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You know how Venus sets Dido up to love Aeneas via his kid being super cute? Bitch invented the rom com, thanks Venus. Ergo, a modern Wangxian where either of them extensively interacts with A Yuan before meeting the boy’s parent. Whoever the non-parent (perhaps working as a teacher, doctor, or social worker) is, they think themselves Seasoned and Cool. But this child is an engraved invitation to baby fever. Further, A Yuan adores his dad and will. not. stop. talking about how amazing he is. The recipient of this gossip wonders whether it’s even possible to develop a crush on someone you haven't seen, but who you see ample evidence of, and whose amazing parenting you hear about constantly.
Maybe A Yuan’s bag lunches feature hot dogs cut into octopuses, and teacher Lan Wangji wonders about the person who takes the time to make something that a little boy will eat in an instant fun and special. Or Lan Wangji is a paediatric specialist who has yet to meet Wei Wuxian because Wen Qing is always the one to take A Yuan into appointments. She's the family's regular physician and a friend/relation, and given that it's her field and she's here during the day as it is, it makes sense for her to handle the hospital side of things while Wei Wuxian works. If Lan Wangji is a music teacher, he and Wen Qing might have been in high school band together for years, and she set up the appointments and does the drop offs and pick ups. (Possibly Lan Wangji hears about the mythical Wei Wuxian (or the reverse) from everyone he knows before actually meeting the man.)
A Yuan used to have a barrage of medical issues related to his pre-adoption period, and a lot of medical phobias—his chart is a nightmare. But these appear to be clearing up: this kid seems to have blossomed under his new guardian’s care.
Via A Yuan’s extensive chatter, which is always peppered with extensive praise of his father, Lan Wangji has been given to understand that Wei Wuxian is, unquestionably, the handsomest man in the world. When Wei Wuxian actually walks in and manifestly is, Lan Wangji acknowledges that he was warned, and yet unprepared.
I brought the seed of this into a Discord (essentially the above), and Singeli riffed extensively and excellently:
“a yuan is polite but not in that cowed way that some children have, that shows they're afraid of adult wrath
he's just a cheerful little being who's respectful because he's curious and observant
and someone has encouraged those qualities
also someone packs an hilarious lunch for a yuan every day, maybe wen qing but lwj doesn't think so somehow, because of its...oddity
all the components are there, it's nourishing and well-rounded
but somehow lwj can't see wen qing making panda bears out of hot dogs and toothpicks
or making meticulous ants-on-a-log matched with cheese sandwiches cut into car shapes
apparently a yuan had food issues, like would hide stuff in his pockets for later, and lwj thinks his heart is melting when he sees him soberly finishing off his carrot roses and vegetable bun (that has a smiling face pinched into the dough) without hoarding them, apparently his father's ingenious solution
and also of course a yuan goes home bearing tales of his wonderful teacher lwj who is ever so nice and kind and he can play so well, and he's always listening and he has very pretty eyes. and also he seems a little sad sometimes, maybe he doesn't have anyone to make him hot dog octopuses, baba? can we make extra for him?”