Platonic modern AU #rencheng where lqr gradually fills the place of a parental figure in jc’s life until jfm shows up at jc’s university graduation and people think he’s jc’s uncle and that lqr is jc’s ~real dad~
It starts in primary school, when jc is about 8yo. lqr knows jfm has taken in a child as a ward. He knows wwx gets on lwj’s nerves, and he knows lxc thinks the boy is good for lwj because it brings him out of his shell a bit.
It’s just a regular school day when lqr goes to pick up the boys and he sees jc sitting by himself on the ground by the school gate.
“Jiang Cheng? Are you by yourself?”
“Uncle Lan!” jc scrambles to stand and bow, manners impeccable as always. “wwx has a flute exam so he
“I’m here whether you like it or not and you can’t do anything about it!”
lxc pauses at wwx’s familiar shout.
“I can stop you from bothering jiujiu and making things even worse!”
Oh no. lxc sighs, rushing to jc’s room. It’s still early in the morning, not long after breakfast, and lp hasn’t woken to its usual liveliness yet.
“I’m trying to save him!” wwx screams.
“No one needs you to!” jl screams back. “You’re not wanted and you’re not needed!”
lxc slides open jc’s door, barely giving a glance to jl and wwx facing off each other cuz the only thing he can see is jc pushing himself up from the bed. “Jiang Wanyin!” He rushes over and wraps an arm around him.
jl spins around and gasps, going to jc’s other side
Dinner that night is another awkward affair. wwx loudly declares he won’t be drinking any wine, sending the servant back with the jug. lxc sees Jiang Wei roll his eyes and he hides his smile with a bite of rice. Jiang Wei certainly brings the “fierce” to “fierce loyalty”.
jc is obviously exhausted again, barely eating and disappearing after dinner. As lxc is led to his room, he spies Healer Yu leading a horde of assistants to the inner courtyards.
lxc wants to follow but obviously can’t, so after settling in, he decides on another walk.
lp at night is ethereal in its beauty, quiet and calm. He sits at a bench by a smaller lotus cove and feels the urge to paint. He hasn’t had inspiration for over a year, and he didn’t expect to come now.
But the lotuses are so pretty in the moonlight, the water clear and still.
lxc flies at such speed that he arrives at lp well before dawn. The guards on duty are beyond shocked, thinking only an emergency would tear Sect Leader Lan out of seclusion to lp at such an hour.
“Please wait a moment while we alert our sect leader,” one says.
“No, that is fine. I can wait until Sect Leader Jiang wakes as usual.”
The guards share a confused look, but a couple lead him to the waiting hall and provide him with tea and some snacks.
“Sect Leader will be informed as soon as he wakes.”
“Thank you.” lxc bows his head, the two guards rush to return a proper bow. “Is Sect Leader Jiang doing well?”
The look on their faces turns pinched. “Of course,” one says smoothly. “We’ll leave Sect Leader Lan here then. Please call if there’s anything you need.”
It’s curfew, but lxc doesn’t budge from his seat in jc’s room. If he pays attention he can hear wwx’s voice next door, talking ceaselessly as he digests his research.
lxc had asked a servant to fetch him some books from wwx, deciding that he should help research too. It’s even more urgent than the one to turn jc back into an adult.
The healer thinks jc will recover with rest, but the process is slower than it should be because of the side drain targeting his core. He still has no idea the core isn’t jc’s.
When jc wakes the next morning, lxc is there at his bedside. “How are you feeling?”
He seals the hanshi shut in its entirety, and he circles the front room with jc still in his arms. “Don’t worry, Cheng-er,” he babbles, almost to himself. Even his voice is trembling. “Nothing’s gonna happen. I’m not gonna let them take you. Not yet. They can’t have you.”
It isn’t long before there’s a hard knock on the doors, and lxc whips around, eyes wide.
“Xiongzhang.” lwj sounds as unperturbed as always. “Please open the door.”
lxc shakes his head. “No.” It’s too low for anyone other than jc to hear. “No, not now. It’s too soon.”
He goes into the bedroom instead, where the sound of the insistent knocking is quieter. He sits on the bed, still holding jc. He can’t feel his face, can’t feel his limbs, can’t control his shaking. He’s still panting, struggling to get enough air into his lungs.