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Contrary to popular opinion, Nie Huaisang isn’t useless.If you’re to be the sole provider of a service that is desperately needed in this hellhole of virtuous self-restraint and purity that is the Cloud Recesses, and the savior of teenage boys who have to suffer under the iron fist of Lan Qiren, then he thinks that he is far from useless.No, he is useful, in fact, because it’s two weeks into his stay at the Cloud Recesses when he’s sneaking around the Library Pavilion and discovers that not only does the GusuLan sect have no erotic scrolls, but they also have no romance novels.No erotic scrolls would be fine. Nie Huaisang doesn’t expect anything less from the GusuLan sect, whose motto is self-restraint and walking the righteous path, and even the most gullible of people would be hard-pressed to believe that erotic illustrations are part of the righteous path.Sure, Nie Huaisang believes that they’re essential unlocking the repressed feelings of many of his fellow disciples, but they’ll all probably learn it at their own sects anyways.But no romance novels? No tragic whirlwind romances where the dashingly handsome hero encounters the delicate heroine in the garden of dreams? No great adventures where the hero sweeps the princess off her feet and saves her from the fierce corpses? The only thing he can find remotely close to a romance novel is a scroll that tells the story of the cowherd and the weaver girl, and everybody knows that. This is a travesty. Nie Huaisang pities the poor Lan disciples, having to grow up in this repressed, serious environment. It isn’t good for one’s vitality, after all, to have to restrain your feelings and not have any way to validate them!So Nie Huaisang takes it upon himself to produce romance books and distribute them across the Cloud Recesses. He’s sure the Lan disciples won’t be able to handle erotic books, because it would scar those pure souls that Lan Qiren has tried so hard to protect from the evils of this world. No, he’ll write elegant and tame romantic novels that would make even his stone-faced brother soften and smile at the bond of the protagonists.Nie Huaisang has the ink and the paper necessary to produce romance novels, and he has the time and the brains. He even has the illustration skills to accompany his novels. The only problem here is that he can’t find the right personalities for these two lovers.Oh, he has the story and the side characters, and perhaps he based one or two or five of them off his fellow disciples, but he’ll never admit to that. But for the life of him, he cannot pin down the personalities of the heroes! He’s tried the tested-and-true standoffish hero and kind heroine, the virtuous and strong hero and the swooning heroine, every set of character archetypes he’s ever encountered, but it just isn’t working.
Ugh. Maybe I should just give up?
Nie Huaisang flops onto a bench on one of the paths in the Cloud Recesses, twirling his fan lazily. He’s come too far to give up now, all he needs is a strike of inspiration -And he hears the voice of Wei Wuxian coming down the path, accompanied by the quiet murmur of Lan Wangji’s.Nie Huaisang jolts upright and digs out a blank scroll from the sleeve of his robes, burying his nose in it so it looks like he’s studying and not thinking of how the hero would give a gentle kiss to the heroine in the midst of the battle.“Lan Er-gongzi, won’t you look at me?” Wei Wuxian wheedles. “Come on, look at me! We have class together soon, how can we be classmates if you won’t even look me in the face?”“Ridiculous.”Wei Wuxian is skipping down the path but never drawing ahead of Lan Wangji, sending grins at Lan Wangji every three seconds. Lan Wangji looks straight ahead, but his ears are tinged pink, and Nie Huaisang narrows his eyes.“Lan Er-gongzi, Lan Wangji - Lan Zhan?” Wei Wuxian says.“Be quiet.”Wei Wuxian slings an arm around Lan Wangji’s shoulder. “Aw, Lan Zhan, don’t be so cold! I know we got off on the wrong foot, but I want to be friends with you!”Lan Wangji’s jade-like face ripples when Wei Wuxian touches him, and for the first time, Nie Huaisang sees a sliver of emotion on the cold Lan Wangji’s face. He looks closer.“Shameless!” Lan Wangji bites out, jumping away from Wei Wuxian’s arm like he’s been burned.“Lan Zhan, please? You’re really fun to tease, I like watching your stoic expressions slip, maybe one of these days I could get you to smile - ooh, I wonder what you’d look like smiling!”“Do not call me that, Wei Wuxian.” Lan Wangji warns. "We are not close." His voice is low and dangerous, but Nie Huaisang can hear something else in it, a current of emotion that Nie Huaisang latches onto.He knows that Lan Wangji could simply walk away from Wei Wuxian, and that Wei Wuxian could definitely find somebody else to bother. He’s said before that he likes teasing Jiang Wanyin.So why are these two still walking together? Nie Huaisang thinks that if he couldn’t hear anything, he would assume that the two were close friends, with the way Wei Wuxian smiles at Lan Wangji like he’s the sun and the way Lan Wangji never strays too far from Wei Wuxian’s side. No, maybe even more than close friends, maybe -Wei Wuxian grabs Lan Wangji’s hand and tugs him along the path. At this point, Nie Huaisang has taken to hiding behind the bench to ensure that he isn’t spotted by the two. He doesn’t want to pop the bubble that surrounds the two of them.“Haha, Lan Wangji it is then! You’re so funny, Lan Wangji, saying we aren’t close - we’re classmates, aren’t we?”“Wei Wuxian.” Lan Wangji says. A warning of sorts, maybe, or - Nie Huaisang’s romantic side takes over here, and he thinks that maybe it’s because Lan Wangji likes saying Wei Wuxian’s name. Wow, okay, Huaisang, that escalated quickly. But it isn’t his fault that he can picture the two of them flirting and being, well, lovers. They make it way too easy, honestly, and they are practically flirting at this point. Even if it’s Lan Wangji’s awkward brand of flirting that gives Nie Huaisang second-hand embarrassment, and Wei Wuxian probably doesn’t even realize that he’s flirting. But Nie Huaisang can see the way Wei Wuxian’s whole body is twisted towards Lan Wangji, the way his hand keeps reaching out for Lan Wangji’s, the way his smile is a tad brighter and happier than when he’s teasing Jiang Wanyin.Lan Wangji is much harder to read, but Nie Huaisang has always been good at deciphering emotions. When he sees the way Lan Wangji bites his lip and the adorable way his ears turn red (Nie Huaisang shakes his head at how utterly repressed Lan Wangji must be), he knows that Lan Wangji must not hate Wei Wuxian, like it appears to everyone else.“I want to be close to you, Lan Wangji!” Wei Wuxian proclaims. Nie Huaisang hides his face in his hands, he can’t listen to this anymore. “You don’t look like it, but you’re really nice. I like you, Lan Er-gege.”“Wei Ying! ” Lan Wangji hisses, his whole body stiffening at the flirtatious way Wei Wuxian addresses him.“Haha, got you to say my name! Did I tell you I like the way you say my name, too? Everybody else says it like they can’t stand me, but somehow I feel like you’re different.”“Ridiculous. We must go to class.” Lan Wangji says, his voice oddly choked.“See, you said ‘we’! Alright, alright, let’s go, Old Man Qiren will be mad if I make you late - hey, don’t glare at me, Lan Zhan, you know he will be!”The sound of their voices fades after a minute, as does the sound of their footsteps, and Nie Huaisang peeks out from behind the bench. It’s a good thing his QingheNie robes are dark green, because he’s sure he has grass stains on his knees. Holy shit, he thinks. That’s it! Maybe nobody else can see it, but Nie Huaisang’s eyes are sharp and trained from years of reading crappy romance novels. There’s definitely a spark of something between Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji, and Nie Huaisang can suddenly see them as the protagonists of his novel. Wait a minute. The disciples will read his romance novels, of course, but that doesn’t mean he can’t make the main characters copies of Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji. Their dynamic is too good to pass up on, after all. He just needs to change the names, and everybody will think it’s a coincidence.Besides, nobody will know it’s him. He’ll use a pen name, so that Lan Qiren can’t trace the novels back to him and tell his brother.This is the perfect plan. All he has to do is put Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji in increasingly compromising situations to find inspiration for his novels, and if they eventually realize their feelings in the process, it’s just an added benefit.All he has to do is make sure nobody finds out it’s him.Easy, right?
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Nie Huaisang may have underestimated how hard it is to write a novel.He may be - he’ll never admit this to anybody but himself - he might just be struggling with moving the plot forward. Just a little bit.Right now, the heroine (Wei Wuxian, his mind unhelpfully fills in) is struggling with a choice - save the hero, who’s been caught by an evil cultivator and requires her help, or stay at her family’s estate and take over the family business in lieu of her recently-passed father.And no matter which way Nie Huaisang tries it, he can’t get out of this two-way situation he’s written himself into. The heroine can’t rescue the hero because she doesn’t have a sword, and her sense of loyalty and undying love for the hero won’t let her ignore this crisis.. It’s been another two weeks of frantic writing and underhanded spying on Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji, which in itself had given him much inspiration for the hero and heroine’s banter, so Nie Huaisang supposes it’s high time he run into his first roadblock.He just wishes there was a way he could resolve it without resorting to a plot device like having the heroine suddenly discover her dead father’s sword, which wouldn’t even work because he wasn’t a cultivator.“You, Nie Huaisang!” Lan Qiren snaps.“Ah! Yes! Um, white peony and red peony?”Lan Qiren gives him a glare. “Wrong, you obviously didn’t hear the question. Copy the Conduct section once after class!”He can hear Wei Wuxian’s snickering behind him, and he hides his humiliated blush behind his fan.God, he can’t wait for class to end so he can scamper back to his room and finish the chapter. Wei Wuxian will probably ask him where he’s going and why he hasn’t been hanging around them for the past two weeks, but Nie Huaisang has a near limitless arsenal of excuses (“my brother wants me to train and he told Xichen-xiong to watch me!” and “I need to finish copying the rules so I can get back to painting fans!” among them) so he isn’t particularly worried.What is worrying is that he doesn’t have a good enough grasp on the heroine’s character to decide what she would do. She’s basically Wei Wuxian but female, which presents a problem, because Wei Wuxian has a very… unique way of thinking. He’s an enigma, and Nie Huaisang can never fully predict his actions. Which means, he can never fully predict the heroine’s actions either.Which is a problem. Because he’s the author.He’s come this far already, putting in lots of romantic scenes where the hero and heroine stare at each other across the room but never make any move to talk to each other (total number of times Nie Huaisang has caught Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji doing this: 12), and where the heroine keeps finding little ways to touch the hero and generally drive him crazy (Wei Wuxian has touched Lan Wangji at least 5 times today). He can’t give up now!Wait. If his characters are based off Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji, all he has to do is ask Wei Wuxian what he would do in this situation! It’s a perfect answer.Nie Huaisang can barely sit still through the rest of the class, and he counts it as his good luck that Lan Qiren doesn’t call on him. After he makes it through this scene, he can speed through the next few chapters until he gets to the confession scene.Which is a problem for another day.(Which is code for never, because neither Wei Wuxian nor Lan Wangji are going to confess - and Wei Wuxian hasn’t even realized his feelings yet - and Nie Huaisang supposes it all falls to him to be the long-suffering matchmaker. Fun.)Anyways. How ask the question inconspicuously, how to phrase it so that nobody will catch onto the fact that he’s matchmaking his two friends by writing them into a romantic story, how to -“Huaisang-xiong!” Wei Wuxian calls. “Class is over, get over here!”Nie Huaisang is rudely jerked out of his plotting by Wei Wuxian’s loud voice, and he shuffles over to Wei Wuxian’s seat with an annoyed expression. The other guest disciples are crowded around Wei Wuxian as he tells a story of flying kites at Lotus Pier and climbing a tree to rescue the kite of a beautiful maiden. Lan Wangji sits ramrod straight in his own seat, but Nie Huaisang can see him staring intently at Wei Wuxian.Any regular person would say, given the context, that Lan Wangji is glaring at Wei Wuxian for bragging and being disruptive (breaking rule number 35 and rule number 1589 of the Cloud Recesses), but Nie Huaisang would like to think that he isn’t a normal person. After watching Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji for the past two weeks, he’s fairly confident in his assessment that this is jealousy he’s seeing.The coldly brilliant and distant Lan Wangji, second young master of the esteemed GusuLan sect, is jealous over a rescued kite.Oh, this is gold. Nie Huaisang can’t wait to use it in his book. He’s seen Lan Wangji get jealous over Wei Wuxian tackling Jiang Wanyin with a hug, over Wei Wuxian talking about how pretty the girls in Yunmeng are (which had led to some truly spectacular blushing when Wei Wuxian had took notice of Lan Wangji’s constipated expression and patted his head, saying “Aw, Lan Er-gege, you’re prettier!”) but over a kite?It can’t be described as anything but adorable. Perhaps this will help endear his readers to the otherwise cold hero, god knows it’s endeared Lan Wangji to Nie Huaisang.“Ah, Wei-xiong,” Nie Huaisang says, once Wei Wuxian has finished regaling them with the tale of the rescued kite. “I must ask you a question.”“Hm? What is it? Do you wanna know how to climb up a tree in 10 seconds, too, because that really doesn’t seem like your character -”I’m sorry, Wangji-xiong! He thinks.“Actually,” Nie Huaisang interrupts, “I have a… hypothetical situation that isn’t being written down, nope, absolutely not, anyways, in this hypothetical situation Wangji-xiong has been captured by rogue cultivators and he’s been rendered powerless and unable to fight back.”“What kind of hypothetical situation is that?” Jiang Wanyin snorts. “Lan Wangji wouldn’t let himself be captured by rogue cultivators.”Nie Huaisang ignores Jiang Wanyin. “You, Wei-xiong, are the only person who can go save him, since the Lan clan is busy battling…” He pauses as he tries to remember what the plot had been and why the hero’s family, a powerful cultivation sect that was basically the GusuLan sect fictionalized, couldn’t rescue him. “Right, battling a fire. However, you have no sword and no talismans!”“Wait, wait, why don’t I have my talismans? I can fight without my sword, but talismans?” Wei Wuxian shakes his head.“You lost them! Now stop interrupting!” Nie Huaisang snaps. “As I said, Wei-xiong is the only person who can save Wangji-xiong, but at the same time, Sect Leader Jiang falls gravely ill! Without your sword and talismans, will you go save Wangji-xiong?”Nie Huaisang expects Wei Wuxian to pause. To give the question thought, to say “No, I’d try to help Sect Leader Jiang”, because Wei Wuxian is loyal like that. All he needs is the confirmation.But without a second’s delay, Wei Wuxian says, “Of course I’d go save Lan Zhan!”Nie Huaisang gapes at Wei Wuxian for all of three seconds before he regains his composure. He did not expect that answer. “R-really? Why?”“Because he needs my help. Why not? If nobody’s going to help him, then I should go. Actually, even if somebody else could help him, I’d still go!”Across the room, Lan Wangji’s hands clench around paper.“What about Sect Leader Jiang? And you don’t have your sword!” Asks one of the younger disciples.“Ah, I know Uncle Jiang can pull through the illness, plus… he already has Madame Yu and shijie and Jiang Cheng by his side.” Wei Wuxian glances down at the notes he’d taken in class, messy and ink-stained. “Anyways! It doesn’t matter if I don’t have my sword and my talismans, Lan Zhan is my friend! I’d go save him no matter what!”A few of the disciples from the smaller sects instantly break into whispers about how cool and noble Wei Wuxian is. Nie Huaisang thinks that Wei Wuxian might be a little more infatuated with Lan Wangji than he previously calculated.“Huh? Are you an idiot? You should be by Father’s bedside too!” Jiang Wanyin huffs.“What? But Lan Zhan needs my help! And, well, Uncle Jiang will have you guys, that’s more than enough for him.”“You are an idiot!” Jiang Wanyin says. “Why would you go help Lan Wangji when you could be with your family?”Wei Wuxian is spared from responding when Lan Wangji shoots up from his seat, notes clenched in his fist. His ears are burning red, and everybody but Nie Huaisang and Wei Wuxian flinches at the sight. They must think that Lan Wangji is mad, but Nie Huaisang knows he’s simply embarrassed. Like a blushing maiden confronted by a very enthusiastic suitor.His brain decides to provide him with the image of Wei Wuxian courting a dress-wearing Lan Wangji at the very moment Lan Wangji turns to look at them. He bites his lip to keep from laughing, but Lan Wangji’s face grows frostier anyways.“Ridiculous!” He bites out.The second Lan Wangji sweeps out of the classroom, Wei Wuxian breaks into laughter.“Ahaha, did you see his face? I guess Lan Zhan can’t stand the idea of me saving him after all.”“Of course he can’t, he hates you!” Jiang Wanyin says.Nie Huaisang wants to correct Jiang Wanyin, but it’s too early to reveal his cards. Plus, he thinks he would meet quite the gruesome end if he were to expose Lan Wangji’s crush - no matter how adorably rabbit-like the Second Jade gets when Wei Wuxian flirts with him, he is still very much a repressed GusuLan teenager who’s struggling with accepting his feelings.Either that, or his brother would kill him before Lan Wangji could.“I suppose you’re right! But just watch, one of these days I’ll get him to be friends with me!” Wei Wuxian grins. “I wonder if I could get him to smile at me, too, what do you think Lan Er-gongzi’s smile looks like? Do you think it looks like Zewu-jun’s? It must be really pretty because Lan Zhan’s super pretty, too, his lips are pink like magnolia petals so his smile must look like a magnolia flower…”Nie Huaisang tunes out Wei Wuxian’s rantings about Lan Wangji’s smiles around the third sentence. Oh heavens above and merciful ancestors, grant me the serenity not to beat some sense into Wei Wuxian’s head, and grant Wei Wuxian some intelligence. Nobody notices the color of somebody’s lips if you’re just friends, what ridiculousness even is this?He swears upon the honor of the QingheNie sect’s name that he will not resort to violence to get Wei Wuxian to shut up and rant about Lan Wangji’s immortal-like, as bright and ethereal as the silver full moon, elegant beauty (Wei Wuxian’s words, not his, although he’s sure nobody would notice if he took that quote and put it into his novel) to Lan Wangji instead of them.He swears he won’t, but… he can understand why his brother resorts to threatening violence so often.Well, at least this turned out to be valuable research for his novel. Now, he can proceed with his scenes, until the confession scene after the heroine rescues the hero and the heroine confesses her undying love because she thinks the hero is on the verge of death...Hm. That poses a problem. He doesn’t know how Wei Wuxian would confess to Lan Wangji, which means he doesn’t know how the heroine would confess to the hero.Nie Huaisang might have to do some more research. If it contributes to the cause of getting Wei Wuxian to realize his growing feelings, then all the better for his book.It all fits together perfectly. When Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji do get together, and Nie Huaisang swears that he won’t rest until he gets them together, he can use their couple interactions as inspiration for new novels. Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji become a happy couple, the other disciples’ eyes are opened to romance, and he earns some sweet coin in the process - there are no bad outcomes!In his planning, he doesn’t notice Jiang Wanyin’s suspicious stare on him.~Two days later, Nie Huaisang has successfully completed his rule-copying and written three chapters past the rescue scene.His wrists ache from the effort, but it’s worth it when he realizes that he’s three-quarters of the way done with his first novel.The last scene that presents any real problems is the confession scene and the subsequent kiss scene. No matter how desperate he gets, Nie Huaisang isn’t going to walk up to Lan Wangji and ask him how he’d respond if Wei Wuxian confessed to him, so he’s limited to asking Wei Wuxian.Knowing how dense Wei Wuxian is, he’d probably think that Nie Huaisang is asking for advice on how to confess to the person he likes.Who does not exist, not at all, there isn’t a certain person hanging around Wei Wuxian who’s caught his eye -Anyways. He’s getting distracted again, he needs to think of how to approach Wei Wuxian and make his questions seem like he’s asking for advice.It would be best to drop the question casually, he thinks, which means he can ask Wei Wuxian right now. They’re walking along a path in the Cloud Recesses, and Wei Wuxian is whining about having to copy the rules after he angered Lan Qiren for the fifth time this week, and bugging Nie Huaisang to copy for them.The next time you break the rules, I’ll get somebody to supervise your copying in the Library Pavilion so you can’t corrupt the other disciples by forcing them to copy for you! He remembers Lan Qiren saying.
Hm, didn’t Wei-xiong say he liked the Plum volume of that poet’s works? I saw Wangji-xiong reading it just the other day…
Oh! Nie Huaisang can’t believe he didn’t do this sooner. He could tell Wei Wuxian on Lan Qiren and tell Lan Qiren that it’s a good idea to have Lan Wangji supervise the copying, because Lan Wangji so obviously hates Wei Wuxian and would keep a sharp eye on Wei Wuxian.And a wonderful friendship would be born from their shared love of poetry!How they would find out they like the same poet, Nie Huaisang hasn’t planned anything for that yet. He supposes that’s another thing on his to-do list, after he finishes his novel and gets permission to go to Caiyi Town to publish it.“Huaisang-xiong, you’re spacing out again!” One of the younger disciples nudges his shoulder, and Nie Huaisang snaps out of his fantasies as the dashing, mysterious romance author.“Ahaha, was I? I was thinking about asking Wei-xiong a question…”“Huh? What did you wanna ask me?” Wei Wuxian turns away from Jiang Wanyin to grin at Nie Huaisang.“Ah, I’m just wondering how Wei-xiong would confess to the person he likes?”“The person I like? Well, I don’t like anyone…”
Try telling that to Wangji-xiong’s ‘immortal-like beautiful face’, why don’t you.
Wei Wuxian snaps his fingers. “I see! You’re looking for advice, aren’t you. Aww, Huaisang-xiong likes somebody!”“No! That’s not it, I just wanted to hear your thoughts on this -”“Eh, Huaisang-xiong likes somebody?” Says the younger disciple.“Who is it, tell us!”The nail on the coffin is Jiang Wanyin giving him a sideways look and saying, “You like somebody?”“I don’t like anybody like that!” Nie Huaisang screeches, wondering why the conversation is turning to his nonexistent love life. “I was just wondering what Wei-xiong thinks because he keeps talking about the girls in Yunmeng!”
There, quiver in the face of my impeccable argument!
“Ah, but I don’t like any of them like that… well, I think I would prepare a path of flowers for the person I like and walk her down that, before serving her a dinner lovingly cooked by me and kissing her by the lake that reflects the moon in it!”“You call serving them your food from hell romantic?” Jiang Wanyin snorts.That… was a lot more romantic than Wei-xiong has any right to be. Nie Huaisang never took the flirtatious Wei Wuxian to be a closet romantic, just like him, but one learns something new every day.“But what would you say?” He asks. Never mind that the scene Wei Wuxian was scarily similar to the one Nie Huaisang is writing, save the flower petals and the dinner, he can’t write the scene if he doesn’t have the dialogue.“Hmm…” Wei Wuxian taps a finger against his chin. “What about ‘Ah, beautiful maiden, your face is as pretty as the silver moon above and your lips like two magnolia petals, may I claim your petals?’”“Ah, I see…” Nie Huaisang doesn’t comment on how suspicious it is that Wei Wuxian kept the same moon and magnolia petal metaphor for the faceless girl.
Can he be any more obvious? Hurry up and bug Wangji-xiong until you two are a couple, there’s only so much obliviousness my sanity can take!
“So? Was that good advice?” Wei Wuxian asks.“I’m sure whoever you give that confession to will be sufficiently wooed! That was so cool, Wei-xiong!” Another younger disciple cheers.“Yes, thank you for the… advice! It was really useful - and oh, look, I’ve got to go study, sorry I can’t copy rules for you, Wei-xiong, maybe another time?”Nie Huaisang makes his tactical retreat before anybody can question him going to study. It’s become a regular occurrence these days, the lazy Nie Huaisang actually applying himself to their studies, and he thanks his ancestors that his friends think he’s doing it so that his brother won’t yell at him.If only they knew.Well, nobody will ever find out, and this is one secret Nie Huaisang will carry to his grave. He can only begin to imagine the disappointment his brother will have in him and his inevitable dismemberment at the hands of Lan Wangji if they find out.An hour later, the confession scene has been written and the protagonists have kissed. If he based the drawing off Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji’s likeliness, it is purely a coincidence.(He does admit that Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji kissing makes for an aesthetically pleasing image, what with their color dynamic and minor height difference. That doesn’t mean he imagined them kissing while he was writing. He definitely didn’t!)I’ll finish the rest tomorrow, he thinks. Plus, there’s the problem of how to get Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji to bond over their shared love of poetry - even Nie Huaisang knows that Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji won’t make any progress in their relationship unless they find common ground, what with Wei Wuxian being annoyingly loud and Lan Wangji refusing to admit his feelings.His readers better appreciate all the work he’s put in for this, matchmaking his friends who may or may not be infatuated with each other just to provide the uptight Cloud Recesses with some nice, fluffy romances.
I wonder if
Wei-xiong and Wangji-xiong would read my novels… no, Wangji-xiong doesn’t seem like the type to read romantic things.
Still, the last thought before he drifts off to sleep is, it sure would be funny if he did.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Everything about Lan Qiren’s office is imposing, from the carved oak door to the stone hallway it’s located in to… whatever is inside.Nie Huaisang really has no idea what it looks like, because he’s never had any reason to visit Lan Qiren until now. Going by what he knows of the Cloud Recesses and the Lans, it’ll probably be a minimalistic room decorated in sparse blues and whites, but it could just as well be a terrible torture room with papers and inks and manacles to chain unruly disciples down while they copy the rules.Unrealistic, maybe, but hey - you never know! There was that one time Mingjue had gone to the Cloud Recesses and came back looking 50 years older, which Mingjue had eventually said was because he accidentally got Lan Xichen drunk, but it could be because Lan Qiren dragged him to his secret torture room and forced him to copy the rules after that.He wouldn’t put it past Lan Qiren, the old man is scary.His hand comes up to knock on the door thrice anyways. Nie Huaisang may be a scheming, lazy coward, but he isn’t letting two weeks of spying on his friends and frantic writing go to waste just because he can’t face Lan Qiren.“Come in.” Lan Qiren’s voice issues from behind the wooden door.Nie Huaisang takes a deep breath, reviews his script for the conversation, and steps inside. It isn’t a shadowed torture chamber, to his relief - light curtains flutter over the circular windows and scrolls line the stone walls, and it’s all very peaceful.He can feel Lan Qiren’s suspicious gaze following him as he walks to kneel in front of the teacher’s desk, bowing his head respectfully like the elders of his sect had taught him.“Qiren-laoshi, this disciple apologizes for his inattention in class 3 days ago.”“Raise your head, Nie Huaisang. Is that all you have come here to say?”He forces himself to meet Lan Qiren’s steely dark eyes, gulping down the lump of apprehension in his throat. Stand straight, Huaisang! You’re a Nie, too, channel dage's spirit!“No, this disciple is here today to humbly ask the esteemed teacher for a favor.”“Hm.” Lan Qiren puts down the brush he’s holding, the tip still dripping with ink, and his stare pierces through Nie Huaisang. “Under normal circumstances, I would not even consider this, but you have been a good student. Even your brother has sent a letter to me praising you after hearing of your improvement.”Well, that’s new. He hasn’t gotten any letters from Mingjue recently, and he’s almost forgotten about it in his single-minded focus on Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji, but Lan Qiren mentioning it drags this all back to the forefront of Nie Huaisang’s mind."Dage did? Really?”Lan Qiren arches an eyebrow. “Yes. He did. Now, what is your favor?”Nie Huaisang drags himself back down to earth at Lan Qiren’s impatient tone. He’d been irrationally happy upon hearing that his brother praised him (finally, he thinks, dage is proud of me!) but he didn’t come here to be validated by his brother. Although, that is a very welcome side bonus…
Freak out about that later, Huaisang!
“Ah, this disciple wishes to travel to Caiyi Town on the rest day to purchase extra ink, brushes, and scrolls.”“We can provide you with extra supplies if you require them.”Nie Huaisang resists the urge to just blurt out the real reason why he’s going to Caiyi Town and watch as Lan Qiren’s face pales in outrage. “This disciple does not mean to offend, but he prefers a brand of paper and ink that the Cloud Recesses do not have.”“However, you can use ours without problems, is that not true?”It’s like diplomacy with the Wens, except worse! Nie Huaisang has spied on his brother’s meetings with the Wen diplomats before, he knows how… heated those exchanges can get and how the words twist around each other like poisoned vines. One wrong sentence and you’ve left yourself open for criticism. He’s sure he could handle diplomacy just as well as his brother, if not better - his brother has never had a way with words like he has - but when he’s facing down Lan Qiren, it’s different.Sure, Lan Qiren’s office may not be a torture chamber, but this is still the man who can intimidate even his big brother.A-Sang, grow a spine! Face your enemy head-on, without cowering in a ball. He hears his brother’s voice in his head, and he bites his lip. His brother is proud of him. He can’t disappoint his brother, not here, not now.(There’s the minor detail that his brother would be devastatingly disappointed in him if he ever found out about his spying and writing, but that doesn’t matter now.)“Yes, that is true, but this disciple also would like to purchase study materials for the upcoming history test! Since taking scrolls out from the Library Pavilion is forbidden under Rule 358, this disciple is unable to study as much as he would like to!”“And why would you require to study more? I am aware that you already spend much time in your room reviewing the material.” Lan Qiren phrases it like a challenge, exploiting any and all weaknesses in Nie Huaisang’s argument.Truly, this is a man worthy of intimidating my brother. To be completely honest, Nie Huaisang is impressed, he thought Lan Qiren would simply yell at him or tell him a frosty no, but instead his teacher is considering his arguments and offering good rebukes.Hm, maybe I can base a character on him, he would fit in well in my next story. It’s not like Lan Qiren will ever read it, right?“This disciple only wishes to make his brother proud of him. I am Nie Mingjue’s younger brother, and as such, this disciple has a responsibility to not sully the name of his sect. This disciple… has made his brother unhappy with his hobbies in the past, but he wishes to fix his mistakes and become a student his brother will approve of!”The more Nie Huaisang talks, the more he realizes that he’s speaking from the heart. He’s longed for his brother to give him even the slightest hint of approval for as long as he can remember, and he knows his brother is like this only because Mingjue loves him, but it still stings. When Mingjue turned his nose up at Nie Huaisang’s enthusiastic talk about fans, and when Mingjue wouldn’t stop drilling him and taking away his paintings until he could swing a saber -It stings, knowing he’ll never be the man his brother wants him to be. But he sees Lan Qiren’s eyes soften almost imperceptibly, sees his crossed arms grow more relaxed as he listens to Nie Huaisang’s rant, and he realizes that the more truthful his argument is, the more likely Lan Qiren is to listen to him.So Nie Huaisang does what he’s always been doing, and hides behind his weakness. He lets his lip tremble a little, lets his perfect posture slip, and tries not to be surprised at how easy it is to pretend he’s saddened. “Please, Qiren-laoshi, let this humble disciple have another chance to prove his worth to his brother and work hard to earn the approval of his sect!”“Hm.” Lan Qiren hums. Nie Huaisang hopes his performance was impassioned enough to soften Lan Qiren’s iron heart. “Your dedication and will are admirable. Very well, I will give you permission to travel to Caiyi Town to purchase your supplies - and nothing more than that. You are not to allow any other disciples to go with you.”
It worked! Good job, Huaisang, see - acting isn’t nearly as useless as your brother says it is.
“This disciple will be eternally grateful to the esteemed teacher.” Nie Huaisang says, remembering to keep his voice at an acceptable level. No matter how sincere he might be, breaking the rules right after he promised to work hard will not earn him Lan Qiren’s good graces.“Yes, I will tell your brother about this if that is what you wish. Do not disappoint me, Nie Huaisang.”“Thank you, Qiren-laoshi - wait, my brother?” He swears up and down that he didn’t ask Lan Qiren to tell his brother about this, so why is he -Lan Qiren interrupts his train of thoughts. “You have your studies to return to, do you not?”“Yes, however, this disciple is confused -”“Then return to your studies, unless you have anything else to ask of me?” Lan Qiren does not raise his voice, but the threatening tone of it sends shivers down Nie Huaisang’s back.Which reminds him - he got so caught up in his success over being allowed to go to Caiyi Town and channeling his emotions into his performance that he forgot to report Wei Wuxian to Lan Qiren.I’m sorry, Wei-xiong! You kind of deserve it, though… After two weeks of watching him incessantly bother Lan Wangji and tease him just like Jiang Wanyin says he teased the girls he liked back at Lotus Pier, Nie Huaisang holds no more sympathy towards the oblivious, frustrating creature that is Wei Wuxian.“Yesterday, Wei-xiong asked this disciple to copy the rules for him. This disciple believes that is not honorable behavior and as such should be punished.”Well, it’s not that Nie Huaisang thinks Wei Wuxian’s behavior isn’t honorable - honestly, he would probably do the same thing if he was in Wei Wuxian’s position. It’s that he doesn’t have the time to copy rules on top of writing novels and drawing the scenes for them and spying on his inspirations, and he doesn’t know how much more he can take of Wei Wuxian begging him to copy the rules.If it gets to the point where he snaps that he can’t copy rules because he’s writing romance novels based off Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji, how could he bear to face the other disciples ever again?Lan Qiren strokes his goatee. “You believe I should punish Wei Wuxian by giving him more rules to copy?”“Yes, and the esteemed teacher can have a Lan disciple supervise Wei-xiong to ensure he doesn’t cheat his way out of the punishment.” Nie Huaisang lowers his head so that it looks like he is offering his humble suggestion as a lowly disciple. He can’t afford to let Lan Qiren see the victorious smirk on his face.“I see. You sound like you have somebody in mind already.”Nie Huaisang’s hands flail in the air as he stutters over his explanation. All according to plan so far. “A-ah, no, t-this disciple would not presume to insult Qiren-laoshi’s authority and tell him what to do!” But Lan Qiren gestures for him to continue, apparently intrigued enough to listen to his opinion, and Nie Huaisang nearly pumps his fist in victory. “Just… somebody who is upstanding, will keep Wei-xiong in line, and will not tolerate his whining… somebody like Wangji-xiong…”
Did he take the bait? I worked way too hard to make this whole conversation seem realistic, please tell me he took the bait!
“I see.” Lan Qiren says again. “That is a good suggestion, Nie Huaisang. You are to tell Wei Wuxian that he is to copy both Virtue and Conduct 3 times in the Library Pavilion while Wangji supervises him, starting tomorrow after classes.”“E-eh?” That was faster than I expected, but it’s all for the best. He doesn’t look forward to dropping the news to Wei Wuxian, but one day in the future when he and Lan Wangji are happily married with three kids, he’ll thank Nie Huaisang. He better thank Nie Huaisang.“Your brother will be proud of you. Now return to your studies.”“He will?” Nie Huaisang can’t stop the grin that breaks out across his face, and only regains his control when Lan Qiren levels a glare at him and he remembers that excessive happiness is prohibited in the Cloud Recesses. “Thank you, esteemed teacher! This disciple will take his humble leave now.”Lan Qiren makes a shooing motion with his hands and picks up his brush. “Yes, alright, now go.”If Nie Huaisang takes a fifteen-minute break to sit in the corridor and process the fact that his brother actually praised him, well - nobody needs to know.Maybe now my brother will be a little less disappointed in me, he thinks.But he wants to make his brother proud of the person he is, instead of the person Lan Qiren thinks he is. Not like that’s ever going to happen, though, so he might as well take what he can get.For now, he should organize his writing scrolls to prepare for publication. The rest day is tomorrow, and while he doesn’t want to miss spying on Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji, he needs to get his novel published.~Nie Huaisang has a plan, and it involves a lot of running away. Mainly from Wei Wuxian, but also from Lan Wangji in case the Second Jade finally decides to strangle Nie Huaisang.First, he’ll fade into the background while Wei Wuxian talks with the other disciples after class, and when either Wei Wuxian or Lan Wangji try to leave, he’ll stop them.“Ah, Wei-xiong, I need to talk to you…”Wei Wuxian pauses and looks up at Nie Huaisang. “What is it, do you need more love advice? I’m honestly starting to suspect you are in love, nobody comes to the love master Wei Wuxian unless they’re in love -”Jiang Wanyin throws a ball of paper at Wei Wuxian, which hits him in the back of his head. “Dream on!”“No, it…” Nie Huaisang fiddles with the edges of his sleeves and looks everywhere but Wei Wuxian, so that if Wei Wuxian does decide to attempt to harm him, he’ll have a guilty conscience. “Qiren-laoshi says that you need to copy Virtue and Conduct three times starting today, because he… overheard you asking me to copy rules.”“Ehhh?” Wei Wuxian whines. “That’s no fun, today’s supposed to be a rest day! Can’t I do it tomorrow instead? Please, let me do it tomorrow!”Lan Wangji shoots a cold look at him. “Do not disobey Uncle.”“What? As long as I copy the rules, it should be fine, right?”“Wei-xiong, he also said that somebody will supervise you during your rule-copying, and you have to do it in the Library Pavilion.”“So the old man is just trying to make me die, I see how it is! This is unfairness, all I did was try to bring a little freedom to this stuffy place!” Wei Wuxian moans dramatically and flops backwards, while the other disciples murmur about who it is. “Well, spit it out, Huaisang-xiong, who is it?”“It’s Wangji-xiong.”Lan Wangji drops the book he’s holding and whirls to face them with a grimace. “No.” He says.Wei Wuxian cracks up. “Pfft, Lan Zhan, weren’t you the one who just said ‘do not disobey Uncle’? You can’t say no, otherwise you’d be a hypocrite, and I bet being a hypocrite is on your Wall of Rules somewhere, I wouldn’t put it past the Lans!”“Ridiculous!” Lan Wangji snaps. He looks terrified at the idea of having to spend time alone with his crush, and Nie Huaisang smirks. Maybe this will be the catalyst to get him to accept his feelings and stop letting the strict GusuLan rules dictate his emotions, it really isn’t healthy for a boy his age to have all these feelings pent up inside and not even be able to accept them as part of who he is.But after all, this is Lan Wangji’s first love, it’s easy enough for Nie Huaisang to infer that much, from his adorable panics whenever Wei Wuxian touches him to his (admittedly hilarious) constant denial of his feelings. If he gets past that emotional barrier and accepts that he’s most definitely in love with Wei Wuxian, then he can start to court Wei Wuxian properly, which would create lots of great scenarios that Nie Huaisang could use in his novels.So it all works out perfectly in the end, and he doesn’t feel the slightest bit of guilt for sentencing Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji to weeks of copying in the Library Pavilion. Sure, he sold Wei Wuxian out, but it was to create an opportunity to let him bond with his future husband. An easy choice, really.“Well, I must be going now, good luck, Wei-xiong and Wangji-xiong!” Nie Huaisang sweeps out of the room before Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji can hunt him down and kill him.(He’s sure that working together to take down a common enemy would also encourage bonding between Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji, but he would rather keep his body from physical harm, please and thank you.)Once he’s a safe distance from the classroom and he’s flashed his jade token to the guard at the front gate, who lets him leave the Cloud Recesses and walk down the path to Caiyi Town, he breathes a sigh of relief and takes his scrolls out of his sleeves. Nie Huaisang is fairly sure his novel will be a success - Gusu has a distinct lack of romance stories, after all, so when somebody is the first to fill that void, he’ll inevitably become popular - but he must take care that he isn’t recognized.The printer is on the outskirts of Caiyi Town, and Nie Huaisang takes a moment to take off his disciple robes and don simpler ones. With these plain robes, his messy updo, and a calculated nervous smile, he looks like the perfect picture of a young scholar.“Ah, hello?” He says, peeking around the door to the printer.“Come in, come in!” Says the girl sitting at one of the desks. She smiles at Nie Huaisang and puts down her brush. “My name is Ning Yingying, how can we help you?”“I would like to publish my book…”“Of course! Do you have the draft with you? What’s your name?” Ning Yingying clears the papers on the desk to make room for Nie Huaisang’s scrolls. On the other side of the room, a young man stands up from his desk and stalks over to where they’re standing.“You look familiar.” He says, without any preamble.Nie Huaisang can’t really do anything except smile and say, “is that so?”
So this is how I meet my end… farewell, world, you’ve served me well. I’ll surely be killed by dage after this.
“I’m Ming Fan. Perhaps I have seen you around town.” The boy’s tone is haughty, and Nie Huaisang bites his lip to stop himself from retorting with an insult. Just because I look like a broke scholar it doesn’t mean you can speak to a customer that way.“Ah, I am Nie… Hongfeng.”“Hm. Can’t say I’ve heard of you.” Ming Fan walks back to his desk without another word, and Nie Huaisang laughs it off like any broke scholar would.
That’s just because Nie Hongfeng doesn’t exist! If only you knew I outrank you by at least 6 levels.
“Ah, please don’t mind Ming Fan, he’s a little touchy.” Ignoring Ming Fan’s outraged ‘hey!’, Ning Yingying skims the scrolls and frowns. “Well, this is within our publication limits, so we can definitely publish it, but are you sure? These kind of romantic stories haven’t been very popular.”“Yes, please do so. This author is sure that it will succeed.”Heavens, I can’t wait until I’m back at the Cloud Recesses and I don’t have to use formal language everywhere I go. What a trouble. Maybe when he’s rich, he can start a self-publication business so he won’t have to go through these hurdles.“Well, the price is the same whether it’s a success or not - I trust that you already know how long it’ll take to print and distribute your novel, and the overall price for - how many copies do you want produced?”“Um -” Nie Huaisang had never given that any thought. At first, he’d only wanted to produce enough so that the disciples in the Cloud Recesses could read them, but after spending two weeks on this labor of love, his pride will be damaged if nobody else reads them.“There’s a chart on the wall if you need reference.” Ning Yingying jabs her thumb at the scroll on the wall. Nie Huaisang reviews it and decides that no, he doesn’t need the 200-bronze-coins-per-month option that will publish 100 copies of his novel, and his brother would kill him for that alone. He needs the option that looks the least suspicious, which would be…“Then, the 70 bronze coins per month will be fine, please. And this author can pay right now.” The ink and paper that he needs to buy cost 20 coins, but he can make them look fancy and worth 90 coins, so that his purchase won’t arouse suspicion.
The lengths I go through for this… Everyone reading my novel better appreciate it!
Ming Fan looks surprised at the fact that a lowly poor scholar like him has enough money to pay up front, and Nie Huaisang purposely lets the coins in his money pouch jingle as he digs out the payment. “Would it be too much trouble to humbly ask for three copies of the novel to be set aside for this author to keep?”Ning Yingying takes the money with a poorly-concealed grin. “Oh, that’s fine! Come back in another two weeks, we’ll have the first copies ready by then.”Nie Huaisang bows gratefully and backs out of the shop. Oh, he can’t wait to see his writing immortalized in beautiful scrolls, complete with his pictures and the elegant calligraphy that’s used for novels, it’ll be wonderful, and the name Nie Hongfeng will become known throughout the lands of Gusu. His plans so far have gone off without a hitch, and nobody has found him out yet - he must surely be blessed by the patron god of writing and inspiration!He’s so preoccupied with his increasingly spectacular thoughts of literary glory and how stunning seeing his own writing in print will be that he doesn’t notice the figure waiting right outside the door, and walks right into the figure’s purple-robed chest.“Ah!” He exclaims, automatically dropping his head into a bow. “This person sincerely apologizes -”
Wait. Purple robes?
Nie Huaisang blinks as the figure’s arms come up to grab his shoulders and effectively stop any half-formed plans he has about running away. The handsome, scowling face of Jiang Wanyin comes into view, and the first thing Nie Huaisang’s shocked mind notes is a surprisingly useless, oh, he’s in plain robes too, he looks really good in them.The second is, wait, fuck, Jiang Wanyin?Nie Huaisang pastes on the best who-are-you? smile he has and tilts his head innocently. “I’m very sorry, Young Master, this person was not looking where he was going -”Jiang Wanyin’s fingers tightening their grasp on his shoulders stops him. He’s glaring at Nie Huaisang, the type of truly-angry glare that he’s only seen once or twice from Jiang Wanyin. That, combined with the way his simple robes and sharp bun make his jawline stand out and the way his fingers dig into his shoulders, is weirdly hot, but this really isn’t the time to be admiring Jiang Wanyin.“Don’t even try to pretend you don’t know me, Nie Huaisang.”“Ahaha, this person isn’t sure what the Young Master is talking about…”Jiang Wanyin snorts. “Yeah, right! Tell me, Nie Huaisang, you’ve been acting rather suspicious for the past few weeks. Spying on Wei Wuxian, asking him odd questions, and now publishing a romance novel - just what is going on with you, Nie Huaisang?”
Well, shit.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
This sucks.Nie Huaisang can’t believe he’s been so careless. How could he not have noticed Jiang Wanyin becoming suspicious of him? He’s always been looking at Jiang Wanyin since the day they met, so how could he have missed this?
Oh, right, I was spying on the useless floundering idiots.
So you’re telling him that he could have avoided all this if he had just indulged himself a little more and watched Jiang Wanyin out of the corner of his eye instead of spying on Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji?(Given the choice, Nie Huaisang thinks that he’d still do things the same way. Jiang Wanyin’s fingers are warm and rough from holding swords and brushes and Nie Huaisang really, really likes them. He thinks they’d look even better tangled in his hair.)“I can explain!”Jiang Wanyin narrows his eyes. “You better be able to.”“First, can you let me go? I’ll be able to explain better if you aren’t holding me -”“No. You’ll run away.” Jiang Wanyin draws Nie Huaisang closer to him, peering at his face like it holds the mysteries of the world. Nie Huaisang’s cheeks flame red. He wonders if he can blame that on the weather, which is cloudy and overcast.Oh heavens, I’m done for. How much longer can he take of Jiang Wanyin holding him? Is he going to make it out of this alive?Probably not. He’ll die of being too close to Jiang Wanyin or of Jiang Wanyin murdering him once he hears the reason behind Nie Huaisang writing a romantic novel. Maybe both.At least it will be a merciful death, he’d much rather die seeing Jiang Wanyin’s beautiful face instead of being strangled by a chillingly stoic Lan Wangji.“Fine! Fine! I’ll explain, I’ll explain, just let me - gather my thoughts…”Okay, Huaisang. You can’t lie, because Jiang Wanyin is already onto you, and also he’d hate you if you lied more. You can’t flirt with Jiang Wanyin, no matter how close he is or how good his hands feel. This is going to be hard.“Um, so, as you can see, I have been writing. A novel. A romantic novel. Which is not in any shape or form possibly related to Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji and their relationship. Even if it was - which is isn’t - any coincidences to real people and events are purely coincidences and nothing more! I claim no responsibility for anything!”
A good lie, if I do say so myself.
Jiang Wanyin looks like he’s resisting the urge to smack his palm against his forehead. Their faces are close enough that if he did, Nie Huaisang could lean up and kiss it better. Now there’s a mental image that almost makes him forget about the predicament he’s in. Almost.“First, what the fuck? Second, what the actual fuck? Third, anybody with ears knows that the novel’s related to Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji! Now spill!” Jiang Wanyin snaps.Nie Huaisang tilts his head. “Ah, Wanyin-xiong, wait a minute. Why don’t we walk back to the Cloud Recesses while I explain myself? It’s more pleasant that way, no?”And then I won’t spontaneously combust from you touching me, goes unsaid.“Fine.” Jiang Wanyin spits out. He doesn’t look at all happy about this turn of events, but that’s probably because there’s more chances for Nie Huaisang to run away. As if he would run away, though, he’s already been caught red-handed - perhaps three minutes earlier he would have run away, but now that Jiang Wanyin is intent on making him reveal all his secrets, he has no other options.(This way, he can also be with Jiang Wanyin a little longer, watch the prickly boy out of the corner of his eye, but that isn’t his reason for agreeing so easily to spill his secrets, not at all.)“I’m not letting go of your shoulder.” Jiang Wanyin says, when they walk back onto the main road and Nie Huaisang looks up at Jiang Wanyin. “You’re going to run away.”Nie Huaisang clicks his tongue. This is very embarrassing. Jiang Wanyin’s arm is now around his shoulder and pulling him close, so that Nie Huaisang is pressed up along Jiang Wanyin’s side. Their height difference makes it so that Nie Huaisang’s head bumps against Jiang Wanyin’s chin every few steps, and if Nie Huaisang didn’t feel so safe and comforted in this mock embrace, he’d worry more about them looking like a young couple.
Please, Wanyin-xiong, have mercy on me!
“I’m not going to run away!” He protests. “I thought you wanted to hear my explanation, anyways.”“I do. I just thought that at this point you’d, I don’t know, hit me on the head with your fan and try to get lost in the crowd?”“Huh? My fans are too expensive to be used to hit people like that. Besides, I’ve been caught by you already, there’s no use in trying to run away.”“Hmph. I suppose you’re right.” Jiang Wanyin scowls at a vendor who’s trying to sell low-grade dyed silks to any unsuspecting customer who comes along and turns that (admittedly very attractive) scowl on Nie Huaisang when he doesn’t talk. “What’re you smiling at me for? Explain already!”
Well, Wanyin-xiong isn’t being as prickly as I thought he’d be. This is a good chance to recruit him to my writing team! And then I could spend more time with him, and we could both fall far in love in the Library Pavilion and he could kiss me by the spring outside the dorms…
“Ah, so, you know, there’s a surprising lack of romance novels in the Library Pavilion, and that’s no good, whatever shall happen to the young boys who want to know more about their budding feelings of love? So, this disciple took it upon himself to write those romance novels!” At Jiang Wanyin’s suspicious nod, he continues. “And have you seen how Wei-xiong keeps bothering Wangji-xiong? Wei-xiong talks about Wangji-xiong all the time!”“Huh? What does my idiot brother have to do with any of that? I told him to stop bothering Lan Wangji all the time, and what does he do? Goes and fucking drapes himself all over Lan Wangji!” Nie Huaisang stiffens at the murderous look on Jiang Wanyin’s face.“W-well, here’s the thing. Wangji-xiong could just push Wei-xiong away at any time. But he doesn’t!” Nie Huaisang finds that his argument sounds weak when said out loud, especially in the face of Jiang Wanyin’s irritation, but Jiang Wanyin doesn’t look like he’s ready to kill Nie Huaisang (yet), so everything is going great. “And Wei-xiong teases Wangji-xiong just like he teases the pretty girls in Caiyi Town!”“And? What’s that got to do with your sudden interest in being a novelist? I mean, it’s fine that you found something you like to do, but why are you following my brother and Lan Wangji around in the process?”Nie Huaisang doesn’t even have it in him to be surprised at how approving Jiang Wanyin is of his side hobby. Most people nicer than Jiang Wanyin would have made fun of him, the second young master of the QingheNie sect, known for brute power and strength, being a literary scholar. But here Jiang Wanyin is, accepting his literary aspirations without a second thought and giving him a smile, of all things.A smile. As he doesn’t question Nie Huaisang’s love for writing. A honest-to-goodness smile, that softens the lines of Jiang Wanyin’s jaw and makes his bangs flutter around his face as he grins at Nie Huaisang and oh gods I’m staring aren’t I -Nie Huaisang tears his eyes away from Jiang Wanyin’s beautiful smile (a shame, really, Nie Huaisang wants to paint it and frame it and never stop looking at it). “Um, so… I kind of, maybe, based… the protagonists… off Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji and ohheavensabovepleasedon’thateme!!”“You based the protagonists of your romance novel off of Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji.” Jiang Wanyin says.Nie Huaisang nods.“You. Based the protagonists. Off of them.”“Y-yes?”Jiang Wanyin pinches his brows with his free hand. “Okay. Okay. I see how it is. Give me - give me one minute.”He does. Is it a good sign that Jiang Wanyin hasn’t exploded on him yet? They’re walking in the middle of a busy road and donkey-pulled carts are trundling around them, is it because there are too many people around? Is Jiang Wanyin simply biding his time so he can drag Nie Huaisang to a secluded place and murder him for defiling the name of his brother?Finally, Jiang Wanyin loosens his grip on Nie Huaisang’s shoulder and tugs him around the corner, into a one-way dead end. He places one hand beside Nie Huaisang’s head, effectively trapping him with his body. In any other situation, Nie Huaisang would be separating their faces with his fan so that Jiang Wanyin can’t see his blush, but right now he’s more scared than flustered, and he doesn’t have his fan.“I have questions. You’re going to answer them.” Jiang Wanyin says. He’s looming over Nie Huaisang and all Nie Huaisang can focus on is the shape of his lips in the shadows of the alley and how close Jiang Wanyin is. Please, stop already! Have mercy!“Ahaha, Wanyin-xiong, I couldn’t run away even if I wanted to! I’ll answer all your questions.”“Good. So. You’re saying that Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji are the inspirations for your romance novel.”“Yes.”“By which you mean, you see their interactions in a… romantic light.” Jiang Wanyin grimaces.“Yes.”“I see.”Jiang Wanyin doesn’t say anything more, and Nie Huaisang wonders if he’s just too shocked with this new information. “Um, Wanyin-xiong?”“Wait. Shit. Shit, no, no way, what the fuck. Nie Huaisang!” He roars. “What have you done to me?!”“Um.” Did I make you fall in love with me? Is that it?Yeah, no, that’s probably not it.“Why can I see Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji being - being together in that way?! Lan Wangji hates him!! Wei Wuxian probably hates him back!! This is not supposed to happen!” Jiang Wanyin staggers back and slumps onto the wall. Nie Huaisang blinks.
What?
“Fuck. You’re right. You’re so right, heavens above, Wei Wuxian never talks about anything but Lan Wangji and Lan Wangji could just run away now I can’t unsee it, Nie Huaisang, this is all your fault and I hate you -”Jiang Wanyin cuts himself off with a palm on his face and a distressed groan, but Nie Huaisang can’t focus on anything but I hate you, I hate you, I hate you.“Ahaha, so that’s how it is… you hate me, then?”“No - no, I just - Wei Wuxian’s my brother, it’s so weird, and now I can’t get the thought of the two of them together out of my head! Ugh. This is too much to process, I need to get back to the Cloud Recesses and stab something - let’s just go.” Jiang Wanyin growls. He leaves no room for argument.Not that Nie Huaisang would argue. Jiang Wanyin’s low, commanding voice starts a slow-burning fire in him, one that heats his cheeks as Jiang Wanyin gestures for him to walk by his side and doesn’t complain as Nie Huaisang’s fingers not-so-accidentally brush against his.
Ahhh, Huaisang, stop blushing like a virginal maiden and get Wanyin-xiong on board already!
“Wanyin-xiong, do you have any other…” He starts, then stumbles when he nearly walks right into the path of a horse-drawn carriage. Jiang Wanyin’s hands find their way onto his shoulders again and stabilize him before he falls.“Be more careful! Did all your gracefulness somehow disappear when you published a book?” Jiang Wanyin snaps.“Ah, right. Anyways, as I was saying, do you have any other questions?”“Of course I do! Are you trying to get Wei Wuxian to realize he’s… in love with Lan Wangji? Are you writing only one novel?”Nie Huaisang ducks under the low-hanging branches of a flowering tree and looks back at Jiang Wanyin. “Ah, I’m writing more, there really is a short supply of romantic novels in the Cloud Recesses, and yes, I am trying to get them together, that way I’ll have more material to use and draw in my scenes.“I see.”“Um, do you… approve of this? Me trying to get Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji together so I can write about them?”Jiang Wanyin makes a noncommittal noise. “I suppose Mother would approve of it, since it links us with the GusuLan sect, and - you didn’t use their real names in the story, did you?”“Huh? Of course not! I’m not an idiot.”“Could have fooled me.”“Hey!”Jiang Wanyin chuckles when Nie Huaisang feigns offense at his words, and he can’t even pretend to be annoyed anymore because that crooked smirk, and the curve of his blue eyes, and how nice his laugh is, even if it’s at Nie Huaisang’s expense - it’s enough to make Nie Huaisang’ heart stutter once, twice, and leap between his ribs.
No! Even if Jiang Wanyin is unfairly handsome and his smile just makes you want to kiss him over and over again and - no, even if he is unfairly handsome, which he is, you can’t just bend over backwards for him like this!
“Anyways, if you approve, then I’m happy. I can write more without worrying about whether you’d catch me! Ah, but drawing them is another issue, I really could use some help…”“I can draw for you.” Jiang Wanyin blurts out, and he has the nerve to look surprised at his own words.“What?” Nie Huaisang says. “Perhaps I misheard you, Wanyin-xiong, did you say -”“I can draw for you.” He says, softer this time. “And I don’t fucking know why I’m offering but I don’t go back on my word. So. Yeah.”“Y-you draw? I mean, okay, cool, but you’d do that for me?” Nie Huaisang loops a strand of hair around his finger and looks anywhere but Jiang Wanyin’s face. He doesn’t think he’d have the self-control to stop himself from kissing Jiang Wanyin senseless if he did.Jiang Wanyin crosses his arms. “Not for you! It’s not a big deal, anyways, I have just have nothing better to do!”Well, that’s fine. Nie Huaisang can take being relegated to nothing-better-to-do status, as long as he gets to spend time with Jiang Wanyin, everything’s okay.A second later, he thinks, wow, you really are pathetic, Huaisang.They veer off the main road and walk up the steps leading to the entrance of the Cloud Recesses. Nie Huaisang doesn’t say anything, mostly because he doesn’t trust himself not to devolve into a stuttering mess, while Jiang Wanyin seems to be stewing in his irritation.
Well, if drawing for my stories is such a pain, then maybe you shouldn’t have offered in the first place.
Nie Huaisang would much rather let Jiang Wanyin pout about having to draw, but evidently his mouth decides to run itself off. “Oh, Wanyin-xiong, you said I was acting suspiciously? Does that mean you’ve been watching me?”Jiang Wanyin trips over a nonexistent tree root and turns the full force of his glare on Nie Huaisang. “I have not! I, I just noticed something different! That’s all!”“But doesn’t that mean you were looking at me, then, to notice when I’m not acting the same?”“I have no idea what you’re talking about!” Jiang Wanyin snaps. His cheeks are flushed from the exertion of climbing the stairs to the gate, except even Nie Huaisang doesn’t get exhausted from climbing the steps, which means he’s… blushing?Jiang Wanyin is blushing. Oh, this is too good. Can his day get any better? Nie Huaisang doesn’t think so - he’s already seen a scowling Jiang Wanyin, been pinned to a wall by him, seen his smile and heard him laugh, and now seen him blushing as well.This is just too much for Nie Huaisang. He can barely hold his giggles back, clapping one hand over his mouth to try and muffle his laughter.“Wan - Wanyin-xiong,” he gasps in between his laughs, “you should be more honest! But you’re cute when you blush, so I’ll let it go.”
Really, Huaisang? Really? You sound like the protagonist of a D-grade erotic scroll!
But Jiang Wanyin doesn’t comment on that. He looks away from Nie Huaisang, still blushing, and his laughter halts when Jiang Wanyin bumps his shoulder against Nie Huaisang’s.“...Jiang Cheng.” He mumbles.Nie Huaisang frowns. “Ah? What?”“I said, call me Jiang Cheng! Don’t make me say it again!”“Oh!” It’s really very warm today, he wonders if the clouds that had been dogging the skies lately cleared up. Nie Huaisang’s heart is fluttering in his chest, doing backflips, and he curses the effect Jiang Wanyin has on him. “W-why?”“Well, we’re… partners now.” Jiang Wanyin’s - Jiang Cheng’s - frown has softened now, turning into something more embarrassed than angry. “We don’t need to be that formal.”“Alright! I don’t really like my personal name, so please just call me Huaisang.”“Huaisang it is, then.” Jiang Cheng’s smile is back and gentler than ever. It’s slightly lopsided, just a little crooked, and it’s all the more charming for it.Nie Huaisang can’t help but grin back at him.“If we’re partners, does that mean you’ll help me with getting Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji together?”“Huh? Don’t test your luck!” Jiang Cheng flashes his jade token at the guard, who bows and lets them through.“I’m not! It’s a reasonable conclusion.”He scoffs. “Reasonable conclusion my ass.”“Cursing is forbidden in the Cloud Recesses.” Nie Huaisang points out.“I’m pretty sure writing romantic novels and lying to Qiren-laoshi about why you need to go to Caiyi Town is also forbidden.”Nie Huaisang raises an eyebrow. “How do you even know that? Were you eavesdropping on me? How did you even get permission to go to Caiyi Town in the first place?”“I’ll have you know I had a valid reason to go to Caiyi Town! I just happened to overhear your conversation.”“Oh?” Nie Huaisang grins at Jiang Cheng. “Say, what was your valid reason?”They stop at the fork in the road, one path leading to the Library Pavilion, one leading to the student dorms. Jiang Cheng is quiet as he stares at Nie Huaisang, which tells him more than enough.“Jiang Cheng?”“Nothing! I don’t need to tell you, anyways. Go spy on Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji in the Library Pavilion and stop following me around, I can’t concentrate on drawing and studying if you’re hovering behind me!” Jiang Cheng huffs and glares at Nie Huaisang, but Nie Huaisang is floating too far off the ground to be affected by Jiang Cheng’s bristling demeanor.Jiang Cheng accepts him. Jiang Cheng is willing to work with him, Jiang Cheng smiled at him and blushed - Nie Huaisang will never, ever get over that.(He wonders what Jiang Cheng would look like with his lips reddened and his severe bun disturbed by Nie Huaisang’s hands, after Nie Huaisang kisses him until they’re both breathless and panting. That’s probably not a good thing to think about when the object of his daydreams is standing right in front of him.)“Ah, Jiang Cheng, you really are too cute.” Nie Huaisang sighs without thinking.
Can I lose the ability to speak forever now, please? I would like that to happen very much.
“What did you call me?” Jiang Cheng growls. “You -”“Okay thank you for walking me back and goodbye!” Nie Huaisang bows to Jiang Cheng and nearly trips over his feet making his strategic retreat before Jiang Cheng can commit murder.He can feel Jiang Cheng’s eyes on his back as he hurries towards the Library Pavilion. The sun is scraping the tops of the mountains, casting long, pointed shadows on the ground. Jiang Cheng’s laugh from earlier echoes in his ears.All in all, Nie Huaisang thinks it’s a good day.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Nie Huaisang pauses outside the section of the Library Pavilion where Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji should be working and listens carefully before he steps in, just for his caution. One never knows what he will see, after all.But it’s quiet, he can’t even hear the sound of brushes on parchment, and Nie Huaisang takes a moment to commend Lan Wangji’s self-control. A man that can take an entire day of Wei Wuxian’s flirting and not pin him down and kiss the teasing smile off his face is a man that Nie Huaisang must respect.
Or maybe Wangji-xiong just used the silencing spell.
...Yeah, probably. What a disappointment! How boring!! Wangji-xiong, I’m impressed by your restraint, but don’t you want excitement? Don’t you want your first sweet taste of youth?
Too bad he hadn’t been around to spy on them - in the end, he hadn’t even bought his ink and paper, which means he’ll have to borrow some from Jiang Cheng, and he could always have published his novel next month. It might have been more productive to simply hang around the Library Pavilion all day and take notes on how the two of them did their awkward flirting.He’s running low on inspiration, anyways, for the main characters of his next novel. Perhaps he’ll switch the roles and make Lan Wangji the heroine this time. Everybody loves the occasional cold girl who’ll deny any affection towards you, yet treat you kindly, and the poor protagonist who’s only trying to get her to look at him. Even Nie Huaisang indulges in the occasional trashy novel with these relationship dynamics.There still stands the problem of Jiang Cheng. Nie Huaisang had been pleasantly surprised when Jiang Cheng had agreed to collaborate with him, but does he actually approve of Nie Huaisang so liberally using his brother’s romantic misadventures for his books? Which will be read by at least half of the inhabitants of Caiyi Town?He agreed to do the art for it, so the answer is probably yes. Jiang Cheng agreed to do the art for him. Jiang Cheng is not somebody who agrees to draw for anybody just like that.Nie Huaisang slaps his cheeks before his thoughts start deviating into less-than-savory territories and bites his lip.He’s nobody special to Jiang Cheng.Then again… he did tell Nie Huaisang to call him ‘Jiang Cheng’, didn’t he? Looked him right in the eye afterwards and smiled, and the nerve of that, how dare Jiang Cheng’s smile look so open, so soft, so much like the slow-burning first spark of dawn breaking over the mountains of Qinghe? It’s simply unfair!‘Call me Jiang Cheng’, he’d said, and Nie Huaisang had agreed like the complete and utter fool he is because he’d jump at any chance to get closer to Jiang Cheng, and now - now what?Does he just go around calling Jiang Cheng, well, ‘Jiang Cheng’? In front of Wei Wuxian, and Jin Zixuan, and Lan Wangji? He has a sense of shame, unlike a certain somebody he knows!Though, the idea does appeal to him, he isn’t going to lie (it’s forbidden in the Cloud Recesses anyways, not that he cares about the rules). Imagining the look on Wei Wuxian’s face when he calls his brother ‘Jiang Cheng’ in front of their entire class… ah, that’s perfection for Nie Huaisang. And then Wei Wuxian would do something to get back at him, like tease him about how close he’s gotten with Jiang Cheng -Are they close?He hopes they’re close. Really, really hopes. They’re close, right? He’s using Jiang Cheng’s birth name, palaces of heaven above, this must mean they’re close.And he’s back at the entire ‘call me Jiang Cheng’ debacle. Nie Huaisang slides down the outer wall of the Library Pavilion and buries his burning face into his knees for a minute just to calm his racing heart.
What! The! Fuck! Jiang Cheng, how dare you render me speechless!
Alright. This is fine. Nie Huaisang is fine. He has a job to do and people to spy on, he can have a proper freak-out about Jiang Cheng just telling him to use his personal name (no big deal!! It’s no big deal!! It’s only his personal name, the heir to the Yunmeng Jiang sect’s personal name!!) later. When he’s alone, in his room, and nobody is around to see him flustered worse than his heroine in his novel.“Calm down, Huaisang! Don’t make a bigger deal out of this, be reasonable, this is probably for Jiang Cheng’s convenience anyways!"When he’s thoroughly convinced himself that this does not matter any more than Jiang Cheng makes it appear, he creeps around to the front of the Library Pavilion and tiptoes inside.It’s just as still as he remembers it, with the sunset’s fiery colors trickling over neat scrolls tucked into mahogany scrollshelves and the smell of ink and bamboo paper hanging low in the air. On one of the low tables sits a translucent glass vase of blue flowers - irises, perhaps? Nie Huaisang pads through the rolls of scrolls and papers, trailing his fingers along the delicate engravings of the wood. The soft mats swallow his footsteps as he goes along.At the very back of the Library Pavilion, surrounded by the glimmering sunlight, Lan Wangji sits. His hand darts over the paper, dipping once or twice into the inkpot every so often. From where Nie Huaisang stands, he looks almost like a god - of luck, or of connections and of warmth, with his robes, soft pink in the light, and his hair, as glossy and threaded golden as a luan’s feathers.By his side, Wei Wuxian is lying slumped over the table. The strands of his high ponytail fan out in a crescent, spilling over the curve of his arm, and his skin glows bronze as the sunbeams hit it. He’s asleep, Nie Huaisang realizes, and his hand is still holding a brush that drips ink onto the scroll.
Leave it to Wei-xiong to fall asleep when he should be flirting with Wangji-xiong… Tch. Any minute now, Wangji-xiong’s gonna wake you up, and you two will fight in that weird, mating-dance like way…
But Lan Wangji does not reach over to Wei Wuxian and shake him awake to finish his copying of rules, as any good little Lan disciple would have done.No, he raises a hand and ever-so-gently, he tucks a strand of hair that had fallen into Wei Wuxian’s eyes behind his ear. The last rays of the sun setting behind the mountains illuminates Lan Wangji’s face, and Nie Huaisang nearly falls out of his hiding place at how vulnerable the Second Young Master looks right now.There is a soft curve to his lips that was not there a second ago, and a flame in his eyes that melts the crystalline gold to a liquid rose.Lan Wangji’s hand hovers over Wei Wuxian’s face for another moment, before his fingers stroke his cheek lightly. They’re barely touching the skin, only a few seconds of contact, and yet Nie Huaisang gets the strong feeling that he really shouldn’t be watching this scene.He is an intruder upon the peaceful garden that is Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian’s safe haven here, isn’t he? Oh, gods, I am, I am, I hate that! When Lan Wangji puts the brush in his other hand down and leans over, he whispers a quiet and reverent “Wei Ying”, and Nie Huaisang just about expires on the spot.So this is what the famously blank-faced and indifferent Second Young Master Lan does in private? Act like a hopelessly infatuated lover who can’t do anything but stare at the face of their beloved and yearn to touch them? It would be funnier to Nie Huaisang if it wasn’t the Lan Wangji doing it.Nie Huaisang needs to write this scene into his next novel, somehow, some way. This is too good to pass up on.
I wish Jiang Cheng would do that to me…
Ah, there is a simple solution to that, isn’t there? Jiang Cheng’s his art partner now. That means Nie Huaisang can commission him to draw any scene he likes, including the romantic ones - especially the romantic ones. And that means he can continuously hint that he really, really likes these romantic scenes, and wouldn’t it be lovely if somebody treated him this way?Hm. It’s the perfect plan! When have his plans ever not worked out before, anyways?He can think of a few notable occasions. But when have those mistakes ever led to anything bad?Nie Huaisang is resolutely using the memory of Jiang Cheng smiling at him to sweep dust over his mistake-riddled past.It’s fine. Everything will be fine! Nie Huaisang just has to believe in himself - which is easier said than done, of course, but he has full confidence that one of these days he will actually have faith in himself.“You can do this, Huaisang!” He whispers to himself. As he backs behind the scrollshelf again, running away from the heavy atmosphere that surrounds Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian, his shoes tangle in the bottom of his robes. He flails for a good three seconds, trying to stay upright, before toppling to the floor with a clatter of bones and limbs banging into wood shelves.
No, you can’t do this, Huaisang. Wow, so graceful, Huaisang. Good job, Huaisang.
Across the aisle, Lan Wangji has risen half out of his seat, and with his movement, his hand gets tangled in Wei Wuxian’s hair.Nie Huaisang can’t help it. He snorts at the sight - succinct and stony Lan Wangji looking like he’s seen an indecently-dressed ghost on a nighthunt, his hand still in his secret crush’s hair. After all, he may never get the chance to see this ever again in his lifetime! Which, by the looks of it, is growing shorter by the minute, the more Lan Wangji glares at him.“Ehehehe, Wangji-xiong, what a coincidence, meeting you here... So how’s it going with Wei-xiong? He’s asleep, isn’t he, aren’t you going to wake him up, ah?”At Nie Huaisang’s prompting, Lan Wangji looks towards Wei Wuxian’s sleeping figure. Then down at his hand. And back up at Nie Huaisang.He knows the exact moment it dawns on Lan Wangji that he - the honorable Second Jade of Gusu Lan, known for being distant and rule-honoring - was caught touching the troublesome Yunmeng Jiang guest disciple while he was asleep. It’s when Lan Wangji snatches his hand away from Wei Wuxian’s body like it’s a coal furnace and huddles it close to his chest instead.As if pretending his hand had never been in Wei Wuxian’s hair would erase that memory from Nie Huaisang’s head.Lan Wangji regards Nie Huaisang with tense wariness. “This area is specifically for punishment,” he says at last, “leave.”"As you wish, Wangji-xiong… Please take care of Wei-xiong!” Nie Huaisang flees, but not before he can hear Lan Wangji’s choked exhale at his departing words.Oh, he really hopes he isn’t going to be punished for this. Technically speaking, he didn’t break any rules, and if Lan Wangji tries to prosecute him on grounds of rule numbers 507 - ‘eavesdropping on others purposefully is forbidden’ and 30 - ‘making light of others with your words is forbidden’ - he can always say that he was browsing for a scroll. He just happened to stumble across Lan Wangji stroking Wei Wuxian’s cheek!As one does! It’s a perfectly normal occasion, you know.And if he starts planning his entire second novel around this scene, because there is a lot of good material to work with here? Lan Wangji will never know, because he definitely isn’t the type to read romantic novels, and Wei Wuxian will never know, because he definitely wasn’t awake.Jiang Cheng will have to draw this, of course, which means he will know exactly what happened to inspire this scene, which means Nie Huiasang will probably have to convince Jiang Cheng not to track down and murder Lan Wangji for touching his brother.Oh, the things he has to go through to make a living as the poor, innocent author that he is. What a trouble. What a terrible, vexing trouble this is.As Nie Huaisang scampers down the stairs of the Library Pavilion, looking back ever so often to check if Lan Wangji has decided to come for his life after all, he can’t help but giggle to himself at the thought of being able to talk to Jiang Cheng more.~“Jiang Cheng!! Jiang-xiong!!”No response. Nie Huaisang knocks on the door to the room that Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian share again.“Jiang Cheng? Hellooooo, anybody there?”Still no response. He wonders if Jiang Cheng is studying elsewhere, or at the training grounds right now. Perhaps Jiang Cheng is simply ignoring him?“Jiang Cheng, I’m coming in if you don’t answer the door right now! Three, two, one… guess I’ll let myself in. Sorry!” He says, not feeling sorry at all. It’s not like Jiang Cheng has anything to hide, they’re partners after all. Partners!! Nie Huaisang’s fingers clench on the dip in the door as he slides it open. It’s been nearly a full day since Jiang Cheng initiated their partnership, and yet Nie Huaisang has not been able to get it off his mind.(It really is unfair, how Jiang Cheng manages to worm his way into the smallest of things, the tiniest of gaps in Nie Huaisang’s thoughts. These days, every waking hour not spent on painting fans, Lan-Wangji-and-Wei-Wuxian-watching, or writing, he encounters Jiang Cheng everywhere he turns. Always thinking of you, he would write, if he were the protagonist, beholding you in mine eyes.)Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian’s room is kept quite neat, to Nie Huaisang’s surprise. The bed that has blankets thrown haphazardly to one side must be Wei Wuxian’s, and the bed opposite of it has no short wealth of extra training robes and personal amenities crammed underneath it. On the two desks, one has a disorganized collection of rocks, arrowheads, and a few spare coins (definitely Wei Wuxian’s) while the other has a mess of paper peeking out from one of the underside drawers.On at least three of them, he can see smudged ink and scribbled characters, too illegible for Nie Huaisang to read from this distance. This must be Jiang Cheng’s art collection. Hidden from Wei Wuxian’s peeking eyes (though Nie Huaisang would very much like to dispute how stuffing the secret items into a drawer anybody could open easily is considered ‘hidden’) and completely available for Nie Huaisang to peek into.Should he really? The paper looks wrinkled, the graceful lines of the ink warped by time and Jiang Cheng’s own hands. It only piques Nie Huaisang’s curiosity more, and he has never been one to deny his inquisitions, but this is Jiang Cheng he’s talking about.Snappy, closed-off Jiang Cheng, who only recently had started to reveal himself to Nie Huaisang. Harsh, private Jiang Cheng, who let Nie Huaisang know that he did such a frivolous thing as drawing. Shy, kind Jiang Cheng, who chose Nie Huaisang.He just earned Jiang Cheng’s trust. He isn’t going to let that beautiful new trust be destroyed.So Nie Huaisang slaps his wandering hands away from the handle of the drawer and saunter around the rest of the instead. The open windows give him a panoramic view of the student quarters’ courtyard and in the last vestiges of spring, all the tree branches are dancing with vibrant colors.A warm wind blows past the window, and a single flower bud drifts into the room and onto the desk.It’s pretty. Shot through with violet, not yet blooming, all the blush-pink petals curving in on themselves. It would look perfect woven in Jiang Cheng’s braid.Nie Huaisang tucks the bud into his sleeve and sighs. Like I’d be able to give him this… he thinks. He leans back against the curve of the windowsill and closes his eyes. I’m not nearly as shameless as Wei-xiong, or Wangji-xiong, for that matter. After maybe an hour of waiting, Nie Huiasang hears the door sliding open. It feels like it might rain today, with the heavy warmth of the air, and it’s making him drowsy.“Jiang-xiong?” He murmurs.“Huaisang? Why are you in here?” Jiang Cheng says. Nie Huaisang thinks that Jiang Cheng’s voice really is very nice. He’d love to fall asleep to it. He might.“Mm… needed you to draw something, I think?”Jiang Cheng sighs. There’s the sound of blankets rustling and the bed creaking as Jiang Cheng sits down. “Can you get out? I need to get changed.”“Why?”“I’m still in my training clothes, why else?”“Just take of your outer robes, it’s fine, we’re both guys.” Nie Huaisang really doesn’t think before he speaks, does he?“Huaisang! You - “ Jiang Cheng stops himself in the middle of the sentence. Nie Huaisang hears the fluttering of robes being thrown onto something. His fingers grip the edges of his sleeves. “Fine. Fine. What did you want me to draw? Make it quick, I must study.”“There’s a scene with my new main characters… and the guy is sleeping on a table while the girl is touching his cheek… there’s an expression on her face - ah, what’s the word, can’t remember it…” A few hours before sunset, the sunlight is strong even with the clouds in the sky. Nie Huaisang shifts to avoid falling off the windowsill and stretches.“Annoyed?”“No?” Nie Huaisang sighs, slightly confused. “That’s, like, the least romantic thing ever. Why would you suggest that? No, it’s, um… that word for when you really like something? And, and,” Nie Huaisang waves his hand in a lazy circle, searching for the right word. “You wanna indulge it, or them…”“Fond?” Jiang Cheng offers.“Yeah, that’s it!! The girl looks fond! And the setting should look like the Magnolia Room of the Library Pavilion, okay?"“Wait. Wait. You’re telling me that Wei Wuxian did that to Lan Wangji?” Jiang Cheng’s voice turns threatening, low. “Oh, dear ancestors, please save him from his complete and utter idiocy -”“No, no, this time the heroine isn’t Wei-xiong, it’s Wangji-xiong. Don’t you think it fits him?”“This time? ” Jiang Cheng questions. “I was just assuming you made the heroine Wei Wuxian - and, Huaisang, you must be kidding me here, but are you saying that Lan Wangji did that to my brother yesterday. You are joking.”It’s not a question this time. Jiang Cheng seems to think that a joke is being played on him, and Nie Huaisang is very sorry to say that it isn’t the case at all.After two seconds of silence from Nie Huaisang, Jiang Cheng groans. “You’re not joking. Where did you last see Lan Wangji? I must talk to him.”“Don’t you mean beat up?” Nie Huaisang, smart as he thinks himself to be, is a little too drowsy to watch his tongue. Even with Jiang Cheng’s outraged sputtering, he continues, “Don’t deny it, I know you have that look on your face. When you want to punch somebody. Punching Wangji-xiong is a bad idea. Obviously. You’ll get hurt. I don’t want you to get hurt.”A huff, and then the bed creaks again. He hears soft footsteps growing closer to him, and he cracks one eye open to see Jiang Cheng standing in front of him. Clad in nothing but his loose, black inner robes.Nie Huaisang nearly topples off the windowsill.His hair is down right now, wavy from the tight bun, and the braid is still half in place. He’s smiling, again, and Nie Huaisang wonders what miracles he worked in his previous life to be able to see this soft, smiling Jiang Cheng two days in a row.(It’s not enough - never enough for him, because he wants to see this every second of his life, Jiang Cheng deserves nothing but to have a reason to smile like that. If Nie Huaisang could be that reason, it would be wonderful - more than wonderful - yet he knows he will not be. Will never be.)“Idiot.” Jiang Cheng says softly. He comes to stand by Nie Huaisang, leaning against the curved sill. “I won’t fight him. I just want to talk.”“We all know ‘talking’ in Jiang-Cheng-speak means ‘fighting’.”“Where’d you learn that? Anyways, Wei Wuxian is my brother, if Lan Wangji really does hold those sort of… feelings towards him, it is my obligation as family to talk to him. Me and A-Jie both.”Now, Nie Huaisang has never met Jiang Yanli, only having heard the occasional rumour, but from the way Jiang Cheng phrases this it appears that the young mistress of the Yunmeng Jiang sect can be quite terrifying if she wishes.“I’m sure you two would do a wonderful job threatening Wangji-xiong…” Nie Huaisang yawns. “Thanks for drawing.”“Who said I was gonna draw that? Do I look like I want to imagine Lan Wangji touching my brother’s cheek?”Nie Huaisang should have expected that Jiang Cheng would not accept so readily. No, Jiang Cheng is not the sort of person to sit down and accept his fate. But as Nie Huaisang stares at him longer, Jiang Cheng’s scowl falters and he turns his head towards the courtyard, unwilling to meet Nie Huaisang’s eyes. Cute. “What is it, Huaisang?”He speaks before he can think it through. “No, but I think you’d look lovely with this flower.” Nie Huaisang leans forward and tucks the haitang bud behind Jiang Cheng’s ear, so that it sits just above the unravelling braid. Yep, that looks beautiful! Jiang Cheng is beautiful. “See? I was right.”He’s flopping back onto the sill before Jiang Cheng can hit him. He doesn’t feel like writing today, nor does he want to study for the upcoming test on clan lineage, so sleeping is the best option. And Jiang Cheng with his hair all poofy, a haitang bud in the flush of spring woven into the braid, is the one and only image he wants to drift off to.Before darkness floods his vision, he thinks he hears a fond sigh and the resonant clink of a brush on an inkwell.Must be a sleep-induced hallucination, he decides, and falls asleep to the sun rippling on his face and the sound of paper crinkling.~When Nie Huaisang wakes up, it is to the chill of twilight settling over the peaks of the Cloud Recesses and a room devoid of any sign of Jiang Cheng.There are no extra robes tucked around him to shelter him from the cold. How unromantic of you, Jiang-xiong!! What if your pitiful partner gets cold? Have you no chivalry? But when he sits up and stretches, he finds two pieces of paper on his stomach, both bled through with ink.The first one he picks up is the drawing that he had requested earlier that afternoon. In bold, strong lines of black ink are the tables and scrollshelves of the Library Pavilion’s Magnolia Room, and lying over the table is a man with a wild ponytail and form-fitting robes, designed in the style of the Yunmeng Jiang sect. Besides him is an elegant, cold-faced woman reaching out with one hand, her face open and fond.It’s a near perfect rendition of the scene that Nie Huaisang had stumbled across yesterday.Nie Huaisang gapes at the drawing for a few seconds before furtively stowing it away in his robes. Not that he’s afraid of any passing student seeing it, to be exact, because they’ll eventually see it when he publishes his next novel and gets the printer to insert the drawing into the scroll. But… for now, he has one selfish wish and it is to keep all of Jiang Cheng’s drawings to himself.The next drawing is - wait. This drawing, this - this is a drawing of him. Of Nie Huaisang himself, leaning against a tree trunk and shadowed by the willowy branches, a half-open fan in one hand. His expression is playful, lively, lips quirked in an odd smile, and Nie Huaisang has to wonder if this is what he looks like to Jiang Cheng.And the paper is a lot more wrinkled than the newer drawing. The smell of ink is less fresh. This is an older drawing, which means Jiang Cheng had been watching him enough to draw him with this sort of familiarity, because he sees surety in the elegant strokes of his robes and confidence in the curves of his hair. Nie Huaisang in this drawing looks graceful in the way that a diving swallow is, more beautiful than he’s ever thought himself to be.He turns the drawing face-down on his lap and peeks at it again after three seconds. Yep, it’s still a drawing of him. Yep, Jiang Cheng gave him this old drawing, the paper of which looks the same as the papers in his drawer. Yep, Jiang Cheng knows Nie Huaisang’s features well enough to draw him so beautifully. No big deal. He can do this.
I can’t do this at all!! Jiang-xiong, Jiang Cheng, you handsome bastard, agh, I can’t even look at you properly if you keep doing things like this!
Does Jiang Cheng expect him to look at the drawing, go ‘oh, nice’, and simply move on with his life? Who in the world would do that? Who in the world would see Jiang Cheng’s drawing of them and discard it as something not worthwhile of their time? Who would presume that Jiang Cheng drawing them is nothing special?...Does Jiang Cheng think so little of his own worth?Nie Huaisang’s fingers skim over the paper and ink once more before he clutches it close to his chest and whispers his promise. Jiang Cheng, I will always treasure this. It’s special to me. A fierce wave of fondness and protectiveness swells in his throat. You’re special to me. You’re great. I like you very much, okay, Jiang Cheng? Nie Huaisang has spent enough time watching Jiang Cheng to know that his affection is not something easily given in any shape or form. Even if Jiang Cheng doesn’t say it, these drawings are more than enough for Nie Huaisang.And so Nie Huaisang will protect this short-tempered, contradictory, wonderful boy with all that he has to offer.~Which does not mean, of course, that Nie Huaisang will give Jiang Cheng a break in his drawing.Constant work is good for oneself, after all. It makes your mind stronger - the more Nie Huaisang writes, the more he finds ideas everywhere he looks and new words to use in his descriptions and phrases.(He should really be practicing with his saber or studying. But, well, those things aren’t half as interesting as spying on his friends and writing about them for the entirety of Gusu and Caiyi. Nie Huaisang can’t help it, it’s just in his nature.)Which is why he finds himself at the entrance to the Library Pavilion for the second day in a row, on a break between classes. Since his cultivation level is low, he isn’t required to attend the same training sessions that the other young masters do, which leaves him ample time to sneak around the Library Pavilion, check it once more for new romantic novels, and make his way to the Magnolia Room.Today, there’s a new sound - Wei Wuxian’s constant and extremely irritating whining as he copies down each and every single rule from the Conduct section. Now he sees why Jiang Cheng likes to yell at Wei Wuxian so much. He, too, would probably stuff his fan into Wei Wuxian’s mouth if he had to listen to this all the time.This being Wei Wuxian’s whining-turned-flirting. Call him biased, sure, but Wei Wuxian doesn’t go around calling the other young masters cute nicknames and babbling on about how nice Yunmeng is in the summer and how they should come visit sometimes, it would be fun, something that Lan Er-gege has never had before -Pure torture to the ears, though probably in different ways for him and Lan Wangji. How long is Wei Wuxian going to keep this up? Until Lan Wangji agrees to go just to get him to shut up, and what then? Will Wei Wuxian be flustered?...Nie Huaisang has a sudden need to see Wei Wuxian’s flustered behavior. For reference, of course. Not that he’s invested in their relationship or anything.It’ll probably happen on its own, if he waits long enough (like, maybe, two decades, that’s how irritatingly stubborn Lan Wangji is when it comes to Wei Wuxian) but he wants to see it now! He needs to write, needs to laugh at his friend getting his comeuppance, needs to do it quick so he can get back to spending more time with Jiang Cheng!
Hmm. What would get Wei Wuxian to be flustered? If Lan Wangji says something inadvertently flirty… no, Wei Wuxian wouldn’t pick up on it and Lan Wangji wouldn’t do that in the first place. Why is he so frustrating? I suppose I’ll have to settle for initiating touch.
Trial and error, he tells himself. Trial and error, if he doesn’t see flustered Wei Wuxian today, he can always manipulate another situation to his advantage.When it seems like Lan Wangji has taken a break from reading his scroll and Wei Wuxian is tired of whining, Nie Huaisang steps in.“Wei-xiong, Wangji-xiong, hello again!”“...You.” Lan Wangji says.“Ah, ah, before you say anything, I’m looking for a scroll that Qiren-laoshi said was found in the Magnolia Room!” He hopes Lan Wangji won’t check with his uncle about this. “Please, continue on. Pay this humble disciple no mind.”Wei Wuxian snorts at his formal language, while Lan Wangji simply inclines his head and goes back to reading his scroll.“Not here… Not here either… where is it?” Nie Huaisang murmurs. He only has to stall for one incense stick, until he finds the real scroll he’s looking for - the Plum volume of Li Yuan’s works. He knows it’s in this room somewhere, because he read it just the other day, and if he can get Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji to read it together, there’s going to be some kind of physical contact.If there’s none, Nie Huaisang will personally make sure there is. Maybe at the cost of his life, but still. Completely worth it.“Quiet in the Library Pavilion.” Lan Wangji reminds him.
You don’t get to say that when you didn’t even use the silencing spell on Wei-xiong just now! Putting aside your fairness for the boy you love… I see how it is.
“Here!” The Plum volume is on one of the top shelves, just out of Nie Huaisang’s reach. To solidify his act, he grabs a random scroll from near the Plum volume scroll and tucks it into his sleeve.“By the way, Wei-xiong,” he says, turning to leave with a satisfied smirk, “didn’t you say you liked Li Yuan’s Plum volume collection? I think the scroll is in this room… ah, well, see you in class.”Nie Huaisang does not leave, but it takes quite a bit of maneuvering to make it look like he did. By the time he can worm his way back into the Magnolia Room and hide behind another scrollshelf, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji are well into what seems like a surprisingly civil conversation about poetry.“Oh, Lan Zhan, you never said you liked Li Yuan too! That’s so cool, we have the same tastes! What’s your favorite poem? Have you written any - ah, wait, you’re such an amazing young master, of course you can write poetry too!” Wei Wuxian is leaning over the table and grinning up at Lan Wangji, who shrinks back in the face of Wei Wuxian’s enthusiasm.“...You never asked. ‘Spring Rite of the Rivers’. And no.”Wei Wuxian gasps. “That’s such a good choice! I really like it too, seems like me and Lan Zhan have similar tastes, huh? And say, why don’t you talk about yourself more? I wanna know more about Lan Zhan!”Lan Wangji looks away. “There is nothing to say.”“What? But I think Lan Er-gege is super interesting! Please, spare this disciple some face and tell me? Oh, oh, why don’t I go get the Plum volume and we can talk about Li Yuan together!” Wei Wuxian claps his hands together, too happy to simply be glad from having a momentary respite in his rule-copying, and stands up before Lan Wangji can stop him.Not that Lan Wangji would, if he even could. The Second Jade is sitting frozen and staring at Wei Wuxian like he’s the pearl of the rivers and the forceful spirit of Gusu’s mountains itself - amazing, breathtaking, beautiful. But when Wei Wuxian turns back to him and shoots him a cheerful grin, Lan Wangji jolts up from his seat.“Ah! Here it is - and of course I can’t reach it, how inconvenient, I really wanted to read with Lan Zhan too -” Wei Wuxian starts. By the time he’s halfway through the sentence, Lan Wangji has already swept over to where he’s standing and reached over Wei Wuxian to grasp the scroll.In doing so, he’s positioned himself so that his body is almost over Wei Wuxian’s, essentially trapping him against the scrollshelf. His hand bumps against Wei Wuxian’s outstretched one and stops, there, fingers brushing against each other.Wei Wuxian freezes.From where Nie Huaisang crouches, hidden, he sees Wei Wuxian’s free hand clench in his robes.“Lan - Lan Zhan,” he starts, stops, swallows down half-formed words. “I, I can’t -”Lan Wangji steps back. The Plum volume scroll is in his hand, the mahogany lacquer of the scroll case flashing in the sunlight. Wei Wuxian stares up at Lan Wangji, his mouth agape. Their hands still haven’t moved. They’re still on top of each other.Strangely, Wei Wuxian doesn’t seem to mind it. His eyes keep darting to where they’re touching, and for the first time, Lan Wangji is the one who speaks.“If you wish to converse with me that much, then sit.” He says, softly. Wei Wuxian breathes a shaky exhale.“Lan Zhan, you really - ha, never mind. You’re just, honestly, Lan Zhan, you’re - you’re too good.” He whispers.Lan Wangji’s expression softens ever so slightly.This is another thing that Nie Huaisang should not be witnessing. This is Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian’s private moment now. He bites down the guilt he feels, documents this information about the flustered Wei Wuxian he’d seen just now, and flees the scene before they can notice him.He is an unwelcome participant there.But at least Jiang Cheng accepts him.Nie Huaisang exits the Library Pavilion with a bounce in his step and a new, fragile hope for love in his heart.