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wangxianficfinder · 25 days

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Fic Finder

Apr 2nd

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1. hi there, can yall help me find a modern au fic where wwx was kicked out of the jiang household and he started to spend his nights within his school premesis? i remember lqr, lxc and nmj being the ones to find him one night. thank you for yalls hard work 💐

FOUND? Where is home? by SpicyRamen_10969 (M, 80k, WIP, WangXian, Modern AU, High School, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Coming Out, Not Jiang Family Friendly, Supportive LQR, Good Sibling LXC, Fluff, Angst with a Happy Ending, JC Being an Asshole, Possible Smut?)

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2. Do you know fiction where wei ying travelled back to past but lan zhan feeling also travel back.

FOUND? 💖 Come Back to Me by s6115 (M, 9k, wangxian, time travel, fix-it, soulmates)

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3. Nsfw ask but this fic was one where wwx and lwj helps jc and lxc (jc was the one asking) how to have fun/ painless sex. They try multiple times but end up getting cockblocked or something of that sort @thatperson0-0

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4. Hi! I'm looking for a fic where during the Lotus Pier seige there is an array or something set up that protects it and results in a baby for WWX and LWJ that is about the same age as A-Yuan - they already know (can't remember how). As a result of that array, the baby, A-Yuan, and people involved can shift into animals. Thank you! @hpikachu2003

FOUND! 💖 Magical Marriage Ribbons Series by starandrea (Varies, 1m, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Accidental Marriage, Fluff, Happy Ending, Telepathic bond, Kink Negotiation, Family Drama, Magical Pregnancy, Dual Cultivation, Shapeshifters, Modern with Magic, Immortality, Yilling Wei Sect) has LWJ continuously struggling to vocalize nearly ANY of his sexual wants even well after wangxian get together

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5. looking for a fic that I thought I'd saved and hope i didn't dream it up... in this fic, I think wwx and lwj aren't tgt, but slept tgt? wwx finds out he is expecting, and instead of letting lwj know, he goes to the wens for refuge (I believe granny wen is mentioned in the description!) I don't know much else, other than it might be a modern au fic. thank you!

FOUND? Nothing but your heart by airinshaw (E, 21k, WangXian, Modern AU, A/B/O Dynamics, Implied Mpreg, First Time, Getting Together, Angst and Drama, Angst with a Happy Ending, Anal Sex, Whump, Breeding Kink)

FOUND? The Winner Takes It All by YilingSani (M, 46k, WangXian, Modern AU, Single Parent WWX, Old Friends, One Night Stands, No Smut, Angst with a Happy Ending, PTSD, Panic Attacks, Forgiveness, Second Chances, Inspired by Mamma Mia! (Movies) Teen Pregnancy, Mpreg, mention of miscarriage, Birth Trauma, amniotic fluid embolism) although Granny Wen isn't in the list of characters but she features in the story?

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6. Hi i am searching for a particular fic but it seems to have disappeared on me so the storyline was that LWJ and WWX were married but WWX wasn't happy in the marriage and LWJ comes to know this by hearing it from some where that WWX said so when he had gone to a flower house/brothel and then LWJ calls upon WQ to confirm if what he heard was true which she does and so he makes a decision to go leave planning to head to Yilling or CR and when he was travelling he encounters XXC and SL but doesn't reveal his identity of being WWX's husband just says that he is a disciple of the Lan and the 3 of them work on this night hunt where out of 3 wishes one would be fulfilled, is a curse related to i think some sisters also JWY was the emperor and WWX's post was either a general crown prince or a marquis and after WWX comes to know about LWJ leaving asks LWJ's maids who go with LWJ whenever he visits CR if they know where has he gone— with him also going to CR in search for LWJ (unsure) and JWY in a scene tells WWX some thing along the lines of that it wasn't probably also LWJ's choice, was being pressured into the marriage or so. most likely was muti-chaptered don't remember much of it and was on ao3. Thank you. @1p1rose1

FOUND! 💖 Eat, Pray, Night Hunt by Itszero (G, 29k, wangxian, Arranged Marriage, Reconciliation, Getting Together, YLLZ WWX, Misunderstandings, Royalty, Historical Inaccuracy, Happy Ending, Fluff, Imperial AU, palace au, Dual POV, Fluff and Angst, Historical Fantasy, Xianxia but also court drama ya know?)

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7. Hi! I'm looking for a CQL!verse fic in which people can choose to tie a red string between them when they get married (sort of a soulmate au, but not really). When wei wuxian falls off the cliff to his death, lwj ties a string between them. when wwx comes back, the string is how lwj recognizes him. when the canon plot is over, lwj thinks he has to cut the string between them. i think this fic might have been deleted, though, but any help you can give would be welcome. thanks

FOUND! 💖 a trail of blood to find your way back home by blackelement7 (T, 19k, wangxian, JC & WWX, what if a soulmate string au, but without the soulmates aspect of it, a reflection on the nature of marriage, WWX is full of regrets, so is LWJ, Mutual Pining, Miscommunication, JC & WWX Reconciliation, JC is trying his best but words are hard and his brother is stupid, Siblings, Canonical Character Death, but it's just WWX, accidental 3zun feels, WWX as the most unreliable of narrators)

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8. hi! thx so much for your work in the fandom. i'm looking for a fic where wwx is a sect leader and towards the end of the fic (I think) he's at a cultivation conference where someone tries to set fire to his rooms and he and lwj go into a qiankun box. i think at the very end wwx summons a phoenix born from the flames of his burned rooms. thx so much!

FOUND? A Phoenix Rising - An Untamed Story by AitchNKay (E, 130k, WangXian, The Untamed (TV) Ending, Angst, Porn With Plot, Anal Sex, jerking off, Top/Bottom Versatile | Switch WangXian, junior ducklings, Oral Sex, Post canon, Not everyone is gay, Family is everything, so many feelings, Introduction of New Characters, porn with feeling, Friendship, Healing, Suibian/Bichen/Chenqing/WangJi, 3 weddings and a funeral)

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9. hello, thanks for your work!

i was trying to search for this fic where wwx from post-canon travels back in time and is in around the yllz time, he keeps doting on lwj and yllz (past wwx) gets a bit jealous but doesn't know what to name it. he refuses to believe that he married lwj in the future and the future wwx gets mad at him and tells him not to hurt lwj. can't seem to find it anywhere.

FOUND? From the Future for the Past by friedchickenlord (G, 27k, wangxian, time travel, fluff, humor, love confessions, pining, happy ending, denial)

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10. Hi buddy, I have one request. If you have came across a wangxian fic where Wei Wuxian is reincarnated and came to Gusu with Lan Wanji ( I think LWJ is the chief cultivator here) and realised that LWJ was getting marriage proposals from around the (cultivation) World a lot. And he propose to conduct a competition to find the most suitable candidate from the available lot while being secretly heartbroken that he could not have LWJ. I'm not sure if it's ABO or not. A-yuan also has an important role in this fic. Plz help..... @grrumpywoof

FOUND? a morbid longing by sunandseas (E, 24k, WIP, WangXian, Mutual Pining Misunderstandings, Porn with Feelings, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Omega LWJ, Alpha WWX, Bottom LWJ, Possessive WWX, BAMF WWX, Protective WWX, Hurt LWJ, Dark WWX)

is that the one where the suitors have to steal a token from lwj, and lwj gives it to wwx, but wwx thinks it was just the gusu jade access pass and was really sad about someone winning the token?? 🤔 (based on the comic about the witch's cat?)

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11. Hii, I'm looking for a fic. It was about wwx wished that he does not exist in the life of people he love, because of what happens with jiang yanli, jin ling, jiang cheng and everyone he loves. So he live, but not with his parents, jc,lwj and so on. And there's one time his parents come to an inn and met wwx, they dont know who wwx is because they never have a kid. But wwx and his father, has a similar face, so when he look at wwx, he feel like wwx is his kid that he never have.. I hope that u know this fic is, because I have been trying to remember where and what fic it is but I cant. Thankyou for your hard work.

Pretty sure #11 is a twitter thread by cerbykerby but I don't have a twitter account any more and thus searching is hard

FOUND? For 11, this is the cerbykerby fic unrolled

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12. heyy admins! i'm looking for a fic where wei ying's parents turns out to be alive. from what i remember they somehow escaped the burial mounds after many years and they learned about wei ying from people then they made their way to the cloud recesses and they stayed there a bit. thanks in advance! <3

FOUND? The Long Winding Road Home by Admiranda (T, 13k, CSSR/WCZ, wangxian, flash forwards, Time Travel, Post canon, WWX's parents come to post canon mdzs, not for JC fans, fluffy family reunions, mocking LQR to his face, mocking JC to his face, wild rumors abound)

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13. Hello, I was wondering if you could help me find a fic. It was a pacific rim and atla fusion au where I think wwx was transferred to the station lwj was at. Then they were attacked and wangxian were either forced or called to go into a Jaeger together to attack the kaiju. @xo-minx

FOUND? The Weight of the World by KouriArashi (T, 67k, WangXian, XiYao, Pacific Rim Fusion, Robots, Monsters, robots fighting monsters, Family, Romance, Developing Relationship, Angst, (but not about the romances), Hurt/Comfort, Politics, Happy Ending)

FOUND? Thunder's Coming Over Me by phnelt (E, 38k, WIP, WangXian, Avatar & Benders Setting, Pacific Rim Fusion, temporary character death (wwx's), Angst with a Happy Ending, Action & Romance)

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14. Hello ! First of all, THANK YOU for your hard work on this blog and WangxianFicRecs, I really enjoy my time on both ! :) This is a first for me so I hope I'm asking properly (otherwise, please, excuse me^^'). I'm looking for a fic I think was on a list in FicRecs last month but I can't seem to find it back... I just skimmed through it at the time and thought that it was great and that I would come back to it later... except I forgot to bookmark it and had not luck searching my AO3 history so far :'(. It was a Wangxian AO3 fic and the only thing I remember clearly is a sentence where Wei Ying thinks about the way Lan Zhan smells and says that he decides LZ's scent smells like love.

Aaaaand I'm sorry because I know this isn't much, but if by any chance someone happened to know which fic it is and I could stop racking my brain, I would be super grateful for that ! :)

I wish you all a wonderful day/night !

I was #14 in the April 2nd FicFinder. I finally went through all of February posts and found again the fic I was looking for! It was in fact in your Crossdressing comp and it wasn't about LZ smelling like love but LZ's kiss tasting like love 😅.

Anyway, here's the fic : only the dead (have seen the end of war) by comforting_monachopsis.

Sorry to have bothered you and thanks again ! ❤️

FOUND? only the dead (have seen the end of war) by comforting_monachopsis (T, 42k, wangxian, JYL/JZX, temporary amnesia, BAMF WWX, sad LWJ, grief/mourning, loneliness, mild gore, secret identity, loss of identity, identity porn, angst, humor, crossdressing)

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15. Hi!! For next ficfinder, can you help me find this two fic?

A) a fic where Qin su is the one that resurrected Wei Wuxian and she give him a detail instruction. I remember a scene where Wei Wuxian try to seduce Jin Guangyao so that he can get out from Koi tower. If I'm not mistaken, Qin su and Lan Xichen is best friend and Xichen really sad and disappointed at himself for not realising his best friend is long dead. There are also part where wwx try to sunburn Qin su face so it become unrecognisable.

B) a fic where Lan Qiren is mistakenly drink wine in his teapot and he is doting to Wei Wuxian and told about marriage arrangement that has been sign by Cangse Sanren and Lan Wangji when they are a little kid.

Thank you and Have a nice day😘 @chibiizzy

15A)

FOUND! The Tales of Despereaux (CH 1-23) by stiltonbasket (T, 50k, wangxian, LXC/NMJ, JC & WWX, JYL/JZX, JC/WQ, Canon DivergenceAdditional Warnings In Author's Note, major ships are listed but others might pop up!)

15B)

FOUND! 🔒 Who gave Lan-xiansheng alcohol?! by HeloSoph (Not Rated, 14k, wangxian, LQR & WWX, CSSR & LQR, CSSR/WCZ, Cloud Recesses Study Arc, Canon Divergence, POV LQR, Drunk LQR, WWX is Loved, Jiāng Family Bashing, YZY Bashing, WangXian Get a Happy Ending, Engaged WangXian, Gūsū Lán Forehead Ribbon, Cloud Recesses Shenanigans, Character Death, Self-Indulgent, Wedding Planning, Fluff and Humor, Married WangXian, Good Uncle LQR, CSSR & LQR Friendship)

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16. Hi I really need help but there’s this wangxian fic where basically lan zhan keeps complimenting Wei wuxian and wwx tells him he has to give him notice before doing it so lan zhan gives him a time frame or writes him a letter etc. and i cannot for the life of me find it please help me find it 😭😭😭 @vilethot

FOUND! Content Warning: Romance by Ariaste (M, 5k, WangXian, BDSM, Praise Kink, nonsexual kink, which turns into sexual kink, wwx's canonical fetishes, Kink Negotiation, basically my ongoing mission to demonstrate to fandom that Kink Can Be Unbearably Soft Actually)

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17. Hi! How are y'all doing? for the next fic finder, I'm looking for a modern au, no magic, where fem!wwx goes to live with lwj after she turns 18 and her main goal is to get together with lwj so she's very shameless to the point that lwj has to tell her that he'll have to set rules if she continues like that, and asks if she's aware that he's a man

anyone knows it? I'm scared that it was deleted. Thanks! I hope y'all have a wonderful day!

FOUND! tell me what's your motive by sweetlolixo (E, 7k, wangxian, F/M, Modern, Genderbending, Female WWX, Male LWJ, Penis In Vagina Sex, Dirty Talk, Oral Sex, Breeding Kink, Masturbation, Size Difference, Stomach Bulge, JYL and LWJ best friends agenda, Older LWJ)

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18. Fic Finder: I'm looking for a fic where LWJ is cursed to his young child self. In Yiling, WWX sees a Lan boy with the forehead ribbon surrounded by people, and then he recognizes child LWJ. Child LWJ refuses to leave the nearby inn because he's waiting for his uncle and brother, who do not come. WWX waits with him and says he was a student of LQR, but LWJ doesn't believe him because his uncle did not teach when LWJ was young. Eventually WWX convinces LWJ to go to the burial mounds with him, and he writes a letter to LXC but he isn't sure if LWJ will recognize his brother as an adult.

Thanks in advance!

FOUND? I think this fic is the deleted "Staying close to you" by Venon. I couldn't find it on the wayback machine but I have a copy.

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19. Hi! I forgot to bookmark this time travel fic and the only thing i can remember is he came back during lan qiren’s class and he cried and suddenly fainted?? thank you!! @gideonmorningstar

FOUND? Wish Me Luck by Starlight1395 (Not Rated, 164k, WangXian, Fix It, Time Travel, Angst, PTSD, Hurt/Comfort, Flashbacks, Nightmares, Slight fluff, Implied Sexual Content, Lots of tears, cannon levels of blood/violence, Minor Character Death, secondary character death, Sibling Bonding, semi mild smut, mild Self-harm)

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20. hello!! i’m looking for a thread fic on twitter. lwj is feral alpha who’s been checked into a rehabilitation centre. i don’t remember exactly but there was yiling in the name. wwx is his assigned omega social worker who is the only one who can calm him down and the only one lwj listens to. i can’t remember all the details but I remember wwx giving lwj a rabbit and donkey soft toy. wwx would also play chess with him occasionally. lwj’s episode was triggered by his uncle’s discussion of getting him a mate. eventually lwj gets loose, wwx gets pregnant and gets in trouble for it even though there was some foul play. wen ning is also an alpha at the centre and wen qing visits him occasionally. thank you so much 💖 i never got to finish it and i really want to know how it ended!!

FOUND! come closer (i might not bite) by celerydragon (E, 4k, wangxian, WIP, A/B/O, Medical AU, Feral Behavior, Drama, Pregnancy, Unplanned Pregnancy, Mpreg) is being posted to ao3 now / this the original twitter thread for the rest of the story. unfortunately the thread is broken in a few parts so i’m glad the writer is starting to move it to ao3

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#wangxian #mdzs #wangxian fic finder #wangxian fic search #the untamed #wangxianficfinder #long post

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bloody-bee-tea · 4 years

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If you ever feel like it, I would love to see a fic for the scenario where wwx and jyl call jc after a family dinner only to find out that their parents didn't invite him. I loved all your bad parents + jc fics! My favourite so far was the mingxicheng one, where madame yu made jc leave them for 3yrs! And the series where lxc saves jc from zidian and takes him to cloud recesses has a special place in my heart (first cql fic ive ever read!)

BeeTober 2020 Day 15

Spite - Golden

Day 15 of BeeTober 2020 finally gives me an excuse to finish this wip that has been laying around for far too long now. Have some family feels between these three siblings!

Jiang Cheng is enjoying a rare, quiet evening at home, when his phone rings.

He put it on the table when he swaddled himself in a blanket, and it’s biting him in the ass now, because he not only has to unwrap himself, but he also has to stretch uncomfortably to reach the phone.

When he half slides off the couch in the process, Jiang Cheng figures it would have been easier to simply stand up, but by then the phone is in his hands.

Nuisance it says, and Jiang Cheng groans into the couch.

He was having a calm evening. He does not want to talk to Wei Wuxian, who will upend Jiang Cheng’s tranquillity.

Jiang Cheng is still debating weather he should mute his phone or not, when it suddenly lights up again, but this time it says A-jie.

There is no way in hell that Jiang Cheng wouldn’t pick up when Jiang Yanli is calling but seeing her name on the phone so shortly after Wei Wuxian’s makes Jiang Cheng panic.

“Is everyone alright?” Jiang Cheng asks as soon as he accepted the call and when Wei Wuxian huffs at the other end of the line, Jiang Cheng feels betrayed.

“So you have time to answer shi-jie, but not me?” Wei Wuxian asks and Jiang Cheng rolls his eyes.

“You know I love her more,” he gives back, laughing at Wei Wuxian’s indignant squeak. “What do you want?” Jiang Cheng asks once Wei Wuxian calmed down and he feels slightly betrayed when he realizes that his siblings are together and didn’t even ask him to join them.

Jiang Cheng tries to push that thought away, because they are allowed to spend time together without him—of course they are—but Jiang Cheng has a hard time fighting his insecurities.

“What are you doing?” Wei Wuxian asks and Jiang Cheng looks down at his blanket.

“Nothing?” he asks, because he doesn’t think it warrants being said that he is a slob tonight.

There is a very icy silence from Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng frowns.

“Why?” Jiang Cheng carefully asks, already on the defense.

“What do you mean ‘nothing’?” Wei Wuxian snaps and Jiang Cheng shrugs, even though Wei Wuxian can’t see him.

“I mean, I’m on the couch, about to start my second movie?” Jiang Cheng unsurely gives back.

“You stupid asshole,” Wei Wuxian seethes and before Jiang Cheng can react to that Wei Wuxian snaps out “Just stay where the fuck you are,” before he simply hangs up on Jiang Cheng.

Jiang Cheng is left to stare at his phone, wondering what that was all about, before he remembers that Jiang Yanli must have been with Wei Wuxian.

He clicks into his conversation with her and quickly types out Is everything alright?

It doesn’t take her long to answer, but when Jiang Cheng gets the message, he feels as confused as before.

Yes. Stay where you are!

As if he was going to leave his blanket nest, Wei Wuxian’s mood be damned.

It takes them almost half an hour to get to Jiang Cheng’s apartment, and when they ring, Jiang Cheng stays on the couch.

They are being cryptic, and rude for no reason, and they interrupted Jiang Cheng’s relaxing evening; so just to spite them Jiang Cheng makes them search for their own keys instead of getting up and opening the door for them.

Jiang Cheng can hear Wei Wuxian curse before he even gets the door open, and Jiang Yanli’s calming murmur is not far behind, but still, Jiang Cheng is entirely unprepared for the way Wei Wuxian storms into his living-room.

“What the fuck,” Wei Wuxian says first thing when he sees Jiang Cheng all bundled up on the couch, and Jiang Cheng glares at him, because he told him that was what he was doing.

There really is no need to be this surprised by it.

“What?” Jiang Cheng asks, directing the question more to Jiang Yanli than Wei Wuxian, because she’s bound to be the more helpful one here, but Wei Wuxian steps between them.

“Have you been doing this all evening?” Wei Wuxian asks and his voice is so accusing that Jiang Cheng immediately bristles.

He’s allowed to take the evening off, thank you very much.

“Yes,” he bites out, not bothering to explain anything, as long as Wei Wuxian doesn’t tell him what has him worked up like that.

“And you think this was more important than coming to family dinner? Where Uncle Jiang announced that he’ll be stepping down soon? Really?” Wei Wuxian demands to know and Jiang Cheng goes ice cold all over.

“Family dinner,” Jiang Cheng repeats and he starts to tremble all over.

“Yes, for fucks sake. The one you couldn’t attend because you’re so ‘busy’,” Wei Wuxian bites out, but Jiang Yanli puts a calming hand to his arm.

“A-Cheng?” she asks, clearly picking up on Jiang Cheng’s mood, but Jiang Cheng is already untangling himself from his blanket.

“I need to be alone,” Jiang Cheng says, and he feels very removed from his own body.

He’s cold all over, and he thinks he’s still shaking faintly but he barely registers it. All he knows is that he needs to be alone right this moment.

So he gets up and walks past Wei Wuxian and Jiang Yanli without looking at them, and then he makes a beeline for his bedroom.

He feels like he’s frozen, rather than angry, and so he closes the door behind him with a soft click instead of throwing it shut and then he simply stands in the middle of his bedroom for a moment, before he walks over to the bed and crawls under the blanket there.

He pulls it up over his head, and then he simply stares into nothing.

A family dinner. Where his father made a very big announcement.

And Jiang Cheng wasn’t even invited.

That thought finally breaks through his shock and his eyes start to burn with tears.

He always knew that Wei Wuxian was his father’s golden boy and that Jiang Yanli would always be the most beloved by his parents, but to think that his parents didn’t even ask him to this family dinner cuts deeper than Jiang Cheng could have ever imagined.

Jiang Cheng curls up into a small ball and presses his face into the mattress, overly aware of the hot tears that slide out of his eyes.

When his door opens, Jiang Cheng startles. He forgot that Wei Wuxian and Jiang Yanli were still in his apartment and he wishes they would just leave him alone.

He doesn’t want them to see him fall apart.

“A-Cheng,” Jiang Yanli says, and her voice is soft and careful.

“Don’t fucking coddle him,” Wei Wuxian mutters, clearly still angry, but Jiang Yanli doesn’t pay him any attention.

“A-Cheng, did you not know about family dinner?” Jiang Yanli carefully asks and Jiang Cheng presses his eyes closed even harder than before.

“What?” Wei Wuxian gasps and Jiang Cheng can just imagine how he shakes his head. “But Uncle Jiang said Jiang Cheng couldn’t make it because he was busy!”

“A-Cheng?” Jiang Yanli carefully prods him again and Jiang Cheng feels how she sits down on the bed. “Did you know about it?”

“No,” Jiang Cheng croaks out and he hates how his voice breaks.

There’s a horrified gasp, most likely coming from Wei Wuxian, and Jiang Cheng curls up tighter.

“What do you mean ‘no’?” Wei Wuxian repeats and now the familiar anger bubbles up in Jiang Cheng.

He flings his blanket away as he sits up, not caring that the tears are still streaming down his face as he glares hard at Wei Wuxian.

“I mean that no one fucking told me about family dinner tonight,” he hisses out and he cannot stand to look at Jiang Yanli, because he can imagine the heart breaking look on her face and that is already bad enough.

“No one told you,” Wei Wuxian whispers, the disbelieve clear in his voice. “But Uncle Jiang said you couldn’t make it!”

“Right,” Jiang Cheng bitterly says. “And no one ever lies in this family,” he tacks on and looks down at his hands.

He’s still shaking, he notes, and that’s rather unfair, because shaking implies that he’s feeling something. But all Jiang Cheng can feel is a pitch black hole, right where his heart is supposed to be.

He knows that his parents don’t like him, knows that his father prefers Wei Wuxian and that his mother thinks him useless and worthless, but to have it thrown in his face like that still hurts more than Jiang Cheng could have ever imagined.

“We didn’t know,” Wei Wuxian says, just as Jiang Yanli pulls him into a hug.

Jiang Cheng doesn’t have the strength to fight her hands on him, and so he falls into her deceptively strong arms.

“It doesn’t matter,” Jiang Cheng mutters, because his parents were going to do whatever they fucking pleased.

“It does matter,” Jiang Yanli determinedly says and presses a kiss to Jiang Cheng’s head. “You’re family, and what they did was despicable.”

Jiang Cheng wants to cry and break down and agree, but all he does is ask “What were the big news again?”

“Uncle Jiang is stepping down soon,” Wei Wuxian says, just as he plasters himself to Jiang Cheng’s back. “He wants to announce the next CEO soon.”

Jiang Cheng huffs out a humourless laugh, because with how today went, you don’t need to be a genius to realize that it will not be Jiang Cheng’s name he announces to the world soon.

“Congratulations,” Jiang Cheng bitterly says and he feels how Wei Wuxian shakes his head.

“No. I won’t take that position. He never asked me, and it’s not right. I won’t do it.”

“Well, I won’t do it either,” Jiang Cheng gives back, because he has no intention of accepting that position as a second choice.

Either his father wants him to lead the company or he can go look for an heir elsewhere.

“Good,” Jiang Yanli says, and it’s so surprising that Jiang Cheng moves out of her arms.

“What?” he asks, because usually Jiang Yanli is the one to mediate between all of them, and to keep the peace in their family.

But going by the dark look on her face, she’s over that now.

“This will be the last dinner we attend with them,” she says and pulls Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian back into her arms. “I’m tired of seeing them fight, and of hurting you two. We’re not going back there.”

“It won’t be quite that easy,” Jiang Cheng says, because he knows his parents. They have ways to make their life hell, if they don’t do as they say.

“It will be. I will not allow them to hurt you further,” Jiang Yanli decides and Wei Wuxian is quick to agree.

“We’ll make our own family dinners,” he decides and puts an arm around Jiang Cheng as well. “Once a week, and we will never invite them.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Jiang Cheng chokes out, fighting with his tears again, but for completely different reasons now. “I don’t want to see you that often.”

“Hey,” Wei Wuxian yells and then topples them all over when he tries to tickle Jiang Cheng in retaliation.

Jiang Yanli moves out of the way, though she doesn’t do anything to stop them and simply watches on.

Wei Wuxian’s clever fingers find all of Jiang Cheng’s weak spots and soon enough he’s crying he’s laughing so hard and once the tears start, he can’t seem to stop, so it turns into pitiful sobs soon enough.

It seems like Jiang Yanli and Wei Wuxian simply waited for that, because they bracket him in on either side, and simply hold him while he cries and cries.

“We’re your family, A-Cheng,” Wei Wuxian whispers and Jiang Yanli presses a kiss to his head.

“And we don’t need them,” she agrees and Jiang Cheng clings desperately to both of them.

It still hurts, to know that his parents wouldn’t even think to ask him to come to a family dinner, but with his siblings at his side, it’s almost bearable.

“I love you,” Jiang Cheng chokes out when his sobs started to die down and Jiang Yanli and Wei Wuxian are quick to return the sentiment.

It’s not enough, not right now with the hurt so fresh, but Jiang Cheng knows that he can count on them, always.

And in a week he might also believe them when they say they love him, but right now he needs to wallow and be coddled.

And Jiang Yanli and Wei Wuxian seem more than ready to do whatever Jiang Cheng needs.

Link to my ko-fi on the sidebar!

#bt writes #beetober 2020 #untamed fall fest #the untamed #mdzs #jiang cheng #wei wuxian #jiang yanli #family feels #jfm and yzy are fucking assholes #and i will stand by that #hurt/comfort #jc has the best siblings #Anonymous

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aurora077 · 3 years

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Intervention

Summary: Lan Xichen’s seclusion had gone on long enough, in Jiang Cheng’s opinion. It was time for an intervention. Fem!JC

Author's Note: This work is set in jiucengta ‘s haunting legacies au (https://archiveofourown.org/series/1716682)which I suggest you check out. Jiang Cheng is female and was married to Wei Wuxian before shit hit the fan. The relationships are not explicitly stated here, it's very background. I just had this idea and wanted to get it out there. I may or may not do another fic very similar to this one but not set in an AU, just post-canon instead.

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Two years had gone by since the fateful Guanyin Temple incident that rocked the cultivation world. Two years (a little more really) since Jiang Cheng’s erstwhile husband had returned from the dead. Two years (a little less actually but who’s counting) since she lost her widowed status and gained an extra love to boot somewhere in the middle. And two years since Sect Leader Lan had gone into seclusion, punishing himself for his blindness and mourning the loss of both his sworn brothers.

Normally Jiang Cheng would not stick her nose in other sects’ business. But Gusu Lan had become more than just another sect to her; it was important to those she loved and so, it was also important to her. And even if things hadn’t turned out the way they did in her personal life, Lan Xichen is someone she would have wanted to help anyway. During the thirteen years her husband had been dead he had been one of the few to show any open support for her.

She would never forget that fateful discussion conference-- the one where she’d been dubbed Wife of the Yiling Demon after she rebuffed Jin Guangshan’s attempt to pressure her into marriage (brokered by him no less-- undoubtedly trying to get her to wed one of his own relatives...control over the Jiang could only work in his favour). Loudmouthed Sect Leader Yao would have turned things even uglier for her had it not been for Lan Xichen’s timely intervention on her behalf. His steady support had helped her in more ways than one over the years despite the fact that they were not ever particularly close. With Gusu Lan seemingly in her corner, the voices that would (and initially, did) loudly decry a young female Sect Leader were forced to whisper instead.

That was why she found herself sitting opposite the man, sipping on a cup of tea as he gazed inquisitively at her.

“Sect Leader Jiang,” he greeted, sounding weary, voice containing only a trace of his former warmth, “What brings you here? As you know I am still in seclusion, technically, I should not be having visitors. Is there something urgent that you need my help with?”

“Yes,” she said, and continued bluntly as was her way, “I’m here to convince you to leave it.”

His eyes widened slightly. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me.”

It spoke to the measure of self control the Lan’s had that he didn’t simply kick her out of the hanshi.

“I beg your pardon but I don’t see how that’s any of your business.”

She cleared her throat and tried to measure her words more carefully; she didn’t want to be asked to leave before she had made her arguments and she tried to remember that this Lan Xichen had been hurt too deeply to retain his former magnanimity.

“You may not know it Lan Xichen, but outside these walls you are sorely missed.”

His lips twitched, as if he wanted to smile but couldn’t quite make it.

“I’m aware my family may miss me, Sect Leader Jiang, but I had no idea that you harbored such strong feelings towards me that you now miss my presence.”

She sputtered slightly, not expecting him to joke about it when he looked like he could keel over if she spoke too loudly. “I…” her face turned red, “That wasn’t what…”

Taking pity on her he waved her protests away, voice becoming more solemn, “Why don’t you tell me why you think I should leave my seclusion. You of all people should understand why I need to do this. It was your family hurt the most by my ignorance.”

She drew in a breath to steady herself, “Did you hold me responsible when Wei Wuxian did all the crap that he did?”

“That’s different, he was manipulated,” he frowned.

“Nobody knew that until recently Zewu-Jun. And manipulation or not he still made choices that led to a lot of harm. So I ask you again, was I to blame? Should I not have been able to stop my husband? Is it not, therefore also my fault? Maybe I should join you in seclusion since his demonic cultivation was partly because he gave me his core and had no options left.”

He looked pained, “I have never blamed you for his choices. You couldn’t help what you didn’t know. None of us knew he didn’t have a core.”

“And none of us knew Jin Guangyao was a megalomaniac either. So how can you be blamed for his choices? If you are to shoulder the blame then so should all the rest of us.”

“The rest of you weren’t his sworn brothers!” he almost shouted.

“Mingjue knew. He warned me not to trust him so many times. I dismissed him. I thought he was paranoid and misjudging A-Yao like so many others. If he could see it, why didn’t I? I wronged Da-ge in the worst way because I thought I knew better than him,” His breathing was coming out ragged, “I thought A-Yao was the one who knew me best. Who I knew best.”

It spoke to his state of mind that he even let all of that out in front of her.

“Sect Leader Jiang, the man I considered my closest companion is the man most hated by the cultivation world and reviled as a monster. How do you think I must look in comparison? I am sure there are those out there wondering if I had known and if I even helped him with all of his plans. There are people who will speculate as to the bounds of our relationship. If I did not go into seclusion they would say I had no shame, look what his sworn brother did and he’s out and about like normal. Then there are those who look at my decision to seclude myself as an indicator of guilt and may accuse me of complicity. Or they will look at my mourning and see someone who mourns a monster and who does that? Why mourn a monster? Sect Leader Yao even openly criticised your young nephew for crying at the coffin of his uncle who also helped raise him. A parentless child who saw one of his only remaining close family members die brutally after being exposed as a serious criminal, who even threatened him with bodily harm, could not grieve him without censure. What of a grown man, and a Sect Leader at that!”

“With all due respect, so what?”

“E..excuse me?” Lan Xichen was torn between being confused and insulted.

“You heard me. So. What?” she started, “So what if they think these things? Does that make it true? If Sect Leader Yao thinks that you’re an incestuous troll would that make it true? If Sect Leader Ouyang says ‘hey did you know that Sect Leader Lan likes to visit brothels in secret’ would that make it true? Just because people think something does not make it a reality. Your sect certainly does not believe you are responsible for the actions of Jin Guangyao and would stand by you if anyone insinuates otherwise. You have your brother and your uncle who love you and are worried about you. Your sect has thrived under your leadership and undoubtedly they all miss you too.”

That Lan Jingyi kid couldn’t shut up about how much he missed Zewu-Jun. And she knew Lan Zhan missed his brother and lamented that he could not do more for him. He and Lan Qiren were working themselves ragged trying to pick up the pieces. He’d hardly had time to come back to Lotus Pier and she and Wei Ying missed him dearly. They’d had to make up so many ‘official’ reasons to find themselves in the Cloud Recesses so that they could spend some time together. So yes on the one hand it would be good for them if Zewu-Jun were to leave seclusion but she wasn’t simply doing it for that reason. It was because if anyone could understand what Zewu-Jun was going through, it would be her. And she didn’t think that seclusion was going to help anything. All it would do is make him ruminate on his mistakes over and over again until he likely went mad himself.

“You said that the man you considered your closest companion turned out to be a monster. Gee, I wonder what that feels like? You said that people will wonder if you helped him with his plans, oh gee, I wonder what that feels like?” Zewu-Jun had the grace to look abashed at that.

She continued, softer, “You said people will talk about what kind of person mourns a monster. But you’re not mourning a monster, are you? When A-Ling cried over his coffin, did you blame him for it? Did you think ‘why is this child mourning when he should celebrate the end of the one who fractured his family?’ like Sect Leader Yao did?” Zewu-Jun shook his head but didn’t say anything, letting her continue.

“A-Ling was mourning the loss of the uncle he knew. And you are mourning the loss of the companion he had been to you. The world will only ever view him as a monster because the world never knew him. But you did. Maybe you didn’t know everything about him, but not everything about him was fake. I hate Jin Guangyao, I will not pretend otherwise. But I was there, Zewu-Jun. I was there, and I could see that he truly did care for you and value you. Not everything he showed you would have been fake. You of all people probably got more sincerity out of him than anyone else. And so you, of all people, have a right to mourn the man he was, the same way A-Ling still mourns the loss of the man who gifted a lonely child a dog. Not everything had an ulterior motive. Even monsters can love can’t they? Even monsters had people who loved them. I would know. So if you need to mourn him… then just mourn him.

Who gives a damn what people will say about it? People will always talk, Zewu-Jun. It doesn’t matter what you do or don’t do, people will believe what they want to believe. So why let their opinions force you into repenting for something you didn’t even do? Let them think what they want to think. It is not a crime to be deceived. We all were. Why take the world on your shoulders when you don’t actually have to? And again, with all due respect Sect Leader Lan, if I, a family-less, alliance-less woman whose husband was the most reviled personage in the jianghu, who suffered the scorn of the cultivation world for over a decade, could raise my nephew on my own and build my sect back from literal ashes into one of the strongest and most respected once again, then you, who have a strong sect and people who love you, who believe in you and will support you no matter what… you can manage to live too.”

“Sect Leader Jiang…” Zewu-Jun was at a loss for words. What could he say? It only sounded selfish and petty to claim that he suffered more than she did, because he truly didn’t. She was right after all. Sect Leader Jiang was a remarkable woman. Life had not been kind to her. And...her words struck something within him. He felt ashamed. He hadn’t even thought about what it was like for her before this. He’d never offered her any support, but here she was trying to get him to live his life again without guilt. She, whose family most assuredly suffered because of his inaction, was here telling him to let it go, to not take responsibility. But how could he do that so easily?

“How did you do it? Sect Leader Jiang...” his voice cracked, “Can you ever forgive me, for the harm that my inaction caused you and your family?” Maybe if he heard it from her, maybe he could begin to forgive himself.

She sighed. “On my part, there is nothing to forgive Zewu-Jun. And so I can’t grant you forgiveness because you haven’t done me any wrong. But there are a few people who do deserve an apology from you. And your seclusion is a self-imposed punishment that you feel you deserve but at the end of the day, it does not actually do anything tangible when it comes to making amends to those who have been hurt.”

He was silent for a moment, stunned by her words. He hadn’t considered that his seclusion might have been causing others even more harm than he’d already done to them. Sect Leader Jiang was wise (she would disagree...she’d just learned from bitter experience in her opinion). He felt like he’d done her a great disservice all of these years, by not making an effort to reach out to her.

“Please, tell me. I.. I confess I no longer trust my judgement. I thought I knew A-Yao. I thought I was a good judge of character. I no longer know how to tell what is up from down. All I know is that I was so, so wrong about A-Yao. If you say that I have not harmed you then I am glad. I would hate to be the cause of more pain. You said that I am not responsible for A-Yao’s actions, and though it isn’t easy to believe that just yet, if there are those who I have truly wronged then please...please tell me. I still don’t know if I am ready to leave seclusion, if I even know how to, but I need to atone for my actions.”

Jiang Cheng nodded, “That’s the right attitude at least. So to start with I’d say you need to have a chat with Huaisang.”

His eyes widened, “I… I don’t know if that’s such a good idea, Sect Leader Jiang.” His face darkened slightly. He wasn’t pleased with Huaisang at the moment. It felt like he never even knew him.

“And why not? Out of everyone, it’s Huaisang that you unintentionally hurt. And I don’t mean because of not listening to Nie Mingjue. His death was not your fault.” He was about to protest but she cut him off. “It wasn’t. I told you, stop taking responsibility for what isn’t your fault and own up to what is.”

He sighed heavily, “If it’s not about Da-ge then how did I wrong Huaisang?”

“Well for one, you’re still his Er-ge. Yet you seem to have forgotten that in lieu of what happened in the temple. Huaisang… has lost everyone. He may have been acting like a shady shit for the past however many years but… do you know what it’s like to be the last one of your family, Zewu-Jun? To have nobody beside you except subordinates?” He inhaled sharply. “I.. I hadn’t thought of that,” he said mournfully. How much did he just not consider? What kind of a person was he that he resented Huaisang for his deceit but yet did not consider for one moment that Huaisang may have done those things because he thought he was all alone and could not come to him for help? What kind of brother was he that his little brother could not confide in him? He should have been there for Huaisang, instead he had thought so highly of Jin Guangyao, even dismissing da-ge’s claims, that Huaisang had not dared to approach him with his suspicions.

Sect Leader Jiang was being very understanding however, “Zewu-Jun, I know you’re not pleased with Huaisang. I know there are many things that he’s done that are not right. I know there’s a possibility that he lied and forced your hand at the end. Believe me, I know the feeling...more than anyone, I know what it feels like to be deceived by someone you love...to kill someone you love. I know what it feels like when everyone praises you for it. Like you did such a great thing and you should be happy and celebrating with everyone else, except you can’t because your heart has shattered…has been ripped to shreds.

As someone who once loved a so-called monster...as someone who as good as killed that person with their own hands, I understand better than anyone what you’re going through. What Huaisang did was cruel, even though I’m glad Jin Guangyao is dead. It was cruel to have you be the one to end him. Huaisang likely knew that Jin Guangyao valued you. He knew it would be the worst end for him to be killed by your hand. I can’t speak for Huaisang, but I don’t believe he did it to hurt you, even though that’s inevitably what happened anyway. He did it to hurt Jin Guangyao. But even though it was not kind of him to have you be the arbiter of justice, he still deserves to have his Er-ge in his life.

She paused remembering the pain of losing her husband and sister all in one night.

She didn't have to imagine how Huaisang would have felt at losing the last member of his family at the hands of someone he cared about.“You and I aren’t the only ones who were deceived by someone we loved. Huaisang loved Jin Guangyao too, didn’t he? He loved and trusted him. When Nie Mingjue was getting worse, didn’t Huaisang trust and rely on both you and Jin Guangyao? It wasn’t a front. You were both dear to him. He loved him. He loved him and was betrayed by him in the worst way. And then yes, he orchestrated a whole convoluted plan to have him exposed and killed.

But you and I can both attest that justice, and even revenge, doesn’t stop the pain does it? Huaisang avenged his brother, but he lost another in the process, the same way you did. Don’t let him lose you too. You said you wronged Nie Mingjue by not listening to him. I think you’d wrong him even more if you left his little brother alone, without anyone to call family. You don’t have to forgive Huaisang right away, or at all if you don’t want to, but eventually you should at least try and reconcile with him. You’re his big brother... the only one left. And you know, Huaisang would have had the realisation that he was fooled by Jin Guangyao all on his own. But you don’t have to be alone.

Huaisang and you share the experience of being blinded by him. It would be much easier to talk to someone who has gone through the same things, no? Huaisang is there. And I am here. You don’t have to endure this on your own. We may not be very close Zewu-Jun, but we can understand each other, not so? So I’m here if you need someone to confide in. And Huaisang...Huaisang must be waiting too. For his Er-ge. You both owe each other apologies.”

By the time she was done speaking there were tears rolling down his face. She didn’t think it was quite appropriate given their positions, (though she was sort of his secret sister-in-law so really, he counted as family) but she moved over to his side and embraced him. If he was surprised he didn’t show it, only moving to cling to her more tightly and sob with a ferocity that had her a bit surprised. She wondered if this was the first time since the temple that he’d allowed himself to fully grieve what he had lost, without the guilt of letting his sworn brother die, killing the other one, and feeling bad for mourning for someone who he should hate.

Everyone praised him for killing Jin Guangyao however, it was something he didn’t want to be praised for. But what could he say? That he hated the fact that he killed him? He was right about one thing, if he ever said something like that people would most assuredly say he was complicit and probably want to implicate him. Jiang Cheng of all people knew how hard it was to listen to people praising you for a deed you were not proud of. And so she was the only person who would understand. The only person who would, who could, acknowledge the hurt it would have caused him to do what he did, especially if he was tricked into it.

His feelings about Huaisang would be complicated, but it wasn’t too late to reconcile as long as they were both alive.

She rubbed his back consolingly and just let him cry. It must have been no more than 15 minutes, but it felt much longer, before his tears slowed. When his sobs petered out he tried to compose himself. She let go of him and he embarrassedly turned away, sipping his tea. He cleared his throat, “I’m sorry Sect Leader Jiang, that was unbecoming of me.”

“Don’t mention it,” she waved off. She was there to help after all.

“I will give your words due consideration. It was remiss of me to forget that I was not the only one affected by A-Yao’s schemes. I truly regret not thinking of how Huaisang would have felt when he first found out. You are right. I have done my little brother a disservice,” he said, voice croaky from his bout of sobbing.

“You said that there were people I needed to apologise to. Who else have I wronged?” he continued. His respect and admiration for Sect Leader Jiang had grown exponentially since the start of this visit. He would take her words under advisement if he could.

“Oh Zewu-Jun,” she sighed, “What you’re doing with this seclusion, doesn’t it remind you of someone? Because it sure reminds your uncle.”

Zewu-Jun looked as if she had slapped him.

“Nobody would begrudge you needing time to grieve and to come to terms with what happened, it is human nature. It’s understandable. We were all blindsided. And I understand the wish to seclude yourself because I wish I could have as well, though I didn’t have the luxury,” she said, not unkindly but it made him wince anyway, “But it’s been too long. A few months would be okay, though grief will last longer than that, but more than that is just being unfair to others. You are the Sect Leader. Your uncle has already had to watch his brother shirk his duties and seclude himself from the world for the rest of his life.

Your uncle has had to pick up the slack. He raised you and your brother like a father would, while taking care of sect matters. None of those things were his responsibility yet he did it. And now… now he has to go through it all over again. Master Lan is elderly though and he cannot keep up with all of the duties required of an elder, teacher and now Sect Leader once more. And so that leads me to the last person that you have wronged.

Lan Zhan is Chief Cultivator now, did you know? His duties are myriad and yet he has to come back here and help Master Lan run the sect. It pains Master Lan to see history repeating itself. A younger brother once again has to take the reins from his older brother and he does it without complaint, because he loves you. But it is unfair to A-Zhan. He can’t live his own life because he’s too busy living yours. He’s barely managing to keep up with both sets of duties, but he’s doing it for you. It has been two years, Zewu-Jun. He worries so much about you, as does your uncle. It pains them to see you this way. And so Sect Leader Lan,” she pointedly used his rank, “I beg of you to consider leaving your seclusion. You have people who love you waiting for you. Your family needs you.”

His eyes were glittering once more, but no tears were shed this time. He swallowed thickly. The past few months it had seemed as if he was living in a fog. He’d barely managed to keep his routine up, it was only through decades of strict routine that he’d gotten himself off the bed and eaten his food and meditated everyday on his shortcomings. But it seemed that while he was doing that he’d missed quite a few. Because she was right wasn’t she? He hid himself away like a coward and didn’t even think about how it would affect Wangji and Uncle. He hadn’t even considered how hurt his uncle would feel to see him go down the same route as his father.

Her words were like a splash of cold water. It seemed to wake him up; it got him out of the daze he was in. If this woman before him could raise a child and a sect from the ashes all alone after going through more tragedy than a hundred people in one lifetime would...he could get himself in gear and do what he had to do. He felt ashamed in front of her. She was right that she didn’t have the luxury to seclude herself. But he did. He did, and he took advantage of the support system that he had to take time for himself. More time than he should have.

She said it was understandable, and maybe it was, but she was also right that it should not have been going on for this long. He had no desire to be Qingheng-Jun the second. But if she hadn’t come here today… if she hadn’t said all that she had said… He would not have even thought of those things. He was too busy thinking of himself. It was likely that he would have stayed for years in his seclusion, just ruminating on what went wrong and what he could have changed. It was all too easy to get caught up in could-have-beens.

“Sect Leader Jiang,” he said, devastated at the thought of his uncle, the man who raised him when he didn’t have to, who did his best to prevent them from turning out like their father, thinking that he had failed when it was Lan Xichen who failed, “I’ve heard you loud and clear. But…”

“But?”

“But I don’t know if I even know how to go about being Sect Leader anymore. I feel like the decisions I make would be questionable now. How can I trust that I will do what’s best for the sect? I have already failed in so many ways. Now I have failed Wangji and Uncle too.”

“What did I tell you? You’re not alone Zewu-Jun. You don’t have to leave seclusion immediately. You don’t even have to start doing everything right away. Ease back into it. Your family will be there to help you. I’m offering to help you. If you need to talk about things that you can’t with them, you can write to me. Master Qiren should not have to be taking on these responsibilities any longer and A-Zhan needs to have time to breathe...his own position is challenging enough. Besides you haven’t failed, you’ve just had some setbacks is all. Failure would be wallowing in self-pity forever and leaving everyone else to do your duties indefinitely,” she looked at him pointedly. He got the hint.

“Okay Sect Leader Jiang. I shall take you up on that then. But I do have a question if you’ll indulge me,” he said.

“Shoot.”

“I mean no offense at all, in fact I’m actually extremely grateful for your concern, but I am curious….why do you even care? You didn’t have to do any of this. I’m well aware that you have your own duties and worries. Why bother about mine?”

She smiled for the first time since she walked into the Hanshi. He was struck by it. It had been a long time since he’d seen her smile... truly smile. In fact, the last time he’d seen a smile as bright as that on her face was probably right here in the Cloud Recesses when she was a student.

“You may not remember it, Zewu-Jun, but there was a time Jin Guangshan sought to marry me off. It was your words of support for me, against that awful Sect Leader Yao, that saved my skin, though they still called me Wife of the Yiling Demon after that. But at least I was only his wife. I will be eternally grateful to you for that. It was thanks to your words that nobody else tried to make me marry. I was able to focus on my sect in relative peace. It was a kindness that I have never been able to repay until now, though you shouldn’t think that it is only because of repayment.”

She got up and dusted off her clothes perfunctorily.

“I shall take my leave now, Zewu-Jun.”

“Please, call me Xichen,” he said, thinking that after all of the things that were said that day, she might as well.

“Well then, Xichen you may call me Wanyin. Thank you for hearing me out and please forgive me for barging in unexpectedly. I have intruded upon your hospitality long enough.”

“It is no matter,” he said, and for the first time in a long while he was able to manage a weak smile, “I was honored by your company. If you did not give me so much to think about, I would offer you some more tea.”

She laughed, “Thank you Xichen, but I will be missed soon anyway. I do not need to cause an uproar in Cloud Recesses if they can’t find a Sect Leader. Plus the scandal that would happen if someone other than A-Zhan or A-Yuan finds me in here will not be pleasant.”

“A-Zhan?” he raised an eyebrow, “Is there something I should know about, Wanyin?”

She snorted and threw him a cheeky smirk, “If you want to find out you’ll have to come to Lotus Pier.” And with that she saw herself out, leaving nothing but the scent of lotuses behind her.

Huh. Well then. How curious. He’d thought that Wangji had gone off with Wei Wuxian, who he’d been in love with since he met him. How did Sect Leader Jiang factor into this? As far as he knew they didn’t even particularly like each other. It seemed like he missed quite a lot while he was in seclusion. Was his little brother in a love triangle? It would explain why Wanyin said that he shouldn’t only think of her visit as repayment to him. It wasn’t the purest motivation but huh maybe he would leave seclusion after all. His brother might need support in more ways than one. Sect Leader Lan leaving seclusion because he was too invested in his brother’s love life was a hilarious thought, and for the first time in two years, he chuckled mirthfully to himself. Maybe he would be okay after all.

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many-gay-magpies · 3 years

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@honeyseungz @loabivey so that uh. that mini au that you had like a very small rb thread about yesterday (well over a few days ago now that im posting this). well uh. um . actually you know what im just gonna let you read it yourselves

so. heeseung, jay, and sunoo are all brothers. wether its actual brothers or just "brothers" by blood bond or whatever idk. but, regardless, they're brothers. im thinking that like, at first they aren't vampires, theyre just regular dudes yknow? (and just a forewarning, a lot of this isnt gonna be as compliant with the enhaverse theorizing we've done so far, it's just a little brain worm i wanted to play around with, throwing a little bit of enhaverse crumbs in here and there)

but anyway. they're not vampires, im thinking theyre just like... adopted/found family brothers, probably orphans or something. regardless they love each other a lot and its great. personality-wise everything is super different, but just for plot conveniences, heeseung, jay, and sunoo are the yunmeng trio (heeseung as wwx, jay as jc, and sunoo as jyl respectively), and jungwon is lwj.

the three brothers meet jungwon, probably brought together by this Big Fantasy Evil, maybe something involving the vampire queen as a character? idk. there's some big evil shit going down, and the three brothers somehow end up with jungwon and HIS big bro, who im imagining is jake (basically the lan xichen in this situation—very soft, kind, gentle; the vibes are right). both of them are vampires, not that our three orphan bois know that. they get caught up in the danger, and vampire bros jake and jungwon coms to the rescue.

now, a little bit of personality-mapping here: jay is outwardly very loud, fun, temperamental, and sarcastic, generally very much like he is irl; but inside, he's intensely loyal, protective, and loving, with a HUGE soft spot for the people closest to him. sunoo is very sweet, sensitive, and kind—the walking hug of the three brothers, who is certainly not without his bite and wont hesitate to talk back to anyone who hurts them. aggressively and without mercy. also he makes them soup for comfort and is generally best boy. heeseung is very goofy, playful, free-spirited, and bright, but insecure and sensitive underneath it all; generally a loud annoying mess of a boy. pure chaotic neutral and a gremlin if there ever was one. jungwon, on the other hand, is... not. he's nervous, quiet, cautious to a fault and intensely righteous, always standing up for what's right and refusing to waver from his chosen path. very lawful good vibes. he, naturally, is more than a little put off when jay, sunoo, and heeseung's chaotic ass come crashing into he and his brother jake's once-peaceful (ish) lives. and it doesn't help that heeseung is a... huge flirt, and apparently deadset on making jungwon his friend. fuck.

jungwon... doesn't know what to do. and it would all be so much easier if heeseung were dumb or stupid or unattractive or just a total asshole—but he isnt any of those things. he's beautiful, smart, insanely witty with a brain faster than any jungwon's ever seen—he can't help but admire him. but on top of that, he's wreckless as hell, unpredictable, and pushy, and gives jungwon heart attacks way too much for his liking. he doesn't even have a heartbeat. he's fucking dead.

it eventually comes out that jake and jungwon are vampires; the brothers are surprisingly cool with it. not the craziest thing that's happened to them.

the five boys get closer, staying together as they fight their foe (which im becoming increasingly inclined to make the werewolves), and through a series of convoluted events, jungwon learns that heeseung is not only gorgeous, smart, talented, and funny as all get-out, but also sensitive, caring, insecure, and thoughtful... and heeseung, who's only goal had been to break through the nervous and straightforward outer shell of his young dongsaeng, does just that. and jungwon, naturally, starts to fall in love.

somewhere along the line, though, things go wrong—as they were bound to do in an au loosely based off of the untamed. something happens to heeseung; he's fatally wounded after saving jay's life, and disappears, nowhere to be found. his brothers eventually assume the worse; that he's gone forever. but the queen finds him, takes care of him, nurses him back to health. turns him.

when he comes back, nothing's the same. the war is still going, and his brothers thought he was dead—but he isn't. but he's... different. jungwon and jake are quick to realize that he's been turned, how, they dont know—but they talk to him, teach him, try to help him, jungwon especially. of course he does; he's in love. heeseung, of course, is dismissive; doesn't take it seriously. ill be fine, whats so bad about this? or, perhaps, he doesn't let on just how hard he's taking it; fearing vulnerability more than he fears being a vampire.

inevitably, though, heeseung's wrecklessness leads to doom—he lets his bloodlust overtake him, relishes in it, no matter how much jungwon had warned him against it, pleaded with him to take caution. he says it's usefull—says he can help them take out enemies, help them win this war. jungwon warns him that he could end up getting more than he bargained for. heeseung doesn't listen.

heeseung helps them win the war; practically wins it for them. hes happy, bitterly, until he isnt. he's happy, until he sees his brother—sees sunoo. blood-covered, pale-skinned, drained.

no.

heeseung is broken. jay even moreso. jay yells at him; yells and yells and yells and yells. curses him out, tells him he hates him, tells him he's nothing but cruel evil—he doesn't mean it, of course, but no one knows it then, not even him. now he is only angry; so, so angry. heeseung, wrought with guilt and shame and grief, flees—hides himself somewhere secluded, does the closest thing a vampire can possibly do to death, the equivalent of a thousand-year hibernation. none can find him, he's made sure of that. in his guilt and shame and anger he stews, asleep, for hundreds, thousands of years.

after the anger passes, jay is more than anything in mourning—for heeseung as well as for sunoo. he has a realization, that being that, when, inevitably, heeseung comes back, he doesn't want him to be alone: even if he'll have jungwon and jake, it won't be the same as having his brother. so jay pleads, cries, begs for jungwon to turn him—so that they can search for heeseung together, so that when heeseung comes back, he'll have jay waiting for him, too. so, reluctantly, jungwon gives in and turns jay—after which he helps him deal with his newfound immortality and vampiric status—helping him handle his bloodlust and helping him learn how to feed. over the centuries that heeseung is gone, jay, jungwon, and jake grow even closer (j line eyyy), inseparable as they search for heeseung and even outside of that. jungwon and jay are the closest, jay growing a colossal soft spot for the boy and not hesitating to take him under his wing and protect him with all he has (initially, sort of as a replacement for protecting heeseung, but eventually jay's affection for jungwon grows into something all it's own). to be clear, no love triangle bullshit here, only sickening-sweet platonic soulmates jaywon and a jungwon that is still achingly in love with heeseung.

(okay for anyone thats actually watched cql/read mdzs, yes i KNOW lwj and jc did not get along at all and kind of hated each other but. this is my au i do what i want, and if i want to add soft jaywon into the mix then im fucking going to, goddamnit)

OKAY TIME FOR SOME WACKY SIDE-PLOT MADNESS

so. sunghoon. how does he fit into all this? how does he end up being the one to trigger heeseung's "resurrection"? how does heeseung GET resurrected in the first place? well, not to worry, you're about to find out! and i am too because i'm just figuring this out as i go along baybyyyy

sunghoon, im thinking, is a friend of jake's (lets throw some jakehoon in here too bcs why not), either from before everything went to shit and heeseung went and isolated himself, or sometime during the numerous centuries jakewon spent looking for heeseung with jay. either way, sunghoon is this boy who jake is friends with and cares about a lot, and is also maybe kind of in love with. while jaywon spend most of their time looking for heeseung, jake spends his with sunghoon—finding himself often alone, now that his little bother is going off on his own adventures.

in a situation quite similar to heeseung's, sunghoon probably gets fatally injured somehow and is near death, but jake, not wanting him to die, decides to turn him instead. niki is also involved, and it's a sort of package deal, because before meeting jakewon, heeseung, and everyone, they were their own little thing; not unlike jay, heeseung, and sunoo's brother's triad. they were both probably orphans, niki being the much younger one, and as such sunghoon took him under his wing and never looked back. when jake turned sunghoon, niki was basically like "m8 what the fuck" and demanded he be turned too, not wanting his sunghoon-hyung to live on forever while he grew old and died. jake, also having a soft spot for niki, was like "fine alright" and turned him too. so, now their little vampire coven numbered five, and all was (moderately) well.

or not.

the thing was, jake hadn't anticipated how powerful sunghoon would be—there's nothing in life that anyone's found yet that would indicate a person's level of power once turned, so jake had... pretty much no way to see this coming. but, anyway, sunghoon was... really, really powerful. like, insanely powerful. all the abilities vampires were said to have in legends, the likes of which were previously reserved for just legends, he had them; flawless teleportation, mind control, shape-shifting, the whole bit. and on top of that, he was controlled—insanely good at monitoring himself and keeping tabs on his own instincts. one of the most self-sufficient, well-mannered vampires jake had ever seen. it was... frankly insane.

the problem? the queen. this is where she comes in, because she's played a part in all the boys' transformations, albeit indirectly—when jake and jungwon first turned, it was she who turned them. she could sense sunghoon's power, and she wanted it for herself. jake and jungwon had done well at avoiding her, even forgetting about her for a while; but what she wanted, she took, and take she did. it was sunghoon she took: luring him to her in small increments and then all at once, taking control of him, turning him into a mindless puppet. sunghoon had always prided himself in control, and without it, havoc wreaked: bodies dropping left and right, people being killed seemingly at random, their only purpose being to instill fear and paranoia.

now, niki had heard tales, before, from his hyungs but also from regular townspeople to whom the legend had gotten passed down, of heeseung, and how great and terrible he was. heeseung, the townspeoples' folktales said, had been insane, unstoppable: a mad genius far too gone for redemption. niki also knew from his hyungs' fond stories that heeseung, more than evil, was kind and caring; he was loyal, and powerful in his loyalty, and niki thought that if anyone could save his sunghoon-hyung, it was heeseung.

so niki went on a journey. without telling jaywon or anyone else (and thus causing quite the panic), he spent years searching for heeseung, everywhere jaywon had thought to look and everywhere they hadn't, and twice more for good measure. and, by some stroke of luck, either due to his own sheer force of will of something else entirely, niki found him: locked away in an old castle that never quite seemed to stay put, constantly phasing in between realities. it made sense why no one had found him before then—he didn't want to be found. desperately, in fact.

but niki, too, was desperate. he enacted a ritual that was said (by jake, so of course it was to be trusted) to wake any vampire that had gone into hibernation, and, miracles continuing to work for the bitter young boy, it worked. heeseung awoke—startled to find himself staring into the face of a very teary, very angry (visibly) sixteen-year-old.

confusion passed, things and motives were explained, and heeseung (although bitter at having been woken up, and still riddled with enough guilt to last 1500 lifetimes) attempted to patiently tell niki that he had no fucking idea how to help sunghoon whatsoever. niki pretty much said "well you better fucking find a way because you're not going back to sleep now, the world's about to fucking end. also jay and jungwon-hyung have been looking for you for literal centuries, do you know how pissed theyd be if i went out looking for you, found you, then came back empty-handed? really fucking pissed is how much. also sad. did i mention sad?" and heeseung, notoriously weak and also kind of (read: very) in love, is just like "...jungwon? jay?"

so niki brings heeseung back to the others, the return journey taking a long enough time that the two become significantly close to each other, heeseung's long-forgotten big brother instincts (tm) kicking in around the younger vampire. niki has to basically drag heeseung out of the castle by his teeth, because as much as he misses his brother and jungwon, he's still so incredibly guilty, and completely convinced that he isnt worth love or life whatsoever and that jay still hates his guts. and, jungwon... he doesn't even want to think about jungwon. how he failed him. how he let him down. but, niki slowly works through the insecurities, bit by bit: assuring heeseung that, no, even though jay will definitely rip him a new one once he sees him again, he'll also cry and hug him for at least 24 hours because he misses him like hell and heeseungie hyung you have no idea.

they weather a lot together. storms, mental breakdowns, bouts of blood-starvation so severe heeseung thinks he'll lose it again: but they're there for each other. they hunt, talk, keep each other warm, and in it, form an unbreakable bond. niki had heard tales of the legendary lee heeseung, who wiped out entire armies in two seconds flat and comforted his friends when they were sad and annoyed jay to the very ends of the earth: but what he's faced with is a man with more insecurities than niki has hairs on his head—and he has a lot of hairs on his head.

by the time they make it back to the coven's home, heeseung has grown sufficiently attached to the enigma that is niki, and has almost completely but it out of his mind that he's here for his old friends, too. he's only doing this for niki: it's a fact he's comfortable with. so when they reach the front steps he just... freezes.

i have a very clear image of it in my head—jungwon, jay, and jake sense niki's presence, in some weird vampire-y way. it's been around 10, 15 years since he left at this point, so of course they rush out to greet him, ready with scoldings and lashings about how stupid he had been (after, of course, making sure he's unharmed and alright)—but it all dies on their tongues as soon as they see who's with him.

frozen. everything is frozen.

i imagine it's a lot like lulu and artzyy's post. jungwon is the first to move, stepping forward and whimpering out a broken "hyung", and all heeseung's guilt and avoidance is forgotten in favor of cradling jungwon to his chest, holding him close and whispering reassurances into the crown of his head, wonnie, im so sorry, hyung's so sorry; i didn't mean to leave you for so long, i'm here now, its okay. and of course then jay comes in, crying and screaming about how the fuck is it okay, how can it ever be okay, how could you just not mean to leave us alone for 1500 years?! how the fuck do you just expect to waltz back into our lives like nothing ever happened and pretend its all okay?!? and then he hits him, and hurts him, tries to make him feel even an inkling of the hurt he was made to feel for the past fifteen hundred years—but then punching him turns into fisting hands into the back of his shirt and sobbing into his neck and holding him so tight he wouldn't be able to breath if he had the need to and please, please don't leave, why would you leave, you asshole, why did you leave?

so yeah. things happen. reunions are had, tears are shed. some indirect heewon love confessions probably happen later on in the form of very intense devotions of life and self and all that. "walking on the single-log bridge in the dark really isnt so bad" you know the whole shbang. meanwhile jay salty in the background just like "cant you just say you love each other like normal human beings jesus fucking christ"

jayseung's relationship (or the reigniting of it) is, well, rocky. they're both conflicted—jay even more than heeseung. because, the thing is, heeseung killed sunoo. as regretful as he is, that doesn't make it any easier to forget. but he's back, and alive, and in one piece, and he isn't leaving, and jay knows it wasn't really his fault, he wasn't in control—but he killed him. he killed their brother. and it WAS his own stupid fault for losing control in the first place, for not listening to jungwon, so what the hell is jay supposed to think? he flip-flops between being intensely grateful that heeseung is back and okay and finally with them again, and then remembering what he's done, giving him the cold shoulder and not speaking to him for hours on end. and all the while, heeseung is riddled with guilt, and shame, and grief he'd suppressed for far too long; niki's stubbornness combined with jungwon's unwavering support being the only things keeping him from bolting into oblivion all over again. all in all, it's a difficult time—but they get there. eventually.

naturally, they save sunghoon. what else is there to do? they defeat the queen, break her control over their friend—and then jakehoon have their own teary reunion, not unlike heewon's, and sungki have theirs, not unlike jayseung's (although with a... considerable decrease in cursing and conflicted emotions, and a lot more immediate sobbing). they're a mess—sunghoon is traumatized, heeseung is traumatized, jay and niki are traumatized, they're all just fucking traumatized. jayseung will probably take a long time to get back to the way they once were, if it's even possible—there'll always be an empty space there, something gone, something missing, and it's one that can't be filled. jungwon barely lets heeseung out of sight or touch alike, and heeseung isn't much better off. jay's always been the more touchy one out of the three of them; but after years of missing, of longing, there's plenty of time to be made up, and heeseung is just... so, so soft, and warm, and being held by him is the loveliest thing jungwon's ever known.

AND NOW A SUNOO THING, BECAUSE THE IDEA OF ENHA LIVING HAPPILY EVER AFTER AS OT6 WITH SUNOO JUST FUCKING DEAD DOES. NOT WORK FOR ME

so like. sunoo isn't dead, or he doesn't stay dead, or not the soulless-unmoving kind of dead anyway. you know how necromancy and fierce corpses exist in donghua and shit? well they exist here too because fuck you and also i said so. i made myself sad and now im making it happy again goddamnit.

anyway. after he dies, sunoo gets found by the queen, too, and because she's all-powerful and whatnot she fucking necromances him—figures he'll be useful later. as he is, though, he's basically nothing more than a puppet; like wen ning and song lan were when they were being controlled. his soul isn't... gone exactly, just imprisoned, prevented from being able to come forward and command his body.

so. sunoo is still partially alive, and the boys (jay, jake, jungwon, sunghoon, niki, and whatnot)... don't know that. i imagine that for pretty much the entirety of the centuries that heeseung is gone, sunoo's status as a necromanced fierce corpse goes entirely unknown to them, and it's only after heeseung is brought back by niki that he starts to resurface. i imagine they realize it in a sort of tense, action-filled scenario: the boys have gone to investigate another attack, thinking it's sunghoon, but as it turns out the queen has had TWO undead corpses running around doing her dirty work instead of one. and one of them is sunoo.

heeseung and jay, of course, are stunned. they cant believe it's real; it isn't real, it can't be—and yet.

a lot of angsty plot stuff happens—i dont have the energy or enough shits to give to figure out what. the thing is, the queen only kept sunoo this long and brought him out as a tactic to lure heeseung, make him weaker; and it probably worked. in the midst of both fighting against sunghoon and fighting to SAVE sunghoon, heeseung is bent on saving sunoo as well, and there's probably a lot of very angsty talk wherein there are disagreements about who's life, really, is more important in this situation, and if heeseung is just trying to make up for what he did to sunoo. regardless, heeseung ends up saving sunoo and bringing his soul back to the surface. what he doesn't expect is for sunoo to forgive him—fully and wholeheartedly. and it feels wrong, because no, you should be angry with me, you should hate me and want to hurt me like i hurt you; but sunoo is just... happy. happy that he's back, happy that heeseung is back, happy that they're all together again. and its conflicting, to say the least. even moreso because sunoo isnt stupid—he didnt just act like heeseung was an innocent who did no wrong; he knew he had been wreckless, knew he was at fault, and he forgave him still. loved him still. that was something heeseung... hadn't been prepared for.

like i said in the last part, they save sunghoon; how, im not sure, but they save him, probably with a fair bit of sunoo's help, and they're together again. only the tiny difference here is that sunoo is with them too. sunoo is back, and the gang has yet another undead bestie to teach the ropes of being a vampire to. things are awkward, obviously, especially between the original brother's trio of heeseung, sunoo, and jay; because sunoo is his usual sweet and kind self while jay believes that he should be more angry at heeseung for killing him, heeseung agrees, and jay has some very conflicted feelings about how self-depricating his hyung is being (because like... yeah you killed sunoo and im supposed to hate you but you're not supposed to hate yourself, you idiot, what the fuck?)

(also like. if we're gonna take some more crumbs from cql canon here im gonna go ahead and say sunoo's death was at least somewhat self-sacrificial, even if it was heeseung that ended up causing it in the end)

(i kind of love how jiang cheng-y i made enhaverse jay here to be honest)

(okay this has been in my drafts WAY too long because ive been waiting for some miraculous Other Detail i need to add to pop up in my mind, but honestly i can just add anything else i think of in a reblog afterwards, this bitch just needs to see the light of day)

#magpie thoughts #magpie writes #??? kind of ???#enhaverse #enhaverse theories #ALSO kind of???#enhaverse writing #enhaverse aus #the untamed/cql #the untamed spoilers #idk but just to be safe ig .

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radishtears · 5 years

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gently, we fall

... ... ...

Wei Wuxian x Lan Wangji, Yunmeng Siblings

An AU in which Wei Wuxian dies at Qiongqi Path

A drabble series?

... ... ...

Faint sounds and deep shadows beyond the door

Was our meeting real or just a dream?

Many seasons, a lifetime ago

In the end, past fates will fade into scars

... ... ...

Wei Wuxian had a dream.

He dreamed of Jin Zixun’s twisted face, of a hundred flying arrows, of a shattered silver bell, of scarlet spreading across Jin Zixuan’s robes. So when the red is dripping down his own chest instead, the pain barely registers.

He doesn’t remember falling.

Just before his eyes flutter shut, he makes out his Shijie’s husband rushing towards him, stunned but alive and whole.

He smiles in relief and lets the dark engulf him.

...

He wakes up confused and disoriented. There’s dirt lodged in his throat.

After a long fit of inelegant coughing and spluttering, he finally gathers enough energy to look around, eyes watering. Seconds later, he comes to a conclusion.

He has no idea where he is.

...

Three years ago...

A fair distance away, Sect Leader Jiang stands upon his family’s burial grounds, Zidian crackling on his finger. Several servants and disciples cower before him, heads bowed, trembling.

Jiang Cheng lifts his hand and they flinch back, waiting for the blow. It doesn’t come. Instead, Jiang Cheng gestures to the torn up, empty grave.

“You and you. Tidy it up.” His voice is steady as he gives his orders. “The rest, find whoever did this and bring them to me. Alive.”

He turns without another word, blood seeping from where his nails have sunk into flesh.

...

Wei Wuxian has been wandering for the better part of the day now. When he’d woken, it was already late afternoon and he had no energy to do more than lie back down. After an evening’s sleep, he’s slightly better, though he still feels weirdly shrivelled and very hungry.

It’s once again afternoon by the time he finds a village. And he finally knows where he is. Kind of.

By the sounds of the local accent and street foods, he’s near Yunmeng.

...

Those first few days, Wei Wuxian was forced to rely on his face and his lady-wooing skills to earn meals. Though once it was a young lady’s brother who turned red and stuffed a steam bun into his hand. He’s still a little confused by that.

Thankfully he was able to start night hunting along the way to earn some spending money. Wei Wuxian contemplates getting a horse but his funds are really too limited. Alas, he still has no golden core so travel is slow, but at least his demonic cultivation is in tact.

On the other hand, there’s a strange strength flowing through his limbs that reminds Wei Wuxian of fierce corpses. Is that what he is now? Certainly, he hadn’t possessed anyone; this is his own body. The thought is a little troubling but he brushes it aside easily. Living each day as it comes, that’s his motto. The “living” part is already a mystery.

He is snapped out of his musing by the sounds of battle up ahead. Young voices are exclaiming in frustration and fear. Wei Wuxian runs towards the commotion.

Drawing near, he spies purple sect robes and familiar sword patterns.

Wei Wuxian hesitates, but only for a split second.

He hasn’t really thought about his plans going forward. Avoiding the thought, to be honest. It’s been almost ten years since that day at Qiongqi Path and it’s enough to feel like a lifetime. He figures he’ll go take a peek at the people he once knew and then...then what?

Go back to the Jiang Sect? He already defected.

Where was his place now, as a long dead, previously feared demonic cultivator?

...It doesn’t matter now. Saving lives comes first. Wei Wuxian slips seamlessly into battle and the ghouls stand no chance.

As most of the Jiang disciples fall to the ground in exhaustion, one of the older ones comes to greet Wei Wuxian formally.

“Qianbei*, we owe our lives to you. May I ask for the good name of our saviour?”

Wei Wuxian grimaces instinctively at the words of gratitude. He waves a hand carelessly. “My surname is Wei. It was no trouble.”

“Ah, Wei-qianbei. Please, come back with us to Lotus Pier for some tea. Let us thank you properly. It isn’t far.”

This time, Wei Wuxian shakes his hand even harder.

“It’s fine. No, really. I don’t want anything in return...”

He backs away and turns to leave. And stops dead.

A pair of familiar eyes are staring back at him, slowly widening in disbelief. There’s a long moment of silence. Then...

“Ahaha.” Wei Wuxian scratches his nose sheepishly. “Jiang Cheng. Did you miss me? It’s been a while.”

...

tbc.

... ... ...

*qianbei / 前辈 = senior (in cultivation level, a school/practice or generation)

I have a general outline of this story and requests and/or prompts are welcome. For now, I’ll reveal some of my ideas, though nothing is set fully in stone:

Wei Wuxian is resurrected 8 years after his death. Jin Ling is 8 years old and Lan Yuan is 10.

How did he come back? WWX doesn’t know, but he’s going to find out. I fully admit it’s a little deus ex machina, but it’s hard to find a foolproof method anyway.

Lots of Yunmeng Bros.

WangXian dating. Stay tuned for their reunion lol.

A-Yuan is a total wingman. The Jiangs know about A-Yuan. JC secretly likes him but pretends not to. Jiang Yanli fully adores him and asks LWJ to have him visit a lot. LWJ uses this as an excuse to visit WWX’s grave.

After Qiongqi Path, and after JGS shows his true colours, JYL refuses to stay on Golden Koi Tower. She moves back to live at Lotus Pier with her son. It’s all incredibly scandalous. JZX technically stays in Lanling, but he actually chills at Lotus Pier when he has no duties. Though, around 2-3 years later, JGS dies and JZX becomes Sect Leader.

Nie Mingjue dies 3 years after WWX.

JGY’s story should pretty much follow canon, though the timeline is obviously shifted. And MXY gets to live! Poor kid deserved better.

Endgame = WangXian get married, probably?

I’m tagging these as #mdzs gwf so look in/follow the tag for more!

... ... ...

Support me via Ko-fi.

#mo dao zu shi #wangxian #yunmeng bros #mdzs gwf #qiongqi path au #my writing #radish writes

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allybeans · 4 years

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my top 5 moments in cql

did this on twt but I needed more space to eXPLAIN my FEELINGS so here goes (spoilers, obviously!)

5. jiang cheng’s “保重” (take care)

aka the scene after guanyin temple when jc recalls how he let himself get caught by the wen guards to save wwx and he says “ 保重 / take care” again while looking wistfully into the distance

jc & wwx’s fcked up sibling relationship is honestly so fascinating and layered and I could watch cOUNTLESS HOURS more of it?? but this scene was when it really turned everything upside down for me, cos you spend most of the show thinking that wwx has made this big sacrifice for jc, then it turns out jc had done the SAME THING for wwx. and the sacrifice he made to save wwx is the only reason why he lost his golden core and therefore why wwx had to give up his golden core and it just makes their relationship so much more intertwined. plus jc never gets to tell wwx?? the show just ended it there???? HELLO I NEED MORE PLEASEEEE

4. lan zhan’s final “魏婴” (wei ying)

I mean. duh. those last few scenes of wangxian standing around looking all dramatic in this beautiful scenery, then them saying bye, then wwx playing chenqing all longingly...... and i’m alr sobbing at this bittersweet goodbye....

then WHAM you hear lan zhan’s voice and wwx turns around and then the SERIES OF EXPRESSIONS ON HIS FACE??? from surprise, to happiness, to “you didn’t” to “of course you did” to “I’m just so glad you’re here”.......... w o w I was in FLOODS OF TEARS (lowkey reminds me of the ending of monster inc tbh lmao)

3. jin ling crying on the pier while clutching his dad’s sword

I will protecc jin ling with my LIFE, end of story. this whole scene, as jl watches wen ning talk to sizhui, the build up where you’re like,,, oh god that’s his father’s killer, talking to one of his close friends, right there in front of him, and then when he finally explodes everyone yells at him??? and he’s just a young boy who’s suffered so much loss, who’s never really confronted any of that or been able to express it meaningfully, and he’s been expected to be so grown up but he’s so young..... and it’s the moment where he finally just cracks and breaks down sobbing from all the pressure and pent-up emotions. I straight up bawled w jl here, no shame

2. wen qing’s “对不起, 还有,谢谢你” (sorry, and also, thank you)

it is no secret that I love wen qing and I think she deserves so much better... but I especially love her bickering best friends dynamic with wwx during those days in the burial mounds. he saves her, her family, her beloved brother, and she is so grateful to him but there is nothing she can do to repay him. so she does the best that she can, taking care of him and keeping their little community going, until one day she is forced to confront the magnitude of everything he has sacrificed, and the fact that there is no happy ending for him if they continue this way. and good GOD the way she bids him farewell???? by saying sorry and thank you?????? the very words she couldn’t speak the whole time they were there before because she felt like she had no right to say them????? just END ME

1. wwx finds out who sizhui is

that scene in the woods when sizhui hugs him and goes “I’ve missed you” ????? BITCH WHEN I SAY I CRIED, I MEAN I CRIED. I bawled like an absolute baby,,,, by that time we kinda alr know who sizhui is, but that moment flips it from “oh god wwx must have missed a-yuan so much” to “JUST IMAGINE WHAT LIL BABBY A-YUAN HAD TO GO THROUGH” and I just. cannot. handle it. we won’t even TALK about sizhui bending down and hugging wwx’s leg. absolutely not. I’m in pieces already. goodbye.

in short this show is an emotional NIGHTMARE i do not recommend it to anyone unless u enjoy crying so much u become dehydrated and delirious thank you for coming to my ted talk

#cql #the untamed #wangxian #wei wuxian #lan wangji #jiang cheng #wen qing #jin ling #lan sizhui #im basically whipped for wwx and the juniors #also wen qing deserves better #im still not emotionally ok #cql spoilers #obviously!

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thinkaboutdobrik · 4 years

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The Shed Behind The House -> Crawford Collins

A/n: this is a series of many crawfors requests, so i combined them all together and came up w this little thing! enjoy

Plot: you're in the reality house and about to compete against Lauren. Once it's over, you and Crawford spend some time together as you keep getting progressively drunker. ;);)

It was your turn to finally do a challenge. You were going up against Lauren, and ever since the voting you had been dreading this very moment.

You and Lauren were standing with both feet in front of the tub, worryingly keeping your eyes glued to it. Kian and Jc had been very generous with the ice - so much to the point where it was almost overflowing.

"On your marks.." Jc started.

You swallowed hard and looked at Lauren. She looked back at you with the exact same facial expression. "Good luck." she nodded, and you nodded back.

All the contestants were standing around you, watching as you and Lauren were getting in the tub.

Corey nudged Crawford's side and leaned into his ear. "Imagine what an ass like that could do." Corey chuckled and pointed at your ass.

"Dude." Crawford replied fast, shaking his comment off.

"C'mon. Look at her! Haven't you ever wondered? And now she's here, in a little bikini. This is like a dream come true for you, isn't it?" Corey added just to poke fun of his best friend.

Crawford laughed and heavily rolled his eyes, trying to pretend as if Corey wasn't completely right.

"Get set-" Jc continued as you and Lauren were standing with both feet in the ice water.

"Sit down!" he continued, and you did as he said.

At first the cold hit you like a wall of bricks. You got instant goosebumps and could feel ice cold water hitting every single inch of your body.

But a few seconds in your body had already gotten numb, not feeling the cold as much anymore, which was a relief.

"Oh, this isn't that bad." you bragged as you glanced over at Lauren who was shivering.

And it was true, it didn't feel that bad. Infact you were starting to feel comfortable, more than expected, and a few moments later Lauren stood up from the ice bath and threw her hands in the air as she sighed.

"Looks like we have a winner, guys!" Kian cheered to the camera before it was panned towards you.

Everyone cheered and clapped for you and you felt a wave of confidence come over you.

"Here," a voice said from behind you and once you turned around your eyes landed on Crawford standing behind you and handing you a towel. "you did great!"

"Thanks." you chuckled and reached for the towel.

Crawford's eyes were glued to your body, looking you up and down as a small smirk appeared on his face. "Uh, yeah. Y-you're welcome." he smiled in return once he managed to shake himself out of the trance he was in.

Moments pass and you had finally gotten to take a steamy hot shower which was definitely needed considering your fingertips were turning blue at this point.

You spent the next 30 minutes in the shower, enjoying the nice warm water hitting every inch of your skin.

Once you finally got out three knocks came from your bedroom door.

"What's up?" you asked as you opened the door and landed your eyes on Corey.

"Everyone's hanging out outside. Jc brought beers."

"K, I'll be there in a sec!" you smiled in return and closed the door behind you.

You put on your favorite pair of biker shorts and an oversized tee shirt to go with it, threw your hair in a messy ponytail, and headed outside.

Everyone were sitting around the pool. Some were sitting in small groups, chit chatting and what not, and you scanned the area looking for the most tempting group; Crawford, Corey and Bobby.

You walked over to them as they were standing by the table filled with a bunch of whiteclaws and coronas.

"Want a beer?" Crawford offered and handed you a beer.

You took a big gulp of it and let out a relieved sigh.

Hanging out with Corey, Bobby and Crawford was one of your favorite things to do in the house. For some reason you just clicked better with them than the rest of the people in the house, and not only that but Crawford had also been eyeing you, and you him, for some time now so naturally you wanted to be wherever Crawford was.

Corey and Bobby left to help Kian and Jc with something inside the house. You and Crawford were left by the pool, just the two of you. At first you felt a little awkward considering you had a little crush on Crawford and didn't know what to say, but once Crawford scooted closer to you and started making conversation, everything felt more relaxed.

Crawford's eyes were glued to you as you spoke, and you watched as his dimple appeared and his colgate white smile was plastered all over his face whenever you made a joke.

Butterflies were starting to appear in your stomach, and one beer after another you had started to feel a sudden wave of confidence come over you. That, and you were also getting pretty tipsy at this point.

"Crawford, you know.." you started and took a long look at his face as you smiled.

"What?" he questioned in return and looked at you in confusion.

"You're pretty hot. Am not gonna lie, dude. You're pretty fine and any girl is lucky to have you." you slurred as you drunkenly tried flirting with him.

His cheeks turned pink and he smiled from one ear to the other, trying to form a sentence.

"I-, thank you. You too. You're hot too." Crawford complimented back and winked at you.

By now he was well aware you were tipsy, but he still found it very charming how you complimented him.

"I may be drunk, but you know how when you're drunk you supposedly tell the truth. So there you go." you shrugged which caused him to laugh and nod along.

At this point the two of you were sitting very close. There was chemistry in the air, you stomach was swarmed with butterflies, his too, and all you wanted was to kiss him.

Him leaning in and glancing down at your lips everytime he spoke didn't help either, and it was clear that part of Crawford wanted to kiss you too.

"Let's get out of here. I wanna show you something." you smiled from ear to ear and got up from the ground, dragging Crawford along with you and rounding the corner of the house.

"What's back here?" Crawford questioned as you dragged him through a tight space and some prickly bushes.

"You'll see. But we need to go through these bushes. I'll go first so I can protect you." you slurred and smiled before racing off and dragging Crawford through the bushes.

"That's gonna leave a mark." Crawford mumbled to himself as he tried dodging all the sticks and bushes poking his sides and scratching his face.

"Look! We're here. Tada!" you cheered once you had finally gotten through the jungle og big bushes behind the house.

Placed in front of you was an old messed up, partly broken, bench sitting next to some old and ugly furniture. Maby bushes and shrubs was surrounding the bench and it was obvious the owners of the house had either forgotten about the area, or just completely neglected it. Either way, even though it looked ugly, it was quite the cozy space.

"Whoah. How'd you find this place?" Crawford asked in surprise as he looked around with big eyes.

"I don't know. I was just exploring and I stumbled upon it. Isn't it great? Come, let's sit." you cheered before carefully sitting down on the broken bench.

The bench cracked as you sat down and you let out a shriek. Luckily it didn't break down under you, and once you were fully sat down Crawford joined you.

"So.. what now?" Crawford chuckled as he looked at you.

You glanced down at his lips as you scooted closer to him. You gently placed a hand on his thigh and smiled, watching how Crawford's cheeks blushed even more than before.

"I don't know..." you whispered and leaned in.

You and Crawford were mere inches from eachother, and his breath was hitting your lips when he spoke.

Crawford's hand gently rested on your cheek as he looked you in the eyes. He gave you a quick, nervous, smile before glancing down at your lips and back at your eyes.

"Can I kiss you?" Crawford whispered, making the first move.

You giggled and nodded, placing your hand on his neck and pulling him closer.

"Wait- someone's coming." Crawford said and interrupted your moment as soon as he heard foot steps on the other side of the bushes. "Let's hide in that shed over there." he whispered and got up from the bench, dragging you along with him.

He carefully opened the door to the crappy looking shed and carefully stepped inside.

The shed was almost empty exept for some old wood and tools sitting in the corner, clearly not being used for the longest time.

Crawford leaned against the wall as he held your hand and pulled you a little closer. Your chests were touching and you tried to make little to no sound, but the breaths escaping your mouths were too heavy.

"We're breathing too hard." Crawford chuckled.

You chuckled along and placed both hands on either of his cheeks, pulling him closer before finally pressing your lips against his. Although it did help your heavy breaths calm down a bit, the butterflies in your stomach were going insane.

You pulled away and giggled. Perhaps that wasn't the best thing to do considering Kian and Jc were already standing right outside the shed and scanning the newfound area.

"Did you just hear that?" Kian questioned from the outside.

Looking through the cracks of the wall you could see them turn towards the shed and in your direction.

The door opened and you and Crawford stood perfectly still in hopes of them not being able to see you in the dark.

"Is there someone in there??" Jc nervously asked as he looked over Kian's shoulder.

"I think it's-" Kian started and squinted his eyes, trying to focus on the dark room.

"Hey! It's y/n and Crawford! What's up!" Kian greeted as he landed his eyes on the two of you pushed up against the wall.

"Uh- Hey, bro. What's up?" Crawford casually asked trying to play it off cool.

"We're y'all just kissing?" Jc asked and stepped up from behind Kian.

Your jaws dropped as you looked at Jc by the door. "No!" you and Crawford lied in unison.

"Don't play that bull crap, we know y'all were kissing." Kian said and pointed a finger in your faces as he pulled some kissy faces.

The four of you stepped outside of the shed.

"Alright, fine. We were. Just don't tell Corey, bro." Crawford admitted and worryingly looked at Kian and Jc.

The only reason he didn't want Corey to know was because he knew Corey'd make a big deal over it. He knew Crawford had had his eyes on you ever since you stepped into the house.

"We got you, brother." Jc nodded and put his fist out for Crawford to give him a bro fist.

Kian and Jc crawled out of the bushes and left you and Crawford behind.

"Whoah. They totally almost caught us. That was a close one!" you slurred and burst into laughter as you leaned your body weight on Crawford's side.

Crawford, having to catch you so you didn't stumble over your feet, looked at you with furrowed eyebrows. "What are you talking about? They literally just caught us."

"Oh.." you chuckled and buried your face in your hands.

"But hey," Crawford started and cupped your cheeks in his hands to catch your attention.

"It's our little secret. Okay?" he smiled before pressing his lips against yours.

You smiled and giggled into the kiss, kissing him back.

#crawford collins imagine #knj #knj imagine #crawford collins #crawford collins concept #crawford collins fic #crawford collins fanfic #crawford collins fan fiction

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frosty-the-killer-doll · 3 years

Text

Problems with 2019′s Twilight Zone reboot

These are just my dumb unsolicited thoughts, don’t take me seriously, i mean jordan is a whole ass man and i’m a tiny child who has no money

Likability. They make their characters too relatable for the abrupt, typically cruel ends they receive. Jason Sanderson is just a guy who’s been through some shit (though the exact shit is never properly explained, more of that later), and has finally recovered from it enough to fly. He spends the entire episode trying to get people to listen, to save everyone even when they were all against him, he went to any means necessary so everyone could live another day-- and, because he tried to warn them, he’s killed for it. Samir did very, very bad things, but they give him too much time to be a good guy and not enough time being desperate to make the transition believable. Yeah, the mic dropping after he disappeared was cool, but it just didn’t feel deserved. Especially after Samir admitted he just wanted to be liked. The show spends too much time building these characters, and not enough showing how their attitudes change. Nina’s sudden standing up to the cop harassing them is a very quick whirlwind from her ‘flight over fight’ persona; I understand why the continued harassment and time loops would make anybody crack (especially a woman being profiled because some gun-toting bitchboy thinks her car is too nice for a black person to legally own, fuck you dude i was hoping you’d shoot yourself when you put your gun down), but Nina and Dorrain switching personalities was so… abrupt. I would expect that if Nina stood up for herself, Dorian would be right behind her, not trying to talk her down. It doesn’t mix with what we’ve already learned about them, y’know?

No closure. Yes, I understand it’s an anthropology series. But this version runs much longer than the original, and it shoves that extra time with non-important details that are supposed to make us care about the new cast. But it doesn’t answer any of the questions it spends so much time setting up. Why did aliens invade Earth, and why the hell did they put so much emphasis on Christmas if this didn’t have anything to do with fucking Christmas? What happened to her and the captain after they saw the space-ships? And also how would anyone familiar with the source material allow such a generic design for an alien species? Rod’s many aliens were fascinating because we didn’t know anything about them! Their appearances stood out, as aliens should! Even the most easy alien design (in my opinion, “Will The Real Martian Please Stand Up?”) worked beautifully, not because it wasn’t simple, but because of how awesome it was revealed. So charmingly well-done! I knew it was coming since the man went back into the diner, but I was still fucking amazed! I watched that scene over and over because of how mesmerized I was! I understand the president ordered it, but how the hell did the parliaments of the United States allow a child to work as a doctor? What happened to congress? Oliver’s target audience was children too young to vote, how in God’s name didn’t he get impeached? Wouldn’t citizens notice that Homer wasn’t actually sick when Oliver didn’t order doctors to save him? If a child was elected president, there would be riots and revolts! Why did they only show us absolute citizen support for a preteen becoming president? It’s the Twilight Zone, it works in mysterious and chaotic ways, but there is always, always a pattern of realism. And America not throwing a shitfit when a kid ranks higher than them is not the violence-riddled, insecure-man-led country I know. And Jason Sanderson! We were fucking robbed of his truama! Why set up a past of mental breakdowns for a one-off character, who you’re aware is going to be a one-off character, and not explain what exactly happened? It leaves you wanting so, so much more, that everyone knows you’re not going to get. Even in the very first episode, Samir asks “Where do they go?” Why have that be something he says if you’re not going to answer it? Where did Samir end up, swallowed by the Twilight Zone? And how the fuck is JC Wheeler involved in it? How does it work? Everything about this series makes me ask, what the fuck is going on? Twilight Zone 2019 gives so much more screentime, but they don’t tie up the loose ends they focus on for half the ep. At least in the original, some explanations were offered for why that happened, how this is possible, whether it be magic or aliens or mental breakdowns or Rod coming out to say “this is mere fiction but the moral stands true” or something like that.

The Narrator. What was so charming about the original narrator, the series creator himself Rod Serling, was that he was, well, charming. When given the spotlight, Serling always had that reassuring smile, friendly body language, honeyed voice, y’know? He felt real, because he was. This new show doesn’t even make a character out of their narrator. Who is he? Why does he tell us, the viewers, these tales of Twilight? Is he an embodiment of the Twilight Zone, or a victim? The original Twilight Zone team recognized that what they were creating was mere fiction, and I personally feel the classic benefitted from that acknowledgement. The new narrator, played by Jordan Peele, is non-expressive and apathetic. He’s not nearly as animated or entertaining as Rod Serling was. At a certain angle, Rod played the Narrator as a realistic vibe of superficial sociopath, while Jordan attributes… nothing. And it’s weird. Why doesn’t the Narrator seem to care? Why is he so passive, so... plain? The sharp shift from Rod’s performance to Jordan’s leaves fans of the old series asking this question, and it does nothing to answer.

Also not a negative and stuff they should do more; michele from episode two of s2 is definitely a trans allegory yeah that’s all i got

#the twilight zone #twilight zone 2019 #pastelglitches20 #jordan peele

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razberryyum · 5 years

Video

The Untamed/陈情令 Rewatch, Episode 2 (spoilers for everything)

(covers MDZS chaps 6 - 10 and a bit of 13)

WangXian meter: 🐰🐰🐰🐰🐰🐰🐰🐰🐰

(a 🐰 is earned every time there is a WangXian scene or even when they’re just thinking of each other)

I always tell people when I’m trying to get them to watch The Untamed that when they get to this particular scene in the second episode, they’ll know if they will be into the show. To me, this is the game-changer moment: you’re either in or out after this. If this scene doesn’t emotionally move you enough to at least continue on with the drama, nothing else will. It is seriously one of the most romantic scenes I have ever seen captured on screen. This was the moment that made me realize not only was I now fully committed to CQL, but that I had also found a new obsession and was ready to devote myself to Mo Dao Zu Shi. After all, something that can lead to the creation of such a beautiful scene MUST hold other invaluable treasures. So into the MDZS rabbit hole I went, happily diving head first.

Even now I’m still amazed that this scene exists in the intact form that it does. I started The Untamed with little to no expectations, especially knowing the restrictions it was under AND having just finished Guardian and experiencing how poor creative decisions can arise due to censorship (or at least, using that as an excuse for their dumb story choices). As I mentioned previously, the first episode was a hard sell since they definitely did not put their best foot forward first, but I liked Xiao Zhan immediately and Wei Wuxian as a character was interesting enough that I wanted to learn more about his past that led to his death and rebirth. The small glimpses we saw of his relationship with Lan Zhan also fascinated me, but then with this second episode, the weak points of the pilot still remained: there was still bad CGI (the statue) and very amateurish technical mistakes (in the recognition scene, at one point, in a close-up shot they’re holding onto each other, but in the next far away backside shot they’re clearly standing apart from each other, only to return to holding each other once again once the camera cuts back to a close-up...whoever the editor is on CQL probably should dunk their head in the toilet every time these editing errors pop up) that made my initial viewing of this episode a frustrating one for most of its runtime. I think I spent most of my initial viewing just distracted, playing on my phone or something, until the big WangXian moment happened and then I was shocked and awed. I know I wasn’t paying close attention that first time because when I rewatched the episode later on, I realized I missed a lot of dialogue and details. I have since revisited this second episode numerous times more, and I do feel bad about how dismissive I was initially. It’s a pretty loaded episode: it has funny, poignant, creepy, mysterious, and cool moments while still feeding us bits of the overarching plot. I definitely have developed an affection for it since my first viewing and it’s become one of my favorite episodes in the series.

Of Pining & other Heart-achy Things

This simple line from Jiang Cheng is enough to make my eyes well up with tears: I can’t help but imagine Lan Zhan traveling around the world for sixteen years, most likely all alone, stopping at different places to play Inquiry, fervently hoping that maybe one day he’ll finally receive an answering chord from Wei Ying, only to be confronted by a deafening silence again and again and again. How utterly sad and disappointed he must have been every time, and yet still, he never gave up and just went to the next location to do the same thing and experience the same heavy disappointment all over again. If that doesn’t make your heart ache, I’m sorry to tell you, your heart is no longer functional.

It’s a detail I don’t remember if the novel covered, but I’m assuming that Lan Zhan was the one to bring Wei Ying’s inventions like the spirit attraction flag and the compass back to Gusu and incorporate them for use in his sect’s normal cultivation practices. I know other people have use his tools as well since that nameless cultivator at the start of the episode was also using the spirit compass, but I feel that with Lan Wangji, he probably purposefully acquired and adapted WWX’s techniques so that every time they’re used, they can serve as a reminder of Wei Ying for him. Though it does make me wonder how Lan Zhan managed to get those approved by his uncle; I can’t imagine Lan Qiren being ok with using anything that was created by the man whom he blames for the corruption of his beloved nephew and model student. Did LWJ just pretend he created them instead? That doesn’t even sound right. Maybe Uncle Lan decided to be merciful and just let Lan Zhan win this one since he was probably obviously miserable after Wei Ying’s death. Yeah, I can buy that scenario, especially since the flag and compass are pretty useful tools.

I wondered did LWJ already suspect “Mo Xuanyu” was Wei Ying before he started playing Wuji on his flute. It’s curious that he happened to be in that part of the forest at that time. I’m guessing his Wei Ying senses were tingled when he heard about Mo Xuanyu’s skills from Sizhui and the boys so that’s why he was hanging around the vicinity just in case MXY reveals his true identity. After waiting 16 years for this reunion, it’s no wonder Lan Zhan had no qualms about holding onto WWX’s wrist in public for much longer than socially appropriate.

I actually get a little emotional every time I rewatch this episode and watch Jin Ling display his mad archery skills because I would always think of how much he takes after his dad. His parents would’ve been so proud to see him all grown up like this; Shijie would’ve been so happy she probably would get teary-eyed as well every time she saw her boy in action. Sure, he’s a spoiled little princess, but he is also a pretty skilled princess with a heart of gold and I just wish they had more time together as a family.

They looked so happy, look at all those smiles. It really makes me so sad that Wei Ying will probably never be able to hug JC like that again, and of course he’ll never be able to hug Shijie period. Great now I want to cry again.

Lan Jingyi Appreciation Section

I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned this precious boy by name so far, so I wanted to take this opportunity to show him some much deserved love. Lan Jingyi with his resting bitch face and steady stream of snark was really the MVP of this episode. He actually made me laugh out loud a few times...in fact, he almost always makes me laugh as soon as he scrunches up his face like he’s smelling something bad. I recently saw someone mention that he’s really the most un-Lan of the Lans (sorry, I forgot who posted that so I apologies for not giving proper credit) and that is really the perfect description of him. I love this kid as much as I love Sizhui and Jin Ling, and I am also sincerely fascinated by him. I mean, who raised him in the Gusu Lan sect? Cuz I cannot imagine Lan Qiren being the one since Jingyi undoubtedly would’ve had all his snark driven out of him at an early age. Hell, the amount of disciplinary action he probably had to have gone through would’ve probably killed him at a young age. Did he join the sect when he was already fully formed so that’s why he’s still breaking Lan sect rules right and left? He threatened an old man and is like rude to everyone. I don’t know all 3000 rules but I’m pretty sure being mean to the elderly and insulting to supposedly mentally unstable people are probably not allowed. If anything, his disposition would make him more suitable for the Lanling Jin sect and yet he’s with the stuffy Lans. WHY? I could watch a whole spin-off series with just him and the other juniors as long as we get to learn about how he came to be with the Gusu Lan sect. He’s hilarious and adorable, and among the many the reasons why I wish we had more episodes for the present-day arc, one of them is because I wanted to spend more time with the juniors, especially Lan Jingyi, even if it meant the screenwriters would’ve had to go off book and create new scenes for them. It would’ve been well worth it to hear LJY throw more shade at people.

Random Bits of Randomness

It’s kinda crazy how WWX just stood there with his back turned, oblivious to Jin Ling’s attack. If Lan Zhan’s blade hadn’t blocked JL’s sword, that would’ve been the end of our main protagonist. I just thought that was such an odd scene...I would’ve felt just a little better if Wei Ying had at least had a little more awareness that an attack was heading for him and made some attempt to get out of the way.

Ugh, that mask. First of all it’s ugly AF, and secondly it’s so freaking ill-fitting it was distracting. Would’ve been nice if the production team gave him a mask that actually fit his face. I mean, did it HAVE to be THAT damn big? I’m amazed they don’t have bts clips of Xiao Zhan tripping and hurting himself because the stupid mask blocked his vision.

Other than being a brilliant mastermind and Oscar-worthy actor, Nie Huaisang has got to be one of the greatest cultivators if not THE greatest cultivator of all time to be able to conjure up an illusion like that. That thing was doing real damage to people. If it was just a phantom, what the heck was holding up those two cultivators in midair like that? And what kicked Jin Ling around? I know Wei Ying was able to drive people crazy with his flute during his Yiling Patriarch phase, but his handiwork still felt more grounded and reasonable than this.

Questions I still have (please feel free to answer them):

- Who was that old man at the grave? Someone NHS paid to just hang around the graves until the juniors and WWX came by?

- So NHS basically fucked up Yan’s entire family and God knows how many other people just to get WWX to eventually play his flute to lure Wen Ning out from wherever he was hiding?

- How did JGY not know Wen Ning escaped? Or did he just leave those details to Xue Yang so he didn’t really care about what happened to Wen Ning? I’m trying if this was addressed in the book but my mind is coming up empty. I don’t think it was brought up in the show though, or I just completely missed it.

Overall Episode Rating: 9 Lil Apples out of 10

#The Untamed #陈情令 #spoilers #Untamed Rewatch #WangXian #Mo Dao Zu Shi #CQL #MDZS #魔道祖师 #Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation #Lan Zhan Lan Wangji #Wei Ying Wei Wuxian #Lan Jingyi #Jin Ling #Nie Huaisang #Jiang Yanli #Jin Zixuan #Jin Guangyao

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bloody-bee-tea · 3 years

Note

To finish this amazing JC Love Month that has given so much joy, could I ask for a final chapter of Lan Quiren being the good dad that little Jiang Cheng is in desperate need of? Thank you so much for that series!! It is all that I ever wanted and more,but I just need a WWX and JY and reacting to YZ and JFM and Lan Quiren interacting. Thank you so much!!! 💛💛

JC Love Month 2020 Day 30

Breathing and Footsteps

Your wish is my command, Anon! Day 30 of JC Love Month brings one last confrontation between LQR and JC's parents, this time witnessed by JC's siblings, who fully support him and LQR taking care of him. This also marks the last day of JC Love Month, so thank you all for sticking with me through it all! Technically it was a free day but I'm very bad with those, so my friend gave me a few word prompts to work with. This follows after Day 23 of JC Love Month.

Jiang Cheng is reading over the material they will cover in class later, when someone suddenly sits down next to him.

Jiang Cheng frowns, a biting remark already on his tongue, but he swallows it down when he turns and sees that it’s Lan Xichen.

“Oh, hi,” Jiang Cheng breathes out and Lan Xichen’s mouth twitches in amusement but when he smiles it’s kind.

“How are you doing?” Lan Xichen asks him, sending a pointed look at his newly cast-free hand.

“I’m doing well,” Jiang Cheng gives back and he’s almost surprised to find that he means it, too. “Doctor Wen says it’s healing well and if I stick to the physical therapy I shouldn’t have any problems going forward.”

“That’s very good to hear,” Lan Xichen says. “Though I think Wen Qing insisted on you calling her by her name.”

“She might have,” Jiang Cheng says and looks down at his book.

He tried, too, but it felt wrong when she was removing his cast and so he decided to stick to Doctor Wen. She had glared at him when he did, but her glare held none of the bite Jiang Cheng was used to from his mother, so she probably wasn’t too bad.

“As long as you know you’re free to call her Wen Qing, it’s okay,” Lan Xichen reassures him and lightly pats his forearm. “Listen, there’s actually a reason I’m here,” Lan Xichen then says and Jiang Cheng can’t help it, he tenses when worry settles in his belly.

“Is anything wrong?” Jiang Cheng asks, his voice low and scared, because most times he still feels like he’s in a dream, as if one day he will wake up and Lan Qiren won’t care about him and Jiang Cheng will have to sleep back in his own huge, empty house.

“Nothing is wrong,” Lan Xichen immediately tells him. “I’m sorry it sounded like that,” he goes on and Jiang Cheng thinks he knows him well enough by now to know that Lan Xichen will consider his words much more carefully from now on.

“What’s going on then?” Jiang Cheng asks, reassured now that it won’t be something bad.

“Uncle is working late today,” Lan Xichen starts and Jiang Cheng nods.

Lan Qiren had told him about the meeting he has today, much to Jiang Cheng’s surprise, because his parents never bothered to tell him where they would be and if they would be coming home that day.

“Yeah, he said,” Jiang Cheng whispers, still almost feeling uncomfortably surprised that Lan Qiren took the time to inform him about his plans.

“Good,” Lan Xichen says, as if it’s entirely normal that Lan Qiren told him. “I thought since you’re doing well with your arm, that I could show you how to cook one of Uncle’s favourite dishes today? I think he would like coming home after that meeting to a home-cooked meal.”

Jiang Cheng has to regulate his breathing at that, because he feels this close to a breakdown in the middle of school and Lan Xichen puts his hand on Jiang Cheng’s shoulder.

“I’m sorry if I upset you,” Lan Xichen lowly says, taking care that no one else can hear them, but Jiang Cheng shakes his head.

“No, I would like that,” Jiang Cheng immediately says and looks at Lan Xichen. “Please, if you have the time.”

“I wouldn’t have offered otherwise,” Lan Xichen says with a smile and squeezes Jiang Cheng’s shoulder once. “I’ll come by later then, alright?” Lan Xichen asks and Jiang Cheng nods.

“Thank you,” Jiang Cheng breathes out but Lan Xichen shakes his head.

“It’s my pleasure,” Lan Xichen replies and gets up. “See you later, then, Wanyin,” he says and leaves Jiang Cheng to his reading again.

Jiang Cheng wants to go back to that, but his mind his whirring now, too touched by Lan Xichen’s kindness and thoughtfulness and Jiang Cheng is looking forward to giving Lan Qiren something in return, even if it’s only something small.

Jiang Cheng barely managed to concentrate on his book again, when he hears footsteps coming up behind him and Jiang Cheng turns his head with a sigh.

He immediately straightens up when he realizes that it’s Lan Qiren who is coming up to him.

“Is everything alright?” Lan Qiren wants to know, not looking directly at Jiang Cheng, but Jiang Cheng can still tell that he’s honestly worried that anything could be wrong.

“Yes,” Jiang Cheng very honestly says and Lan Qiren seems to believe him, because he nods once and then finally looks at Jiang Cheng.

“How’s your hand?” he wants to know, as if he isn’t asking after Jiang Cheng’s wellbeing every day but Jiang Cheng smiles at his obvious concern.

“It feels fine,” Jiang Cheng gives back and carefully rotates his wrist to show Lan Qiren that he’s not lying about it.

“That’s good,” Lan Qiren says and then his eyes wander to Jiang Cheng’s book in front of him. “I’ll let you get back to studying then,” Lan Qiren decides and simply marches off without giving Jiang Cheng another chance to say something.

Jiang Cheng smiles slightly when he watches Lan Qiren walk away, and he feels entirely too fond of Lan Qiren at that moment, realizing that this really was just him paying enough attention to Jiang Cheng to have seen Lan Xichen with him and to immediately worry.

He is not used to care like this, but he slowly realizes that it seems to be the norm with Lan Qiren. Jiang Cheng smiles into his book at that thought.

Jiang Cheng schools his face into a frown when someone sits down opposite of him and by now Jiang Cheng is absolutely convinced that he will not get any reading done.

Especially so when he sees that it’s Wei Wuxian who sat down at his table.

“What?” Jiang Cheng snaps out, because he hasn’t seen Wei Wuxian all that much since he moved out of his old house two weeks ago, and he only ever hears from Lan Wangji that Wei Wuxian is alright.

“How are you?” Wei Wuxian asks with a look at his wrist and Jiang Cheng shrugs.

“The cast came off,” he says and Wei Wuxian rolls his eyes at him.

“I can see that. But how are you?”

“I’m okay,” Jiang Cheng says, much more softer at that, because he can tell that Wei Wuxian is really worried.

“Are you in trouble?” Wei Wuxian asks with a frown, and when Jiang Cheng looks at him in confusion, he nods to where Lan Qiren just vanished.

“Why would you think that?” Jiang Cheng wants to know and he nods at Lan Wangji when he joins Wei Wuxian.

“You’ve been spending a lot of time at the headmaster’s office. Are you in trouble?”

Jiang Cheng looks at Lan Wangji at that, who simply shrugs.

“You said not to tell. I didn’t,” he easily replies and Jiang Cheng knows that Lan Wangji doesn’t particularly like him, so he didn’t expect that.

Since Jiang Cheng moved into Lan Qiren’s house permanently Lan Wangji has been a lot nicer during family meals, but they will never be best friends and that’s okay with Jiang Cheng, but to hear that he respected his wishes really touches him.

“Thank you,” Jiang Cheng whispers and Lan Wangji only nods.

“What’s going on here?” Wei Wuxian whines when he sees them exchanging looks and Jiang Cheng sighs.

“You know what?” Jiang Cheng asks him and shuts his book. “Come to the house tomorrow afternoon and you’ll see,” Jiang Cheng tells him, because tomorrow they will pick up the last of Jiang Cheng’s things from his old room and Jiang Cheng suspects that Wei Wuxian needs to see that Jiang Cheng left to really believe it.

“You know what, you should bring A-jie as well,” Jiang Cheng says as he stands up. “She should know, too.”

Jiang Cheng felt bitter for about the first week when he realized that neither Wei Wuxian nor Jiang Yanli noticed that he’s not at home, or when neither one of them checked in on him, but he realized that it’s unfair.

Jiang Yanli is just starting her new life with Jin Zixuan and Wei Wuxian is clearly still living on cloud seven with Lan Wangji so of course they wouldn’t notice.

Jiang Cheng doesn’t like it, but he understands. It’s unfair of him to expect to have all of their attention all the time and Jiang Yanli did ask about his wrist.

“What is going on?” Wei Wuxian whines again but this time it’s Lan Wangji who shushes him.

Jiang Cheng doesn’t pay too much attention to him anymore, simply walking away and getting to his class.

~*~*~

Jiang Cheng is nervous when Lan Xichen leaves him to it. He talked him through the whole process of making Lan Qiren’s favourite dish, not actually helping that much and he seemed proud enough with Jiang Cheng’s result that Jiang Cheng shouldn’t fret so much.

But he can’t help it.

He feels like if he botched this attempt of Lan Qiren’s food then he might as well just move back in with his parents and Jiang Cheng is stressing way too much over this.

He wishes Lan Xichen hadn’t left as soon as they were done, if just so that someone was around to keep his mind off things, and Jiang Cheng briefly debates calling Jiang Yanli, but in the end he doesn’t.

If he calls her now, he would have to explain why he is cooking for Lan Qiren and Jiang Cheng doesn’t feel like doing that this evening. He will have to explain enough tomorrow after all.

Jiang Cheng is startled out of his panic when he hears a key in the door and his hands start to sweat when Lan Qiren calls out a “I’m home”.

“Welcome home,” Jiang Cheng gives back and meets Lan Qiren in the doorway to the kitchen.

“What’s smelling so good?” Lan Qiren asks and Jiang Cheng gives him a sheepish smile.

“I cooked,” he says and Lan Qiren’s face immediately falls, and Jiang Cheng feels sick with nerves.

“Why? How is your wrist? Did you overdo it?” Lan Qiren asks immediately and he reaches out for Jiang Cheng’s arm as if he could tell if Jiang Cheng overworked it.

“I’m fine, I’m fine, Xichen-ge did all the heavy cutting, don’t worry. I was careful,” Jiang Cheng reassures him, flooded with warmth when he realizes that Lan Qiren is simply worried for him.

“Is that what you were talking with my nephew about today?” Lan Qiren asks as he looks into the kitchen.

“Yes,” Jiang Cheng admits. “He offered to teach me one of your favourite dishes. I wanted to do something nice for you, for once,” Jiang Cheng whispers and Lan Qiren’s face smoothes out.

“Wanyin,” he breathes out and tugs Jiang Cheng into a half-hug. “Thank you,” he sincerely says and then moves them into the kitchen.

“It smells delicious,” Lan Qiren praises him and Jiang Cheng ducks his head at that.

He’s not used to being thanked or to getting praised and he still doesn’t know how to handle it. So instead of looking at Lan Qiren he busies himself with setting the table while Lan Qiren brings over the heavier pots.

Jiang Cheng keeps quiet as they start to eat, as per the rules in Lan Qiren’s house, and so he’s extremely surprised when Lan Qiren lowers his chopsticks after a few bites.

“It’s absolutely delicious, Wanyin,” he says and Jiang Cheng is surprised enough that he broke his own rule so that he only stares at Lan Qiren until Lan Qiren awkwardly clears his throat.

“I’m glad you like it,” Jiang Cheng finally says and then shoves another bite into his mouth.

Thankfully they spend the rest of the dinner in silence after that, but the praise sits warm and heavy in Jiang Cheng’s gut, warming him through and through.

He’s not used to feeling like this, but he likes it very much.

~*~*~

Jiang Cheng swallows heavily as he looks up at the house in front of him but Lan Qiren is a steady presence at his side.

“We’ll just get your last things and then you won’t have to come back,” Lan Qiren promises him but Jiang Cheng is too nervous to nod, because he spotted his parent’s cars in the garage and he knows it won’t be nice.

It will be even messier, Jiang Cheng realizes with a start when Wei Wuxian and Jiang Yanli come up to them.

“A-Cheng,” Jiang Yanli greets him warmly and pulls him into a hug. “How is your wrist?”

“It’s all good,” he reassures her but she still checks his wrist for herself. “You won’t see anything,” he says with a slight chuckle but she continues to fuss over him.

“What is Headmaster Lan doing here?” Wei Wuxian asks though he does pull Jiang Cheng into a hug as well.

“We’re getting my things,” Jiang Cheng tells them when Lan Qiren stays quiet.

“Your things?” Jiang Yanli asks with a small frown and Jiang Cheng nods.

“I am no longer living here,” Jiang Cheng finally admits and watches as their eyes go big.

“What?” Wei Wuxian almost yells out and Jiang Cheng can tell that Lan Qiren wants to reprimand him for his volume but then thinks better of it.

“Wanyin is living with me,” Lan Qiren tells them and then pushes Jiang Cheng towards the house. “Let’s get this over with, okay?” Lan Qiren asks and Jiang Cheng knows that he’s looking forward to the family dinner they will have this evening.

Jiang Cheng is too, if he’s being honest.

“You’re what?” Wei Wuxian calls after them, but Jiang Yanli shushes him and follows them as well.

Jiang Cheng doesn’t have a key anymore—his mother took it when they came by the first time two weeks ago—and both his siblings give him a startled look when he rings the doorbell.

His mother flings the door open and she scans the small crowd in front of her with a judging look.

“It took you long enough,” she then says, not looking at Lan Qiren at all, who puts a steadying hand to Jiang Cheng’s back.

“It won’t take long,” Jiang Cheng says and his mother scoffs at him.

“As if anything you did ever went fast,” she mutters under her breath and Jiang Cheng can feel how Lan Qiren stiffens next to him.

“Mother!” Jiang Yanli snaps out and Jiang Cheng flinches he’s so surprised at that.

But their mother doesn’t even spare her a look and simply walks away from them, clearly trusting that Jiang Cheng will show them the way.

They barely made it three steps into the house when Jiang Fengmian comes out.

“What is going on here?” he demands to know when he sees his children and Lan Qiren in his hallway and Jiang Cheng takes a steadying breath before he answers him.

“We’re here to get the rest of my things,” Jiang Cheng tells him and Jiang Fengmian frowns at him.

“The rest of your things?” he asks, but then he gets distracted when Wei Wuxian moves or breath or whatever it is he does to capture Jiang Cheng’s father’s attention so easily.

“How have you been, A-Xian?” he wants to know and Jiang Cheng can’t help the bitter laugh he lets out at that.

“Father,” Jiang Yanli scolds him as well but Jiang Fengmian seems honestly confused about what she is so upset about.

“We know the way, don’t trouble yourself,” Lan Qiren suddenly speaks up and moves confidently down the hallway towards Jiang Cheng’s room.

“What is Headmaster Lan doing here?” Jiang Fengmian asks and Jiang Cheng is surprised to find that he’s not surprised to realize that his father didn’t even notice his continued absence. “Are you in trouble again?” he asks then and his voice is heavy with disappointment.

“He is helping me getting my things,” Jiang Cheng says, with more patience than he actually feels.

“Your things? Where are you staying?” he asks and Jiang Cheng shakes his head.

“As if you really care,” he mutters, and then drags his siblings along when he follows after Lan Qiren.

“A-Cheng, for how long has this been going on?” Jiang Yanli asks him on the way and when Jiang Cheng only presses his lips together.

“Since the fight, right?” Wei Wuxian suddenly asks. “When I told you not to come home.”

“Since the fight, yes,” Jiang Cheng answers. “Lan Qiren brought me to the hospital when mother wanted me to go to work. And then I had nowhere to stay, so he allowed me to come over. I’ve been over a lot and then two weeks ago mother wanted me to get the cast off and Lan Qiren had a few words for her.”

“She wanted to have the cast taken off after four weeks?” Jiang Yanli suddenly asks and Jiang Cheng nods.

“And Lan Qiren didn’t let her?”

“Him and the doctor they took me to.”

“Good of them,” Wei Wuxian says with vehemence and Jiang Yanli nods at that.

Lan Qiren already gathered most of the things Jiang Cheng mentioned he needs and so there is not actually that much left to do for him.

“Anything else?” Lan Qiren asks him and Jiang Cheng quickly gathers two more knickknacks he knows he would miss, but then that’s it.

That’s his whole life packed away in two short trips and Jiang Cheng isn’t actually that sad about it.

“Where are you going?” Jiang Fengmian suddenly asks from the door, a thunderous expression on his face. “Is this why you haven’t been at work?”

“Now you notice,” Jiang Cheng says with a scoff, but when Lan Qiren puts a hand to his arm, he falls silent.

“You will let us leave now. Wanyin will not be back, and if you need further details you best speak to your wife.”

“You can’t just take my son. That’s abduction!”

“And what you’re doing is child neglect at best and active abuse at worst,” Lan Qiren hisses at him, and Jiang Cheng ducks his head.

He objectively knows that Lan Qiren is speaking the truth but it doesn’t make this any easier to take.

“A-Cheng,” Jiang Yanli whispers, clearly horrified but Jiang Cheng shushes her, too concentrated on the look on Jiang Fengmian’s face.

“What are you saying?” he demands to know, but he already lost his posture so Jiang Cheng knows that he will let them leave without further fight.

His father did always shy away from confrontation.

“I am saying that if you don’t want child protection to come knocking on your door you better shut up now,” Lan Qiren says and Jiang Cheng has never heard him speak like this to anyone.

It seems like he has no respect at all for Jiang Fengmian and Jiang Cheng can understand that.

“Wanyin,” Jiang Fengmian tries, but even as Wei Wuxian and Jiang Yanli clearly gear up to tell him a few choice words, Lan Qiren steps right in front of Jiang Cheng and blocks his view at Jiang Fengmian.

“You will not speak to Wanyin, except to apologize to him and to wish him a good life at my place,” Lan Qiren decides and then nods, clearly expecting Jiang Fengmian’s silence.

“Then get out of the way,” Lan Qiren says and when Jiang Fengmian isn’t quick enough to comply with his wishes, he bodily pushes him aside.

Lan Qiren never struck Jiang Cheng as a physical person, but it seems like he’s entirely fed up with Jiang Cheng’s parents and Jiang Cheng can’t say that he minds it much.

“Come on, Wanyin,” Lan Qiren says over his shoulder and Jiang Cheng sticks close to his side when he starts to walk away.

Jiang Yanli and Wei Wuxian don’t follow them immediately, but Jiang Cheng doesn’t look back.

He suspects they have a few words for Jiang Fengmian as well, and he’s not too keen on listening in on that.

Madam Yu doesn’t show up when they leave and Jiang Cheng is really grateful for that, because he doesn’t feel ready for another confrontation with her, even though Lan Qiren is a steady and supportive presence for him.

“Can we wait for my siblings here?” Jiang Cheng asks when they are at Lan Qiren’s car and of course Lan Qiren nods.

“Are you okay?” Lan Qiren asks and Jiang Cheng blinks when he realizes that he is.

“Yes,” he honestly says. “Thanks to you,” Jiang Cheng tacks on and then he darts in to quickly hug Lan Qiren, who pats his back when Jiang Cheng can’t bring himself to let go again immediately.

“A-Cheng,” Jiang Yanli suddenly says from behind them and it’s only then that Jiang Cheng lets go of Lan Qiren.

“Oh, A-Cheng, I didn’t know what mother wanted to do,” Jiang Yanli says as she pulls him into a hug herself and Jiang Cheng bites back the bitter reply on his tongue and falls into her embrace instead.

“It’s alright,” Jiang Cheng mutters, and then groans when Wei Wuxian gathers them both up in a hug as well.

“You should have said something,” Wei Wuxian mumbles but before Jiang Cheng can say that maybe they should have realized on their own, Wei Wuxian goes on. “I’m glad you had Headmaster Lan at your side.”

“Me, too,” Jiang Cheng gives back, because he doesn’t even want to imagine what would have happened to him if Lan Qiren hadn’t been there for him.

“We have to go, guys,” Jiang Cheng says when the hug goes on and on, and while he enjoys this, he knows that Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji are waiting for them at Lan Qiren’s place, and he’s actually looking forward to that dinner.

“Alright,” Jiang Yanli reluctantly says and let’s go of Jiang Cheng.

“You’re welcome to visit Wanyin whenever you like,” Lan Qiren speaks up, much to Jiang Cheng’s surprise.

“Thank you,” Jiang Yanli says and then also hugs Lan Qiren.

He doesn’t quite seem to know what to do with that, but before he can figure it out Jiang Yanli steps back again.

“Thank you so much for taking care of my didi,” she quietly tacks on and Lan Qiren clears his throat.

“You’re welcome,” he says without meeting anyone’s eyes and then he gets into the car, clearly looking to get out of this situation.

Jiang Cheng smiles at his behaviour and Wei Wuxian brushes their shoulder’s together.

“Are you really doing alright?” he quietly asks and Jiang Cheng leans into his side.

“Yes,” he honestly says and Wei Wuxian nods.

“I promise to keep better in touch now,” Wei Wuxian says. “I know I was occupied with Lan Zhan, and I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

“It’s alright,” Jiang Cheng gives back, even though he’s not entirely sure it is, but when Wei Wuxian smiles at him he figures they will be okay.

“We’ll be around much more,” Jiang Yanli also promises him and takes his hand in hers. “I promise. I’m so sorry I left you alone with this.”

“It’s not your fault,” Jiang Cheng says.

Jiang Yanli is only two years older than him after all and it really shouldn’t be her job to worry about Jiang Cheng’s life.

“But I will still do better now,” she says and Jiang Cheng believes her.

“Alright,” he says and then smiles apologetically at her and Wei Wuxian. “Listen, we have to go now. It’s family dinner tonight,” he explains and is startled when he sees tears in Jiang Yanli’s eyes.

“Go and enjoy your family dinner then,” Jiang Yanli says as she pats Jiang Cheng’s cheek and he blushes.

“I will,” he promises and then he moves away from them, because he actually itches to leave with Lan Qiren now.

“Are you ready?” Lan Qiren asks when he slides into the car with him, and Jiang Cheng nods.

“It’s too much today,” he admits. “But I’m looking forward to them visiting.”

“They truly are always welcome,” Lan Qiren reiterates again and reaches over to squeeze Jiang Cheng’s shoulder.

“Thank you,” Jiang Cheng whispers. “For everything.”

“That’s what you do for family,” Lan Qiren replies even as he starts the car, mostly to avoid looking at Jiang Cheng, he knows that by now.

Jiang Cheng smiles at his predictable behaviour and then settles deeper into the seat.

Lan Xichen promised to make Jiang Cheng’s favourite dishes today and Jiang Cheng is even looking forward to see Lan Wangji and he realizes that this must be what family feels like.

It’s a very warm and comfortable feeling and Jiang Cheng hopes he gets a lot more of this now.

But when he looks over at Lan Qiren, Jiang Cheng knows that he will do his best to make sure that Jiang Cheng always feels like this.

Link to my ko-fi on the sidebar!

Next part

#bt writes #jclovemonth2020 #the untamed #mdzs #jiang cheng #lan qiren #found family #hurt/comfort #bad parenting #siblings bonding #modern au #Anonymous

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ouyangzizhensdad · 4 years

Note

As a mdzs/novel canon reader, how do you feel about the roles of Wen Ning and Wen Qing in mdzs vs cql?

I think one of the most important thing (for me) when thinking about how wn and wq are explored in cql is to remember the following two factors:

1. While the actress denied it, it seems that wq was indeed supposed to be a love interest for wwx in cql before fans made a fuss about it on social media: this is supported by the fact she was introduced as a main character in early talks of the series, the actress got the biggest $$ contract after xz and wyb, we got some leaked photos from set showing scenes that were filmed or were intended to be filmed but didn’t end up in the final cut of the series, and the simple reality that wq’s presence in the story was increased significantly (while her impact on the plot remained the same). Tbh that they chose to cast meng ziyi and introduced (and kept) a frankly bizarre (on a thematic and plot level) romance subplot between jc and her is proof enough for me that she was supposed to be a love interest for wwx (albeit a tragic one).

2. CQL fundamentally modified the role of the Wens within the narrative by changing the whole subplot about modao, which then altered the role of wq and wn to a degree, and with which characters they interacted and when.

For me, these had an impact on the overall quality of the storytelling, particularly in regards to wq and her character (under the cut because I don’t know how to be brief).

WEN QING:

1. Even if she had been instructed by the director to play wq as close to possible to the way she was portrayed in the novel, I don’t think Meng Ziyi could have done it; for me, she doesn’t have the right presence, physicality, etc. to achieve a good performance of wq. Novel wq has such strong boss energy; she is high-ranking officer even if she is removed from the fighting, the best doctor, and someone who was in charge of the yiling supervision office, and she’s constantly snapping at people (I love novel!wq.........). Meng Ziyi just does not manage to embody that powerful energy--she has that female lead type of presence, and it just doesn’t mesh with who wq is.

Wen Ning nodded, somewhat embarrassed, “My sister. She’s really powerful.”

She was indeed powerful.

Wen Qing could be considered a famous cultivator of the QishanWen Sect. She wasn’t a daughter of the QishanWen Sect’s leader, Wen Ruohan, but instead the daughter of one of Wen Ruohan’s cousins. Although they were far cousins, Wen Ruohan had always had a close relationship to this cousin of his. On top of that, Wen Qing was exceptional in the liberal arts and studied medicine as well. She was a talent, and thus she was rather favored by Wen Ruohan. She often followed Wen Ruohan to the banquets of the QishanWen Sect, which was why Wei Wuxian found her face familiar. She was a beauty, after all. He had also heard from somewhere that she had an elder or younger brother. But, perhaps because he wasn’t as talented as Wen Qing, not many people talked about him.

2. In my opinion, making the wq a more active agent in the wen plot also takes away part of what defines her arc and character in the novel, and what she represents as a figure within the conflict. Let’s remember, we are only introduced to wq in the novel after Lotus Pier was burned down and jc lost his core--she is absent until then, and that is the point: she is not involved in the conflict. While morally upright, she is someone who passively benefits from the ills committed by her sect and who only takes calculated risks to help reduce the suffering committed to others. She becomes guilty by association despite never actively hurting others or helping wrh’s cause. It feels more organic and complex than the throne-room!threats we see in cql, and having her carry on missions for wrh.

Wen Qing cut him off, “What the Wen Sect does doesn’t represent what we do. We don’t need to be responsible for the Wen Sect’s wrongdoing. Wei Ying, there’s no need to look at me like that. There’s a beginning to all debts. I’m the office leader of Yiling, but I was ordered to take the position. I’m a medic, an apothecary, I’ve never killed anyone, much less touched the blood of the Jiang Sect.”

It was true. Nobody had heard of any lives lost by Wen Qing’s hands. There were always many cases that people wanted her to take over. It was because Wen Qing was one of the Wen Sect’s people whose way of doing things was actually normal. At times she could even put in a few good words for people in front of Wen Ruohan. Her reputation had always been good.

/////

Lan Xichen responded a moment later. “I have heard of Wen Qing’s name a few of times. I do not remember her having participated in any of the Sunshot Campaign’s crimes.”

“But she’s never stopped them either, “ Nie Mingjue countered.

“Wen Qing was one of Wen RuoHan’s most trusted people, “ said Lan Xichen. “How could she have stopped them?”

Nie Mingjue spoke coldly. “If she responded with only silence and not opposition when the Wen Sect was causing mayhem, it’s the same as indifference. She shouldn’t have been so disillusioned as to hope that she could be treated with respect when the Wen Sect was doing evil and be unwilling to suffer the consequences and pay the price when the Wen Sect was wiped out.”

[...] One of the sect leaders spoke up, “What Nie-zongzhu said is quite right. Besides, Wen Qing is one of Wen RuoHan’s most trusted people. You’re telling me she never participated? Well I don’t buy it. Is there any Wen-gao without a single drop of blood on their hands? Maybe it’s just that we haven’t found out about it yet!”

3. Making wq interact with other characters before the qiongqi path incident also makes their motivations harder to understand. For instance, jc having feelings for wq makes his motivations and actions during the aftermath of the sunshot campaign more muddled, imo? In the novel, instead, jc’s unwillingness to help the wen remnants is used to showcase a foil between jc’s and wwx’s understandings of duty/responsibility:

“You burn this corpse right now and return to them all these leftovers of the Wen Sect. That’s the only way to make the subject die!” As Jiang Cheng spoke, he raised his sword again, preparing to attack.

Wei Wuxian clenched his wrist.

“Are you joking?! If we return Wen Qing and the others to them, they’d meet nothing but a dead end!”

“I doubt you’ll even return all of them. Why do you care what kind of end they meet? A dead end it is, then—what does it have to do with you?!”

Wei Wuxian finally lost his temper. “Jiang Cheng! What- What do you think you’re talking about?! Take it back—don’t make me give you a thrashing! Don’t forget. Who was the one that helped us burn Jiang-shushu’s and Yu-furen’s corpses? Who returned to us the ashes that are in Lotus Pier right now? And who took us in when we were chased after by Wen Chao?!”

Jiang Cheng, “I’m the one who fucking wants to give you a thrashing! Yes, they helped us before, but why in the world don’t you understand that right now any remnant of the Wen Sect is a target of criticism! No matter who they are, with a surname of Wen they have committed a most heinous crime! And those who protect the Wen are at risk of being condemned by everyone! All the people loathe the Wen-dogs so badly that the worse they die the better. Whoever protects them is against the entire world. Nobody would speak for them, and nobody would speak for you either!”

4. Adding more screen time for wq and more interactions with other characters prior to/during the sunshot campaign ends up adding nothing in terms of her arc or her impact on the plot. While wq is a secondary character in the novel, she is crucial to the plot: her skills and her agency shape so many crucial moments and events in mdzs. Take away pretty much any scene with wq in the novel, and the events of the novel have to change. However, when it comes to what has been added in cql to make her more prominent in the series, it does not feel like it brings anything of significance to the plot. In the end, what is the point of the hair comb moment? it never sways jc to help or feel really conflicted over not helping the wen remnants? it never changes anything about the way wq acts? jc doesn’t come to wq’s defense at jinlintai the way lwj does. At best, it just adds to jc’s manpain. In the end, what’s the point of having a cute moment between wq and jyl, except to reassure viewers that wq is a good person and cares for her brother (all things we known in the novel in spite of the absence of this scene). In the end, what is the point of spending screentime with wq looking for the yin iron in the cloud recesses, and wwx being suspicious of her, if anyway lwj and him stumble upon it by chance? If wq were the love interest, it would make more sense to just pad up her screen time in the series, and these moments would probably pay off more. But as it is, it just feels very aimless and even at times confusing.

5. i 100% headcanon novel wq as a lesbian and the fact that they even suggest she might have feelings for jc is an attack on my gay rights ):

WEN NING:

1. Gosh I love wn. I think his role in the novel is so important and i have too much to say to end up saying anything remotely coherent. I also have to say that I love the actor they chose. Of all the casting choices, I’d even say it is the best of the entire series in my opinion. He really captures the essence of wn and he looks so adorable. So cute.

2. Overall, i think cql did not change too much in terms of his arc and characterisation (the shy but fiercely protective person, coming to terms with what he lost, finding wen yuan and reconnecting with his history, finding a path of his own instead of following his sister/wwx). However I do find that some of the interactions are more meaningful in the novel. For example, making wwx and wn’s first interaction happen in the cloud recesses takes away the importance of wwx standing up against wn’s own sect members on their own turf. The fact that wwx and wn see each other more in the CQL verse also undermines the weight of wn’s choice and how significant wwx’s actions and words were to him, since he was ready to go against his sect for someone he’d met once. Once!!!! It says so much about wn and what his life was like--and how much impact wwx’s acts of kindness and care could have. If I let myself I would just end up quoting back most of Poison - part 4.Okay, I will just quote this part:

Red seeped through Wen Qionglin’s face to even the bottom of his ears. There was no need for others to beckon him away; he fled self-consciously. Wei Wuxian chased after him, “Hey, don’t run! Uh… Qionglin-xiong right? Why are you running?”

Hearing his name called from behind him, Wen Qionglin finally stopped. Head hanging low, he turned around. It seemed as though shame rippled from his head to his toes as he stammered, “… I’m sorry.”

“Why are you telling me you’re sorry?”

“You… You recommended me… but I made you lose face…”

“How did it make me lose face? You haven’t really shot in front other people, have you? You were nervous?”

Wen Qionglin nodded. Wei Wuxian continued, “Have some confidence. Let me tell you the truth—you shoot better than everyone in your sect. Out of all of the disciples whom I’ve seen, no more than three people are better in archery than you.”

3. I do wish wn as the ghost general was scarier and more violent in cql, but they tamed all of the horror/violent/gory aspects of the novel so it was to be expected. I just love contrasts.............

#mdzs meta #asks #cql vs mdzs #wen qing #wen ning #Anonymous

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