Hourglass

VII

[Jiang Fengmian's POV]

The only mistake I made in my entire life...

Was to let my son be with that person.

"Please... Uncle... Help me..."

That was the last straw of my kindness. I took the child from A-Xian's arm and cooed at my pitiful grandson. I noticed his core continuously feeds itself from the child's life. A-Cheng took A-Xian intending to return back home.

Not until I heard the commanding pleading voice of the man who did all this to my son. Everything paused, and my sight narrowed at the man before us. My disciples even without my order braced themselves and created a wall between that man and us. Refusing to budge even when the young alpha dominated the entire place. I can't help but use the worse possible way possible. How dare he act so bold in front of me. Releasing a menacing aura, my disciples snapped back to their wits.

He begged, but before I could get angry, my wife entered the scene and laughed in arrogance and anger I have never seen in years of our marriage. She took the child from me. Her words echoed inside my head, "wage war if necessary..."

Yes... I intend to wage war if it means I could protect my son—my family. I spared the Lan's a glance, they dare want to take the child? In their foolish dreams.

"Not another step!" I commanded, I'm not afraid to turn this into a civil war. I'm not afraid even if I had to clash with the ever-powerful Qingheng-jun. I'll fight to the death if it would mean I could protect them.

"The child is a Lan!" One of the Lan Elders shouted.

"So?" I retorted, not once I'll let the child fall under your clutches, "no proper marriage happened between my son and Lan Wangji..."

The Lan's took out a piece of paper which I instantly burned at first sight. The Lan sect stared at me with incredulous looks. With that, the YunmengJiang declared it severed relations with GusuLan.

Mock me, humiliate me, tell me I am the worst sect leader. How dare they used that piece of paper and tend to treat my son worse than a concubine? He deserves better! Far greater than this man in front of me.

No one will hurt my family.

Over my dead body.

We went back to Lotus pier only to see A-Xian howling in tears. It took several hours before everyone could calm him down. His cries were like sharp knives as they pierced every member of the pier. The sad cry of a mother for his dying child.

We took turns in giving spiritual energy to A-Yuan. Took turns to lengthen his life. But these futile efforts proved to us, that none of us can go against death.

One night before A-Xian's death. I and Ziyuan stayed beside him. We watched him cradle his child in his arms trying to warm the child's growing cold body.

"Aunt Yu... Uncle Jiang..." He called.

Both of us glanced up at him as he gave us a smile, "if ever something happens to me... Please take care of my child.."

Both of us were taken back. We had an inkling of the thing he was going to do.

"Why not... Ask Lan Wangji to come here?" I asked, I know Ziyuan throw a death glare but... But...

"He won't come..." A-Xian replied, "He will never come..."

That was the saddest moment of my life. To fulfill of death wish of the son I raised for years. To fulfill a wish is far more important than his own life.