#nah but imagine lan wangji in this

[yibo-wang]

WANG YIBO x FANTASY WESTWARD JOURNEY GAME PROMO

[lazulisong]

aight

@hystericblue wanted wei wuxian and @inkstainedarm wanted mdzs in general so :D

this is actually kind of about Nie Huisang too but cut for spoilers

its fascinating to look at wei wuxian's characterization and realize one of the major themes is how he, as one of the, if not THE smartest person in the room, looks at cultivation society and their beliefs and basically goes "yeah nah i'm out" -- not giving up his powers or his family, but simply refusing to play a game he's well aware that he has no chance of winning. (Lan Wangji figured this out well before him, which is why he spent thirteen years steadily refusing to do anything but what his conscience told him. in Wei Wuxian's defense, he spent most of that time dead.) so he refuses to be a hero or a villain any more, refuses to be the scapegoat that he's been molded to be since he came to the Jiangs.

(as an aside im actually real curious about what word they actually use when people call WWX 'the son of a servant', because China has a long history of slavery and bondservanthood, so is it just like, a class thing? or was his dad an actual slave or bondsman? was he a freedman? so many questions.

i believe that, like in most slave-holding cultures, you could be born with the status of a slave and i have a vague idea that if one parent was free or a freedsman the child could inherit freedom from them, but it's very possible i'm mixing up my cultures. the romans, man. [i have the vague impression that in imperial rome, a child born to an enslaved woman is also born enslaved, but a child born to a free woman inherits her free status because, uh, slaves couldn't legally hold property without permission. and women and children were. very much. property.] [depending on the era because roman history, by the narrowest definition, tends to be um. a bit of a sprawl] either way, its definitely a class issue and WWX does appear to be freeborn. anyway!)

but its still impossible for him to ignore suffering, or what he considers wrongdoing. WWX has an instinct to help people that somehow survived everything that happened to him.

and whats interesting about that particular bit of WWX's character -- the willingness to walk away, learned at such a high price, but also the willingness to seek justice -- is what Nie Huisang is betting his entire plan on. NHS bets that WWX would refuse to take power, or revenge, but that his inherent decency would make him see this puzzle through. that once again, WWX would follow his instinct to help, and also that even when WWX figures things out, he's going to understand what NHS had to do. im not saying that WWX approves of it, by any means or stretch of the imagination, but he understands it.

and he's right! he bases his entire delicate Jenga tower of a plot on his knowledge of WWX and he wins the whole god damn game. and im willing to bet that he and WWX are the only two that know it.

tl;dr wei wuxian and lan wangji are my babies but nie huisang is the one i would never, ever cross lmao

[calderasletski]

Isn't gossip forbidden in cloud recesses

Lan Xichen had called Wei Wuxian for tea in his chambers. While Wei Wuxian had nothing against him in his first life, in this life, he couldn't help feeling a bit nervous about meeting his brother-in-law. He had no problem conversing with Lan Xichen before he married Lan Wangji, but this encounter was different. It would be the first time he'd see Lan Xichen after he went into seclusion.

Wei Wuxian wished he could pour out his worries to Lan Wangji, but unfortunately, Lan Wangji would be away on a night hunt today.

'Why did the sect leader suddenly call me?' Wei Wuxian pondered as he walked towards Lan Xichen's quarters. 'Did I do something wrong…? Nah, if I did, Lan Qiren would've been the first to scold me.'

"Sect leader Lan," Wei Wuxian greeted with a bow, showing his respect to Lan Xichen, who returned the courtesy.

"Come, let us sit while we wait for the tea to arrive," Lan Xichen gestured towards the table.

Wei Wuxian did as he was told. He sat up straight, trying to display his best behavior in front of Lan Xichen.

However, the silence between them was uncomfortable, and Wei Wuxian couldn't sit still for too long. Usually, words flowed naturally from him, but this time, he didn't know what to say. So he decided to engage in some small talk as Lan Xichen poured the tea.

"Please, help yourself," Lan Xichen said, handing him his cup.

"Thank you," Wei Wuxian said, accepting the cup. "Great day, isn't it…?"

"Indeed," Lan Xichen replied.

Inside, Wei Wuxian was feeling restless. He couldn't help but wonder if this was some kind of revenge for eloping with Lan Zhan while he was in seclusion. He quickly brushed the thought away, knowing Lan Xichen wouldn't do such a thing, but the uneasiness remained.

Before his thoughts wandered too far, Lan Xichen broke the silence, saying, "You don't have to be so tense in front of me. After all, we are family."

"Ah, yes," Wei Wuxian nodded, trying to relax a little.

"How are you and Wangji doing?" Lan Xichen inquired.

"We are doing alright," Wei Wuxian replied after taking a sip of tea.

"Does Wangji still pout when things don't go his way? He used to do that a lot when he was a kid," Lan Xichen reminisced.

"Eh, Lan Zhan did that?!" Wei Wuxian couldn't contain his surprise. The image of Lan Wangji pouting, be it as a kid or an adult, was something he had trouble imagining. Well, except when he's drunk, but that was something he didn't need to share with Lan Xichen. But the thought of a young Wangji pouting brought a sense of satisfaction to Wei Wuxian.

"How can you read him so well, Sect Leader Lan?" Wei Wuxian asked curiously.

"Wangji has always been easy to read," Lan Xichen replied with a smile.

"I used to think he hated me back then," Wei Wuxian admitted.

"Though Wangji did give off that impression, despite all that happened, he always looked happy after meeting you," Lan Xichen said sincerely. "So I thank you, Wei-qianbei."

Wei Wuxian was taken aback by the gratitude expressed by Lan Xichen. He didn't expect such a heartfelt appreciation.

"Sect Leader Lan-" Wei Wuxian began, but Lan Xichen interrupted him with a gentle smile. "You don't have to be so formal with me." 

The tea sessions between Wei Wuxian and Lan Xichen continued, providing a moment of relaxation and camaraderie for both of them. As time went on, Wei Wuxian began to feel more at ease with his brother-in-law, realizing that Lan Xichen was not holding any grudges for his past actions and was genuinely appreciative of Wei Wuxian's influence on Lan Wangji's life. Their tea sessions turned into tea sharing and Lan Wangji fan sessions. They shared light-hearted banter about how adorable Lan Wangji could be, even with his stoic demeanor. 

“Say brother Xichen, how can you read Lan Zhan’s face?” Wei Wuxian asked one day. “Do you have some kind of special skill or something?”

“You regard me too highly. It is not so hard,” Lan Xichen said.

“It’s just…” Wei Wuxian began. “The other day he was standing there with a stoic face and you asked why he was worried. And yesterday he had the same expression and you asked him why he was happy.”

“It was evident on his face,” Lan Xichen said, setting his cup down.

“I’m his husband. Even I can’t tell what he’s hiding under that stoic expression. Though that does make him adorable,” Wei Wuxian said.

“Of course Wangji has always been adorable,” Lan Xichen said with a smile.

“I wish I had met him earlier when we were kids. It would’ve been fun to tease a little Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian said. “But that might’ve caused old man Lan to qi deviate sooner.”

Lan Xichen couldn’t argue on that. “Uncle is just worried about Wangji.”

…

Somehow the tea session also turned into a Lan Qiren gossip session.

“I give up,” Wei Wuxian said, dropping down to his seat.

He and Lan Xichen were having another one of their tea sessions ignoring the ‘gossip is forbidden’ rule.

“Give up on what, A-xian?” he inquired.

“I have been trying to act as the perfect Lan even sitting all prim and proper. Now my backs all hurt,” Wei Wuxian said. “But your uncle still hates me.”

“Uncle doesn’t hate you,” Lan Xichen began. “He just views you differently.”

“With contempt.”

“No not with contempt. It’s his responsibility to administer the rules,” Lan Xichen said.

“Ah…” Wei Wuxian said understanding dawning on him. “He’s still hungover on the past.”

Lan Xichen let out a sigh exasperatedly. He attempted to explain Lan Qiren's perspective, although he knew that his uncle's feelings towards Wei Wuxian were complex and wouldn't be easily resolved.

……

“A-xian,” Lan Xichen began, “you and Wangji are free to go wherever you want to. However, might I ask why you suddenly decided to leave the cloud recesses for a while?”

“You see… master Lan seemed like he’s not been having a good night’s sleep for a while due to some… circumstances,” Wei Wuxian explained. “So we decided to stay out for a while.”

“I see,” Lan Xichen nodded his head understandingly. “Uncle has been having some problems as of late.”

“Is he going to be okay though?” Wei Wuxian asked.

“Do not worry. I am sure uncle will be in good spirits by the time the two of you return,” Lan Xichen said.

‘Only to qi deviate again after he sees us,’ Wei Wuxian thought.

As for Lan Qiren, he couldn't shake off the lingering discomfort whenever Wei Wuxian's name came up. In a corner of the cloud recesses Lan Qiren felt a chill down his spine.

‘That Wei Wuxian… even thinking about him is giving me a headache,’ Lan Qiren thought.

[lilnasxvevo]

I was gonna make a post that was like “Sure it’s fun to think about role swap AUs where Jiang Cheng or Lan Wangji because the Yiling Laozu but kind of the whole point is that Wei Wuxian is the only person smart enough and daring enough in his entire generation to even BECOME—“ and then at that point in the thought I realized “Nah. Wen Qing could have done it too.”

So I am now simply requesting that you imagine Wen Qing in that role instead. Thank u.

[vrishchikawrites]

Could I have a prompt? 🥺🥺 So WWX is taking bath in the Cold Pond to heal from the wounds by the discipline paddle (which I assume he was punished being clothed in his Black robe or in his Gusu Lan disciple robes or Head disciple Jiangs robes whichever fits). Before going to CR, wwx is whipped by mdm yu and LWJ notices wwx’s raw red scars and many scars across his back kinda overlapping and not yet being healed because maybe MDM yu sealed his core or something. LWJ, or with LXC saw WWX’s many crisscrossing scars and realize they’re still raw and kinda risking for infection because when mdm yu unseals his spiritual energy before going to CR, WWX never thought of healing it. Cue LWJ and LXC gets horrified and ask WWX why he had many scars on his back (or other parts of his body can also be included!) no pressure 💕 I love your writing! ❤️❤️

Anyway, it is set during the period in which WWX studies at CR. Lån Qiren, who is obviously not eyeing Wei Wuxian just in case the boy creates some trouble ends up realizing that he is too non chalant about  not eating (because the food there is for rabbits) and WWX is like "Oh, yeah. Nah its fine, I've been worse".

This one has trigger warnings for child abuse, negligence, and issues related to eating habits. Keep that in mind before proceeding. Nothing graphic, but I wanted to warn nonetheless.

I've merged two prompts here.

Please remember that prompts are closed. Also, remember I do not write self-deprication. All prompts that require WWX to have low self-esteem are not going to be written, apologies but the subject is very uncomfortable for me and I don't believe it is canon accurate anyways.

On to the prompt fill.

"That Wei child is entirely too careless." 

Lan Qiren closes his eyes and prays for patience. That boy has been a menace ever since he stepped into Cloud Recesses. Brilliant but wily and mischievous with absolutely no regard for rules. 

"What has he done?" He asks gruffly, reading over the reports from the kitchen staff. Cloud Recesses always monitors the food intake of their guests to make sure everyone is well-fed and no one is consuming more than their due. It wouldn't do for young cultivators to fall ill in their care, after all. 

The primary healer, a matron of some age, had brought the reports instead of the kitchen manager, which was quite unusual, "He forgets meals. Goes without food for days. Survives on small bits of fruit."

Xichen, who has been working on his own reports, raises his head and looks concerned. 

Lan Qiren crosses his arms, feeling a growing sense of ire, "He dislikes our meals." He's not the first one to skip meals because he considers them 'bland' and 'boring'. It's likely the child has been sneaking down to Caiyi town to have more extravagant meals. 

"I checked with our ward team. When he goes days without eating, he doesn't make any trips to Caiyi town either."

Lan Qiren pauses and studies her. Lan Mingyun nods curtly, "When I first noticed this behavior, I immediately put him on my list." Her list of children with food-related issues, he assumes, "His eating habits are very erratic, erratic enough that I wish to assign one of our senior disciples to keep an eye on him."

"You're that worried?" Lan Xichen asks in surprise while Lan Qiren frowns. It isn't unusual to do so but he wonders if it is really necessary.

"As far as I know, the child lived on the streets for quite a few years," She says and Lan Qiren narrows his eyes, inwardly reprimanding himself. He had forgotten about that aspect of Wei Wuxian's history, "The link between early childhood trauma and behavioural problems are well known to us."

Lan Xichen frowns, "I'll ask Wangji to keep an eye on him."

He glances at his nephew sharply, "Why Wangji?" He demands because surely someone else would be better.

"From what I understand, Wei-gongzi will not welcome an assigned senior. He seems to be someone who brushes injuries or illnesses off. He likes Wangji and will be more willing to accept his company."

While the argument is reasonable, Lan Qiren is loath to involve his precious nephew in this. He's already so bothered by the boy. 

But.

He thinks of Wei Wuxian with his sharp eyes and lingering smile and nods. 

---

Wangji listens to Xichen patiently even as his fingers curl into fists under his sleeves. 

He doesn't like Wei Wuxian. The boy is too disruptive, too bold, too distracting-

Too beautiful.

He doesn't like him, but that doesn't mean he's content to ignore his well-being. When Xichen asks him to keep an eye on Wei Ying's eating habits and general behavior, Wangji agrees. 

It will be taxing for him, but he agrees.  

What he doesn't anticipate is… everything that follows. When he starts consciously looking for them, the signs are alarming. Wei Ying doesn't just skip meals whenever he gets too distracted, he picks at the food even when he is eating. While Wangji is comforted to know the boy frequently seeks something richly flavored at Caiyi Town, he doesn't do it often enough to compensate.

There are also some concerning behaviors in the Jiang contingent. Upon closer inspection, it is clear that while Wei Ying does break the rules, the other Jiang Sect disciples are often complicit. Including Jiang Wanyin. 

They not only let their da-shixiong take the blame for all of their actions, but also encourage it. Wei Ying seems disconcertingly accustomed to it. He makes a scene while being punished but seems alright within an hour. 

Jiang Wanyin encourages mischief and reprimands him in turns. 

Wangji doesn't understand this.

"Xiongzhang, I am concerned," Xichen looks up from his tea, his attention immediately on Wangji, unwavering and comforting, "Wei Ying," He takes a moment to form his thoughts, "I am uncertain. I believe he is in an unsafe environment."

Xichen sets his tea aside, "How so?"

"I happened upon a conversation," He grimaces because it is eavesdropping even if his intentions are noble, "Jiang Wanyin and Nie Huaisang requested and encouraged him to get alcohol into Cloud Recesses. When he complained about the punishment, Jiang Wanyin said 'at least, it wasn't Zidian'."

His brother sucks in a sharp breath, "Zidian? Madam Yu? Spiritual weapon? A high-grade weapon typically used against enemies?"

Wangji dips his head. 

"I'll ask uncle to stop assigning corporal punishments." Lan Xichen says, "They won't have the desired effect in any case and we don't want to damage him permanently. Tomorrow, ask him to practice Cultivation in the Cold Pond as punishment."

Wangji nods, "I'll assign Jiang Wanyin and Nie Huaisang proper punishment as well."

"Wait until we have a better grasp on the situation." Xichen says solemnly, "If we act too quickly, things will escalate and may cause more harm to Wei-gongzi."

Wangji is reluctant because his sense of justice is not satisfied. He remembers how the Jiang disciples encouraged Wei Ying to accept punishment on their behalf. And then to know Jiang Wanyin was also complicit…

"We must approach this cautiously, Wangji."

He nods.

---

Red, irritated, scarred.

Wangji swallows as he sees the state of Wei Ying's back as the Jiang disciple steps into the Cold Pond. There are so many whip scars on his back, so many that have barely begun to heal, that he feels nauseous. 

"Wei Ying," He struggles to keep his tone neutral, "Your back." He cannot imagine the agony that Wei Ying would've suffered when he took more punishment on it the other day. 

Wei Ying glances at him and grins, "Aiya, Lan Zhan, is that concern I see on your pretty face?" He asks, spinning around eagerly, "Concern for little old me?"

His back is out of sight and the way Wei Wuxian is leaning towards him is meant to distract and fluster.

Wangji… suddenly understands. Wei Ying is naturally playful and mischievous, but he uses his personality for disguise and manipulation as well. Not maliciously, but in a way that harms him.

"Wei Ying," Wangji refuses to be moved. There is a significant shift in his mind. He no longer feels annoyed by the person before him. If anything, he feels furious. 

He feels protective.

"Wei Ying, your back."

The Jiang disciple shrugs, "Punishment, you know how it is." 

"For what?" He demands, catching Wei Ying's elbow and turning him around. The willingness to touch him stuns Wei Ying momentarily, enough for Wangji to get a good look at the brutal devastation written on Wei Ying's back. 

Wei Ying clears his throat and shrugs, "It's more of a preemptive punishment? Madam Yu knew I would cause trouble here, of course." He chuckles.

"Preemptive punishment?" He asks softly, the very notion troubling him. 

Wei Ying shrugs again but doesn't attempt to explain when it is clear Wangji isn't willing to indulge him.

"Wei Ying,"

"Lan Zhan," Wei Ying starts to move towards the shore, "Don't worry about things that don't concern you. Your head will forever be burdened if you do."

Wangji feels something in him recoil at such a blunt dismissal. 

"Doesn't concern me? How can it not concern me?" He wants to ask but is unable to. 

Wei Ying has made him very uncomfortable with his forward personality and near constant teasing, but Wangji has seen the genuine offer of friendship underneath it all. 

He has always spurned it. 

As Wei Ying climbs onto the shore, his wounds red against his naturally pale skin, Wangji makes a decision, "Would you not feel concerned if it were me?" He asks but he already knows the answer.

He already knows this man enough.

"Of course," Wei Ying says and shrugs on his robes, hiding a wince but unable to help his body's reaction to pain, "But you and I are different." He glances over his shoulder at Wangji, "I consider you my friend," He says, "But you don't consider me yours."

His breath stills at the acceptance in Wei Ying's tone.

"And that's alright." The Jiang disciple waves and walks away, "Don't worry too much, Lan Zhan. This one isn't weak. The wounds will heal within a few days."

---

"The facts are these - Wei-gongzi is punished preemptively with Zidian, often enough that there are deep scars on his back," Lan Xichen explains, "I assume it is his Golden Core keeping him from sustaining permanent damage."

Lan Qiren is still bristling at the very thought of preemptive punishment. What a ridiculous notion! Of course, the child doesn't care about rules and upsetting people! He has already been punished enough to excuse everything but outright treason.  

How is such a method effective? How does it correct a child's misbehavior? 

"The Jiang Sect disciples are accustomed to their da-shixiong being punished in their stead. They actively encourage it. Jiang Wanyin has asked Wei-gongzi to sneak in alcohol. And he refused to come forward when Wei-gongzi was punished." Xichen takes a deep breath, "I believe any lingering issues he may have because of his early days as a street orphan-"

"Are ignored," Lan Qiren concludes grimly, "It is no wonder the child has such strong cultivation. He is facing strife constantly."

"Is there a way to rescue him?" Wangji asks after being grimly silent for the entire meeting, "Get him away from the Jiang Sect?"

Lan Qiren eyes him, "Wangji, the situation is complicated. He's still the Jiang Head Disciple and sects don't just part with their high ranking disciples."

Xichen smiles sympathetically, "We'll find a way to pressure Jiang-zongzhu into taking action. He'll lose face if the other Sects know how his lady is treating their Head Disciple." He shakes his head at Wangji's expression, "Let us think about it. Meanwhile, you just need to be there for your friend, Wangji."

Lan Qiren arches a brow, "Friend? Wangji, I thought you disliked the boy."

Wangji purses his lips, a stubborn light entering his eyes, "Wei Ying is my friend." He insists, resolve lining his every word. 

He looks at Xichen, who just looked amused, "According to Wei-gongzi, he considers Wangji a friend and will be very concerned if Wangji was in a similar situation," He huffs, "But Wangji doesn't consider Wei-gongzi his friend, so there's no need for Wangji to worry."

Lan Qiren closes his eyes and rubs his forehead in an uncharacteristic display of frustration, "That boy is a singular menace."

---

Wangji pursues friendship with all the dedication in his being. He learns to cook savory dishes and gives them to Wei Ying every day. Wei Ying, unable and utterly unwilling to deny, eats it all. 

He glares the Jiang disciples into submission whenever they attempt to draw Wei Ying into mischief. The Jiang Head Disciple is fully exempt from corporal punishment. Instead, he spends hours in the library either copying rules, rewriting classics, or transcribing Buddhist texts. 

All of these activities prove to be much more effective punishments.

Meanwhile, Lan Qiren attends a Discussion Conference and has word with Jiang Fengmian. 

The response is a gentle order from the Jiang-zongzhu for Wei Ying. He asks his disciple to remain in Cloud Recesses for Musical Cultivation training. He also mentions it is time for Jiang Wanyin to take up Head Disciple responsibilities and learn true leadership. 

Wei Ying eyes the smiling Lan Xichen and impassive Lan Qiren sharply but doesn't say anything.

In two years time, the distance between Wei Ying and the Jiang Sect grows. The distance between Wei Ying and Lan Zhan ceases to exist. 

Just like that, Wei Wuxian's destiny changes.

[robininthelabyrinth]

I loved the latest chapter of delight in misery! A-Yuan listening to Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji fight about demonic cultivators was so heartwrenching, but then I kept imagining the piles of dried goods. Is Wei Wuxian actually Jiang Cheng's shidi in that universe, or does A-Yuan just have it a little muddled?

Nah, that was a typo. Fixed now! 

(and yes, piles of dried goods. oh, the scary torturer, asking his victims to sit next to a bag of beans and not step on the radishes...)

[mollyringle]

My husband watches The Untamed, vol. 14: eps. 29-31

Episode 29:

We laughed at Wei Wuxian chastising Yuan about his loyalties shifting for material gain. And at Lan Zhan being all “Silence during meals. You too.” He’s SUCH a fun lunch date.

During one of the times Wen Qing was sassing Wei Wuxian, husband burst out, “SHE’S SO CUTE.” He’s not going to be happy about events within a couple of episodes here, I’m thinking. I’m also thinking I have license to comment on it next time Xiao Zhan is looking especially hot in some scene. 

When they’re subduing Wen Ning: Me: “This must be filmed in a national park or something. Those rock formations are so cool.” Husband: “Nah, it’s just behind a mall. There’s a Dunkin’ Donuts right around the corner.”

I noted that when Wen Ning’s pushing the wheelbarrow and Wei Wuxian’s reclining in it, he (WWX) has kind of a Captain Jack Sparrow mood going on. Especially considering he’s working on a Compass of Evil lately.

Lan Zhan going on a date even though he has to be on his knees in the snow for hours as punishment for it: now that’s love. Take notes, Jiang Cheng; giving someone a comb and expecting major gratitude isn’t quite doing it.

I am really not particularly looking forward to the next few episodes. The pain, it awaits.

Episodes 30-31: Ohhh, it’s starting to hurt, all right. Not that we didn’t find a FEW funny things to say.

“Still sticking with the hat, huh?” when we first see Jin Guangyao. Yep. He’s gonna wear that hat for the next decade plus. Committed to the hat.

Baby names starting with “Ru” that we came up with as suggestions: Rufus? Rupert? Rudolph?

Husband said “I LOVE HER” when Wen Qing chucked a bag of lotus seeds at Wei Wuxian and challenged the almighty Yiling Patriarch to grow them. We also laughed at WWX’s friendly “what the hell are you doing?” when the others are clustered around the growing lotus sprouts.

When they’re discussing whether to invite Wei Wuxian to the baby’s first-month banquet, and Jin “Punchable” Zixun starts scratching angrily at his chest, my husband said (as Zixun), “I’m allergic to justice!”

He burst out laughing at Lan Xichen’s giddy little smile when they say, “Perhaps Lan Wangji can deliver the invitation?” Shipper Bro is SO STOKED. Also, can I just say Lan Zhan looks gorgeous in that scene? He’s got shampoo-commercial hair going on, and the politely fierce little “invite my b/f, you assholes” remarks are pretty hot.

Bringing me to the question: why didn’t Lan Wangji deliver the invitation ALL THE WAY in person?? He had a ready-made excuse to see Wei Wuxian again and he DIDN’T DO IT. Argh.

As soon as the invitation gets brought to Burial Mounds, in any case, my husband said, “Trap!” He is not as easily fooled as Wei Wuxian.

Jin Guangshan standing next to Jin Zixuan on wedding morning: husband said, “Son, have I ever told you about the birds and the bees?” God, imagine getting sex advice from Jin Guangshan. Aaaaghhh.

When Jin Guangyao is doing his dimply, innocent scheming, husband said, “They were like, ‘Let’s make the creepiest character ever.’”

Husband didn’t see the death of Jin Zixuan coming. I definitely didn’t either, the first time through. They do a good job with the shock on that one. He said, “Oh. Oh that’s not good.” Indeed. It is not good.

Pain pain pain from there on out. We were not making jokes for the time being.

In fact, I caught something ESPECIALLY sad: Wen Qing saying “Sorry and thank you” when she leaves Wei Wuxian—that’s what he later tells Jin Ling: those are the two things you’ll someday say to someone while crying. I hadn’t put that together. I am so sad now.

And I think when my husband realizes she does not survive, he is going to be mad.

He was pondering things and said after the episodes, “He’s ALMOST an anti-hero, but not quite. Some of the things aren’t his fault…but some of them are. Yet it all goes back to him giving up his power to save his brother. So.” Yep. This is why none of us can move on.

That and the gorgeous hair and the epic love story.

[yue-muffin]

@mejomonster I’m sorry I wrote an ESSAY AHH. The thought of squishing it in the messages was horrifying haha.

Ok ok. First, I genuinely LOVE open discussion about translating. :3 If it was a more stable career, I would have gladly thrown myself at it in a heartbeat. You bring up some excellent points that I’ve lovingly stewed over with no one to talk to about for years haha.

In my early translation days I also preferred more direct translations even if they ended up stilted, but nowadays I prefer looser translations that prioritize the original intent over the original wording. Part of it is, that direct translations help you learn more. If every translation omits the original chengyu for an English equivalent, you’ll never end up learning that chengyu and its cultural context. So I get where you’re coming from! It took me a long time to get over that stage myself...

Ok, now my Translator Brain will step up lol.

Backing up a bit, the first step, assuming no language limitations, translation is…you’re basically the god of your own little world, haha. Before you translate a single word, you have to decide your intended audience. This is also where you decide whether you’re making a translation or a localization. People get all up in arms about localizations, and I have strong (negative) feelings towards some. But localizations have their place, they get new fans into a work, bc they’re geared perfectly for the average, casual player/reader/watcher. Pokemon (the game) is actually a really good example of this. The names of the Pokemon are brilliantly clever in each respective language bc they went for localization instead of literal translations. 

Early translations of the Tale of Genji, while…problematic and heavy on the orientalism, had their place at the time bc it made people interested in the work and Japanese culture, whereas they wouldn’t have cared nearly as much probably if the translation was not approachable. Nowadays, we have much more accurate translations of Genji :) with delicious footnotes :). This is why I don’t understand why people get SO up in arms about translation poaching. Imagine if there was only (1) one version of Genji?? Or any other classical work?? If someone wants to use their valuable time to make a translation on something that already has one, that’s entirely their perogative.

When not going for a hard localization, the choice then falls on: what do I translate more literally, what do I NEED to convert to fully “English” wording to make sense.

Oooh yeah, and stilted characters/narratives! That’s a great point. You also have to recognize when some characters or situations just…do sound stiff in the original, and you should keep that stiffness in English. I think this is a skill that comes with fluency with the language (ex: Lan Wangji from MDZS, I THINK he’s supposed to just be succinct and reticent, but depending on how you translate him, he seems rude or bad with words. Unfortunately, English is a language that does NOT deal in word economy, so you pretty much have to make him say a lot in English or else people will get the wrong idea…like I did.)

In the novel I translate, one character is this exact scenario and idk know how to word him in English sometimes. He speaks informally (inappropriately so sometimes), but it’s a little stilted bc he’s not had much exposure to the outside world, and speaks like he’s regurgitating what he’s been taught by his parental figure. It’s really difficult to get that across in English without making him sound too much one way or the other lol.

I could talk for DAYS about good and bad Japanese localizations/translations. :D I have never played Kingdom Hearts but totally understand- there are SO many games/movies where I was sad at the stuff lost in translation, but some of them are so good at maintaining the overall context and feel, and that’s just a trade-off that has to be made. I do get sad when a localization isn’t as good, or outright changes a character’s story arc tho. >:|

It’s also definitely a choice whether to keep much of the original terms (Shimei/shidi etc). I tend to prefer them to stay in too, but minimally if that makes sense? Sometimes I see translations where they keep a lot of them in, which is great for me but my inner translator cringes at how hard it would be to keep up for someone who doesn’t know the language.

(Asura to Vanquishers is 100% unacceptable I Do Not Care About Excuses lol. Also, yao/yaoguai, and yokai I feel are ones that should stay untranslated 100% of the time. You run into so many grey areas and issues if you try to translate these terms into English bc there’s simply no equivalent (or...you will translate 1 thing as “spirit” and later encounter a totally separate word that can also be translated as “spirit” and be left unable to explain the difference without a footnote) and the English terms are too loaded with their own cultural context…

Ooh yeah I…”love” those phrases that NEED to be worded differently in English. Some are easy, some are ??? HOW do I- and GAH I hate filler words lol. You really need to learn when they’re used by exposure lol bc all explanations/definitions I’ve found do not really explain when to use things like 就 lol yeah, emphasis but how do I convert to english?? Japanese has a lot of little particles like that (not as many as Chinese tho) and occasionally I’m all ?? OK, so DID this change the meaning of the sentence or nah…Part of dealing with those, to me, is learning to tell when you can just drop them like a hot potato and convey the feeling in the overall sentence instead haha.

AHH Sha Po Lang…that translation sounds like it speaks to my heart and also very difficult to craft. The Most Difficult VN I Have Seen, Ever is one where the original writing is so…good but also ridiculous? Like, the reason this VN is so annoying to translate and read (native speakers had to get the dictionary out lol), is bc it uses many obscure terms, its word economy is off the charts. But the narrative isn’t that dense just for the lolz. It’s bc the MC is a scholar? Or, like, a well educated and thoughtful student who feels very deeply about the world and things happening, so he just…waxes poetic. GAH when the narrative Fits the characters and their world so well, my heart just gets happy.

[bloomeng]

I jokingly brought up the concept of frat boy! Wei Wuxian, but it is no longer a joke. This idea lives rent free in my head taunting me...

I don’t have time to write this fic, but take a moment to imagine; shifting pov with Lan Wangji’s perspective is his usual fanciful with thoughts, and typical eloquence and then there’s just Wei Wuxian....

“bro i think i might want to do more than just kiss the homies gn”

“bruh nah it ain’t gay we had our socks on” 

Lan Wangji longingly lying awake wondering what Wei Wuxian is doing- cut to wwx chugging expired milk  

Do I just want wwx to say poggers? possibly 

[inessencedevided]

Once you're done with the entire show, could you maybe do sorting for all the characters? I usually know the house for each character, but I have literally no idea with The Untamed. WWX for example I can equally see him as a Gryffindor, Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff and my brain hurts trying to decide.

First of all: I'm so so sorry anon! This took ages to answer! I hope you're still out there to read this! I started answering ages ago and then trailed off because I had to think about it. So here goes:

Thank you so much for this opening! I LOVE sorting non-HP characters into Hogwarts houses!! And for some of these, I’ve already done so in my head ages ago :D

Disclaimer: I’m mostly going off live action canon here, but will make some comments about the novel from time to time.

Disclaimer 2: Obviously, these are extremely subjective. If anyone disagrees, I would love to hear your counter arguments! I love discussing these things!

Wei Wuxian

GRYFFINDOR!

I know you said you weren’t sure but in my book, he’s a textbook Gryffindor. I’m not saying he doesn’t have Hufflepuff or Raveclaw traits (his sense of justice and his “out of the box thinking” kinda genius come to mind), but those aren’t the main drive of his actions imo. WWX follows his confiction and he often does so without even considering a second option or a compromise, especially before his death. And he is not afraid of deviating from the law or societal expectations to do so. This alone could also make him a Slytherin. The reason I wouldn’t place him there is the way he acts very much in the open. He doesn’t try to bring about change by quietly working in the background. He openly calls people out on their bullshit, even when it is clearly to his disadvantage and might just come back to bite him in the ass. Imo, WWX is a brilliant example of how a gryffindor might be driven to doing some very questionable shit given the "right" circumstances.

Lan Wangji

Now, he’s a different story. I have a lot more problems sorting him, maybe because he is not our point of view character. And he's the reason why it took me so long to answer this ask. My conclusion might be controversial, so let me work up to it. Slytherin? His most slytherin trait, imo, is his determination and drive, which I think stems, among other things, from a desire to prove himself. However, I believe his main reasons for this were family loyalty and (somewhat headcanon territory) the rejection he must have felt at his parents absence. And I don't see him as cunning either, as that always carries a certain level of deceitful intent, even if it's not malicious. And deceitful? That's one thing lwj certainly isn't. So, Slytherin is not a good fit for him. Ravenclaw maybe? He is certainly very intelligent, but that intelligence is more due to his studious nature and his focus, imo. And wisdom and out-of-the-box-thinking are not traits I would associate him with, especially in his younger years. So gryffindor then? He is certainly brave in many ways. He is enduring and stubborn, both gryffindor traits. But he also someone who takes his time to arrive at decisions, unless he is under extreme emotional duress (losing his mother or the love of his live). His bravery, to me, seems to be deeply rooted in his deep deep devotion. He goes through extreme, long lasting pain for the few people he holds close to his heart. In the end it all comes down to his heart, his loyalties, his devotion. Ironically, even more so in the book than in cql. And that loyalty, that steadfastness, that devotion is extremely hufflepuff.

So here you go:

HUFFLEPUFF! (There is no yellow:/)

(And now I really wanna write that AU :D on first glance, lwj would make such an unusual hufflepuff, with his cold and aloof behaviour. I want to play with this idea now!)

Lan Xichen

HUFFLEPUFF!

Aaaahhh! Now I really like the idea of the twin jades of hufflepuff. :D and Lan Xichen is a bit more obvious right? He certainly has the intelligence of a ravenclaw, but his defining characteristics are his devotion to his duty, his kindness, his fairness and his willingness to carefully consider all sides. A hufflepuff to boot. No wonder, I love him so much.

(And now I can't help but imagine lan Xichen, welcoming his little brother at the hufflepuff table, beaming with pride. And later, making sure that they eat at least 1 meal per day together because he knows his brother doesn't make friends easily, even in a house as theirs. Until there's a certain rebellious and bright eyed gryffindor, with a penchant for DADA ...)

Jiang Cheng

He, too, gave me a hard time sorting him. Ravenclaw, I discarded immediately. Gryffindor came next. He's definitely brave in his own way. Going on after the devastating loss of his entire family is brave beyond anything I can imagine, but his motivation why he did it, I believe, was a mixture of family loyalty and his competitiveness and drive to prove himself worthy. Thise are hufflepuff and Slytherin traits, respectively. I would tip the scale towards the latter, simply because his inner conflict is so defined by his feelings of inferiority, his feelings of never living up to his parents expectations. He's in that weird place of being both extremely privileged and emotionally neglected. It reminds me of Draco, come to think of it. So, my favourite angry grape, I'll place in ...

SLYTHERIN!

(He's even rockin' the snake aesthetic already :D)

Jiang Yanli

With her association with cooking and motherly love she seems to be a rather obvious hufflepuff. She is certainly brave, too, enduring her family's near destruction and moving on, or standing in front of her adoptive brother and defending his place in her family and in society. But again, it's very much tied to the people she loves. So yeah,

HUFFLEPUFF!

Nie Mingjue

The jock to end all jocks and still he's got a heart of gold. He's kinda the cliche gryffindor and I can't find a reason to not place him there. So *head barely touches him*

GRYFFINDOR!

Nie Huaisang

SLYTHERIN!

If the twist at the end didn't happen, I'd have placed him in Ravenclaw, as it is, he is such a quintessential Slytherin and also, just ... my favourite kind, especially in cql, where he just fuvjs off to paint his fans and leaves others to do the heavy lifting. He got what he wanted, revenge for his beloved older brother. It reminds me a bit of Horace Slughorn (minus the people collecting). He doesn't want to be at the top. He just wants a comfortable enough life and the possibility to reach his very specific and not at all mainstream goals. A legend. (In mdzs, where he becomes chief cultivator, he's still a Slytherin, albeit a slightly less interesting one.)

Wen Qing

Now, she is another hard one. Another fiercely loyal person (although that's a common trait in mdzs/cql), she also had to show incredible resourcefulness to survive and still stick to her principles throughout her life. But to mention that she invented and su subsequently performed the first core transfer in history. (In the book, it is specifically mentioned that the essay on this subject was written by her). In short, this woman is s genius in her field and forward thinking and incentive. All of those are textbook Ravenclaw traits. So, with her we have ...

RAVENCLAW!

Wen Ning

Puh, he is hard. I know, with his timid behaviour and gentle nature, hufflepuff comes to mind BUT ... he strikes me as a neville. As in, his bravery lies in the fact that his own insecurities hinder him constantly and yet he overcomes them every day in a hundred small ways. He is brave precisely because he is afraid of so many things. And, like Neville, when his sense if right and wrong demands it, he takes a stand. His rescue of wwx and jc extremely dangerous circumstances and the core reveal come to mind. So, even though he probably argues with the hat to place him in hufflepuff, I'll place him in ...

GRYFFINDOR!

Jin Guangyao

SLYTHERIN!

Do I have to explain this?

Luo Qingyang

I know, she's a much more minor character than the others but I love her and this is my post, so she's in it. Do i have to say it? I hate to be the "Gryffindors ftw!!!"-one (as a proud snake), but yeah, Nie Mingjue was goddamn right when he said that she's got more backbone than half the cultivation world combined. My queen snapped and removed herself from the narrative and I love her for it!

GRYFFINDOR!

Let's get to the juniors:

Lan Sizhui

Now, maybe the hufflepuff does run in his family because I do think he belongs there, too. His defining characteristics are shown to be kindness, fairness and filial piety, even though he also has a mischievous streak and does not shy away from confrontation when he thinks his warranted (politely defending "Mo Xuanyu" in front of the Mo clan comes to mind). So yeah

HUFFLEPUFF!

Lan Jingyi

His brash and outgoing nature would make him a good gryffindor fit, certainly. However, the trait I associate with him the most is his nonconformity and that in a sect where that is highly unusual. He might not be as much of a social butterfly as Luba, but he still reminds me more of the kind of eccentricity associated with ...

RAVENCLAW!

Jin Ling

Now he's hard. Maybe because he postures a lot though that's something that's true for a lot of these characters. He tries to imitate his uncle but has non of the trauma to back it up, though he is an orphan and,in his position, probably pretty lonely which leads to the kind of breakdown we see him having over his confrontation with the person who killed his parents and he can't even really blame and so he just... crumbles. And non of that really helps me in my search for a house for him. I don't really see him as a Slytherin because while he loves to posture and play his privileges, he mostly crumbles under pressure and I don't think there's conviction behind it. He's certainly not sly either. Rabenclaw? Nah. I see neither outstanding amounts of eccentricity or wisdom. Gryffindor? Maybe. He's certainly impulsive. And he displayed bravery both in Yi City and even more so in the Guanyin temple where he had to face the fact that one of his uncles, the men who raised him, would kill him to achieve his goals. Still, what left the biggest impression on me was how, after his own world had just completely changed, he send his dog away because wwx would fear him. And how he then tried to get his uncle to talk to wwx. So I'd tentatively go with

HUFFLEPUFF!

Ouyang Zizhen

Another hard one because we don't know him very well in canon. But what we do know is that he is very emotional (passionate one might say) and has no qualms going against his father in a fit of teenage rebellion. I love him for it but that's not that much to go on. Both of these point to gryffindor however, so that's where he goes. :D

GRYFFINDOR!

So ... that's where I'll leave it. I know I missed the Yi city arc but it's getting late and I'm tired. 😅 If anyone wants to add them, feel free!

Congrats of you've made it this far down! :D

Please, do come and discuss these with me!

[ellienchanted]

I saw this post and, well. Wangxian was just right there, you know?

(Person A: Hey I need your help I’m in danger of leaving everything behind to work as a deckhand on a local lobster fishing boat in Massachusetts Person B: nothing I can say will make that less alluring to you right now)

* * *

Lan Wangji stared down at his screen. The words "a local lobster fishing boat in Massachusetts" were still staring cheerily back at him. That couldn't be right. While Wei Wuxian was by no means known for his reasonable, well thought out plans, usually his actions had slightly more logic behind them.

But then, being quarantined alone inside his apartment for weeks on end would do strange things to anyone. Lan Wangji, at least, had his brother and uncle for company, strained as their relationships could get at times. Wei Wuxian, on the other hand, had insisted on staying alone instead of going to the Jiang family home before lockdown had started.

"Really, Lan Zhan, can you imagine? Me and Madam Yu stuck in the same house for who knows how long?" He had shuddered. "Nah, I'll be fine! You know me, I can deal with anything."

Well, that had clearly been a mistake, if lobster fishing was what Wei Wuxian deemed a logical next step. Lan Wangji sighed. Time for damage control.

[tonyglowheart]

some of the BTS of The Untamed make it look like Wang Yibo is shorter than Xiao Zhan for some reason, even though they’re listed as the same height (which I’m not here to discuss bc yeah there could be many reasons for it, a bunch of which are forced perspective). and I know that Wei Wuxian/Mo Xuanyu is actually like.. less than 2 inches SHORTER than Lan Wangji, but now I can’t get the idea out of my head. 

Can you imagine, just sliiiightly shorter Lan Wangji? But everyone seems to think he’s taller than Wei Wuxian until they actually see them standing together, and then experience a moment of the world’s most unexpected paradigm shift that completely takes them out of left field because it’s something they’d completely taken for granted that they never expected questioned. bc like? Hanguang-Jun’s entire being and ambiance? vs Wei Wuxian’s? but in reality nah Lan Wangji is that almost-but-less-than-2-inches shorter than Wei Wuxian, he just has So Much Presence and also a taller headdress lol

[mihanada]

Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation

(back to masterpost)

Next part! Lots of info dumping again.

Chapter 29: Dew (Part 2)

We start the chapter with a disturbing description of what “lingchi” is, yikes. This is actually thiiiis close to the only thing that has truly disturbed me enough to avoid it forever: skinning alive. Luckily for me, it’s only a quick description and not a chapter-long scene (thanks, Haruki Murakami’s Wind-up Bird Chronicle >> I even made the mistake of reading that part in public).

modern au: Wei Wuxian is the author of “A Thousand Ways to Die Agonizing Deaths”

this is because his imagination is endless isn’t it. But it truly makes him sound like a villain, haha.

Ah, even funnier. The part where the common people attribute the Chang clan’s massacre to Wei Wuxian despite the fact that he was dead for a few years already, poor Wei Wuxian, getting blamed even beyond the grave.

Even better is how his name got butchered by the time it reached the small normal villages into Wei Wuqian (apparently the latter half means ‘[to have] no money’, haha). At some point he keeps bemoaning how he was poor for some time, as well.

“The way he looked over, you’d think that I was putting my arm around his wife…””

oh, but you are. Lan Wangji, unsubtle you are not (anymore). Even the waiter realizes it. Wei Wuxian is just dense. 

“Oh, him. This friend of mine was brought up strictly. He absolutely hates it when other people are being too comfortable with each other in front of him. Isn’t that strange?”

l o l if only you knew.

Then Wei Wuxian has the guy take Lan Wangji’s surname, haha. he, like, could have used the name of the dude whose body he is in, but nah. gotta use Lan Wangji’s name of course, for the shits and giggles.

“Confirm for me that the, uh, wiping out of the Chang Clan wasn’t done by me, was it?” 

Other than how he died ten years ago and his soul had been fairly stable, it was impossible that he killed an entire clan and didn’t remember anything!”

:3 I just really like his slight hesitation here, and that he doubts it enough to ask despite you know. being very much dead at the time without even a body left on earth.

“He played a role in everything; he was to be blamed for everything. Even if one’s neighbor’s grandson didn’t eat properly and lost five pounds, it was because the child was frightened by stories of the YiLing Patriarch commanding the Ghost General to murder people.”

funny how much of a household name he became, even among the common folk.

Ah, now we get a huge info dump on Wei Wuxian’s mother leading into the mysterious Baoshan sanren. It’s really neat how all the characters in the “side adventure” are related to the main cast in some way - Xiao Xingchen with Wei Wuxian via Baoshan sanren and Wei Wuxian’s mother, Xue Yang through the Lanling Jin Sect/Jin Guangyao.

it makes the world feel quite vast, yet also quite small as well, just like the real world.

It’s interesting how Jiang Fengmian didn’t really talk about his parents at all, probably because Wei Wuxian never asked, he didn’t feel a need to tell him if he wasn’t curious or concerned.

The whole situation with how he was treated when he was part of the Jiang clan/sect is also really interesting, but I’m not sure how to unpack that with what we know for now.

“Xiao XingChen left the mountain in hopes of saving the world.”

haha, this suddenly reminded me of Rurouni Kenshin. and we all know how well that ended.

also, I had to look up what a horsetail whisk was. it has such a weird name. when I told my mom about it, she already knew what it was though xD I don’t watch many Chinese movies aside from some old ones so...

(quotes from ExR’s translations)

← back・onward →

[coquelicoq]

omg @ your tags on the aita post same 😭 I spent like a year after finishing cql reading fic and i guess accepted the common reading that wwx decided to leave to go ~find himself~ but then upon rewatch was bowled over by what actually happened 😭 HE THOUGHT THEY WERE GOING OFF TOGETHER AND LWJ WAS LIKE NAH PEACE OUT BRO (I know it was for censorship reasons and when you think about it doesn't make sense but still). wwx's face was so heartbroken I literally died

[re these lan wangji AITA tags]

tell me about it. the series of expressions his face goes through as he realizes that lan wangji is not coming with him was one of the most devastating sequences of the show for me. it’s not that they’re not together. it’s not that wei wuxian is going off alone. it’s specifically that wei wuxian has, ever since he was a small child, always thought of himself in terms of what he can do for other people and not really as someone with inherent value who is worthy of love regardless of what he has to offer. he doesn’t prioritize himself, is the thing, and he doesn’t expect other people to prioritize him either. that’s just how he thinks the world is supposed to work! he expects lan wangji to do his duty to his sect and family and to uphold justice, not to abandon his responsibilities on wei wuxian’s behalf. that’s basically anathema to him. it’s unthinkable. it wouldn’t even occur to him as something to want from someone.

so that’s his baseline. that’s what he’s accustomed to and comfortable with, that’s what fits with his worldview and his understanding of his place in the order of things. but over the course of the romantic scavenger hunt he and his zhiji embark upon to collect the far-flung pieces of nmj’s dismembered corpse (soooo iconic omg #relationshipgoals), that thinking starts to change. lan wangji just shows him SO many times that he’s important to him that it’s kind of hard not to notice. over and over, he shows that he’s willing to disregard his clan rules, go against the cultivation world, and put himself in danger, all on behalf of wei wuxian, so much so that wei wuxian starts believing something he never let himself believe before: that maybe there is someone who could choose him in the way he’s never really dared to hope for, someone to hold the reins of his donkey and be beholden to nothing but their partnership and their shared vow to protect the weak. maybe this is something that is not out of reach for him or incompatible with his values. this is a big deal! it’s so foreign to his usual way of thinking that i think it must have required some recalibration of his fundamental self-image - a reassessment of both what he’s allowed and what he’s for. 

hope is a dangerous thing. it changes you. it creates new pathways in your imagination, possibility churning through lush landscapes where before there was nothing. and once something exists, it can be lost. it can leave you desolate, sensitized to its absence. 

that’s what kills me about that moment. it’s the way he realizes that he was a fool to let himself think that lan wangji coming with him was ever a possibility - and not just a possibility, but an expectation. it’s the way you can see the security that he had built up that allowed him to make that assumption crumble to pieces. it’s not just the way his hope comes crashing down but the way his self-image unravels in consequence. it’s the way he involuntarily, just for a second, closes his eyes and folds in his lips and everything about him just screams of course, of course. of course it would end this way. how could he have thought any differently? lan zhan has already indulged him for far longer than he deserved in any case. how greedy of him to expect more. how foolish. 

as you say, this scene doesn’t super make sense in the context of the surrounding scenes. it’s kind of implied that the reason lwj isn’t going with him is that he had already agreed to be chief cultivator, which is confusing because when would this have happened? he and wwx left guanyin temple together, and i can’t imagine this was decided before guanyin temple, since at that point jin guangyao was still alive and currently holding the office. but logistics aside, the vibes in this scene are that lan wangji knew both 1) that wei wuxian thought they would be going off together and 2) that they would not in fact be doing that, and yet he allowed wei wuxian to leap to that conclusion and didn’t try to forestall it at all. (source: the look on his face is clearly “here we go, i guess it’s time to break his heart,” not “oh shit, am i gonna have to break his heart?”) he just waited until wei wuxian started chatting about their future together, basically, and then he didn’t even say anything, he just stood there! which granted is very on brand for him personally, and yes he had just done something very similar with the sizhui thing and it had yielded very positive results. but still! wei wuxian was devastated. you can’t expect me to watch that and NOT be angry with lan wangji about it. way to raise his hopes and then shatter them without even attempting to soften the blow or ease him into it, dude! unbelievable. 

i’ve been upset about this since before i even watched the show and at this rate it’s looking like i may never forgive him. i’m sure he must have had his reasons but i don’t CARE because i had to see xiao zhan’s brokenhearted face and i can’t just unsee that! i’ll never unsee it. so yes, by the power vested in me, i now pronounce lan wangji The Asshole for abandoning his boyfriend on top of a mountain.