WangXian Forever Book 9: The Flower Demon

Chapter 74 Honesty

Lan Zhan had to think about it.

It had been so long ago, and not something he wished to remember. Only because he had been waiting for one proposal from a certain somebody in Lotus Pier, which would never come.

"After the guest lectures, Xiongzhang and I received many such proposals. I was lucky; Xiongzhang wrote to all of them and politely declined. I was not informed of them until a long while later, and mostly only when visiting the places where these requests came from."

"What do you mean? Were any of the people who asked after their letters less than polite?"

This time, his eyes stayed red.

Just the thought of anyone being unnecessarily rude or demanding answers from his Lan Zhan made Wei Ying livid, even if he was great at hiding it.

Lan Zhan shivers, not at all minding how turned on he is by this sight. Wei Ying has caged him in by bracing himself over Lan Zhan, his glorious silky hair providing a curtain of intimacy which lets him believe it's just the two of them here, in this bubble of love...and what has turned into a protective rage.

He flips them over too, relishing the brief surprise and desire flickering in those beloved silver/red eyes.

"Xiongzhang knew my heart was no longer mine." Lan Zhan says, watching his words take effect.

Those brilliant, ruby eyes turn back into stormy seas, a sky filled with glorious streaking lightning.

Still intimidating, still dangerous.

"I was not interested, and Xiongzhang did not waste my time." Only now does Lan Zhan appreciate how much in this area had his brother looked out for him.

"What did they say to you?" Wei Ying asks him, still curious.

"Just snide remarks now and again. It's water under the bridge. No need to worry about it." Lan Zhan kisses him again, happy that his husband wants blood for suspected rude behaviour. Though he does think it might be a strong reaction, it still makes him feel good that Wei Ying wants to defend his honour.

Wei Ying makes up his mind to interrogate his XiChen-Ge, later. He's sure to get answers there, since Lan Zhan doesn't really remember, and wasn't actively involved.

He's just enjoying this kiss properly, when there's a knock on their door.

For a few moments, they both ignore it.

But the person doesn't give up.

"Fathers?"

That's JingYi.

They both are suddenly upright, and Lan Zhan throws a robe in Wei Ying's direction while simultaneously securing his own.

"JingYi, what is it?" Lan Zhan asks, throwing open the door.

He looks out of breath even as he bows to both of them after Wei Ying joins them by the door.

"Uncle XiChen asked for you both...it's urgent." He explains frantically.

"Where is he?" Wei Ying ruffles his hair.

JingYi is one of a kind, and no less dear out of all the ducklings.

"Grandfather Qiren's place. So...father, what happened to him?" JingYi says, with a smile that suggests he already knows.

And now, Lan Zhan is also looking at him curiously.

Wei Ying had forgotten that Lan Zhan doesn't know what happened yesterday, even though he was an active participant in the drama. Maybe it might be better to just show him...

"You know, the other children call him Grumple, you can too." Wei Ying assures him, tightening his own robes, and totally evading the original question.

JingYi walks in front of them as the couple come out from the Jingshi hand in hand.

"So, my love." Wei Ying starts saying, thinking about how to accurately but kindly say what Lan Zhan had been up to, yesterday. "You know, yesterday, after you drank the Huami, and really, it's supposed to be stronger than the Emperor's Smile, and that's saying a lot!" Wei Ying laughs awkwardly. This was harder than he thought.

"Mn?" Lan Zhan is understandably confused.

"Well, the thing is, you gave Uncle Qiren a bit of a makeover. And it would've been fine if you stuck to just his beard and moustache...but what did his eyebrows ever do to you?" Wei Ying pats his arm, nonchalantly. "Really, it's lucky that Hui Gai got him a cure. I hope his facial hair grows back in much the same way as before, otherwise he might need to use oil or something to encourage growth."

Lan Zhan is shocked.

He had no idea he had done that to his uncle, or any recollection of such an act. What does he mean, "grows back"?? But Wei Ying was acting as if everything was fine, so it must be, right?

They were quite close now, and Lan Zhan hurried towards his uncle's home. The moon tree flung more blooms towards Wei Ying and he caught them single-handedly. He tucked one in Lan Zhan's guan, and the second white flower behind his own ear. The perfume they emitted was simply heavenly and uplifting.

The door to Uncle Qiren's home was open and XiChen was looking out for them; he waved at them to come inside quickly.

"What's up, XiChen-Ge?" Wei Ying asked him cheerfully, as they walked past after bowing to him. "How is uncle doing?" He waggled his eyebrows playfully.

He turns around and promptly trips up on piles and piles and piles of long, black hair. His shocked eyes follow the long tresses all the way to the source, where Uncle Qiren is sitting on his bed with a pair of scissors, all too ready to start cutting.

It's his hair, yards and yards of it, all growing from his face. In fact, his eyes are no longer visible now, because his eyebrows are growing equally fast.

The entire room's floor is covered in his hair, and it's still growing.