Black Greed

TWENTY FIVE

As soon as they went back to resume their daily routine, Lan XiChen kept on visiting the preoccupied Wei MeiLan.

He sees her sometimes training Lan YuXia with her flexibility or endurance, taking care of the young Jin Ling or advising Jiang WanYin while doing some paper reports and investigation with the previous night hunt.

"Lan Huan, no hunts to do?" Wei MeiLan asked after she had freed herself from the work. They are currently walking at the market to take a look with the items sold.

"Well, I gave my juniors some work and they're away for three days, I presume." His smile never falters.

"Well, I should give you one then? Give those files I collected to the people who joined last time," She said. "Also, can you play your flute? I've never heard you played it."

"Hmm," He smiled playfully. "Is our dear A'Qing giving them chance?"

She stared ahead. "Why not? I told them if they want my help, they should do something to appease the common folks. They didn't stopped from participating despite the fact that I might lash out and be unreasonable to them. They lent a hand without any assurance that they might come out safe from the night hunt I initiated."

He chuckled. "Fair point. So, as a reward. I will play later."

"Play it when you're free. I'm not demanding it to happen today." Wei MeiLan still have some plans for the day, but she doesn't know if they will still needed to be attended or not.

"Elder brother wants us to meet," Lan XiChen said out of nowhere. "I think he wants to say something or he just want to have some time for us since we are all busy with our duties."

"I don't mind," Wei MeiLan answered. "Just tell me when and I will come."

"Are you sure? Because he's asking today."

She looked back at him with disbelief. "What the hell, that's too sudden! He asked just today? Is he clear of duties?"

"I presume he is. Plus, he wants you to introduce to the elders of the Nie clan as his sworn sister, I think? He did that when he declared that we all should be sworn brothers," He smiled. "Don't worry, it's brief, and I think he just want to chill out for a bit. After all, he's also handling Qinghe Nie sect by himself."

"I see," She pondered. "I guess my plans for later will be cancelled indeed. A'Xia, you can take a rest today. Try to have some fun or something. Go home and see your family and friends, I'm sure they missed you."

"Are you sure Master?" Lan YuXia asked.

"Lan Huan is with me. Go now. You need a break for yourself for some time. Return tomorrow or the day after tomorrow." Wei MeiLan ordered.

"Master, if that's your way of saying that you're kicking me out temporarily because ZeWu-Jun is here, I won't complain~" Lan YuXia teased her.

******

"Remind me next time," Wei MeiLan said as Lan XiChen send her back to Lotus Pier. "That if Elder Brother wants us to meet, I decide where and what will be in the plans. Do you get it? This is, ugh!"

If anyone knows better, Nie MingJue is a bro-con. Wei MeiLan only need to know that as soon as she sat down. But she's amazed on how he gave importance to brotherhood. For if anyone, it might not the same.

Lan XiChen isn't a total bro-con, but he loves his brother enough to worry and care. As for her, she loves her siblings that she can give hard love to them just to correct some erratic behaviours they have.

Lan XiChen chuckled. "It's not entirely bad, if you attend Lanling Jin's you will see how lavish it is."

"A simple get together is enough for me," she fiddled on her hair accessories. "All of us are quite busy, that is why I understand his urge to see us all. I mean, who wouldn't? If my brother is still alive, as Yiling Patriarch, I will visit him no matter how secluded I am or busy he is."

She continued. "After all that's the only time we got before resuming our normal activities."

Lan XiChen smiled softly. "You miss him, don't you?"

"Of course," she looked at the setting sun. "He might be have his reckless and idiotic tendencies, at the end of the day, he's still my brother. But I need to move forward and wait for his return."

"You sound so sure that he will return, but you said he's dead."

"He will return. Your Gusu Lan clan can talk to souls remained here with Inquiry. My brother can summon and command the resentful energy of souls to do his bidding. But I can ask help directly from the soul. I've tried to call him, but he never showed up. No one has seen his soul either. So either his soul was kept well or he had find a way to return."

"No one can restore a dead, Wei Qing. The dead remains dead, unless someone tampers on the dead."

"Who said about keeping the original body?" She asked. "I never mention physical body. It's the soul. Anyway, you don't need to know about that. Just remind me next time about the small meet up of Elder Brother wants it."

Her shock with the meeting made Lan XiChen laugh. "Sure, I'll remember that. Then how about we have a random night hunt tonight to appease what you feel right now?"

"Hm, sure. A casual night hunt in random sounds good. But I don't have any weapons with me today."

"Well, we can improvise, right?" Lan XiChen suggested.