Letting go of self-restraint 2 - All that is missing is a little one

Chapter 30

Jiang Cheng had a bad premonition for some time now, he did not know what had caused it but he felt a tinkling sensation on the back of his neck and somehow came to suspect that it was because of Wen Ning. When he came to this realization, he immediately mounted his sword and went looking for his husband. He knew the approximate area where the younger boy was supposed to be and he headed right there without a second's delay.

The sun already started setting and he still could not find any trace. Then again, the woods were thick and he could not be sure whether the Dafan Wen disciple was not laying somewhere down there, injured and in need of help. He descended and continued his search on foot. Desperation was creeping inside him, letting itself known more and more intensely as he continued his fruitless search.

He knew rationally that the area was extremely vast and that finding his husband just laying out there in his way was not very probable, but he could not help himself; he had to see him right away.

Suddenly, he thought he could smell Wen Ning's lilies scented pheromones. He quickly tried to search for their source, angry at himself for being able to only find out a general direction. He could not say how close of far the younger boy was. He started running towards the smell, vaguely remembering that his husband's heat was supposed to have started around this time of month.

He was berating himself for not realizing this earlier, now Wen Ning was somewhere out there, weak and defenceless, in need of his presence and comfort. He had to get to him as soon as possible and get him back to Lotus Pier. Wei Wuxian would surely understand why he temporarily aborted his search for him, he would get back to it once he assures himself that his husband was safe and sound.

Before he found the younger boy, the pheromones suddenly disappeared. He stopped in his tracks, baffled. It never happened in the past, once his husband's heat started, he would release his pheromones the whole time until it fully subsided. Something must have happened. Jiang Cheng renewed his efforts, running more frantically than before while calling out Wen Ning's name. He was beside himself with worry, he would not be able to bear it if the other would be injured.

He was searching for a long while, the sun had already set long ago and there was still no trace of his bonded partner. He was steeling himself to not think about all the worst case scenarios, he simply had to find Wen Ning no matter what.

He stopped again when he realized he was already in this place once; he was running in circles. He was angry at himself for not being even able to find his husband. He gave out an outraged shout and punched a nearby tree, making a hole in it. The pain snapped him out of his rage, he took several deep breaths and tried to think calmly.

Not a second later, Wen Ning's pheromones that he would recognize anywhere were back, this time stronger and apparently a lot closer. He run again, determined to get to the younger boy as soon as possible. He only realized that he had gone far too away from the area where the younger boy was supposed to be searching for Wei Wuxian when he came out of the forest.

He looked around and was blinded for a second by a bright light of a fire. When his eyes got used to it, he finally saw his husband, sitting down on the ground and looking at him with desperation mixed with hope in his eyes. Jiang Cheng did not need any other push, he released his pheromones and he was immediately hugging the sobbing Wen Ning as gently as he could manage.

He took a deep breath; he did not know whether he should scold the younger boy for pushing himself when his heat was this close or if he should console him; he was beside himself with worry. He had never seen Wen Ning this distressed and he wondered what could have happened. He chose to sooth him first before asking questions: "Wen Ning, it is alright, I am here now, please calm down."

He looked around to scan for any danger and finally noticed another figure on the ground. His first reaction was anger; his husband would surely not be in such a state on his own, someone – the person behind the younger boy surely – must have hurt him. He was already getting up but Wen Ning stopped him.

Just in time, only now did he see through his anger and realized that the laying person was in reality his own brother whom they were so desperately looking for. Wen Ning must have found him and was bringing him back to Yiling. He wondered why his husband did not inform everyone about finding their escapee already.

When he observed the Yunmeng Jiang head disciple closer, he could see that Wei Wuxian was looking extremely pale and sickly. "Oh, I see... It seems my foolish brother did not take care of himself again. He does not look good at first glance and I suspect it will be even worse after close examination. Perhaps Wen Ning was trying to get him to safety as soon as possible and did not have time to send a word to anyone. And now he is even in heat... He was surely pushing himself too much. I need to get them both to Yiling first and then let the others know they can stop searching."

The younger boy was now clutching his hand, when he looked down at him, he met with a worried pleading eyes staring at him: "Jiang Cheng, I am so glad you have found us. Please, help Young Master Wei. He needs to be transported to Yiling immediately, his condition is grave and he will not survive being out here for a while longer. He needs a good rest and plenty of food; otherwise, he and the baby seem to be fine, just exhausted." Wen Ning was speaking desperately, his words sometimes interrupted by gasps as his heated body was requiring attention.

The Yunmeng Jiang sect leader already guessed what he had to do without having Wen Ning confirming it. He looked at Wei Wuxian and then back at his husband, deciding who to transport first, he would not be able to fly with both of them at the same time.

The younger boy seemed to have understood his struggle and prompted him with a reassuring smile, brushing his hand on the older boy's temple: "I will be fine, I can wait for a while, it is just a regular heat. Young Master Wei is in more danger. His golden core cannot help him right now, he is freezing, he needs a warm bed right away. Please take him first, I will wait here for you to return."

It was all Jiang Cheng needed; he kissed his bonded partner and was already heading for Wei Wuxian with one last look behind: "Stay here, I will come back as soon as I find Wei Wuxian an inn and get him warmed up. I will inform the others afterwards."

He kneeled down next to his brother and put away the blankets. He took a sharp breath as he saw the true condition of Wei Wuxian's body and his swelled belly. He was surprised, he only just realized for the first time that his brother was truly with a child. He had a hard time imagining it when Nie Huisang told them, but the fact was undeniable now.

He leaned the Yunmeng Jiang head disciple carefully against his thigh and tugged one of the blankets around him, he was being exceedingly gentle around his stomach, he did not want to crash the baby. He threw the other blanket in Wen Ning's direction; he wanted both of them to have something to warm them up a little in the cold night.

He did not hesitate any further, stood up with the frighteningly light Wei Wuxian in his arms, mounted his sword and balanced himself with his charge safely cradled against his chest. He did not look back when Wen Ning called with a little difficulty: "Please fly safe." He was already speeding up towards the town.