𝙋𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙒𝙚𝙞

1|Last wish|

"Someone Save my baby.
Save my child.
Please God save my child.
I won't make it home.
I can't see my baby for the last time.
Save my baby.
Mama can't see you for one last time.
Oh God, somebody save my baby.
He is all alone in Yiling.
Please.
We love you A-ying, Always."

Xie Lian woke up with a jolt, the pitiful begging of the woman's voice still lingering in his ears. He turned to look at his husband who was still sleeping peacefully by his side. He touched his own cheeks and realised that he was crying in his sleep. He slowly sat up on bed without waking Hua Cheng, while his ears wrung with the woman's pained words. He buried his face in his hands and sat there leaning on the headboard in a daze.

"A-Ying! A-Ying!"

It was the middle of the night in the Ghost City and the moonlight seeped into their bedroom through the open window. Xie Lian opened his eyes and watched the full moon shining brightly in a cloudless night sky.

Xie Lian walked away from bed to answer this dying last prayer. He was thinking deeply of the baby in the womans words and how the baby must be terrified of being left alone. His frowned as he thought of the child left alone without parents. This mother, who at the moment of her death had prayed to him 'to me.' to protect her child.

'A Baby. A small child left all alone.
Oh the child must be hungry.
Is the he safe at home?
Will he be asleep thinking his parents will be soon home?
Waiting for someone who will not return.'

"Mama loves you baby."

Xie Lian was thinking deeply as many questions swirled in his mind. He put on his outer robe thinking of how HongHong-Er was left all alone on the streets and how he had struggled to survive without anyone caring for him. He thought how he himself found it difficult to be alone at times. He knew that if he cannot save the child soon and get him to his relatives, the child will have to live a terrible childhood. He felt sad thinking of the fate of this unfamiliar mother and son so much that he could not wait to meet this child.

Hua Cheng woke up from his sleep sensing the missing warmth by his side. He opened his eyes to see Dianxia getting ready to go somewhere in the middle of the night. He felt anxious as he saw the worried expression on Xie Lian's face.

"Gege"

Xie Lian broke away from his string of thoughts when he heard Hua Cheng's voice. He smiled at him and said.

"San Lang, I have a last wish to fulfill."

Hua Cheng saw Xie Lian's smile falling and being replaced by a frown as soon as he said those words. He sat up on the bed and watched as his Gege put on his shoes and got ready to leave.

Hua Cheng quickly put on his outer robes and picked up E-Ming. He could see the concern in his Xie Lian's eyes as he started drawing the distance shortening array. He wanted to ask whether this can wait till the morning but he believed in Xie Lian and would be with him in whatever choice he made.

Hua Cheng understood that this was important for his Gege so he looked Xie Lian in the eyes and ask softly.

"Dianxia. What do you need?"

"Go to Yiling."

Yiling in the mortal realm, Hua Cheng knew that place. 'If gege wants to go there now, I'll go with him.' Xie Lien quickly finished his drawing and turned back to see that his husband is already dressed and has strapped E-ming to his hips. He chuckled at his husband's enthusiasm.

"I'll accompany you."

Hua Cheng said smiling as he walked to the door and stood side by side with Xie Lian. Xie Lian nodded once and smiled at him. He was not going to get used to this feeling of having someone there for him anytime soon. Xie Lian said.

"By the heaven official's blessing no paths are bound."

The distance shortening array lit up illuminating both their faces in warm golden light. Hua Cheng opened the door with one hand while holding Xie Lian's hand and interlocking their fingers. He gently squeezed his hand reassuringly as they stepped into the empty streets of Yiling market.

A chilly wind greeted them as soon as they stepped onto Yiling. Ruoye snuggled closer and tightened it's hold around Xie Lian's arms. Hua Cheng hugged Xie Lian closer as the cold wind brushed past them.

The beautiful dark blue sky of Yiling was adorned with many stars and a faint orange light starting to spread from the horizon. Xie Lian started walking forward and Hua Cheng walked along side him, hand in hand.

Hua Cheng glanced at Xie Lian to see a seriousness and concern on his face. He looked like he was really concentrating on something so Hua Cheng left him alone to his thoughts. After some time of walking aimlessly he carefully called.

"Gege?"

"Mm"

Xie Lian hummed while still walking forward and keeping his eyes straight ahead, searching. Hua Cheng understood the gravity of the situation from that response. 'Something must be bothering Gege. It must be urgent.'

"Why are we here?"

"Someone save me child"

Xie Lian could still hear the woman's voice replaying in his head making him unconsciously quicken his steps. He turned his head to face Hua Cheng. He said with a sad smile.

"To find a baby San Lang.
He- he is all alone in his home. "

Hearing this Hua Cheng only nodded his head in response. The two of them walked in silence while Hua Cheng drew small circles with his thumb in Xie Lian's hand.

"Fengmian please raise him in Lotus pier."

"San lang we need to take him to Lotus Pier, to a person named Fengmian."

Hua Cheng nodded once again and both of them continued to walk through the empty streets of Yiling. Seeing that Xie Lian had calmed down and was less tense than before, Hua Cheng asked.

"Gege, What's the baby's name?"

"My Wei Ying mama loves you."

Xie Lian could hear the woman cheerfully saying her child's name, laughing through her last moments to say how much she loved her child. Xie Lian smiled at his husband and said.

"Wei Ying"