Penitence

Chapter Twenty-Six

Wei Wuxian never left Wen Yuan's side after his birth. He stayed in Wen Yuan's late mothers home and took care of him inside of the walls, though Wei Wuxian would never invade Lady Wen Ah-Cy's room for it felt wrong to him, even though all the Aunts and Uncles, even Granny Wen would tell him it would be okay to use her bed, Wei Wuxian made his bed in the room that Was Wen Yuan's room right before the basket net.

Even though it was Wen Ah-Cy who wished that A-Yuan would still carry Wen's name, everyone thought Wei Wuxian would give the baby his name to make A-Yuan officially his son, but Wei Wuxian had hundreds of children and never had them carry his name. Not even the first ten children of the world had his name, they didn't have family names just yet because he wanted them to make their own families among one another, to make names for themselves. He wished for A-Yuan to do the same, even if the boy wished to carry Wei's name at a later date, Wei Wuxian would allow it, but for now his Wen Yuan.

Lan Wangji would come back and forth to the Cottage in the mountain's and to the Wen's village to do Wei Wuxian's chores back on the mountain, and to make sure Wei Wuxian was being taken care of while Wei Wuxian was taken care of his son. Lan Wangji never told the reason for Wei Wuxian's disappearance for the past few days, though Jiang Yanli never asked, and Jiang Cheng just huffed and said out loud, "Good riddance." So he never said the reasons, to leave it up to Wei Wuxian, on his own time, if he ever wants to come back with Lan Wangji that is.

He would never voice it out loud, but Lan Wangji has grown close to the Wei Wuxian, who was young spirited and yet wise of years that he seemed to never have caught. Even though Lan Wangji never thought that this man who hides behind a smile didn't seem right or seem to fit Wei Wuxian. Sometimes Lan Wangji would dream that Wei Wuxian would be causing mischief or poking fun at silly and small things.

Though they were nothing but a dream as he watched Wei Wuxian be a father to a newborn as if Wei Wuxian has done this for a very long time now, which brought him back to the cave as Wei Wuxian cried over the loss of the enormous tortoise monster. How Wei Wuxian cried over its death as if he was the one who raised that monster. It still couldn't be possible as Wei Wuxian should be eighteen like Lan Wangji.

A full week passed when Wen Yuan and Wei Wuxian were visited by a young boy that seemed to be a few years younger than Lan Wangji and Jiang Cheng. Holding his son close to him as if to hide him weary at the sight of the boy wearing a Qishen Wen disciple robes. "May I help you?" Wei Wuxian asks.

"U-um I'm l-looking for Wen-Ah-Cy?" the boy asks.

Pausing for a moment Wei Wuxian was taken back at the boy stuttering. "I'm sorry, but she passed by childbirth last week."

Tears started to cloud the boy's eyes, "O-oh, s-so that m-must is h-her s-son." he looked to Wen Yuan in Wei Wuxian's arms. "I am glad to have m-met my cousin's ch-child."

"May I ask who you are?" Wei Wuxian asks.

Releasing he never introduced himself, the boy grew flushed and was quick to bow to Wei Wuxian, "My name is Wen Ning courtesy name Qiongling. I am the third y-young Master of Qishan Wen clan, but S-Sect. Leader Ruohan is only my Uncle."

"Why have you come to this small village?" Wei Wuxian continues to question Wen Ning.

"Th-this is my family. M-my sister and I are from here. We w-were raised h-here by our mother and father, but we lost them d-during an n-night hunt."

"I'm sorry for your loss." Wei Wuxian gives him his condolences. He steps aside and opens the door further, "Would you like to come in for some tea? You can get acquainted with A-Yuan while brewing some."

Coming inside Wen Ning looks at the child in his arms and smiles fondly, "A-Yuan, just like his father."

"It was Lady Wen's last wish to have him be named after one of them."

Wen Ning looks grateful to Wei Wuxian, "I can't thank you enough Young Master Wei. However, would you mind if I do a small check-up on A-Yuan? It's why I am here. Lady Wen was supposed to be due any day now, but my Jiejie couldn't make it here so she sent me in her stead. I want to be able to report some good news for my Jiejie."

"Please help yourself, Wen Ning, I only know the basics of medicine. Just enough but modern medicine changed so much that I must say I am lost for words how far it progressed in such a small amount of time." Wei Wuxian admits.

Confused to Wei Wuxian's words, Wen Ning ignored them and took the bag he brought with him along with A-Yuan who was still in his arms and carried them both to the table where he laid Wen Yuan over and unswaddled him and started to check over the baby. By the time Wei Wuxian was carrying a tray of teacups and the newly brewed tea to the table, Wen Ning was done doing his check-up on Wen Yuan and seemed pleased with how the young boy progressed considering her like a week early.

Wrapping Wen Yuan back in his blanket Wen Ning passes the newborn to his father while taking the tray away from Wei Wuxian and setting up the table. "I know you might be able to talk about it, but how is the War progressing?"

"U-Uncle Rouhan has t-taken Qinghe Nie, b-but Sect Leader Nie a-and Young Master Nie except before b-being c-captured. Laning Jin has still yet to be seen in this War." Wen Ning updated Wei Wuxian.

"What are your thoughts about Sect. Leader Wen, actions as of late?" Wei Wuxian continued to question the young Wen.

"My Jiejie and I don't s-stand with him, but I-I w-was on a close watch a-and used met-to keep Jiejie in l-line, but after S-Second Master Wen's d-death, I was able to escape Qishen Wen to j-join Jiejie in Yiling." Wen Ning admits.

"Aren't you worried about Wen Ruohan coming here to your home and killing your family?"

Wen Ning looks down for a moment, "Th-that's one of the reasons I've come, Young Master Wei. I need to get them out of h-here, because not only do I need to worry about my Uncle, but the Lan's and the Nie's have been seen closing in close to this mountain. W-Who knows what they would do with this village once they realized it's inhabited by Wen's."

Thinking for a moment, Wei Wuxian knows he is speaking the truth, he felt like he could trust Wen Ning's words. He knows for a fact just because the leader of a sect is evil doesn't equal the entire sect being evil. He wouldn't damn his son's entire family for sharing the same name as an evil name.

"I believe I can help you with this if you can help me with two favors." Wei Wuxian says.