Way too untamed, way too wild

Excited yet obedient children

Lan Wangji pointed towards the goods he had brought for Wei Ying and the children. "I have brought more food and some blankets as promised. You should take them back for the children, they must be starving by now." Lan Wangji prompted the boy. He wanted to come along but he was not sure Wei Ying would let him, they had not parted on best terms yesterday after all.

It turned out like he was worrying unnecessarily because the boy jumped up to his feet immediately and went to inspect what Lan Wangji had brought. He squatted down next to the displayed food and watched it in awe. Then he shot back up and run towards Lan Wangji, stopping just a feet or so away from him. The Second Jade had to blink, he was not used to anyone entering his personal space. But it was not too uncomfortable so he let it go for now, at least he had a better view of Wei Ying's wide grin and sparkling eyes.

"Lan Zhan! There is so much! Have you really brought all of this for the children?" the boy explained, his voice vibrating with disbelief and excitement, both mixed together. He was also bouncing up and down a bit, balancing on the tips of his feet.

Lan Wangji smiled a bit and nodded: "Mn, for the children."

Suddenly he got alarmed, the boy had put it like he was not going to get anything and would probably only divide it between the children, once again going hungry himself. "And for Wei Ying," he added quickly so there would be no misunderstanding about his intentions.

He did not believe it was possible, but the boy's smile widened still and he had already taken hold of Lan Wangji's hand and was dragging him towards the food now. He let go only long enough for him to pick up everything while Lan Wangji went to pack the blankets and other necessities.

Wei Ying was chatting excitedly all the while: "Lan Zhan, you are the best! The children had never had such a feast, they will be so happy! When I go to the town, I can never get this much for them, now everyone will have a full stomach. You even brought some more milk for A-Yuan. Thank you! And sweets! The children love them although they do not get them often. And the blankets! I could not find any for quite a while now, no one leaves them outside during the night. The children will be so pampered!"

Even though the boy looked extremely happy, Lan Wangji's heart was crying hearing his words. It was clear that Wei Ying cared immensely about the children and wanted them to have everything they needed, but he was apparently unable to provide for everyone. It was not his fault, Lan Wangji knew he had been doing his best, even going as far as hurting himself in the process. It was the whole situation the boy and the children were in which saddened him, no child should have ever found themselves in such a dire need of even the most basic of necessities.

"I will get more in the afternoon. And some clothes too, only a few robes though, it takes time to prepare everything." Lan Wangji promised, making Wei Ying turn to him in awe.

"Lan Zhan, you really are the best, we will never be able thank you enough. Come, let us deliver this to the children. You can give it to them, they will be overjoyed!"

Lan Wangji nodded and followed the skipping and almost running Wei Ying up the mountain path. He was worried; he knew that while he could provide basic necessities for some time, if he would run out of money he could always return to the Cloud Recessed and get more, it was extremely unhealthy for the children to live in the Burial Mounds. He really would have to take them away from here.

But he was afraid to start the topic now. He still vividly remembered Wei Ying's reaction to any possible threat to the children he was taking care of. If Lan Wangji would not prove to him first that his intentions were to protect them and certainly not do them any harm, Wei Ying would most probably reject going anywhere. Any new place he did not know well could potentially be dangerous so he would surely hesitate to agree to let the children step out of the Burial Mounds. Perhaps he should ask Wen Qing to help him persuade the boy.

His thoughts were interrupted by an excited shout: "Big brothers are back!"

It was one of the children who was sitting outside of the caves and apparently playing with dirt or something in it. As soon as the small girl had spotted them, she jumped up in excitement and run towards the cave, calling for the other children to come out. Before Lan Wangji could properly prepare himself, he was already surrounded by a small flock of children, jumping around and trying to peek into his arms and see what he was carrying.

His head was spinning a bit because he was not used to such a ruckus nor being at the centre of so much attention. He glanced at Wei Ying and saw that the other was grinning at him again. He collected himself and scrunched down, putting the things he had been carrying neatly in front of himself for the children to be able to see them. Wei Ying had joined him and did the same with the food.

The children could visibly not wait any longer, their eyes sparkling, but they behaved at least so much that they were not grabbing at the things in front of them. Since Wei Ying made no move to give them anything, Lan Wangji remembered that the boy had said he should be the one to distribute things between the children. So he looked around and realized, they were all waiting to be called out and given their share.

He had to actually marvel at their discipline, he was not sure he would have been this patient if he was starving and there was food in front of him. Then again, it made sense for the children to not start fighting between themselves, that would have been contra productive. That must have been why they were waiting, albeit very impatiently, for one person to distribute evenly between them.

Determined, Lan Wangji nodded at the closest child, gesturing to him to come closer. He grabbed a few different pieces of food and gave it to the small girl, it was the same who came to alert everyone about their arrival. He smiled at her and she beamed back at him, immediately thanking him. It warmed his heart.

More encouraged now, he confidently continued handing out the food. He let the blankets and other necessities be for now, the children first had to eat. There was also the fact that he would not have had enough for everyone to get their own, he had to wait until the afternoon when he would go to pick up more in the town.

Once all the children had their share, he turned towards Wen Qing and Wen Ning who came out of the cave by now and were watching him intently. Wen Qing was holding the baby A-Yuan in her arms again. Lan Wangji took two portions of food and the bottle of milk he had brought, stood up and went to hand it to them.

Both Dafan Wen siblings were watching him with wary eyes but took the food they have been offered with small bows which Lan Wangji quickly returned. Then he went back to where Wei Ying was still sitting on the ground, smiling at him.

It worried Lan Wangji greatly that the boy made no move to take the rest of the food which remained on the cloth on the ground. Was he not hungry? No, impossible, he must have been the one starving the most among all the inhabitants of the Burial Mounds. So he was probably waiting for Lan Wangji to give him the food, as to everyone else. Or maybe not, the Second Jade was confused when he tried to give Wei Ying his share but the boy only shook his head.

He was now even more worried, Wei Ying had to eat as well. "What is wrong?" he asked in a desperate attempt to understand why the boy would behave this way.

Wei Ying looked at him as if the reason should have been obvious to him but he explained in the end: "Lan Zhan, you have to eat as well. You stomach had been growling."

Lan Wangji was moved almost to tears. How come a boy who knew so much hardship in his life could be this sweet and caring? He sat down on the ground across from Wei Ying and offered him the food again, keeping some of it for himself this time.

"Let us eat together," he proposed and was rewarded by the boy's smile.

"Thank you, Lan Zhan!" Wei Ying said softly. Only now did he take the food from his hand and started devouring it hungrily. Lan Wangji was watching him with mixed feelings.