WangXian Forever 4

Chapter 4 Learning

XiChen stared at the man coldly, wishing he could just open up his mind and take a look.

The man started to shake, and XiChen wondered if he hadn't accidentally said that out loud.

"So tell me again, where do you buy your produce?"

"In the local market, Sir." The chef held his hat in his hands, wringing it with agitation. He had no idea what he'd done, only that the normally smiling man was staring daggers at him. It was...unnerving.

"And only you go? Or do you send someone?"

"I send the servants, Sir. I don't have the time to go myself."

"Is it always the same ones or different people?"

The questions went on and on. This was the third day. XiChen had interrogated most of the staff and gotten nowhere, but instead had a headache that made him want to lie down next to his husband in the infirmary and forget about everything.

The problem was, the food poisoning excuse could only last so long, and if he kept this up, people would begin to suspect something. And XiChen was beginning to hate himself, how he felt as if he couldn't trust anyone anymore. Being the husband of the sect leader, people wanted to talk to him about everything, whether it was as mundane as the weather or actual sect business, but the only thought running through his mind was, is it you?

He wished they were back in Gusu. He felt safe there. He sent yet another butterfly to his brother, knowing that Wei Ying would be feeling terrible about his brother's condition. Jiang Cheng was improving slowly; something the healers were working on day and night.

Reluctantly, he sighed and called out, "next?"

*******

Wei Ying beamed at the cook in the kitchen before taking the big bowl, and running as fast as he could to the Jingshi, taking care not to get caught.

The door opened just as he got there, an excited pair of eyes twinkling with mischief.

"Did you get it?" Li XiWang whispered, looking around outside before closing the door behind him.

"Of course. They don't call me the Yiling Patriarch for nothing!"

She rolled her eyes. "What flavour?"

"Strawberry."

She high fived him excitedly.

They sat down on opposite sides of the table, spoons ready.

"First question." She said.

"Alright. When did you find out about the making flowers whenever you like thing?" He took a bite, closing his eyes dreamily.

"Easy. I was practicing my guqin outside and the grass was bare and empty. I thought, wouldn't it be nice if there were daisies, and because I was getting up then, my hands were on the ground, and when I got up, I had daisies. My turn."
She took a big dollop of ice cream and shoved it in, but it was too big and ended up covering most of her face.

"Okay, second question. How did you feel when you did it?" Not to be outdone by someone at least only a third of his age, Wei Ying copied the amount of heaven on a spoon, more successfully than the one with the little mouth.

She pointed to her belly with her spoon. "This started moving." She went to eat some more but his spoon stopped her, mimicking the actions of a sword parry.

"Uh, uh. You have to give details. We agreed."

She rolled her eyes again.

"You've been spending too much time with your Uncle Cheng, young lady. It's rude to eye roll." He waved his spoon at her.

She looked at the slowly melting delight in the bowl, sighing. "Sorry. Can we get on with this?" She said, insincerely.

He nodded at her, enjoying himself.

"So I could feel a circle moving in my belly, and then I automatically checked my breathing and found that I could control it."

He let her have another spoonful.

"Why do you think you passed out when you were with your brother?" He eyed the contents of the bowl and realised that they'd be drinking it soon, if he didn't hurry.

"I wasn't paying attention and I forgot to check my breath. Plus, did you know? I've never tried gentians before, and it's not the season. Too many things were wrong." She dropped her spoon and lifted the bowl to her lips before he could stop her, guzzling it down like an drunk with his wine.

"Cheater!" Wei Ying tapped his spoon on her head lightly, feeling the need to lie down now.

Li XiWang wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, and sprawled on her side of the floor, groaning.

Wei Ying grinned at her through the short legs of the table. "Have you experimented with anything else?"

"Do we have to do this?" She moaned, hands clutching her stomach.

"A deal's a deal. And it was your idea to have the ice cream."

"Fine! No, I haven't. There's been no time, because of classes and practicing. Did you know, Master Lee has decided to give me extra tuition?" She tried to muster up excitement but the sugar rush was crashing.

"Are you happy about that?" Wei Ying yawned feeling lethargic.

"Over the moon," she replied, yawning because he did.

"That's great." He closed his eyes.

Li XiWang was already asleep.

Lan Zhan found them hours later, faces smeared with ice cream, hair splayed out behind them in identical sleeping positions. He brought a bowl of warm water, cleaned their faces and wiped their hands. Then he picked them up one by one and deposited them on the bed, covering them with a blanket, and kissing their cheeks before he tackled the mess.