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It was a very pleasant day in Caiyi in Sizhui’s opinion, with spring tinting the blossoming trees in shades of pink and white, and the tittering laughter of his baba floating around as he bounced from stall to stall sampling wares and bantering with the vendors. He smiled, tilting his head to the roof tops to see the occasional shadow drift past of his Ning-ge jumping from the eves to follow along and receive the occasional tossed treat from one of them as he enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere as well from afar. Baba had grabbed onto him this morning as he was finishing his duties, moaning how A-die was busy with some administrative tasks from Lan Xichen for the day, but there were no little Lan ducklings to teach that day, and it was far too nice out to stay inside. With little coaxing, Sizhui had been happy to offer to go to Caiyi town with him for lunch and a bit of shopping. Once they were past the wards, Ning-ge emerged from the forest, and they chatted and told stories as they descended the steps to Caiyi, parting at the base to keep Ning-ge from being harassed. It saddened him slightly for them not to be able to walk together, but baba insisted it was his preference too, and he was happy to watch and stretch his legs.
“Sizhui, come try this!” baba waves him over to a stall with sugar treats. They had a large lunch earlier, but he can’t bring himself to turn down the excited thrust of dragon’s beard candy into his hand.
“Ah, I’m so excited! This reminds me of when I was younger at lotus pier. It was-!” his thought was cut off with a thump and a sickening squishing sound and a shudder from the older man.
Sizhui wheeled around to see a wet mess on the back of baba’s robes, and a man several stalls away scowling, “You’re a goddamn menace Yiling Patriarch! The sects may have turned a blind eye but you’re still a damn murderer! Have the decency to not foul the area with your ilk!”
Sizhui was so appalled he didn’t know what to even do for a second. It was startling to be accosted this way when he knew they regularly went into Caiyi with no trouble. And the difference in what one might expect Wei Wuxian to react to violence vs. how he was simply hanging his head and saying nothing was jarring.
He knew he couldn’t draw his sword on a civilian, but he couldn’t help but put his hand on the hilt as he stood between the two, “That’s enough, please don’t cause a disturbance and be civil!”
“Bah!” The man spat, his face flushed with rage and maybe alcohol, “The sects have turned a blind eye because it doesn’t benefit them! Justice has not been served if that monster lives and moves about as he pleases again! You Lans are just as complicit.”
He hadn’t noticed when Wen Ning had quickly left the square. Even though it wasn’t a popular opinion in Caiyi, it was still drudging up old hurts and sympathies from others and causing a stir. Sizhui wanted to calm the situation quickly. More rotten produce flew, and his baba simply took it without complaint, stumbling back a bit and against a low stone wall.
Suddenly, in a flash of white robes and spiritual winds whipping from Bichen, A-die arrived. To most he probably seemed placid, but Sizhui could tell he was furious as he huddled over his husband and inspected him for damage. Ning-ge was back from alerting his adoptive father and watching carefully again from the eves of a nearby inn. With someone to keep baba safe, Sizhui strode forward to the instigator and stared him down. His usual easy smile nowhere to be found.
“You have disturbed the peace of the area and disrespected the Lan clan. You also have cravenly attacked a man for old grievances in a manner that is thoroughly dishonorable. If you have problems with another you should take up mediation in a manner that allows for actual discussion and chance to fix the issues. As a member of the immediate clan line I am of a mind to have you brought before the council for attacking a cultivator without immediate due cause, which Hanguang-Jun can attest to now as well.” Sizhui just barely held himself from physically spitting out, instead clenching his hand tighter around the hilt of his sword and announcing loudly to the crowd.
“That is unnecessary daoxiang!” A man from the group behind the drunk insisted, “He was indeed out of line, and there’s no need to trouble the Lan clan over this. We are merely traveling through and will make sure to move on promptly!”
“See that you do,” Sizhui said and then continued much more quietly to not alert the rest of the now dispersing crowd, “The Lan clan may not be inclined to take measures, but the family of the Yiling Laouzu will not be so forgiving. Wei Wuxian did more to save many than you probably have ever done with your life. I would leave as fast as you can before I change my mind and show you what the son of Hanguang-Jun and the Yiling Laouzu is capable of if he stoops to your level for this public dishonor!”
With that he whipped around and managed to smack the man with both his ponytail and jab him in the gut with his sword hilt, stalking back to his parents as baba was urged to a less crowded space to be bodily hauled up onto Bichen and begin flying back towards the cloud recesses. Following behind, Sizhui quietly seethed over the ruined day before landing at the gates.
He turned to Ning-ge who had quietly followed behind them, “Thank you Ning-ge for letting A-die know of the issue. I’m not sure I could have convinced baba to let me remove him from the situation myself… I’ll see you tomorrow morning for the night hunt with everyone right?”
Wen Ning smiled stiffly before sending a sad glance to his baba’s retreating back, “I-I hope you can all have a r-restful evening after this. I-I’ll see you t-tomorrow Sizhui.”
“Good night, Ning-ge.” He watched as Wen Ning disappeared into the mountain side where they’d quietly made him a small hut in the forest.
Sizhui wanted to follow immediately to the Jingshi but knew his A-die would insist on a bath for baba and he should leave them to that first. Instead, he made his way to the kitchens and met Jingyi along the way. He couldn’t help but recount the tale as he ordered dinner for the Jingshi to his friend, knowing Jingyi would be just as indignant. Both had a quiet Lan bitching session under their breaths which helped settle the bubbling anger in Sizhui as the food was prepared. He thanked Jingyi as they parted and bid him to let the other disciples know he wouldn’t be at dinner that night before taking the prepared food. He may not be needed this evening, but he still wasn’t feeling up to eating with the others, so he would take his meal alone if necessary.
He knocked on the door and was let in by his casually dressed A-die, who nodded and seemed pleased at the offer of a meal. Sizhui quickly entered and placed the meal on the table before going to kneel next to his baba who was staring blankly at an open notebook on his desk, now in fresh clean robes. Hesitating slightly, he leaned into the older man and wrapped his arms around him in a quick hug. Wei Wuxian jumped slightly at the unexpected contact, so in his own thoughts.
“I’m sorry about earlier baba… I brought dinner, with your favorite, extra spicy from the kitchen. I can stay if you want, or if you want to have more time to yourselves, I can leave…”
“Ah, my good little radish, you are too filial to this one,” baba chuckled, patting his arm and hugging him from the side before he could retreat, “Of course we want you for dinner, right Lan Zhan?” A-die hummed his approval as he took a hot tea pot to the table. “How could we turn you away looking so down? That would be abusing a radish; unacceptable. No more of that, let’s eat.”
But dinner was taken quietly in the Lan style, which greatly unsettled Sizhui. He couldn’t very well entreat his baba to speak while eating, so he had to fret quietly as they took their meal. At least he could smile as A-die insistently placed food into baba’s bowl repeatedly even as the other shook his head in complaint. But when he’d try to put down his chopsticks without having eaten much, he would have the food pushed into his mouth forcefully if he didn’t eat it himself. Sizhui supposed it would be hard to be too sad if his baba was stuffed with food. It brought up a discomfort in his abdomen with a hazy and barely there recollection of a time where his belly was rarely full, and he too ate slightly more than usual and drank freely of the warm tea to stave off the feeling.
As A-die began clearing the table, waving Sizhui’s help away, baba gave him a somewhat forced smile sighing, “Ah I’m not the best company tonight it seems my wee radish. Perhaps it would be more enjoyable for you to go and spend the rest of the night with the other little Lans instead of this troublesome old man…”
“Wei Ying is not troublesome,” A-die grumbled from the wash basin.
Baba snorted, “What number is the rule about not lying Lan Zhan? Even on my best behavior I’m getting into some trouble by Lan standards. Aiyah still, I may just have a drink while Lan Zhan reads or something for the night…”
“But alcohol is a depressant,” Sizhui blurted, then quickly moved on before making his worry too obvious, “Ah, the rabbits! I think one of them had babies a little while ago. They might be big enough to be out tonight! Would you come with baba?”
An actual smile settled on his face, “Ah how could I say no to seeing Lan Zhan coo at baby buns fresh from their mother’s den? Or deny a radish who so earnestly wishes to spend time together.”
Sizhui smiled as the light finally seemed to be returning to his baba as the sun was beginning to set outside. It was actually a great time to be able to see all the bunnies who’d come out to eat in the evening anyways. They all sat down at the base of a tree in the rabbit meadow and Sizhui flushed, pleased as baba leaned into his A-die, and in turn he wrapped his arm around both him and Sizhui’s shoulder, bringing them together into a warm huddle in the slightly cooler spring evening. Seeing the tiny fluffy baby buns munching on their first grass made all of them coo at the sight of their wiggling little noses as they slurped down fresh shoots like noodles. The older bold ones came to A-die to look for treats or get a scratch behind the ears and let baba get a couple good pets in too before they tired of it. Baba even laughed himself silly as a black and white pair charged around the meadow before the white one won out and began enthusiastically mounting the black rabbit between thumping his foot at any other rabbits venturing close…
“Ah more baby buns on the way it seems! Reminds me of the pair I brought you all those years ago eh Lan Zhan? Or maybe something else… ah anyway I suppose we should give these furballs some privacy,” Wei Ying snorted.
“Could we play a round of weiqi baba?” Sizhui tried, still wanting to comfort the man and remind him he was valued for him and not a burden for the mistakes of the past.
“Such a demanding radish tonight! Ah but I suppose its not yet your bedtime, and I’m certainly not tired so come come!” They walked side by side bumping hips as baba’s arms clasped them together and
Sizhui knew he’d do anything to protect their little family if for these moments.