Thinking about this post as a Wangxian AU except it’s not even an AU
Just Lan Qiren trying to arrange a marriage for LZ with whoever the fuck makes him laugh or smile first
And every other family from far and wide comes to make their daughters make him laugh and no one manages, he’s just sitting there with his chameleon stare as if he can’t even see and hear them
So they all eventually say “fuck it, it’s almost time for Cloud Recesses, let’s put this on hold and focus on studies”
And in walks WWX with no idea that the whole thing happened and no care to find out about it, just a desire to fuck with this dude and make him laugh
cue the bunny lantern, and WWX shouting “I made him smile!” and LZ realising what he has done, ready to kill him bc NO ONE can ever know that they have to get married now
Anyway there are good posts about who Wangji confesses his love for Wei Ying too first (eg the Mianmian one) BUT I also have strong feelings that, besides Zewu-jun maybe, Yanli was one of the first people to actually kinda address it
because LISTEN
in all those days where Wangji came every morning first thing and every evening last thing to play cleansing song for comatose Wei Ying, with Yanli hanging out beside him and letting him in, you think it never came up?
I’m certain there was a moment.
Like, sure, first day he knocks for the first time, probably as soon as he knows about Wei Ying and is just possibly out of breath standing in the door all “hI yes I mean greetings Lady IS HE HERE cAN I COME IN PLEASE I GOTTA SEE HIM”
and she’s like “uh yea sure?”
But then he really does come by the first time to play for him, is more collected, does the courtesy bow and all, asks if she would mind if he came in to help Wei Ying with the cleansing ritual and she’s a little surprised probably, because great hanguang jun cares about her dumb lil bro but ultimately she’s all “sure yea great please by all means go ahead and save him!”
and she makes herself scarce to not distract him or seem like she’s leering or w/e but by the end she checks in when he’s silent again, and he can’t even look at her and just goes “if you don’t mind, I’d come back tonight to play again” and she’s like ok
But over the course of those days, there HAS TO BE one time where she’s about to leave the room for him to be left alone, but then idk, remembers she forgot something in there, or forgot to ask him if he wants tea and you can’t have that or some ish, so she wants to go back in, only to catch him longingly staring at Wei Ying, maybe even brush a hair out of his face ever so gently and just look SO concerned, and she’s like “!!!!!!! OH!!!!!!!”
so by the end of that session she just sits him down with some tea and it’d be rude to say no so he stays and she’s all “It’s so kind of you to do all this”
“mn…”
“Wei ying is very lucky to have you :)”
“………”
“……you like him a lot, don’t you?” and flashes him a big Yanli-smile
and he just kinda, subtly sinks into himself, like he’s a turtle trying to hide in his shell, but she just kinda laughs it off, and tells him how happy she is about that, though, how lucky wei ying would be, and also, “he’s quite fond of you, too. A-Xian doesn’t talk much about his feelings, but he talks about you a lot! Always goes on about how he can’t wait to see you again.”
and Lan Zhan’s ears are just bright red, and he doesn’t even have to say anything for it to really be out there in the open
(although he might, once he remembers how to words somewhere the next day)
All he can croak out is a little “he does?” and blinks
Yanli has to laugh a little but “yes, all the time! Everyone at home is already tired of hearing about how great you are ;) I’m sure he’s going to be overjoyed to see you, once he wakes up.“
dfghjk I accidentally reblogged the last post bc I was not paying attention and read it as Wen Qing (and Jiang Cheng i figured it’s one of his names thatI just forgot or sth) ooP
