Soul bound Strangers

10. New life

Nine months later, Wei ying gave birth to a baby boy. Initially when Wei ying heard the sect healer say that he had conceived a baby, he couldn't feel even a tiny bit of happiness. Instead what remained was fear, extreme fear. Contrary to him Lan zhan was so elated that he kissed Wei ying then and there, not bothered with the looks of healer and the assistants. 

The Baby was lucky to have escaped Qiren, thanks to Qiren's week-long trip to other sects when this happened. Before Qiren returned, the news had already reached the Jiang sect. The Jiang couple flew to their son, and Madam Yu didn't budge when the Lan sect healers and Xichen assured her that they will take care of the young master well. She was resolute that she would accompany her son during this time. 

She was given a separate quarters but she rarely stayed there. When Wei ying asked her the reason, she told him that it is due to mother instincts. Wei ying was afraid to pursue the matter further and let her be. 

While Madam Yu stayed by Wei ying's side, Lan zhan was at Wei ying's beck and call. Wei ying had weird cravings and Lan zhan flew around the region to get whatever his husband asked. He learnt cooking in the process. At night he used to massage Wei ying's sore body, and he was there for Wei ying, when he suffered from intermittent sleep. 

Qiren never had a chance to meet Wei ying in private, but there was an incident when mild poison was found in Wei ying's food, which was sent from the general kitchen. When Lan zhan and Madam Yu almost turned Yunshen upside down, Qiren set up a team under him to find the culprit. 

He even had the nerve to ask Wei ying in everybody's presence, about who he suspects. At that moment Wei ying knew, it was a warning. 

But as months passed, Qiren's attitude changed. He was no longer sending threats to Wei ying, like he had come to terms with reality. 

Actually Qiren had expected this to happen when he let them get married. However he gave the yunmeng boy freshly prepared contraceptive medicine for everyday use, everytime Wei ying visited him to get his punishment. Had he known that Wei ying would have mistaken the medicine for anti-scar cream, he would have clearly told him beforehand. 

On the night, after Wei ying had just delivered the baby, Lan zhan had stepped out to wait for the midwife to bring the baby after cleaning. Madam Yu was in her chambers, writing a letter to her sect announcing the news. Qiren chose the exact moment to enter Wei ying's room. The maids were sent out. 

"Leave and never return. You disobey, your baby will not see the sunlight. If you are obedient, the baby will be brought up with all due respects as the Lan heir." 

"Don'-don't harm my baby. I shall take him with me." Wei ying was pleading for the life of his newborn. If it was just about him, he wouldn't have feared as much as he is feeling now. 

"There is no bargain" Qiren knew that his nephew was smitten by the yunmeng boy. So if he lets him take the baby along, soon his nephew will go in search of him, without a doubt. 

Wei ying wondered why it was so hard for the oldman to accept him when he could accept his child. 

"He has Lan blood in his veins." 

Qiren answered before Wei ying voiced out. 

"Can't I stay?" 

Though Wei ying was mentally prepared for this scenario in his head a million times, he couldn't think of a place to be alive away from his Lan zhan and their token of love, the baby. 

Qiren released the silent spell of the room and clapped once. There came the midwife carrying the child, her other arm holding a knife very close to the baby's throat. The midwife turned out to be Qiren's person. 

Wei ying could feel his own soul leaving his body, at the sight. 

"No-no Nooooo, I'll leave. Just don't harm him." If his baby's safety comes with a price of him leaving forever, he was willing to do that. 

Wei ying was given a paper and a pen. He was asked to write and leave. In between the few seconds of writing, Wei ying's eyes strolled between the baby and the door. His baby boy was right next to him, but he wanted to see his husband at least once before he was forced to leave. But he was unaware that the old geezer had already made arrangements to divert his nephew and madam Jiang. 

Since it was night, none of the Lan sect people were notified. So it was just Lan zhan, madam Yu, healer, midwife and the assistants who were the only ones to be present. Since the time their sect was chosen as Chief sect, his Uncle and brother had been busy, just like today. They were away from Yunshen, per the schedule. 

Fifteen minutes later when Lan zhan was back to Jingshi, the midwife arrived on time with the baby. He received the bundle of warmth carefully, and his lips curved up instantly. Maids told him that young master Wei went out, particularly asking them to hand over the letter to young master Lan, once he arrived. 

Suddenly Lan zhan felt all the strength in his body leaving him, looking at the letter. Unconsciously his grip on the baby tightened. Exactly at the moment, the baby started wailing.  

Where is Wei ying? Why would he write him a letter?

"Butterflies don't like to get stuck in the cocoon forever" 

A single phrase, yet that was enough to crush Lan zhan's heart in the worst possible ways. 

'Was he stuck with me?' 

'Doesn't he love me? Not even a moment?' 

'No, no, he is my Wei ying'  

"Wei ying, Is it a prank? You win. Now come back to me, please?"  

The wailing sound of the child was much better to Lan zhan's voice when he uttered the words.