WangXian Forever 3

Chapter 3 Strangers

Wei Ying ran and hugged his grandmother.

"How are you?"

"You just saw me last week. I'm the same!" She untangled herself from him, rolling her eyes.

He grinned back at her, undeterred. "Where's Li Xiwang?"

"Saying goodbye to her fellow disciples." She started walking towards where they were.

"And her parents? Are they here yet?"

She shook her head. Today she was wearing a white gown, flowing robes of shimmery brightness; Wei Ying had to shield his eyes when the sun shone on her. He tugged on her sleeve.

"Are you sure they're really her parents? What are you going to do if they're not?" His expression was too earnest for her not to answer.

"I told you last time. There's nothing I can do. If they say they're her parents, how can we disprove that?" She stopped walking to look at him properly. "My dear grandson, please understand. This is hard enough for all of us already. All you have to do, is try to make her feel better. That's it."

She had never taken that tone with him, and he was suitably reprimanded.

"I'm sorry, Grandmother. I won't say anything."

She patted his head. "Good."

Li Xiwang was standing quietly, accepting happy wishes from her peers and the young ones. When she saw Wei Ying, she left the group and walked towards him.

Wei Ying's heart broke at her expression; uncertainty and dejection. But he had promised his grandmother that he would try to make her feel better, so he would.

He ran towards her instead and picked her up with gusto, spinning her around until she was dizzily laughing.

"I brought you a present." He told her.

Her face lit up. "For me?"

He put her down and retrieved a velvet pouch from his sleeve. Grabbing her hand, palm out, he tipped it upside down.

"A bracelet!" She exclaimed.

"Not quite. This is an anklet." Wei Ying took her to the root of an old oak tree and made her sit down, making sure his grandmother was out of earshot. He placed it around her tiny ankle and put her boot back on.

"Li Xiwang, listen to me. I'm sure your parents are lovely people. So this is going to be just our secret. Do you understand?"

He waited until she nodded. Her face was completely serious, eyes wide as saucers.

"Do not tell anyone about this, not even my grandmother and especially not your parents. Am I clear?"

"As rain. Wei ge-ge, I was thinking, what if they don't let me write letters?"

"I was thinking about that too." He beamed at the little girl, so happy that she wasn't afraid, and so brave, as to take the necessary steps to ensure her own safety. She was only eight years old now. No child should have to do this, Wei Ying thought, sad suddenly.

"Do you remember my brother?" He asked.

"The angry one?" She replied innocently.

"Yes, that one. He had to go somewhere where they didn't let him write letters too, so I gave him a special kind of talisman. It turns invisible after you activate it. And you can write on anything. Anything." He reiterated.

"I can write in code too, Wei ge-ge, don't worry." She stood up and gave him a real hug. "I trust you."

Those words invoked a fierce desire in him to protect her at all costs.

"What are you two whispering about?" His grandmother stood next to him, watching them.

"Wei ge-ge was telling me to write him letters, Gramps." Li XiWang kissed his cheek and went to hold her hand.

"Your parents are waiting by the oak trees."

"You're not letting them come here?" Wei Ying tried not to smile.

"They don't belong here." Was the blunt response he got.

They walked down the mountain together, past the cherry grove. Wei Ying pulled a few blossoms off for the little girl.

"Pretty girls should always have flowers," he told her.

"I shall give some to my mother." She said.

There was a lump in his throat that didn't let him speak. Lan Zhan took his hand, comforting him with his thumb, running it over his knuckles. Wei Ying was afraid he would cry if he looked at him, so he kept his gaze ahead.

The oak trees parted and there they were.

They looked middle aged, slightly greying hair on both, and simple clothes. No swords or other spiritual weapons. Wei Ying couldn't help but frown; how would Li Xiwang train, if her parents weren't from the cultivation world, and had no skills to impart? Her golden core was strong even at this age. With no training, it could wither away.

He looked at Lan Zhan then, and knew he was thinking the same thing.

They introduced themselves.

"I am Li Shou Wang." Her mother came forward and bowed. "This is my husband, Li Mai Bui."

"This is Li XiWang." The Grandmaster brought her forwards.

Wei Ying could see her little hands shaking and she hugged Baoshen Sanren for the last time. She waved at Wei Ying and then straightened her tiny shoulders and went to her mother. They both hugged and kissed her little face. Bowing her thanks, the mother took Li Xiwang away.

Wei Ying watched them go until they were no longer in sight. His heart felt as heavy as the boulders they had flown over.

"So when am I going to meet him?" His grandmother said, pointedly looking at his neck.

"He has a name." Wei Ying touched the ring and Hui Gai appeared.

He bowed straight away to the Grandmaster.

"Why are you bothering my grandson?" She asked off the bat.

"He has agreed to help me." Hui Gai watched her, licking his lips.

"And what does he get in return for that?"

"Grandmother!" Wei Ying interrupted them. "It's not like that. He saved me."

"And you saved him. I believe that makes you equal already." She turned back coldly to Hui Gai. "So I ask you again, what does he get in return?'

"Friendship." Wei Ying came and stood in front of Hui Gai, his back facing him. "Grandmother, I am respectfully telling you-"

"That this is none of my business?" She finished for him.

Wei Ying blushed, not wanting to agree.

"Very well." She laughed, but there was an underlying tone. "You can make the mistake of trusting a demon, but if he betrays you, I will flay him alive." She stared intently at Hui Gai, who swallowed with difficulty. "Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal." Wei Ying told her, and then caught Hui Gai's eye. "She'll have to catch you first, heh?"

The sharp crackle of a silver whip missed him by millimetres.