The sun's exceptionally... un-bright today. But it isn't the rainy season yet either... Lan Wangji pondered as he walked out the kitchen to the main grounds and stood at the centre, hands crossed behind his back, waiting.

"Hello, Lan Er-Gongzi."

"Greetings, Lan Er-Gongzi."

"Mn," Lan Zhan nodded to all who passed by, greeting him more out of awe than courtesy.

"Lan Er-Gongzi, do you perhaps need anything?"

"No, it's fine. Thank you."

"Oh, Sizhui, right? Lemme go fetch him?"

"It is fine, he may come at his own pace. I don't mind waiting. Thank you, child," he inclined his head to the junior.

The Jiang boy nodded, bowed and hopped away.

Lan Wangji remained standing for six more minutes, determined to head to the classroom to check should his boy not walk out in another four minutes.

"Baba!"

"Sizhui, don't scream."

Weilan Yuan, now a tall and handsome twelve-year-old, grinned as he ran closer. "Come on Baba, you're the only one in all of Lotus Pier who doesn't shout a bit."

"I prefer not to," Lan Wangji smiled and ruffled his hair. "Your Diedie does my share too."

"How precise," Weilan Sizhui chuckled and hugged him. "You seem in a good mood, Baba?"

"Mn?"

"Mhm!"

"Well, you will too."

"Oh?"

"A-Ying went to fetch your shidi."

"Jin Ling!?"

"Mn."

"HURRAY!" Sizhui leapt up in joy and started dancing on the main ground.

"Sizhui."

"Baba?"

"What's going on there?" Lan Zhan pointed to the pier.

"Hmm?" Sizhui frowned at the crowd gathered there. "Dangerous for such a number to aggregate on a deck. Shall we go check, Baba?"

"Mn," Lan Zhan nodded, though his instincts told a lot about what exactly was going on at the deck.

Weilan Yuan strode forwards and tapped the back of a boy at the back, jumping high to catch a glimpse of the chaos.

Chaos...

Of course. I should have known, Lan Wangji smirked to himself. Master Walking Chaos has returned.

Ah, the entire Chaotic Lotus Trio? Splendid. Lan Zhan nudged Lan Sizhui to stand beside him, before clearing his throat a tad loudly.

"Lan Er-Gongzi!" The disciples at the back gasped and made way, passing forth the message by ramming those at the front in their ribs.

"Well, well, if it isn't my A-Zhan!"

"A-Ying," Lan Zhan nodded, stoically biting back the smile of pride.

"I was just asking after you two, Wangji," Jiang Yanli smiled.

"Shijie," Lan Zhan bowed.

Perhaps he respected Yanli for looking after Wei Wuxian and hence addressed her similarly... or perhaps (most likely) he simply loved to flaunt his husbandhood.

"Little Rulan," Lan Zhan patted the little boy's head peeking from behind Jin Zixuan's robes, Suihua's tassel dangling over his face.

"Jin Ling shidi!" Weilan Yuan rushed forth, purple robes flying in every direction. He bowed to the parents before looking up at Zixuan. "Jin Gongzi, may I play with him?"

Jin Zixuan looked at Lan Wangji. "Will he be safe?"
Lan Wangji nodded.
Zixuan let go of Jin Ling's hand and pushed him gently a step or two forward. In a flash, Weilan Yuan had grabbed him by the hand and dragged him towards the grounds to play, calling out to several other friends along the way.

"Will he be alright?"

"I meant the nod," Lan Zhan reassured him. He turned around to face Wei Ying and signalled with his eyes.
Wei Wuxian spun around and called, "Shijie, Zixuan, coming to our place? Or headed for Shushu's hall?"

"Hm..." Jiang Yanli bit her lip.

Jiang Cheng shot a glare at Jin Zixuan who immediately chirruped, "Your place."

Lan Wangji frowned in confusion. Something's off... What's going on?

"Shijie wouldn't mind?" Wei Wuxian asked.

"Hm... Yes. I'm a bit... erm..."

"Tired."

"...yes, only a bit though! I'll have some water at your place first. Can't have A-Niang seeng me like this," she muttered, lightly leaning on her husband's frame.

Her face was a blackish pale. Her smile feeble. Something's definitely wrong. Was her affliction... getting worse? "Shijie?"

"Don't worry, Wangji, I'll be fine," she smiled. "A-Xuan—"

Zixuan wrapped his hand around her arm instantly and inconspicuously helped her walk with the others.

"Eh, Wangji."

"Shijie?"

"Is your brother not here?"

"Workload. Had he known Shijie would bring Rulan here, he would have come."

"Certainly," Jiang Yanli chuckled softly. "Still... no wonder."

"What, Shijie?" Wei Wuxian grinned at her.

"No wonder A-Cheng's been hyped up."

"Wha—?! Huh?! Who even suggested such a ridiculous thing to you, A-Jie?!"

"Written all over your face, Amethyst Sptifire."

"Oh shut UP Walking Chaos! Quit clinging onto Lan Wangji before teasing me, it's gross!"

"Look who's talking."

"JIN ZIXUAN! Did you say something?"

"Absolutely."

"UGH!" Jiang Cheng harrumphed.

"A-Ying."

"A-Zhan?"

"Get them to the room. I'll go let Madam Yu and Jiang Shushu know, first."

"But Lan Zhan—"

"It's only so that they won't worry. I'll let them know she needs time."

"Okay. Thanks, honey."

"Mn, darling." And as confidently smug as ever, Lan Wangji marched away leaving his husband officially a tomato.

"Wh— What are y'all laughing at! DONCHA HAVE CLASS!"

The other Jiangs waving and greeting the Lotus Trio and Jin Zixuan at the pier all laughed at Wei Wuxian's redness before sprinting away. 

**********

"Okay first, sit down nice and cosy..."

"Hm. Your bed's so plush, XianXian..."

"Right? Lan Zhan has some spell, I'm guessing. Dunno yet. Okay, now..."

"Water," Jiang Cheng held up a cup.

Zixuan sat beside the lady on the bed and held the cup to her lips.

"A-Xuan, I can drink myself you know."

"Clearly," Zixuan tipped the cup, forcing her to gulp it all down.

Wei Wuxian shook his head and took the cup afterwards. "Okay, Shijie want more?"

"...just a bit."

"Sure thing," he grabbed the jug on the bedside table and poured out more. While she drank slowly, shoving Zixuan's hand away, Wei Wuxian turned to his martial brother. "Jiang Cheng?"

"I dunno, the first thing I saw when I got there was A-Jie's face being so dark."

"Out of fatigue?"

"Correct. Let's ask this guy."

"Golden peacock. Explain."

Jin Zixuan sighed. "From what I understood the past few weeks... she gets tired easily."

"I always have, A-Xuan. Why do you think I never trained?"

"That's not what I meant. I mean it's getting worse. Wei Wuxian, did you maintain contact with Wen Qing?"

"Yes. But... erm. She... hasn't made much progress. I-It's not her fault, though. None of the books... not in any sect..."

"It's okay A-Xian, I get it," Yanli patted his sweating hand. "And it's alright. I held on this long, boys, come on."

"Are you saying you can hold on longer or are you saying you want to let go?" Jiang Cheng grumbled.

"Jiang Wan-YIN!"

"Don't. Fight."

"Sorry," Zixuan muttered.

"And A-Cheng... I don't even know."

Wei Wuxian stared at her, amazed. "How do you even say that with such a consistent smile?"

"I am your sworn sister after all," Jiang Yanli chuckled.

"Shijie!"

"She has a point," Lan Wangji nodded firmly, walking in and locking the door behind him.

"A-Zhan... the kids?"

"Playing. Jiang Shushu joined them, so they won't be coming here for hours."

"Excellent," Jiang Cheng bobbed his head. "A-Jie, lie down."

Lan Zhan glanced at Wei Ying who pleaded with his eyes and a nod. Quickly, the tallest man dashed to the head of the bed, fluffed the pillows and placed them stacked vertically to help her reflux. Yanli thanked him and lied down.

"..."

"..."

"Oh wow."

"Her head barely touched the pillows..."

Jin Zixuan bit the inside of his cheek. "She couldn't even carry Jin Ling today."

"Exactly what happened?"

"I don't know."

"It's been like this a couple years now, hasn't it?" Wei Wuxian asked.

"Yes. And you know what everyone says... she worries about that too," Zixuan shook his head. "She never admits. But I know she does."

"The whole 'giving birth worsened the illness' scenario?" Jiang Cheng snapped. "Stupid as heck."

"Don't send Jin Ling outside alone," Lan Zhan mumbled.

"True," Wei Ying nodded. "Should he hear all that... I mean, little Rulan's depressed as it is... We can't have them both suffering from public talk. But again... wouldn't Shijie being this ill affect him too?"

"Send him here more often."

"Lotus Pier?"

"And Cloud Recesses."

"Lan Zhan's right," Wei Wuxian nodded. "All of us are here, Jingyi and Xichen-ge are there. Shijie seems to be resisting and ignoring herself, for his sake. Let's try giving her some peace of mind and body."

"Fine. He'll be here every weekend then."

"You better take good care of her, blasted peacock, or else!"

"I get it, I get it."

"We'll leave her to sleep, guys," Wei Ying dragged them out to share some soup. 

**********

"BOYS! SOUP TIME!"

The clatter of porcelain and chatter of tired youngsters filled the hall as all the boys who had been playing outside rushed in to grab their share of Grandma Luo's soup. The girls had spent a half-hour preparing it with her, and now took a moment to relax and sit with their classmates for the meal. Evening soup was a special occasion for the Jiang sect, being the time where everyone gathered to eat — freely. Tired from classes and training, all they wanted to do was eat and chat.

And drink, in the seniors' case.

"Luo Nainai! Can I have seconds!"

"WHEN did you even get here, XianXian?!"

"Hehe!"

Hands on her hips, she shook her head at the four tall men seated at the head of the long table. "When I said boys, I meant 'boys', not 'grown-up fathers'!"

"Is that so?" Another voice called, chuckling merrily.

"Sect Leader," she bowed. "Apologies," she smiled. "That excludes you."

"THAT'S NOT FAIR!"

"Come on, you two, you know she'll still give you the biggest bowls," Jiang Fengmian ruffled their heads.

"A-Die..." Jiang Cheng mumbled.

"Shushu," Wei Ying smiled, "where's—?"

"Sh!" Fengmian kept a finger to his lips with a wink.

Luo Nainai brought a tray with two of the finest bowls of soup and handed it to him. "Are you sure you don't need a maid?"

"I'm still young enough to carry a piece of wood, Luo Gugu," he nodded his thanks to his aunt and walked out of the hall.

"Ah, they're having soup time together? Sect Leader's cool!"

"I see where shixiong got his romantic traits from."

"Did you girls say something?" Wei Wuxian leant on the table.

"Eh? Absolutely not!"

"No no no!"

"Better not," he laughed and turned to Lan Zhan. "Eh, A-Zhan, is that true?"

"Yes."

"I don't mean whether the girls were talking, I meant what they said."

"That's why I said yes."

"Oh? So I got my 'romance traits' from Shushu?"

"Mn."

Wei Ying narrowed his eyes. "How long have you noticed this, hm?"

"'Romance' traits from Shushu, 'appearance' traits from Wei Changze, 'behaviour' traits from Cangse Sanren."

"...well that's accurate," Jin Zixuan snorted.

"How do you know how my father looked?"

"..."

"A-Zhan, answer."

"You haven't seen?"

"Seen what? Him? I don't remember much of them. Barely anything... Mum's smile, and Dad's eyes. Which are different, maybe I've Mum's eyes."

"That's all?"

"...yeah?"

"Remind me to talk to Shushu later."

"A-Zhan, come on, don't leave me hanging!"

"Here you go!" Luo Nainai placed four gigantic bowls on their side of the table. "Drink up before it gets cold, boys."

"Woah, all four of us?!" Jiang Cheng gaped at their bowls. Lan Wangji and Jin Zixuan looked up, aghast at the too huge servings.

"You're all family after all," she chirruped in a singsong voice and sat beside Jiang Sizhui with her own bowl.

"Erm... I'll be in your room," Jin Zixuan muttered to Wei Wuxian and sauntered out with his bowl.

"Oh come on, Luo Nainai, spill the beans."

"Well, surely Jin Gongzi couldn't drink all that for his life's worth! My little Yanli needs some too."

"Cunning, cunning," Jiang Cheng smirked.

"Trust me, ChengCheng, those two are just like your parents."

"And as for A-Zhan? Nainai knows he never has too much."

"Well..." she smiled. "While you were teaching the morning class, this fellow helped me quite a lot. Chopping up firewood is sweaty work, thought he could use a bit more," she patted his back.

Jiang Cheng's jaw dropped. "And I thought Wei Wuxian was the only one who could lay a hand on him."

"I thought so too," the other laughed. "Eh, Lan Zhan, found yourself a nanny?"

"Mn."

"Haha!"

"Oh, and you," Luo Nainai turned to the children seated beside her. "You, little one, I got you a bit more fluid serving. You're going to have to drink it up, without cutlery."

Jin Ling pouted at his bowl and then at her.

"It's for your good, little Rulan. Slurping from a cup could teach you a thing or two with time," she smiled benevolently.

Jin Ling nodded and looked down at the cup again. After watching the red flecks float around on the water for a while, he sighed and tugged on Sizhui's sleeve.

"What is it?"

"..." Jin Ling pointed to the bowl.

"Hey, you can talk when it's with me, at least."

"...I can't eat thoup without a poon."

"Haha, Jins... Watch and learn," Weilan Yuan kept his own spoon on the table, took the bowl in his hands, kept it to his lips and drew a big sip.

Jin Ling nodded and followed suit — only to grip the cup with a hiss.

"Did you burn yourself?!"

"Mmm," Jin Ling kept the cup down and pulled on his tongue.

"Aish..." Sizhui blew on the soup for a few minutes, and tested the heat, before giving the bowl back. "Try now."

"...Pithy!" The boy cried, licking his lips in glee.

"Spicy, yes. Knew you'd like it," Sizhui tousled his hair.

"Ey, A-Zhan, my soup's a bit warm too—"

"No."

"Hmph. ...Wait wha— you were chopping firewood?!?!"

"Mn." Lan Zhan sighed, wondering how long it took for him to realise.

"WHEN?!"

"Morning. You were teaching."

"NO FAIR!"

"Mn?"

"What's not fair?" Jiang Cheng raised an eyebrow.

Wei Ying looked around at the children and muttered, "...nothing." Bending towards his husband, he whispered, "To think I lost my chance of seeing you in plainer robes, perhaps shirtless, dripping with sweat... tut-tut, such bad luck."

"Tomorrow."

"Huh?"

"Tomorrow morning. Both of us."

"Oooh, so we both get to— it's a win-win situation, hm? Ain't you the smart one, Lan Er-Gege," Wei Ying grinned. "Deal."

"Deal."