Beneath the Moonless Sky

First Encounter

It was a quiet Saturday afternoon, and Lan Wangji found himself standing outside the small flower shop his brother had mentioned before. The shop was quaint, with neatly arranged potted plants and bouquets displayed in the front. As the sun began to set, casting a warm orange glow over the town, the sign in the window flipped to "closing soon."

Lan Wangji hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to expect from this encounter. He had been curious about Wei Ying ever since Lan Xichen had mentioned him. The idea that someone his age was facing such overwhelming challenges—and yet seemed to persist despite them—had stirred something within him. It was only natural that he wanted to meet the boy his brother had been trying so hard to help.

Pushing open the door, Lan Wangji stepped inside the shop. A soft bell jingled overhead as he entered. The air was filled with the scent of fresh flowers, calming and pleasant.

He noticed Wei Ying almost immediately. The boy stood near the counter, clumsily arranging a bouquet. His movements were slow and deliberate, but there was a tremor in his hands that made the task more difficult than it should have been. Lan Wangji also observed the way Wei Ying moved—his balance was slightly off as if he were constantly adjusting to maintain his footing.

Wei Ying hadn't noticed Lan Wangji's entrance. He was focused on the flowers, his lips moving silently as if he were talking to himself, perhaps counting or reminding himself of what to do next.

Lan Wangji approached the counter quietly but made sure to clear his throat softly so as not to startle him. Wei Ying looked up, blinking in surprise, before offering a shy, hesitant smile.

"Hello," Lan Wangji greeted, his voice soft but steady.

Wei Ying's response came in a jumble of words, some of them stumbling over one another. "H-hello! Um, can I—uh, help you? W-we're about to c-close, but, um, I c-can still... if you n-need something."

Lan Wangji took a moment to absorb the way Wei Ying spoke—there was a certain innocence to it, a softness that made him sound younger than he was. It was almost as if he were hearing a child speak, not a boy his age. But Lan Wangji didn't let his surprise show. Instead, he offered a calm smile.

"I don't need anything," Lan Wangji said gently. "I wanted to visit the shop. My brother, Lan Xichen, told me about this place."

Wei Ying's eyes brightened at the mention of Lan Xichen. "Oh! Mr. L-Lan Xichen? He—he comes here sometimes."

Lan Wangji nodded. "Yes, he told me about you."

Wei Ying's hands stilled for a moment, and he looked uncertain. "About... me?"

Lan Wangji's expression remained gentle. "He told me you've been working hard. I wanted to meet you."

Wei Ying seemed confused, as if unsure why anyone would want to meet him. He ducked his head slightly as if trying to hide. "I... I just... I just d-do the flowers. It's not... it's not m-much."

"It's enough," Lan Wangji said quietly. He studied Wei Ying for a moment longer, noticing the slight tremor in his hands again, the way he seemed unsure of his movements. There was a quiet determination in Wei Ying, though—something that spoke to his resilience, even in the face of the challenges Lan Wangji knew he faced.

"I'm Lan Wangji," he added after a pause.

Wei Ying nodded quickly, repeating his name to himself as if to commit it to memory. "Lan Wangji. I'm... I'm Wei Ying."

There was a brief silence between them before Wei Ying awkwardly returned to his task of arranging the flowers. Lan Wangji watched, offering no further interruption, simply observing the boy his brother had spoken so highly of. He could see why Lan Xichen had been so determined to help.

As the shop's closing time approached, Lan Wangji quietly took his leave. "It was nice to meet you, Wei Ying."

Wei Ying looked up again, surprised by the simple kindness in Lan Wangji's tone. "It was n-nice to meet you too."

Lan Wangji gave him one last nod before turning to leave, his thoughts lingering on the brief encounter. He wasn't entirely sure what to make of Wei Ying just yet, but one thing was clear: there was much more to the boy than met the eye, and Lan Wangji felt a growing desire to understand him better.

As the bell chimed once more and the door closed behind him, Lan Wangji felt a strange sense of anticipation. He had a feeling that this wouldn't be his last visit to the flower shop.