Who You Are

Chapter 79 - A Different Side to Lan Qiren

*a conversation between Lan Qiren and Xichen*

"Come in Xichen."

"Shufu," Xichen greeted as he enters his chambers.

Xichen joined him in the mat beside him. Without a word, he pours a cup of warm tea for his Shufu and himself.

"Seeing Wangji, I can tell a still misses that boy," Lan Qiren stated with a heavy voice, "now that I know that the twins are his biological sons and Wei Wuxian is the other biological parent, I bet it's even harder on him."

"It is," Xichen said, "but I can tell that the boys warm his heart enough to keep him motivated...for only toddlers, they are very sweet boys."

"I saw that," Qiren said stroking his beard, "it's interesting how they have Wangji's calm demeanor."

"I'm sure the older they get, the more their personalities will come out," Xichen said, "also, it has been a while, but that night he drank?.."

"I think the brand he gave him is punishment enough," Lan Qiren stated, "is that all he did?"

"I think so," Lan Xichen said, "I was asleep in Jingshi but I didn't notice he was gone until a little later...so if he did anything, I am unaware of it."

...

"We are aware of them now," Wei Ying said.

"That we are," Lan Qiren said with a sigh, "remind me to remove those profanity and scandalous things from my home later."

Wei Ying laughed, "why remove them, they've been there for this long."

"I will not have that vulgar imagery on my house!" Lan Qiren spat.

"Sorry, Shufu," Lan Zhan said.

"Don't worry about it," Lan Qiren told him, "I'll let it slide...just this once!"

Wangji nodded and looked back at the screen.

...

"Xichen," his voice emits great torment, "contrary to what many think, I can never hate Wangji," he looks at his hands, "these hands have raised him too. He is as much my son as he is of my brother's..."

he looks away, "...when that kid was an infant, my brother said his soul lies in Wangji, he asked me to protect him, Lan Qiren sighed, "Xichen, do you think I enjoyed punishing Wangji? He bore the scars of it, but I too bore the brunt in my heart and soul. Every single one of those lashes, I shall carry it with me, even in my afterlife".

"Shufu," Xichen whispered.

"Xi Chen, do you know why I am this strict with Wangji?" his grip against the cup is so tight, his knuckles are bare white "you and Wangji, look so similar, but his soul is like that of his father. They're replica of eachother. Not only their souls but heart too..."

Lan Qiren pauses and looks straight at Xichen, "...both fell in love young and lost too. The reason I despise Wei Wuxian was not out of personal enmity, he was a child too, afterall, but his personality was like that of your mother's...and his mother's. I knew the day Wangji met him, he fell in love with Wei Wuxian and I was scared, scared that Wangji would choose to be like your father" he looks away and coughs out the emotions he hid within him, "and I was right."

"Uncle, please don't blame yourself" Xichen tried to soothe his heartache. Never did he realize that his uncle felt so deep. A man who stood strong for them also has a heart of gold.

...

Wangji looked to his parents, then to his uncle. Wangji's uncle knew him more than he ever actually realized...Wangji had this feeling deep down that he was like his father...I'm so many aspects...and based of his uncle's words...they were proven true.