WangXian Forever 5

Chapter 60 Joy

SiZhui was day dreaming.

About flowers, about weddings and about promises. Every day, he woke up with a smile on his face, joy radiating outwards, and every single person he encountered, smiled back at him in response.

He felt like he was floating on a cloud, drifting away and he was allowed not to care where it took him. All those painful moments of indecision and doubts just...melted away.

Jin Ling was learning more about him, and SiZhui's heart burst into flames at his efforts.

Jin Ling sent him letters. Every day.

Alright, they were short. Maybe only a sentence or two, if he was lucky, but it showed SiZhui that Jin Ling was thinking about him at least.

And whenever they were together, Jin Ling never failed to show him how much he meant to him.

SiZhui blushed happily. In fact, he was so happy, he wanted to do something extra special for Jin Ling. And it would require the help of his Uncle XiChen and his Uncle Cheng.

So he finished his tea and skipped all the way to the Hanshi, thinking about how to ask for what he wanted.

*****

Jin Ling stared at the blank piece of parchment thinking hard about what to write.

Letters were hard. Really hard.

He was much more of a direct person, preferring to speak rather than write, and frankly, the thought of saying what was on his mind as characters, well, it was so cheesy, it made him cringe.

But SiZhui liked these letters. So much, he was saving them like a miser with his coins.

Jin Ling sighed again. He thought about the way chocolate brown eyes glowed with delight every time they fell upon his face. How SiZhui's whole face would light up with joy. He was such a happy boy, and Jin Ling found himself smiling.

He could feel little magical bubbles bursting inside his chest, every time he thought about SiZhui. That boy could kiss.

There was certainly nothing innocent about that side of his boyfriend. Jin Ling blushed, thinking about their latest meeting, the hurried kissing, wanting to make each one last longer than the one before. How SiZhui would look after that, pink lips bruised and plump from his attentions. How he craved being held afterwards, shyly tucking his flaming face into the crook of his neck. How glad Jin Ling felt, holding him close.

He had been alone for so long, that this new feeling terrified him. Marriage...that word brought out heart palpitations before. The thought of marrying for the sake of it, to someone he barely knew, it induced a panic like no other. But SiZhui...SiZhui changed all that.

Changes happened all the time, but not all of them were bad. Jin Ling smiled and picked up his dry brush, finally inspired enough to write.

"I love you." There.

SiZhui would understand.

*****

Uncle Qiren stared at the map, the one he had hidden in a secret box, in a secret place.

Nobody knew it existed, and he was the only one left alive now, who knew about it. The price to pay for such knowledge was...too high.

He wondered if he should have said something more, something useful at least, when his nephew and nephew in Bond had mentioned their travel plans.

The need to keep them safe in this uncertain world, warred with the belief that it was better to keep this hidden. Gusu was protected as long as this map was safe, out of the interests of the common people.

WangJi was a careful man. He had suffered too much to make silly mistakes. He would guard Wei WuXian with his life, and now Uncle Qiren had some idea of the kind of man he was too, he knew the same was true of his nephew in Bond.

He had quietly entered the library once, just after they had planned out their route. He examined the location that was hidden under the guise of a lake, on all maps except his own one. His family would have no reason to go there.

And his secret would remain safe.

But for how long?

*******

Jiang Cheng sat outside the Jingshi, under the Great magnolia tree, enjoying the soft cooling breeze. Summertime in Gusu was just as hard to endure as in Yunmeng, but Lotus Pier had the additional lakes and waterways to keep it cooler. Here, the cold mountain air was great...until midday, when the sweltering sunshine hit the hardest.

The magnolia tree offered shade like no other.

Jiang Cheng stared at the door of the Jingshi, willing it to open, and a dishevelled looking Wei WuXian to come out of it, with robes in disarray, hair falling out of his ponytail and a great big smile lighting up his face. Followed by an icy looking husband.

Wei WuXian was rarely away from his husband and Jiang Cheng missed him. He scowled.

Lan WangJi, he could do without, but his brother...Jiang Cheng missed him sorely.

There was no one to playfully shove him, make ridiculous jokes with, laugh at silly things with. Wei Ying was nothing but entertaining, and even if Jiang Cheng hid his thrill under piles of scorn, he secretly missed their interactions.

XiChen was great. XiChen was his lover, his husband. Jiang Cheng could be a puddle at his feet just with a certain smile or or intense look, but....Wei WuXian was Wei WuXian.

And nothing else would do.

********

XiChen looked at his latest painting and frowned. He never frowned.

He looked at the latest butterfly message on the table next to him and found his lips turning up reluctantly.

WangJi would look after all of them. He had to trust in that.