WangXian Forever 3

Chapter 79 Brothers

XiChen sneaked out of the Hanshi and made his way as quietly as he could, to the Jingshi, urgency feeding the speed of his feet.

He'd had enough now of wondering what to do; but if he didn't do anything soon, he feared the situation would escalate. There was only one person who could help him.

Wei Ying opened the door, with a 'just out of bed look', which might actually be accurate. His silky hair was falling out of the ponytail, red ribbon just managing to hang on by a thread, and his robes...well, it would have been enough to give their Uncle Qiren a qi deviation.

He yawned first and then brightened considerably, beaming at his brother in bond.

"XiChen-Ge! What a lovely surprise!" He stood aside and let him come in, smirking when XiChen looked either way before entering.

"Is it your brother you are avoiding, or mine?" He asked with a grin.

"Yours."

They sat down at the table and Wei Ying poured some of his favourite green tea. They were trying a new concoction, and so far, everyone had liked this one.

XiChen inhaled it deeply, the fragrance melting away his worry lines. Wei Ying only noticed as they vanished, one by one.

"You seem to be...a little anxious." Wei Ying remarked, watching him over the rim of his cup.

"Uh...well...that is to say..." XiChen was taken aback by his directness, although he should have been used to it by now. His brother in bond by two relationships, was far too astute sometimes. He had wanted a gradual integration into his problem, not tackle it up front like this. It made him feel unprepared, and XiChen was anything but.

"You can just tell me what's on your mind." Wei Ying went further by patting his hand kindly.

"It's Jiang Cheng," he blurted out.

"What's wrong with him, I mean, other than the obvious?" Wei Ying sported a twinkle in his eye. It was rare to see his XiChen-Ge so...so agitated, and those last words were meant to make him laugh, at the very least, smile, but instead it seemed to further his worry.

"Have you noticed anything... different about him?" XiChen downed his tea like a man in the desert.

Wei Ying poured some more. "What do you mean?"

"You know I love it when he's here, with me. But I don't understand why he's putting off going back to Lotus Pier. I-I don't think he likes it there, anymore." The words were cautious, as if XiChen didn't want to make them real by voicing them.

"What makes you say that?"

"Two things. The first, you know he hired an assistant, well, more like promoted his head disciple into doing more, but Feng Li Pao actually took the time to talk to me in private." XiChen poured more tea for himself, engrossed in what he was saying.

His actions brought a smile to Wei Ying's face.

"What did he tell you?"

"Well, it was nothing specific, you understand, just that they all, in Lotus Pier miss their leader. He asked when Jiang Cheng would be going back."

"What did my brother say?" Wei Ying leaned forward now, concerned. There was no way Jiang Cheng was avoiding his home, was he?

"He gave me all sorts of excuses, saying it was good if he stayed away, because that would allow his clan to grow, and his absence would make them be fonder on his return, and then he said he didn't feel needed." XiChen sighed at the empty teapot, his hands in search of something to do. "I even offered to return to Lotus Pier with him, but he just looked at me sadly...as if he was disappointed in me."