Chapter 71 Jealousy Machine
The afternoon sun filtered through the grapevines, casting dappled shadows across the stone pavement. Jiang Yanli sat on a rattan chair, peeling lotus seeds. Wei Wuxian clung to her like a piece of taffy, offering her water and fanning her like a child who hadn't grown up.
"Senior Sister, try this. This is the osmanthus cake that Wen Ning just made. It's even better than the one from the old brand last time." Wei Wuxian picked up a piece and handed it to Jiang Yanli's mouth, his eyes sparkling, full of a desire for credit.
Jiang Yanli smiled and opened her mouth to take a bite, the tenderness in her eyes almost overflowing: "Ah Xian has good taste, it really is delicious." She raised her hand to brush the petals off Wei Wuxian's shoulders, "Look at you, you're sweating from running, wipe it off quickly."
Lan Wangji noticed this intimate gesture, and his fingers tightened slightly around the teacup, leaving a white streak around the rim. Ever since Jiang Yanli's return, Wei Wuxian's eyes had barely left her, calling her "Senior Sister" in a sweet, cloying way, his dependence even stronger than back in the Lotus Pier.
"Brother-in-law, you try it too." Wei Wuxian finally remembered Jin Zixuan next to him and handed him a piece of osmanthus cake.
Just as Jin Zixuan was about to take it, Jiang Yanli had already picked up a piece and fed it to his mouth, her movements natural and intimate: "Zixuan doesn't like things that are too sweet, I saved some salty ones for you."
Wei WuXian said “Oh” and turned to smile at Jiang Yanli again, “Senior Sister is still the most attentive. She even remembers exactly what my brother-in-law likes to eat.”
Lan Wangji tapped his fingertips lightly on the teacup, his eyes falling on Wei Wuxian's empty wrist - the bracelet he had put on him when he went out in the morning had slipped off at some point, but he was completely unaware, his mind focused on Jiang Yanli.
“Wei Ying,” Lan Wangji suddenly said, his voice lower than usual, “The bracelet fell off.”
Wei Wuxian was stunned for a moment, then lowered his head and touched his wrist, which was indeed empty: "Oh, when did it fall off?" He was about to get up and look for it when he was held down by Jiang Yanli.
"Don't worry, I'll help you look for it." Jiang Yanli put down the lotus seeds, stood up and walked towards the yard, "You ran under the grape trellis just now, maybe you dropped it there."
"I'll go." Lan Wangji stood up, his tone calm but with an unquestionable meaning, and turned to walk towards the grape trellis.
Jin Zixuan looked at Lan Wangji's back and suddenly chuckled. He leaned over to Jiang Yanli's ear and said, "Look at Lan Wangji's face. He's almost jealous."
Jiang Yanli gave him a reproachful look: "Don't talk nonsense, Ah Xian just likes to be closer to me." Having said that, a smile flashed in her eyes - back in the Lotus Pier, Ah Xian always loved to stick to her, and although Lan Wangji didn't say it at that time, he couldn't hide the "disapproval" in his eyes.
Wei Wuxian, still unaware of the abrupt shift in atmosphere, pointed to the lotus pod on the table and said to Jiang Yanli, "Senior Sister, your technique for peeling lotus seeds is still as good as ever. I've tried several times to learn but can't quite get it right." He picked up a lotus seed and popped it into his mouth, mumbling, "Senior Sister still peels the sweetest ones."
Just as he finished speaking, Lan Wangji returned with the bracelet. He walked over to Wei Wuxian and, without a word, lifted his wrist and fastened the bracelet back on. He applied a little more force than usual, the clasp tightening with a click, a silent declaration.
Wei Wuxian finally sensed something was wrong and looked up to meet Lan Wangji's eyes. In those eyes, which were always filled with tenderness, there was now a thin layer of frost.
"Lan Zhan, what's wrong?" Wei Wuxian asked cautiously, feeling a little uneasy.
Lan Wangji didn't answer. He just picked up a piece of osmanthus cake and handed it to his mouth. His tone was emotionless and he said, "Eat."
Wei Wuxian obediently opened his mouth and bit it. From the corner of his eye, he saw Lan Wangji glancing at Jin Zixuan - just now, when Jin Zixuan took the handkerchief handed to him by Jiang Yanli, his actions were also very intimate.
Suddenly, Wei WuXian understood something and nearly laughed out loud. He secretly nudged Lan WangJi's calf with his foot, leaned close to his ear, and whispered, "Jealous?"
Lan Wangji's ears flushed slightly, he turned his face away, picked up the teacup and took a sip, as a sign of agreement.
This scene was captured accurately by the director who followed the camera. In the camera, Lan Wangji turned his face away awkwardly, and Wei Wuxian moved closer to him with a suppressed smile. The scene was so sweet that it was sickening. The comments instantly exploded:
"Hahahaha, Mr. Lan is jealous! His eyes are almost tearing!"
"Teacher Wei is so good! He knew something was wrong with Mr. Lan at first glance!"
"Am I the only one who noticed that Jin Zixuan was also looking at Miss Jiang? What kind of jealous scene is this?"
When the party was getting lively, Jin Ling came running over with a painting: "Mom, look at the family portrait I drew!" In the painting, a group of people were holding hands and smiling happily.
Just as Jiang Yanli was about to take it, Jin Zixuan snatched it away and deliberately waved it in front of Wei Wuxian: "Our Jin Ling draws really well, especially the way he draws me and your mother."
Wei Wuxian raised an eyebrow and ruffled Jin Ling's hair. "Of course he is, no matter whose nephew he is." He turned to Jiang Yanli and said, "Senior Sister, I'll play 'Pure Heart Sound' for you tonight, just like we used to do at Lotus Pier."
"Okay." Jiang Yanli nodded with a smile.
"I'll accompany you." Lan Wangji immediately responded, his tone brooking no room for argument. "Your piano skills still require guidance."
Wei Wuxian laughed even more happily, teasing him deliberately: "Oh? Then Mr. Lan must give me some good guidance." He leaned close to Lan Wangji's ear and whispered, "Can you give me more guidance when we return to our room tonight?"
Lan Wangji's ears turned completely red, and he reached out and gently pinched his waist, the strength so gentle that it felt like a caress.
Jin Zixuan watched the two of them interacting as if no one was around, and couldn't help but complain to Jiang Yanli, "Look at them, they don't even know to stay away from the children." Although he said this, he couldn't hide the smile in his eyes - he and Yanli were relieved that Ah Xian could find such a home.
Jiang Yanli smiled and patted his hand. "They have a good relationship, isn't that a good thing?" She looked at Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji, her eyes as gentle as water. "Ah Xian always said that he wanted to find someone who could go crazy with him and also control him. Now he's found it, how great."
As the sun set, Wei Wuxian sat in the courtyard, clasping his zither. Lan Wangji sat beside him, occasionally correcting his notes with his fingertips. As the music flowed, Jiang Yanli hummed softly against Jin Zixuan's shoulder. Jin Ling lay on the stone table, drawing. Sizhui and Lan Jingyi peeled lotus seeds nearby. The scene was as warm as a painting that never fades.
Wei Wuxian was halfway through playing when he suddenly turned to Lan Wangji and smiled, "Lan Zhan, look, this is really good."
Lan Wangji held his hand, and the moment their fingertips touched, the sound of the piano paused slightly, but soon became smoother.
Yeah, that's great.
I have my senior sister, my family, and you.
No matter what the regrets of sixteen years ago are, or what the modern storms are, as long as the piano music continues and the people around me are together, it is the best time.
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