“Wake up now, A-Yuan.” He hears a voice rouse him up, a slight wet-like cool poking his face. “It’s already five.”
The little boy, clad in whites and blues groggily wakes, rubbing his eyes to rid of the crusts he formed while he slept soundly. “Mmh?”
“Come now, you don’t want to be late. If you do, you’d have to write as punishment: you don’t want that, do you?”
“Nnnoo...”
“Alrighty then. Come on up!”
He makes his body move, heavy as it is. He drags himself to the bath, and soon changed his clothes. This time, he was a
but more awake as he had used freezing cold water to bathe.
“Now, fix your ribbon. You don’t want it crooked. These Lans love being perfect, it’s odd really, since no one /is/ perfect.”
Lan Sizhui sighs, and proceeds to fix his ribbon, using his hands to feel whether or not
it’s already straight, or still somewhat bent.
“Now my little radish, eat. Eat as much as you want— forget those damn rules when you eat. No one can see you anyway. Take your fill.”
Lan Sizhui still eats slowly, remembering what Hanguang Jun had told him, but also listening.
He eats and eats, listening and taking his fill. He eats until he finally feels full.
“That’s good little one. Go on, it’s almost time for classes. The scrolls you prepared yesterday are still that the middle table. Go on now! Have fun!”
Lan Sizhui wipes his mouth and turns
back to thank him—
Only to see empty, dead air.
He hears the door open behind him. “Sizhui, are you ready?” Lan Sizhui looks and finds Hanguang Jun, in all his holy glory. He blinks.
“Hanguang Jun, did someone go outside before you went in?”
Hanguang Jun raises his brows.
“I don’t think so? There wasn’t anyone in your room. I only heard your voice.”
But he was sure he heard someone! He really did! A motherly, caring voice that had helped him get through the day, a voice he would most often hear in a—
His head aches.
He remembers mud and soil surrounding him, a request to be watered like radishes, warms arms covering him, protecting him from the world’s greed.
Arms that would do anything to keep him safe, arms that were frail, but strong enough, just to protect him.
Warm, thin arms.
Who?
“But Hanguang Jun, I swear I heard a voice—“
Hanguang Jun sighs. “It’s alright Sizhui. You can rest today. Maybe you’re just tired.”
“But... but I’m not. I swear Hanguang Jun! I can go to classes—“
“Don’t worry. I’m sure shufu will make an exemption for you
today.”
“Today?” What was in today?
“Yes. Did you forget, A-Yuan? It’s your birthday.”
His... birthday.
So that voice wanted to celebrate it with him.
“Happy Birthday, A-Yuan.”
A-Yuan looks once more behind him, but still... nothing.
“Who?”
Hanguang Jun replies from
behind him. “Who?”
“I swear... I heard a voice... I heard a voice but I can’t remember... I can’t—“
“Is there anything that he would say to you? Something that’s easy to identify?”
“Radish. He called me his radish.”
The room was now silent. He could hear a sharp intake
of breath from his adoptive father. “I...” he could hear Hanguang Jun swallow a sob. “Sizhui, you can take the day off. We can spend the day in Caiyi later. Rest... for now.”
And he leaves.
Lan Sizhui blinks. Hanguang Jun must know the answer, yet didn’t tell him.
But who?
(If you couldn’t tell, the intro was inspired by Kaz jiejie. I know I’m not that good of a writer but yeah, anyway give her thread some love)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY A-YUAN and #mamaxianseason
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