A Life with You

16. Stay the Night

Previously...

Jiang cheng, "Well then, I suppose I can take my leave. My men will come to support you tomorrow." "Thank you for your kind help, sect leader Jiang, my apologies for wasting your time over such a small matter." I nodded my head before leaving. "That curse may h..."

Third Person POV

Jiang cheng left to Yunmeng along with his disciples. The sect leader who was drowning in thoughts about the story he just heard completely forgot about everything else. As it was noon, the sun chose to burn their skin thus leading them to stop near a restaurant. 

The disciples who were about 10, filled half of the restaurant, eating and enjoying the food. The head disciple wanted to as well, but his old lady side did not agree to it. He walked towards his sect leader, who was sitting alone, looking through the new scrolls they received.

Hui zhong, "Sect leader, you need to eat. You skipped dinner yesterday and you did not eat anything today morning as well. This is not good for your body, if the head maid gets to know about this, she will definitely use my face to wipe the floor." The poor disciple was trying his best to get the attention of his master, but his words went right through the Jiang.

Jiang cheng, "Hui zhong, if your done eating come here. There is a problem here, the count is not right. Go get me ink." The jiang did not even bother to look and the disciple did not bother to whine, he simply sighed before taking an ink bar out of his bag and placing it on the table before taking a seat next to his sect leader.

Hui zhong, "Sect leader Jiang, No one uses an eating table to write. We are in a restaurant; wouldn't this be rude." Finally, after all his tries, he received an answer. "Fine! I'll eat." One does not need to look at the disciple to see the smile on his face because he was radiating happiness. Even from a mile away, you could feel it. He ran to the other disciples table and took a bowl of soup and placed in on the sect leader's table. He quickly closed all the scrolls and placed it elsewhere.

Finally, he sat opposite to his master, looking at him with expectedly. "What is this?" "Lotus root rib soup, your favorite." He quickly replied. But the leader's brows furrowed deeper, "I-I don't want it... get me something else." The disciple was now confused, everyone in Yunmeng knows that lotus root rib soup is the sect leader's favorite food. Yet now he refuses it. But without questioning he went to get some chili chicken soup instead. 

Jiang cheng ate it silently along with his disciple who was eating the lotus root rib soup. Trying his best to keep his mind from thinking. After he finished his food, he paid for all the food and left to Yunmeng immediately, followed by his disciples.

In Yunmeng Jiang, Lotus Pier,

The cool breeze that fluttered through the green trees and rippled the lake, which was filled by lotuses, was shaken up by the galloping sounds that came from the entrance. Lotus petals fell into the lake as thick robes flew past it, Disturbing the calmness of the manor. 

Jiang cheng entered the Lotus pier with his head disciple, while the other disciples went to their quarters to take rest. As Jiang cheng walked through the entrance, the wind fluttered through his purple robes, pushing them back.

As majestic as he looked, he did not feel the same. If he could hide under a rock, he would gladly do it.  Infront of him stood his brother and his husband. Thoughts flooded through his head just as the wind did. He almost though it was him hallucinating again but the look on his brother's face told him what he needed. 

It was like his feet froze with his eyes which wouldn't move. Memories flooded through his head, his dearest ones. Them fighting, playing, joking around and what not, but along with them came the bad ones. His nightmares, making his heartbeat faster, he felt like a dead soul for a second.

Before his right-hand man could get their attention, he pushed both of them towards a bush, luckily, they were in a conversation and did not notice the sounds coming from the bush.

Hui zhong, "Sect leader why are we hiding here?" Jiang cheng put his hand on the others mouth shutting him and dragged him to the opposite side of Lotus pier and after some turning, they stood behind a wall, in front of which stood the head maid and people from Gusu.

Jing Yan(The head maid), "Sect leader Lan, it's already been two days. Master has still not returned how about resting today and leaving tomorrow morning. It's quite a long journey to Gusu."

Jiang cheng was surprised, did Xichen really come out of his seclusion. Did it really turn into a big issue?

Lan xichen, "It's alright, we intended to be here only for a day and coming uninvited is quite rude mainly when the sect leader is not here." After some silence, Jiang cheng heard some receding footsteps. He came out of his hiding place and walked towards his head maid, "What is happening here?"

Jing Yan, "Sect leader, your back! I hope you had a good journey." He nodded and the head maid lifted her head from bowing and continued, "Zewu-jun, Hanguang-jun and master Wei came here yesterday, a few hours after you left. They wanted to meet you and stayed till night. I offered them to stay in the guest room for a night and they agreed. But they must have other matters to tend to, they left just before you came now. Maybe I should call them back-"

Jiang cheng, "No! I mean... I will go and see them myself." He looked at his head disciple who nodded his head and led the head maid inside. He went towards the entrance, again, hiding behind a wall.

Wei wuxian, "How unfortunate, we waited for two days yet he still did not return." He hugged his husband, pouting at him just to receive a peck.

Lan xichen, "Life has its own ways with people, we should leave soon. Uncle must be worried." As they turned and started walking, jiang cheng slowly peeked behind the wall, making sure it's only his eyes that are not protected by the wall. 

For anyone from the other side, it would be quite a show to watch, after all the sect leader was hiding behind a wall, looking funny. Just then the wind blew, which led the clarity bell, which was in the sect leader's hand, especially to not make a sound, jingled. But thankfully, it was not loud enough to catch their attention. 

Sect leader Lan, who was in seclusion was very sensitive to sounds. It's like he got superhuman hearing. He looked back but he did not see anyone. That was mainly because Jiang cheng turned front immediately after the bell jingled. The sect leader just ignored it and continued forward. Until that is...

Lan xichen, "Actually, I think I'll stay." The other two who were in their own world turned around. One was worried and one was confused.

Lan wangji, "Brother..." Having understood his concern, the older Jade smiled reassuring, "It's alright wangji, nothing bad will happen."

Wei wuxian, "Then I will also stay, I need to see him too." A tight hand was wrapped around his waist, "Wei ying!"

Lan xichen, "There is no need for that master Wei, I just like the atmosphere here. It helps me recover and I need to talk to Sect leader Jiang." The younger jade turned towards his brother and after some time of eye contact, he agreed. He then took Wei wuxian with him and left. With the receding footsteps, came curses.

Jiang cheng who was hiding behind a wall, was cursing the older jade for being so stubborn, "Why in the world would he wait for me, so stubborn!" He folded his arms and glared into nothing, "Oh why Wanyin, am I not welcome here?"