The Tamed

Proofs

Lan Wangji found Xiao Zhan later that day in the library, standing in front one shelving. When he had entered, there was a huge pile of books and scrolls on one table that was located near the aisle where the other man stood, seemingly oblivious to the world. He frowned slightly as he observed Xiao Zhan flipping through books after books without actually reading it before putting it back. Or that was how it seemed to look like. Perplexed, he asked, "What are you doing?"

"Oh, Lan Zhan. You're here." Xiao Zhan subconsciously beamed at the sight of him, before remembering he was supposed to be avoiding the second Jade of Lan. He cleared his throat before answering, "I am reading. Learning new things."

Hearing another unbelievable claim coming out of Xiao Zhan's mouth, he couldn't help but ask, "How is that reading?"

Lan Wangji had always understood that some people could read in an unconventional way, but this was far beyond what he'd ever seen.

"Why? Do I not look like I am?" A small smile tugged at the corners of Xiao Zhan's lips as he turned around to face him, raising his eyebrow at him.

"Yes."

"Didn't you say that you'll trust me, Second Young Master Lan?" Xiao Zhan teased with a voice that sounded coquettish even to his own ears. He could not suppress this young body tendency to be flirtatious at all.

Lan Wangji, "..."

"Aiya, it's fine if you don't. Just say it if you want to say it. You always keep things to yourself and never say things you should be saying out loud. That is not good for your health." Xiao Zhan spoke offhandedly, while he was flipping through another book to divert his focus from the unavoidable good-looking person. Scanning it a page for one minute and flip to the next and repeat.

Lan Wangji kept his silence but still observing his odd behaviour.

"Alright! I think I need to prove myself to you again," he said after he finished. He handed over the book to Lan Wangji, turned to opposite direction and declared, "I'll recite the whole book for you right now or you can pick a page or two if you want. Let me start with the first page then. 'To string a qin, one traditionally had to tie a butterfly knot at one end of the string, and slip the string through the twisted cord which goes into holes at the head of the qin and then out the bottom through the tuning pegs. The string is dragged over the bridge, across the surface board, over the nut to the back of the qin, where the end is wrapped around one of two legs "phoenix feet" or "geese feet". Did I miss anything?"

"..." speechless, Lan Wangji took another look at the words on first page.

"Do you want me to recite other pages? I will be happy to." Xiao Zhan said nonchalantly.

"Right hand technique." Lan Wangji said while looking at one page.

"There are eight basic right hand finger techniques: pi (thumb pluck outwards), tuo (thumb pluck inwards), mo (index in), tiao (index out), gou (middle in), ti (middle out), da (ring in), and zhai (ring out); the little finger is not used. Out of these basic eight, their combinations create many. Cuo is to pluck two strings at the same time, lun is to pluck a string with the ring, middle and index finger out in quick succession, the suo technique involves plucking a string several times in a fixed rhythm, bo cups the fingers and attacks two strings at the same time, and gun fu is to create a glide from one pitch to another by running up and down the strings continuously with the index and middle fingers."

Not even a word was missing. No mistakes. The accuracy was spot on. A hundred percent. Lan Wangji went radio silent yet again, "..."

"You want to get another book or scrolls from that first 5 rows? I finished them." Xiao Zhan said while pointing to the rows.