Black Greed

THIRTY EIGHT

Wei MeiLan woke up from a dreamless sleep.

It wasn't a bad thing but not good either. After all, she's expecting to be plagued with awful dreams with what happened back then, and the fact that they just finished a night hunt that she doesn't know if it was successful and if her apprentice is alive still or not.

She rose from her bed and went out of her room to check next room for her apprentice but she saw no people around. Even the training grounds is quiet and desolate.

Worry crept up to her throat, threatening to choke her as she felt stinging hot tears trying to flow out of her eyes.

'Did I failed?'

She went to the main hall, expecting a quiet place too, but Lan XiChen was there, like waiting for someone to come up.

"Lan Huan?" Her voice is quite hoarse, she quite confused as to what happened next after the night hunt they did. "Where's everyone?"

Lan XiChen walked towards her to check if she's fine. "You should be in bed still. Clan Master Jiang will come back in a few minutes."

He held her shoulders and guided her back to her room. "Rest adequately. Other matters will be handled by your brother."

"No," Wei MeiLan struggled to go back to the Lotus Hall. "Where's A'Xia?"

Lan XiChen sighed. "She's gone."

Her eyes went wide in fear. "No, no that can't be. You're kidding right? She's still alive right?"

He didn't spoke and just tried to get her back to her room when she screamed. "NO!"

But with a Lan's strength accumulated for years of training, he was left with no choice but to carry him on his shoulder to prevent her from going somewhere after waking up. Wei MeiLan struggled, trying to leave his shoulder but she was gently locked there.

Lan XiChen opened the door with the other hand, entered then closed it. He put her back to her bed gently. "Just take a rest, Wei Qing. Answers to your questions will be given once you recover well."

"I can get both, right? You want me to rest and I need answers," Wei MeiLan said. "I need those answers, and I'll rest."

"Just rest,"

"No, I don't want!"

"Please, just rest."

"I need answers,"

"The right people will answer your questions, but they're not here," Lan XiChen said. "And I think that they will like seeing you resting than running around as soon as you woke up."

Wei MeiLan yawned. "Fine, wake me up when the right person to answer comes. Promise me."

Lan XiChen smiled. "I swear that I will call you when they come."

Wei MeiLan's eyes drooped slowly. "You...better, or else..."

Placing a kiss on her forehead, he wrapped the blanket to her and left her room.

Jiang WanYin saw him bringing Wei MeiLan back to her room, thus he followed silently until the door and listened. When Lan XiChen left, he's leaning at the wall. "ZeWu-Jun,"

Lan XiChen smiled. "She's asleep now. She might wake at night or tomorrow, where's A'Xia?"

"I insisted that she should rest, but she stole one of the information and went out to do a casual night hunt. She might be back later before night," Jiang WanYin sighed. "She's just like Second sister. Too stubborn."

Lan XiChen chuckled. "She only learned from her master, don't be so tough on them."

Jiang WanYin sighed. "Why does these women are so stubborn? Can't they just listen ones and let us protect them?"

"Why do you think they became cultivators if they want to be protected by us, then? Clan Master Jiang, they don't want to stand behind the people they love, but to stand side by side with them. It's their greatest feat and pride as a woman and a cultivator. There might be a tendency that they rush in without seeking help, but they try to help in a way that they can, for us." Lan XiChen said.

"But I can't help but—"

"Worrying for them is natural, but keeping them away from what they want to do is not good. As much as I want to keep her to Cloud Recesses, I know she does not want it. All I can do is support her and wait for her to come with me to Gusu and stay with me there."

Lan XiChen started to walk away. "If you know your second sister, I'm sure you know what she wants to do and what she needs right now."

Jiang WanYin looked at the figure of Lan XiChen retreating slowly, away from them. The former admires how patient the latter is when it comes to his second sister. They are total opposite of one another, yet their harmony is one that you don't want to miss either as you gaze at the two of them.

A few encounter back then build up a mutual trust without any spoken words. Wei MeiLan trusted Lan XiChen with her life as so he is. Many things had happened towards the cultivation world and to their lives but they didn't gave up.

Troubles and problems had been chasing her again and again, but he stayed and assisted her no matter what. Wei MeiLan had been an understanding and a tolerant person when she met Lan XiChen. Contrast to her cold treatment towards everyone except to selected people, she eventually learned a lot as days and years progressed by, with his help.

Who would have thought that she can defy what is fated for her just by being with him?