Never Let You Go, Again

13: A Good Demon and a Wicked Uncle

"What do you mean Jin disciples? What do my disciples have to do with fierce corpses and Daddy?"

Xiao Xiang gaped at the glowering youth. "Young Master, you are..." she slowed down at the sight of the standing-out logo on his white Lan school uniform. White and gold, a majestic peony. And that proud, domineering voice... "You must be Master's nephew and son, Little Rulan?"

Jin Ling's face crimsoned. "What little? I am the Jin sect's leader."

Xiao Xiang laughed. "Well, Sect Leader Jin, no matter how big of a sect leader you are, you're still little Rulan to Master! He keeps talking of your mother and his darling," she nodded in Lan Wangji's direction.

"What do you mean Xiangxiang?" Xichen asked.

"Master is lonely these days, Sect Leader Lan. He wants to do this alone for some reason, but he loves his... what did he say again..." she scratched her head. "OH! Yes. His Shijie and his A-Zhan. I am Master's closest right now, so when he's not killing another Jin lackey, he keeps talking to me of his Shijie and his love. No matter what I say to distract Master, he keeps scolding himself over and over, regretting his responsibility for his Shijie's death and his A-Zhan's heartbreak. Second Master Lan, I have something to tell you on behalf of Master. Master would never say this to your face."

Lan Wangji looked up at her, raising an eyebrow. Xichen couldn't help but feel a hint of gratitude for this gracious demoness.

"Master knows the reason behind your thirty-three whip scars and the brand-mark on your chest."

Wangji gasped. He stared at her, finally willing to hear more.

Xiao Xiang smiled sadly. "He regrets having been stupid enough to not understand his feelings back then. He says he did many stupid things in his first life, which might include the broken promise Sect Leader Jiang mentioned."

Now it was Jiang Cheng's turn to gasp. So he did remember...

"Master regrets so many things. And all that guilt just exceeds everything else he feels."

"Guilt?" Sizhui asked.

The demoness gave Sizhui a once-over and nodded. "Young Master W– Lan? A-Yuan?"

"Mn," Sizhui nodded. "How did you recognise me?" She even knew he was a Wen descendant?

Xiao Xiang laughed again, sounds of a soft tinkling bell and a vulgar undertone blended in her seductive voice. "Master described you correctly. A human ball of sunshine," she tapped Sizhui's nose.

Sizhui blushed while Jingyi smirked; Jin Ling smiled at him.

"Anyway... yes, guilt. For the loss of his adopted parents, Madam Yu and former Sect Leader Jiang... For the loss of his brother-in-bond, Little Rulan's father... For the loss of Young Mistress Wen, who always helped him back then, to the point of sacrificing herself for him... For the loss of his Wen friends... For the loss of his Shijie... For making Little Rulan an orphan... For rashly calling him motherless back on Dafan Mountain... For running away from Second Master Lan instead of going straight to him first thing after he returned... For all the pain he's given 'his A-Zhan'..." the demoness shook her head, sighing.

Everyone stood by the waterfall, silent, only the roars of the waterfall echoing through the woods.

Jiang Cheng didn't how to react. He was sad that Wei Wuxian still thought it was all his fault; glad that be remembered everything, even the time he said Jin Ling 'lacked maternal education'; but also pained at the memory of his dearest ones. Mother... Father... A-Jie... A-Qing... A-Qing had been by his brother's side when even he hadn't. A-Qing probably returned the comb out of anger. She was mad at him. So right up till her doing moment, Wen Qing had hated him?