Chapter 84: Deadlock
Sizhui's confinement was even stricter than expected. Lan Wangji not only punished him with copying according to family rules but also requested a week's leave from school, citing "home education." This meant the young man had to stay in the old house for seven days, barred from even leaving the courtyard except for a fixed daily scripture copying time.
Wei Wuxian hadn't been to the filming set for the past few days, instead spending the entire day in Sizhui's room. The boy was hunched over his desk, copying down the family rules. The redness and swelling on the back of his hand hadn't subsided, and his fingertips trembled slightly as he gripped the pen. Wei Wuxian sat beside him, peeling an apple for him, his gaze darting behind him. That day, Lan Wangji had not only struck his palm with the ruler, but had also, according to the family rules, added ten swats to his buttocks. Even through his clothes, the thought was still shocking.
"Daddy, I don't feel any pain anymore." Si Zhui noticed his gaze, stopped writing and said softly, "Please stop staring at me."
Wei WuXian cut the apple into small pieces and handed it over, his voice hoarse, “If you’re tired of copying, take a break. Don’t force yourself.”
Sizhui shook his head, picked up his pen and continued writing: "Father said that if you do something wrong, you must be punished. You can't be lazy."
Wei Wuxian couldn't help but burst into tears as he watched him being so obedient that it made people feel distressed. He turned his head away and wiped his tears, but Lan Xichen, who had pushed the door open, saw him.
“Ah Xian.” Lan Xichen was holding a food box and spoke gently, “I brought some porridge.”
Wei Wuxian said nothing, but stood up and offered his seat to Lan Xichen. Lan Xichen placed the porridge on the table, glanced at Sizhui's handwriting, and sighed softly, "Sizhui's handwriting has become more calm and steady, reminiscent of Wangji's youth."
Si Zhui blushed and whispered, "Thank you for the compliment, uncle."
Lan Xichen smiled and ruffled his hair, then said to Wei Wuxian, "Come out and talk?"
The two of them walked into the courtyard, where the shadows of the bamboo swayed on the ground, like scattered fragments of light. Lan Xichen handed Wei Wuxian a cup of hot tea: "Are you still angry with Wangji?"
Wei Wuxian held the teacup, his fingertips cold. "Brother, don't you think he's too cruel? Sizhui took the blame for Jingyi, but he punished him ten times more severely than Jingyi!"
“Ah Xian, I know you love your child.” Lan Xichen’s voice was soft, “But you should also understand that Wangji’s punishment wasn’t for ‘taking the blame,’ it was for ‘deception.’ And this isn’t the first time Si Zhui has done this.”
He paused, then continued, "Back in the Cloud Recesses, Sizhui concealed the fact that Jingyi had broken the glass cup, and Wangji punished him by making him kneel in the snow for three hours. You blamed him then, but Sizhui later said that he finally understood that being a 'friend' isn't about making mistakes for others, it's about persuading them to admit their mistakes."
Wei Wuxian was stunned. He recalled that snowy night many years ago, when the boy's lips had turned purple from the cold, yet he refused to give in. Lan Wangji stood in the corridor, his eyes as cold as ice, clutching a heater in his hands.
"This time, Sizhui knew it was wrong to take the blame for someone else, but he did it anyway." Lan Xichen looked at him. "Wangji is afraid this 'protectiveness' will become his weakness in the future. Today it was cheating on the exam, but if he encounters something bigger in the future, and he still protects others regardless of right or wrong, what will happen then? Most importantly, what if he gets hurt because of this? What will he do then?"
Wei Wuxian's tears fell, splashing into the teacup, creating ripples. Feeling incredibly aggrieved, he looked at his brother pitifully. "I know... I know everything..." He choked, "But when I think of him hunched over there copying books, I can't even sit still..."
"Wangji went to see him three times at night," Lan Xichen said softly, "each time he stood at the door for half an hour, then returned to stare blankly at the ruler. He loves his child more than anyone else, but in a different way."
These words were like a needle, gently piercing the grievance in Wei Wuxian's heart. He thought of the lotus seed soup Lan Wangji had left at the door, and the tense look on his back as he turned around, and suddenly felt that perhaps he was too stubborn.
The audience in the barrage watched this scene and the discussion became more heated:
"Wow, Master Lan is right! I finally understand what Mr. Lan meant!"
"Although I feel bad for Sizhui, this penalty is absolutely fine! There has to be a limit to protecting one's shortcomings!"
"Teacher Wei, please stop crying! Even I, a passerby, can see clearly that Mr. Lan is not a heartless person!"
"Isn't this true education? It not only lets the child know that he is wrong, but also lets him understand why he is wrong."
As he was speaking, Lan Jingyi ran in from outside, holding a test paper in his hand. With red eyes, he shouted at Sizhui's door: "Sizhui! I got 80 on the math test! I did it myself! Look!"
Si Zhui responded from inside the room, his voice tinged with laughter: "I see. Congratulations."
Lan Jingyi stuffed the test paper through the crack in the door and wiped away his tears: "When you come out, I'll treat you to ice cream!"
Wei Wuxian watched the boy run away and suddenly smiled. Lan Xichen patted his shoulder and said, "Children are growing up. As elders, we must learn to let go and let them bear the consequences."
In the evening, Wei Wuxian walked into the study, carrying a bowl of medicine. Lan Wangji was working on a document on his computer, a faint dark spot under his eyes.
"To apply medicine to Sizhui." Wei Wuxian put the bowl on the table. His voice was still a little harsh, but he did not turn around and leave.
Lan Wangji raised his head, his gaze fixed on the red and swollen corners of his eyes, his Adam's apple moving: "You..."
“I haven’t forgiven you.” Wei Wuxian turned his face away, “But Sizhui’s medicine can’t be stopped.”
Lan Wangji stood up and took out a tube of ointment from the drawer and handed it to him: "This one is milder than the previous one, so be gentle when applying it."
Wei Wuxian took the ointment, but his fingertips accidentally touched his hand, causing him to shrink back as if he had received an electric shock. Neither of them spoke, but a sense of relaxed warmth filled the air.
When he reached Sizhui's door, Wei Wuxian looked back at the light in the study and said softly, "Tonight... go to bed early."
Lan Wangji was stunned for a moment, then nodded: "Yeah."
The moment the door closed, the comments exploded:
"Ahhh, have we reconciled? This is the prelude to reconciliation!"
"I knew it! How could they really be in a cold war?"
"Boss Lan must have secretly prepared an apology gift!"
"This is what family is! No matter how much we quarrel, the pain still really hurts!"
Si Zhui looked at Wei Wuxian's red eyes and suddenly said, "Daddy, please don't be angry with Mr. Lan."
Wei WuXian squatted down and applied the medicine to him, moving so gently as if he wasn't afraid of breaking it. "What? Don't you blame him for punishing you?"
Si Zhui shook his head, his eyes gleaming. "Mr. Lan said that true strength comes from having the courage to admit mistakes and to bear the consequences. I didn't understand it before, but now I think I understand a little bit."
The ointment was applied to the wound, and the cool touch eased the pain. Si Zhui looked at the moon outside the window and said softly, "When my house arrest is over, I will go and apologize to the teacher and tell Jing Yi not to do this again next time."
Wei Wuxian looked at the boy's serious face and suddenly felt that this punishment might not be such a bad thing. Just like Lan Xichen said, children must learn to grow up by making mistakes, and all they can do is find a balance between strictness and gentleness, allowing them to understand the rules while still maintaining their true nature.
As the night deepened, Wei Wuxian lay in bed, listening to the sound of flipping pages coming from the next room—Lan Wangji was reading "Adolescent Psychological Education" again. He turned over, a slight smile curling up the corners of his mouth.
Maybe tomorrow, I should take the initiative to talk to Lan Zhan. After all, they are not only lovers and family, but also companions who will raise their children together.
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