Chapter 8: The Immortal Supervisor Disciplines Sizhui
At dawn, the candlelight in the ancestral hall burned out completely, leaving only a trace of residual warmth. Lan Sizhui woke from a light sleep, groaning at the pain in his back. He looked down at the wool blanket under his knees and remembered that his father had watched over him as he slept last night.
He rubbed his numb wrist, picked up his pen, and continued copying the family rules. Morning light streamed in through the ancestral hall window, casting narrow spots of light on the bamboo slips, making the words "faith" and "responsibility" particularly clear.
When he had copied the text forty-fifth time, he heard soft footsteps outside the ancestral hall. Lan Sizhui looked up and saw Lan Xichen, dressed in the moon-white regalia of a clan leader, slowly walking in, incense burner in hand.
"Uncle Xiandu." He quickly put down his pen and wanted to stand up to salute, but because he had been kneeling for too long, his knees became numb and he almost fell down.
Lan Xichen quickly stepped forward to support him, saying gently, "No need to be so polite, just sit down." He glanced at the bamboo slips on the table, then at Sizhui's red eyes and slightly swollen knees, a trace of heartache flashing in his eyes, "Is this... a punishment?"
Si Zhui lowered his head and whispered, "Yes. Yesterday, when I was leading the team to deal with the evil spirit, I was careless and forgot to bring the signal flare, which almost implicated my companions. Father punished me by making me copy the two chapters "Trust" and "Responsibility" from the "House Rules" fifty times."
Lan Xichen picked up a scroll of copied bamboo slips and saw the neat handwriting, which, though tired, was not sloppy. He nodded in agreement, "A good child is one who admits his mistakes and corrects them. But your father is a bit too harsh. He made you kneel and copy books until dawn, which must be harmful to your health."
He placed the incense burner on the altar, turned to Sizhui and said with a smile, "You don't have to copy the remaining five times. I'll plead with Wangji on your behalf, okay?"
Si Zhui was stunned: "Is this... okay? Father..."
"Though your father is strict, he's not unkind." Lan Xichen patted his shoulder gently. "He punished you because he feared you wouldn't understand the weight of responsibility. I spared you because I know you've taken the lesson to heart." He paused, then added, "Besides, I happen to be in need of an assistant to help with paperwork today. Would Sizhui be willing to accompany me on this official business?"
Si Zhui was surprised and delighted, and quickly stood up and saluted: "Thank you, Uncle Immortal Governor! I am willing!"
Lan Xichen looked at the light that instantly lit up in his eyes and couldn't help but smile: "Silly boy, go quickly, go back to your room and change into clean clothes first, then come find me in my study."
"Yes!" Si Zhui picked up the bamboo slips on the table and ran out of the ancestral hall with light steps. The pain in his back seemed to be relieved a lot.
When he returned to the quiet room, Lan Wangji was tidying up his desk. Seeing Sizhui come in, he just glanced at him calmly without saying a word.
Si Zhui felt a little uneasy and whispered, "Father, my son..."
“Go change your clothes,” Lan Wangji interrupted, his voice devoid of emotion. “Brother Xichen sent someone to tell him he wants you to help in his study.”
Si Zhui was stunned for a moment before realizing that Uncle Xiandu had already told his father about it, and quickly replied, "Yes!"
As he changed and went out, he saw Lan Wangji flipping through the bamboo slips he had copied halfway, his fingertips pausing lightly on the word "咎". Sizhui's heart tightened, but he heard his father whisper, "Go, learn from your uncle."
"Yes! I'll remember it!" Si Zhui bowed, turned around and left quickly, feeling warm and guilty in his heart - he knew that his father had tacitly agreed to the arrangement of Uncle Xiandu, but was unwilling to say it out loud because of his face.
Lan Xichen's study was elegant and spacious, piled high with documents and files sent in by various aristocratic families. Upon seeing Sizhui enter, Lan Xichen pointed to a low stool beside the table and said with a smile, "Please take a seat. These are the records of the night hunts reported by the various aristocratic families yesterday. Please help me sort them and, by the way, check for any unusual circumstances that require attention."
Sizhui nodded, picking up the file and carefully leafing through it. Lan Xichen sat across from him, handling official business, occasionally whispering instructions. The only sound in the study was the rustling of papers, a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere.
Nearing noon, Lan Xichen looked at the neatly organized files and smiled with satisfaction, "Well done. Much more meticulous than Jingyi."
Si Zhui felt a little embarrassed: "Uncle Xiandu, thank you for your praise."
"That's not a compliment, it's the truth." Lan Xichen handed her a pastry. "You're calm and hardworking, so you'll definitely achieve great things in the future. It's just that..." He changed the subject, looking at Sizhui gently, "Sometimes you don't have to be so tense. Your father and Senior Wei are strict with you because they want the best for you, but you should also know that occasionally relying on them isn't a sign of weakness."
Si Zhui paused with the snack in his hand, remembering last night in the ancestral hall, when his father hugged him and said, "You don't have to hold on in front of your parents." His eyes suddenly felt warm.
"I understand. Thank you, Uncle Xiandu."
Lan Xichen smiled, "Alright, let's go eat. Before your father starts nagging me about abducting his precious son."
Si Zhui smiled and agreed. As he turned and walked out of the study, the sun fell on him, warm and cozy. He touched the jade pendant with the word "Jing" on his waist and suddenly felt how lucky he was to have grown up in such an environment, to have a strict but soft-hearted father, a gentle and protective father, and an uncle who always cared for him.
In the quiet room, Lan Wangji looked at the two plates of side dishes that Wei Wuxian had excitedly brought over and said calmly, "Brother has taken Sizhui away."
"I know. Brother Xichen just sent someone to tell us." Wei Wuxian placed the dishes on the table and smiled slyly, "It would be good to let the child learn how to handle official business from Brother Xichen, so that he won't always follow us around."
Lan Wangji didn't say anything, but just picked up a piece of spicy food that Wei Wuxian liked with his chopsticks and put it in his bowl.
Wei WuXian looked at his slightly red ears and suddenly smiled: "Why, are you thinking about your son again?"
Lan Wangji raised his eyes and glanced at him, his ears turning even redder, but he didn't refute.
Wei WuXian smiled even more brightly, leaning over and kissing him on the cheek: "Don't worry, he'll be back tonight. Besides, he can't follow us forever, he has to learn to fly on his own, right?"
Lan Wangji looked at the sunlight outside the window and hummed softly.
Yes, one must learn to fly. But the process of spreading wings is destined to be bumpy. He only hopes that the child can remember that no matter how high or far he flies, in the quiet room deep in the clouds, there will always be a light on for him, and two people waiting for him to come home.
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