(no subject)

[sunlit_stone]

I was looking at the scene of LXC and LWJ and the bunnies over on twitter—it's a memory in a dream, in the second incense burner chapter, so I suppose you could reject it but I think the most natural interpretation is that it's just how it happened. And it's really interesting!

Not long afterwards, he managed to make out the whispering voices of two boys. He walked closer, finding that one of their voices sounded quite familiar, “… Nobody had ever kept any within the bounds of the Cloud Recesses. To do such a thing is unheard of.”

After a moment of silence, the other boy answered, somewhat dejected, “I know. But… I have already made my promise. I cannot go against my word.”

Wei WuXian picked this up. He sneakily glanced over. As expected, conversing amidst a clearing of green grass was Lan XiChen and Lan WangJi.

It was a spring day vibrant with soft winds. The young brothers seemed to be two immaculate pieces of jade, reflected against each other. Both were dressed in snowy robes, their wide sleeves and forehead ribbons flapping in the wind, almost as if they were a painting. The Lan WangJi at this point in time was also just about sixteen. He frowned slightly, as though he was worried about something. What he held in his arm was a white rabbit, sniffing its pink nose, and beside his foot was another rabbit, its long ears perked up as it stood clinging to his boot, trying to climb up.

Lan XiChen, “How could the casual remarks between two boys be considered a serious promise? Is it really because of this?”

Lan WangJi looked at the ground and said nothing.

Lan XiChen smiled, “Fine. Then if by any chance Uncle asks of this, you must explain things to him properly. These days, you have been spending just a little too much time on them.”

Lan WangJi nodded solemnly, “Thank you, Brother.” With a pause, he added, “… They will not affect my studies.”

Lan XiChen, “I know, WangJi. However, you must not tell Uncle who gave these to you. Or else, out of rage, he would make you send them away no matter what.”

Hearing this, it seemed as though Lan WangJi hugged the rabbit in his arms even tighter. Lan XiChen smiled. He reached out and poked the rabbit’s pink nose with his fingertip, before leisurely walking away.

a) that bit with LXC poking the rabbit's nose is adorable, help. Has this been in any of the adaptations? Is there any fanart of this? I must see it.

b) I think this is a really interesting look at the relationship between the young Jades, specifically. In particular it's a great example of how on the one hand LXC is extremely indulgent and supportive of LWJ and how, on the other hand, they both consider LXC to have legitimate authority over LWJ, which he exercises (legitimately). I think there can be a tendency to, I suppose, understand that authority negatively, but that's not really how it's written: both LXC's authority over and correcting of LWJ, and his support and indulgence of LWJ, are presented as part of the same good relationship. They don't contradict each other; they work together.

And it is clear that LXC does correct him. He's supporting LWJ on the bunnies (and instructing him not to tell LQR the details so the bunnies don't get sent away!), even though "To [keep bunnies within CR] is unheard of", and he's also telling him that he's been spending a bit too much time on them lately. And it is entirely as a loving older brother, but I think if your understanding of their relationship doesn't include that kind of loving correction, it is missing something.

(This isn't the only time this happens, to be clear. In the lectures at CR arc, of course, but we also see it near the beginning, when LWJ drags MXY home, and LXC cancels it and tells him to treat his guests better, and also in a variety of other places but listing all of them is outside the scope of this post.)

(b ii. I do think this makes an interesting contrast with WWX and JC; one of the fault lines there was that while WWX absolutely loved JC I'm not sure he ever saw JC as having legitimate authority over him. Which was a real problem when JC was actually his sect leader.)

(b. iii And it's also interesting to consider in light of NMJ's relationship with NHS and JGY both! One of NMJ's failings is, I think, his failure to actually effectively correct NHS. Obviously this is not just on him, NHS plays a role here too, but while many of NHS' hobbies are fine his failure to develop anything beyond that really is a problem—see also how he's totally sheltered during Sunshot, while pretty much every other major figure in the major clans was a major figure in the war. And while NMJ is certainly angry with him about it, and we see him express that anger, he also indulges NHS hugely and—okay I'm extrapolating some here but from what we do see it looks like the discipline is mostly anger-based, he lashes out and punishes NHS when he's angry and lets him off when he's amused or whatever, and that's really not a good way to teach someone! And then if you consider his relationship with JGY—part of the reason he swears brotherhood with JGY is his desire to guide him, but his efforts on this front are worse than useless, and he doesn't extend him any support at all.)

c) I also think it's interesting as a look at LXC in its own right, separate from what it says about his relationship with LWJ. In particular I think it's very telling that he instructs LWJ not to tell LQR who gave the bunnies to him, lest LQR make LWJ send them away! First, it certainly shows a strong trust in his own judgement; he knows LQR would not agree with him but he knows what he's doing. Secondly, I think it's really worth noting that he's proposing something at least adjacent to deceiving LQR: he's helping conceal information from LQR that LQR would absolutely think was relevant to his decision! Indeed, he's actively suggesting the concealment. And LQR is their uncle and teacher—and LXC isn't even sect leader at this point. Now I do think it matters that it's not the same thing as lying directly to LQR; they're just avoiding giving him certain information. That's not where everyone draws a line but I do think it's one of LXC's. And I think it all suggests he has a grasp of subtleties and of subtle distinctions even this early on in the timeline.

(Interestingly we see him use pretty much exactly the same tactic in much worse circumstances later on in the timeline; after LWJ and WWX escape from Carp Tower, and LXC returns, LQR has woken but LXC "told everyone not to tell him anything unnecessary" (64).)

(c ii. I'll also take a moment to be a xiyao and add, while I think JGY probably does ever lie to LXC about things, I'm pretty sure most of what he's done is simply not give LXC all the information. They really are very similar in a lot of ways!)

d) This is far from a perfect parallel but reflecting on LXC and JGY's similarities, I can't help but link this moment, with LXC backing LWJ up on the bunnies, with JGY giving JL Fairy. They're very different situations in a lot of ways, but they are both helping a beloved younger relative, with kindness and support, through animal companionship. There are a lot of differences too, of course; but I do think it speaks to some of the ways in which they're similar, which is more than people think.