Never Let You Go, Again

48: Letting Go of Restraint

And thus the days and months passed by. With Wei Ying's pangs of affliction recurring every few weeks, they'd go on a night hunt, make sure the juniors are safe, send them home, spend the night at the Shens' inns and return next morning in muddled up garments. Wei Ying found this routine entertaining because going to sleep AND waking up in such a romantic setting satisfied his coquettish heart excessively. And then, his loneliness disappeared as September arrived, when several visits were made. 

"Wei Wuxian! What are you doing with my nephew?" 

"A-Cheng! You're back! I thought you've forgotten us," he let go of Jin Ling, chuckling. 

"Jiujiu!" Jin Ling ran to his uncle and hugged him, making Jiang Cheng embarrassed but pleased. 

"Jin Ling, just what were you two doing?" 

"Daddy was teaching me a move, Jiujiu. I fought with Xiyi yesterday, almost lost, Suihua saved me in time. Daddy's teaching me something to make me win faster," Jin Ling beamed. 

"You fought with a girl!" Jiang Cheng looked at him with wide eyes.

"Sect Leader Jiang, I can take you on any time!" a young lady's voice shouted at him from behind Wei Wuxian. As she stepped in front, Jiang Cheng gasped. 

"Woah! Mianmian!" 

"Jiang Wanyin, we meet again," Luo Qingyang bowed with her sword in her hands. 

Jiang Cheng bowed back. "Mianmian came here..."

"Oh, Young Master Wei wanted me to help little Jin Ling with his library. It's good to hear that someone in the Jin sect cares for things like that, so I'm willing."

"Oh, I see," Jiang Cheng nodded his gratitude before turning back to Jin Ling. "Jin Ling, where's your Lan Shushu?"

"Hey, I thought you came to see me! Remember me? Oh, I'm your brother!" 

"Oh shut up, brother," Jiang Cheng put his tongue out at him and the two had a making-faces contest until the two Jades walked in.

"Wanyin! When did you come?" 

Jiang Cheng quickly made his hair, then stopped halfway wondering what the hell he was doing, before clearing his throat. "A while ago. Xichen, Lan Wangji, hello."

"Mn." Lan Zhan nodded and walked to stand beside Wei Ying, taking his hand because Mianmian was standing right next to his husband. 

Lan Xichen walked straight on towards Jiang Cheng, arms opened wide. 

What? He's coming to hug me? A deep crimson diffused across Jiang Cheng's face as he stood there, flabbergasted and yet unwilling to move. "Xi... Xichen, the hell do you think you're–"

"My little angel!" 

"Huh?" 

Xichen snatched Meilien from Jiang Cheng's arms and cuddled her. She was much bigger now, tall and fair and simply elegant in every way. "Who's my little angel?" Xichen sang. 

The baby girl, who had begun to properly talk, patted his cheeks shouting, "Daddy! Daddy!" 

"WHAT!" 

While Jiang Cheng stood there, horrified, Wei Wuxian hung on Lan Zhan's body for support, clutching his robes as he rolled with laughter.

"Meilien! Are you out of your mind! This is Shushu!" Jiang Cheng stomped up to his daughter and pointed to his mouth. "SHU-SHU!"

Meilien blinked. She pointed a chubby finger to Jiang Cheng and said "Daddy!" 

"Of course, I'm Daddy! He," he pointed to Lan Xichen who was chuckling. "He is your Shushu!" Jiang Cheng desperately tried to drag out the word.