WangXian Forever Book 9: The Flower Demon

Chapter 28 Proposal

Wei Ying stands behind Lan Zhan as he lifts his elegant, pale hand and knocks on the door of the Hanshi.

This is new for them; in the past, Wei Ying never bothered with announcing himself until one particular instance forced him to reevaluate and change his behaviour. But out of the two of them, it is usually Wei Ying who performs this first act.

Not today.

He is already anxious and it bleeds through their connection. Once more, Lan Zhan turns slightly, and brings their joined hands to his lips, another reassurance. As welcome as it is...it does not dispell the tension in Wei Ying's shoulders.

He is already expecting an unfavourable outcome.

But since he has never been one to shrink back from a challenge, or change what he wishes to accomplish, he readies himself as the door opens.

Lan XiChen looks tired.

He is paler than normal, and for the Lans, this is a big difference for people who are usually pale. There are dark smudges around his honey-coloured eyes, which become filled with hope as he sees their faces.

He wants to be happy; because why else have they come if not to present a solution to his problem? And yet worry clouds Wei Ying like a shawl on an aged person, his shoulders stiff from a tension that should no longer be there, if his assumption is correct.

XiChen welcomes them in, and they pass by SniZidian, she bumps her snout against Wei Ying, catching his attention. Wei Ying scratches under her head fondly, not quite meeting XiChen's eyes which now mirror his invisible stress.

Silently, XiChen pours the tea in three cups, his gaze resting on the fourth one because it must remain empty for now.

He will not give in and admit how lonely it is, has been for the past few weeks since Jiang Cheng underwent his latest transformation. But he hopes they will consider his plight, and that of his husband...before they press on.

He is not going to make it easy for them, though.

So XiChen does not speak.

He sips from his cup and wonders when the next time will be, when he can once more share a cup of green tea with his husband by his side.

"We found ... we found the item which Xiannu wants." Wei Ying says, his voice faltering.

XiChen knows that his Didi has already reached under the table to hold his hand. He knows too, that they have had their fare share of troubles and he is happy that they're together at last. It is visible in the brightness of the smile that Wei Ying gifts him, and the returning softness in the answering smile: they have already decided upon some form of action.

XiChen does not want to be upset at this.

However, in the silence that follows, he has become painfully aware of two facts.

He is now sure that they are in agreement of whatever it is they have decided, and he suspects he is not going to like it.

Jiang Cheng is sleeping on their bed.

Without Ke-ai, their nights have become more peaceful at least. SniZidian is content to lie between them in rapturous pleasure, her love of XiChen being allowed to flourish as long as Jiang Cheng cannot wield her.

But that does nothing for XiChen missing his little piglet.

At least while living in Cloud Recesses, he was safe from anyone wanting to turn him into a sandwich.

"What is it, this item you have found?" He asks.

"It's the JingLing." Wei Ying produces a crystal ball from his sleeve.

It looks clear for now.

"Why would Xiannu want that?" XiChen can't help asking. "And how are you so sure that this is correct?"

They recount the happenings of last night in the Jingshi.

"So it's a genie." XiChen says, another plan forming in his mind.

"Watch." Wei Ying says with another bright smile.

Carefully, he rubs the outer surface of the crystal ball and it emits a green smoke. When that clears, there's a pink cloud with two bright blue eyes staring back at him.

XiChen smiles at it unconsciously.

"Hello!" It shouts at him, terribly excited.

"Hello." XiChen replies.

He can feel his own resolve wavering.

"When we first discovered it, both Lan Zhan and I...we were pulled towards it. It was hidden, buried really, in the ruins of a temple. At the time...the JingLing said it had forgotten everything about itself. But given what happened last night..." Wei Ying says, his thoughts faster than his speech.

"If it can still grant wishes..." XiChen supplies, verbally nudging him to continue with his idea.

"Yes, what I mean is, I can't just give it up to Xiannu...not when there's no guarantee that she'll look after it. And XiChen-Ge, look how happy it is!" Wei Ying replies, still smiling.

The joy emanating from the JingLing is contagious, it seems because XiChen is also smiling.

"We think Xiannu is not happy where she is currently...and the reason why she wants the JingLing is to ask it to grant her freedom. But to tell you the truth...should we really meddle in that problem?" Wei Ying asks.

His fingers unconsciously stroke the crystal orb and the JingLing vibrates with glee, beyond happy. As if it has entered a state of bliss.

"But then, if we do not fulfill the requirements of Xiannu, how do we find a cure for Jiang WanYin?" XiChen says.

Just saying the words out loud causes him another kind of pain.

Wei Ying looks incredibly excited now, piquing XiChen's curiosity.

He should have known that Wei Ying would have a solution to counteract his original plan.

"What if we ask Hui Gai to find the curse and obliterate it?" He says, far too confidently.

"Absolutely not!" Out of all the solutions XiChen expected Wei Ying to come out with, this wasn't one of them.

And he hates this one.

"We can trust Hui Gai far more than that trapped fairy!" Wei Ying argues back.

"Hui Gai was the one who made him eat onions like apples." XiChen reminds him.

He would swear that the pungent odour of that particular vegetable still hadn't left his clothes since that time.

"Hui Gai is much better now!" Wei Ying defends his friend.

"Besides, I have a better idea." XiChen continues as if he hasn't spoken.

"Mn?"

"Why don't we ask the genie instead?"