WangXian Forever 4

Chapter 72 Explanations

XiChen smiled at the family sitting next to them.

"Start from the beginning. What happened after you left Cloud Recesses?"

"Did you miss us at all?" JingYi asked, from under the baby pile. The question was directed at SiZhui.

The dragon babies had curled around him so only his face was showing.

"Yes, I did. But at the same time, this was special. For all of us." SiZhui smiled shyly.

Li XiWang took his free hand in hers, smiling back. Jin Ling was sitting next to him again, after his Uncle XiChen had helpfully pulled his Uncle Cheng into his lap and creating space. Jin Ling could handle the scowls at his back.

"There were lots of villages." Li XiWang said, smiling at her fathers now.

"One of them had strange noises happen at night, but we didn't hear anything," SiZhui continued. "The innkeeper asked for fathers' help."

"What was it?" Jiang Cheng asked.

When neither parent answered, SiZhui spoke.

"A woman had been accidentally killed, and then her body was thrown down a ravine. My fathers saw her ghost and what she was trying to say."

At this memory, Lan Zhan's grip tightened around Wei Ying's waist. He didn't seem to notice, staring into the fire.

"The innkeeper was told to make offerings, and hopefully that will give her some peace." SiZhui finished.

"And then, there was the best town, with the best decorations, and it was lovely and they were having a festival because they were celebrating the day the Dragon Kings came to live in the sea." Li XiWang had started off excitedly rattling off her thoughts, bringing smiles to her uncles, but she sighed when she got to the last bit.

Lan Zhan rubbed her back comfortingly. He sneaked a look at Wei Ying, but he was still looking at the fire, unblinking.

"Show them the shell!" SiZhui said, also excited now.

Jin Ling kissed his cheek. His boyfriend could be so cute.

Li XiWang pulled it out from her pouch.

"This was my father's."

They all stared at her then, including Wei Ying.

"What did you say, little rabbit?" He whispered.

"Oh, not yours." She laughed awkwardly, a blush creeping into her cheeks. "I mean the seventh dragon king."

They all started talking at once then and it was Jiang Cheng who stopped it.

"Just shut up for a minute. How did we get from a pretty decorated town having a festival to...to this? It doesn't make sense. What happened at this festival?" He scowled at everyone else, effectively shutting them up.

XiChen rubbed his arm affectionately, and the scowl transformed into a shy smile.

Jin Ling rolled his eyes.

"Well, that's the strange part," SiZhui continued from Li XiWang. "We were wandering around the stalls because the day before, a resident had told us merchants from all over the country would come with different things to see and while we were here, it would be worth us staying. And then my sister saw a conch shell, that one, and she picked it up and played it. Then the merchant who was selling it gave it to her for free. And he said he only knew of one person who could play it."

"Really?" Jin Ling asked him, looking at Li XiWang. "Who else can play it? And can you play it now?"

"That comes later, if you want us to tell you in order!" Li XiWang smiled.