You Don't Know Love (Fanfic)

Chapter 26: Copied

"Take him back, wherever you found him. Separate him from your brother, it's for the best." Wen Qing's dark-inked colored eyes are glued to the jade teacup in front of her. The steam coming off from it reminded her of the gruesome memory she deeply hates.

On the other side of the table, sitting gracefully and dumbfounded was Lan Xichen. "Wen-guniang, I don't understand."

"The answer to all of your questions will all be solved in a single act. Just let the jiaoren be. Let him go and separate him from your brother. All will be well after that." It's far from the truth, she's not even sure if that will work, witnessing how the two are already buried deep in their feelings.

"Wen-guniang, what your suggesting can't be done. A-Ying...is the most important person in my brother's life. And for you to imply such appalling proposition is unthinkable." Lan Xichen argued, feeling protective of his younger brother.

"What about the jiaoren? The jiaoren is okay to die on land as long as your brother is happy? Forgive me for my impertinence, acting-sect-leader. Between the two of us, I know more about the creature that you and your brother were caging in this clan." Her dark-inked eyes seemed to glow red mirroring the strong feelings she has.

"I...I didn't mean it like that. A-Ying is a very important part of my family. He's my little brother too. I will never intentionally put harm in his way." After hearing Wen Qing's words, Lan Xichen realized how wrong what he said was. He criticized himself for it.

It was quiet on the other side of the room. Wangji must have fallen into a short nap after losing so much energy.

"I've been looking for answers all these years. I have read all the scrolls and books stored here in our clan, but nothing. I can't find anything that can explain what's happening to A-Ying. And what happened just now, was the most terrifying of them all. And I can't do anything about it. I've watched A-Ying grow and love him like my own brother. I know it will deeply hurt him too if I separate him from Wangji. Wen-guniang, I am begging you..." Lan Xichen bowed and pleaded. Both of his brothers' life and happiness are on the line, his position in the clan and his pride don't matter compared to his loved ones.

Wen Qing did not expect that the acting sect leader of the Lan clan will bow to her and beseeched for a piece of information that she had the hold of. But she can't help but feel a bit bitter towards the man. He had the chance to watch the jiaoren grow, witnessed how the creature learned to talk, read, walk and he had the chance to take care of him. Wen Qing was never given the chance to experience any of those.

Her mind wanders to that time, fourteen years ago.

***

"A-Qing, I can't-I am too weak. Please, take him. Get him out of here." A woman with gentle features and bright grey eyes begged desperately at 10-year old Wen Qing. The woman shoved a tiny creature covered with white cloth that were cut from her own robes, there were smudges on the cloth that came from the woman in white herself.

"B-but..." She tried to reason out with the wounded cultivator but those eyes staring right at her were determined and resolute. She slowly took the sleeping young creature from her arms.

"A-Qing take care of my A-Ying. A-Chang is already gone..." The wounded woman whispered softly.

The both of them were startled by the sound of footsteps and crunching leaves beneath feet along with shouts. Wen cultivators.

"Go." The woman pushed Wen Qing forward and nudged her to walk and go away. Wen Qing with tears streaming from her eyes looked helplessly at the woman in white. Her shoulders were shaking and she's clutching the young creature close to her chest. She turned around but stopped a moment when Cangse Sanren said, "Wuxian... His courtesy name...Changze wants it to be Wuxian." As if that was her last farewell, the woman slowly got up and headed to the opposite direction to confuse the pursuers. That was the last time Wen Qing saw her.