WangXian Forever Book 9: The Flower Demon

Chapter 24 Items

Three days left until the carnival uprooted itself and moved on.

Three days.

They had looked through books, ancient tomes of spells, bizarre misshapen metal things, wooden boxes, more puzzle boxes, shiny pebbles which weren't magical at all, turned out that Wei Ying had just collected them because he thought they were pretty.

There were shells, scallops and class, sea snail shells with beautiful iridescent colours reflecting off their surface. Li XiWang held it to her ear and sighed with melancholy, missing the sea and their holidays.

She made Rumi listen to it too, but he wasn't fond of the sound of water, so she quickly moved onto her fathers.

They spent time poring over old maps, thinking that Xiannu might want to go find someone somewhere who could help her.

Wei Ying had amassed a box full of pendants, jade and others, with different coloured tassels. There were jeweled spoons and different kinds of silk handkerchiefs.

"Where did all these come from?" Li XiWang asked, looking through the items with interest.

"Some were presents, some were reluctant wedding presents and others were just a mistake. These days I'm careful where I look." Wei Ying laughed.

"Reluctant wedding presents?" She echoed.

"Oh yeah! You know when people don't know what to get you, but they have to get you something?"

She nodded.

"Well more along those lines. There were a lot of people who came to our wedding but it was out of politeness rather than wanting to attend." Wei Ying sounded wistful.

"They do not matter." Lan Zhan replied, threading their fingers together.

"I know, my love." Wei Ying smiled at him warmly. "That was the best day of my life." He brought their joint hands together up to his lips and kissed the ring he had crafted for Lan Zhan, the one that shone with a blue flame if he was in danger.

"Mn. Mine too." Lan Zhan’s face was even softer now, full of love towards him.

Wei Ying’s stomach rumbled hungrily and he blushed.

Lan Zhan stood immediately.

"I shall go and fetch dinner. For everyone." He clarified.

"Wait, father! I'll come with you. I just want to check something!" Li XiWang scrambled up and whispered something in his ear.

"Mn, that is a great idea." Lan Zhan offered her his arm.

Wei Ying watched them leave, feeling nostalgic.

Their Little Rabbit was shooting up now, nearly twelve years old and already coming up to Lan Zhan’s elbow. It wouldn't be too long now until she would be as tall as an adult young lady.

Her biological parents were quite tall so it stood to reason that she too, would take after them.

His glance fell on Rumi, curled up on a floor mat, tangled in his blanket. He was still sucking his thumb, fast asleep.

Wei Ying’s stomach rumbled again and he sighed.

"I wish I had a bowl of Caiyi Town spicy noodles..." He muttered absentmindedly, standing up.

The place was messier than normal and he decided to clean up a little, especially their table upon which the food would be placed once Lan Zhan and Li XiWang got back.

Lan Zhan had made him a separate work place at the back of the Jingshi where he could look out at the Moon Tree which was flourishing under their care. Wei Ying wanted to haul some of the bulkier items out of the way so they had more space to examine the items which were left, so he was going in and out with his arms full.

Lan Zhan and Li XiWang came back with trays of steamed vegetables and bowls of rice.

Wei Ying was just coming back in, when he heard Li XiWang say, "Father? Where did you get that?"

He hurried over to where they were standing.

"What?"

"That's not...we didn't bring that! Where did you get it from?" She asked him.

Wei Ying opened the lid, looking just as confused as she did.

"I don't know." His face lit up with excited joy upon seeing the contents. "Are you both playing a prank on me? I know you two were whispering about something! How did you know I was feeling like eating these spicy noodles?" He grabbed a pair of chopsticks and was about to dig in when Lan Zhan stopped him with a hand on his arm.

"Wei Ying! We did not get this food for you. It might be poisoned."

Wei Ying dropped his chopsticks immediately.

"You didn't?" He looked between his husband and his daughter. "Then how did it get here?" His mouth was already watering and he really wanted to eat the noodles. But he had to admit, it was rather suspicious.

"Did anyone enter?" Lan Zhan asked, sharply. He looked around, expecting something to move in the shadows of the Jingshi.

"No...I don't think so. But then, I was going in and out moving things. I didn't hear the door open." He thought back. "You know, I have a talisman to check for poison...since all that happened to Jiang Cheng...I can use it now." He grabbed a blank talisman and quickly drew the characters.

The talisman glowed red as it hovered over the bowl and then turned green.

Wei Ying let out a victorious whoop and dug in.

His appetite was back and Lan Zhan had been watching him carefully as he started eating, but since nothing untoward happened, he woke Rumi and they all ate together.

Dinner times were the best when shared with family, and they quietly enjoyed their food together.

Once the dishes were cleared away, and Lan Zhan had wiped his mouth for him, Wei Ying sighed contentedly.

"Why were you whispering?" He narrowed his eyes at his daughter.

"We asked for ice cream but there wasn't any." She said, dejected.

"Oh...you're right, that would have been a lovely end to the meal." Wei Ying patted her head.

"But," she added brightly, "father Zhan told them to keep some ready for tomorrow. Strawberry flavour." She winked at Wei Ying and he knew straight away that it was code for Lan Zhan glaring at the kitchen staff.

"You two!" He said fondly, smiling. "Though, I wish I knew where the noodles came from."

There was a sound of a glass ball rolling and it came to a stop at his knee.

It was the JingLing.