Everything about Lan WangJi is carefully controlled and composed. His hair is always pristine, his face is always blank, and his words are always precise and succinct. His image is one of perfection—the smooth, calm surface of a clear lake. Empty, but beautiful.
It's natural to assume that his lack of self-expression is the result of apathy and indifference towards worldly matters. But the truth is much more simple. They've never been good at expressing themselves—with words or with emotions.
But as the reflection of his soul, QiuXue knows that Lan WangJi feels emotions the same as everyone else. She knows that he's actually very sensitive—that he's observant, attentive, considerate. He's water at its hardest form: a brittle and fragile ice that holds strong.
People put Lan WangJi on a pedestal because of his personality and prowess, but in reality, he's more lonely than anyone. Other than Lan XiChen and his crane daemon, no one really approaches them. They only have each other.
They are alone.
People look at QiuXue and think immediately that they're a perfect match for each other. Both distant and unapproachable, their reputation speaks for them.
But QiuXue doesn't agree. She thinks that if anything, she's a mirror of what isn't controlled about him. She's the part of him that's impulsive, kind, angry, protective—she's an accumulation of the emotions that Lan WangJi tries to hide.
Others assume that Lan WangJi is calm and reserved, but that's not true. They simply choose not to speak unless it's necessary. Their words are important and specific, there's no need for frivolous pleasantries.
So, all Lan WangJi can do is stare at Wei WuXian intently and wait for him to understand. But the combined weight of both their stares is really too intense and QiuXue knows that they come off as angry and irritable.
Even the daring people who think themselves up to the challenge of befriending LanWangJi soon leave when their attempt yields no results. Maybe because they're impatient, or more likely, it's because Lan WangJi himself is never interested.
So, when Wei WuXian keeps coming back, QiuXue doesn't know if it's a good thing or not.
Because if he leaves it'll be much more painful.
But Wei WuXian makes LWJ react more than QiuXue has ever seen him before.
Wei WuXian is bright and vibrant—a blazing fire glowing in the darkness. There's something about his carefree disposition that provokes admiration in them. Unlike Lan WangJi, who is the paradigm of the GusuLan sect's values, Wei WuXian's honest and open personality that cares nothing for conformity, is a refreshing breath of air.
They're drawn towards him like a moth to a deadly flame, held captive and mesmerized by its allure—a dangerous distraction. Because despite all the work they've put in avoiding him, Wei WuXian's personality has grown on them unexpectedly. It's gotten to the point where even Lan QiRen has noticed their infatuation, choosing to assign them to watch over Wei WuXian's punishment.
She knows that he likes WeiWuXian and she's respected his wishes so far, but she wants to push him to do something. Because otherwise they'll lose their chance. Wei WuXian's charisma isn't in the least bit subtle. It won't be long before he meets someone better.
So, when Lan WangJi and Wei WuXian are paired off together for a night-hunt, she's incredibly happy for him.
They've been assigned to investigate the possible appearance of a yao in one of the nearby villages. It's a typical night-hunt and low priority enough that neither of them is very worried.
As they travel down the mountain, going by foot to conserve their spiritual energy, Wei WuXian skips next to Lan WangJi, excitedly commenting on the greenery that they pass by, comparing the trees and bushes to the ones in Yunmeng. Lan WangJi is on the more agreeable side today, occasionally responding with nods and small noises of affirmation after his initial reprimand to pay more attention to their surroundings. He appears to be paying the least amount of attention possible to Wei WuXian's rambling, but QiuXue knows that he hangs on to every word.
Somewhere in the back of her head, QiuXue registers an odd presence, as though something is missing. But as all missing things are, by definition, missing, it's not possible to identify what it is without knowing its identity in the first place.
However, QiuXue soon forgets about it when Wei WuXian's daemon, XiuYu, her brain reminds her, leaps down from the trees to latch onto her back.
QiuXue really doesn't mind it too much, after all, aren't red pandas nocturnal? Even though daemons seldom take on many characteristics of the animal forms the possess, there's a possibility that she could be tired. QiuXue narrows her eyes at XiuYu and sniffs primly—to keep up appearances—before she deigns to allow the red panda to ride on her back.
It's about a few hours before nightfall when they finally enter the village. QiuXue shakes the other daemon off without preamble and prowls close to Lan WangJi's side. They waste about an hour where they're welcomed ecstatically by the villagers and introduced to anyone they encounter. Because Wei WuXian is so approachable and equally eager to meet all the villagers, Lan WangJi's cold stare and QiuXue's irritated growls are all that keeps them at bay.
It's only when they're presented to the chieftain that they finally hear the whole story of why they're here.
It turns out, there are no yao in this village. However, it's hard to believe when night falls and the village elder's shadow elongates.
QiuXue snorts when she sees two long spiraling horns sitting on the top of the chief's head. Cursed to have similar body parts as their daemons, the villagers had reported that yao were causing disturbances in their village in fear that no cultivation sect would take them seriously.
Wei WuXian is immediately amused as he hunches over with laughter, "Elder, your long horns are so useful! Imagine what you could do with them!" The village elder's face flushes red with anger until Lan WangJi interrupts them.
"When did this happen?" The long-winded story that follows consists of many personal accounts of transformations pitched in by random villagers and summarizes into one specific cause: many of them remember waking after an odd dream and then finding themselves with strange, new body parts.
However, the contents of the dreams are so different that it seems unlikely that they could be the root cause of the curse. Ranging from falling into a well to being chased up a hill by chickens, the dreams offer no clues.
"We'll keep watch tonight," Lan WangJi doesn't bother to explain his thoughts, but it's clear that he doesn't believe the dreams have anything to do with the curse.
"Elder, no need to worry, we'll catch whoever's doing this," Wei WuXian says confidently. They're thanked profusely and invited to rest in the village chief's house.
However, true to their word, Lan WangJi and Wei WuXian gather the unaffected villagers in several houses near the center of the village and keep watch through the night.
They stand on adjacent rooftops, looking over the quiet village. However, the comfortable silence is broken by Wei WuXian's loud sigh.
"Lan Zhan? Do you think the villagers have really been cursed?"
Lan WangJi turns towards his direction but gives no response.
"I mean, I was laughing earlier, but it really does seem quite useful. What if someone had a bird daemon and they could now fly?" Wei WuXian says wistfully, glancing down at his daemon and considering the possibilities.
"Absurd," Lan WangJi states turning away again.
"Really, you don't think it could be fun? Maybe we'll be cursed too, and then—"
His words cut off abruptly as a flash of white appears near the outskirts of the village. Wei WuXian and his daemon take off to chase after the person without a moment of hesitation. Lan WangJi and QiuXue exchange a glance before they follow close behind. Whoever is behind the curse is of unknown strength; they're not about to let Wei WuXian fight them on his own.
When they arrive there's no one in sight and all that's left is a white robe hanging for a tree, swaying lightly in the wind. In the dim light provided by the crescent moon, the robe looks particularly eerie—an apparition of unfulfilled wishes.
Suddenly, a shrill scream penetrates though the silence of the night. The sound is chilling as it disperses through the village, prompting the birds of the forest to abandon their nests; the pitter-patter of their wings echoing their frantic heartbeats.
