Red Rose [Never Let You Go, Again Book 3]

10: Searing Pain. Soaring Power.

Lan Wangji woke up the next day to find Wei Ying watering the roses and gentians and magnolia all around. Smiling, hands crossed behind his back, he watched his husband doing the gardening in the gently rising light of dawn, golden sunlight sparkling against diamond-white skin and that never-ending summery smile.

Realising it was the first day of the next month, he spun around and walked to his table. Sure enough, there was a bouquet wrapped in a slender blue ribbon. And of course, with the usual note. 

Bluebells. Blue and pretty, wild yet gentle. Reminded me of you, darling.

And I finally remembered some nice little decently poetic line from a book.

"I'll wait for you under the bluebells. I'll be there always."

Always. Like you said years ago, sweetheart. Forever together, together forever.

With love, as always,

Your shooting star.

Lan Zhan couldn't help the big, wide grin on his face by the time he finished reading the note attached to the silky blue ribbon. A-Ying, you keep saying you aren't as poetic as Jiang Wanyin but... You write the best love letters.

"Read it?"

Lan Zhan twisted his head to see Wei Ying jumping in from the window, having kept the emptied water bucket aside.

"Hey, you're smiling! Like it that much?" Wei Ying beamed as he went over and clipped his hands around his husband's waist.

"Mn. Love it."

"Tee-hee!" Wei Ying giggled and kissed him adoringly. 

**********

"Daddy gave Father bluebells? That's sweet!" Sizhui clapped as he accepted another bowl of Lavender Lust from Xiuying.

"Mother! Do we have more jars?"

Xiuying's mother came from the interior of the inn, hands on her waist, shaking her head at her daughter's behaviour. "Xiuying-Er, I keep telling you you're Madam Ouyang now, you can't be playing waitress!"

"Hmph, I don't care who marries me into their big sect or clan, I'm still mother's daughter. Still a Shen, so there!" Xiuying huffed and walked past her into the inn to bring more wine.

"Zizhen, forgive her rudeness," the lady spoke to the boy who was laughing at his wife's behaviour.

Ouyang Zizhen waved his hand. "No, no, Mother, I'm cool. That's the way she is, after all–"

"And that's why Zizhen loves her ever so much!" Sizhui grinned.

"What, for her rudeness?" Jingyi laughed.

"OI!"

"Fine, fine, stop bickering," Wei Wuxian patted the table to call for silence.

"Right, so... Where were we?" Zizhen looked around.

"Bluebells," Jin Ling barked, somehow pissed at the fact that both Jingyi and Zizhen had wives and he was still... a nervous wreck.

"Yep, Senior Wei gave Hanguang-Jun bluebells," Jiang Liwei reminded.

"Right. So, Wei-gege, how was it? Like how did you give it? Where did you get them?"

"TELL US EVERYTHING!" The gang of juniors screeched.

"Sheesh, calm down! I'll tell, I'll tell. You guys want to learn from me, or what are you this excited for?"

"Senior Wei's our teacher in everything!"