"His name was Wei Wuxian. You will hear people say terrible things about him. Do not listen to them. But do not let them know." 

(People should not be mean to any daddy.)

"Why???"

"He did things which made many people angry."

"Why?"

"Because people become angry when they are frightened, and people are frightened by what they don't understand." 

She bites her lip, absorbing this, then rubs at her eyes again. They itch.

He pets her some more, then gently tugs her up onto the bed. 

She climbs up, very careful not to touch him too much since he's hurt, finding a clear place to flop out and quietly cry.

He pets her and hums some more. 

She interrupts some of her crying to hum with him, and eventually calms down enough to drop back off to sleep.

He keeps petting her. 

Brother comes in while she's asleep. Wangji continues petting the sleeping child, waiting for his brother to speak. 

"The healers say she is doing better," Brother says. 

"Good." 

"They have no idea what to make of her origins." 

"Mn."

"Wangji..."

"She is mine." 

"I understand that, brother."

"Does Uncle?" 

"..." 

"She is mine. That is all anyone needs to know." 

"...I'd like to meet her properly. Is it alright if I stay for a while, in case she wakes?" 

"Mn."

Eventually she wakes up. Groggily and reluctantly and still achy from her fever, but - she's awake.

She makes a muffled, curious noise.

"A-Yuan," he murmurs softly. 

"Daddy?" she asks, opening her eyes and glancing around.

There is an unfamiliar man sitting nearby who greatly resembles Wangji. 

"This is my elder brother, Lan Xichen." 

"...Uncle?" she asks after a moment spent searching for the right word.

He smiles at her. "Hello, A-Yuan." 

She smiles back, slowly. "Hello!"

"Are you feeling better?" 

"Yeah." Pause. "Daddy's hurt."

"...Yes. He is." 

"Is bad."

"Yes. It's upsetting." 

She nods, slowly. "Why is daddy hurt?"

"...Your daddy broke some very important rules. The laws of the sect demanded that he be punished."