WangXian Forever 4

Chapter 11 Accusations

Lan Zhan received a butterfly from Cloud Recesses. They had been waiting for XiChen and Jiang Cheng to surface, but they were still asleep.

Wei Ying spoke to the kitchen staff and arranged dinner, two trays to be delivered to the infirmary while they ate theirs in the dining hall.

"Shou Xing is awake." Lan Zhan told Wei Ying.

"Then I guess we should go." Wei Ying frowned.

"Mn."

"I know." Wei Ying brightened up. "I'll leave them a note. That way, they won't worry, and I don't have to wake them up."

"Mn."

Wei Ying grabbed a piece of parchment and a brush and then, giggling to himself, he wrote a few brush strokes. Lan Zhan waited for him as he ran inside to plant it.

He fell asleep holding onto Lan Zhan while they flew home. Lan Zhan didn't wake him, instead he carried Wei Ying until they were outside the infirmary.

"Wei Ying. We are here." He whispered, but it had no effect on the sleeping man.

"Wei Ying!" This was a bit louder and to his relief, Wei Ying opened his eyes, blinking slowly.

He smiled brightly, still a little sleepy.

"I love you, Lan Zhan."

"Mn. Love Wei Ying." He replied smiling back, but for him, it was just a twitch of his mouth. "We are here."

"Yes, of course." Wei Ying stretched, yawning. "Let's go meet him."

Shou Xing's eyes fluttered open when Wei Ying called his name gently.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

"I've seen better days." He cleared his throat.

Wei Ying brought him a cup of water and helped him sip it slowly.

"What happened to you?"

"Attacked." He breathed out, painfully.

"What? Who was it?" Wei Ying held his hand.

"Assassins. Trained killers."

"Do you know who sent them?" Wei Ying thought hard. "And why? Who would want to harm you?"

He tried to speak but the effort overwhelmed him and he passed out again, breathing heavily.

The healer rushed in, saw the state of the man on the bed and frowned at them.

"He is not to be disturbed!"

"We are very sorry." Wei Ying apologized and backed away from him, taking Lan Zhan with him by the hand.

They walked back to the Jingshi.

"I wonder who could have done it..." Wei Ying said, swinging their hands.

He yawned, causing Lan Zhan to quicken their steps. Wei Ying smiled at him, hurrying along.

"Lan Zhan! Lan Zhaaan!" He tugged back on his hand. "I'm not that tired!"

Wei Ying overtook him, giggling. He pulled him into the Jingshi.

"Guess what?"

"Mn?"

"We're totally alone now."

Lan Zhan beamed at him, taking control. He started taking Wei Ying's clothes off enthusiastically until Wei Ying stopped him. With a serious face, Wei Ying admonished him.

"What are you doing? I thought we could meditate. You know, improve our cultivation. Like grandmother told us to."

Lan Zhan started redressing him, confused. Wei Ying never usually said no...

Wei Ying threw his arms around him, laughing. "Kidding! You should've seen your face!"

He was thrown onto the bed, still laughing but it wouldn't be for long.

*****

The next morning, when Wei Ying wanted to check in with Shou Xing again, Li XiWang asked to accompany him.

"So...any thoughts on our next trials? What do you want to do?" Wei Ying asked her.

She was already smiling. "I'll think of something. We have to take it to the next level. And father?"

"Hmm?"

"I want to... I want to develop ways I can protect people."

Wei Ying stopped walking. "Really?"

She nodded enthusiastically.

"That's such a good idea. I can help you."

She hugged him happily.

They went inside. Today, Shou Xing looked more lucid, a definite improvement from yesterday's condition.

He smiled at Wei Ying, but when he gazed at Li XiWang, he started shaking. He pointed at her.

"You...why...she is...?" He stared at Wei Ying, looking terribly confused and upset.

"What?" Wei Ying looked equally confused.

"She cannot be here. You do not know what you're doing!" He started breathing heavily, eyes rolled back and he passed out for me a second time.

This time, the healer all but pushed him out of the infirmary.

Outside, he looked at his daughter. Li XiWang was taking it incredibly well, he thought.

"I'm not sure what he meant." Wei Ying told her.

"I don't care." She replied, still smiling.

"You don't care what he said?" Wei Ying held her hand and began to walk them to her classes.

"No. Should I?"

Her face was so open and innocent, he didn't want to change that.

"I don't know." He hedged. "We can think about that another day. What would you like for dinner tonight?"

They chatted away, not putting much weight to his words.

That evening, he had a chance to talk to Lan Zhan before Li XiWang returned.

"Shou Xing was really strange. He stared at our daughter, spouted some incoherent rubbish and passed out again." Wei Ying sat at their table, experimenting on a couple of talismans.

He was working on finding a way to make medicine taste sweeter. Half way through, he changed his mind and wondered if it was possible to trick the mind of the drinker instead, to make it taste like their favourite drink. Or something else...

He put it down, frustrated.

"What is wrong?" Lan Zhan asked him, covering his hand.

"I'm just thinking about what he said. It's bothering me, and he can't seem to stay awake long enough to actually answer any questions." He faced Lan Zhan with his smile turned up to a thousand watts.

"I don't care. I'm going to enjoy this night with my family."

Lan Zhan kissed him, stopping him from talking any more. Wei Ying climbed into his lap in a bid to get closer, lips still attached to him.

"Wei Ying is beautiful. Love Wei Ying."

"I love you so much, too."