Work Text:
5 times Lan Jingyi tries to find out who Lan Wangji is dating the 1 time he finally finds out
Lan Jingyi was starting to suspect a few things. His professor, Lan Wangji, would always bring an extra lunch, assuming it was for his wife. He gets it, after all, Lan Wangji is at that age where he’s probably married to a gorgeous woman who was able to bag one of the most handsome professors in a prestigious college.
One instance that raises his suspicions even more was during a class wherein his professor had to project his computer screen onto the board for the class to see for their discussion. Things were going well and normal, until Professor Lan had received a message that popped up in the middle of discussion.
‘Brother, your partner is here. Please let me know when you want your date getaway to be scheduled!’
Professor Lan had paled and immediately closed the notification. The whole class went silent staring at their professor. He cleared his throat and spoke, “I’m sorry. The computer I used for school purposes is in the repair and I was forced to use my personal one. Please disregard that message.” keeping his calm composure.
However, the whole class gaped and began asking questions.
“PROFESSOR LAN? YOU’RE DATING SOMEONE?? WHO??”
“PROFESSOR LAN YOU NEED TO INVITE US TO THE WEDDING!!!”
“Oh my gosh Professor Lan is dating someone! How did you ask them out?!”
Professor Lan’s ears got a bit red before clearing his throat once more, making everyone in class settle down. “Let us continue with the discussion so I can move on to explaining your work, yes? Thank you.” He says calmly before continuing, as he said, his discussion.
Lan Jingyi immediately texts his group of friends.
JINGYI: GUYS HELP ME
JINGYI: PROFESSOR LAN
Sizhui the best: hm?
Sizhui the best: Did something happen??
JINGYI: HE’S
Jin Ling: spit it out already oh my god
Zizhen: shouldn’t you be listening to class??
JINGYI: THIS IS IMPORTNAT
JINGYI: IMPORTNAT
JINGYI: IMPORTANT
Sizhui the best: ????? DID SOMETHING BAD HAPPEN?
JINGYI: NO
JINGYI: HE’S DATING SOMEONE
Sizhui: ohhh
Jin Ling: that’s what this is about
Jin Ling: I could be doing something more motivational, something better, then you disturb me like this
Zizhen: HE’S WHAT
JINGYI: UHUH
Jin Ling: omfg
Sizhui the best: you should listen to class now though!
JINGYI: FINE FINE
One light bulb of four has lightened up.
Lan Jingyi tried his very best to pay attention, but in the end he just couldn’t stop thinking about the multiple possibilities of who Professor Lan’s partner may be. It could be the nurse, Wen Qing he’s called and talked to a few times, or Miss Luo Qingyang, or someone he’d talk to in the teacher’s lounge! He’s heard a saying, one that goes ‘A quiet person would probably only be noisy and talkative to someone they love.’
But exactly who does Professor Lan become talkative to?!
And so, Lan Jingyi sets out on a journey.
Also, dragging the rest of his friends into this adventure of finding out.
Adventure number 1!
Lan Jingyi's first option was to ask Professor Lan himself on who he could be dating, but of course it wouldn’t be of any use. He wanted to know really badly at this point, he even brought Lan Sizhui with him for this! In case he needed a witness to defend his statement towards Jin Ling or convince Zizhen.
“Jingyi, I don’t think asking this is necessary. If you do not have any questions that involve your studies, you shouldn’t ask.”
“But Professor Lan! I want to know! I passed my essay early, don’t I deserve a little hint? Clue?”
“..They are a teacher as well, but not from this department.”
Jingyi immediately gasps at this, looking at Sizhui with a burning excitement seen in his eyes. The other boy could only laugh at the other’s reaction.
“Who could it be, though? No, wait! Don’t tell me, I will figure this out myself!” Jingyi says as he bows politely then immediately rushes out the door. Sizhui follows shortly, giving Professor Lan a wave and a small smile as a goodbye. Professor Lan's lips quirk into a small smile as well, nodding as Sizhui left.
Jingyi tackled Jin Ling and Zizhen into a hug and immediately boasted about his new found discovery.
“Professor Lan’s partner is a teacher! Not from this department, is what he said.”
“You’re thinking too much about this.” Jin Ling says, waving Jingyi away and pushing out from his hug. “Is it such an achievement to you to find that out?”
“Yes! Absolutely yes! Everyone is just as curious as I am, actually! On the way here, Sizhui and I heard a few students talking about it too, so you can’t blame me, not one bit!”
“You’re being too loud.” Jin Ling mumbles before sitting down on a bench beside the water fountain to open his lunch box his mom made him. He starts to eat as Zizhen and Sizhui sit down as well on the bench.
Jingyi, however, stays standing in front of the three and starts to walk in circles to combine all the current knowledge he has about Professor Lan’s partner, crossing out the teachers that couldn’t possibly be.
“Is he going to eat?” Zizhen asks.
“Let him do his thing for a little while.” Sizhui smiles.
Jin Ling just rolls his eyes.
Adventure number 2!
Jingyi didn’t decide on doing a plan so soon because of the upcoming exams. He sighs as he buries his face in books in the library. He felt so stressed out, not knowing if he’ll pass or not. He doesn’t even bother getting a high grade at this point, he just needed to survive! His way of surviving right now is living off 3 mugs of coffee and 2 hours of sleep.
He looks to the side to see Professor Lan and Wen Qing talking, and almost immediately he perks up.
“Thank you, Wen Qing.”
“No problem, always here for you no matter what.” She says as she places the book in Professor Lan’s hands. Jingyi nearly squeals, how romantic!!! He covers his face in the book before kicking his feet under the table. Could it possibly be Wen Qing? He recalls that she was one of Professor Lan’s friends back when they were in highschool!
So after a few hours, he decides to go to the clinic to find Wen Qing.
“Miss Wen Qing!”
“Oh, Jingyi, did something happen? Did you get into another fight with Jin Ling?”
“What?! No! I just wanted to ask…are you dating anyone?”
Wen Qing blinks a few times, seemingly confused by the rather personal question but decides to entertain Jingyi.
“Yeah..no. I’m not dating anyone, it’s not on my goal or it’s not entirely necessary for me to find someone to date right now.”
“Aw man, and I thought I figured it out.” Jingyi deflates at the answer.
“What is this about anyway?” Wen Qing says as she puts a few things away and keeps a first aid kit. She was curious as to what Jingyi was so enthusiastic about that he deflated when he heard there’s no one she’s currently dating.
She goes to a table, grabbing her water bottle as she drinks from it.
“I thought you were dating Professor Lan..Oh–I, uh, specifically mean Professor Lan Wangji, not Professor Lan Xichen.” Jingyi says, still a bit sad that his hypothesis was wrong.
At that, Wen Qing spits out her water, whipping her head towards Jingyi. She coughs a few times before wiping the water off the table. “Absolutely not, kid! I would never, in a million years, date Lan Wangji. He’s a close friend, sure, but not like that.” After wiping the water off completely, she looks at him. “What’s gotten you so curious about his love life suddenly though? He’s been dating someone for almost six years if I recall correctly.”
Jingyi’s jaw drops. SIX YEARS?!
“If you’ll excuse me…I will now be heading out to scream in my dorm and think about my life choices.”
( Not ) Safe to say, Jin Ling covered his ears in annoyance.
Adventure number 3!
Jingyi was staring at Professor Lan the whole class. Lan Wangji could feel his student’s gaze on him, feeling a bit…what’s the word? Ah yes, it felt like he had done a crime he did not know of.
Once classes were over, Jingyi approached Professor Lan with a smile on his face, dragging Zizhen as his witness this time.
“Professor Lan! You’ve been dating someone FOR SIX YEARS?”
“I do not remember telling you this.”
“Miss Wen Qing told me! I crossed her out of the list of possibilities on who it could be because she said she wasn’t dating anyone at the moment.”
“Mn.”
Jingyi pouts, however. He wanted to know more, needed to know more! This time, it was Zizhen who asked something. “Professor Lan, maybe you could give us another hint?”
“Beautiful and smart.”
“That’s not giving us anything Professor Lan!” Jingyi whined and sulked.
“Long lashes.”
“Huh.” Jingyi stares. “GROUP MEETING! Thank you Professor Lan! See you later!”
And thus, another group meeting was held at the fountain. Jin Ling, Zizhen and Sizhui were forced to sit on the bench to listen to Jingyi’s new discovery.
“So she has long eyelashes! And she’s beautiful! But what is beautiful by the great Hangguang-jun’s standards?” He asks, pacing in circles as the group’s eyes followed him, seemingly starting to worry if he was sane or not ( except for Jin Ling ).
Sizhui laughs awkwardly then he turns his head to a cheery voice.
“My favourite students!” A man in a ponytail had said going over to them. “Oooh, is this an important meeting?”
“We are trying to find out a very important mystery in this school!” Jingyi says, determined.
Unlike other professors, Professor Wei was cheary, bubbly and full of energy. His classes were always exciting, and he usually tells stories about his adventures in highschool. He was one of Jingyi’s favourite professors! He could feel a connection, their vibes just matched!
“That’s cute. Oh, but I wasn’t here for this, actually. Sizhui, your father told me you forgot your money. How are you supposed to pay for those school fees if coincidentally I was sick today, hmm?” He says as he hands over a wallet to Sizhui, the younger getting obviously red.
“I’m really sorry I forgot…”
“It’s alright! Have a nice lunch, kids!”
“You too, Professor Wei! Did you make that lunch yourself?” Jingyi asks, looking at the lunchbox Professor Wei was holding.
The professor then giggles and smiles, holding it up. “My wonderful and amazing partner made this for me, actually! Oh, but I do really have to go now. See you all, goodluck with your classes!” He says as he hums while he walks to a different direction.
Jin Ling stares at the lunchbox for a little bit before scoffing.
“WAIT PROFESSOR WEI IS DATING SOMEONE TOO?!”
Two lightbulbs of four lightened up.
Adventure number 4!
Jingyi sighs as he puts his essay away. He gets up and walks in the hallway, greeting a few teachers that he passes by.
He was thinking on how else he could expand his report. The due date was soon and he wasn’t sure if it was ‘perfect’ yet, to his standards at least. Sizhui had tried convincing him a few times that it was already really good, but he couldn’t take it just yet.
He sees Professor Lan walking in the hallway with Professor Wei and Miss Luo Qingyang. He immediately goes up to them in agony and tired eyes.
“Professor Lan, Professor Wei, Miss Luo Qingyang!! Am I allowed to bother just for a minute or two..? I have to pass this report to Professor Nie but…I’m not sure if it’s up to his standards.” He says.
“Oh!! Of course we’ll help you, a student in need!” Professor Wei laughs as he takes a seat at one of the empty classrooms, Luo Qingyang following as she laughs a little, Professor Lan following as well.
Jingyi goes over the basics of his report, Professor Lan listening and reading the report itself in his hands. Luo Qingyang looked over his shoulder as she read the report as well.
“It’s good, Jingyi. Maybe you could change a few words here and there to make it less confusing, and try not to make the introduction too long.” Luo Qinyang says as she smiles at him, Lan Wangji agreeing as he hands the paper back to Jingyi.
“Really? Thank you!!” He says in relief.
Wei Wuxian laughs as he rests his cheek on his hand. “Mianmian really is smart, huh? Smart Mianmian!” He says.
Luo Qingyang simply rolls her eyes at Wei Wuxian as she looks over at Jingyi once more, “Keep it up, kid. Your report is really good.”
“Mn.” Lan Wangji says.
Jingyi smiles from the praise, then his brain short circuits. Luo Qingyang is beautiful, smart AND she has long lashes. Then he immediately stands up.
“MISS LUO QINGYANG ARE YOU DATING PROFESSOR LAN?”
The three stare at the student for a while, the whole room in total silence, did I say something wrong? Jingyi thinks to himself.
Professor Wei had burst into laughter.
“This brings me back! ‘Lan Zhan, do you like Mianmian?’”
“Wei Ying!”
“BWAHAHAHAHA! Well?? Do you like Miss Luo Qingyang, Professor Lan?”
Luo Qingyang just sighs before crossing her arms. She and Jingyi had watched as Wei Wuxian was in a never ending laughter and Lan Wangji was glaring holes at him. Seriously, did I say something wrong or was my guess ultimately correct? Jingyi was just confused now.
“So Professor Lan? What do you say? Hmmmm? Is it Mianmian? Is Mianmian the one you’re dating?”
“Wei Ying!” Lan Wangji repeated but a bit louder as his ears turned red.
“OH! LOOK AT THE TIME, I MUST TAKE MY LEAVE BYEEEE!” Wei Wuxian says as he stands up running out the room in fits of giggles.
Jingyi was confused.
Adventure number 5!
It was Valentine’s Day and everyone in class stared as Professor Lan walked in. He sees a bouquet of flowers on the desk and a box of chocolates that had a love letter attached to it. His ears turned red as he put them away and cleared his throat.
The class erupted into squeals and cheers despite not knowing who the mystery person was.
Jingyi was now in the room with Zizhen, Sizhui, Professor Wei and Professor Lan.
“Who could it be from? Ahhh I’m so curious I can’t take it anymore!”
“I know.” Lan Wangji answers as he looks back at his laptop again.
Professor Wei was sitting on the desk as he giggled. “Oh please do humour us, great Hangguang-jun. Tell us, who is this person you’re dating?” He teased.
“Ah–How about you describe this person to us?” Zizhen suggests.
“Yeah, Lan Zhan!”
“..Mn.”
Jingyi whipped his head towards them once more. Lan Wangji actually agreed?!
Professor Lan clears his throat before beginning. “My partner is..wonderful. They are all I could ever ask for. If they asked for me to bring them the stars and the moon, I would do so. I get lost in their eyes so easily, I wish to kiss them and hold them everyday. They were my past, they are my present, they are my future. I do not wish to lose them again.”
Sizhui looked away while Zizhen and Jingyi’s eyes were sparkling as they listened. Professor Lan was surely in love! It is true that a quiet person becomes talkative when it comes to the person they love.
Lan Wangji took a glance at Wei Wuxian as he continued, “I wish to never part, I wish to be a part of their life forever, never to leave their side. My love will forever stay true, eternal and pure.” He says lastly, his eyes never leaving Wei Wuxian’s.
Wei Wuxian smiled just a little, heat slowly rising to his neck. “Lan Zhan…”
Zizhen stares at them for a little.
Three lightbulbs of four lightened up.
1 time Jingyi finds out.
It was a tearful event for this day. This was the last time he’ll see everyone before moving towards his life and parting ways with his friends. He wiped his tears as he smiled at them all.
“This was really..the last year we’re gonna be together, huh?” Jingyi says as he hugs Jin Ling, Zizhen and Sizhui. They all hug back, and despite the mumbling, Jin Ling does so as well.
Sizhui sniffles as he pulls away. “You know, Professor Lan and Professor Wei will be moving away as well.”
“Really?! Gosh! This makes me even sadder, Sizhui! How could you!” Jingyi says through small laughter and tears rolling down his face.
“Ah, their speech is coming soon, too. We should probably listen and bid our farewells?” Zizhen suggests, the rest of them agree as they walk their way to the stage.
Once they arrived, they saw Lan Wangji on the stage along with Wei Wuxian, Wen Qing and Luo Qingyang. It looks like they’re all leaving the campus to work somewhere else, too. This made Jingyi tear up even more. He was so used to seeing his friends and his professors, he wasn’t sure if he was ready for this moment yet.
“Good evening to all students. I’d like to congratulate you all for your achievement this year, I am all very proud of you. Be careful of your next step, always remember what we’ve taught you, the memories you made here and the memories you made with us will forever be cherished.” Lan Wangji says into the mic.
Jingyi could hear the cries of other students, whether it be quiet sniffles or loud bawling. Though he smiles, accepting the fact that they are all going their own way, and it was finally time to say goodbye.
“I hope we all see each other again!” Wei Wuxian says into the mic as Lan Wangji steps back. “This isn’t completely a goodbye you know! We’ll see each other again, right?” He says through sniffles, it seems like Jingyi wasn’t the only one who wasn’t ready to let go yet.
“It was a wonderful year, everyone. You’re all growing up and I am so proud of each and every one of you. Remember to keep safe always, and remember that you made me proud, that you made all of us proud. Sorry for being cheesy!”
As Wei Wuxian continued their speech, the students’ jaws had dropped, some even covered their mouth with their hands as they erupted into squeals and cheers. Some even yelled ‘I knew it!’ ‘So that’s why!’ and other things.
Jingyi was also surprised. Oh. OH–
All four lightbulbs had lightened up.
Wei Wuxian turned around to see Lan Wangji on one knee, a red box opened to reveal a diamond ring. He could feel his eyes water at the scene.
“Like you. Fancy you, love you, want you, can’t leave you, whatever you.” Lan Wangji says with a soft smile on his face. “Wei Ying, will you marry me?”
Wei Wuxian nodded quickly, immediately jumping into Lan Wangji’s arms as he smiled. “Yes! Yes I will marry you, you fuddy-duddy!” He laughed as Lan Wangji hugged him tightly. They pulled away so he could put the ring on Wei Wuxian’s finger, an expression of relief on his face.
Wei Wuxian placed a peck on Lan Wangji’s lips. The two then looked at Sizhui.
Sizhui smiled happily. “I knew you could do it, a-die!” He said with tears rolling down his face as the people in the room were squealing and clapping.
Wei Wuxian had a smug expression on his face. “Tell your uncle Jiang Cheng and mom that their favourite Xianxian now has a fiance, Jin Ling!” He giggled.
Jin Ling mumbles, “Yes, uncle..”
Jingyi whipped his head towards Jin Ling and Sizhui. “YOU TWO KNEW?!”
Zizhen only laughed as he watched Jingyi chase the other two around.
He’ll miss this, too.