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

Chapter 91

"Wei Ying, the bath is ready," Lan Wangji called the boy gently and was happy to see that his efforts at softening his voice paid off, Wei Ying was not startled by him speaking and easily lifted his head from the book he was reading. There was a somewhat curious and still a little surprised expression on his face, his lips were however stretched in a small smile. So precious, Lan Wangji thought and took a mental picture for him to be able to recall it perfectly later.

He gestured to Wei Ying to come to him, he wanted to show him the bath and make him use it. He could already imagine that the boy would be reluctant to do so, just as all the times he was offered something. Wei Ying really was too pitiful when he hesitated to accept even the most mundane of things and behaved like they were something extraordinary, something he needed to be eternally grateful for being allowed to get.

And then again, perhaps for him, they were. Lan Wangji did not know the exact extent of what the boy had been through, he was only guessing from Jiang Yanli's story and from Wei Ying's own reactions to everything. Still, it was almost certain that he was missing important information to fully understand the true extend of mistreatment the boy had suffered and the depths of the conditioning and fear he was under.

Luckily, it seemed like he was finally getting to the other and Wei Ying could truly relax around him. It was more than clear even now when the boy did not hesitate for a second to look directly at him; it was something he would have for sure not been able to do just yesterday. Moreover, upon seeing his gesture beckoning him over, Wei Ying all but jumped from the bed, suddenly very excited.

That incredulous look on his face remained there when he came to stand in front of Lan Wangji and then, after another gesture from him, peeked behind the privacy screen which had been set up. At that moment, Lan Wangji could not see his face anymore, but he had a feeling he could tell what Wei Ying's reaction to the hot bath behind it was. His mind supplied an adorable picture of the boy with his eyes wide open in disbelief and sparkling with happiness, that small smile still adorning his lips.

The bath itself was nothing fancy. There was just a hot tub of water and several small bottles of scented oils and soaps. It was the kind of bath Lan Wangji would take almost every evening, just a normal one really.

When Wei Ying turned to him however, one could tell from his overly excited and shocked face that he had seen something incredible and unbelievable. He seemed completely awed. His eyes fixed Lan Wangji for a moment before darting back to the privacy screen and the bath behind it. Then, he looked at Lan Wangji again. He repeated the process several times over, as if he wanted to reassure himself that the bath was truly there and had not disappeared.

Lan Wangji found it both adorable, and a little funny too, and sad at the same moment. It was great seeing the boy this expressive. However, his reaction left little to wonder if he had been allowed to get a normal hot bath in the recent and perhaps even not so recent past.

With a quivering finger, Wei Ying very hesitantly pointed at the bath, and then with even more hesitation and uncertainty at himself. Similarly to what he had done when he had received the new robes, Lan Wangji knew the boy was asking if the bath had indeed been prepared for him. There was nothing Lan Wangji wanted to convince him about more right then. He quickly nodded his head. Wei Ying's shock was even more prominent now, but he seemed so happy and his smile was so bright that it took Lan Wangji's breath away.

He did his best to hide his awkward reaction and asked: "Do you like it?"

At that moment, he thought We Ying's head would fall right off of his neck with how vehemently he was nodding it. His confirmation could not have been more clearly expressed, it brought a smile of his own to Lan Wangji's lips. He was happy that Wei Ying was happy. This was how things should be, he did not want to see the scared and deferential boy who came to the Cloud Recesses Manor ever again. Wei Ying should always smile like this and never encounter anything which would make him sad or terrified.

It took several seconds for Lan Wangji to actually start paying attention to the present situation again. Although he had confirmed the bath was for Wei Ying, the boy did not make any moves to go and use it. Did he not know how? No, that was impossible, even he would have for sure known how to wash himself properly. So, what was it?

At once, Lan Wangji's ears became bright red and he was glad they were hidden under his hair. Of course Wei Ying would hesitate to go take a bath when Lan Wangji was still in the room! He must have wanted some privacy that not even the privacy screen could offer. Looking closer, the boy's head was lowered out of shyness, not as a sign of deference or servitude. His cheeks looked a little flushed to Lan Wangji and he realized Wei Ying was probably embarrassed as well.

He quickly backed off, trying to dissolve the awkwardness by clearing his throat. He was bothered now and frustrated. Whenever he was this agitated, his words escaped him. And he had been doing so well speaking just minutes ago! He cleared his throat one more time discreetly and looked away from the person in front of him. This was really awkward.

His panic luckily subsided quickly and he was able to gather himself enough to make a sound: "I will be going now."

Seeing that Wei Ying immediately tensed up and glanced at him from behind his bangs, Lan Wangji quickly fought with himself to be able to explain his departure more clearly. The last thing he wanted Wei Ying to do was to start thinking he was not allowed to have the bath and not use it after Lan Wangji would leave.

He cleared his throat a third time and finally, it worked. The tightness eased up a little and he was able to get the words out at last: "Take you time." With every word, speaking was getting easier and easier and Lan Wangji was impossibly grateful for that. "Dry your hair well afterwards and go to sleep. I will come get you in the morning."

He did not even understand what pushed him to extend his hand towards the boy and pat his head as he said those words. The gesture should have felt awkward and inappropriate but for some reason, it was very natural instead. Lan Wangji saw that Wei Ying did not flinch away and leaned into the touch immediately. He indeed seemed like a cat who wanted to be spoiled and petted by its owner. He was not sure he was ready for this. It was too adorable and the image of a spoiled, lazy, sleepy and happy cat-like Wei Ying was now ingrained in his mind, his imagination suddenly going rampant.

He did not wait for Wei Ying's reaction and, just like earlier that day, left the room, all but running away. The glance he got at the boy nodding to his prompting and smiling at him reassuringly was making him feel weird deep inside. His ears were still burning and his heart was pounding like crazy. He was wondering what was wrong with him, it could not be that he was getting sick, could it?

He shook his head and tried to ignore all the symptoms. If this was an illness, he did not know it. Anyway, it did not seem all too serious, he decided to ignore it for now. He should also get a hot bath and relax for a little bit, perhaps then, his heart would stop racing and he would feel less agitated. He smiled a little, while he would be relaxing, he could replay in his mind all those beautiful smiles Wei Ying had shown him today, again and again. He was glad the boy was finally starting to get better.