Lan Wangji furrowed his eyebrows in thought. This morning's interaction with Jiang Wanyin had bothered him greatly, but even at the time he felt like there was something about the matter he wasn't quite understanding. Perhaps Wen Qing would be able to expand upon it? She was Wei Wuxian's jie after all. That much had been made clear to Lan Wangji, even if he noticed they did not indicate it in front of anyone else.

Lan Wangji began explaining what he observed. He included Wei Wuxian's changes in behavior. Wei Wuxian stiffening in Lan Wangji's arms when Jiang Wanyin asked if he was awake. Wei Wuxian quickly moving to sit separately from Lan Wangji. The posture of being hunched in on himself when he sat without touching Lan Wangji. The way Wei Wuxian remained silent until Jiang Wanyin asked for an explanation, at which point Wei Wuxian had tried to tell Jiang Wanyin not to worry about it. The way Jiang Wanyin lost his temper and yelled at Wei Wuxian. The way Wei Wuxian flinched away in fear from the raised voice. How Wei Wuxian appeared to be ashamed about flinching away, even remaining silent when Lan Wangji tried to ask if he was alright. The way he flinched again when Lan Wangji touched his hand. Only to then move closer to Lan Wangji and interlock their hands. The way Jiang Wanyin seemed to become even more upset while watching this. His last question to Wei Wuxian asking for an explanation. Then the last sentence that Lan Wangji had found particularly odd.

'Fine. I get it. You'd rather talk with the person who made you rewrite thousands of rules than with your own family.' After which Jiang Wanyin stormed out.

That part had seemed to disturb Wei Wuxian greatly. He had immediately gotten to his feet only to freeze in his pursuit and begin shaking. He apparently felt he needed to go after Jiang Wanyin, but also couldn't bring himself to do so. It had left him distraught and paralyzed.

Lan Wangji did his best to recite every word spoken and describe every detail he remembered. When Lan Wangji finished he examined Wen Qing's expression carefully. Her eyebrows were creased in concentration as though she was thinking carefully. Her mouth was pressed into a slight frown. Whatever she thought of the situation it was clear she wasn't pleased. However, it did not seem to be simple anger either.

Lan Wangji waited patiently for her to respond. He wanted to be able to support Wei Wuxian. That included in situations like the one this morning. Jiang Wanyin was supposed to be family to Wei Wuxian, but there seemed to be a lot of distress between the two. Wei Wuxian had certainly been distressed when he first saw Jiang Yanli, but he had had a similar response when he first saw Wen Qing. The feel of it was different from the distress he witnessed earlier.

"A-Ying cares very deeply for Jiang Wanyin. Apparently A-Ying was his first friend. Jiang Yanli seemed to think Jiang Wanyin might initially react poorly to the relationship between A-Ying and you. Something about him being afraid of losing A-Ying. From what A-Ying said to you, it sounds like A-Ying worries about Jiang Wanyin a lot." Wen Qing paused, frowning lightly.

"I'm always the one who goes after him and helps him feel better. It's always been me." Wen Qing quoted the words Wei Wuxian had said this morning.

"These are the words he said to you, right?" Wen Qing asked. Lan Wangji nodded his head slowly. Wen Qing's look of concern deepened.

"I'm guessing ever since they were little A-Ying would probably immediately jump to help if Jiang Wanyin was upset. The words Jiang Wanyin said before he left the room. They sound like he is accusing A-Ying of choosing you over him. With the way he said them it would have been the equivalent of Jiang Wanyin saying that A-Ying doesn't care about him. Maybe that was how Jiang Wanyin felt, but to say that and then immediately leave." Wen Qing shook her head. She looked at Lan Wangji waiting to see if he understood what that would mean to Wei Wuxian.

"Wei Ying never wishes to hurt family." Lan Wangji said at last. Wen Qing let out a small sigh and nodded.

"A-Ying would blame himself for how Jiang Wanyin felt. He would hate to imagine that Jiang Wanyin would think A-Ying didn't care. I'm now also wondering just how often A-Ying feels responsible for Jiang Wanyin's feelings. I know A-Ying is bad at taking care of himself, but now I wonder if he even knows how. I'm wondering if he knows how to put himself first, or say no when someone is asking too much of him. He can't always put everyone else first. It will kill him." Wen Qing's voice became somewhat breathy.

Wei Wuxian always did everything for everyone else. The only time she recalled him denying Jiang Wanyin anything, was for someone else. Wen Qing did not know of a single occasion when Wei Wuxian said no, purely for himself. For Wei Wuxian it only mattered if it would hurt someone else. It didn't matter how much it would hurt him.

Lan Wangji's expression looked pained. He stared down at the sleeping figure curled in his arms. Wei Wuxian in his memory had always been expressive. He complained loudly. Whined adorably. Talked circles around others to prove his point. When he first came into Cloud Recesses in the middle of the night Lan Wangji had told him to leave because of the curfew. Wei Wuxian had refused. Why had he refused? At the time Lan Wangji's mind had been a confused mess. He hadn't been thinking clearly and only relied heavily on the rules to decide what to do. He couldn't put his own thoughts in order so he fell back on the rules that had defined his life. Thinking back he recalled Wei Wuxian's change in demeanor when he discovered the Jiang's had been let into Cloud Recesses. That being the case he must have been worried about them, so he refused to leave without seeing if they were okay.

Wen Qing sighed heavily. If Wei Wuxian had taken such responsibility for the feelings and wellbeing of his loved ones his whole life. It would mean to see them in distress would have been pure agony for him. No wonder he had been paralyzed trying to decide whether or not to chase after Jiang Wanyin. To allow Jiang Wanyin to feel hurt was physically distressing for Wei Wuxian, but Wei Wuxian was in no state to chase after him to provide emotional support. Whether Wei Wuxian stayed or followed, both options were painful.

'A-Ying. A-Ning. The two of you are too much alike.' She thought to herself. Wen Qionglin also had a generous heart. Easily able to feel the pain of others. Always wanting to relieve suffering. Of course the two were not the same. They had many differences. However in this regard the two were quite similar. Wen Qing had been viciously protective of Wen Qionglin their entire lives. She was always on guard for people who might take advantage of Wen Qionglin's generous heart. She always cautioned him about not going too far. She had stepped in mid conversations when they were younger to turn down requests that were far too much to ask, but he was too gentle to turn down.

She wondered, is this what it looked like when there wasn't someone to teach you when to hold back. If Wen Qing hadn't been there to chase away people who would take advantage of him. Would Wen Qionglin have given everything he had to others until it broke him? If she hadn't been there to tell him to hold back. If she hadn't told him repeatedly that he didn't have to help everyone. If she hadn't told him it was okay to say no and take care of himself. Could he have become similarly wounded?

Wen Qing knew that it was hard for Wen Qionglin to say no to people. It was hard for him to turn people down, but he could do it. She had made sure he could do it. It seemed Wei Wuxian had not had someone to teach him how to do those things. It was possible that not only did no one ever teach him to do these things. It was possible that when he was young no one was able to explain the importance. That it was a good thing to say no sometimes. Which now brought her to a new concern. If he had never been taught how to take care of himself and say no when he needed to. It was also possible he didn't have anyone who would step in if someone took advantage of that. It was possible that he had grown up with one or more people who would take advantage of that kind generous heart that so easily related to the pain of others.

"Lan Wangji." Wen Qing's voice was determined. Lan Wangji gave her his full attention. "I don't think A-Ying knows how to take care of himself. I don't think he knows how to say no when someone else is in pain. Please help me protect my didi from people who would take advantage of that." Wen Qing wasn't sure when last she made such a serious request of someone. She didn't think Lan Wangji would take advantage of Wei Wuxian. She also was quite certain he would try to protect him. Still she felt the need to ask this aloud.

"Mn." Lan Wangji nodded firmly. Wen Qing felt a sense of relief. She needed that acknowledgement that she wasn't the only one who would look out for her didi. She had heard Jiang Yanli tell Wei Wuxian to take care of himself, but she wasn't sure if this was something she said before or if it was new. Also, to say it was one thing. If Wei Wuxian didn't actually understand what it meant to take care of himself, then all it would be was nice words.