Author Notes: Hello again, everyone! Enjoy this next chapter :)
Beta: JeanGirlMY
- Chapter Start -
Lan-qianbei dismissed Sisi at five, none the wiser about the falling books incident earlier.
Relieved, Sisi wished her a good evening and left the library. She had a standing invitation to have dinner with the Wens, but she only knew Wen Qing and Wen Ning. Since Wen Qing was still at Lotus Pier, Sisi decided to cook her own dinner. There were enough provisions in her guestroom for a few meals.
The knock at her door an hour later made her wonder if Wen Ning had brought her dinner after all. To her surprise, her visitors were ZeWu Jun and GuangYao, each carrying a tray of food.
"Madam Sisi," ZeWu Jun greeted with a smile. "May we join you for dinner?"
"Uncle QiRen is dining alone this evening. So are WangJi-xiong and WuXian-xiong," GuangYao explained.
"Oh." Sisi hoped she wasn't blushing. "In that case, you two should enjoy each other's company."
"Sisi-jie, it's more fun to eat with you," GuangYao chided gently. "We'll share what we brought. Whatever you've cooked smells delicious!"
"Besides, A-Yao and I can enjoy our meals during our honeymoon," ZeWu Jun added, "together with Da-"
"Ah! Let's put down the trays first, Er-ge," GuangYao interrupted him.
"Come in then," Sisi invited. "I've cooked rice and a vegetable soup which we can share."
She was relieved they didn't seem to know about this afternoon's incident and wondered how long it would take before she could see HanGuang Jun and Wei WuXian without blushing. However long it took her, it would no doubt take Lan QiRen twice as long.
"Sisi-jie? Is anything the matter?"
With a start, Sisi realised they were already seated at the low table. GuangYao looked worried, bless his heart.
"I'm fine, A-Yao," she told him. "Let's eat. Oh, we're having steamed fish tonight? How nice!"
- o -
After her guests left, Sisi's thoughts returned to Lan QiRen yet again.
She didn't know him all that much, but she had already formed a picture of him in her mind. She had met many men in her life. One didn't meet with so many (and sleep with most of them) without learning something.
Lan QiRen was a product of Gusu Lan, a sect with monastic beginnings and governed by strict rules. GuangYao had recited about a hundred to her when she first came here. She was sure he could memorise the entire Wall of Discipline within a few days.
Some of the rules were no brainers like 'Do not enter Cloud Recesses without permission' or 'Change clothes after a shower' or 'Do not be wasteful'.
Some were good ones like 'Perform acts of chivalry' or 'Uphold the value of justice' or 'Help the underprivileged.' Lan QiRen had stated those among others while apprehending that thug who attacked her.
Some were... well, she had definitely broken rules like 'Do not smile for no reason' or 'Do not rise after five am' or 'Do not talk during mealtimes'. Courtesans were required to smile constantly. They often woke up at noon after a night of entertaining customers and could only catch up with fellow ladies during mealtimes.
Lan QiRen on the other hand, was brought up on strict discipline, unchanging routines and inflexible rules. She had also heard about the famous Gusu forehead ribbon from one of her more recent customers - a middle aged man who left the Gusu Lan sect after his wife died.
Anyone growing up in such a place would be staid and boring. Predictable with a clear cut view of the world, of what was right or wrong, black or white. Their rules would force them to be civil and to help the needy, would guard against pride and arrogance. But they would also instill a sense of self importance in taking the higher moral ground, and complacency would set in over their righteousness.
Of course, those were assumptions on Sisi's part and she knew how mistaken they could be. For example, neither Twin Jade was pompous and their attitude towards her had been unfailingly kind. Although Lan QiRen exhibited reserved manners and reticent behaviour, he had proven he was much more than that.
He had shown true anger when coming to her rescue at Yunping City.
He had displayed real desire to help by lending her his robe and carrying her to Lotus Pier.
He had expressed genuine regret by apologising to her and giving her what he believed to be an easy job.
Sisi knew it was partly because he was attracted to her. She had been with enough men to read the signs, but therein lay the problem.
Lan QiRen was a respected elder, but the rules he lived by forbade him from flirting with women. He was as inexperienced as a boy if his recent behaviour was any indication. In fact, it was likely he had never even kissed a woman let alone slept with her.
It wouldn't be difficult for her to encourage that attraction if she wanted to.
But what would the outcome be?
Would he take her on as his mistress and close his eyes to all those rules on appropriate behaviour?
Would he sleep with her and then kick her out for giving in to his desires?
Either outcome would discredit and shame him. Sisi couldn't do that, not when she too was experiencing that same attraction.
- o -
The next morning flew by as Sisi altered another spare robe to fit her measurements. As soon as she stepped foot inside the Library Pavilion, time slowed down to a crawl, like an ancient turtle going for a stroll. Even though she was kept busy checking books and cleaning brushes, it felt like forever before she heard the distant bell toll five times.
By the time Lan QiRen entered the library, she was so jittery she dropped her cleaning rag. Snatching it up, she wiped the last few shelves and peeked at him as he crossed the room to speak to Lan-qianbei.
To say that the lady was surprised was an understatement. Eyebrows rising to her hairline, she looked between Sisi and Lan QiRen a few times.
"You wish to teach Sisi?" She repeated.
He inclined his head.
"Basic reading and writing three times a week from five to six. I hope using the library at this time will not inconvenience you?"
Of course not, Elder Lan. As you know, I usually leave at half past five. Please go ahead."
"Thank you. We will lock up the library when we leave."
Lan JiaYing gave Sisi another look rich with surprise before going to sit at her table once more.
Sisi hurried to the back room to rinse out the rag and wash her hands. A few tendrils of hair had escaped her bun, but she didn't dare keep Lan QiRen waiting any longer.
When she came back out, Lan JiaYing still didn't look disapproving which was good. Unfortunately, she now looked like she had a secret to share which wasn't good.
Not that it was a secret, Sisi told herself. The Library Pavilion was accessible to everyone and was a large open space. Except that Lan QiRen had seated himself at one of the round tables on the other side of the library, half hidden by the large circular bookshelf in the middle of the room.
Well, anyone could still see them if they walked around that bookshelf, right?
"Elder Lan, I am ready for my first lesson," Sisi said with a bow and smile.
"Madam Sisi, please sit down."
Looking like yesterday's incident had never happened, Lan QiRen gestured to the seat on his right. He opened a used notebook which had some scribbles in it, turned to a blank page and placed it before her.
"You mentioned you know how to write your name. Show me."
Sisi dipped a clean brush in the prepared ink. She was glad he had wet the ink stone for her since she was afraid she would make a mess of it. With her lower lip caught between her teeth, she held the brush over the paper and very, very carefully wrote her name.
The result was unsurprisingly shaky. She looked up, heart sinking at his stern expression.
"Again."
She did so. A tiny bit better, she thought critically, although his pursed lips suggested otherwise.
"Do you know the meaning of your name?" He asked.
"To think or to consider," she replied. "That was what Meng Shi once told me."
"Correct. If you pair '思' (sī) with another character, the meaning broadens. For example, '思考' (sī kǎo) means to reflect on, or to ponder over. '思想' (si xiǎng) means thought, thinking, idea or ideology." *
"I see."
"You are also holding the brush incorrectly."
"Oh, sorry!"
Lan QiRen shook his head.
"No need for apologies. Hold the brush upright and control its movements with your thumb, index and middle finger. Let it rest rest against your ring and smallest finger." **
Sisi adjusted her hold.
"A little higher or your strokes will be too broad on the paper."
She shifted her fingers. He did an aborted movement with his hand, like he wanted to grab hers only to stop. Then he gave a tiny shake of his head.
"Not quite, but it will do. We will start with numbers. I will write the numbers '一' (one) to '十' (ten) for you."
When he took the brush from her, their fingertips briefly touched and she saw the sharp glance he gave her.
Dipping the tip of the brush in ink, he pulled over a new notebook and wrote her name on the cover in perfect calligraphy. He blew on it for a bit before opening the book to the first page, marked by large squares.
Sisi guessed these were the kind of books used by children to practise their calligraphy. She watched closely as he wrote one character in each square, going horizontally and reading aloud as he did. Then he turned the book to face her and handed her the brush.
Just then, Lan JiaYing approached them and cleared her throat.
"Elder Lan, Sisi, I'm going off now," she said and bowed. "Good evening to you both. Please remember to lock up when you leave."
Lan QiRen just nodded but Sisi stood up to bow in turn.
As soon as the door closed behind the Head Librarian, Lan QiRen exhaled, shoulders seeming to slump a bit. He got up and went to stand behind Sisi on her right.
"Elder Lan?" Sisi looked up at him.
"The first step to writing is to hold your brush properly," he said. "I will position your fingers."
With that, he reached forward and moved her fingers to his satisfaction.
"Now, write your name again in the practice notebook."
With the tip of her tongue between her teeth, she did so.
"Don't grip the brush too tightly. Like this."
This time, he closed his hand over hers and wrote her name, twin characters unfolding under the brush.
"Take note of which strokes require a bigger pressure on the brush."
Sisi barely heard what he said. She, who had experienced countless male hands on almost every part of her body, found her attention riveted on that large, well shaped hand wrapped around hers. His inner wrist rested on the back of her hand and she fancied she could feel his pulse beating against her skin, racing like hers was.
"Again."
Moving her hand, he wrote her name once more. Sisi curled her left hand into a fist on her lap, fingernails digging into her soft palm. He was just holding her hand, but already, she was shaking.
"Again." His voice had deepened.
She turned her head to look up at him, standing so close to her, his gaze affixed to the curve of her neck below her ear. When his eyes flicked up to hers, she glimpsed something bright and hot in their depths before he looked away.
"Keep practising," he said in a tight voice as he went to sit back down.
"M-my name? Or the numbers?"
"Yes."
She blinked.
"I mean... the numbers."
"Ah."
She dipped the brush in the ink again and started writing the numbers, taking care to hold the brush as instructed. She wrote the first three ('一', '二', '三') without incident, going horizontally across the page. When she came to '四', he raised his hand.
"No. The sequence of your strokes are wrong. I will show you."
He reached for her hand again, thought the better of it and grabbed another brush.
"Follow my brush strokes," he said and wrote a perfect '四' in the practice notebook.
She did so and he nodded. He corrected her '五' as well.
"One to five is enough to start off with. You may not remember if we continue to ten."
"I understand."
"I will see you in two days," he said and stood up.
Sisi stood up as well and bowed.
"Thank you, Elder Lan," she said.
"No need for thanks," he said, his eyes darting to her neck again.
"I know my hair is untidy," she began only to stop when he shook his head.
"You look beau-" he broke off pressed his lips together. "I mean, I will see you in two days."
"Of course," she replied although he had already said that. He didn't wait for a reply, spinning around and making a beeline for the door.
Alone in the library, Sisi pressed her fingers to her flushed cheeks and smiled. Little did she know that she would see him again tomorrow evening with an even bigger reason to thank him.
- Chapter End -
A/N: Thank you for reading! The Gusu Lan rules were taken from Unforth's A Compiled List of Known Lan Clan Rules over on AO3.
* The meaning of 'Sisi' was sourced from the Chinese yabla website since I'm only a little better than Sisi at recognising Chinese characters.
** The position of the fingers was sourced from several instructional YT videos.
Any mistakes are my own. Hope you enjoyed the chapter and please leave a review if you did. Take care :)
