Jiang Yanli was invited into the room by Lan Wangji. He opened the door and greeted her before stepping aside to allow her to enter. Wei Wuxian was sitting on the floor beside a little girl whom Jiang Yanli assumed must be Wen Nuan. Upon hearing someone enter the little girl abandoned what had been in her hands. Immediately, Wen Nuan crawled into Wei Wuxian's lap and gripped tightly onto his robes. She glared distrustfully at Jiang Yanli.

Jiang Yanli might have chuckled quietly if she had not been extensively warned about the girl's situation. She might have seen this adorable little girl, holding onto Wei Wuxian so possessively, and seen her threatening glare as nothing more than cute and amusing. Jiang Yanli felt her heart squeeze painfully in her chest. Jiang Yanli knelt on the floor, keeping more distance than she normally would have. Jiang Yanli was very aware of the anxiety flitting behind the fierce wordless glare.

"A-Xian. I'm glad to see you." Jiang Yanli said softly. "Who's this? Would you introduce me?" Jiang Yanli inquired gently as she nodded towards Wen Nuan. Wei Wuxian smiled.

"This is Naun-er." Wei Wuxian said, lightly bouncing Wen Nuan on his lap. Nuan-er was slightly startled by the jostling. Jiang Yanli saw a slight flicker of surprise and amazement pass over Wen Nuan's face. It was quickly replaced by a mistrustful scowl directed towards Jiang Yanli. "Naun-er, this is my Shijie!" Wei Wuxian continued in a delighted tone.

Wen Nuan whipped her head around to stare up at Wei Wuxian. She blinked at him as though making certain she had understood properly. Then Wen Nuan turned her gaze back to Jiang Yanli. The look was more inquisitive this time as opposed to angry glaring.

Lan Wangji crossed the room. He took a seat at the low table and began to play softly on his guqin. Him moving closer, but also clearly unconcerned about Jiang Yanli's presence seemed to help calm Wen Nuan further. She watched Lan Wangji move with open curiosity. When he had calmly settled to begin playing Wen Nuan seemed to take that as an assurance that everything was safe. Her grip on Wei Wuxian's robes relaxed slightly.

"Are you making straw dolls?" Jiang Yanli inquired gently. Wen Nuan chewed her lip. She stared at Jiang Yanli, as though deciding whether or not it was okay to answer her question. Slowly Wen Nuan nodded her head.

"Xian-gege is teaching me." Wen Nuan stated boldly before tucking herself tighter against Wei Wuxian. Jiang Yanli smiled.

"A-Xian is a very good teacher. I bet you make beautiful dolls." Jiang Yanli said, giving Wen Nuan a warm smile. "Would you be willing to show me how to make one?" Jiang Yanli asked.

"Xian-gege makes nicer ones than me." Wen Nuan began. She looked at Jiang Yanli thoughtfully. She was no longer hiding half her face, and instead was openly staring at Jiang Yanli.

"Mn... You did just start learning to make them, so that makes sense. Still, I think I would have a much easier time with your help. Maybe you could teach me, and A-Xian could help with the harder parts?" Jiang Yanli asked.

It took a few more gentle smiles and warm words from Jiang Yanli before Wen Nuan was convinced. However, once convinced, Wen Nuan took the request very seriously. She instructed Jiang Yanli on exactly where to sit. Close enough for Wen Nuan to see what she was doing, but further away than Jiang Yanli might have expected.

Jiang Yanli had always been fond of children. She had often enjoyed every opportunity to talk and play with them whenever she found Wei Wuxian in the company of a small group. The shy ones had usually warmed to Jiang Yanli quickly. Her gentle voice and calm demeanour making her very approachable once they saw those things remained unchanged when Wei Wuxian would be boisterous or loud.

Wen Nuan returned to sitting on the ground, but she sat right next to Wei Wuxian. She leaned against his leg slightly, like she needed the reassurance that he was right next to her. Jiang Yanli didn't take offence to the deliberate distance Wen Nuan had maintained with her.

Wen Nuan reminded Jiang Yanli of Wei Wuxian when he first arrived at Lotus Pier. Although he was quicker to smile, he had been anxious. He ate very little at meals. Became very troubled when he dirtied his robes, and was very resistant to using bath water.

He didn't do any of these things loudly. Jiang Yanli would spot him in a corner trying desperately to clean dirt off his robes. She learned from the servants that he never asked for his own bath. He'd use the bath water after Jiang Wanyin was done with it. By itself that was perfectly normal. What was strange was that Wei Wuxian never asked for a bath.

There were certainly occasions where he would have needed to wash up when Jiang Wanyin did not. Jiang Yanli was not certain what he was doing at those times. It took a while for Wei Wuxian to warm up to her enough to admit to any of this behaviour. His reasons had broken her heart. He didn't want to be too costly, she had eventually learned.

Wei Wuxian had been afraid that he would be too expensive. He was worried that if raising him was too much trouble they would put him on the streets again. He didn't want to take too much food, or use too much bath water. He didn't want to need his clothes laundered or repaired.

It took three years of living in Lotus Pier before Wei Wuxian actually said something when his robes needed to be replaced. Jiang Yanli had usually been the one to spot when his clothes would wear out, or if something wasn't fitting him properly. He had been quick to deny being hungry or needing anything when asked.

It took some trial and error before Jiang Yanli began to figure out how to help him adjust to Lotus Pier. Her first concern had been getting him to eat properly. She would offer him food between meals, or put extra food on his plate. She found it especially effective to ask for his help. Wei Wuxian had always liked to help. So Jiang Yanli would request he keep her company in the kitchen while she practised cooking. Then she would feed him what she made and ask for his feedback to help her improve.

Wen Nuan seemed receptive to helping others. Jiang Yanli had been cautioned that Wen Nuan might not speak to her at all. She'd been told that Wen Nuan mostly was only tolerating having other people in the room, and mostly by clinging to Wei Wuxian. Jiang Yanli considered it a great success that Wen Nuan was sitting on the floor while Jiang Yanli was in the room.

Jiang Yanli dutifully listened as Wen Nuan explained how to make a doll. Jiang Yanli made some deliberate errors and asked Wen Nuan if she was doing it right. After a few times of this Wen Nuan had finally reached over and shown Jiang Yanli the correction. For a few seconds Wen Nuan had been kneeling closer to Jiang Yanli, not even touching Wei Wuxian. Wen Nuan naturally retreated back, but Jiang Yanli's heart soared at the small success.

In truth Jiang Yanli already knew how to make straw dolls. Wei Wuxian had been very eager to share anything he could with his new family. When he learned Jiang Yanli did not know how to make them he had eagerly instructed her. Jiang Yanli had fond memories of afternoons spent making straw dolls together with her new didi.

She shared a few looks with Wei Wuxian over Wen Nuan's head. His eyes sparkled with humour when Jiang Yanli made deliberate mistakes in her dolls. He knew perfectly well that Jiang Yanli knew how to make them. Wei Wuxian made a big display of playfully critiquing the qualities of the dolls they created.

When Wen Yuan woke up from his nap, Jiang Yanli was introduced. The sleepy toddler warmed up to her quickly. Wei Wuxian was quick to retrieve some of Wen Yuan's favourite toys. A-Yuan was delighted by the rattle drum, although he did not quite have the coordination to use it as intended. He seemed to like the swinging motion of the strings and he clapped excitedly when Jiang Yanli spun the handle so that the drum made noise.

Wen Nuan stayed close the entire time Jiang Yanli held Wen Yuan. Wen Nuan was quick to point out the few words Wen Yuan had been starting to learn. The clearest of which was "Jiejie".  Jiang Yanli could see the pride in Wen Nuan's eyes at that, but Jiang Yanli couldn't help but ache when she realized what words Wen Yuan did not say...  Mama.  Baba.  Words he had not had any need for. 

With Wen Yuan awake all of Wen Nuan's attention was immediately focused on him. If he wanted a toy she was there. If he wanted to be let down she was the first to say so. If he used something to pull himself up so he could stand, Wen Nuan was right there for him to hold onto in case he wanted to try and walk.

Wei Wuxian was quick to drag both children into games. Left to her own devices, Wen Nuan seemed to hover around Wen Yuan. She almost seemed to parent him.  She would do things to entertain him, but it seemed more like care taking rather than playing with another child.  Wei Wuxian managed to drag both of them into playing with him. Wen Nuan participated fully and finally looked more like another child playing with an adult, rather than a small adult looking after a child.

When it was time for dinner Jiang Yanli ate in the room with them. Lan Wangji settled Wen Yuan on his lap. Lan Wangji dutifully fed him small spoonfuls of soup and small pieces of rice cake. Wen Yuan eagerly grabbed at pieces of the soft starchy cake for himself. Lan Wangji had a damp cloth at the ready to clean up the ensuing mess.

Jiang Yanli was a bit surprised to see Lan Wangji take to feeding the toddler so naturally. She had expected Wei Wuxian would wish to do it. Jiang Yanli quickly uncovered the likely cause of this division of labour. Wen Nuan was still young enough to need help with her food, and as Jiang Yanli observed, Wen Nuan seemed to be a little behind in some of these skills.

Wen Nuan was seated beside Wei Wuxian. Jiang Yanli could see the little girl glance anxiously across Wei Wuxian to where Lan Wangji was seated. She wore an expression that was somewhere between worried and frustrated. It was an expression Jiang Yanli had seen frequently that afternoon. Wen Nuan wore it often when one of them was taking care of Wen Yuan.

Whether it was someone else supporting Wen Yuan when he tried to walk, or when it came time to take care of his smellier needs. Wen Nuan always seemed slightly uncomfortable when an adult was taking care of it. If an adult did not step in quickly she would assume the task herself. As far as Jiang Yanli was concerned, Wen Nuan was much too young to be taking on some of these tasks herself.

Jiang Yanli wondered how often, in the cycle of losing one caregiver after another, did Wen Nuan end up acting as the parent for her didi? If she was even the one taking care to feed her didi, and the look on Wen Nuan's face seemed to indicate she did, then when last did anyone take care of her? Jiang Yanli had remembered how embarrassed and frustrated Wei Wuxian had been when he came to Lotus Pier at nine years old, and didn't know how to use chopsticks. He had lived on the streets. He rarely had food, let alone chopsticks to eat it with.

Wen Nuan wasn't old enough that not being able to use chopsticks was embarrassing. Many four year old's were only just beginning to be able to feed themselves with chopsticks. Still, it was clear to Jiang Yanli that Wen Nuan was only just starting to learn to hold the chopsticks and pick up food. Wei Wuxian helped her position the chopsticks in her hand.  After a bit of encouragement and reassurance Wen Nuan quickly became more focused on trying to eat her own meal. Jiang Yanli wondered how many times Wen Nuan had tried to take over feeding her didi. Wei Wuxian's job during the meal seemed to be to distract Wen Nuan from her didi while helping Wen Nuan eat. Lan Wangji focused on feeding Wen Yuan.

Eventually Wen Nuan grew impatient with the chopsticks.  She had made quite a mess in the process, but Wei Wuxian praised her like she had done something masterful.  Wen Nuan ate the rest of her meal with a spoon.  Wei Wuxian made sure everything was broken into appropriately sized pieces for her.  By the time Wen Nuan was done with her meal, Wen Yuan was also done eating.  Lan Wangji already had Wen Yuan cleaned up. He helped Wen Nuan wash up while Wei Wuxian ate his food at an almost alarming pace. Jiang Yanli smiled fondly at the scene. It was endearing. The open affection between Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian as they looked after the two kids.

Jiang Yanli's concerns regarding Wen Nuan parenting her didi were accompanied by the knowledge that Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji seemed to be capable of addressing it. Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji were affectionate and patient. Jiang Yanli could easily imagine them raising children. Jiang Yanli was no longer betrothed. She didn't know when she might get married, or to who. Granted, someone was making it very clear that they would like that sort of relationship with her, but with so much going on Jiang Yanli didn't feel like she could afford to make such decisions right now. She wouldn't mind being an aunt before being a mother.