WangXian Forever 5

Chapter 20 Choices

Wei Ying sat up, his breathing faster all of a sudden.  Lan Zhan watched him to go to their chest of drawers and hunt for something, smiling triumphantly when he held a small hand mirror. He came skipping back to Lan Zhan and seated himself exactly upon the warm lap, facing the table.

"Look, Lan Zhan. It's mirror writing. You can only read it if you look at the reflection, not directly. That's why we couldn't read it before."

Lan Zhan glanced at the paper, and because he vould now read it, he smiled. Then he turned Wei Ying's face towards him and crushed their lips together, ending in a bite.

Wei Ying had closed his eyes, blissed out, but the bite had him frowning.

"What was that for?"

"Wei Ying is clever." There was a faint trace of smugness.

"Really?" He ran his tongue over the bite, watching the way golden irises dilated, concentrating on his every action.

He leaned in, lips ghosting over the other's, incredibly slowly angling his head just so. They both sighed as their lips met in sweetness and love, moving ever so slowly, taking their time to savour each other's taste, the slide of hot lips hungry for more as it quickly escalated. Wei Ying moaned and Lan Zhan pulled his hair, exposing that long throat. He bit down on his Adam's apple, elicting another deep moan from his partner.

Wei Ying threw him a wicked grin and moved off his lap where it had suddenly become slightly uncomfortable. He pointed to the parchment.

"We have work to do."

"Mn."

If the sound was disappointed, there was nothing either of them could do about it just yet.

But Lan Zhan didn't like him so far away. With a yelp from an unsuspecting husband, he planted him in his lap again.

"Better." He answered the questioning look.

There was a knock on the door and XiChen came in, Jiang Cheng following behind him.

Wei Ying smiled broadly at both of them, earning a scowl from the latter.

"Why are you so happy?"

"Because we just solved this." Wei Ying thrust the paper at him.

Jiang Cheng angled it so XiChen could read it too, not that they were able to.

"Wei Ying solved it. Wei Ying is beautiful." Lan Zhan kissed his temple too, making him blush harder.

Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes.

"It's gibberish. No one can read this." He scowled.

"Wei Ying can." This time, it was dripping with smugness.

Jiang Cheng's scowl deepened at the direct challenge.

"Drink, Jiang Cheng?" Wei Ying offered, with a mischievous smile.

"I'm not drinking anything that's been near you!" Jiang Cheng replied, hotly.

Wei Ying stuck his tongue out at him.

"WangJi, why don't you let Brother Wei explain?" XiChen, ever the diplomat intervened.

Wei Ying gave them a blinding smile and rested the mirror at an angle.

"Read the reflection."

Both XiChen and Jiang Cheng gasped. The scowl dissipated like clouds on a sunny day, replaced by curiosity.

A lone oak tree,
Over land, over lake,
Where we roam free,
Our love, our life,
Is hidden within.

Wei Ying read the words out loud.

"What does that mean?" XiChen had directed that question to Lan Zhan, but as he was still making cow eyes at his husband, he switched to Wei Ying instead.

"No idea!" Wei Ying said, confidently.

He happened to turn around and his eyes met golden ones. His hand reached up to frame a pale cheek. Paler fingers, soft until the calloused tips covered his hand. They were so lost in each other, neither noticed the other couple leave.

Jiang Cheng might have slammed the door, but no one noticed.

*****

Later on, they met up in the library.

"Where's Li XiWang?" Jiang Cheng asked, when they walked in, fashionably late.

"We don't think she should be involved until we're sure of something." Wei Ying said, bouncing up to him. "And if we could all keep it quiet until then, that would be good."

"Mn."

They sat around the biggest table. Wei Ying pulled out the translated paper and set it in the middle. He was just about to speak when the door opened and SiZhui and JingYi ran in, slowing to a walk when they met a disapproving stare. Wei Ying patted his hand, and the contact transformed his face, allowing SiZhui to grin and plant himself next to his father, with JingYi on the other side.

Both juniors smiled at Wei Ying, silently begging to be included.

He looked up to the Jade, and smiled, winningly.

"They might be able to help, Lan Zhan. As it is, we have a rhyme but no idea to its meaning."

"Mn."

SiZhui sighed in relief.

"Where did it come from?" JingYi asked.

"For now kids, please just listen." Wei Ying told them. "And don't let anything you hear outside of this room. Got it?"

"Got it!" They both said. Their enthusiasm was contagious, and pretty soon, many ideas were thrown about.

"Maybe it's a key to something."

"What if it's buried treasure?"

"Or directions?"

"To where?"

Wei Ying liked the one about directions. He tapped his nose thoughtfully.

"What if it's directions to the Tree of Life? Li XiWang had said, find the tree."

"That's true, Brother Wei. It feels like the right answer." XiChen told him.

"Or we could be totally wrong." Jiang Cheng replied. "We are just basing all this upon castles in the sky. You don't have any firm evidence."

"True." Wei Ying looked dejected. "But I'm getting a strong feeling that we should let Li XiWang open her pouch. What do you all think?"

"In the cave?" XiChen asked. "Will it be enough to contain any energy surges?"

"I thought, under the water. It isn't deep, but the different cold energies that gather there might work as suppressants." Wei Ying said, clearly having already thought about it. "We can add strengthening wards to the existing ones."

"What does Li XiWang say?" Jiang Cheng asked, staring at him.

Wei Ying blushed.

"Have not asked. Yet." Lan Zhan answered for him, reaching for his hand.

Wei Ying smiled gratefully at him.

"I want to be absolutely certain it's the right thing to do before we suggest it." He added.

"Then perhaps, that's the first thing you both should do. If she's not comfortable with anything, it might be best not to pursue this avenue of thinking." XiChen warned.

"Brother is right." Lan Zhan agreed.

Wei Ying was in two minds. For him, Li XiWang came first. But his gut told him that they had clues at their fingertips and it was only a matter of time now.

Since Uncle Qiren's warning, the worry that his daughter could be exposed to killers was a constant one.

He did not want to find himself in position where external forces demanded action from them. If these assassins could reach outside of Heaven's gates, then where would remain safe? Where, and how could he protect Li XiWang?

And the worst one: what if he failed?