Chapter 79 The Respect of the Youth
It was when Wen Ning was chatting that the children pieced together the whole picture.
That day, Wen Ning was delivering snacks to the children and casually mentioned, "Those companies went bankrupt really quickly a while ago. I heard they offended someone they shouldn't offend." Lan Jingyi, with his sharp ears, immediately asked, "Is it the family of those who cursed Senior Wei?"
Wen Ning was stunned for a moment, realizing he'd let something slip. He mumbled a response, but it didn't escape the eyes of the three children. Si Zhui recalled his father's back as he called late that night. Jin Ling pondered Lan Wangji's usually impassive demeanor. Lan Jingyi slapped his thigh, "I knew it! It must have been Uncle Lan who did it!"
The three little guys gathered together, analyzing the situation one after another, and they became more and more certain as they talked - who else but Lan Wangji could make those companies collapse in just a few days and have them hide abroad in disgrace?
At dinner, Lan Wangji had barely sat down when he felt three pairs of eyes fixed on him. He looked up to see Sizhui sitting upright, his gaze filled with clear admiration; Lan Jingyi, his chin resting on his hand, his eyes sparkling with admiration; and Jin Ling, though silent, quietly inched his chair closer to him.
Wei Wuxian suddenly felt something strange. He nudged Lan Wangji lightly with his elbow and asked suspiciously, "What's wrong? Is there something on your face?"
Lan Wangji shook his head slightly, like a silent mountain. He picked up a handful of greens with his chopsticks and placed them into Wei Wuxian's bowl as lightly as a dragonfly skimming the water. His eyes, like two cold swords, swept across the three children and said softly, "Eat well."
"Yes!" The three children answered in unison, picking up their chopsticks faster than usual, like little soldiers receiving orders.
This resounding response was like a thunderclap, exploding across the table and making everyone laugh. Jiang Yanli blinked her eyes with curiosity, and asked in a sweet voice, "What's wrong with you three today? Are you stupid from learning the rules from Uncle Lan?"
Before Lan Jingyi could even finish his meal, he couldn't wait to shout, "Uncle Lan is so awesome! Those people who bullied Senior Wei are asking for trouble. They deserve it!"
Si Zhui nodded slightly and said softly but firmly, "Father is like our guardian angel, protecting us at all times."
Jin Ling also quickly echoed: "And my uncle did it perfectly, it was absolutely flawless, no one could find a single fault." There was a hint of pride in his words, as if he was showing off his powerful family to everyone.
Wei Wuxian suddenly realized that the three little guys knew about Lan Wangji's situation, and he couldn't help but admire him. He turned his gaze to Lan Wangji, only to see that his expression was as calm as usual, like a pool of still water. However, the slightly red ears were like ripples on a calm lake, obviously he had heard the children's words.
"Don't talk while eating." Lan Wangji said lightly, but when he picked up the dishes, he added a piece of their favorite meat to each child's bowl.
Lan Jingyi immediately stuffed the meat into his mouth and mumbled, "Thank you, Uncle Lan! You're even better than my dad!"
Lan Xichen smiled and shook his head: "You, all you know is to flatter Wangji."
"I'm not flattering!" Lan Jingyi stiffened his neck. "Last time I had an argument with someone, my dad just told me to 'hold my end', but Uncle Lan just let them go! That's awesome!"
Everyone at the table laughed when these words came out. Lan Wangji put down his chopsticks and looked at the three children. "There are many ways to solve a problem. Using strength to leave the other party speechless is more effective than arguing."
"Yeah!" The three children nodded vigorously, taking this statement to heart. Sizhui recalled his impulsive decision to follow them to the internet cafe that day, and suddenly felt a little embarrassed. It turned out that his father hadn't failed to protect them, but had simply used a safer and more forceful method to obtain justice without putting them at risk again.
Lan Jingyi was even more excited, pulling on Lan Wangji's sleeve: "Uncle Lan, please teach me a few moves! If anyone says something bad about Senior Wei again, I will..."
"Let your grades speak for themselves," Lan Wangji interrupted. "You ranked fifth from the bottom in the class on your last math test."
Lan Jingyi's face flushed instantly, and he lowered his head to shovel at the rice in his bowl, not daring to say another word. Jin Ling snickered at the side, but when Lan Wangji glanced at him, he immediately restrained his expression and ate obediently.
Wei Wuxian watched this scene, feeling both warm and amused. He leaned close to Lan Wangji's ear and whispered, "Mr. Lan has become the leader of the children now."
Lan Wangji turned his head to look at him, a faint smile in his eyes: "They are fine."
Yes, that's great. They're impulsive enough to protect those they care about, and they genuinely admire those they approve of. These young people are learning, in their own way, to distinguish right from wrong and to protect those around them.
After dinner, Lan Wangji went to the study to process documents, and the three children followed him stealthily.
"Father," Si Zhui stood at the door, holding a glass of warm water, "you have worked hard."
Lan Jingyi held an apple in his hand and handed it over like he was offering a treasure: "Uncle Lan, this is super sweet!"
Jin Ling didn't bring anything, but he straightened his body and said seriously: "Uncle Lan, if you have any problems in the future, I can help you." Although he didn't know how he could help, he couldn't lose momentum.
Lan Wangji looked at the three little guys standing at the door, and the coldness in his eyes gradually melted, revealing a rare gentleness: "Come in."
He asked the children to sit on the sofa while he opened a book on adolescent psychology. While reading, he occasionally told them how to deal with conflicts - not teaching them to endure, but teaching them how to solve problems in the most decent way while protecting themselves.
Si Zhui listened most attentively, nodding from time to time and taking notes; although Lan Jingyi couldn't sit still, he didn't make any trouble, and his eyes were always fixed on Lan Wangji; Jin Ling quietly repeated the key points that Si Zhui had memorized in his mind, intending to write them down in his notebook when he got back.
The camera quietly turned to the study, where Lan Wangji sat behind the desk, and the three children sat around on the sofa. The light softly shone on them, like a warm painting. The audience in the barrage was moved:
"Ahhh, what a magical scene! Boss Lan is so sweet taking care of the baby!"
"The kids' eyes must be thinking of Mr. Lan as their idol!"
"I suddenly understand why Sizhui is so steady. With a father like him teaching by example, how could he be bad?"
"Jingyi and Jin Ling have been brought up to be well behaved! President Lan's aura is amazing!"
When Wei Wuxian walked in with the fruit, he saw Lan Wangji telling the children a case from the book, and the three little guys were listening so intently that they didn't even notice him coming in.
"What are you talking about? It's so lively." Wei Wuxian put the fruit plate on the table and asked with a smile.
Lan Jingyi immediately raised his hand: "Senior Wei! Uncle Lan is teaching us how to be rude! No, how to reason with others!"
Wei Wuxian looked at Lan Wangji, his eyes full of smiles. The other party raised his eyes and looked back at him, his eyes gentle, as if to say, "Look, they all understand."
Yes, I understand.
I understand what true strength is. It is not based on fists or quarrels, but on wisdom and strength, and I protect the people I care about without making a sound.
Understand what it means to be a respectable person. It’s not about how nicely he speaks, but how well he does things. He hides all his tenderness deep in his heart, but is there to hold up the sky for you when you need it.
Late at night, the children retired to their rooms for bed. Sizhui lay in bed, rubbing the long-gone redness and swelling on his palms. A faint smile crossed his lips, recalling his father's words tonight. Lan Jingyi gestured toward the ceiling, imagining how he would one day persuade others with "reason." Jin Ling, clutching the jade pendant, felt that since Senior Wei had Uncle Lan's protection, he would have to work even harder to protect both him and his parents.
In the study, Wei Wuxian leaned on Lan Wangji's shoulder and looked at the moonlight outside the window: "Look, the children all regard you as a role model."
Lan Wangji took his hand, interlocking their fingers: "I just want to be your role model."
Wei WuXian smiled and snuggled into his arms: "You've already done it."
From the fleeting glimpse in his youth, to the life and death dependence later, to the peaceful years now, Lan Wangji has always been his light, the person he most wants to get closer to and the person he most wants to become as he stumbles along the way.
The moonlight passed through the window lattice and fell on the clasped hands of the two people. The lotus pendant on the bracelet swayed gently, reflecting the fragmented light, as if locking the tenderness of the whole world in this small world.
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