Crescent

by devinokaze

Summary:

Rich environment√

Rich friends√

Rich acquaintances√

Now, the only one left was a rich parent, a rich hot man for his single father, to escape the unfortunate condition they were in. Wei Sizhui was so sick of being poor.

Chapter 1: Chapter 1

Wei Sizhui bowed and flashed his best smile as two old ladies took their purchases. They cooed and patted his cheek, praising how good he was. One of them shoved some money into his pocket, whispering gently that young people should be like him: Polite, hard-working and smart and a promise that they would be back in the future.

Sizhui hummed in satisfaction as he counted the money in his pocket. Good, he earned more tips than the next time. Maybe he could buy his dream new phone quicker than he thought. The seventeen-year-old teen looked around the almost empty café for a moment before walking toward the nearest catalase. Among the breads, three pieces should be consumed soon or they would be mouldy. He would as if he could bring those later, he would consider it as a gift because he managed to calm an angry customer yesterday.

His eyes caught the last customers ready to leave the coffee shop. Both men were dressed casually but you could see hints of luxury on them. One was taller than the other with an expensive watch around his seemingly strong wrist while the other wore expensive branded shoes. Their jackets looked expensive though Sizhui didn’t know what brand they possibly were.

The shorter one was Yan Shao, a doctor√, handsome√, rich√ , and single√ but was very picky when it came to partner. He preferred someone around 25 to 30 years old with no child. Sizhui had to cross him off the list.

The taller one was Song Lan who worked as a security of the famous Qinghe Corps. He was the head of security which explained how he could afford the watch he was wearing. Or maybe it was a gift? Who knew? But Sizhui knew that his job paid him well. He had looked into the company and their minimum wage was way beyond the average one. In addition to his stable financial situation, Song Lan was easily put into the category of tall, dark, and handsome with his deep voice and sharp eyes, complete with his stoic face. He was perfect. The reason why Sizhui crossed him was because the man was in a relationship. He had brought his boyfriend to the coffee shop with a girl around Sizhui’s age. He couldn’t destroy the beautiful relationship he witnessed.

There were four men on his list. Would one of them be suitable to handle his fiery father? His father was very handsome and charming, yet some people would find him overwhelming. He was everyone’s type for a friend or sibling but as a lifetime partner?

He needed to find more. Maybe he should ask some old women if they had any single sons or relatives, preferably men. His father liked both, but Sizhui thought that another father would be nicer.

“Sizhui, help me!” a familiar shriek made the young boy jump. Before he even turned around, a pair of strong hands gripped his shoulder and a familiar face of Ouyang Zizhen appeared right in front of him. Behind him was Lan Jingyi, sobbing like it was the end of the world. Sizhui turned to Zizhen who looked like he almost cried himself. Sizhui quickly walked toward the Lan boy and led him to the warm coffee shop.

“Jingyi, calm down. Let’s go to your usual place and I’ll bring your favourite drink, okay.” Lan Sizhui said, guiding the boy to his usual corner. He glanced at the muffins, which weren’t popular today. “What about a muffin or two? Have you had lunch today?”

“Two muffins.” Jingyi sniffed, wiping his eyes. Sizhui nodded at Zizhen who sat beside the sobbing boy and tried his best to cheer him up. Sizhui jogged away, feeling grateful that the shop was empty at this hour. If Jingyi arrived in, like, an hour, the cafe would be filled with regular customers for a lunch break and Jingyi would be the centre of attention. He was sure the Lan boy didn’t want that, considering how horrible he looked now.

Lan Jingyi and Ouyang Zizhen were Wei Sizhui’s friends, maybe he even could call them his best friends and only friends since the first time they visited the coffee shop and found out that there was a young boy around their age who worked there. They then adopted him as their friend, came to the shop every day and did their homework and assignments there. Most of the time, Sizhui would help them and they worshipped him even more. Jingyi even called him their guardian angel and he was sure that the Lan boy was joking. They might go to different schools, but the material taught was still the same, so of course Sizhui could answer the questions.

Lan Jingyi was from the Lan family, one of the oldest and richest families in China. It was obvious from the way Jingyi was dressed and probably how he behaved as well. Jingyi was, maybe the word Sizhui could describe, very generous. So generous that the boy wasn’t hesitant to give whatever he had to someone in need, especially his friends. He still had the jacket worth a year of his salary in his closet given by Jingyi when he saw Sizhui was cold. He tried to give it back, but Jingyi just waved his hand carelessly and told him to keep it. If Sizhui was having trouble selling the leftover bread for that day, Jingyi would just buy all of them and claim that he would give them to his numerous cousins or something. If Shizui needed additional money, Jingyi would ask him to tutor him with a good payment per hour. Today, if Sizhui gave a hint about his ratty shoes, he wouldn’t doubt that Jingyi would take off his shoes and force Sizhui to wear them or worse, he would drag Sizhui to the nearest shop and buy him a pair. Jingyi was just that kind, and if once in a while Sizhui used it for his selfish reasons, then no one should know. Maybe the only thing Sizhui had more than Jingyi was that he still had a parent while Jingyi was an orphan.

Ouyang Zizhen was Jingyi’s childhood friend. He was not as rich as the Lan, but he was still a rich kid. He was almost as kind as Jingyi but had a more sentimental tendency. He was a total romance maniac. Once, the boy was searching for an English version of a novel, and Sizhui, somehow, found it in one of the trash cans near his shop. He gave it to Zizhen, of course. The boy was so happy that he cried and decided to buy it from Sizhui, ignoring the fact that Sizhui found it and did not own it. But Sizhui didn’t protest when his pocket felt thicker that day.

Rich kids, huh? Sizhui would kill to be born one. Sometimes, Sizhui felt bad when that kind of thought entered his mind. It wasn’t that he was being ungrateful, but at least he didn’t need to see his father passed out in the middle of the living room, trying to put food on the table every day, every time.

 “I think I’ll be disowned.” Jingyi sobbed pitifully. Wei Sizhui raised an eyebrow at the loud claim as he put all the orders on a large tray.

“You won’t.” Zizhen patted his head comfortingly. “Your cousin will not do that to you.”

“Not my cousin! My granduncle,” Jingyi wailed, wiping his tears. “This is my third bad score, and I felt so stupid.”

“There, there.” Sizhui put a huge warm cup of chocolate milk and two muffins for Jingy, a warm macchiato, and a muffin for Zizhen. He looked at Zizhen, who slowly tore his muffin and raised an eyebrow. “So, what happens?” He asked as gently as possible.

Jingyi didn’t say anything for a moment. He took a large gulp of his milk and a huge bite of his muffin. Once the boy swallowed, he took his bag and took out a piece of paper. “I got a terrible score on my exam, Sizhui. This is my third one, and I—I—don’t know what to do.” He wailed a little. “Granduncle will be so disappointed. I have disappointed him so many times.”

Sizhui’s eyebrows disappeared to his hairline when he saw the score on the paper, a huge red B above the math subject. He frowned and turned to Zizhen, who smiled sheepishly and shrugged his shoulders. He knew that Lan’s family was strict, but he didn’t know that they were this strict. B was a good score, right?

“This is your third B?”

“Yeah,” Jingyi said miserably, picking at his poor muffin. “My cousin did his best to tutor me for this subject, but I guess I’m just too stupid. So far, I have an A and three Bs. I still have four exams; I don’t know what score I got for those.”

Sizhui put the exam paper back on the table and said gently, “Jingyi, B is good.”

“Not according to my granduncle.”

“Then your granduncle is wrong.”

“Sizhui, you don’t understand. Getting a B score in my family is like getting an F in a normal family. None in the history of the Lan family, someone got more than one B, and I have three, Sizhui! Three!” Jingyi groaned as he put his head on the table.

“You won’t be disowned, though,” Zizhen said rather calmly, finishing his muffin. “As strict as Grandmaster Lan is, he’s never that cruel. It’s just his face, I think.”

“Zizhen!” A smile was finally on Jingyi’s face. “True, though. The disowned part is just my exaggeration. He will probably give me punishment. I guess I have to prepare my hands.”

“Prepare your hand?”

“Hmm. My family’s punishment is writing our family rules while doing handstands.” Jingyi said as if he was mentioning how sunny today was.

“What?”

“Yeah, Sizhui. There are 3000 rules in my family.”

“What? Who can live with so many rules?” Sizhui’s eyes widened at the mention of the ridiculous amount of rules. Jingyi’s family was insane.

“Well, actually, if you really read the rules, most of them are common sense, actually. People just never write them down. Like, respect people, love all beings, respect the elders, you know, that normal stuff. The head of a Lan family added many more for us.”

Sizhui stared at Jingyi for a moment before his gaze shifted to Zizhen, who smiled and shrugged his shoulder. The young boy shook his head with a small smile before he leaned into his seat, watching Jingyi devour the muffin like he was starving.

--

“Baba, I’m home,” Sizhui called softly as he entered their small apartment. It was 5 p.m., and his father was most likely collapsed on their sofa, exhausted from coming from his first job as he saw the time on the wall. He would go to the second job in an hour, and he needed a good rest.

The young boy quickly made a cup of strong coffee and put the bread he brought from the coffee shop on the plate before waking up his father. The man groaned and blinked slowly before he grinned at the sight of Sizhui. The smile, like always, warmed his heart, and he couldn’t help but smile back.

“What a beautiful sight.” His father said, patting his cheeks lovingly. Sizhui let the man walk to the bathroom to get ready while he made himself a simple dinner. He had some schoolwork to do, so he thought it would be great to have a very early dinner before he locked himself in his room for hours while waiting for his father to return home at midnight.

“Oh, bread for dinner. These look good, A-Yuan.” His father gushed at the bread he brought, and Sizhui gave him a smile. His father was the only one who called him by his baby name, and he loved it. Sizhui watched as his father gulped down his coffee and quickly devoured the bread in front of him.

“Sizhui, how much money do you need for your city tour again?”

“I don’t go, Baba. It’s not mandatory.”

“But your school will visit the science museum you like to talk about.” His father squeaked, looking at him with his wide silver eyes that almost looked like his own.

“It’s okay, Baba. It doesn’t affect my grade at all, and I’m not the only one who doesn’t go, anyway. Those who don’t join get days off. I can take an extra shift at the coffee shop,” Sizhui assured him. He lied. Those who didn't come had to make two two-page essays, but his father didn't need to know about that. He offered his father a small smile when he saw a frown on his father’s face. A frown on his father’s usually cheerful face didn’t look right. “It’s fine.”

“If you say so.” His father drank all his coffee and quickly got up, taking his jacket as he did so. “Okay, wish your old man luck so he could bring a lot of money tonight, Sizhui. This party has so many disgusting wealthy people who love to throw their money around to show off their wealth. Maybe your old man can help a poor woman or man and get himself some money. Give me a hug, A-Yuan!”

Sizhui just laughed as he wrapped his arms around his father’s body. Skinny, because he gave most of their meals to Sizhui. Sizhui silently watched his father walk out the door, waving and still talking about his job tonight. His father's second job was as a waiter for parties held by rich people in their cities once or twice a week. It was luck that his father had a friend in a famous catering company, so he was her regular waiter.

As soon as he finished his dinner, Sizhui quickly opened his old laptop and started to work on his homework. He had postponed doing them for a few days, and they were due in two days. It took him a few hours before he completed them all. Shizui stretched as he looked at the clock on his wall. It was eleven o’clock, so he had worked for four hours nonstop.

Taking a deep breath, Wei Sizhui closed his homework and stared at his wallpaper. It was a picture of him and his father, Wei Wuxian, with huge grins on their faces. He was three years old when the picture was taken, right after Wei Wuxian was approved to be his adoptive father.

Wei Wuxian was his father’s name. He was a mechanic during the day and a waiter at night. His father was a very good man and didn’t deserve the life he had now. Wei Wuxian was an employee of Wen Enterprises, where he met Sizhui’s parents. He was a bright employee with bright ideas and an ability to charm many clients. Sizhui didn’t know what happened, but months after his parents died and he was adopted by Wei Wuxian, his father was fired and was blacklisted from other companies. How? Why? Sizhui never knew.

Since then, their lives turned worse. His father would work any job to support them and to give the life he had promised to Sizhui’s parents. Wei Wuxian was a good father, a good man, and Sizhui felt his heart ache every time he saw how exhausted his father was. Everything was for Sizhui.

Everyone who knew how hard Wei Wuxian worked always commented that he was lucky to have Sizhui as his son. With his brain and manner, Sizhui would change their lives and would repay everything Wei Wuxian had done for him. Wei Wuxian would just laugh and proudly hold him and say that no, Sizhui would have a much better life in the future for him and his family. He didn’t need to do anything for his old man. It was his responsibility, so nothing needed to be repaid.

But Sizhui wanted to repay his father. It wasn’t just for him, but also for Sizhui. He was sick with their situation. He would change their life, and the fastest way to do that was by inserting themselves into the rich circle.

He had started by working at a fancy coffee shop where rich people came from. He had befriended rich kids, Jingyi and Zizhen. His biggest accomplishments were the rich acquaintances through his boss and the customers. Some people praised him for his memory and promised him a job once he graduated high school. They weren’t bad jobs. Some offers were actually good for a high school graduate, but that wasn’t what Sizhui wanted. Who knew that these rich acquaintances knew his future father and spoke great things about him? It was like a network.

Funny enough, despite having Jingyi and Zizhen as his friends, he never searched for their families. He only knew what they had told him. Zizhen doesn’t have many male relatives; mostly they joined his family because of marriage. Jingyi’s family, though, was another story. Jingyi had once told him a very exaggerated story about the Lan family waiting for a Lan baby girl. The last baby girl born into the family was about ten years ago, and before that was twenty years ago, and before that was fifty years ago. Therefore, he should have many male relatives, right? He said he had a granduncle and two male cousins. Back then Sizhui thought that Jingyi's family might be cursed. Maybe they were, but it was a blessing in disguise of a curse for Sizhui's current plan.

Curiously, Sizhui opened his browser and typed Lan family. He knew the Lan family, so he skipped many articles about their giant empire and focused his attention on the family history. The high schooler opened a tab and uploaded Jingyi’s picture, hoping to find his picture somewhere. When nothing appeared, he found the latest article about Lan's family and found a name.

Grandmaster Lan Qiren, the Head of Cloud Recesses Academy.

Sizhui knew him because Cloud Recesses Academy was his dream academy. Dream, because Sizhui would never be able to enter it. It was so hard to apply for a scholarship there because the applicant had to give a letter of recommendation, and he was studying in an insignificant high school. Sure, he had some achievements, but still. His high school wasn’t considered the best in the city.

Grandmaster Lan Qiren had two nephews, Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji. Lan Xichen was the CEO of Lan Enterprises, which was focused on technology, and an heir of the family, which made sense that he followed his father’s steps. The second nephew was Lan Wangji, a scholar and the one who would follow Grandmaster Lan Qiren. There were no pictures of them, but if Sizhui had to choose based on the job description alone, he would choose Lan Xichen, who was definitely wealthier than his brother.

Searching for Lan Xichen, Shizui was bombarded with pictures of the most beautiful man he had ever seen. The sunny smile of the man’s handsome face rivalled his own father’s.

‘A-Die’s smile is prettier.’ Sizhui thought as he scrolled down. Lan Xichen was very handsome with flawless jade skin and short, well-cut hair. Dressed in a sharp suit, he looked very tall, towering over people around him, even Grandmaster Lan. Despite all the smiles, Sizhui could see some glints of mischief in those dark brown eyes, and in some pictures, he also managed to look intimidating. When he watched the man give a speech, his voice was shooting, full of compassion but spoken in a very smooth and gentle way. His tone was melodious and combined with that beautiful smile, he fully captivated everyone who watched him. Overall, he looked like what people called a perfect man.

Lan Xichen was definitely a good addition to Sizhui’s list.

Then Sizhui typed Lan Wangji, and the result was none. What?

There are many articles about the younger Lan brothers but no pictures at all. He was mostly in articles with Grandmaster Lan Qiren in them; therefore, he probably worked behind the scenes and let his uncle be in the spotlight. Was Lan Wangji shy or something? Some articles show that both Grandmaster Lan Qiren and Lan Xichen praised Lan Wangji in their speeches. Yeah, maybe he was just very shy. His father needed someone who wasn’t shy at all. Wei Wuxian needed someone who could balance him by understanding what, how and why he was that way. He needed someone who would spoil him yet be strict with him; someone who could banter, joke and argue in a healthy way.

Wei Sizhui shook his head. A shy man like Lan Wangji sadly didn’t make it to Sizhui’s list. Well, Lan Xichen would be a good start for now. Maybe he could hunt more single and rich Lan men through him by throwing some questions to Jingyi. It was just so easy to make him talk about anything and everything.

Sizhui stretched and let out a yawn before his ear caught the front door being opened. His father was home. He quickly turned off his computer and went to the kitchen. He would think about the five candidates for his father tomorrow.

Chapter 2: Chapter 2

Wei Sizhui knew that searching for a good potential husband for his dad was a tough job. There were so many unexpected factors that would cause his mission to fail. After months of searching and planning, his confidence crumbled in just three hours. He wanted to blame Zizhen for it but it wasn't his fault at all. He didn't know his mission at all.

So, here was the story of the day. Sizhui was dragged to a movie by his best friends because the shop closed early that weekend. It was a free ticket, free popcorn and free soda for him so he wouldn't say no. His father was working tonight with whatever galas the rich people had, so he was free until midnight. Sizhui didn't know what the title of the movie was but it was a romance and it told a story of a poor woman who had a very rich man. When he took her to meet his family because someone in his family got married, the woman found it very difficult to mingle with them. She didn't know the rich culture, the over-the-top houses, the extravagant food, and many others. 

"Well, I guess this kind of story is just too good to be true, right? I mean, most rich people I know marry someone from their circle. They said it is easier that way." Zizhen commented as they left the cinema to get lunch.

That comment almost deflated Sizhui's mood because this Cinderella story was what he was trying to achieve right now. He put on an innocent smile as he sat down at their booth. "It doesn't mean that this romance story will not happen. Maybe there are Cinderella stories out there."

"Of course, but the struggle is real. I'm just saying from my own experience. My family isn't as rich as, let's say Jingyi's, but we do have cousins that richer than us. There are always one or two in-laws who suffer from cultural shock. Most rich families want obedient yet smart partners, which are very hard to find. Why? Because smart partners are not obedient most of the time. They can think; they are independent; they have critical thinking."

"So why?" Sizhui urged his best friend to say more. His father was smart and definitely not obedient at all.

"Because they are trophy spouses. They have to look obedient but at the same time, an equal anchor for their spouses. They know when to flex their smartness, jewels, projects, and anything to help levitate their partners. They have to know designers, exotic dishes, expensive wines, table manners, cultures, operas, and even dances." Zizhen paused to take a bite of his burger before he continued. "If these spouses come from poor or even middle-class environments, they have a lot to learn. If they cannot do it, expect some harsh criticisms from the elders. I feel sorry for them, especially if they are widow or widowers who has a child. Poor child."

"Can you imagine my family? We have 3524 family rules, so I have to say sorry to whoever joins my family, rich or poor or middle-class. I have seen 2 divorces this year in my family." Jingyi added, shaking his head. 

Sizhui groaned into his pillow as his mind kept replaying the conversation. Could they fit in? His father was a unique person whose opinions sometimes clashed with those of other people. He was brilliant and charming, but his smart mouth sometimes got him in trouble. He could learn, but could he care? His father once said that he wanted to stay away from rich people.

But Sizhui needed a rich parent right now, so he would ignore that comment. As long as his father fell in love, that thought would eventually disappear. His father was easy to love but this often terrified people. He had heard that his father was scared of a deep relationship because if they fell too deeply and then the other left, their little family would be crushed. It would be an empty hope for him and Sizhui. This was Sizhui's biggest challenge. He had to find someone who would fight for his father and never leave.

But who?

--

Sizhui stared at the list of names in his book for a while before his silver eyes scanned the quiet coffee shop. Lunchtime had ended three hours ago and his shift would end in two hours. Four doughnuts were still on display and he prayed that no one would buy them so he could take me home for dinner. His father had promised to buy a large serving of fried rice, which they could divide into two. It wouldn't be much but that was what these doughnuts were for. 

The young man sighed as he crossed two of the names from the list. He just found out that one man was captured by the police because his wealth was gathered from frauds while the other turned out to be a douchebag. No, Sizhui would never allow his father to marry a horrible man.

Nie Mingjue

Xue Yang

Jiang Wanyin

Su She

Lan Xichen

He had to choose one among these three men,, but despite being famous, Lan Xichen and Nie Mingjue were very private people. Lan Xichen's social media was mostly about his business. He never posted family-related content. However, from the interviews and comments, Lan Xichen was dubbed the most perfect man ever to exist. From his polite manner to his friendly attitude to his beautiful smile to his business strategies, he was everyone's dream. It was suspicious, if Sizhui could say. No one was this perfect, so there had to be something hidden beneath those smiles and overly polite manner. But well, the only ones who knew were probably his family. Lan Xichen was very close to his family: his younger brother and his uncle.

The next person was Nie Mingjue, the owner of the largest security company in China. He was huge with muscles and a rough, handsome face which matched the business he owned. He took nonsense from everyone, even from the journalists who asked rude questions. He would snap with that deep, menacing voice and sharp eyes. He respected people from different backgrounds and treated them the same way which was good for Sizhui's plan. Nie Mingjue didn't own a social media account but he was featured a lot on his brother's social media page. Unlike Nie Mingjue, Nie Huaisang was a socialite with a very different personality from his own brother. From Huaisang's videos, Sizhui saw a different side of the man. Sure, he was still menacing but it was obvious that he loved his brother so much. 

Jiang Wanyin wasn't exactly a man Sizhui was interested in but the Jiangs' wealth shouldn't be questioned. The man snapped a lot, but unlike Nie Mingjue, who did it with more grace and power, he snapped harshly with, sometimes, insulting words. He scowled in all his pictures in the newspapers or tabloids and didn't even hold back if he thought someone crossed the line. However, despite the bad news, Jiang Wanyin was a totally different person when he was with his family, namely his sister and nephew. Jin Yanli, nee Jiang, was a national sweetheart. She raised Jiang Wanyin alone after the death of their parents at the age of seventeen, while Jiang Wanyin was merely thirteen. She married Jin Zixuan, the heir of the wealthiest family in China, and had their only son, Jin Rulan, whom Jiang Wanyin spoiled a lot. From Sizhui's point of view, Jin Yanli seemed to be determined to show the other side of her brother and bury the negative press. It worked well.

Sizhui sipped off his boba milk tea as he walked out of the coffee shop and waved the next employee goodbye. He let his mind wander as he took the familiar journey to his small apartment. From the three men, there was one keyword that could help Sizhui with his plan. Family.  Because they were all orphans, their entire lives were influenced by their small family, and in order to win their attention, Sizhui had to become close to these people before introducing them to his father.

(Lan Xichen) Grandmaster Lan Qiren

(Nie Mingjue) Nie Huaisang

(Jiang Wanyin) Jin Yanli

His father was a widower with a kid, so Sizhui had to present himself as the best stepchild in front of his potential stepfather. He had to show that he wasn't a burden or liability, but a gem that could be moulded well for the new family. Now, the question was how he did that. Both Jiang Yanli and Nie Huaisang were elite socialites, so the most logical way was by doing the job his father did, a waiter or servant at high-ranking people's parties. It would be difficult to hide from his father, but he could maybe target certain times when he was sure the two were there. Jiang Yanli was a famous businesswoman in the culinary and fashion fields, so maybe he could join her workshops. He winced, though, when he remembered that those weren't free. The fee wasn't that expensive, but it was enough to buy his very small family a warm meal. Grandmaster Lan Qiren was a man very difficult to please. He expected nothing more than the best in everything. The problem was that Sizhui didn't know what he should do in areas other than the education field. Was it enough? He went to a normal high school, not those elite ones like Zizhen and Jingyi.

Sighing at the complicated thought, Sizhui decided to clear his head by walking home using his favourite route. It was a famous busy alley, full of shops selling second-hand or preloved items. Maybe something would catch his eye on the way.

"Sizhui!" a familiar voice called him, and when he turned around, he grinned when he saw his best friends were jogging toward him. Both Jingyi and Zizhen wore their school uniforms with a backpack on Zizhen's back and a large slingback on Jingyi's shoulder. Jingyi was grinning widely at him, and Sizhui thought that whatever his worry about his bad marks was actually unfounded. His family might be very strict when it came to education, but no way they would disown him. Jingyi just needed to find his strength, and not all strength was academic.

"What are you doing here, Jingyi, Zizhen? I don't think you visit this side of town."

"We're here to find some gifts for our new friend."

A gift for his rich friend? He glanced at the thrift shops around them and raised his eyebrows. "Here? Are you sure you are in the right place?"

"What do you mean? Of course, we're in the right place." Jingyi said, laughing, and he threw his arm around Sizhui's shoulder. The trio walked around the block, curiously glancing at the nearby shop. Sizhui hummed as he sipped his drink.

"I thought you'd go to, I don't know, Gucci's store? or LV? or whatever expensive branded items that fit your new friend."

"He's a Jin, you know. So he needs to be humbled a little bit, right, Zizhen?"

"I guess. he is a nice kid, two years younger than us and doesn't really have a friend, so we try to gift him something that doesn't scream we only befriend you because you're rich. Will you help us, Sizhui?" Sweet Zizhen asked, looking around excitedly. Sizhui hummed thoughtfully. 

"Um, sure. You can bring him to the cafe if you want. I'd like to meet him." Another rich acquaintance? Bring him!

"Sure. I can see you'll transform into a big brother mode when you see him. The caring one, while I'll be the evil one. Zizhen could be the neutral one. He's so easy to tease, Sizhui. You'll like him." Jingyi said without even looking at Sizhui. The tallest boy eagerly grabbed a nicely knitted sweater. It was cute, but the blinding colours would look hideous to anyone who wore it unless they were so beautiful that nothing would look bad on them. However, Jingyi and Zizhen nodded, laughing as they did so. Sizhui let out an amused scoff at them as he took a nearby basket and gestured for them to put it in. 

"Where did you meet anyway?"

"We met during Jiang Wanyin's engagement party," Zizhen explained as Jingyi was too busy admiring some beautifully crafted potteries at the corner. "His name is Jin Ling. He was so miserable standing alone, scowling at everyone in the corner. Second, Young Master Lan asked Jingyi to accompany him. He did look lonely, Sizhui."

'Jiang Wanyin is engaged?' Sizhui sighed as he had to cross one name from the list. 

"Yeah, such a Young Mistress. I don't think he has friends, Zizhen. My cousin suggests inviting him sometimes to play. We four can play together." Jingyi added, putting four wooden swords into the basket. 

Sizhui immediately brightened at the idea of a new rich acquaintance. He wasn't a friend yet. "That's a good idea. You're so kind, Jingyi."

"Of course, I am." Jingyi playfully raised his chin and walked away, earning a laugh from Zizhen and Sizhui. The two decided to head to some old toys, observing the ones that interested them. 

"He said that Jin Ling has been spoiled since he was a baby, so he needs to be approached because he will not approach. I think he takes after his father. Do you know that Jin Zixuan couldn't even talk to Jiang Yanli when he was younger? It took a long time before he finally accepted his feelings for her. When he finally knew her completely, he was so in love. Their love story was so cute." Zizhen sighed dreamily. "Anyway, we met Young Master Nie Huaisang. Do you know him? He is Nie Mingjue's little brother. He knows a lot of romance novels, new and old. I wish I could borrow some novels, but too bad he will be going to Europe soon. I have no idea how long because he said he is building a business there, but who knows? Nie Huaisang is unpredictable. I did get some recommendations, though."

Sizhui sighed as he pretended to look around the shop, letting the other boys search for whatever they deemed appropriate for the gifts. He didn't really care because his mind was swirling with thoughts. Guess he needed to cross Jiang Wanyin and Nie Mingjue. He couldn't approach the important man without Nie Huaisang's help, and he didn't want to do a long-distance matchmaking scheme. Well, his biggest chance turned out to be Lan Xichen, and his main target would be Grandmaster Lan Qiren. But how?

"Sizhui, what do you think of the jacket?" Lan Jingyi's excited voice snapped him. He turned around and saw that the boy was holding a huge jacket with clashed colours and a picture of two overgrown puppies.

"It looks hideous," He said truthfully.

"Perfect!"

--

It was a blessing that Lan Xichen was a very friendly man. He loved his family so much that he always talked about them during his rare interviews as if he wanted to show how wonderful his baby brother and strict uncle were. Sizhui skipped the part where the beautiful man told a very long story about his brother, Lan Wangji, and focused on Grandmaster Lan Qiren's part.

According to the man, Grandmaster Lan Qiren's role in their lives was very vital because he was the one who raised Lan Xichen and his siblings since their parents passed away. The old man was always there when the siblings made every decision in their lives. If the Lan brothers had a different view from him, they would gather together to discuss it and its impacts until all three of them reached an agreement. Maybe for other people, Grandmaster Lan Qiren sounded so controlling, but Sizhui completely understood why, because his father was in the same situation.

There was a heavy burden in raising other people's children. It wasn't just about the fear of failure in guiding the children in the wrong direction, but also the fear of being hated by the children during the process. 

Sizhui still remembered when his father seated him in the living room when he begged him for pets during the first six months he lived with him. Sizhui was lonely because his father was running around looking for jobs, but his young mind didn't comprehend that. Pet was a huge responsibility for a toddler, and without an adult's supervision, the result would be a disaster. His father then guided him through the advantages, disadvantages, responsibilities and many others as simply as possible for his young mind. In the end, they reached an agreement that Sizhui would get a pet when he was ready at 17 years old and would study how to take care of his desired pet until then. His father would use sweet words to convince him and promise to appease him.

It didn't happen because, over the years, he began to understand that what he was told was more complicated than that. The pets needed money, and they didn't have enough. In addition, the sweet words and promises were accompanied by a hopeful look on his father's face made him realise that his father was afraid Sizhui would hate him if he denied his request. Sizhui didn't know Grandmaster Lan Qiren at all, but he would bet his life that the man was facing the same feelings as his father.

As he continued reading, Sizhui couldn't help but raise his eyebrows when Lan Xichen began to expose how different the Grandmaster was at home. Grandmaster Lan Qiren loved homemade cooking, so when he was free, he would be the one doing all the cooking. 

Okay, Sizhui's father was hopeless in the kitchen, but he could cook. It wouldn't be much because Grandmaster Lan would expect his nephew's husband to provide homemade cooking for the family, but Sizhui could try to charm him later.

Grandmaster Lan loved animals, and sometimes he would bring wounded cats or dogs to their home and take care of them until someone was willing to adopt them. Sizhui could use his longing for pets for this one. At least, it was a sign that he was an animal lover, though. 

In addition to animals, Grandmaster Lan Qiren loved children, so there would be an expectation to have another children in the future. This was super easy for them. His father adored children and had been duped, according to his father, as a baby whisperer. It was true because he had witnessed it himself. Sizhui's role would be significant here because when he was in front of people like Grandmaster Lan Qiren, he had to be aware that he was still a kid. He should show some extent of maturity but acknowledging that he was still a young boy who needed love and care from the adults around him. It would trigger a pit in Grandmaster's heart, and Sizhui had to carefully turn that pity into real affection. 

The article stopped there, and the next paragraph was about Lan Xichen's plan for the future, so Sizhui closed his old laptop. Sighing, the young boy went to his bed and lay on it while thinking about how to meet Grandmaster Lan. Jingyi was his best chance, but since the other boy didn't come wailing into his shop about his bad grade, tutoring was out of question. Maybe he could suggest a sleepover or something? He needed Jingyi to talk about his home, hobby or anything Sizhui could use to make the suggestion.  

The universe seemed to be on his side because the next morning, Jingyi came into his shop with Zizhen and an unfamiliar boy in a bright golden uniform. The Lan boy wrapped his arm around his shoulder and gestured at the golden boy. 

"Meet the Young Mistress Jin, Sizhui," Jingyi said, pointing his thumb at the Jin boy. Sizhui raised his eyebrows at his best friend before putting on his best smile and offering his hand.

"Wei Sizhui. It's nice to meet you, Young Master Jin. Jingyi said you're his new friend." Sizhui said, chuckling when Jingyi elbowed him. The younger boy in front of him eyed his had rudely before slowly he took it. 

"Jin Ling. Jingyi said that you are good with math."

"I am."

Jin Ling didn't say anything and fidgeted with his jacket's zipper. His face flushed as if he wanted to say something but to embarrassed to say it. Beside Sizhui, Jingyi rolled his eyes.

"Geez, such a Young Mistress. Do you need me to tell him what you want? Urgh!" Jingyi turned to him and gave him his puppy eyes. "Sizhui, Young Master Jin is moving to Cloud Recesses High School, but first, he has to take a test. Can you tutor him in Math? Zizhen and I are hopeless in that subject." 

"A test? Why does a Jin need a test? Isn't it the wealthiest family in China?"

Jingyi playfully slapped Sizhui's shoulder. "What? Do you think our Academy is all about money? How dare you, Sizhui! We have an entrance test."

"I'm sorry." Sizhui laughed before he turned to the flushed Jin Ling. "I'd love to teach you, but I can only do it during the weekend. I have to work, you know."

"Can you take a leave? This is an emergency." Jin Ling's flush was gone, and his expression morphed to annoyance. The boy crossed his arms in front of his chest and scowled. "I'll pay you."

Jingyi scoffed at the younger boy, "Of course, you will pay him. Don't worry, Sizhui. Your boss is very kind, I'm sure he will understand. We only have today, and my house is near here, so we'll go to do this at my house."

Brilliant!

"Um, I don't know." Sizhui glanced at his boss, who was talking to the cashier. He felt a hand grab his wrist, and he found himself being dragged by Jin Ling to where his boss was standing.

"Let's talk to him. I'll even pay for your leave. This is an emergency!" 

Sizhui turned to look at Jingyi and Zizhen for help, but the two just snickered at his unfortunate condition. Well, if his boss gave him permission, then who was he to say no?

Notes:

Hello, everyone! This story will be short, maybe about 6 - 7 chapters only. Therefore, sorry if the pace is kinda fast.

Chapter 3: Chapter 3

So, the deal with Jin Ling and Sizhui's boss was that Shizui would take a full week from Sunday to Saturday to help Jin Ling study because the next Monday, the younger boy had an entrance exam. Jin Ling would borrow Sizhui and pay the boss a rather large sum of money. The boss then crossed his arms and demanded that Jin Ling, being a very rich kid who even had a gut to offer money to a shop owner, pay Sizhui as well. Jin Ling, feeling so offended, said some rude words to the man and almost got himself in trouble when some elderly women came and scolded him for disrespecting an elder. 

Jingyi and Zizhen were laughing at the flushed Jin Ling and said that the kid truly needed a scolding. Sizhui felt pity and decided to come to negotiate the deal. His boss permitted him, but increased the number of work hours for Shizui each day until his whole week was covered. He also wanted Jin Lin to pay Sizhui for his tutor. Jin Ling accepted, and thus the tutor began on Sunday.

Wei Sizhi needed to control himself when he saw rows of beautiful houses with their white walls and dark rooftops. The Lan family was large, he knew, but he never expected that the family had their own complex. They were similar in design, but each house had its signature touch. The gardens were different, the canopies were different. The cars were in a variety of colours as well, not the dull silver and black cars he usually saw in old money people, but there were red, yellow, orange, and some of them looked like they were custom-made. It stopped there, however, when he saw some people who walked out of the house wearing simple attire. Yet, their attire, from how well-made it looked, probably cost as much as their car. Sizhi noticed the man wore expensive watches while the women wore simple yet very elegant jewellery gleaming under the sun. They looked elegant, completely different from the bright jewellery Sizhui saw on attention-hungry celebrities. They screamed old money!  

Yeah, Sizhui loved money. Sue him!

The women kissed their husbands goodbye before they went back into their houses. Sizhui raised his eyebrows at that. All those clothes and gold were just to say goodbye? And why did they go to work on Sunday, anyway?! Workaholics.

"Sometimes, I feel sorry for those who married into this large family."

"Why?"

"I have told you that they have to be a trophy wife, right? Sometimes, that requires them to be a housewife or househusband, focus on their spouses and children. I'll die of boredom if I have to spend every day at home."

"I see." Wei Sizhui just nodded along. For him, it sounded like heaven. His father didn't need to work many jobs all seven days a week; he only worked at home, busying himself with whatever he wanted to, until his husband came home was great. The Lan family was rich with heirs and young masters ready to handle everything. Not to mention his future father, Lan Xichen, was the most successful Lan among all. Let Lan Xichen go to work, and his father enjoys a quiet, calm life at home.

Jingyi's house was the furthest one among the other, deeply hidden behind a tall gate and a huge green garden. It felt like the middle of a small forest. The house wasn't that different from the others he had seen before, but it had more traditional Chinese touches in the design. It was much larger and exclusive, probably because this was the house of the main family.

"It's so quiet here," Sizhui said, admiring the lush garden with its beautiful koi pond. There was a gazebo as well, and he could picture his father laughing there, enjoying a quiet time after the noisy week he had. 

"Yeah. Sometimes, it feels like it is a cemetery. It'll be nice if I have a sibling or cousin who lives with me here, but alas! My cousins are adults."

"How long have you been living with them, Jingyi?"

Jingyi didn't immediately answer. He hummed thoughtfully, probably trying to remember his fresh start with his guardians. "Maybe when I was five? I remembered when my parents died, I went to some close relatives first. Then they sent me here because I was too weird and too noisy. Granduncle was famous for taming unruly children, you know. But he failed with me because they said that I didn't change at all. Who cares? Despite what people believe about the main family, only Grandmaster Lan is the strict one. Cousin Xizhen and Cousin Wangji are fine with almost anything. Almost, as long as you don't become a bad person."

"What happens when your cousins get married? This is such a nice and large house, poor Graduncle, if he is left alone here." 

"It depends on which cousin gets married and what kind of family they marry into. If Cousin Xichen marries a woman or a commoner man, then the spouse would stay here with Grandmaster Lan Qiren. If Cousin Xichen married a man from a powerful family like Nie or Jin, or Jiang, then there'll be a discussion among the elders about it. If the other family has a stronger and greater influence, then Xichen will go with them as their spouse. If that happens, then Cousin Wangji will be responsible for staying here no matter who he gets married to."

"He will replace Xichen as the main heir?" Sizhui raised his eyebrows as his brain was processing the information.

"Yes, in terms of the Lan family line, but no when it comes to the company. That company was built by my cousins' father, who didn't want to continue the academic line; the Gusu's real business is in the academic field. So whatever happens, the company is and will always be Lan Xichen's because Qingheng-Jun, my cousin's father, gave it to him."

"What about you?"

"My guardian is Grandmaster Lan, so I'll stay here with him and whoever stays here." Jingyi grinned, opening the door and leading him to the living room. Oh, Sizhui was so ready to live here. Having Jingyi as his cousin slash sibling? That was a bonus! 

There was a nice-looking middle-aged woman welcoming them, asking what they would like to drink and eat. As Jingyi spoke to the woman, Shizui looked around the living room. It was a simple but terrifying room with white sofas and carpet. Sizhui grimaced at the thought of spilling anything on them a a flash of his father falling on them with his favourite black coffee almost made him panic.

"My cousin will come for lunch with Granduncle. Only Cousin Xichen, though, because Cousin Wangji is somewhere in Beijing." 

"Tell me about your cousin and Grandmaster Lan. I'd like to know them before I meet them later. I don't want to make myself look like a fool."

Sizhui tried not to sigh in annoyance when, for the fifth time, Jingyi was telling him a story about his wild childhood. The stories were exciting, and with how expressive and dramatic Jingyi was, the stories were funny. However, every single time, either Grandmaster Lan or his Cousin Lan Wangji appeared in them. Where was Lan Xichen?

'Wangji, Wangji, Wangji, come one Jingyi! I know you admire him a lot, but please talk about Lan Xichen and Lan Qiren. I need to know more about them. At this rate, I know more about Lan Wangji than my supposedly target.' Sizhui screamed in his head as his best friend.

"You sound so close with your cousin Wangji." Sizhui finally said, taking out his notes from his ratty backpack. When he turned to Jingyi again, the boy frowned at his bag as if it offended him. Sizhui grinned, knowing full well that the boy had never seen something so old as his bag. His bag was his father's when he was still financially comfortable. It was one of the best brands many years ago, and it still functions well until now. 

"He is the best. He was the one who took care of me when I was little. Well, he is still taking care of me until now. He looks scary, but between him and Cousin Xichen, Cousin Wangji is the one who knows how to handle children. Maybe because he was a teacher and had experience in handling students from little kids to adults. He had taught classes from Cloud Recesses's kindergarten to university, you know. Cousin Xichen was too busy with his company when I arrived in this family, so I didn't see him much. His company went through a lot of problems at that time. I think he began to have a role in raising me when I was seven because the company's problems were solved and everything was handled well at that time."

"I see." Sizhui nodded, finally understanding the situation. "So, when will Jin Ling come?"

"Hm? Oh, soon? Zizhen lives near him, so Young Mistress probably picks him up before coming here."

Teaching Jin Ling was easier than teaching Jingyi. Mostly because the younger boy knew that he only had limited time to study to pass the exam, so he paid attention and did what Sizhui told him. Both Jin Ling and Jingyi were smart, but Jingyi tended to be unable to stay still for a long time. It caused Jingyi difficulty in learning some subjects. He reminded Sizhui of his own father, who needed to move constantly. Jin Ling was good at calculation, which made him good at math, physics and chemistry, but he was weak in reading long texts. Therefore, Sizhui focused on literature for seventy per cent of their time. Then the rest of their time would focus on calculation. 

Since Jin Ling was a rich kid, he brought many great books with him. Sizhui hid an envy when Jin Ling would carelessly scroll an online shop platform and buy some books that Sizhui recommended. Not that he knew the title or the author, he just said that Jin Ling needed a simple literature book for tomorrow, before gradually reading more complicated ones. The brat just immediately bought several. Oh, how money could make everything easy!

As Sizhi and Jin Ling were busy studying in the living room, Zizhen was busy typing on his laptop. When he was asked, he said that he was currently writing a novel. It was just a hobby, but he hoped one day he could have it as his side job when he wasn't too busy. Sizhui shook his head at his wish, but if Zizhen could have free time while managing his father's successful marketing and advertisement company, then he would applaud Zizhen.

But then again, if he had money, he could just pay a publishing company to publish his book, right? Maybe just about fifty books to satisfy himself?

The tutor went from two hours to four hours in a blink, and both Jin Ling's and Zizhen's drivers came to pick up their Young Masters. After they waved goodbye, Jingyi and Sizhui returned to the living room, where Sizhui looked around with interest. He hadn't really had any time to snoop because he took his job seriously, thank you very much. Now, they have around half an hour before the elders arrive. 

--

The lunch was delicious with a variety of vegetarian dishes and some chicken. The chickens were for Jingyi and Sizhui in case they didn't like vegetarian dishes. This told Shizui that despite the strict rules, the family was actually very considerate people. That was a good thing.

Sizhui could feel Grandmaster Lan Qiren's eyes on him throughout the meal, and he knew why. He deliberately studied how Lan Xichen behaved during a formal meal. There were thousands of videos of him during famous gala dinners and luncheons. There were even fan videos, rudely captured during a lunch or dinner the man had with a friend or friends. Sizhui sat up straight, holding his chopsticks carefully. He took a small plate on his left and filled it with little to medium-sized dishes first. This would let him show off his delicate bite. Then he would take the chicken, tearing it apart into small pieces before carefully eating them. It was good that he loved vegetables, because those dishes were what Grandmaster Lan Qiren ate. Jingyi touched them, of course, but it was clear that the chicken was his main focus, so Sizhi took some delicious-looking stir fry, and he didn't regret it because these dishes were delicious. Did the Lan family have their own recipe? Because he had difficulty believing that this flavour could come from vegetarian dishes. Could he learn so that his father could enjoy this delicious food? Judging by the content, it was just a mix of mushrooms, bamboo shoots, some carrots and other vegetables. Their family could buy this, so maybe the sauce was different? Or the salt? Maybe some foreign spices from outside China?

Sizhui felt his heart dance in victory when he saw both Grandmaster Lan Qiren and Lan Xichen smile as he stared at the dishes with a besotted look on his face.

"May I have the recipe for this simple and delicious dish, Young Master Lan? I'd like to cook for my father." He put both hands in front of him as his eyes twinkled with happiness.

Lan Xichen chuckled, put down his chopsticks and stopped eating. "You like to cook, Shizui?" 

Sizhui just realised that he had just broken one of Lan's rules. Speaking while eating was forbidden. However, Lan Qiren didn't seem to mind. Maybe because he wasn't a Lan, so he was excused from their rules.

"Yes. I love to cook for my father. Home-made cooking is just special." He said, trying so hard not to look at Lan Qiren as he said so. He looked down and shyly continued eating. When he glanced at the oldest man, he felt warmth in his chest when he saw the man nod approvingly.

"I'll let the cook know. He will be flattered. Just the vegetarian dish?"

"Yes. Um, vegetables are what we can afford most of the time, and they are easy to cook. Thank you very much, Young Master Lan." Sizhui bowed his head.

When lunch finished, they talked over tea and some dessert. Sizhui learned more about the First Young Master of Lan, and he could say that Lan Xichen was perfect, and Sizhui could see a bright future with him as his stepfather. The man smiled, joked and teased both Jingyi and Sizhui, acting as if he had known them for a long time. He was also very good at explaining business and simplifying difficult terms for both Sizhui and Jingyi. Sizhui wasn't really fond of business, but Jingyi seemed to be captivated by it, throwing good questions after questions about the current business trends and how they impacted the overall business world. Sizhui noticed that with each question, Lan Xichen's smile would widen and his eyes would twinkle.

"Do you play any musical instrument, Sizhui?" Lan Xichen asked excitedly. Ah, the Lans and their love for traditional music.

"I don't, but that's because I don't have anyone to teach me. My father played dizi, but he lost his when he was a teenager. I'm interested in guqin, though. I always think it is so pretty."

"I play xiao. I can play guqin a little, but my brother is an expert in guqin. He'll love to teach you."

"Xiao is fine. I want to learn it too." Sizhui quickly said. He needed Lan Xichen, not Lan Wangji, for God's sake. Please, please, God!

Wei Sizhui glanced at Grandmaster Lan Qiren, who gazed at Lan Xichen and Jingyi arguing about how nowadays business was too fixed on technology, with a soft and proud expression. He began to understand why Lan Xichen always said that the man was a softie. The old man had high expectations since most of the Lan Family were smart and successful people. The boy drank his water quietly, analysing the family before him.

"You're good, Jingyi." Lan Xichen's proud tone. "I think we've finally found where your talent lies."

"Sizhui taught me a lot, right, Sizhui? He works in a coffee shop, so he knows one or two things about attracting customers through social media and creating a viral post." Three pairs of eyes looked at him, and Sizhui quickly put on his best smile. Jingyi patted his shoulder, proudly saying that Sizhui would be Jin Ling's tutor. 

"It's nothing."

"Where do you study, Sizhui?" Grandmaster Lan Qiren's attention was fully on him. Sizhui's mind began working as he answered the questions the man threw at him. He almost danced in his seat when Jingyi told them he got a full-time scholarship because he won a national calligraphy competition when he was just in the first grade. 

"My father's amazing in drawing. I blended the technique with a calligraphy technique I watched on YouTube. Winning helps a lot. My father and I only need to think about food, nothing more." Sizhui tried to joke, but none of the Lans seemed to find it amusing at all. "After I graduate, I plan to work a better job. I have got some offers from the customers where I work. I'm so lucky."

“Sizhui is truly a good, right, Cousin, Granduncle?” Jingyi bumped his shoulder to Sizhui’s, which was returned playfully by the boy. From the corner of his eyes, Sizhui could see Lan Xichen smiling at them while Grandmaster Lan Qiren looked at him thoughtfully.

‘Yes, Grandmaster, keep thinking of this poor me.’

After lunch, Sizhui wanted to help wash the dishes, but Lan Qiren shook his head and said they had servants. Grandmaster Lan Qiren then ordered them to spend some time in the gazebo as they waited for the driver to return from Lan Xichen's company. They enjoyed the beautiful garden, and Sizhui wanted to use this opportunity to catch the man's attention, but he couldn't do it without anyone starting it. He looked around, trying to find something to start a conversation with Jingyi to trigger him to ramble and ask Sizhui something.

"Jingyi, you said that you planted some roses in your garden, right?" Sizhui asked, pointing at the beautiful pink roses surrounding the gazebo. "Did you plan these?"

"Yes, I did. Not all of them, only some." The boy immediately knelt down in front of a few roses, which crooked so the flowers didn't create a perfect circle. "Cousin Wangji was the one who taught me to plant flowers because I couldn't stay still. Well, I still cannot stay still. He said, since I was so fond of dirt, maybe I could do something useful. He took me here and we planted several flowers here. There were these roses, those gentians. Gentian is his favourite flower. Then the sunflowers, which are Granduncle's favourite flowers and those tulips, Cousin Xichen's favourite." 

'Sunflowers and Tulips. Noted.' Sizhui smiled playfully at Jingyi. "So, is that why your favourite flowers are roses, Jingyi? Maybe one day you can present them to the person you like and claim that you planted them and took care of them since they were seeds. That sounds so romantic."

"Sizhui!" Jingyi blushed and smacked him lightly on the shoulder. Sizhui laughed at his face, which made Jingyi laugh as well.

"Sunflower means hope, warmth, loyalty and lasting happiness. Things I want all my family to have." Grandmaster Lan suddenly spoke, touching the edge of the yellow petals. He turned to the two young boys, and his face softened slightly. "May you have those as well, Sizhui."

"Thank you, Grandmaster Lan," Sizhui said before turning his attention to Jingyi, who began to tell him about the plan to renovate the back garden. Lan Xichen wanted to build a garden full of vegetables, in which Sizhui replied by telling the other boy that he knew few things about growing vegetables because when he was a kid his father once brought him to a farm to learn to survive in the wild and they planted any radishes, the cheapest seed they could buy. Until now, he didn’t know what happened to the patch of radishes they planted or where exactly his father brought him. That caused Jingyi to remember that he had something for Sizhui. That left Sizhui alone with Grandmaster Lan Qiren in the garden.

“What do you want to be, Wei Sizhui?” Grandmaster Lan asked, looking at him thoughtfully.

“Sorry?”

“What do you want to be? What is your dream for your future? Maybe a job that both your father and you love?”

"Well, I am adopted, Mr. Lan. My family were from Qishan, but my real parents moved to Yiling, where they met my adopted father, who was originally from Yunmeng, but he grew up in Yiling. We moved here years ago because of his job." Sizhui looked at the sky with a faraway look on his face. He could feel Grandmaster Lan's burning gaze on him. "If you ask me what I want to be, my question is, I don't truly care what job I will do. My father works hard for me, so my main focus is to find a job that could ease his burden. As long as it pays well to survive and gives time for my father to rest at weekends to do whatever he likes, I'll be fine with everything. After I graduate, I hope I can get a job as soon as possible."

"There are scholarships." 

"Yes, but we cannot close our eyes that even scholarships still need money to get them. Academic aside, all scholarships usually have their own requirement. Take the Purple Lotus Scholarship, for example; one of their requirements is an IELTS or TOEFL score, and we know how expensive those tests are. The Baxia Scholarship requires having a full medical check-up and physical test because those who get it will work in the company. I have a bad medical history, so I won't do well. I'm not sure I have this 'unique ability', Grandmaster Lan. My highest achievement is about calligraphy, and the rest aren't that good. I'm sure many students have higher achievements than I do. Unfortunately, I don’t have any sports-related achievements. Those need dedication, and I just don’t have any time for that." Sizhui deliberately didn't mention the Cloud Recesses University. The scholarship for the Cloud Recesses University didn't include calligraphy at all. They were mostly vocal, dramatic, and musical instruments. Sure, he had other achievements, but now he had to present himself as pitiful as possible. He was a poor, brilliant and realistic young man.

Grandmaster Lan Qiren stroked his beard, and he frowned at his answer. "There are universities that offer scholarships based on academic achievement."

"True, but they are far away from here, which means that more money is needed for living costs and food," Sizhui said, sighing. He bit his bottom lip as he bowed at Grandmaster Lan slightly. His heart beat fast as he said his next sentence, an attempt to make the Grandmaster Lan Qiren lecture him, "Sorry, Grandmaster Lan. You must think that I try to find excuses for my decision."

"No. I just thought that you weren't trying hard enough. Shizui, have you talked to your father about your plan?" "Then you should talk to him about what you have told me earlier."

"He would want me to go."

"Of course, he would. No parents want their kids to stop at senior high when they know their children are smart enough to go to university. You love your father, don't you? Then why don't you discuss it with your father first before you decide things? If you think your decision is the best, then give logical arguments to your father. Explain the positives and negatives. This is your future life, we know, but your father has a role in that life. Maybe you both can find a win-win solution." The respected academic said. Sizhui tried not to smile at his successful trick. 

Wei Sizhui couldn't and shouldn't present himself as a perfect boy. In front of Grandmaster Lan, he had to act like a kid who needed guidance in his life. Grandmaster Lan Qiren loved discussion and children. With his nephews growing up and no longer needing him, he only had Jingyi. Jingyi was clear that he loved business through his discussion with Lan Xichen, so who could share Grandmaster Lan Qiren's love for the academic field? Sizhui, of course.

"I'll try, then. I still have a year to go. Maybe there's a miracle one day. Thank you for your advice, Grandmaster Lan."

"Hn."

Sizhui grinned happily as Grandmaster Lan Qiren nodded at him. Approved √ Impressed√ Proud√ 

--

Sizhui didn't meet Lan Xichen and Grandmaster Lan after the first day of tutoring Jin Lin until the rest of the week. It was a shame really, because Sizhui had prepared some plans to woo the old man, but alas, not everything went his way. It was alright. He had time. Today was the day of the entrance test, and both Jingyi and Zizhen had volunteered to wait for Jin Ling as he took his test. The three of them would come to the shop after the test was done. He remembered a brand new backpack currently sitting inside his locker, a gift from Jin Ling, who took one look at his bag and decided it was the ugliest thing he had ever seen. The next day, a new bag was shoved into his arm, with the boy murmured it as the payment for the first day. His father freaked out when he saw the bag, but quickly calmed down when Sizhui explained it. He even gave him Jin Ling's phone number and asked his father to call the boy himself for confirmation. When Sizhui was as rich as him, he would save his pocket money and treat Jin Ling, Jingyi and Zizhen to something nice.

It was almost lunchtime time so regular customers began filling the shop. Sizhui smiled politely as he put an order at the table near the window carefully. He was about to turn around when a familiar figure wearing a simple suit walked toward the shop. Grinning brightly, Sizhui quickly opened the door and greeted, "Grandmaster Lan, welcome!"

His bright smile was returned by the man, and a warmth spread in Sizhui’s chest when the man looked at him with a small smile, a greeting, "Good afternoon, Sizhui. I have an appointment with A-Yi here for lunch."

"Would you like a cup of our best tea and a camomile cake? It will be ready in fifteen minutes." Sizhui led the man to the empty and more private seat, which the man looked happy about. Sizhi moved as quickly as he could and as efficiently as he could. This visit was unexpected, but he would think of it as a good sign. He carefully prepared the tea and took a small plate to cake. He had to show the man that he was a hardworking and responsible young man.

He bowed his head as he put the tea and cake on the table. He waited as the old man gracefully sipped the tea, and after a few seconds, he nodded in approval. Sizhui could jump right there if he didn’t have an image to keep. He grinned brightly at the man before walking away with a proud feeling. He then proceeded to charm other customers, especially the grandmothers and grandfathers. Everyone loved him. He was a dream son or grandson that everyone could ever hope for, so Grandmaster Lan Qiren should snatch him for himself before these people would.

Sizhui was basking in the attention he got from his regular customers and Grandmaster Lan Qiren when the door opened. A man with messy short black hair wearing an old red shirt and a ratty bag barged into the coffee shop with a smile as bright as the sun. In the man’s hands was a small package wrapped in a dark green paper almost as big as his father’s bag.

"A-Yuan, look! Baba brings you something." His father happily skipped toward him. Before the young boy could come to the man, there was a shocked call coming from Grandmaster Lan Qiren.

"Wei Ying!" The old man looked at Sizhui’s father with wide eyes, an expression mirrored by Sizhui’s father.

"Shufu?! I mean, Grandmaster Lan?" His father shrieked. Sizhi couldn't decide if it was a horrified or excited shriek, and since when did his father call Grandmaster Lan Shufu? "What are you doing here?"

Grandmaster Lan slammed his hand on the table, glaring at Sizhui’s father. "That's my question. What are you doing here? You said you would never set a foot on China again."

"Oh, yeah. I did say that. Hahahah surprise, it was just a joke!"

"Is everything a joke to you?"

"Old Man Lan, if you continue frowning like that, you look much older than your actual age."

"Rude boy!"

"Old man!"

"Respect the elders!"

"Respect the youngsters!"

"Wei Ying!"

"Old man Lan!"

Wei Sizhui looked at the scene in front of him worriedly. People turned their attention toward the two noisy men, curious but also annoyed. The poor high schooler could only run and put himself between them, hopelessly trying to shush them.

"Did I choose the wrong family?!"

Notes:

Lan Wangji will finally appear in the next chapter.

Chapter 4: Chapter 4

Wei Sizhui could only blink owlishly at the scene in front of him. Just a few moments ago, his father and Grandmaster Lan Qiren were screaming at each other, disturbing other customers, but now they were sitting across from each other, talking quietly. His father was nursing a cup of the shop's strongest coffee, and a plate of their most delicious bread was in front of him, courtesy of Grandmaster Lan. A part of him wished for Jingyi to come sooner, but if they did, then there was a possibility that his father and Grandmaster Lan didn't talk at all. Now that Sizhui was there, they didn't even talk at all. So, Sizhui quietly put his phone under his father's ratty bag and left, watching as his father glanced at him before opening his mouth.

With his position, all he could see was his father's head and Grandmaster Lan's frowning face. His father then began to talk, and wild gestures from his hands and shoulders shook here and there, either from laughter or a cry, Sizhui wasn't sure. There were moments when his father would hang his head low, and Grandmaster Lan Qiren shook his head disapointedly. Sizhui wanted to run there to defend his father, but he couldn't.

The young boy continued keeping an eye as he worked, serving some cakes, coffee and tea. He put on his best smile as he enjoyed the praises and pats from the regular elderly customers. He was leading a couple to an empty booth when Jingyi walked in with two handsome men, Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji. Sizhui felt the atmosphere suddenly change as the two men attracted everyone's attention in the cafe. Giggles and soft whispers filled the cosy coffee shop as the two walked to where Grandmaster Lan and his father were. He hurriedly walked to them, greeting Jingyi, who waved excitedly at him. The older boy's bright smile caught Sizhui as he stood beside Jingyi, observing the beautiful people in front of him. Yes, his father included. 

Grandmaster Lan began introducing his two handsome nephews to his father, pointing out which one was the older of the two. Lan Xichen greeted him warmly, saying that he had heard so much about him through Sizhui. The boy was sure he didn't talk that much about his father since his initial goal was to make the Lans like him first. Maybe he said a few things without realising? Well, if that was the case, then he was glad that he had talked positively about his father. The younger Lan brother, Lan Wangji, didn't say anything, but his cold golden eyes were looking at his father intently. No emotionn, Nono facial expression. This man was so hard to read. Why did he stare at his father like that anyway? Did he hate him at first sight or something?

"This is Wei Ying or Wei Wuxian. He was my student when I guest lectured at Yiling University years ago. I know his mother." Grandmaster Lan introduced his father, patting him on the shoulder. Both Lan Xichen and Jingyi raised their eyebrows when they saw that, as if they had never seen the old man do something like that. Oh, that was a good sign, right?

"Hn. The one with tremendous talent, Shufu said." Finally, some words were coming out from Lan Wangji. 

"A-Ahh... Grandmaster is too kind. I'm not that talented." His father, Wei Wuxian, said with a shy smile, and what stunned Sizhui was a deep red on his father's cheeks as his silver eyes gazed at Lan Wangji while rubbing the back of his neck. 

His father blushed. 

Look, Sizhui knew how friendly and charming his father was. It was his special ability to make friends with so many people in a short time, a skill which was very useful because it made it easy to find multiple jobs. He had seen how older people praised him, pinching his cheeks. He had witnessed women swoon over his flirtatious words, giggling with red faces at him.

His father preened at the attention he got, but one thing was for sure: he never blushed, until now.

His father was blushing in front of a man with the flattest face Sizhui had ever seen. Why? Sizhui didn't understand. Why didn't his father blush when Lan Xichen praised him? Lan Xichen, who said those words with a charming smile and gentle expression, was enough to make anyone faint. Yet, his father blushed at Lan Wangji, a man whose emotions were as similar to a wooden board. His father had a weird taste.

The beautiful men seemed to realise that there were two teenagers standing with wide eyes just a few feet away from them. Lan Xichen, of course, being the friendliest among them, immediately greeted Sizhui. "Ah, Sizhui. I miss you visiting our home. I will ask Jingyi to bring you over when all of us are free."

"Thank you, Mr. Lan Xichen." Sizhui bowed a little. Lan Wangji's golden eyes shifted from his father to him now, and Sizhui suddenly felt he was being assessed. He shifted uncomfortably as those two piercing golden eyes scanned him like an X-Ray, and he truly didn't understand why his father blushed instead of running away

"Wangji, this is A-Yi's best friend. He has told you about him, right?"

"Hn."

"He is very interested in learning guqin, you know? Maybe you can show him your amazing skill when A-Yi bring him."

"Hn."

'That's it? That's the only word he knows?'

Sizhui watched as his father waved bashfully at Lan Wangji as the three men walked out of the coffee shop. To his horror, his father then had a love-sick expression on his face, rivalled Zizhen's face when he watched his favourite romance movie, and sighed like a love-sick maiden. The boy cleared his throat and his father snapped from whatever dreaming he had just been doing before chuckling and walking out of the shop, saying he would wait for him at home.

Later that night, Shizui took out his phone and played the secret recording he had taken. The quality wasn't good since it was an old phone, and their voices weren't that clear, but they could be heard enough for him. Grandmaster Lan Qiren's tone was rather stern, while his father's was mixed between playful and sad.

"Where were you, Wuxian? I searched for you after you stormed out of the school, you know."

"I'm sorry, Grandmaster Lan. I-My brain wasn't working properly that time. I was too ashamed to return to the school, so I moved out, starting my studies again while working on several part-time jobs. I tried to lay low so no one could find me."

"I searched for you for years. You were my best student, no matter how much of a headache you gave me. You know that I only wanted the best for you, right? Maybe I put too much pressure on you. I shouldn't treat you as I treated my nephews."

"I'm sorry, Grandmaster Lan."

"Well, it's in the past. Wen Ruohan's downfall was your doing."

"Actually, he caused his own downfall because all bad people would meet their bad fate, but yeah, I helped. I know his niece and nephew, so when I was fired from the company, I used all the information I knew to expose him. That was why the 'whistleblower' was kept anonymous."

"And then you adopted that boy."

"Yup."

"I cannot believe you raised such a well-mannered young man."

"Sizhui is the best. I think the manner comes from his bloodline. Wen Qing's family consisted of humble and kind people with mild temperaments. She's an exception."

"You have Wei blood inside you, so I think that contributes something. You may not realise it, but maybe you raised him just like how your father raised you. If you raise him like how your mother, we will have Wei Wuxian no. 2. Now that I think about it, we have our own Wei Wuxian."

"Really? Is it the precious Jingyi? He's a Lan? I would never believe it, judging from my son's stories."

"Well, my nephews spoil him."

"That's nice to know. I think your family need more Jingyi, Grandmaster Lan."

"One is enough. I'll be glad to have a Sizhui."

"He's the best. So, since we rekindled, may I call you Shufu again? I mean, you were my ex-father. Calling you Shufu is the closest thing I can do since you don't want me to call you father."

What the hell?

"There's no such thing as ex-father."

"So I can call you A-Die?"

"No."

"Awww, come on, Grandmaster Lan. You married my mom before she met my dad. So, you are my ex-stepfather if you don't want to be my father."

"I married your mother by accident because we were drunk. It doesn't count. We didn't register our marriage."

"Yeah, but you went to a temple and bowed three times, right? You even consummated your marriage, right? And you divorced in a traditional way as well, so it still counted. It was too bad I didn't get a step-sibling at all."

"Y-You shameless!"

"So? Can I call you A-Die?"

"Shufu is fine."

Sizhui stared at the wall in shock at the new information. So he was this close to being a son of a rich man, but his supposed grandfather divorced his grandmother? What the hell?! Aww man, his father was right about the lack of step-siblings. Shaking his head, the boy threw his body onto his hard mattress and stared at the ceiling above. His mind went back to this afternoon.

The connection between his father and Grandmaster Lan Qiren was a pleasant surprise, and from how they conversed, the old man cared so much about his father. If he knew about this, Sizhui should have introduced them sooner. Lan Xichen, unfortunately, didn't seem interested in his father. The man was so easy to rea,d and the way he wasn't amazed by his father's beauty. It was too bad because he was perfect. Sizhui wasn't that fond of Lan Wangji with his cold face and piercing golden eyes, but his father seemed like him. 

He sighed, rubbing his face with his palm. His feelings toward Lan Wangji weren't important. He did all of this for his father and if his father preferred the ice prince rather than the sunny prince, then who was he to deny his father's wish? He just hoped that the feeling was mutual.

Maybe the feeling was mutual after all, when the next day, Lan Wangji was there with a cup of their best tea in front of him at the booth where Grandmaster Lan and his father had talked the day before. He was accompanied by Jingyi, who devoured a plate of huge pancakes. 

"Mr Lan Wangji. Jingyi."

"Hn."

"Sizhui, why didn't you tell me this coffee shop has the best pancake ever? I will order it every day." Jingyi swallowed a huge piece of his breakfast happily. Sizhui chuckled as Jingyi sighed wishfully as if he had never eaten before. "Maybe you did, but I just didn't pay attention at all."

"I did." He said and turned to the silent man who was watching them interact. He offered a polite smile. "Do you want to order anything else, Mr. Lan Wangji? We have several new baked muffins today. Maybe you would like a slice of cake? A matcha one?"

"No, thank you." Lan Wangji said simply, but his face looked like he wanted to say something. It was the first time Sizhui could see any visible expression on that handsome face. Sizhui waited patiently, but he glanced at Jingyi when the man didn't say anything for a while.

Jingyi glanced at Lan Wangji before grinning at Sizhui. "Is your dad going to come here today?"

"Tomorrow. My dad usually visits on Friday because he works at the nearby construction site, so he will come here to grab my coffee." He answered and noticed that Lan Wangji nodded. Jingyi raised an eyebrow and gestured to the man with his chin and Sizhui smiled. 'Oh, interesting.'

On Friday, Lan Wangji was there, sitting in the same seat and drinking the same tea. Sizhui glanced at the clock and sighed when the man had been there for two hours. His father was nowhere to be found. The boy took out his phone and felt guilty when he received a text from his father about two and a half hours ago. Slowly, Sizhui approached Lan Wangji with a smile.

"Would you like another cup of tea, Mr Lan?"

"When will your father be here? Today was Friday." Lan Wangji asked, saying the longest sentence he had ever heard. Sizhui put on his best apologetic look, trying not to offend the man. The last thing he wanted him to think was that Sizhui purposely told him the wrong day so he wouldn't meet his father.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Lan, but Baba cannot come today. He had an emergency shift."

"Hn."

"Maybe tomorrow?"

"Hn." Lan Wangji stood up, paid for the tea and walked out, but not before patting Sizhui on the head. The boy froze for a moment and shook his head. This man was indeed interested in his father, judging from his visits, and it eased him a lot because all he needed to do was to nudge him to a marriage as soon as possible.

This man seems like someone who pursues a marriage rather than casual dating,' he thought.

Sizhui scratched his head as his mind began working on a new research schedule. All those times researching for Lan Xichen were a waste of time. Maybe instead of reading articles, he could interrogate Jingyi? He admired this man so much that he had to know a lot of things about him.

Sizhui grabbed his phone and stared at Jingyi's number for a moment. Well, now or never, right? No way he would waste a perfectly good candidate for his father. Therefore, he began calling. He couldn't help but smile when the other's cheerful voice greeted his ear. "Jingyi, when will you invite me to your house again?"

--

Jingyi dragged him into the familiar huge house and laughed when Sizhui almost tripped on the carpet. Today, there were only them and Lan Wangji in the house, so Sizhui would use this opportunity to find out more about Lan Wangji. Jingyi informed him enough about the man, but to find whether he was compatible with his father was his job. 

When they reached the living room, Lan Wangji was there, cradling two rabbits in his arms as if they were his treasures. Correction! There were his treasures, according to Jingyi. Lan Wangji, despite his ice face, was a sensitive man with a huge heart that made him feel too much. Cute things were his biggest weakness, besides intellectual. When he loved someone, he would love them wholeheartedly. He was the one who spoiled Jingyi since he was a child until now, earning a frown from Grandmaster Lan and a smile from Lan Xichen. Since Jingyi was practically the younger version of his father, Lan Wangji wouldn't have a difficulty in spoiling his father as well. 

"A-Yi," Lan Wangji stood up, still with rabbits in his hands. Sizhui smiled at the sight of a huge, tall man with cute rodents. His father would squeal and dramatically faint, claiming how adorable the scene in front of him was. Sizhui had to admit that it was indeed adorable. He bowed his head when the tall man greeted him. 

"So cute," He couldn't help but instinctively rub the rabbit's head with his fingers. Lan Wangji's gaze softened slightly.

"You like rabbits, Sizhui?"

"I like cute things. If I can have a pet, I'll have rabbits, cats and birds."

"No dogs?" Jingyi asked, petting the rabbits as well.

"No. My father is afraid of dogs. He had a really bad experience with dogs when he was a kid." Sizhui explained, glancing at Lan Wangji briefly. "He would hug these cute rabbits if he saw them. He also loves cute things."

No answer from the man, but Sizhui didn't think any of it. Everyone with a kind heart loved cute things, so maybe this wasn't an extraordinary thing anyway. He followed Jingyi to the dining room where the were many boxes on the carpet. Lan Wangji went to the kitchen nearby, seemingly preparing lunch for the three of them, while Jingyi sat down in front of the largest boxes.

"What are these?"

"We're going to donate this stuff to the nearby orphanages. They are mostly Cousin Xichen, Cousin Wangji and my baby clothes and toys. But this is what I want to show you. They are for you, Sizhui." Jingyi dragged a rather large box to Sizhui, who peered into it. His grey eyes widened slightly as he looked up at Jingyi's bright grin. With shaking hands, Sizhui pulled out the contents one by one. 

"These aren't old stuff." Sizhui choked out as he stared at a brand new laptop on his laptop and a new phone. They weren't new models, but they were more than enough for a student like him. Jingyi pulled out the same laptop from his bag, still in a box as well.

"Two days ago, I broke my laptop. It wasn't my fault because there was a blackout and  I ran to my room. I just watched a horror movie, Sizhui, so you can't blame me, okay!' Jingyi stared at him with an offended look when Sizhui raised his eyebrows. "Anyway, I bumped into the kitchen table and it flipped over with my laptop on it. I couldn't see since it was dark, so I accidentally stepped on it. Then there was a lightning and I jumped and landed on it- Sizhui, don't laugh!"

Sizhui hid his laugh behind his hand. From the corner of his eyes, he could see a ghost smile on Lan Wangji's face as well. Jingyi pouted at him but continued his story, "Then, when the light was on, Grandmaster Lan scolded me for breaking my laptop. In the morning, Cousin Wangji brought me to his friend's store and let me choose a new one. He asked whether you needed one as wel,l and I said, 'Of course, Sizhui needs one. He is a very outstanding student with many achievements, and all he has at home is a very old laptop that loves to scream not responding. He needs it more than I.' Then Cousin Wangji brought you one. He's so nice, right? It isn't the newest laptop out there, but he said that we didn't need that advanced laptop anyway. Unless were were IT students or something. He is always right."

It was clear how much Jingyi admired Lan Wangji and how much love the older man had for his young cousin. Sizhui then pointed at the mobile phone. Jingyi gave him another bright grin and unboxed it. "I saw this phone and I said that I remembered your very old phone, so old that you cannot keep up with new apps. It was such a shame for an outstanding student like you. Then, BAM! Cousin Wangji took it from my hand and bought it."

"They are really for me?"

"Of course. Do you know what? Grandmaster Lan scolded Cousin Wangji when he saw these, but when he said that they were for you, he approved. You have captured his heart, Sizhui."

Sizhui hummed as he stared at the two most expensive items he had in his lap. Grandmaster Lan was finally in his palm, but what made his heart flutter was Lan Wangji, who didn't hesitate to buy stuff for a random friend of his young cousin. Maybe it was an act to get his attention so he would approve of his pursuit of his father. But still. Usually, in dramas or novels, this act was done right in front of the father to show that the person cared, but doing this without any knowledge of his father or even Sizhui himself was too good to be true. Either Lan Wangji was too kind, or he was too stupid, or he was blinded by love. It was probably all three.

Hugging the laptop close to his heart, Sizhui stood up and walked to Lan Wangji in the kitchen. He looked him in the eyes for a moment before bowing deeply, saying thank you for the generosity of the man. After a moment of silence, he felt a hand pat his head gently and lovingly. His eyes burned because it reminded him of his father's. With glassy eyes, he stood up straight and saw a small smile on Lan Wangji's handsome face. Jingyi was right. This man was such a softie.

'Dear Rich-Gege. Please, fall in love with my father and marry him as soon as possible.' Sizhui said inwardly as he blinked back his tears. He smiled brighter at the man and repeated. "Thank you, Mr Lan." Lan Wangji flushed and nodded his head, turning around to stir whatever he was making in a pan. His ears were red. He shared a look with Jingyi, and the two boys giggled amusedly.

Sizhui went back to Jingyi and baited him into a conversation about his friend's university plan. Jingyi, as expected, would continue to Cloud Recesses University, the prestigious university under Cloud Recesses Academy, and enter a business degree just like Lan Xichen. Sizhui sighed and said that he still didn't have anything on his mind yet. He said that he would like to be an academic in the future, either a teacher or a lecturer or a researcher, but he didn't know which university offered the cheapest fee. He even joked that he would be like Grandmaster Lan Qiren one day, but down several levels below him. Jingyi laughed and assured him that he would definitely become as great as his uncle or maybe more.

Lunch was silent, even though Jingyi couldn't help but make noise with his utensils. The food was great, still full of green, but more delicious than before. Sizhui looked around, trying to spot the servant who made the food the last time he was here. Jingyi told him that the servant took several days off because his wife was having a baby or something like that, so Lan Wangji was the one who was responsible for the cooking. In this house, he was the best cook. Lan Xochen was unexpectedly hopeless in this environment, which made Sizhui chuckle. So, the perfect man had a weakness after all.

Deciding that he had been long enough at Jingyi's house, Sizhui excused himself. Glancing at Lan Wangji, who was preparing for the car, he purposely raised his voice to answer Jingyi's question on why he couldn't sleepover at his house tomorrow. Oh, Sizhui wanted to but, "My father is working this weekend, Jingyi. Do you know that Madam Baoshan Sanren hold a charity gala tomorrow night? My father is one of the waiters. I have to stay home."

"Oh, Cousin Wangji, don't you suppose to go to that gala with Grandmaster Lan? Oh wait, you have rejected the invi-"

"I'll come." Lan Wangji rudely interrupted. Lan Jingyi let out a confused 'huh?' and Lan Wangji cleared his throat, glancing at Sizhui. "Shufu said that there are some important people I have to meet for the future plan of expanding Cloud Recesses Academy. I'll come."

'Great!' Sizhui smiled. 'Go there and be awed by my father's charm, Rich-Gege.'

Chapter 5: Chapter 5

Sizhui stared at the old man in front of him with interest. Grandmaster Lan Qiren met him at the coffee shop with Jingyi and dragged both of them to the nearest mall. It was so weird to see someone walking into such a modern building with traditional hanfu, which was why people stared, but he didn't seem to mind at all. Those who knew him bowed respectfully and greeted the grandmaster as they passed by, while ignoring two noisy teenagers behind him. Sizhui's attention moved to the bags in his arms, and he couldn't help but feel giddy. Inside the bags were expensive clothes, pants, coats and shoes for both him and his father. Grandmaster Lan didn't even ask for his father's measurement; he used Lan Wangji's size and downgraded it a little. Sizhui suspected that since the man knew that his adoptive father was Wei Wuxian, he treated him just like his own grandson.

If Sizhui had known this would happen, he would have dragged his father in front of the old man from the start. But his mission wasn't finished because his father hadn't married Lan Wangji yet.

They entered a very fancy restaurant where plates of sushi moved in front of the customers like an endless train. He frowned as he sat down beside Jingyi, who enthusiastically told him his favourite sushi. Sizhui liked sushi; he had eaten some when Jin Ling brought a large plate of it during their tutorial session. He just hadn't seen this many kinds of sushi before. He looked around the place and observed silently that some people grabbed certain plates with certain colours. Curiously, he peeked into the menu on the table and noticed that each plate had a different price, blue for the cheapest, green for the middle price and red for the most expensive. Sizhui felt a headache just by looking at the cheapest price. What the hell?!

Wait, didn't Lans eat vegetarian?

"Can you eat fish? Isn't your family vegetarian?"

"Hm? Oh, no. Not really." Jingi said, taking several plates in his hands and placed them on the table. "Our family prefers vegetable-based dishes, yes, but we aren't one hundred per cent vegetarian. I love chicken, and Cousin Xichen loves fish. Cousin Wangji and Shufu are the ones who eat plant-based food."

"Then why do we eat here if Grandmaster Lan Qiren loves vegetables so much?"

"Because we're with him and we're not vegetarians. Besides, there are plant-based sushi too, you know? Look at that! That's a mushroom. Just enjoy the free food, Sizhui. Here, I know you like it."  Jingyi said, pushing a plate toward his best friend. Sizhui watched in horror as he realised it was a red plate. He slapped Jingyi, who was devouring two salmon sushi at once, making his face look like a squirrel with chubby cheeks.

"Jingyi, that's the most expensive one." 

"Hush, it's okay. Shufu has a lot of money. Take whatever you want." Jingyi put several sushi in front of Sizhui before eating one of his own. He sighed happily as he chewed. “One day, I’ll go to Japan and eat all kinds of sushi available there. I’ll cause sushi shortage haha”

Sizhui snorted as he listened and glanced at the only silent figure among them. He knew that Grandmaster Lan Qiren was super rich, and he himself loved money. That was the reason why he was approaching the old man and searching for a rich stepfather, but he was also a reasonable boy. If we could get a delicious meal at an affordable price, why should they go to a restaurant like this just to eat? There were grilled tuna, grilled eels, hotpot and other dishes that were cheaper than this. What was wrong with rich people's eating habits?

"Here, these are delicious." Grandmaster Lan Qiren put several red plates in front of him, all plant-based sushi. Sizhui bit his bottom lip and glanced at Jingyi, who had eaten three green and one red plate of sushi. The other boy nodded at the plates, gesturing for him to eat. Sighing a little, Sizhui offered the old man a small smile and ate his lunch.

When they went home, Sizhui was still too stunned by everything the old man bought for him that he almost missed an invitation for dinner for him and his father.

It was afternoon when Sizhui heard the lock click on the door. He looked over to see his father returning from one of his jobs. He looked exhausted, with bags under his eyes and a pale face. The boy suspected his father hadn't eaten since morning. Without a word, he went to their old fridge, pulled out the sushi he'd gotten earlier, and placed it in front of his father, who was tiredly rubbing his eyes.

"Do you have work this evening?" He asked gently. His father shook his head silently, taking off his jacket before opening his eyes. His silver eyes, identical to Sizhui's own, widened when they landed on the expensive food in front of him. He looked up at Sizhui, who was walking away to get water.

"It's from Grandmaster Lan Qiren." The young boy answered the silent question. He set two glasses of water on the table and grabbed two pairs of chopsticks, offering one to his father. His father's face lit up at the mention of the old man and quickly tore the plastic wrap. He moaned as he chewed as if it were the best food they ever had. It wasn't, if Sizhui could say, because sushi lacked the usual spice his father loved. However, it was definitely the most expensive food they had ever had in their life.

"Shufu still has his expensive taste." His father said, chuckling lightly. Sizhui watched as he reached for another one and sighed in content as he devoured it. He couldn't help but smile because it was probably the most contented expression on his father's face. He didn't even remember 

"Baba, can you tell me about Grandmaster Lan? You seem close to him. He's not just your teacher, isn't he? You call him Shufu." Sizhui stood up and began making tea. He turned around and looked at his father expectedly. The man’s lips spread out to a bright grin as he pointed his chopsticks at his son.

"Grandmaster Lan Qiren was almost your grandfather. I know, shocking, right? Well, he was my mother’s classmate and nemesis back when they were in high school. I’d say they might have a crush on each other, but both were too proud to admit it. They remained friends until my mother met my father. Why did I say that he was almost your grandfather? Because they got drunk and got married. Yeah, that was crazy, right? But then they got divorced and my mother met my father. Then, viola!! Your amazing father was born. When your grandparents passed away, I went to Gusu and applied for their scholarship. Believe it or not, this old man of yours actually went to Cloud Recesses Academy for High School, but unfortunately, I was kicked out because Grandmaster Lan and I had a misunderstanding. Well, I called it a misunderstanding, but he would call it my dangerous imagination. We had a big fight that went viral in the academy and I decided that whatever lessons they gave me were useless for real-life survival. I stormed out and never looked back. I didn’t regret attending it, though. Meeting and fighting with Grandmaster Lan Qiren was one of the best memories I had there. I was his nightmare." He said proudly. He shook his head fondly and sighed as he took a sushi. “I admire him a lot.”

Sizhui waited until his father swallowed his food before saying, "Hmmm, it seems like he isn't the only one you admire now."

"W-What do you mean, A-Yuan?" His father shrieked. His face turned as red as tomatoes, as if he knew what Sizhui was walking about and who he was referring to. It was so amusing for him. This was the first time he saw his father behave this way despite his habit of flirting with people.

"I don't know. Maybe a man with a wooden face that took your breath away? What's his name again? Lan Wangji."

"A-Yuan, I don't know what you're talking about."

Shizui grinned, standing up and carefully walking toward his room when he saw his father sputtering madly. God, his father was cute. "You met him last weekend, right? I think he really likes you. He comes to the coffee shop on Monday, looking for you."

"W-What?"

"He came again on Tuesday."

"A-Ah?"

"He came again on Wednesday."

"A-Yuan, stop it!"

"He came again-"

"Noooo, I don't want to hear it. A-Yuan, I gave birth to you from this skinny body. Don't you know that? Have mercy on your poor old man. You know how to torture me now! I need to hide somewhere from you." His father playfully ran after him and the boy quickly jumped over the sofa, avoiding his father. Laughter escaped from his mouth, filling the small apartment with a bright atmosphere.

"Hn. You can hide behind Lan Wangji's tall frame, Baba, or maybe inside his warm embrace."

"A-Yuan!" His father wailed as his laughter increased. He stopped abruptly when he saw his father grab a pillow he had left on the sofa after his nap earlier. Sizhui laughed as he avoided a pillow his father threw at him. Teasing his father was a lot of fun. He used to tease him a lot when he was a child, cackling like a villain in a movie while doing so. It was his turn, and he would make sure to tease those two men when they were finally together, maybe at least three times a day.

--

The two days leading up to the dinner with the Lan family were bizarre for Wei Sizhui. During the quiet lull between breakfast and lunch, Lan Wangji came to see him. He ordered his tea and settled into a booth, then gestured for Sizhui to sit opposite him. Confused, Sizhui sat, watching as Lan Wangji pulled out a notepad and a pen.

'What the hell is he doing?'

"Sizhui, can you tell me what kind of flower your father likes?"

"Huh?" Came his intelligent answer. "Uh, he likes all flowers, I think. He never shows any interest in flowers, so I don't really know. But I do know that he'll appreciate beautiful things given to him."

"What is his favourite colour?"

"Red."

"Does he have hobbies?"

"Uh, drawing and learning new stuff?"

"Does your father like chocolate?"

"Spicy chocolate."

"Spicy?"

"Hm. Extra spicy."

"Does your father love dolls?" Lan Wangji asked, still looking at his note. If this were Jingyi, Sizhui would scoff mockingly at him because the stoic man seemed to have questions downloaded from Google. It showed him one thing for sure: this man was kind of hopeless in the romance department. The bad thing was that he would make many mistakes during his relationship with his father, but the good thing was that when he fell, he would fall hard. His father would be his first and only love forever.

"Mr Lan, my father will be happy with anything you bring for him, but he will be thrilled if you bring two gifts. Chilli oil and Emperor's Smile."

"Emperor's Smile is Gusu's most expensive and famous wine."

"Yup. My father wasn't always poor, you know. He was comfortable once and would buy Emperor's Smile when he had money. It is his favourite wine. Since he went poor and had another mouth to feed, he hadn't tasted that wine for almost fifteen years."

"Hn. Anything else?"

"Mr Lan, my father is a simple man. Besides those two items, the last thing my father cares about is me, his son. It doesn't matter if you are poor or rich, as long as you have those two and treat us well, he will be thrilled. He doesn't care about money or expensive gifts. He is not that kind of person." Sizhui said calmly with a small smile on his young face as he folded his arms on the table. 'But I am THAT kind of person. I love money. I want you to give my father and me loads of expensive gifts, Rich-Gege!'

Lan Wangji remained quiet, his pen poised above his notepad. Sizhui truly appreciated this man who had come to him, seeking to learn about his father. Most people who'd been interested in his father before would just assume they knew his likes and dislikes, never bothering to ask Sizhui for any real insight. Impatient with the prolonged silence, Sizhui cleared his throat and finally spoke. "Mr Lan, my father is a very kind man and won't mind sacrificing everything for the people he loves. If you are worried about petty stuff like chilly oil and wine because your family don't consume those, he won't force you. He will even leave those for you all. Emperor's Smile is his comfort drink, but since he adopted me, he has never drunk that again. At least, in front of me. I told him that it was fine and that he could use some money for a self-reward since it is so expensive. he only brushed me off, saying that it wasn't that important anyway." Sizhui took a deep breath, staring at the silent man with a serious expression on his face. "However, I have promised myself that if my father falls in love one day, I'll only give my blessing to someone who is very serious with him and won't try to change him over simple things."

Sizhui then excused himself, letting the man think of it. Besides the reason that his father deserved those after all these years of holding back for Sizhui's sake, he wanted to know whether Lan Wangji would fight for his father's preference over his family's rules, especially Grandmaster Lan Qiren. If Lan Wangji was too weak to defend this simple stuff, then there was no hope for him to fight for more serious stuff in the future.

Staring at the man's back, Sizhui remembered Grandmaster Lan Qiren's invitation for the weekend dinner. He decided not to tell his father about the dinner at all. Lan Wangji's weakness was cute stuff, right? Human, included.

'I'll make you see how adorable my Dad is, Mr Lan, just like those bunnies of yours. With his unruly wet hair and mismatched clothes after he is done with his shower. Let's hope his state will stir something inside your heart, like Oh, I want to see this cute man every day or some shit like that.'

--

Sizhui glanced at the clock briefly before he walked to his father who was repairing their broken toaster. He leaned down and sniffed the messy short hair with a frown on his face. His father looked up at him with an adorable, confused face, silently asking what was wrong.

"Dad, your hair smells weird." He commented. His father frowned and put down the toaster and patted his head.

"Really? Does it smell like a cigarette? Urgh, one of my bosses is a heavy smoker. I need to wash it right away or it won’t go away."

"You should." He encouraged, gesturing at the bathroom with his chin. When his father disappeared behind the closed door, he quickly went to his room and prepared himself. When he was satisfied with his combed hair and ironed clothes, he poked his head to see where his father was. The noise inside his father’s room was loud enough that the man had finished his bath. Sizhui looked at the clock on the table, counting each minute it passed. He glanced at his father, who was wearing shorts and a baby blue shirt and currently drying his messy hair, when the doorbell rang.

Great timing!

He turned, a small smile playing on his lips, to face the door, anticipating the flush that would surely spread across his father's face. What he didn't expect, however, was his father immediately closing the door and spinning around, a look of pure shock plastered on his features.

“I must be dreaming.” The man muttered, turning at him. Sizhui raised his eyebrows and the knock was heard again. His father opened the door again and immediately looked so horrified when he realised that the man standing in front of him was real.

"Lan Zhan? What are you doing here?" His father shrieked as he tried to fix his messy hair and clothes. The smile on Sizhui’s face dimmed a little.

Lan Zhan? Huh? Lan Wangji? Since when-?

"I'm here to pick you and Sizhui up." Lan Wangji’s deep, pleasant voice reached his ear and the boy decided to walk to his father who blinked confusedly at him. When he saw the man, Sizhui nodded in approval. Lan Wangji was wearing a soft, broken white sweater and black trousers. The soft wool softened his usually cold face and making his golden eyes shine. In his hands was a huge parcel with two signature white bottles of Emperor’s Smile, a heart-shaped chocolate box and a small yet cute bunny doll. No flower though.

Lan Wangji’s point = -1

"Pick us up? Uh, why?"

"For weekend dinner. Shufu invited you to dinner because Sizhui said you don't have work today."

Sizhui blinked when two pairs of eyes were on him instantly. His eyes went to his father’s before they shifted to Lan Wangji’s. "Ah, I forgot." He finally said. As if it were the magic words, his father panicked and hurriedly dried his hair, making it look like a bird nest more than before.

"W-What? A-Yuan, how did you forget about it? I'm not ready yet. Lan Zhan, come in. I-I'm sorry about our messy apartment. A-Yuan, come on. We have to get ready. Lan Zhan is waiting."

“Hn,” Sizhui said, watching his father trip over nothing while reaching his room. He snorted and turned to Lan Wangji, whose eyes were scanning his father’s body. He loudly cleared his throat and the man’s eyes moved to him without any startled expression as if he wasn’t caught doing something indecent.

“I’m ready. I don’t need to prepare anything.”

Lan Wangji looked at his clothes and nodded in approval before gently transferring the parcel in his hand to Sizhui, who put it on the table and unloaded it. “You didn’t tell him on purpose.”

“Yup. I want you to see this.” He gestured toward their messy apartment. Well, not that messy, but for a Lan, it could be considered a wrecked ship. “We’re completely different from your perfect family, Mr. Lan. Will you accept us as the way we are?”

Sizhui looked at him for a moment before he unpacked the items. He hummed thoughtfully as he took the chocolate box and opened it. As he plopped one piece into his mouth, he watched Lan Wangji’s golden eyes scan his small apartment. He winced when a crash came from his father’s room but Lan Wangji didn’t even react. Instead, his eyes were focused on analysing the room, memorising everything he had. Sizhui could imagine his genius brain was working at the moment.

They both turned when his father emerged from his room, wearing an expensive-looking dark grey suit, black pants and maroon tie. Sometimes, Sizhui forget that his father wasn’t poor until he met him. He didn’t remember the last time his father was all dressed up like this.

‘Dad, we were truly born to be rich people.’ Sizhui thought, taking a bite of another chocolate.

“I’m ready." His father flashed his bright grin and Sizhui could see Lan Wangji wanted to jump on him as those bright silver eyes gazed at him. The young boy grimaced and deliberately pushed the wine bottles to Lan Wangji’s view. Wei Wuxian gasped at the sight and looked at the taller man with a sappy look on his face. “Lan Zhan, you bring me Emperor’s Smile. This is- I don’t know what to say. Thank you.”

“Hn. Sizhui said Emperor’s Smile is your favourite wine.”

“I don’t remember the last time I drank this.” His father took the bottle and his eyes brimmed with tears. “My mother introduced this wine to me, saying this was her favourite. She’s right. This is the best wine.” His tone was sombre, full of sadness, and Lan Wangji patted his father’s cheek gently. His father looked up and the two men dived into their own world, forgetting that there was a minor in the room.

Wei Sizhui coughed and they turned to him with apologetic expressions on their faces. His father let out a nervous laugh as he rubbed the back of his head. “Ah, Sizhui. Oh, right. Lan Zhan, I apologise for the state of my apartment. It’s so small that we just put everything everywhere. I’m sorry you have to see me after a shower.”

"Wei Ying looked adorable." Lan Wangji stated shamelessly.

"A-Ah? Hahaha, Lan Zhan. You don't have to say that. I look ridiculous."

"Hn. Riddiculously adorable."

"Lan Zhan!"

Sizhui grimaced as he watched his father pout and Lan Wangji patted his head lovingly. He groaned loudly and stomped his feet as he walked to the door, earning a chuckle from his father. God, the dog food had started and these two hadn't even officially been dating yet. He was going to die from dog food overdose very soon. He couldn't help but wonder what happened once they got married. From all married couples he had seen, they usually toned down the dog food in public and their children. But just in case, Sizhui had to buy a cancelling-noise headphone soon.

--

The dinner in Lan Family’s house was the most entertaining dinner Sizhui had ever witnessed in his life. They were seated at a large dining table with so much food that he swore that it would go to waste. However, after seeing Jingyi’s black hole mouth and stomach, Sizhui just chuckled gently and decided to enjoy the meal. His silver eyes observed the dinner silently as talking during eating was forbidden. The dinner, as expected, was full of vegetarian dishes, but they were amazingly cooked with enough spices for flavour. He heard from Jingyi that Lan Wangji had felt ill during his youth, and his tongue was numb than he didn’t want to eat anything. It wasn't until the head cook put some spice to trigger his appetite that he eventually ate again. Since then, Grandmaster Lan erased the whole medicine-based vegetarian dishes and allowed spices in their family meal. They were mild, but cooked well enough to enhance the flavour. Sizhui had never seen his father inhale fried tofu as quickly as now.

He smiled at his father, who was already dishing out food onto his small plate and starting to eat. He noticed Lan Wangji doing the same for Jingyi, refilling the boy's plate as Jingyi devoured his meal as if he hadn't eaten in days. His silver eyes caught a rare, faint smile gracing Lan Wangji's usually stoic face as he watched Jingyi with a gentle gaze. After making sure Jingyi's plate was full, Lan Wangji turned to his father, and the smile became even more pronounced.

Lan Wangji took a plate of tofu, and from out of nowhere, he took out a bottle of chilli oil. Everyone stopped eating as Lan Wangji took off the lid and poured a good amount of it on top of the fried tofu. He pushed the plate in front of his father, who looked up and gazed at him with love in his eyes. His father took one tofu and ate it with a dreamy face, earning a wider smile from the stoic man.

 Across from Sizhui, Lan Xichen smiled and broke the household rule, which almost made Jingyi drop his chopsticks.

“You two look awfully close,” The First Young Master Lan commented with a teasing smile, eyeing the bottle of chilli oil on the table. “It’s so unusual for A-Zhan to be interested in someone this much. Do you plan to date?”

“Marry.” Lan Wangji's reply was abrupt, and it had an immediate effect: everyone, even Wei Wuxian, was struck silent. Sizhui snuck a glance at his father, who was completely frozen, chopsticks suspended in mid-air, a piece of tofu tumbling onto the table below. Jingyi's mouth hung open unattractively, while Grandmaster Lan Qiren simply stared at his youngest nephew, utterly dumbfounded.

“W-What?” Lan Xichen’s shocked question represented everyone at the table.

“Both Wei Ying and I are over thirty. We don’t date. We’re looking for our lifetime spouse.” Lan Wangji stated, looking at his brother first before his uncle. “I plan to marry Wei Ying.”

Sizhui’s eyebrows disappeared to his hairline when he heard the answer. He almost smiled if he wasn’t aware where he was now. ‘Good job, Dad. You have bewitched Rich-Gege in just weeks. We’re going to be very rich soon.’

“A-Zhan, marriage is a huge commitment. Maybe dating first?” Lan Xichen offered his younger brother a shaky smile. 

Lan Wangji nodded, putting his bowl and chopsticks on the table and staring at his brother seriously. “Marriage is indeed a huge commitment. That’s why, as adults, we shouldn’t play around and have a certain goal. My goal is to spend the rest of my life with Wei Ying, but I won’t force anything on Wei Ying.”

Lan Xichen glanced at Grandmaster Lan, whose eyebrow began to twitch dangerously, clearly waiting to explode. He let out a nervous chuckle as he asked, “Are you sure? Shouldn’t we marry someone we love?”

“Hn. Fall in love with Wei Ying at first sight.”

“Wangji, are you ready to be a father? I mean, Wei Wuxian has Sizhui.” Lan Xichen eyes glanced at Sizhui who didn't say anything. The boy was chewing his food slowly, assessing the interesting debate while filling his stomach. Beside him, Jingyi had abandoned his food, too stunned to continue.

“Hn. Wei Ying has raised him very well, and Sizhui grows up to be a very brilliant child. I think it will be easy to guide him in the future since he already has everything planned in his mind.” Lan Wangji looked at Sizhui, who couldn’t help but blush under his attention. The man nodded at him before turning his attention back to his brother. “However, fatherhood is very important and a wonderful experience. I wish to experience it when we adopt more children. I’ll learn how to be a great father like Wei Ying and Shufu. Wei Ying said he wanted five children. I agree.”

“Five?!” Lan Xichen shrieked, so very un-Lan. 

“Hn.”

“He cannot cook. We can’t always rely on servants.”

“I’ll cook. Wei Ying loves spicy food, so I’ll personally cook for him since the dishes will be different from ours. If Shufu refuses to see spicy food on the table, I’ll build a gazebo exclusively for Wei Ying where we will eat together there when there’s no family meal.”

“He drinks.”

“Hn. As long as it isn’t in front of us, it’s fine, right? If it breaks the rule, I’ll take Wei Ying to Mother’s pavilion so he can enjoy wine and spicy food in peace.”

“He is noisy and loud.”

“Hn. But also full of life and endearing.”

Sizhui knew that he should be offended by how Lan Xichen described his father’s flaws, even though he was the one who fed those to Jingyi and his cousin, but all his brain and heart were too full with awe at how Lan Wangji was completely head-over-heels over his father. He turned his head to look at his silent father. He watched as his father’s face gradually went red as Lan Wangji decided to answer all his brother’s questions. He was completely frozen, chopsticks hanging in the air and eyes staring at the beautifully wooden dining table.

“A-Zhan, you just met him for a few days. You can’t marry someone you just met. You aren’t a Disney princess.”

“I’m pretty enough to be a Disney Princess.” Everyone choked when a very unexpected answer came from Lan Wangji. The man didn’t seem to have a problem with it and continued anyway. “Shufu was Wei Ying’s stepfather. He knows him well. I trust Shufu.”

As he heard his name was finally inserted into the arguments between his nephews, Grandmaster Lan Qiren slammed his hand on the table, shaking all the plates, bowls and glasses. His dark brown eyes stared at his youngest nephew in anger as he rudely pointed at him. “A-Zhan, stop this ridiculousness. How dare you decide everything on your own! Have you even asked Wei Ying whether he wants to marry you or not? Have you asked for his permission to court him?”

Lan Wangji blinked and turned to Sizhui's father who was looking at the tall man in shocked. Sizhui shared a look with Jingyi who seemed to sense that the man was going to do something. He stopped eating and put down his utensils as he watched Lan Wangji turned his body to his father. Clearing his throat, the Second Young Master Lan took out a beautiful bluish-white brachelet from his pocked. From the noises Lan Xichen and Grandmaster Lan Qiren emitted from their mouths, Sizhui guessed that the brachelet was important for the family.

“Wei Ying, forgive me for not asking you earlier, but may I court you to be my husband?”

Every eye in the room fixated on the man, frozen in place. Wei Wuxian, mouth agape and face flushed, couldn't tear his gaze from Lan Wangji. A mixed of emotions swirled in Wei Wuxian's silver eyes as he continued to stare, silent. Sizhui’s brow furrowed with concern; he watched as his father’s body wavered. Just as he suspected, Wei Wuxian fell forward, and before Sizhui could even leap from his seat, Lan Wangji already held his father safe in his arms.

“Dad!” 

Sizhui couldn't believe it. His father, the great Wei Wuxian, had fainted. This was definitely the most entertaining dinner Sizhui had ever witnessed in his life.

Chapter 6: Chapter 6

Sizhui fanned his unconscious father, who was currently lying on the very soft sofa. Lan Wangji was sitting above Wei Wuxian, carefully and gently patting the man's face with a cold towel. Behind him, Grandmaster Lan Qiren was screaming into his phone, barking orders to his private family's doctor to come as soon as possible. Lan Xichen was making tea while Jingyi was sitting beside Sizhui for emotional support. 

No one, except for Grandmaster Lan Qiren, uttered any words, silently doing whatever they were doing while waiting for the doctor. The oldest man huffed in annoyance as he turned off his phone. He shook his head as he sat down on the nearest seat and said, "Lan Yui cannot come fast. We have to wait for, like, thirty minutes. Should we change our doctor? She's been too busy recently."

"Shufu, we cannot blame her busy schedule. She is a very brilliant doctor who deserves her recognition." Lan Xichen put a tray of a teapot and cups on the table before continuing. "Besides, I think Wei Wuxian fainted due to shock because you-know-what." He said with a very un-Lan snicker that reminded Sizhui so much of Jingyi. His dark brown eyes glanced at Lan Wangji, who was still silent.

Sizhui's silver eyes watched as Lan Xichen gracefully poured everyone a cup of tea. The gleaming jade-coloured tea set reminded him so much of those historical Chinese dramas Zizhen loved to watch. He turned his attention from the oldest Lan brother to the youngest. Lan Wangji was staring at his father with an apologetic expression on his face. This was probably the most noticeable emotion Sizhui had ever seen on his handsome face. His movement was very slow and gentle, as if his father's face was the most precious glass in the world.

"Sizhui," Jingyi tapped his shoulder, and a cup of warm tea was in his hand. Taking the fan from his hand, Jingyi pushed the cup into his hand. Sighing, Sizhui took the cup and took a sip of the delightful warm liquid. He closed his eyes, enjoying the warmth that spread through his chest, and opened them again. He smiled softly when he saw Jingyi fanning his father for him. Oh, how nice to have a sibling like him. After his father and soon-to-be stepfather got married, he would beg them to adopt Jingyi as his official brother. 

'Lan Sizhui and Lan Jingyi, the next twins Jade of Lan. Ha!'

It was another ten minutes when Sizhui noticed his father's eyelids move. He put his cup on the table and moved closer, calling his father. "Dad?"

A pair of grey eyes similar to his stared at the ceiling for a moment before they turned to Sizhui. The boy took his father's hand, gripping it tightly. "A-Yuan," his father called, "I just had the best dream in my life. There was someone as perfect as Lan Zhan who proposed to me, A-Yuan. It is such a wonderful dream. Lan Zhan, Lan Wangji, with his hot body and beautiful face." His father rambled. Sizhui glanced at Lan Wangji, whose ears were as red as his father's chilli oil.

"Wei Ying," Lan Wangji called, and Wei Wuxian looked up so fast that Sizhui was afraid his neck would fall off. His father then jumped off the sofa, looking at Lan Wangji with an open mouth.

"Lan Zhan."

"Wei Ying."

"Lan Zhan."

"Wei Ying."

"Lan-"

"Shut up!" Sizhui cut them off. He was so sick of this stupid name-calling. 'Come on, propose to him again, Rich-Gege!' his mind screamed. He took a deep breath and stood up, putting his hands on his father's shoulder and forcing him to sit on the sofa. He then raised an eyebrow to Lan Wangji, which the man understood, and he immediately sat down beside his father. Great, they had a father-son telepathic ability already.

"Look, I know you two like each other. Don't try to deny it. It is as clear as crystal." He began, looking at the two men. His grey eyes went to Lan Wangji, who straightened his back immediately. "Mister Lan, I don't know very much about you, but I can see you like my father. So, I do hope that you stay true to your intention of marrying my father. As you have said, marriage is a serious matter." Sizhui said, narrowing his eyes. 'Sooner is better.'

"Hn," Lan Wangji nodded seriously, which made his father blush.

"Dad," Sizhui turned to his father. "I know you like Mister Lan. You kept talking about him in a very fond manner." He knelt in front of his father and took his hands, softening his gaze and tone. "Dad, I know you're lonely. No, don't start with but-I-have-you talk because I'm not a child anymore. You are longing for a form of love you haven't felt in a long time, a romantic love. Since you have me, I've never seen you dating anyone. I remember Aunt Wen Qing said that you were a playboy and popular with both men and women, so I know that having me in your life meant that you sacrificed everything else."

"That's not true." Wei Wuxian murmured.

"Sorry?"

"I was popular, yeah, but I have never had a girlfriend or boyfriend. Your aunt lied." Wei Wuxian said, glancing at Lan Wangji, whose face relaxed. Sizhui smiled at the confession. His father wanted Lan Wangji to know that he was his one and only.

"So Mister Lan is your first love then."

"A-Yuan!" His father shrieked and tried unsuccessfully to cover his red face. His hands were held by his son after all.

"That's true. First, one and only." Sizhui patted his father's hand. "Dad, if you have found your soulmate in Mister Lan, then I'm okay with it. More than okay, actually. I was hoping you would go for someone like Master Lan Xichen-" Sizhui almost laughed when he heard the oldest Lan brother cough loudly, holding his cup of tea. "But then I met Mister Lan Wangji, and I realised that he was the missing puzzle to your wild life. Cold and Ice. Calm and Wild. Careful and careless. Quiet and Noisy. You both are opposite but fit so well. At least, I hope so. So Dad, if you like Mister Lan Wangji, then I'm one hundred percent supportive of you. Your happiness matters to me. If you're happy, then I'll be happy too."

His father's grey eyes were filled with tears as he lunged forward to hug him. Sizhui hugged him back, patting his father on the back. "If he hurt you, don't worry. I will set Grandmaster Lan Qiren on him." Chuckles filled the room when he deliberately said it loudly. He broke the hug and gazed at his father's face lovingly. "I love you, Dad. I want you to be happy." 'And I want me to be happy as well. The Lan family, their bond, their wonderful dynamic and, of course, money will make us happy.' 

"Wei Ying," Lan Wangji finally addressed his father. The man offered the same bracelet and looked deep into Wei Wuxian's eyes. "I-I'm not good with words, but I think Wei Ying brings joy in my life that I've never felt before. I wish to feel it for the rest of my life." He took a deep breath as his ears went cutely pink. "This is my mother's bracelet, given by my father when he proposed to her. I want you to have this as proof that I'm serious with Wei Ying."

"Lan Zhan, you're just so-" Wei Wuxian's face was so red as he took the bracelet from Lan Wangji's hands. Sizhui smiled when his father gazed at the bracelet with wonder in his eyes.

Lan Wangji took both of Wei Wuxian's hands into his with the bracelet safely in Wei Wuxian's palms and said slowly and gently, "Wei Ying, will you marry me?" 

"Lan Zhan,"

"Hn,"

"Lan Zhan,"

"Hn,"

"Lan-"

"Just say yes already!" Four annoyed voices snapped the couple from their own world. Both Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji had the audacity to look apologetically. Sizhui cleared his throat loudly, narrowing his eyes at his father, who straightened his posture and faced the handsome man in front of him.

"Lan Zhan, I like you, I fancy you, I love you, I whatever you." Wei Wuxian said confidently. The look on Lan Wangji's face was so interesting that Sizhui couldn't help but stare. The flawless jade skin had a beautiful pink hue, and the usually cold golden eyes shone with warmth. His large hands cradled Wei Wuxian's face gently.

"Like me?"

"Yes."

"Love me?"

"Yes."

"Fancy me?"

"Yes, yes, yes," Wei Wuxian grinned so brightly. Sizhui was afraid his face would split into two. "Lan Zhan, since the first time I saw you, I have wanted to sleep with you."

Sizhui buried his face in his hands, his cheeks blazing with embarrassment. Next to him, Jingyi was clinging to him like a koala, giggling uncontrollably. Behind them, Lan Xichen stood frozen, jaw slack and eyes wide in shock. Further back, Grandmaster Lan Qiren’s face had turned an alarming shade of purple, one eyebrow twitching ominously.

"SHAMELESS!!"

--

Sizhui looked around Jingyi's room in awe. It was the size of his apartment, maybe even bigger. After his father's shameless confession, the two men were scolded harshly by Grandmaster Lan Qiren and were punished to kneel near the family's shrine for an hour. Sizhui had a mixed feeling about it, though, because despite thinking the punishment was too much, it also warmed his heart because the old man treated his father like he was already his nephew-in-law. Sizhui voiced a concern that his fathers would do something worse, but Lan Qiren assured him that Lan Wangji wouldn't indulge Wei Wuxian there. It was Lan Wangji's most prized place, and there was no way in hell he would do something indecent in front of his parents and elders.

As the clock edged toward 9 p.m.—the Lan clan’s strict bedtime—Grandmaster Lan instructed a servant to prepare guest rooms for Wei Wuxian and Sizhui. But before the arrangements were finalized, Jingyi pleaded with the old man to let Sizhui stay in his room instead. With a reluctant nod, the Grandmaster agreed, warning them that after an hour of play, lights were out—no exceptions.

And that’s how Sizhui found himself here, wearing one of Jingyi’s comfortable pajamas and playing a game with him. Every now and then, his gaze wandered across the room, imagining what it would be like to have a space of his own like this. Maybe not exactly the same, but something of similar size—something that felt like it belonged to him.

"Hey, Sizhui. When your father married Cousin Wangji, you would move here, right? This place is so much better than your small apartment." Jingyi said, turning off the game console when the alarm clock was chirping at his study table. He hit the turn-off button and threw his body on the bed, bouncing on it slightly. "You should have the room across the hall, the nearest one from mine. It is as big as this one. Well, almost all rooms in this house is the same size, anyway. Except for Granduncle."

'That's nice to know.' He thought as he lied beside Jingyi, staring at the ceiling. "Why?"

"Granduncle's room is the smallest one in this house. He only uses it to sleep, you know, and doesn't want to be distracted by anything. He has his own work room filled with his guqin and books. I think beside his wardrobe, he only has several photos of us on the side table." 

"That's so sweet. My father also has my baby picture beside his bed. It was so embarrassing." 

Jingyi was silent for a moment before turning his body to face Sizhui. He hugged his pillow close as his tone shifted. "Believe it or not, Granduncle is actually a very emotional person, but he just likes to keep everything himself. He never let anyone see him cry or sad. I have only seen him cried once and it was accidental. I was having a nightmare when I was like six and went to his room, but he was crying silently. I didn't know why and I was too scared to enter so I went to Cousin Wangji's room instead."

"You told me that he raised your cousins alone." 

"Hn. After they died, Granduncle raised Cousin Xichen ans Cousin Wangji alone. They don't grow up with Granduncle's personality, thanks God, but you will see how similar those three actually." Jingyi grinned as his eyes twinkle. "I, on the other hand, is called the most un-Lan ever born. Granduncle said that I was just like my mom and that the fact Cousin Xichen and Uncle Wangli raised me differently makes me wild. You know Sizhui, I will be happy when you move in here. We'll be family soon."

Sizhui couldn’t help but return Jingyi’s smile. Though he'd initially chosen the Lan clan for their wealth and status, he had to admit—Jingyi and his family were something special, eccentric rules and all. Their deep devotion to tradition and ancestors made it easy to understand why Lan Wangji was so loyal to his father. And Lan Xichen? He’d turned out to be a surprisingly fun uncle in his own quiet way. He would be honored to be Lan Sizhui one day.

"I cannot wait to be your family, Jingyi."

"Nah, we're already a family. You have been my brother since the day we met, Sizhui." Jingyi said sleepily before closing his eyes. Sizhui let out an amused huff and pulled the blanket to cover the boy's tall frame. He closed his eyes and went to a dreamless sleep.

--

"BUNNY!"

Sizhui groaned at the sound of a familiar voice. Cracking open one eye, he saw Jingyi sprawled beside him, still snoring softly. Squinting toward the bedside clock, he let out another groan—it was only six in the morning. He winced as his father’s voice echoed down the hallway. Why in the world was his lazy father awake at this hour?

Dragging his feet to the door, Sizhui cracked it open. His father was half-running after a small, adorable white rabbit—the same one Lan Wangji had brought during a visit to Jingyi’s house a few weeks ago. From the corner of his eye, Sizhui spotted Lan Wangji leaning against the wall, arms crossed and an amused smile playing on his face. He looked completely at ease, watching the chaos unfold. Sizhui’s gaze drifted back to his father, who was dressed in a cozy beige sweater and long black pants—so long the fabric bunched adorably around his ankles.

"A-Yuan, grab him." His father suddenly shouted and Sizhui bend down, scooping the rebellious bunny into his arms. Unexpectedly, the bunny snuggled to his chest without making any fuss. He almost laughed when he saw his father pouted.

"Bichen, I'm so hurt!" His father said, bopping the bunny's, or Bichen's, nose playfully. "Sizhui, it likes you. Lan Zhan, Bichen loves our son. Look! Look!"

Sizhui noticed Lan Wangji's ears went red when his father referred him as their son. The tall man walked to them and Sizhui saw a black bunny in his arm. He rubbed Bichen's head as his father continued to poke its nose. "His name is Bichen?" He asked, looking at Lan Wangji.

"Hn. This is Kuro. It means black in Japanese."

"But we're changing it to Suibian." Hi father rudely cut Lan Wangji. Sizhui frowned at the familiar name but he couldn't put his fingers on it. "Kuro is a boring name, lan Zhan! Why did you name it that?"

"Jingyi named it." 

'Ah, that explains it.' Sizhui thought. He saw his father opened his mouth but nothing came out. Eventually, his shoulders slumped as if he accepting a defeat. No way his father would force Lan Wangji to change its name if it was concerned Jingyi. Sizhui's grey eyes shifted to Lan Wangji who looked guilty. The man raised his huge hand and patted his father's messy hair.

"I'm planning to adopt another two bunnies. Wei Ying can name them." Lan Wangji said gently. Sizhui was one million percents sure that the man had no intention to adopt anymore bunny if his father didn't look so disappointed. As expected, his father's face brightened and a blinding smile appeared on his face.

"Really? Yay! take me with you to the shelter, Lan Zhan. I want to pick!" 

"Hn."

"I'll name it Suibian and Chengqing!"

"Hn."

"And they will be white and black. Wait, you have those already. Maybe brown and dark brown."

"Hn."

'What an enabler.' Sizhui snorted. At this rate, Sizhui would be the responsible one in the family. "Dad, why are you up so early? You usually wake up at nine on Sunday morning." Sizhui asked and smiled amusedly when he saw his father blushed. He glanced at Lan Wangji and muttered somethin inaudible. He frowned and turned to the tallest man who was looking at his father with such love Sizhui was afraid he was going to get a diabetes. "Huh? What was that?"

"Lan Zhan got up from the bed so the bed felt so empty and I miss him." His father said a little louder. Sizhui grinned at his father who scoffed at him, crossing his arms like a child. "What?"

Sizhui just shook his head, letting a chuckle escape from his mouth. He only laughed louder when his father wailed a 'Lan Zhan, look at that! Our son is bullying me!' which the man responded with a smile and a gentle scold 'Sizhui, don't tease your father.' which only made him grinned wider. He was enjoying his father's display of affection when Lan Xichen's voice broke the atmosphere.

"So, are you two done being a sweet couple over there? Breakfast will be served soon." The two men jumped and turned around to see Lan Xichen watching them with glints of mischief in his eyes. "Ah, to be young and in love. I'm so jealous."

"Xiongzhang!"

"The bed went cold, huh Wuxian. Did my brother warm you well last night?"

"Xiongzhang!"

"Oh, didn't I send you to the guest room? Since when did you move to Wangji's bedroom?"

"Xiongzhang!"

Sizhui watched with barely concealed delight as both men turned as red as tomatoes. Lan Xichen tapped his chin thoughtfully, as if pondering something deeply, though the teasing glint in his eyes gave him away. Meanwhile, his father had buried his face in Lan Wangji’s shoulder—probably screaming into it in embarrassment. Lan Wangji, unfazed, held the rabbit—Kuro—in one hand, while the other arm wrapped securely around Wei Wuxian’s waist. Lan Xichen threw Sizhui a knowing glance and winked before turning away, but not without delivering one final teasing remark that made the couple flush even redder.

"Huh? W-What's happening?" Jingyi's sleepy voice reached Sizhui's ear. He turned to his right and saw the young boy had a towel around his neck, looking at them with a puzzled look on his face. Sizhui patted him on the shoulder and shoved Bichen into Jingyi's arms. "Take this. I'm going to take a shower. I'll tell you everything later.

With that, Sizhui left the hallway with a smile when he heard his father began cooing at Jingyi and Bichen. He hummed as he walked into the shower and turned its hot water. Ah, all was good.

A year later

"I'm sorry!" a girl shrieked and Sizhui could feel cold ice on his skin. His sweater was wet with the girl's bobba drink which now staining his blue sweater. The girl bowed deeply and hysterically apologized at him, looking like she was almost crying. If this was Sizhui a year ago, he would be panic as well seeing his expensive sweater was completely drenched. However, he wasn't that boy anymore. Now, he was Lan Sizhui, the son of Lan Wangji, the heir of Cloud Recesses Academy. He was one of the wealthiest kids in China with perfect grades and charming personality. So, he accepted the apology and took of his sweater before shoving it to his bag. He would wash it later.

"It's alright. I'm sorry about your drink." He said gently as he put it in his bag. The girl blushed and offered to wash the sweater but Sizhui just waved her off. "Don't worry about it, okay. It's alright."

The girl bowed once again before leaving Sizhui alone. The young boy continued to walk pass the gate and went to where his previous workplace was. He greeted some customers he knew so well while working there. Some aunties began patting his cheeks and head, wishing him well in life and study.

"Sizhui, I can't believe you're still willing to work here. You don't need it now." The owner shook his head as he sat behind the cashier. Sizhui chuckled and put his bag into the locker.

"I like working here. My father said that it would be beneficial for my growth as well. You know, the whole responsible thing."

"You're the most responsible teenager I have ever known." The owner said, giving him the newest coffee the shop was currently to sell. "Taste it and tell me how is it. It uses dark chocolate to give more authentic taste."

Sizhui took a sip and nodded. "It's good. The combination of coffee, milk and dark chocolate blends very well."

"Thanks God. I know those customers were complaining for nothing. You can finish it."

Sizhui had been working for nearly three hours when the door creaked open. His fathers stepped in, hand in hand. His gray eyes softened at the sight. Wei Wuxian was wearing a dark red suit—clearly expensive—and an equally elegant coat. The color was bold, but it suited him perfectly. His dark hair was neatly combed, his cheeks glowing with health. The dark circles that had once clung stubbornly beneath his eyes were gone. The exhaustion had faded. There was fullness to his face and body now, a healthy glow in place of the fragile frame he once carried. 'This,' Sizhui thought, 'is how my father is meant to be. Healthy and wealthy.'

Behind his father was Lan Wangji or whom he called A-Die, holding his coat in his hand while the other was holding a bag. Lan Wangji's golden eyes locked at his usual seat and began to walk there, leaving Wei Wuxian to Sizhui. 

"A-Yuan, look at my new suits."

"You look good, Dad." Sizhui nodded in approvement, leaning on the counter. He glanced at his step-father who looked so smug and Sizhui couldn't help but to let out a chuckle. His father grinned happily and sat down. 

"I am, aren't I? We'll have a bouquet with some important people tonight and Lan Zhan said that I needed a new suit, so he bought me two of these suits. The more expensive one will be worn later this evening. I don't know why though. I think I have so many suits already." His father scolded his stepfather who focused on the menu. Wei Wuxian's silver eyes were glinting with happiness though. 

"The host will be Mister Qin Wan and he hates dark colours such as black. Therefore many guests usually wear bright suit while attend his event. A-Ying is the only one who doesn't own a bright suit in a Lan family." Lan Wangji said without even looking from the menu. Right, the whole Lan family had a pair of white suits, Sizhui included. Although, he didn't consider white as bright colour, they did stand out among others. It was much better than the bright orange suits Yao family wore or the gold suits the Jin family wore. "I will order the usual tea but with this matcha cake, please."

Sizhui nodded and walked away. He didn't need to know his father's order since the man just ordered the same thing anyway. As he prepared Lan Wangji's tea, he kept glancing at where his parents sat. From the outside people would see a cold man sitting with a loud noisy man whose arms were flying everywhere. Once in a while, Wei Wuxian would pout and narrow his eyes before crossing his arms like a sulking child. Lan Wangji wouldn't say anything, just staring at him and gave hima a look before Wei Wuxian would groan and whine at him, trying to get his way. No one would expect that these men were madly in love with each other. He still remembered when his father, who was now working in one of Lan Xichen's branch companies, was handling a tight deadline and forced himself to work night and day. Lan Wangji, being a doting husband, took care of his father well. He provided warm meal and some multivitamin. When his father fell asleep in his chair, he would gently move him to the bed, making sure he was comfortable. He even took some days off just to monitor his father's health, making sure he wasn't overwork himself just to reach a deadline. 

It had been the same for his stepfather. One rainy afternoon, Lan Wangji had come home with a fever, collapsing in the living room without warning. Panic swept through the house. Lan Xichen and Grandmaster Lan Qiren quickly moved him to the sofa and began removing his soaked clothes. Grandmaster Lan issued orders with sharp efficiency: Wei Wuxian was to fetch dry clothes, Sizhui to get cold water and a cloth, and Jingyi to find a thermometer.

With tears in his eyes, Wei Wuxian rushed to their bedroom, returning with the softest pair of trousers and a loose shirt. Jingyi, meanwhile, was frantically calling the Lan family’s private doctor while rifling through the first aid cabinet for medicine. Sizhui gently laid a damp cloth on Lan Wangji’s burning forehead, while Lan Xichen continued tending to him with calm, practiced hands.

"He's going to alright, right?" His father's small voice made Sizhui's heart sting. He took his father's hand and the man immediately sat down beside him, enveloping him in a hug.

"He will. It's just a fever, A-Ying." Grandmaster Lan Qiren said as he patted his nephew-in-law's head. "Wangji is rarely sick but when he did, he recovers fast. We need to wait sometimes for the fever to break and then he will open his eyes. When that happens, we have to force him to drink some medicine. Wangji behaves like a stubborn child when he is sick." The old man said lightly as he tried to lighten the mood. His father smiled as he heard that.

To Sizhui's and his father's amazement, Lan Xichen managed to lift his stepfather and brought him to the bedroom. Jingyi once jokingly said that Lan men had an abnormal arms strength but Sizhui had never seen anyone lifting something very heavy before in the house. Until now. Should he hit the gym now so he could be a proper Lan? He didn't have to be that strong, but strong enough to lift something heavy. It would be handy when he was alone with his father. His father shouldn't lift heavy thing and he couldn't always rely on the servants. What if it was during holiday and everyone took days off or holiday?

Anyway, he was so glad that his father found each other.

He was serving his father when Jingyi came into the coffee shop with Jin Ling and Zizhen behind him. Jingyi and Zizhen grinned bright at him while Jin Ling looked around the cafe uninterested. His eyes locked on Wei Wuxian who was noisily drinking his iced coffee. There was something in his eyes for a moment before he turned away to look at him. Was there something Jin Ling didn't tell him? Since his parents' wedding, where Jin Ling met his father for the first time, he acted weird around his father. Jin Ling's parents also acted weirdly, but Wei Wuxian didn't. He introduced himself, smiled and joked to them like usual. Sizhui didn't know what to think.

Well, all he needed to think was his father. No one else.

As Jingyi and his friends sat rather far away from his parents to avoid getting diabetes because of the dog food his parents love to spread, Sizhui saw Jingyi pulled out his binder Sizhui gave him last night on the table. It was a list of orphanages in Gusu whose children were talented and smart enough to get scholarship. The good thing to be a wealthy person with kind family was he could make a plan to help those who needed by making a well-written proposal. If he wanted to help in education field, he sent it to Grandmaster Lan Qiren. if he wanted to help in economy field, he sent it to Lan Xichen. If he wanted to help in security field, he sent it to Nie Mingjue. Oh, speaking of that huge man. It turned out that Nie Mingjue's lover was Lan Xichen. Sizhui wanted to bleach his eyes when he- ANYWAY! That was the best thing about being a rich person.

"A-Yuan!" His father called as he walked to his friend with their order. "What do you want for your birthday?"

Sizhui stared at his father's expectation faces. Wei Wuxian's silver eyes were sparkling with happiness as he looked at him. Lan Wangji's golden eyes softened and a smile graced his usually stoic face. The teenager let out a small innocent smile before answering, "A baby brother and sister."

He turned around and smirked when he heard his father sputtering incoherent. He could imagine Wei Wuxian's face and Lan Wangji's ears were as red as the suit his father was wearing. He let out a chuckle when he arrived to his friends who laughed at his answer. Despite how his fathers reacted, Sizhui was sure that in few months or even weeks, those two men would announce a happy news to the family that would sent Grandmaster Lan Qiren and Lan Xichen to go crazy with stuff for another (grand)nephew/niece.

Ah, all was indeed good.

Notes:

Thank you for reading. Kudos and comments are appreciated.