Won't you believe me? (Servant no more - book 2)

Chapter 50

Lan Wangji was watching the exchange between Lan Xichen and Wei Ying with a lot of nervousness and worry. He could see that the boy was once again overthinking everything. But then again, he wanted Wei Ying to hear those words. It was exactly what he had wanted to tell him more than anything. He had wanted to explain that the boy was not a servant in the Cloud Recesses Manor and that he would never have to go back to the Lotus Pier Manor or his adoptive family.

He had been lacking words to express himself but luckily, Lan Xichen was there to help him. Lan Wangji knew that his brother was leaving to start the investigation at the Jiangs' mansion and he was a little uneasy. Not because he did not want the truth about Wei Ying's past to come to light or because he would ever defend the people who had hurt the boy to this extend.

No, he was afraid that without Lan Xichen here, there would be no one who would be able to talk properly to Wei Ying. The boy needed a lot of reassurance and Lan Wangji was still not good enough with his words to do that. And without a lot of verbal reassurances and reminders, he was not sure Wei Ying would ever fully believe them. He would always fear having to go back or that they would start treating him harshly after one too many so thought errors from his side.

There was nothing true to those fears that Lan Wangji was sure were in Wei Ying's heart. The boy himself however needed to believe that too. That was exactly why Lan Wangji was not too happy that Lan Xichen had to leave the Cloud Recesses Manor at a time like this. Lan Wangji would have to try his best to help the boy on his own and he was not at all confident that he could do it.

When his brother stopped talking and Wei Ying tried to bow to him, probably in gratitude – at least Lan Wangji hoped it was gratitude and not apology, he still could not read Wei Ying too well in this part –, Lan Xichen reached out his hands towards him. Lan Wangji was immediately alarmed. He knew that Wei Ying was still scared of people touching him suddenly. Even he had always made sure to be exceedingly careful when approaching him.

He calmed down when Wei Ying did not flinch away from Lan Xichen's touch and even straightened up upon a little prompting. Lan Wangji was amazed. His brother truly knew how to approach Wei Ying.

It was only once Lan Xichen turned away and walked off that Lan Wangji realized the boy was not completely alright. Wei Ying started shivering like a leaf and when Lan Wangji made an effort to lean down and see his eyes, they were dilated and seemingly unseeing. It looked like the boy was in a state of shock.

"Wei Ying?" Lan Wangji tried to call him but it only made the other tremble all that harder.

He had hoped that it was a good kind of shock, like a nice surprise that Lan Xichen told him he could stay and not be a servant. However, it did not look like it anymore. It could have also been because of the fever, and anyway, his sickness surely played a big role. In the end though, Wei Ying was just in distress, yet again. It had not been such a great idea from Lan Xichen's side to touch him so suddenly after all. It must have been too abrupt and the boy had probably got a fright because of it.

Lan Wangji took a deep breath and stepped a little away from the boy. He wanted to give him space in case the other was truly scared out of his mind. He was still hoping that it had just been too much for the boy to process due to his fever. Oh, yes, the fever! Lan Wangji should get Wei Ying to bed as soon as possible. They should not be standing here in the hallway doing nothing.

"Wei Ying," he called again gently and this time, it actually worked.

The boy immediately relaxed and the shivering stopped. Lan Wangji sighed in relief. He did not know what he would have done if this had not worked. He was not sure he should be touching the boy at a time like this again. Not when he was not in his right mind. Lan Wangji did not want Wei Ying to mistake him for his past masters or for someone who wanted to hurt him. That would be a huge step back and it would be truly heart-breaking.

"Come rest," he urged quietly when he was sure the boy's attention was fully on him. To make it clearer, he also gestured towards the door at the same time.

Wei Ying seemed to have understood and he slowly entered his room. Lan Wangji went after him with the other's belongings still in his hands. He closed to door behind both of them and carefully put the small suitcase on the floor next to the door. There would be time when they would be able to take care of it, but that time was not now.

Lan Wangji looked at Wei Ying who stood in the middle of the room and made no move to go change or to lay in the bed. He was not sure he should force the boy to put on the sleeping robe, he must have been at the end of his forces with how he was staggering a little. He decided that he would leave that decision to the boy himself.

"Wei Ying, do you want to change?"

Without looking back, Wei Ying went to his bed and picked up the sleeping robe. With a little unsteady steps, he disappeared behind a privacy screen and came back a minute later, clad in the pristine white sleeping robe. He looked almost surreal with his tanned skin contrasting with the white fabric and his black hair falling down onto his back. Lan Wangji's heart skipped a beat for no apparent reason at all.

Lan Wangji gulped down his sudden nervousness and gestured to the bed. He wanted to have Wei Ying under the covers as soon as possible. Both because the boy should not be walking around anymore with his fever getting worse and also because of what the sight was doing to his heart.

This time, the boy did not need any more prompting and he went to bed and crawled under the blanket. He remained sitting though, his head lowered but slightly turned to the side where Lan Wangji was standing. He was without a doubt watching him attentively. Lan Wangji became even more nervous due to that and had to clear his throat before speaking:

"Wait a little bit before going to sleep, you should still take your medicine." The boy did not respond in any way, he just continued looking at Lan Wangji from between his bangs. It was getting unnerving really; the second young master of the Cloud Recesses Manor was not used to such attention. He cleared his throat again and proposed a little unsurely: "Do you want to read until the medicine arrives?"

Unlike the time when Lan Wangji had asked a similar question back in the library, Wei Ying did not hesitate now and immediately nodded his head. Lan Wangji went to the table where he had left the book previously and brought it over, handing it to the boy carefully. Wei Ying took it as if it was something sacred and inclined his head in a silent thank you.

Lan Wangji smiled and shook his head. "No bowing," he reminded and Wei Ying immediately straightened himself.

He did not wait for anything and opened the book eagerly. It was very endearing to see him so openly excited for something. Lan Wangji was proud of Wei Ying for accomplishing this, he had made a lot of progress these past two days. The second young master of the Cloud Recesses Manor was sure that the boy would not have accepted the book from him even yesterday. And today, here he was, comfortably reading while Lan Wangji sat down by the desk and waited for the fever reducing medicine Lan Xichen had promised to arrive.