just like that, you're in the bathroom again.

And you remember how you thought Wei Ying was possibly the most beautiful person on the planet?

The stall behind you opens, and a different guy comes out, and you figure Wei Ying has some stiff competition.

He's standing perfectly straight when you spot him in the mirror, and you start to wonder what the deal is with this bathroom that it keeps producing ethereally gorgeous human beings, but then he takes a step, and the careful deliberateness of it almost conceals a slight wobble.

So you wonder how this bathroom keeps producing ethereally drunken human beings.

You keep an eye on him as he makes his slow, dignified progress toward the sink, and it would be hilarious if he weren't somehow pulling it off so well - head high, disinterested expression on his stunning face. He braces himself briefly on the counter and then turns on the tap with minimal hesitation, so your eyes wander to his perfect makeup and his frankly shocking subtly-glossed mouth, and at that point you decide to focus on your own ruined hair instead. You've tried everything, though, so your hands fall to your sides, and you sigh. It's just going to look like a ferret did zoomies on your head no matter what.

You kind of wish that Wei Ying guy were here. He had incredible hair. He'd definitely help. But it's just you and totally-out-of-it Haughty McBeautiful, so you pull out your phone to order a ride, and turn to go, but then stop short.

Mr. Ice Prince is staring at you with an expression that would probably cut straight to the bone if it were at all focused.

You clear your throat. He doesn't say anything. It's a little worrisome.

"You okay?" you ask.

He blinks a little too slowly, and then looks at your hair.

"Hair," he says, observantly.

You grimace. Of course this unearthly being is offended by the tragedy on your head.

"Some guy ruined it," you say. "I'm good enough at hair to do it in the first place, but not good enough to fix....this."

He frowns. It softens his sharp expression into a startlingly cute pout. You shrug at him. He points to your hair, and then himself, and then your hair again.

"Um..." you say.

He wobbles over behind you, and taps your head with one elegant finger. After the surprise subsides, you shrug again. He honestly couldn't make it worse.

You hold still as he picks at the strands, pulling and rearranging and occasionally splashing a bit of water from the sink. You can't really see what all he's doing, but his movements are suddenly quicker, more deft, from what you can see out of the corner of your eye. You're too afraid to turn your head to look in the mirror, but it's only a few moments before he steps back, and you hear him go, "Mn."

You do look then, and your jaw drops. It looks better than you had it before. When you look at him, he's assessing you in the mirror, much more lucid and shrewd than a moment ago. He nods and repeats, "Mn."

The warm sense of approval you feel at that has no reason to be so overwhelming.

"Wow, thanks," you say. "It looks incredible."

He's still looking you up and down. He tugs on one of your sleeves to make the fabric lay better.

"Good," he says, and it sounds, from him, like almost embarrassingly effusive praise. If someone who looks like this says you're good, you must be.

If he can be this pulled together when he's so drunk he can barely speak, you can't imagine what he's like sober. How do people even go anywhere with him? Maybe they don't, maybe someone with this level of standards doesn't even like being around mere humans.

A sudden suspicion strikes you. It doesn't make sense with the little information you have about him, and yet, in this magic bathroom, it very much does.

"Lan Zhan?" you say.

His eyes widen, and then narrow in suspicion.

"You're Lan Zhan, aren't you."

Slowly, he nods.

You feel a deep, heartfelt pang of sympathy for lovely Wei Ying.

"Your friend Wei Ying," you say, meaning it to be explanatory.

As soon as you say the name, however, he loses interest in you entirely. He looks at the door.

"Wei Ying," he says, low and almost comically wistful as he sweeps past you.

"Wait," you say. He ignores you. "About Wei Ying."

He stops. Turns just enough to look at your elbow. You probably shouldn't say anything, but he's so drunk you can't imagine it doing any harm, and your curiosity is mighty.

"If Wei Ying were in love with you..." he looks you in the eye, and you realize he hasn't done that before. You almost lose track of the sentence, but you soldier on. "What would you do about that?"

His eyes go big and round, and his mouth drops open just the slightest bit. He looks lost for a moment. But then he blinks, and takes a breath.

"Marry him," he murmurs.

Your heart approximately imitates a star going supernova.

"Okay," you say.

His eyes are glassy, and he sways a little. You think, from what Wei Ying said, this might be the first time he's ever been drunk.

"Are you okay?" you ask, to make sure.

He nods, head swinging a little too freely on his long neck.

"Alright, go back to Wei Ying," you say, and hold the door open for him.

He glides unsteadily out, back into the loud dark, and you track him as you go back to your friends, just in case. He gets there okay, but you don't forget about him. You probably never will.

Luckily, about three songs later, the person who jostles you not only manages to catch you before you faceplant, but turns out to be none other than sunny, apologetic Wei Ying.

"Sangria!!!!!!!" he says. "You're still here!! And I almost ruined your night again aahhh!!"

"No, it's fine!" you assure him. "It's all good!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!" you tell him.

And then you smush his face between your hands, and fix him with your most intense stare. You make your voice as serious as you can.

"Wei Ying. Listen. Are you listening?"

He nods, eyes huge, moving your palms with the movement.

"You have to tell Lan Zhan how you feel."

"But!!"

"Shh! We're listening, remember?"

He nods again, mouth pressed closed.

"Tomorrow, when you're both sober, you WILL remember this, and you WILL tell him you're in love with him. And then you will live happily ever after. Do you understand?"

"But what if he—"

"Trust me," you say. He looks uncertain.

"What are you, psychic?"

"Yes," you say, because why not.

He squints at you.

"You believe in Lan Zhan, right?" you ask.

He nods.

"You know how sad you are, thinking he doesn't love you?"

He nods again, glum.

"What if he's just as sad, thinking the same about you?"

He flinches, and stares at you in shock.

"You're making Lan Zhan sad, Wei Ying."

It's mean, and only half true, but you're trying to make this stick. You let it sink in, watch the horror crawl over his face.

"So you'll tell him?"

"I..."

You hear a friend call your name.

"You should tell him," you say, and release him. You give his shoulder a pat. "Just trust me."

And you leave him there, staring at nothing, your fingers crossed in hope.

::SIX MONTHS LATER::

Your friends want to go back to that bougie club with the magic man-producing bathroom, and you figure, might as well. It was an interesting night to say the least.

But when you get there, it's closed for a private event.

You actually do have to use the bathroom though, and the manager who opens the door to tell you to buzz off is actually nice, so you sneak in.

As soon as you close the stall door behind you, the door to the bathroom opens again, and you freeze.

"...be right back!" a voice calls before it shuts again.

"Right there," the same voice says, softer. It sounds suspiciously familiar. "At the sink."

There's a long silence. You try not to make any noise.

"I think I remember this as well," says another voice, low and thoughtful.

It sounds familiar, too.

"Ah! Really? Did you have an ~encounter too??"

The word 'encounter' is said in a mock-spooky voice.

"Possibly," the second voice allows. "I remember...messy hair."

"Hmm I don't remember any messiness, Lan Zhan, maybe you saw a real person."

Somehow, it's them again. Magic bathroom, indeed.

There's a pensive hum. "Perhaps."

Wei Ying laughs, bright and happy.

"Okay Lan Zhan, when we tell the getting-together story after the toasts, we can say you met The Psychic Named Sangria in the Bathroom of Fate, too."

"Wei Ying is gracious as ever," says Lan Zhan.

There's laughter and more silence after that, and then the soft but unmistakable sounds of enthusiastic kissing.

It goes on for...a while.

You panic and flush the toilet.

"Oh shit sorry!!" Wei Ying calls, laughing again.

The door opens, and closes, and then they're gone. You never see that bathroom or Lan Zhan and Wei Ying again.

But you might be a little bit psychic after all, because you know they live happily ever after.

::The End::

(PS you did SUCH A GOOD JOB!!!! You got wangxian together you did it congratulations!!!! 💖💖💖💖 This was originally thrown onto twt!)

#lan wangji #wei wuxian #wangxian #the untamed #wangxian fanfic #i tweeted this a while ago #absolute fluffy silliness #i have another thread i did this weekend that i'll be crossposting here too #and that one is Spicy so get ready #don't ask me how i ended up writing a fluffy little reader-insert 2nd person pov fic i have no idea #but it was fun so i hope you enjoy <3 #my fic

[spockandawe]

mmm, thinking about the guanyin temple scene, and the things jin guangyao finally says once people corner him.

Wei Wuxian laughed from anger, staring at Su She. “Have I ever done anything to you? I didn’t see you as an enemy— I didn’t even know you!”

Jin Guangyao said, “Wei-gongzi, shouldn’t you be the one who knows this best? Would you be safe just because you didn’t see him as an enemy? How could that be? In this world, everyone begins without enemies. Yet someone eventually moves to strike that first blow.”

and we only see a sliver of his childhood, but like, in just that TINY moment, first

The woman said, “Oh, why would I lie to you about something like this? Her son is running errands for us right now. There, that’s him.” The woman twisted her waist, waving at a boy holding a tray. “Xiao-Meng! Come here!”

The boy did as he was told and walked over. “Anxin-jie, what is it?”

All at once, Wei Wuxian understood everything.

The clients studied Meng Yao with judgmental eyes. Meng Yao asked again, “Am I needed for something?”

Anxin grinned. “Xiao-Meng, are you still learning all those things lately?”

Meng Yao paused. “Which things?”

Anxin said, “The things your mother wants you to learn, like calligraphy, etiquette, swordsmanship, meditation… How are those things going?”

Before she even finished, the clients began to chuckle as if they thought something was funny. Anxin turned around. “Don’t laugh, I’m telling the truth. His mom’s raising him like a young master of a wealthy family. She taught him to read and write, bought him all sorts of swordsmanship pamphlets, and even wants to send him to school.”

A client exclaimed, “Send him to school? Did I hear wrong?”

“No! Xiao-Meng, tell these gongzis. You’ve gone to the library before, haven’t you?”

The client asked, “Is he still going?”

Anxin said, “Nah, he came back just a few days later. He refused to go back, no matter what. Xiao-Meng, did you not like studying, or did you not like the place?”

Meng Yao didn’t say anything. Anxin giggled, poking a red-painted finger at his forehead, “Little one, are you angry?”

She pressed quite hard. A light, red mark appeared in the center of Meng Yao’s forehead, almost like a shadow of a vermillion mark. He touched his forehead. “No…”

an adult woman makes a point of calling him over just so she and her clients can laugh at his expense. and then moments later

Suddenly, someone screamed. The sound of cups and saucers shattering came from the second floor as a guqin crashed down, smashing to pieces as it hit landed in the hall. It scared the wits out of the people enjoying themselves at the nearby tables. Anxin stood, almost tripping, yelling, “What happened?!”

Meng Yao cried, “A-Niang!”

Anxin looked up. A burly man dragged a woman out of a room by her hair. Anxin tugged the sleeve of the client next to her. It was unclear whether she was nervous or excited. “She’s at it again!”

Meng Yao rushed upstairs. The woman covered her head, trying her hardest to pull her clothes up her shoulders. As she saw Meng Yao run over, she hurriedly cried, “I told you not to come upstairs! Go down! Go down this instant!”

As Meng Yao tried to peel away the client’s hands from his mother, he was kicked in the stomach and rolled down the stairs, causing a wave of exclamations.

This was the third time Wei Wuxian had seen him kicked down a flight of stairs.

The woman screamed as the client grabbed her by the hair again, dragging her all the way downstairs, where he stripped her and threw her onto the street. He spat on her naked body, cursing, “Hags do nothing but haggle— This old whore thinks she’s fresh meat!”

he watches his mother get physically attacked and thrown naked into the streets, just because she tried to get decent payment for her work. and he’s kicked down the stairs for trying to help her

After the kick, Meng Yao hadn’t been able to get up, and was still lying on the ground. The lady grabbed one person with each hand and dragged away both the mother and son.

that’s so much unnecessary cruelty! in such a small time! and it’s not like everything is magically fixed once he enters the cultivation world, he still has to deal with all the pointing and laughing, getting kicked down the stairs of jinlintai when he just tried to present himself to his father, the gossip without regard for whether he can hear it, people wiping their hands after they accept a cup from him, madam jin beating him, hearing his father drunkenly talk about how his mother was such a huge pain in the ass, and he didn’t want to support her because it would have been annoying. there was so much suffering that he never ““asked”” for in any sense.

and given the ways that wei wuxian and jin guangyao are parallels for each other, especially in terms of the hardships they endure, i definitely think it’s both interesting and important that the story repeatedly emphasizes 1) wei wuxian’s terrible memory, and 2) jin guangyao’s perfect memory.

Wei Wuxian knew that ‘for once’ referred to how his memory had been good, for once. He couldn’t help but smile. “Don’t always be so angry about it. It was my fault before, alright? Besides, my terrible memory is thanks to my mother.”

Wei Wuxian propped his arm on Lil’ Apple’s head, spinning Chenqing in his hand. “She said you have to remember the things others do for you, not the things you do for others. Only when people don’t hold so much in their hearts will they finally feel free.”

This was one of the only things he remembered about his parents.

vs

Jin Guangyao could remember the name, title, age, and appearance of any person after just one encounter. Even years later, he’d be able to greet them without any fault, and carry out a solicitous conversations as well. If he’d seen someone more than twice, he would remember all of their likes and dislikes, and would therefore be able to cater to their needs.

there’s a lot at play in the different ways that the two of them react to the suffering they lived through, but that line about ‘someone always moves to strike that first blow’ really stuck with me. preemptive hostility doesn’t feel like wei wuxian’s style in general (post-burial-mounds ptsd excluded), but the difference in how they react to being singled out and mistreated is really striking. madam yu hits wei wuxian for being shirtless in the summer heat, even though everyone else was too, and when there’s a quiet moment he’s kind of :(( over ‘why is it always ME’, but he gets distracted in like two seconds, and pushes it all away. jin guangyao can compartmentalize like a motherfucker, and even as a child, he’s good at keeping a smile on his face no matter what, but he isn’t able to forget. 

i don’t have a clean-cut conclusion to come to, only that i’m a picky binch when it comes to how people characterize jin guangyao’s actions. this is a story where i personally struggle a lot with how badly these characters hurt each other, and how sympathetic i am to all of their motivations. i find the story agonizing, in a lot of very good ways, and i’m constantly overflowing with thoughts about how jin guangyao specifically parallels the people around him, and how his actions compare and contrast to the decisions those other people make. rereading the flashback sequences was one of the most painful parts of this whole reread process, and then the guanyin temple scene in general hurt way much more than i was expecting. for the most part, i have too many feelings screaming for attention right now to do justice to any of them, but this particular character note jumped out at me, and i felt compelled to share.

#mdzs #jin guangyao #wei wuxian #long post/

[jiangwanyinscatmom]

Hi! So first of all I want to clarify that I'm not in any way saying jc isn't a homophobe, because I mean, it's pretty obvious. However back when I read the mxtx interview I read her answer as 'wwx acted all of a sudden very different with lwj, to the point where it was jarring for jc who had not seen him act that way before.' I do not think jc understood at all wwx's affections towards lwj, and this did not think it was disgusting because he saw it as flirting. (1/2)

I find it weird that people use it as a 'proof' that jc is homophobic when it's not straightforwardly telling us it's homophobia, and also since you know, the novel is right there and tells us far more clearly that jc is, in fact, a homophobe. (2/2)

So, here, I agree the interview isn't a stated full explanation in itself and not to be used as evidence alone.

I think that at the time it was not fully homophobia on his part when he had first noticed Wei Wuxian's attention for Lan Wangji in Cloud Recesses. Jiang Cheng had never understood Wei Wuxian's penchant for wanting to be around Lan Wangji and I think that his surprise of Wei Wuxian flirting with a man (He himself talks about how he never thought it odd with Wei Wuxian flirting with women all the time) Lan Wangji was always the strange outlier for flirting. It steadily devolves into more overt homophobia as they get older.

Cloud Recesses when they're 15,

Wei WuXian replied, “Yeah, I also thought that he should be praised for having the courage to come see me. He was probably told by his uncle to come check if I was kneeling properly.”

Jiang Cheng instinctively felt a foreboding sensation, “Were you kneeling properly?”

Wei WuXian, “I was kneeling properly. After he was some distance away, I found a stick and started to dig in the dirt. The pile beside your foot. There’s an ant hole there that I went through tons of trouble to find. When he turned his head, he saw that my shoulders were shaking, and he definitely thought that I was crying. He even came back to ask me. You really should have seen his expression as he saw the ant hole.”

“…” Jiang Cheng spoke, “You should get lost and go back to Yunmeng as soon as possible! I don’t think that he wants to see you ever again.”

The part that sticks out here is the fact that Jiang Cheng feels any sense of foreboding at all for a silly situation that Lan Wangji had walked away from seeing Wei Wuxian was actually okay. It's the first seed of him continuing the line of thought that "He hates you". He is already feeling strange about Wei Wuxian's flirting and chooses to sort of project this hate into Lan Wangji for Wei Wuxian.

Lotus Pier summer after Cloud Recesses lessons:

I just thought of someone.”

Jiang Cheng, “Who?”

Wei WuXian, “Lan Zhan.”

Jiang Cheng, “Why would you think of him for no reason? Reminiscing what it felt like to copy sect rules?”

Wei WuXian spat out a seed, “It’s fun to think of him. You don’t even know—he’s just too amusing. I told him, ‘Your sect’s food is disgusting. I’d rather eat stir-fried watermelon peel than eat your food. If you have time, come have fun with us at Lotus Pier…'”

Before he even finished, Jiang Cheng slapped his watermelon off, “Are you mad? Inviting him to Lotus Pier—are you trying to torture yourself?”

Wei WuXian, “Why are you so upset? My watermelon almost flew away! I was just being polite. Of course he wouldn’t come. Have you ever heard of him go anywhere by himself to have fun?”

Jiang Cheng had on a stern expression, “Let’s make this clear. I don’t want him to come, anyhow. Don’t invite him.”

Wei WuXian, “I never knew you hated him so much?”

Jiang YanLi sat down between the two, “Who are you talking about? A friend you made in Gusu?”

Wei WuXian responded happily, “Yeah!”

Jiang Cheng, “What a shameless ‘friend’ you are. Go ask Lan WangJi and see if he wants you as one.”

Wei WuXian, “Fuck off. If he doesn’t want me, I’ll bother him to the point that he does.” He turned to Jiang YanLi, “Shijie, do you know Lan WangJi?”

Jiang YanLi, “I do. He’s that Lan-er-gongzi whom everyone describes as handsome and talented, isn’t he? Is he really that handsome?”

Wei WuXian, “He is!”

Jiang YanLi, “Compared to you?”

Wei WuXian thought about it for a moment, “Maybe just a bit more handsome than me.”

He formed a tiny bit of space between two fingers. Taking the plate away, Jiang YanLi smiled, “He must be truly very handsome, then. It’s a good thing you made a new friend. In the future, you two can visit each other in your free time.”

Hearing this, Jiang Cheng spat out his watermelon. Wei WuXian waved his hands, “Forget it, forget it. All that’s at his place is bad food and a whole lot of rules. I’m not going again.”

Jiang YanLi, “Then you can bring him here. This is a good opportunity. Why not invite your friend to come stay at Lotus Pier for sometime?”

Jiang Cheng, “Don’t listen to his nonsense, Jie. He’s super annoying in Gusu. Lan WangJi would never want to come home with him.”

Wei WuXian, “What do you mean!? He would.”

Jiang Cheng, “Wake up. Lan WangJi told you to get lost, didn’t you hear? You still remember that?”

Wei WuXian, “What do you know!? Even though he told me to get lost on the surface, I know for sure that he secretly wants to come play with me in Yunmeng—in fact, he would love to.”

Wei Wuxian is still in the belief that Lan Wangji does like him. Jiang Cheng of course isn't amused by Jiang Yanli's indulgence in Wei Wuxian's daydreams. Wei Wuxian continues to, well, essentially pine innocently about Lan Wangji, his fellow disciples even encourage it leading to... Jiang Cheng sulking even further over the fact that Wei Wuxian is in fact pining over another boy. He puts two and two together as Wei Wuxian is flirting with the girls on shore later on and he talks of the things he will do with Lan Wangji as he visits. He talked of training with Lan Wangji in the same way he invited the girls to watch him train.

Phoenix Mountain Hunt

Lan WangJi suddenly raised his hand, stopping a flower tossed over from behind him.

He looked back. Over at the side of the YunmengJiang Sect’s riding formation, which hadn’t departed yet, Jiang Cheng clicked his tongue impatiently, seated at the front. However, the person beside him sat on a horse with black, gleaming hair. His elbow was at the head of the horse as he looked to the side as though nothing happened, talking and laughing with two slender-bodied maidens.

Lan XiChen saw that Lan WangJi had drawn the reins and ceased to move forward, “WangJi, what happened?”

Lan WangJi, “Wei Ying.”

Wei WuXian finally turned around, face full of surprise, “What? HanGuang-Jun, did you call me? What’s up?”

Holding the flower, Lan WangJi seemed to be quite cold. His tone seemed cold as well, “Was it you?”

Wei WuXian immediately denied it, “No, it wasn’t.”

The maidens beside him spoke at once, “Don’t believe him. It was him!”

Wei WuXian, “How could you treat a good person like this? I’m getting angry!”

Giggling, the maidens pulled their reins and went to the formations of their own sects. Lan WangJi lowered the hand that he held the flower with and shook his head. Jiang Cheng spoke, “ZeWu-Jun, HanGuang-Jun, apologies. Don’t pay attention to him.”

Lan XiChen smiled, “That is fine. I will thank Young Master Wei’s kindness behind the flower in place of WangJi.”

When they slowly rode into the distance, carrying with them the clouds of petals and fragrance, Jiang Cheng glanced at the colourful sea of handkerchiefs waving on the watching towers before turning to Wei WuXian, “Why are you throwing out flowers along with the girls?”

Wei WuXian, “I think he looks nice. Can’t I throw a few as well?”

Jiang Cheng pointed his nose into the air, “How old are you? Who do you think you are, still playing tricks like that?”

Interestingly enough, this flower scene is similar to what had once occurred during the summer of Lotus Pier. This is after it had been established that Wei Wuxian thinks Lan Wangji now dislikes him morally. Yet he still reaches out to tease and flirt with him, leading Jiang Cheng to continue asking why well into their early 20's is Wei Wuxian still doing this. It was excusable when they were younger but now this is inexcusable and troublesome for someone who is supposed to be his righthand acting on whims still and flirting with a man of reputation. Jiang Cheng actively had encouraged the rift between Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji after the return from the Burial Mounds. He agreed very readily that Lan Wangji wanted to imprison Wei Wuxian instead of extending any help in regards to Wei Wuxian's volatile disposition that went on for years after this altercation, convincing himself and Wei Wuxian of Lan Wangji's supposed hate.

Wei WuXian was in such a state of distress that he couldn’t remember whether or not he called someone’s name at all. He only managed to pull himself together after Jiang Cheng commanded the dog to back away. After a moment of hesitation, he abruptly turned his head away. On the other side, Jiang Cheng left his seat. There was a whip attached beside his waist. With one hand on it, he bent down to look at Wei WuXian’s face. After a pause, he straightened up and asked, “Speaking of it, since when have you been so close to Lan WangJi?”

Wei WuXian immediately understood whose name he had unconsciously called out.

Jiang Cheng smiled menacingly, “It really is quite curious how far he went to protect you, back on Dafan Mountain.”

A moment later, he corrected himself, “No. You weren’t necessarily the one whom Lan WangJi was protecting. After all, the GusuLan Sect couldn’t have forgotten what you did with that loyal dog of yours. How could someone so celebrated for his righteousness tolerate the likes of you? Maybe he’s familiar with this body that you stole instead.”

His words were cruel and sinister. Every sentence seemed well-meaning on the surface, but was actually derogatory. Wei WuXian couldn’t bear hearing it any longer, “Watch your language.”

Thirteen years later his taunts have become more refined as he is well off into hating Lan Wangji himself now that Wei Wuxian had been dead. He taunts that Lan Wangji is more promiscuous than presented as well as using Wei Wuxian's old goodwill for Lan Wangji for him to go on the defense. Jiang Cheng however thinks using the fact these men are gay is only a tool, he does not believe they are as his disgust of Mo Xuanyu being gay does disgust him. His suspicions have turned into bigotry instead finally in the years that Wei Wuxian was gone.

When Jiang Cheng accused him, Wei WuXian couldn’t defend himself at all, but he just couldn’t bear it when those words were being directed at Lan WangJi.

Wei WuXian reprimanded, “Jiang Cheng, just listen to yourself. What are you saying? Is it appropriate? Don’t forget who you are. After all, you’re the leader of a sect. Insulting a renowned cultivator in front of Uncle Jiang and Madam Yu’s spirits—where is your discipline?”

His original intention was to remind Jiang Cheng to at least hold some respect for Lan WangJi. However, Jiang Cheng was always sensitive. From those words, he managed to make out the notion that he wasn’t fit to be a sect leader. Immediately, darkness crawled up his face, bearing an eerie similarity to how Madam Yu looked when she was angry. His voice was harsh, “Who is the one insulting my parents in front of their spirits?! Could you two please understand whose sect you’re in? I don’t care if you act so shamelessly outside, but don’t you dare fool around inside our ancestral hall, before my parents’ spirits! After all, they were the ones who brought you up—even I feel ashamed for you!”

Wei WuXian never expected such a huge blow to crash down on him. He was both shocked and furious, blurting, “Shut up!”

Jiang Cheng pointed outside, “Mess around outside however you want, whether under a tree or on a boat, hugging or otherwise! Get out of my sect, get away from anywhere my eyes can see!”

Hearing him mention ‘under a tree’, Wei WuXian felt his heart skip a beat—could Jiang Cheng have seen the moment where he crashed into Lan WangJi’s arms?

His guess was not wrong. Jiang Cheng did indeed go out to find Wei WuXian and Lan WangJi. He chased after them in the direction that the street vendors pointed at. A voice in his heart seemed to tell him which places Wei WuXian would definitely go. He caught up to them in just a while. Yet, he just so happened to see Wei WuXian and Lan WangJi enveloped in a tight embrace under a tree, unwilling to let go of each other even after so long.

Goosebumps immediately ran down Jiang Cheng’s body.

Although he’d made guesses at the relationship between Mo XuanYu and Lan WangJi before, they were only attacks trying to offend Wei WuXian, not that he really suspected anything. He’d never thought that Wei WuXian would have ambiguous ties with a man, because after all, when they grew up together, Wei WuXian had never expressed any such interest. He’d always loved good-looking girls with a passion. On the other hand, it was even more impossible for Lan WangJi. He was famous for his asceticism, seemingly interested in neither men nor women.

But hugging like that seemed intense no matter what. At least, they didn’t seem like normal friends or brothers. He immediately recalled that Wei WuXian had always stuck to Lan WangJi ever since he came back. Lan WangJi’s attitude towards him was also different from what it was before he was reborn. At once, he was almost certain that the two really were in that kind of relationship. He couldn’t turn around and leave, yet he didn’t want to say a single word to the two, so he continued to hide himself as he followed them. Every single look and movement that passed between them seemed different in his eyes. For a while, the shock, absurdity, and slight disgust that he felt combined to overpower his hatred. It was only after Wei WuXian brought Lan WangJi into the ancestral hall that the long-suppressed hatred was awakened again, devouring his courtesy and rationality.

Wei WuXian was holding something back, “Jiang WanYin, you… apologize right now.”

Jiang Cheng mocked, “Apologize? For what? For exposing your thing for each other?”

Wei WuXian raged, “HanGuang-Jun is only my friend—what do you think we are?! I warn you. Apologize right now—don’t make me beat you!”

Hearing this, Lan WangJi’s expression froze for an instant. Jiang Cheng laughed, “Well, then I’ve never seen “friends” like that before? You warn me? Warn me against what? If you two had the slightest trace of integrity left, you wouldn’t have come here and…”

Seeing the change in Lan WangJi’s expression, Wei WuXian thought he must have felt insulted by Jiang Cheng’s words. He was so angry that his entire body was shaking. He didn’t dare think about what Lan WangJi would think after being shamed like this.

Obviously in the penultimate scene Jiang Cheng himself is being "the unreliable narrator" that fans love to accuse Wei Wuxian of. He says he never expected this of the two, but all the years of his behavior shows that he had always gone out of his way to keep the two away from each other and had always been mildly homophobic when the two did express interest in the other however innocent it had been in their youth.

All of this is to say, when it comes to how MXTX worded that interview answer, I think it was meant as a careful nudge for those who had still tried to insist that Jiang Cheng didn't mean to be homophobic, actually wasn't homophobic and was just angry at any other actions of Wei Wuxian and lashing out about that etc, it was her telling people to simply pay attention to the underlying shadowing of Jiang Cheng and how he exasperated his own pre-existing biases that morphed into an uglier hate.

#mdzs #mo dao zu shi #anti jiang cheng #but not really cause i love him #Jiang Cheng's canon homophobia #so so long I am so sorry this turned into a massive breakdown of your one question #but that's what happens with a day off lol #don't mind me #asks