2 weeks into his punishment, Wei Wuxian was in the back hills with Nie Huaisang and Jiang Cheng catching fish. Wei Wuxian was having a day break from his punishment because in Lan Wangji's words "I don't want to see you without a hand."

So here he is! Playing with his brother and his best friend.

As they were splashing each other Wei Wuxian started a conversation "Hey Nie-xiong?" He called out to the other "Yeah?" Nie Huaisang asked fixing himself.

"Lan Zhan told Me you both were acquaintances."

'AHH JI-XIONG YOU WOUND ME! AFTER ALL WE'VE BEEN THROUGH!!'

"We only got to talk last year when I got caught smuggling alcohol."

"I just realized both of us smuggled alcohol and then boom we're friends."

"You really think he seems you as a friend!?" Jiang Cheng snapped "All I see is you trying to annoy him!"

Wei Wuxian stared at him "That's the point, you annoy someone until they want to be friends with you! Worked well with you didn't it?"

"We aren't friends!"

"Right right we're brothers!"

'Brothers? Tsk, in your dreams' Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes.

"Wei-xiong! Wei-xiong! Look a fish! Behind you!"

That distracted him and he turned to find the fish "huh?" He was cut off when he was splashed by Nie Huaisang.

"Huaisang!"

"It wasn't me! It wasn't me! I don't know anything!"

—————————

Nie Huaisang was calmly walking around until he felt himself got pulled to the side which made him nearly scream if it wasn't for the hand of his mouth.

"Huaisang."

Nie Huaisang calmed down before leaving the taller's grasp "What the heck was that for Ji-xiong!? Nearly made me get a heart attack!"

Lan Wangii shrugged "Anyway what do you need?" Nie Huaisang asked and Lan Wangji took out the book he was hiding and returned it to him.

"Aahh! I'm guessing you enjoyed it eh?" He teased "Could have been better." Lan Wangji said "You're a tough critic." Nie Huaisang huffed and the two were walking...more like Lan Wangji leading the way and Nie Huaisang following behind.

"What do you know about the Jiangs?" This caught the shorter male's attention "Them? Disgusting. I wouldn't mind if the sun took down the Main family, all of them are-" he made a fake gagging noise.

"Wait...isn't gossip forbidden in your Sect?" Nie Huaisang asked and Lan Wangji just pointed at a stone and made a line.

Nie Huaisang just stared, he saw this one, during empathy. Wei Wuxian did the same when Lan Wangji caught him.

"We are not within the sect, and it is not gossip if one is doing research on information."

Nie Huaisang bursted out laughing "Ah Wangji-xiong! You started bending the rules aye!?" He wiped the fake tears.

"I'll tell you what you need to know, but I can't tell you everything, just a brief description, Wei-xiong will have to tell you the rest." Lan Wangji agreed to this terms, he wanted to know more about Wei Wuxian by his own.

"Alright which one do you want to know first?" Nie Huaisang asked as he made himself comfortable on the ground.

"Jiang Wanyin."

—————————

Lan Wangji was disgusted to say the least, after what he heard from Huaisang. he doesn't think he'd want Wei Wuxian to leave early.

Good thing he'd planned out everything well enough to make sure he'll be staying longer.

There's this thing called a butterfly effect but he would deal with the consequences if it meant his Wei Ying will be safe.

He was clenching his brush tightly, he knew it was going to break until he heard "Lan Zhan, your paper is all messy." that brought him out of his thoughts and saw that his work is literally filled with ink.

He sighed and just grabbed a new one.

"Are you okay Lan Zhan?" Wei Wuxian asked concerned and Lan An he swore he did not think he looked this adorable but fortunately he did.

"You look adorable when you're concerned you know that?" Wei Wuxian flushed before he made an angry face while puffing our his cheeks which only made him cuter.

Wei Wuxian playfully punched him in the arm "I'm being serious here!"

"I never knew you could be serious."

"Is that an insult!? I am fully capable of being serious if I am needed now, what's wrong?" Wei Wuxian asked.

Lan Wangji sighed "I just remembered something from my last nighthunt before the lessons started." Wei Wuxian gestured him to continue.

'I am going to be lying here right now, but Huaisang just told me the script...I memorized it...this better work or else I'll skewer him alive!'

"This family they abused their adopted son...he died but they did not care." Wei Wuxian's breath hitched a bit "The village told me that, the mother would abuse him, the father wouldn't say anything, his older sister would just tell him to deal with it while his brother did not care."

'This how awful was the family towards the boy?' Wei Wuxian thought to himself.

"The adopted one however, stayed, he believed he owed them as he was taken in by them when his parents died ... one from labor and one from illness" Lan Wangji's hands tightened.

"But I don't understand...the family's business only thrived because he was there, now, that he died, no one was there to fix their mistakes and people never bought from them, and now they're

blaming the dead."

Wei Wuxian hesitated and held the other's hand in comfort.

'AHHH! HUAISANG I OWE YOU THIS ONE! HIS HAND IS SO SOFT I JUST WANNA-AHM! WANGJI CONCENTRATE!'

Lan Wangji sighed "The boy never owed the family, the family owed him...because of him...their business thrived...they were nothing without him...Wei Ying...I have a question." he looked at Wei Wuxian who had a distant look on his eyes before it softened.

"Ask away."

"Why do some people not see that some people are not worth their time? Their love? When those same people are the ones who hurt them?"

This question Made Wei Wuxian freeze. He can relate to the said boy in Lan Wangji's story, but the only difference is that one was dead and he was still alive.

Somehow this one story Lan Wangji shared seemed to have opened his eyes a bit more but not enough to see the whole picture.

"Sometimes, for some people, love was stronger than the pain...some people prefer taking the pain than to leave no matter how toxic the relationship is because their love or care for them is just

too strong to cut the strings."

He said but then Lan Wangji shook his head "They deserve someone to care for them, I hope his soul rests in peace, I hope others who were in his place..know that they deserve better."

Wei Wuxian stiffened and inhaled sharply at that. He was one of those people...but he didn't want to leave...not until he repaid his debts.

"Thanks for listening." he heard Lan Wangji say and he laughed him off "No problem. I'm here if you need someoneto talk to." he squeezed the other's hand.

His face flushed when Lan Wangji's big hand was placed on top of his slightly smaller one "I'm here too if you need someone to talk to." he gave the younger a smile as he squeezed their hands.

'WO DEI TIAN! WHY IS HIS SMILE SO BEAUTIFUL! PEOPLE WILL LITERALLY BOW DOWN WHEN THEY SEE IT!'

He then felt his hand gone cold before something was placed under his chin which made him face the older.

'ISN'T THIS SCENE FOR SOME MAIDEN!?'

'DEAR ANCESTORS HELP ME FOR THE BOY I AM IN LOVE WITH IS SUPER ADORABLE!'

He leaned in and placed his mouth beside Wei Wuxian's ear "Bunny, you should finish your punishment now don't you think?"

Wei Wuxian whined and huffed before pushing him away and went over to sit down on his table.

"Ji-xiongg. why didn't you kiss him already!?" Nie Huaisang whisper-whined as he saw the scene.

"Same question, but Wangji is kind of working on it."

Nie Huaisang flinched when he heard a new voice "Xichen-ge!' He squeaked out "I didn't know you were here." he fanned himself "Hehe...What are you doing here?"

"Probably the same reason you have?"

The two stared at each other "Eavesdropping is forbidden, both must copy the rules 5 times tomorrow."m

If Lan Wangji was not amused by how suddenly the two were, he shows it, but when Wei Wuxian starts to annoy him he turns all soft and good as if he wasn't glaring at his brother and Nie Huaisang.

—————————

The days went on smoothly after that, Wei Wuxian going on about his day while doing his punishment in the library. getting to know each other, Wei Wuxian was loving the second Jade's company.

He would always look forward to talking to him, whether it be during punishments or outside.

He'd then share his ideas with him and Lan Wangji would encourage him to publish it, but when Wei Wuxian told him the reason he can't the older had been furious but he didn't let it show but

instead he said.

"If you want, the Lan Clan would love to purchase them when you ever make the release."

Which warmed Wei Wuxian's heart because there was someone who had put up with him, someone who encourages him.

'Jiang Fen Jie... I guess you weren't wrong when you knew someone was going to break my walls eventually.'

On the Last day of his punishment, he decided to give the older a little gift. Good thing Lan Wangji already knew of this prank that was coming or else he'd be completely flustered.

Lan Wangji knows what day it is, don't get him wrong. he reheared what he was going to okay? He practiced! Don't judge him he wanted a...actually he doesn't even know.

But right now as he saw Wei Wuxian acting all behaved and such, he made a confused face, when he's actually not confused but it's all for show! No one's gonna know! Except him, maybe, but that's far from the actual point.

So after a full hour or two Wei Wuxian sat infront of him "Someone was behaving well today." he raised his brow at the younger. "Today is my last day here, I finished the punishment, I came to give you a gift."

"Oh? For what?"

"Friends give each other gifts, considering I'm your first friend I will do the honor."

His heart warmed at that but he wants more...AS IN MORE THAN FRIENDS T^T...but being by Wei Ying's side is more than enough.

It doesn't help the hole in his heart but ANYWAYS-

Lan Wangji took the paper and gasped softly before smiling.

It was just as he remembered, his portrait.

He loved it "I didn't know you were a talented artist." he breathed out looking at the black robed man.

"It wasn't really supported in Yunmeng." Alarm bells rang in Lan Wangji's head "Why? I heard and thought Yunmeng is a free spirited place? For how loud it is." both snorted at the last comment.

"MadaM Yu...doesn't really like me and so I would just draw in secret then hide them away, you're the first one to actually see my drawings."

Lan Wangji felt honored

Like someone give him a prize!

This is some good news!!

"I feel honored! I have never drawn before, I shall give you a drawing of my own."

Lan Wangji took out a piece of paper and drew a rather 'unique piece' HE CAN'T DRAW BUT IT'S GOOD ENOUGH.

He gave it to Wei Wuxian who started laughing while clutching his stomach.

'HEY! I WORKED HARD ON THAT! NOT EVERYONE CAN BE AS GOOD AS YOU!'

"It's..so...*Wheeze*...Cute!"

Lan Wangi's ears flushed pink 'Cute!? He thinks it's cute!!! Take that you females

whoever he flirted with!'

"Who knew the Second Jade couldn't draw? But I'm keeping this!"

"Fine with me."

He then took out the book and opened I before freezing.

His ears turned a bright shade of red.

Wei Wuxian laughed even harder when he noticed it.

ALRIGHT.

*Imaginary slamming hands on table*

IT'S NOT LIKE HE WASN'T EXPECTING IT!

HE JUST FORGOT ABOUT IT WITH THE COMMOTION OF THE ARTWORK!

HE FORGOT ABOUT THE PRANK

BUT THANK LAN AN HE STILL HAS HIS RESTRAINT AND DID NOT THROW THE BOOK.

Once Wei Wuxian was done laughing he smiled slyly as the saw the book Lan Wangji was holding closed.

"How was is it ah Lan Zhan?" He asked "Saw something you like? Or did you never

see those in your life?" Lan Wangji turned to look at him.

"These are from Huaisang isn't it?" He asked and Wei Wuxian laughed again. "You bet! I don't even know where to buy those."

"I have already read this one."

"You what!?"

"I just want to ask, where was Wei Ying going on with this?" He asked.

"l just thought it'd...uh...be funny...I never thought you'd read porn..."

"I'm a growing teenager." 'I'm not but how else am I supposed to explain that!?'

"Makes sense."

"If you want a better reaction I suggest giving this to Uncle."

"I'LL GET EXPELLED!"

"Nie Huaisang always got caught smuggling erotica, he'd blame Nie Huaisang for leaving it on his desk."

"Jiang-xiong I feel like someone's talking behind my back." Nie Huaisang rubbed his nose.