inbox | eastbound

[downswing]

lan wangji
missives | encounters

Comments

[downswing]

He... was the most desired suit of the cultivation world?


( And not Zewu-Jun? )

[weifinder]

After your brother and you. It's absurd! ... Was absurd!

[downswing]

The son of a foremost sect. Possessed of youth, beauty, bloodline, strength, silver.

[weifinder]

Gold, let's not be modest. That was his strongest recommendation, he wasn't so easy to look upon. Young, okay, yes, that's a matter of birth timing. Bloodline? Pah!

[downswing]

( Not 'so easy.' )

Yet you looked.

[weifinder]

With prejudice, you had to know how he treated shijie. His fiancee. I could never figure out what she saw as attractive in him when we were all that age.

( the age of "young" )

Never did figure it out, but at some point, you accept the inevitable.

[downswing]

( What he's hearing is: )

You looked extensively.

[weifinder]

While punching him in the face, yes. Very satisfying.

( and a pause, followed by a brief snort: )

Lan Zhan, Lan Zhaaaan, do I hear jealousy?

[downswing]

Of a man oossessed of youth, beauty, bloodline, strength and — gold?

[weifinder]

Ah, ah, ah, so you didn't notice any of the many times I was looking only at you? My poor heart... or my poor ignorance, I never thought about why I looked so often. Nor why I missed you in Yiling especially. Or—

( a pause. )

Or I had an idea but didn't think on improbabilities. Hmm, that sounds familiar.

[downswing]

He has perished. We do not ill speak of the dead.

[weifinder]

Who's speaking ill? I'll pour vinegar for the both of us later, when we have time to pickle things for dinner. Delicious, no?

[downswing]

And Wei Ying, fourth. Possessed of?

[weifinder]

Charm.

( missing not a beat. )

[downswing]

( The most confused: )

Where?

[weifinder]

( he gasps! such a gasp! it gasps for air as he gasps within it! )

Lan Zhan! The fact it didn't work on you meant I kept trying harder.

( to annoy the everliving something out of him, wei wuxian can admit that, okay. any attention versus being ignored. )

[downswing]

To what end?

[weifinder]

At some point, I think it was simply desiring your attention.

[downswing]

Starved. Following neglect.

[weifinder]

Practically parched! Left thirsting!

[downswing]

Jiang Fengmian chose a bitter bride.

[weifinder]

He was a poor mediator with a good heart and weak stance. Madam Yu was a woman of great strength and pride.

( these were not good mixes in personality. he was too much, and too little, and too obvious, all at once. he cannot imagine acting the same, but he knows. he knows. )

They loved their children.

( to the extents they knew how. it wasn't enough. it's what they had.

and love for him, only one had. it was the love of their children that had mattered. )

[downswing]

But they did not name you son.

[weifinder]

I'm my parents' son. Last of the Wei.

[downswing]

You will have name-bearing sons.