mentally in cloud recesses

1. this lingering finger stroke. i am going to go out on a wild limb here and say that the Xiyao kids went wild over this when it first aired? and rightfully so.

2. Lan Wangji thinking “if he comes any closer, i’m going to ejaculate right in front of my brother and uncle and both their salads.”

3. Lan Xichen’s smug little smile, as he thinks “ooh i found a lively little boyfriend for Wangji!” and “shucks, guess i found an adorable little boyfriend for myself too… and he has dimples!”

Every fifth MDZS textpost: nobody understands the Themes

Very helpful

Bonus:

He's a little more subdued earlier when he's talking with everyone at Chang Manor--he looks pleasant and disarming (which makes sense, given that these people don't know him and he doesn't want to look like he's talking over Nie Huaisang, who should technically be the authority there on his brother's behalf), but it's not quite so forced.

But when he's actually interacting with Nie Mingjue on the clock, he's neutral to almost stern.

Even when he's trying to convince him to change his mind about something (obliterating Xue Yang on the spot, in this case), he talks to him... not quite as an equal, exactly, but as an adult.

And when Nie Mingjue ultimately agrees with him, he doesn't fawn or thank him or anything, he just gives this businesslike bow of assent.

And politely but firmly orders two guards over himself to help him escort Xue Yang to prison.

...and then once he leaves the building (and Nie Mingjue's field of vision) he encounters the captain and immediately goes into his Customer Service Mode, with his smile getting wider and more strained the more the captain disrespects him.

I just think it's interesting! I'm not necessarily arguing that the way he interacts with Nie Mingjue is his natural way of being; it's possible that Meng Yao simply clocked that Nie Mingjue values plain-spoken competence and adjusted his mannerisms accordingly.

You know what the last thing Jiang Fengmian, the man who supposedly "loves Wei Wuxian like a son" says to Wei Wuxian ? "A-Ying... look after A-Cheng". That's it. Not a goodbye, not a "take care of yourself", nada. Just instructions. Jiang Cheng gets "A-Cheng. Be well". Wei Wuxian gets told to ensure that

You know who else did pretty much the exact same thing, five pages ago ? Yu Ziyuan, who tells Wei Wuxian that "even in death, you have to keep [Jiang Cheng] safe"

I cannot stress enough that this is fundamentally the same interaction. Sure, Yu Ziyuan is infinitely harsher with her words and more abusive with her actions, but her last actions are an exact replica of her husband's - they comfort Jiang Cheng like parents, because they ARE his parents, and then they order Wei Wuxian to protect their son.

And that's why I'll never buy the idea that Jiang Fengmian loved Wei Wuxian more than he did his own son. He may have LIKED Wei Wuxian more, but that was because he LOVED the man Wei Wuxian reminded him of - his father Wei Changze. And he may not LIKE Jiang Cheng, for being more akin to Madam Yu than Fengmian, but it's undeniable that he loves him

And the real fucked part ? Wei Wuxian KNOWS this. He KNOWS that he's second-best !! He's accepted that !! You know who DOESN'T know that ? Jiang Cheng. Madam Yu. To a certain extent, I believe even Jiang Fengmian himself.