WangXian Forever Book 9: The Flower Demon

Chapter 56 Return

Wei Ying is definitely much happier when they rise.

Neither had slept in the early hours of the morning. But it was nice just to lie there in each other's arms, to feel the rise and fall of their chests as they breathed, to listen to strong heartbeats.

And when the pale daylight stole across the room, chasing away the darkness of the night, they got out of bed, together for once.

Wei Ying went to fetch breakfast for everyone, and Lan Zhan straightened up the Jingshi and went to wake the children.

They sit around the little table and serve each other. Lan Zhan pours out refreshing green tea for everyone except Rumi, and Wei Ying hands out bowls of steaming rice with stir fry vegetables. Lan Zhan pushes the bottle of chilli oil in his direction, and he gets a warm kiss on his cheek for remembering.

It's only after breakfast that things become a little serious.

"Are you really alright, father?" Li XiWang asks him.

"Yes. I am really alright." Wei Ying tells her firmly. "Your father and I talked about it this morning. I feel so much better now." He was surprised to find that it was true.

Lan Zhan reached for his hand under the table, and gave it a squeeze.

Gestures like that never failed to astound Wei Ying; how such a small thing could make him feel so much better.

"Are we going back?" She says, clearly not liking the idea.

"Yes. Maybe grandmother will have returned and we should be able to help restore the lotus flowers. And...I think I figured out why she hated the lotus flowers so much." He adds.

"Mn?"

"Well, you know EmoHua was supposed to marry that guy, the one whose family was in the floral trade? I think it was kind of like a final revenge for her. Did you see the garland she was wearing? It was made from predominantly lotus flowers, and obviously she had modified them, but you get it, right?" He explains, smiling.

"It's so simple, now that you've said." Li XiWang agrees.

"It's all about the clues." Wei Ying replies. "Sometimes the pieces are all there, but in a different order. All you have to do is play around with what you know, and the truth will pop up in no time."

"Are we ready to leave?" Lan Zhan asks.

Wei Ying nods, knowing that Lan Zhan was also anxious about Lotus Pier and getting it over and done with.

The faster they went there, the faster they could return, and the faster they could get back to living normally.

As they stood up, a sound caught his sharp ears.

"Hang on..." Wei Ying goes to the back door of the Jingshi and opens it.

The sound comes again and this time Wei Ying knows where it came from. He goes right up to the moon tree and looks up.

The Barred owl from the Shaman's caravan is sitting up there, and when it sees Wei Ying, it screeches.

It is not a pleasant sound.

Wei Ying covers his ears and the owl thinks it's an invitation, because it flies down and perches on his arm. Wei Ying recovers quickly and begins to stroke its massive head. The beast begins to sort of purr. There's definitely some kind of happy noise coming from its throat.

Then, after it feels as if that's enough of a greeting, it bumps Wei Ying's hand and tries to get him to look in another direction.

At first, Wei Ying didn't understand. But the owl is persistent. It patiently continues to nudge Wei Ying to look there once more, where a patch of wild gentian flowers are growing under an aged wisteria tree. Buds are blooming on its branches and in a matter of weeks, the tree will be in full bloom.

And just like that, Wei Ying understands what the owl wants him to notice.

"Thank you, my friend." He strokes the owl a few more times. "When we return from Lotus Pier, then." He promises.

The owl knows.

It nudges into his hand a few more times, and then it flies off.

When Wei Ying turns around, Lan Zhan is standing on the threshold with a child holding each hand, watching him.

Wei Ying bounces back to him, beaming.

Today is full of surprises, it seems.

"Mn?" Lan Zhan asks, noticing the spring in his step, and the brightness of his smiles now.

"It's a surprise. Let's go do what we have to, and then, when we come back. Promise." Wei Ying reaches up and kisses his cheek.

Together with the children, they teleport to Lotus Pier.

************

Baoshan Sanren arrives at the same time.

She's carrying nothing, but the other Celestial Warriors are carrying buckets of a familiar white substance, and she beams at her family when she sees them.

"Wow! Gramps, you did it!" Li XiWang runs to hug her.

"Absolutely, Little Rabbit. Did you doubt me?" Baoshan Sanren laughs loudly.

"Not at all." Li XiWang insists, grinning back. And then she whispers so only her grandmother can hear her. "Where did you find so much of it?"

"Oh...well, that's a whole other story." The Immortal says. "First, we had to go and pacify the big baby."

There is a second of silence, before laughter rings out.

Of course, it's Wei Ying. He seems to understand his grandmother far better than anyone else, because she gives him a big wink.

"Anyway, about this stuff." She jerks a thumb towards the buckets. "That took a bit longer because it's made using unicorn tears."

"Unicorn tears?" Li XiWang has big eyes full of curiosity. "No way!?"

"Yes, way." Baoshan Sanren continues. "Unicorns by their very nature, are happy animals. We had to really try hard to make them cry. That's why you have to use it carefully, you understand? It's precious." She catches Wei Ying's eyes, and answers his questioning look with a huge wink.

While Li XiWang goes with Lan Zhan to mix up some more of the cure for the red fungus, Wei Ying sidles up to his grandmother.

"Spill it, grandmother, what is this stuff really?" He whispers.

She looks at him in surprise.

"I'm shocked you don't remember." She tells him.

"Why? What is it? And why should I remember?"

She smacks the back of his head.

"Sometimes you can be so dense." She shakes her head at him.

"Um...ow?" Wei Ying rubs the spot on his head.

"Fine. You remember when you were injured, and then you guys flew up to the Temple of Chang'e? She transported you to her world. There was a stream with a white waterfall? And when you finished bathing, you were cured? That's what this is." She beams.

Wei Ying blushes hard.

Mostly because when they visited that particular place, he and Lan did more than just bathe. In fact, Lan Zhan had reasoned that it wouldn't matter, because it was also a creamy white...

And oh dear...had they actually done Papapa...in a Celestial pool...

He's mortified.

Thankfully, his grandmother thinks his red face is due to his embarrassment at forgetting about the Celestial pool.

And he completely misses the shock on her face, followed by the mild disgust as she goes to wash her hands....