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To Jin Zixuan, the sky us always the same. He never saw any difference. It truly puzzled him how those people could know when the rain would fall just by looking at the sky. He himself never could find the difference any day.
However everything changes that day when his father held the something called annual meeting. He was brought forward by his baby sitter with nicer names: nanny, a nice woman whom he called as Xie A-Yi. (aka. Auntie Xie) as usual. Today he will be greeting the guests alongside with his father and mother, in front of their mansion, of course with the nanny standing behind and ready to tend to him if needed by his parents.
Zixuan think he is already a grown boy (I am five! A petulant voice said) and don’t need anyone to keep on standing by his side to feed him or treat him like a baby. Yes, he also know what a baby is. He saw Lady Qin with little thing that shriek, a few months ago. He is nowhere like the little thing. Yet here he is treated like a little thing that could only shriek, being shoved to any direction his mother want.
Today, his mother had once again, insist to have him to talk to the Jiang something girl. He doesn’t even bother to remember her name. Why would he when she is not any interesting at all to him. The only words he said to her is “Welcome to Lanling” just like what his father taught him to. He sincerely thought the only way this day could be better is when he could run off playing with one of his puppies or Mian-mian. Yeah, sad truth, but his mother never allowed him to play with other kids his age, except for his cousin: Mian-mian. The very same cousin along with their butler, Er Shu who escorts the guest to the east wing. He is left alone with people he doesn't enjoy once again, to greet people he doesn't care about.
The next people he doesn't care about comes in all red, they looks like the jump out straight from a traditional wedding party or just simply bathed with blood. Zixuan think he likes the first option better. He thinks it is funnier too, and with how much annoying they look, they wont be winning any popularity vote around. That group is soon escorted to rest on their guest chambers too. Zixuan had suspected long ago that his butler can appear and disappear at will like the magic stories he read in their library.
Zixuan is very tired by the obligation to stand there and cannot run around with his pups. All he wishes is for this greetings time to quickly end. Most of them are not interesting anyway. Just as he thinks about it, another set of sleek black car stop in front of their lobby and a bunch of man in black appear like group of robots, and on the back part of that group, three people emerged. Two of those three people are kids by the way.
The next group whom must be greeted seems to be much less annoying than the previous one: A tall man with two boys and a few people who seems to stand straighter than Zixuan's tutor. While this posture makes Zixuan remember he has to stand better, at least this one's face is less offending to him.
As he amuses about it all, the bunny plushie the younger boy hold rolled out of his arm, right next to Zixuan's foot. He pick it up and return it to the boy. "Do you like animals?"
"Mn"
"I have puppy, do you want to see?"
The boy seems to be at lost with his words. He is looking at the -straighter than board- old man.
"Don't trouble them, Wangji."
"It’s okay Lan-xiong. They are just kids." Zixuan's father said to the old man, then he look at the nanny, "Miss Xie follow them."
"Yes Mr Jin"
The young boy soon find himself being pulled by Zixuan to the yard where the Jins let their canine companions run free.
However, just as they reach open field where they can see the sky uncovered by any layer of the building, Zixuan suddenly halt to stop.
"What happened with the sky?" he ask his nanny.
"What about the sky?"
"It looks different. Is it going to rain?"
"Er, no young master. The sky is as bright as any brightest summer would be. Why would you... Oh wait. What colour is the sky usually?" she ask Zixuan with hope his answer would be normal, though she had her suspicion by the way Zixuan talk.
"It’s blue."
"What else is blue here?" She ask again. Expecting the boy to answer Lan Wangji's clothes to be the answer as anyone with eyes (and not colour blind) that could see, they young boy wear all sky blue suit head to toe, except his shoes which is black.
"Um..." instead, Zixuan looks around and seems to be in trouble finding her the right answer. "Nothing."
They are on the back yard with trees and shrubs' green surrounding them. Some rose bloom peeking out of some of the bushes. Aside from that, the building they just walk out of is in classic European cream and gold style. The nanny's uniform is in cream and pink colour while Zixuan's suit is black with golden linings that shapes the peony. Somehow the only thing looks blue in that area is Lan Wangji’s suit.
"Er, I am sorry young master but I think we really need to go back to your father now." she emphasis on the 'really' part.
"But why? He had not seen my puppy."
And as if on cue, at that very same time, a fluffy little dog in white and black colour approaching them.
"Qi zi[1]!" Jin Zixuan excitedly pick up the puppy, "Look, she is so cute, right?"
"Mn."
"She is so soft and fluffy too. Do you want to rub her neck? She doesn't really like it when people rub her head. I wonder why."
Lan Wangji curiously touch the little dog. He never had any pets. His house has rule to ban raising any pet on their ground. "It is soft." his amusement is cut short as the puppy lick him and has him pull his hand back in surprise.
"It's okay. That means she likes you."
"Young master, now that young master Lan had seen your puppy, can we go back to your father?"
Zixuan is not Zixuan if he is not trying his damnest to get everything he wants. Even by whining and nagging. "Why do we have to go back there? It is so boring. And I don't even know any people that I greet there."
"Have you forgotten about our lesson in library? About the houses?"
"The big five house and their loyal supporters? What does that have to do with me? I just want to play with Wangji."
"If what I thought is right, you will have more than one day to play with young master Lan here."
Both boys looks at her in confusion.
"Will you stay with me forever?" Zixuan eyes went all starry at the older boy.
"Um..." before Wangji can say anything, Zixuan already tackle him into a bear hug.
"Yay! We can get you a puppy too. And you can name her... or him. We can marry our pups. Oh, and I also have lots and lots of toys. Do you know I have a whole giant room full of toys? There are so many option to choose. Have you ever see a robot dog? Not as good as Qi zi, but kind of funny." Zixuan keep on rambling excitedly about his toys and house as he pull Wangji back to the house like a pest too high on sugar.
Thankfully they are willing to follow her back to the main mansion without much fuss.
"Mr Jin, may I have a word?" the nanny said with as tiny voice as possible when they arrive at lobby, to avoid catching any unwanted attention.
"What is it?"
"Your son cannot see blue before today."
"What?" He glance at the nanny as the next group of guest arrive from the main gate. The Nies from north. Madam Jin is much less subtle and turn her full body at the nanny and glare.
The nanny hold Zixuan small hand and lead him to the Jin patriach.
"Zixuan, tell your father which one is sky blue here."
Now both Mr and Mrs Jin look at their employee as if she had grown three heads.
"What are you trying to do?" she whisper in annoyance as the Nies approaching the main entrance to their mansion.
"That one." Zixuan said as he points hand at the Nie younger boy's clothes, which is all grey.
"And what about the colour of sky you saw just now?"
"Umm... looks like him." Zixuan happily point at the cute boy in all blue whom he pulled around excitedly all over the place just now.
Nie Xun just standing there, smile in the amused sort by how the Jin's boy seems to be colour blind. In one short second later the possibility finally dawned on him: the shade fate. One of the rarest form of match.
Most people nowadays don't have predestined match, they just marry whoever they please and hope the match can last a lifetime. Fated match are rare. Only about 5% populations have fated match either by writing or symbol on their skin, or by smell, even rarer people to have said match with sound or colour.
"Guangshan-di, seems like it is not such a waste for me to travel so far from the north. True fated match are as rare as it is not to mention the partial blind ones." Nie Xun boisterous laugh follows as the two leader of their houses bro-hug each other like frat boys.
"Thankyou, thankyou. You are so kind. I never thought he would have seen one either."
"Now, there is only one thing to do, you know?" Nie Xun smile suspiciously.
"Err... Marry them?"
"No. Not yet. You have to tell Qiren-xiong about them." and he cannot hold back the laugh as colour leave Jin Guangshan's face and the man looks like he is about to puke.
[1] 棋子 qízǐ meaning: chesspiece. This refers to the 'igo' chess that played with black and white pieces. Zixuan naming his puppy with reference of her black and white pattern, like many wolves and northern dog like husky has.