WangXian Forever Book 9: The Flower Demon

Chapter 88 Decisions

Lan Zhan sent a butterfly to the Hanshi, inviting their brothers to share breakfast together.

An uncharacteristically serious XiChen accompanied by a scowling Jiang Cheng knocked on their door and Wei Ying opened it, smiling in welcome.

"Good morning!" He enthuses, feeling lighthearted and happy.

"That's good afternoon actually, and this is lunch." Jiang Cheng plonks himself down at the table, reeking of irritation.

Wei Ying treats his mood like a duck in water, and beams at both of them.

Lan Zhan's happiness is so closely connected to his own, something he can feel like a solid thing between them, that nothing can dampen his spirits today.

Wei Ying is eager to tell his family about his discovery, and depending on what the Lan brothers decide, he's excited for possible answers they may receive from their mother.

So he wolfs down the steaming noodles drowning in chilli sauce and then spends the remainder of time twiddling his thumbs and impatiently waiting for the others to finish.

Jiang Cheng throws him a suspicious look.

"What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing. Wei Ying is perfect." Lan Zhan answers for him in the most are-you-stupid condescending tone.

"Aww! My love, that's so sweet of you. And for the record, I think you're perfect, too!" Wei Ying leans in for a quick kiss, despite the gagging noises from one of their guests, which abruptly stops.

XiChen throws a disapproving look towards his baby brother, who looks unrepentant at having used the Lan Silencing spell on Jiang Cheng.

"I'm sorry. As you know, WangJi does not take criticism of A-Xian well." XiChen sometimes wonders if it was a mistake in teaching his younger brother the silencing spell in the first place, and why did it surprise him that Lan Zhan was particularly good at administering it?

But then he supposed, the more one practised, the better one became at anything...

Once the chopsticks are placed down, Lan Zhan clears the little table in his usual proficiency, while Wei Ying places the music box in the centre, so everyone can see.

"So, yesterday while Lan Zhan was sleeping, I wondered if the music box was hiding anything else." Wei Ying says, opening the lid excitedly. "I hope you don't mind?" That's aimed at XiChen, who also leans forward, suddenly interested.

"Yesterday was difficult for us." XiChen replies, glancing at Lan Zhan's face. "I too, slept longer than normal. And of course I don't mind. I am going to assume you found something?"

Jiang Cheng reaches over to hold his hand.

XiChen thinks he's really lucky; never before had he appreciated this skin contact as much as he did now, in this new life with Jiang Cheng.

Those who had grown up in Lotus Pier were prone to being more tactile than those from other sects, and yet, it wasn't a bad trait to have. There were moments which didn't need words, when something as simple as holding hands was far more meaningful than voicing one's feelings.

They are both tense, waiting for Wei Ying to continue.

"My love, please can we take out your comb?" Wei Ying asks Lan Zhan.

It had been folded inside the white handkerchief once more, carefully stored away again inside the secret drawer. Lan Zhan takes it out and places it in front of Wei Ying.

"It might be better to keep both items separately, if you both do not wish for anyone else to know about your parents." Wei Ying suggests. "But I saw this and realised, of course! The maker of the comb must have been the same as the creator of the music box." He points to an engraved name carefully carved on the underside of the cylinder.

Even Jiang Cheng looks impressed that Wei Ying found it, in the first place. It was hidden in such a way that only if a person was looking for it, would they have thought of looking there.

Wei Ying pulls out the parchment paper that had yesterday's brushstrokes on it.

"It's the same name: Mu Jiang Qin!" XiChen says, reverently. "And, although I'm ashamed to say this out loud, that I never knew our Muqin's name, from yesterday's letter we discovered, I am guessing this is someone closely acquainted with her?"

"No need to be ashamed, XiChen-Ge," Wei Ying says, quickly. "Most children only know their parents by Muqin and Fuqin, and both of you were still so young then." He pats XiChen's hand warmly. "But I was thinking, when we speak with her now, do you want to ask her about that?"

"Now?" XiChen suddenly panics.

"Yeah...? Why? I mean, unless you don't want to?" Wei Ying looks bewildered, first at him, and then at Jiang Cheng and Lan Zhan for some explanation on why XiChen was being weird.

"It's just...I knew we were going to," he visibly regulates his breathing, trying to calm down.

"Just a moment." Jiang Cheng stands up suddenly, pulling XiChen up with him.

He takes the Lan Sect Leader outside, and out of earshot.

"Huan, tell me the truth, what's bothering you?" Jiang Cheng is constantly surprised at himself, and the gentleness that comes so naturally to him, every time he is with XiChen.

Perhaps that was the defining quality that arose when the person in question was loved so much.

"I'm terrified." Lan XiChen admits, covering his face. "And then, I'm ashamed of myself for feeling that way."

"You Lans are dummies." Jiang Cheng replies, taking him into his arms.

"Why?" XiChen lets himself relax into his husband.

"Feelings come and go, you're not supposed to judge yourself for having them, you know. They just are. That's like hating the sea for having waves."

"You're so smart sometimes." XiChen says, quietly.

"Just sometimes?" Jiang Cheng murmurs with a twinkle in his eyes.

XiChen smacks his arm lightly.

"Ow?"

"That wasn't even hard!"

"It's that Lan Arm strength! I'm going to get a bruise!" Jiang Cheng says, though they both know he's joking. "Now tell me, why are you scared of your mother?"

XiChen is quiet for longer, this time.

Jiang Cheng simply holds him, knowing that his husband will speak when he's ready.

"I'm worried that she'll think I'm not a good brother."